On December 18th, 2010, a 26 year old man called Muhammad Bouazizi set himself on fire in front of the government office in Tunisia as he was frustrated in his attempts to be employed and to be heard by the government officials. He succumbed to his burn injuries 18 days later on January 4th, 2011. This was the start of the Middle East revolution which has gained rapid momentum involving at least 19 countries to varied degrees. The protests have been primarily led by people who are disgruntled with the inhumane treatment met out to the people by the dictators who have contributed to the high unemployment, extreme poverty and human rights violation in these countries. The Middle East revolution is unprecedented due to the sudden chain events that shook the world, number of countries involved in the protest, the rapid pace it spread, and the use of computers and social medias in disseminating information and in organizing the protests. All of it points to Uranus, the God of Sudden Change. However, when something this huge happens, there is usually more than one indication in Astrology pointing to the same event.
Jupiter Uranus Conjunction on January 4, 2011: Jupiter and Uranus were conjunct for the last and final time on January 4, 2011, the same day that Muhammad Bouazizi died of burn injuries. Soon after, on January 14, 2011, the president of the Tunisian Republic Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was forced to step down and fled the country. Jupiter Uranus conjunction happens once in 14 years and are about sudden breakthroughs. The Middle East revolution is definitely an example of a sudden enormous change which is symbolic of Jupiter (expansive, large) and Uranus (sudden change). This Jupiter Uranus conjunction is even more significant as it was happening very close to the Aries Point (zero degrees) which invariably involves the public in a big way.
Lunar Eclipse on December 21, 2010 and Solar Eclispse on January 4, 2011: A lunar eclipse occurred on 29th degree of Gemini 2 days after Muhammad Bouazizi’s self immolation and a Solar eclipse occurred on the 13th degree of Capricorn on the same day as the Jupiter Uranus Conjunction and the death of Muhammad Bouazizi. It is interesting that both these eclipses occurred on critical degrees, the 13th, and the 29th degree of the zodiac. Celeste Teal has accurately predicted in her book on “Eclipses”, that eclipses falling on the 13th degree can “shift the balance of power in the world”. Likewise 29th degree is about urgency and taking a sudden leap which is reflective of the manner in which the revolution has spread around the Middle East. Eclipses are known to foretell crucial beginnings and endings in the natal chart of an individual as well as with global events. The solar eclipse on January 4, 2011 was also conjunct the fixed star, Manubrium which symbolizes blindness, explosions, fire, flaring heat, heroism, courage, and defiance. There is no doubt a lot of fire involved with the number of self immolations that have occurred in the Arab countries and plenty of heroism and courage demonstrated by the protestors. These eclipses were important astrological markers for the beginning of the 2010-2011 Middle East revolution.
Stellium in Aquarius: In addition to the Jupiter Uranus conjunction, by mid February, four planets, Chiron and Ceres were in Aquarius, the zodiac sign ruled by Uranus and symbolizing innovation, change, technology, rebellion, etc. In Feburary, the revolution rapidly gathered massive energy involving many countries and large masses of people rooting for change. It is so Aquarian in the way social media sites like facebook and twitter are being used by the protestors to organize demonstrations and in accelerating political change.
Mars-Chiron Aspects and Midpoint: The energy of both Mars and Chiron when expressed in a positive manner is that of the Sacred Warrior who is a trailblazer and is sometimes called to sacrifice for a higher purpose. This combined energy is seen in transits, in the natal chart of Muhammad Bouazizi who self destructed in order to make his point, and in the mundane event chart for the city of Sid Bouazizi where the self immolation took place. Muhammad Bouazizi has Mars in Scorpio in close opposition to Chiron in Taurus. Mars Chiron aspects in men can mean a wounding in their masculinity and this was exaggerated when Muhammad Bouazizi was humiliated by a female government worker who reportedly slapped him on his face. This Mars Chiron opposition was triggered by a square transit from Chiron-Neptune conjunction which were just minutes apart on December 18, 2010. This also means that his Mars/Chiron midpoint was aspected by the conjunction (Mars/Chiron = Chiron = Mars). Also, during this period the Jupiter Uranus conjunction (which is about sudden expression) was square his progressed (Solar Arc) Mars Chiron opposition. Given below is a natal chart of Muhammad Bouazizi (Source: Wikipedia; Birth time now known)
Also in analyzing the event chart for December 18, 2010 drawn for town of Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia at 11:30 am, the place and time that Muhammad Bouazizi burnt himself (Source:Wikipedia), we find that the Midheaven (MC) here is at the midpoint of Mars/Chiron (Mars/Chiron = Midheaven using the 90 degreel dial).
