We show here predictions on Mundane Astrology. Read the text from the Technical Director of CNA, Renato Quintino, about Pluto's passage in the last degee of Sagitarius.

THE LAST DEGREE OF PLUTO IN SAGITARIUS

by Renato Quintino

At last Pluto arrived at 29 degrees Sagittarius. Even with eventual retrogradation it announces in advance the turn of 2009 with its entrance in Capricorn. If, on the one hand, it is early to make any assessments, on the other hand, it is certain that this is both the end of the waste of this energy and of this collective process.

It is known that, on the one hand, Pluto enhances all the values and areas of life ruled by the sign in which it is positioned, on the other hand, this is done in its specific energetic style, that is, it makes transparent what is hidden, it brings things to the surface, for example, problems in a specific area that are not solved or are ignored. This happens through scandals, or intense crises, or often through huge losses of lives. Secondly, it intensifies the power of the areas ruled by the sign, it brings more pressure. At the same time it brings much more money and power for those glamorized groups with individuals with great power in them. Thirdly, it brings transformations as a result of crises, derived from conflicts between people with enhanced willpower, either on the individual, collective, or world level.

The entrance of Pluto in Sagittarius in 1996 enhanced the political power and its relation to crises and scandals that are still in debate in the political arena. Because of the mighty power of the United States, it started with crises in the U.S., like the Monica Lewinsky’s scandal during Clinton’s administration, Bush’s controversial election, September 11th attacks (Sun in Virgo squares Sagittarius in Pluto), the 11th of March in Spain (Sun in Pisces that also squares Sagittarius), the war in Iraq, and the international terrorism (the enhancement of the power of international terrorist groups with ramifications in the whole world with Bin Laden (Pisces) being its most powerful symbol).

In Brazil, recent political scandals followed by investigations in almost all sectors (although resulting in no punishment) disclosed the existence of financial corruption in all political levels, and this was mainly represented by the condemnation of Roberto Jefferson (with Sun in Gemini and at that time, with an exact opposition of Pluto in Sagittarius), and of Jose Dirceu (with Sun in Pisces and at that time with Pluto square Sun), and all this forcing the fall of the this powerful Minister.

Due to the World Trade Center attack the Islamic fundamentalism gave indirect power to Bush, who was reelected supported by the evangelic fundamentalism. In the media and movies, articles and films came out discussing themes like the crusades, enhancing again this debate. Also was long discussed in the media the death of the Pope, his successor (announced by the color of the smoke that would leave the Sistine Chapel seen live in CNN and other powerful international networks), the TV network Al Jazira with another point of view and reaching another massive group of people. These themes generated a broad international debate with a lot of emotion. Also these events incited a huge debate of an Eastern-Western conflict even though it is still not a reality.

In sports (another Sagittarian area) we saw an enormous increase of the sponsors’ profit, where corporations like Nike, Puma and Adidas are recognized as powerful and multi-billion businesses. The players they sponsor became great symbols in terms of success and profit, and people are perceived as more “powerful” if they dress in sport-type clothes instead of dressing up (“classical” style). This is confirmed by the extremely expensive price of sneakers (and by the existence of an immense variety of official shirts of teams and all type of products related to all types of sports).

Other aspects are related to aviation (international flights increased, the world distances decreased - this all related to Neptune in Aquarius); the Judiciary System in Brazil was put in check; there were never as many judges with heart attack or accused of crimes.

What can we expect of the last year and a half of Pluto in Sagittarius? We can expect the end of the Bush administration for sure, the U.S. loss of another war despite of its huge military power; some new religious conflicts; the catharsis of the rotten in the government; and so on.

When Pluto at last enters in Capricorn, there will be a new long process that will stay with us during the next years: the crises in the executive branch; the corporations put in check; the discovery of the immense power of great entrepreneurs; the collective glamour of the ability of entrepreneurs to structure, organize, persist, preside, and manage. Sneakers will be out of fashion and formal shoes will be in. Causal dress will be out of fashion and suite and tie will be in. This will not be exactly like the yuppies in the eighties (people don’t have much illusions like in Neptune in Capricorn), but as a discovery of the power that serious pragmatic and discrete people can hold at a universal level.

Let’s be prepared to discover what is hidden behind the big corporations; to see how much countries, institutions and individual lives are controlled by those who have the real power of making decisions, and more: that we may be prepared to use these signs in our favor in a conscious and constructive way. After all, the astrological transits always teach us that the world never stops.

Renato Quintino is an Astrologer and artist living in Belo Horizonte (Brazil) and Technical Director of CNA.