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Soul-Sick Nation: An Astrologer's View of America

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Jessica Murray has done the impossible: used astrology to explain America's current state of affairs. And she's done it with wisdom, wit, insight, and intelligence. You don't need to be an astrologer or a political scientist to benefit from reading this page-turner. Murray lays out the facts that back up her theories in clearly-written English with loads of interesting footnotes. She peppers the easily-accessible prose with dynamic examples that clearly illustrate her points. This is a must-read book for anyone who cares about America.

She is right to focus most of her attention on Pluto. Pluto's impact in America's chart, especially with regard to its squaring Sun/Jupiter, explains much in terms of Americans' attitudes about (and ignorance of) the wars of aggression that are perpetrated in the name of freedom. (Given its immense influence, how ironic that the IAU recently reclassified Pluto as a 'dwarf planet.' We astrologers laughed at the 'reclassification' since Pluto rules, among other things, death. How fitting, then, that Pluto was killed off in this way.) But Murray doesn't stop with Pluto. Full attention is paid to, among other planets, Uranus and its relation to the American constitution, and Jupiter and its relation to American's immaturity and constant need to expand.

Murray answers the questions we have about why Americans value money and material possessions above all else, why the populace is so unconscious about what its government does and how its country is perceived throughout the world, and why corporations have license to run amok. Her insights into how America's astrological chart and current transits are reflected in current events show the kind of erudition that only comes from decades of study leading to mastery of her subject.

Last week two news stories appeared that bolster the claims Murray makes. Firstly, for the first time in history Americans have reached the point where their individual debt surpasses their savings. Americans have been trending in this direction for some time now, but as of last week, the majority of Americans owe more money than they have in their savings accounts. Murray explains why this is inevitable given the current planetary transits to the country's natal chart. And secondly, a study has shown that tourism to America is at an all-time low, and in fact is so substantially reduced that the country is losing billions of dollars. The reason given for this drop is two-fold: it is increasingly difficult for foreigners to gain the visas and security clearances necessary to visit America; and many foreigners are afraid that once in the country, they could be detained for no reason and held indefinitely, unable to contact their loved ones or legal representation. Again, Murray points out how an unforeseeable situation like this could occur.

Murray's take on America's juvenile psyche and the long-term cost of Americans' ignorance is devastating, and therefore essential reading. But all is not lost. The last chapters explain how transformation and maturity are possible, and what Americans can do to shift out of the soul-sucking behavior that has resulted in the current malaise. I rank this book alongside classics such as Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States" and Arundhati Roy's "Power Politics." Do yourself a favor and order this book. You won't look at America in the same way after reading it.

Soul-Sick Nation is a passionate and well-written book that brings an astrologer's skills to an assessment of the current status of the United States of America. The book is tightly organized and easy to read. Approaching the U.S. as if it were an individual seeking astrological consultation, the author moves through a careful and fascinating analysis of its birth chart, given the country's birth date of 1776 and place of birth Philadelphia. In this sense, Soul-Sick Nation is also a primer on astrology, and the author is a patient and clear teacher for the uninitiated, adding to the enjoyment of the reading. My favorite part was the astrological sketches of famous personalities, such as John McCain, Clint Eastwood, and Walter Cronkite. However, the portrait of the country was equally riveting. Given the contemporary situation in world politics, the author's analysis is sobering. The reader is grateful for the concluding section, in which she offers some ways in which we can work towards a better future. One of her suggestions is to challenge taboos, blind spots that we all have, particularly to appreciate the dangers of reductionism and challenge our beliefs about our government. This is a good admonition, since - as the author points out - complexity is the enemy of greed and stupidity.

- Alex Harrison M.D.

