2023 Aries Ingress for Australia
The Aries Ingress chart is a snapshot of the moment that the Sun enters the sign of Aries, marking the beginning of the astrological year. Interpreting this chart is one of the most important techniques in mundane astrology – which is the astrology of the world, including nations, political leaders, social trends, weather events. The Aries ingress chart provides important insights into collective themes and events that will unfold over the following solar year. In this article, we will explore the 2023 Aries ingress chart for Australia and what it means for the country.
In mundane astrology, the Aries ingress chart is typically cast for the capital city of the country, which in this case is Canberra. It covers all of Australia from the seat of power, providing us with a comprehensive picture of the country’s astrological outlook. The chart for Australia is thus based on the moment of the sun’s transition to Aries at 7:24 a.m. in Canberra. Notably, the rising sign in this chart is Aries, which carries significant implications for the direction Australia is likely to take over the next solar year. One feature of this chart is its use of the Regiomontanus house system. I chose a quadrant house system because we have a specific time for when the Sun moves from Pisces into Aries, in a specific place, and the chart is cast to reflect that time-space moment precisely. The chart shows the Sun positioned in the 12th house at 0 degrees Aries.
Australian national psyche
The ascendant in mundane astrology represents the health and vitality of a nation at a collective level. This rising sign in the Aries ingress chart describes the Australian people. With Jupiter in Aries rising, it appears that Australia is feeling energetic, enthusiastic, and optimistic. Aries is a Cardinal Fire sign, which signifies the start of an identity or creation. There is a desire to move forward and assert ourselves as an independent nation. Aries is known for being bold, straightforward, combative, and impatient, perhaps with some naivety and overconfidence.
The ascendant is modified by the presence of Jupiter tightly conjoined the rising degree. Jupiter in Aries brings bold optimism, which may result in a tendency to exaggerate and overestimate the country’s capabilities. There is a drive to move forward fuelled by belief and a quest for meaning. This could lead to a semi-religious fervour, where the self-belief is dialled up to 11, unnecessary risks are taken, and arrogance prevails.
Jupiter rising in the ingress chart suggests international relations and legal matters will be of great prominence and may include issues such as advocating for political prisoners, international extraditions, new laws, and legal reform (quite possibly with unintended consequences).
However, given that Jupiter is a benefic, luck seems to be on Australia’s side as Jupiter squares the Capricorn midheaven, and the midheaven ruler (Saturn) was recently received by Venus. (More on that shortly.)
Critical thinking
With Aries ruling the ascendant, we look to Mars as the ruler of the chart. Mars is in Gemini, where it has been since August 2022, using words as weapons. This emphasis on language is further highlighted in the chart by Mars’s placement in the 3rd house of news, rumours, and propaganda. Mars is separating from a square to Neptune, which suggests there’s been some recent slipperiness with the truth. The chart ruler placed in a cadent house, indicates that Australia will not ideally positioned to bring about the bold intent declared by the confident Jupiter-in-Aries rising. The 3rd house also represents Australia’s neighbours, including New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia, positioning them as of crucial importance in the year ahead.
The positioning of Mars as the ruler of Gemini in the Aries ingress chart presents a potential challenge due to Mercury’s placement in the 12th house, which is known for being difficult for planets to operate effectively. The 12th house represents a sense of helplessness and a lack of control, as though one’s hands are off the wheel and at the mercy of fate. Mercury is further debilitated by being combust the Sun. Due to both Mercury’s natural significations and its rulership of the 3rd house, this may create issues with information exchange, particularly in the areas of news and the internet, where there may be a lack of filter or safety net. There may also be complications with local transport, logistics, and news outlets. Australians may not be able to drive forward effectively, feeling as though they are merely along for the ride rather than actively pushing for what they want.
Jupiter’s conjunction with the Ascendant further emphasizes the importance of publishing, research, and laws – where small-scale information comes together in large-scale institutions – is prioritised and reinforces an instinctive enthusiasm for opinion over facts. That Jupiter rising can also lead to recklessness if not tempered with critical thinking and asking the right questions. Ultimately, the placement of Mercury in the 12th house may create a lack of forward thinking and critical analysis in certain areas, which could lead to potential issues if not addressed.
AUKUS agreement
After the ascendant, the 10th house is the most influential house, and in a mundane chart represents the government, leadership, and international reputation of a nation. With Capricorn on the midheaven, a Saturn-ruled sign driven to achieve material wealth and social status, it is no surprise that the country is pushing for ‘the international rules-based order’. Pluto in Capricorn in the 10th house indicates that the Australian government is feeling influential and playing with the big boys.
