As President Bush prepares to deliver his (OMG) seventh State of the Union address, we take a look at what the stars have in store for him over the next few months. You may want to revisit my original overview of Bush’s chart, last year’s “State of the President” post, and the update from last November.

To summarize briefly, over the past few years President Bush has been going through a long period of Saturn transits over sensitive points in his chart. Saturn is the planet that teaches us restraint and discipline by pointing out where we have made mistakes, and that is certainly true in this situation. Saturn has challenged his partnerships and alliances when it crossed his ascendant and opposed the cusp of his seventh house, resulting in the loss of his Chief of Staff Andy Card, press secretary Scott McClellan and the shifting of position for his henchman Karl Rove. Saturn confronted his thoughts and ideas when it passed over his Leo Mercury that filters all of Bush’s experiences (Mercury) through his ego (Leo) driving his poll numbers down, and when it crossed his Pluto the country became fully aware for the first time of the breakdown (Pluto) of the government (Saturn) in response to Hurricane Katrina.

On a personal level, Bush has been experiencing some deep emotional distress over the past year with a conflicting aspect (square) from his progressed Mars (aggression and drive) to the Moon in his chart, showing that he is more defensive and prickly than usual as Mars irritates the sensitive Moon.

Now he faces a series of difficult cycles involving Chiron, the wounded healer. Where Saturn creates disappointments and restrictions, Chiron brings up old unresolved wounds that need to be addressed. Where Saturn works to effect change in the structure of our lives, Chiron works on the deeper emotional fabric and encourages sensitivity and evolution. On December 22 Chiron crossed Bush’s ascendant, just as he admitted to the nation for the first time that the US was not winning the war in Iraq. In late January Chiron will go on to aspect Bush’s Mercury/Pluto conjunction, but at the same time a number of positive Jupiter transits will buoy up his optimism and keep him from sinking too deeply into introspection.

In March Jupiter and Saturn transit Uranus in Bush’s chart, creating excitement and expansion and likely bringing him in contact with different people (Uranus falls in his 11th house of friends and social groups). These are periods of change and awakening where the status quo isn’t good enough. At the same time Neptune will begin a long transit of Bush’s Venus where it will begin to cause confusion in his marriage and probably with Karl Rove as well.

Transits of Mars often show the trigger points that will set off the longer-reaching planetary cycles, and right now Mars in Capricorn is making a square to Neptune in Bush’s chart, the first of four planets in his Libra stellium (grouping of planets). Mars impels us to take action, but when it hits our Neptune it can be confusing as we struggle to identify our goals. In early February Mars will oppose Bush’s Cancer Sun and he will begin to get his energy back but start to express his aggression in a more focused manner, and shortly afterward Mars squares Bush’s Chiron/Moon conjunction which will create a profound emotional irritation as it stirs up painful memories.

The stressful aspects of Mars can create feelings of frustration and dissatisfaction and bring out the worst qualities of the planet: willful and reckless behavior as we try to make things happen in order to release the pentup energy of these aspects. Bush has these qualities in his chart in abundance: his Mars makes no aspects to other planets which makes him a bit of a loose cannon, and a square of Jupiter to Uranus expands (Jupiter) the rebellious nature of Uranus, giving Bush the nature of a pugnacious renegade.

Mars will set off the Jupiter/Uranus square in his chart in mid February, we’ll begin to see its influence during the first week and it will carry through until the 17th or so. I would expect more rumors of war for the next month or so as Bush struggles to contain his Mars.