Thomas Canfield
Probably the best indicator for incompetence in the past two years was the Eris-Pluto square, which began in January, 2020, just as Covid-19 cases were arriving in the USA. There were repeated contacts between the two dwarf planets as the death toll rose due to bumbling, fumbling, and outright misinformation. (How many people actually injected bleach into their bodies?) October 8 (Washington D.C., 6 pm) marks the last exact square between Eris and Pluto. The Sun and Mars will be in a close conjunction in Libra, along with Mercury Retrograde. Expect major arguments over erroneous matters. The Sun and Mars are in opposition to Chiron, and health issues may be at the center of the fighting. Fortunately, Chiron is trine Juno and sextile Ceres. Politicians and caregivers may have the backs of the health care specialists. The Moon opposing Uranus and squaring Jupiter may bring sudden arguments over women’s rights and legal matters. Yet, with the Moon trine Neptune, there may be surprising support from religious communities. Ceres squaring Pallas may bring questioning of wisdom by those who provide nurturing care. Economic growth might be in the background with the Part of Fortune trine the Midheaven. It may be one silver lining as the exact Eris-Pluto square passes.
This does not mean incompetence will vanish at once, but it may mark the beginning of the end. The square will be within a four degree orb through November 2023. (If anyone wants to use a wider orb, they are welcome to it and the consequences.) The four-degree orb was a significant marker for the last Eris-Pluto square in the early years of the 20th Century. The square marked a decade of military build-up and increased technology in the art of killing. Eris in Pisces generated fantasies of other nations getting more powerful and needing to be stopped. Pluto in Gemini inspired plans for new battleships, machines guns, and poison gas. When Eris and Pluto were in square, everything was in the planning stage. In 1914, Pluto moved into Cancer, and the limit of the four-degree orb was passed at the beginning of August, 1914. It was as though a trigger that had been waiting to be pulled was finally unleashing mass death upon millions of men.
It may be hoped that the final separation of Eris and Pluto in November, 2023 will not be as bloody, but even if it is not as dramatically violent as World War One, there are still consequences to watch out for. After the burning of Joan of Arc during the 1431 Eris=Pluto square, the English hoped that her death would demoralize the French. The English did not count on the power of martyrdom and the reaction of their cruel treatment of Joan upon the French people. The nation rallied behind King Charles VII, and the English began losing ground. After twenty years of intense fighting, the English were kicked out and France was able to stand as a strong nation
English grief would continue with the next Eris-Pluto square in 1536, when King Henry VIII closed the monasteries and seized land from the Catholic Church. A revolt by Catholics was quickly suppressed by outright lying and cruel repression. The brutal nature of the English Reformation would lead to paranoia against Catholics that would last about 300 years, with some prejudice carrying on into the 20th Century. If any good came out of Henry’s greed, it was the financing of England as a major Protestant power.
Getting back to the current Eris-Pluto square, we may not have seen the final effects of the incompetence of the recent squares. We may be seeing more mutations of the Covid virus as more people incubate the strain by refusing to be vaccinated. Those who do survive the virus may experience debilitation that could lead to future health failures. By the time of the Eris-Pluto sextile in the 2040’s, we could have a whole generation impaired by the long-term effects of Covid. Health services may need to be expanded, and more people may have to be recruited into providing for the needs of Generation Covid.
One relief we can take is that we will have another 255 years before the next Eris-Pluto square takes place. However, it will be arriving just in time for the 500th Anniversary of American Independence in July, 2276. What new levels of hi-tech national incompetence may we expect? Perhaps the 100th President, James T. Kirk will dedicate a holographic monument to President #45 for his resolute leadership during the previous Eris-Pluto square. This would set the tone of incompetence for Eris in Scorpio squaring Pluto in Aquarius, and might make people wonder if they will live long and prosper.