REVIEW


A surprising marriage of hardball political analysis and profound metaphysical understanding, Soul-Sick Nation is a unique book that challenges even the most intellectual and well-informed mind and the most compassionate, loving heart. With sparkling wit, yet utmost seriousness, this book beckons us to take a journey into the American psyche to understand just how we have ended up in perhaps the most frightening era in world history ever--with America currently leading the world to the brink of disaster on many disparate levels simultaneously.
With in-depth explanations from both the world of politics and that of astrology, we visit current events and situations and those of the last decade that have spawned ever-more disconcerting, if not downright terrifying, predicaments--such as Nine-Eleven, the War in Iraq, Global Warming, and the antics of the Bush Administration. Through our study of the American chart, we also see close up and personal certain woundings in the American character, such as a deep and unique sort of "money neurosis," embarrassing taboos, the dark side of glamour, and the irresponsible, greedy, adolescent wielding of power of a nation replete with resources it is squandering. We further examine the more and more obvious crumbling of our economic, health, education, and religious structures. It is clear, in reading Soul-Sick Nation, that the American Dream is tumbling down around us, whether its citizens are aware of it or not.
I don't believe anyone can read this book and remain ignorant, complacent or apathetic about what is happening in this country or the world at large. Combining years of geopolitical study and activism since the Sixties with several decades of practicing as a well-known astrologer and writer, Jessica Murray manages to educate us on a myriad of levels in clear, lucid prose and insightful explanations about this country. The astrologers and metaphysicans in her readership will be impressed with her breathtaking depth of understanding of this ancient art as she has applied it to understanding the chart of the United States. Most of them who choose to live outside the world of politics will also, of course, learn much about what is going on in the world on the mundane and very real levels of which we are all a part.
The political-savvy readers who keep up daily with the news, the editorials and the analyses of the news will probably be impressed at the depth of Murray's understanding of world events; and the most rational among them may be astounded at how astutely she describes the direct relationship between these events and the events happening in the sky. Indeed, any hard-core "realists" among her readers who tend to dismiss astrology as a silly pseudo-science only studied by misled new agers may find their heads spinning with mind-stretching realizations about this age-old tradition of wisdom. Some of the connections Murray makes between the planets' positions at the times of certain key events that have happened in the world are absolutely eerie.
Yet Murray does not stop with her vast breadth of understanding and analysis of the dire troubles we face as a nation and as a planet today. As in her explanations about events that have happened, she eventually turns to astrology for answers to these same problems. Her astute and compassionate understanding of the human mind and modern psychology is revealed when she comes to explaining what not only can be done by each of us as individuals to help alter the course of world disaster--but what must be done, and soon, if this planet is to survive.
As complex and intricate both politics and astrology can be, Soul-Sick Nation manages somehow to be a page-turner. At times, the book fairly crackles with electricity, as we jump with surprise at the no-holds-barred approach Murray takes to the absurd political situations we Americans find ourselves in at this juncture in history. At other times, we may find ourselves suddenly in tears--either with sadness and mourning--or with joy and hope.
Murray is a patriot in the truest sense of the word--it is evident she dearly cares about this country, while clearly seeing all its intricate flaws. Yet she is not just a patriot of America; she is one of the new millennial patriots of what has truly become one world. This type of intelligent caring may be, in the end, our only hope for survival as a species.

Finally a book that speaks to the truth about an "amazing country" spiraling dangerously into the very things that once made it great. Written with outstanding astuteness, wisdom and insightfulness, Jessica Murray has taken me on a literary journey into America's fragile soul. Full of wonderful astrological insights i began to piece togther many of the significant parts of this great country's recent events. It's multinational corporate strangle hold on the country, the self serving politicians married to the unethiical corporations, the flawed media involvement partnered with skewed political agenda, and of course the confused and paralyzed collective unable to move beyond the fogs of conditioned response and much more.
The analysis of America's birth chart provided me with a strong understanding of the ebb and flow of "Soul-Sick Nation", however an astrological background is not necessary to access or understand the powerful messages this book delivers. It is clear and succinct in its' writing and affords quality information at many levels. It becomes clear that a country numb to fundamental "global" trgedy is on the doorstep of a new level of consciousness.
Jessica provides us with the insights we need to challenge our complacency and to begin with the "right questions". This book "Soul-Sick Nation" is an unparalleled tribute to our individual and collective unconscious dilemmas.

Steven Williams

The terrifying events of September 11th 2001 coincided with the opposition of Saturn and Pluto, an astronomical pattern that occurs every twenty-nine years and has been observed by astrologers to coincide with periods of tension and conflict. This time around the opposition was particularly noteworthy, as the two planets faced off across the ascendant/descendant axis of the US chart, signifying a challenging and transformative period for the USA in terms of self-image and relationships abroad.

In Soul-Sick Nation, Jessica Murray examines the meaning of the astrological events that occurred around 9/11 and that continue to overshadow this era of suffering, produced by the grim aftermath of that day of terror. She analyzes the natal US chart in depth, and with insight and precision applies her many years of astrological study to a masterly delineation of the strengths and weaknesses of the most powerful country in the world.

With great clarity, she excoriates the addictions and follies of contemporary American society. Murray takes no prisoners in her searing analysis of the flabby indulgences of a facsimile of culture propagated through the media, manipulated by corporate greed, and infected by corrupt government.

But there is light at the end of this sad and sorry tunnel: Murray uses her astrological lens to uncover and describe the inherent nobility and vision of the American spirit, and to point the way for recovery from the current miasma of materialism gone mad.

I recommend this book for all astrologers and for all students of culture interested in the meeting point of geopolitics and ancient symbolism. The wisdom of the past can be used to illuminate the errors and confusion of the present, if we know where, and how, to look. In Soul-Sick Nation, Murray writes as a way-shower and visionary offering a perspective that can help to set us free.

I am a professional astrologer. The following is excerpted from my review of this book published by The Mountain Astrologer magazine in April 2007.

It's on: The first of this year's three squares of Jupiter to Uranus occurred on January 22, 2007. This has activated what I have dubbed the "Coming Storm" of the opening Uranus-Pluto squares (2012-15) that, I believe, promises to re-awaken the counterculture movements of the 1960s. Tens of thousands of people marched in Washington, D.C. on January 27 and on March 17 and 18 to protest the decision of the United States government to "stay the course" in Iraq. At the January rally, a 12-year-old stood up to say that our leaders either lied to us or hid the truth, and because of our actions, the rest of the world sees us as a bully and a liar.