Pluto’s association with nuclear fission, discovered in 1930 by an American astronomer, and the uranium atom split by German physicists in 1938, is significant in the context of the AUKUS alliance. The intelligence and defence collaboration between Australia, the UK, and the USA, most notably the plan for Australia to acquire nuclear-propelled submarines, is shown by the angular house placement of Pluto in the chart. While Pluto’s prominent chart position may prompt feelings fear, Pluto offers wisdom about the fragility of life, the necessity of letting go of the past, and the cycle of regeneration. As Capricorn is an Earth sign, I suspect the disposal of nuclear waste from the submarine engines will become a significant political issue. Generally, it is buried in a geographically stable area, however it remains radioactive for thousands of years, making it an enduring unwanted gift many generations into the future.
Prime Minister and friends
The placement of the midheaven ruler, Saturn, in the 11th house of alliances and friends suggests a focus on traditional alliances and old friends. With Saturn in Pisces, boundaries are less rigid, and the technology being shared in the AUKUS deal goes beyond the ordinary level of cooperation. The connection between Venus and Saturn, along with Jupiter’s ruling of the 2nd house from the 11th, indicates that our allies are content with their payday. Those submarines are expensive!
The 10th house represents the government, the ruler of the 10th represents the country’s leader, and the 11th house represents the parliament. Australia’s Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, is signified by Saturn, showing his willingness to work closely with the cross bench and be flexible as he progresses his legislative agenda. The cooperative atmosphere suggested by Saturn’s recent connection to Venus is fading and perhaps some of the shine will come off recent agreements due to funding issues.
Spies and secrets
The Sun’s placement in the 12th house, a hidden and shady area of the chart, brings focus to those who are often invisible, such as aged care residents, prisoners, immigration detainees, and the homeless. However, the 12th house is also the house of unknown enemies who are willing to use and abuse us. With mutual reception between Mars and Mercury in the 12th house, there may be secret deals and espionage activities occurring which undermine Australia’s national interest. The invisibility of Mercury, conjoined with the Part of Fortune, suggests the potential for cybercrime, with dangerous information possibly being leaked.
The collective mood of the people, represented by the Moon in Pisces, is tired and world-weary. The Australian people are looking for escape, possibly through addiction, as the Moon approaches Neptune. The balsamic moon phase indicates weariness, and the possibility that public opinion on immigration detainees and prisoners softens.
Mercury is conjoined with the Part of Fortune in the 12th house. In addition to the communication issues previously discussed, there may be quiet rumblings about wage increases for service workers and unions, particularly in caring professions such as nursing, teaching, and disability care.
Mercury is also a natural significator of journalists and writers. The potential for progress with Australian journalists and writers detained and imprisoned overseas, such as Julian Assange, Cheng Lei, and Dr. Yang Hengju, is highlighted, along with 3rd house themes of news, journalism, and information.
National wealth
The North Node and Uranus in the 2nd house suggest an unstable hunger for luxurious items, comfort, and treats, with Venus in Taurus amplifying this desire. This is not good for inflation and the rising cost of living. However, the South Node on the cusp of the 8th house suggests a reduction in debt, taxation, and superannuation, potentially indicating an end to interest rate increases. Ongoing income from resource earnings may help replenish the government’s coffers.
Venus is the most powerful thing going for us over the next three months. It has domicile, term, and face, so it’s very dignified. The last aspect Venus made was to Saturn, which is in Venus’s exaltation, indicating a strong and enduring connection with our allies and trading partners. This potentially shows the deal being made around submarines, with Saturn in Pisces, the sign of the oceans. Traditionally, Australia is allied to the UK and the US, but we’re also developing ties with India and Japan with the quad. There’s a strategic component to those alliances, of course, but with this strong Venus, there are also persuasive financial reasons for investing in those partnerships.
Real estate and housing
The housing crisis and real estate market appear to be at their last gasp, with women bearing the brunt of the issues. The Moon rules the 4th house, with Black Moon Lilith in Leo, suggests there’s plenty of feminine rage about this issue. It is documented that women are staying in dangerous relationships rather than being homeless, and there is a steep increase in the number of middle-aged women becoming homeless.
As the Moon (in Pisces in the 12th house) is approaching Neptune, there is a sense of loss and confusion about 4th house topics. Women and families are losing their homes. There’s simply nowhere for them to go and they are forced to rely on charity. More positively, the connection between the Moon and Neptune suggests that the housing market will continue to soften.
Unfortunately, while people are collectively sympathetic, there is not a lot of energy available to bring about necessary change. However, once past the conjunction with Neptune, the Moon moves into a square with Mars. This has the potential to ignite debate about what to do about the issue. As Mars rules the 8th house of taxation, it’s likely that there will be changes announced in the May budget.
The ruler of the 4th house also signifies the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, so while he initially keeps a political low profile, he’ll come out firing once the government proposes changes to those 8th house topics, like death, taxation, and superannuation in the May budget.
You can dive even deeper into the Aries ingress chart for Australia in this video with my friend Sam from Three Fates Apothecary. Because, the 2023 Aries ingress chart for Australia has a cardinal sign rising, a new chart must be cast at the solstice. To stay up to date, I invite you to subscribe to my email list and/or follow me on the socials (at the bottom right of this page).