by The AstroTwins
featuring predictions by resident astrologer Matthew Swann
published March 1, 2020
From shaken financial markets to international travel restrictions to a virus yet to be contained—here’s what the stars say is headed our way. Your guide to astrology and the coronavirus.
It’s been quite a week in the news, and as astrologers, we consider it our job to look for astrological patterns and predictions—NOT to fan the flames of fear. While panic about a pandemic could feel like an appropriate response, here’s a view of astrology and the coronavirus: how the current and impending astrological lineup could shape public health, the economy and more.
A note about our November 2019 prediction of a “black swan event.”
In our 2020 Horoscope book (published November 2019), Astrostyle’s resident astrologer Matthew Swann predicted the likelihood of an economic “black swan” event that could be triggered by the January 12 Saturn-Pluto conjunction in Capricorn, the sign that rules governments and the economy.
These two planets aligned in Capricorn for the first time since 1518, traveling in close contact from December 2019 through late February 2020.
True to the nature of a black swan—an event that comes completely out of left field and has a major impact, but can only be contextualized after the fact—this sudden and stunning worldwide occurence is indeed lining up with much of 2020’s astrology forecast. While our book was written and printed months before any mention of the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China, an event like this one has a long historical footprint—at least, according to astrology.
Now, we move into a new week facing shaken global markets, new international travel restrictions and the first recorded coronavirus death in the U.S.—plus virus outbreaks in over 50 countries. Here’s an explainer of astrology and the coronavirus:
1. Saturn and Pluto shake up economies, bring hidden threats to light.
As we wrote in our book about Saturn and Pluto’s merger, “the global economy may well be subject to the ever-present dangers of economic deterioration. This could set the stage for the ultimate Plutonian plot twist—a ‘black swan event’ a term to denote a random event occurring outside all known statistical modeling and or status quo perspectives, an absolute surprise…”
At this writing, U.S. stocks took a steep plunge in recent trading sessions due to virus-induced fears and developments. Last week, the Dow Jones had its largest reversal in two years. Markets from Europe to Brazil to Asia were rattled by concerns about the coronavirus economic impact.
China, where the coronavirus originated, is the seat of global manufacturing, and coronavirus shutdowns will result in “tens of billions of dollars in lost growth this quarter alone,” according to CNN, in an article that also warns that, “major outbreaks in Japan, South Korea and Italy underscore the risk posed to other big economies from the coronavirus.” With the coronavirus spreading at this rate, it’s a near-certainty that it will soon affect every nation and their economies as the disrupted global supply chain now exports panic.
2. The first case was detected as Jupiter entered Capricorn, a tricky placement.
On December 1, 2019, the very first case of “2019-nCoV,” as the virus is called, was detected in Wuhan, China. This occurred as Jupiter—the planet of international travel and exchange—was preparing to end a 13-month visit to its home sign of Sagittarius. On December 2, Jupiter moved into “fall” (its weakened position) in Capricorn, joining Saturn and Pluto in this sobering sign. The effect of Jupiter’s presence could have acted like a bit of a release valve on things that were kept suppressed or hidden—including a virus.
3. Saturn and Pluto have met up at times of war, recession and financial overhaul.
Saturn and Pluto meet every 33-35 years, but in a different zodiac sign, taking nearly three centuries to return to a sign. The last Pluto-Saturn conjunction on November 8, 1982, coincided with the end of a brief recession. Historically, there have been incidences of economic shakeups or wars when these two planets unite.
The Saturn-Pluto unions of 1914-15 dovetailed with the start of World War I and stretched until the next Saturn-Pluto conjunction (in Leo) in 1947, which aligned with the end of World War II.
On November 16, 1914, the U.S. Federal Reserve began operations as Saturn and Pluto (both retrograde) united in Cancer. Right before that, the world was rocked by the Financial Panic of 1914. With impending war threatening global markets, spooked investors pulled out of their securities in a scramble for cash and gold. This led to an unprecedented shutdown of the London Stock Exchange for five months, and the U.S. Stock Exchange for four months. For six weeks during August and early September 1914—as Saturn and Pluto made close contact—almost every stock exchange in the world was closed.
4. Bioterrorism and the Year of the Bat, er, Rat.
The Year of the Rat began on January 24, 2020, at the Lunar New Year—and weirdly enough, coronavirus was originally pinned on an animal often mistaken to be part of the rodent family, the bat. From where does the coronavirus actually originate? With crafty, obscuring Pluto shrouding facts in layers of secrecy, it’s no surprise that theories are mixed.
Could this be an act of bioterrorism as many are now speculating? With Pluto, the ruler of the underworld, aligned with weighty Saturn in Capricorn, the sign that rules corporate and government interests, that’s likely to remain a developing story.
5. Saturn is headed into Aquarius, an air sign, on March 21.
On March 21, grizzled Saturn will begin its first leg of a three-year journey into Aquarius, which is an air sign. This indicates that some challenges may come through anything spread through the atmosphere, including respiratory infections and airborne diseases.
As boundary-builder Saturn enters the sign that rules society and community—all group gatherings—this phase will impact community and social services. We will likely see Saturn’s imprint on public health and government-operated offices under Aquarian rule, with long lines and bureaucracy. With Saturn’s tendency to be extra cautious, people could become more divided, quarantining or barring access. Saturn in social Aquarius could bring the cancellation of events, holidays and conferences—anywhere large groups of people gather.
A shortage of face masks may well be ahead of us since China produces 90% of the world supply, to say nothing of the need for generic medicines, which China also manufactures. Meantime, as we consider astrology and the coronavirus, let’s take a cue from Aquarius, the Water Bearer…and wash our hands.
6. Tightened regulations around community, pharmaceuticals and more.
What is going on in that laboratory? And how will the lab-to-market prices and process be impacted? Saturn in Aquarius will reveal. Saturn rules rules, laws and regulations—and Aquarius rules innovation, including anything chemical or pharmaceutical. The ruling planet of Aquarius, Uranus, is in money-minded Taurus until 2026, which could double this effect.
We may also see more government Internet shutdowns, as authoritarian Saturn descends on the sign that rules public information and technology. This could continue to spark the uprisings associated with Uranus and Aquarius, especially as people clamor for access to information that has a direct bearing on their daily lives.
7. Air travel restrictions (and fears) will be strong until July.
Restrictive Saturn’s move into airborne Aquarius can impact the flight industry, short-circuiting business travel. Saturn will make its first foray here from March 21 to July 1, then it will return again from December 17, 2020, until March 7, 2023. Recent stats show that the airlines could stand to lose more than $29 billion, according to the International Air Transport Authority. With Jupiter, the planet of global travel, grounded in earth sign Capricorn until December, the coronavirus outbreak could see lots of people planning road trips for the summer instead—or opting for “staycations” for extra safety measures. (In our December 30 interview on Expedia’s Viewfinder podcast, we actually recommended this for 2020 travelers.)
8. Cryptic events and crypto…making way for a new currency?
As more industries are impacted by the coronavirus manufacturing shutdown, we may see an acceleration in the development of bitcoin or a new economy—a trend we predicted all the way back in 2018 when radical changemaker Uranus started its eight-year revolution through Taurus. (Uranus was last here from 1934 to 1942.)
The threat to the supply chain may break open opportunities for the emerging technology of “blockchain,” forcing us to get serious about new economic models and attendant payment platforms.
Meantime, Pluto is forging through Capricorn until 2024, which might accelerate developments or alternatives for new money models over the next four years.
We’ll keep updating this post about astrology and the coronavirus as events develop. In the meantime, take the precautions you feel are right for you—and stay safe, friends.