Evidently, even a 12-year-old can identify the "cult of immaturity" that, Jessica Murray points out, pervades U.S. culture and policies. In her new book, Soul-Sick Nation, this humanist astrologer takes a long hard look at the chart of the U.S. She examines the chart of this entity piece by piece, in a way that even a relative beginner can grasp and understand. Soul-Sick Nation dives particularly deep into two often-misunderstood planets - Saturn and Pluto - and their corresponding psychological functions. Murray's conclusions, after much reference to contemporary and historical facts, are: "The USA lacks a maturity of mind and soul" and "America's Pluto casts a long shadow." This shadow manifests itself in imperialism, corruption, materialistic obsession, and a "throwaway culture."

In Soul Sick-Nation, Jessica Murray puts all the cards on the table. To whatever extent you have bought into consensus reality, you are quite simply playing a losing hand. This may not be such surprising news for many, but if you think that Denial is just a river in Egypt, this book will rock your world. Whatever your level of socio-political awareness, you can certainly learn something here. Murray lays out her case with humorous facts - each one worth examination and many worth follow-up. She illustrates the extreme irony of the current socio-political morass with quality information, the kind you can't find on the six o'clock news. Page after page, the irrefutable, incontrovertible evidence piles up: Today's dominant worldview is quite sick; in fact, it is dying. The U.S., as the current global political and cultural hegemony, is the poster child for this sickness. The author's prescription is that each individual take responsibility for resisting this "cult of immaturity."

In the chapter "A New Era," Murray writes: "Gradually, this sense of responsibility starts to feel inner-directed rather than outer-mandated. We begin to conduct our lives as if everything we do matters." She further states: "The goal of the seeker should be to tune into this role, commit to it, and pump energy into people, ideas and activities that match it."

This is an important work, in part because formulating a response to Murray's assertions could be vital to personal awareness in these complex times. There may be nothing more important to your personal growth than a challenging viewpoint such as this. As we move into the Saturn-Uranus oppositions next year, the kind of awareness gained by reading books like Soul-Sick Nation is going to be increasingly valuable, as we will no doubt be consistently challenged to take a stand on the issues of our time. My sense is that we are at the threshold of some very exciting times, and works such as Soul-Sick Nation can serve as the impetus to propel us from the sidelines into the fray.

There are so many many books out now about the state of our Country,however this one is incredibly illuminating and insightful. Ms Murray uses the Nation's chart as a backdrop for the ills we've been experiencing. Her research into the country's history makes this an interesting book for all whether they have an astrological background or not.

I read this book in a few sittings as it is well written and light on the astrology for those that do not have a background in astrology. I do so I could appreciate what she was linking to what times. My biggest problem with the book is that she blames the Bush administration for all the woes in America today. Given her timeline of events, the build up that is leading to her proposed downfall really started 30+ years ago and no one president is culpable. If anything we as Americans are all apart of this drama by the way we have bought into the Wall Street/Hollywood version of how we should live and consume every natural resource we can get our hands on and feel a sense of entitlement as we do it.

Her astrological interpretation is on solid ground and if you think it is scary just look at what other astrologers are saying about 2012. One should be scared to death about what lies ahead as it comes forth from the energy we have already created. We cannot stop what is potentially going to happen but we can see and learn what is coming and plan for a "soft landing" and new ways to see ourselves as world citizens.

I would recommend a read of the book if you can overlook her strong political bias.

In "Soul-Sick Nation," Jessica Murray weaves astrology, history, and politics together to create a unique masterpiece that is both entertaining and enlightening. Rooted in astrology and grounded in history, this book blows all illusions away. It is a call to action--a call to step off the fence and into the oft-times chaotic fray of our current historical epoch, a call to find creative responses to the problems that we and our nation are currently facing.

Ms. Murray's witty, succinct, and oft-times literary delivery of the material makes this an enjoyable read. She is truly a master at weaving astrology and history into a political narrative. I enjoyed this book immensely, and I highly recommend it.

I am an astrologer, therefore I ordered this book from another astrologers web-site recommendation.I am extremely un-nerved to read a book that should be astrolocally un-bias. There are both light and dark sides to all signs, planets, houses and interrupratations of same. This writer only tells the very dark side of what is happening in our nation today. She is obviously a very liberal Democrat...to the Socialist side of world view. (Of course, only in America could she write such a diatribe!)
I don't expect writers to not show their view-point. But I do expect an astrologer-writer to give both sides, other viewpoints and and well-rounded explanation for what the planets are doing today.
Of course, this is what's happening all around us...hysteria, waiting for the "End Times",negative thinking/conspiracy thinking, fortune seeking souls out for their 15-minutes of fame.
This book was a waste of my money.