One of the more enlightening aspects of Norse astrology is studying how the planets affect human history. We see this most vividly in the slow-moving planets. The Norns, who are represented by the planet Neptune, defined the two world wars of the 20th century.

As Neptune lies at the outer edge of our solar system, so do the Norns represent the limits imposed on our lives. The Norns signify the role of inexorable fate. They are the boundary beyond which we cannot pass, a past or burden that we cannot abandon. They represent those aspects of our environment which we cannot control.

The Norse Norns and Greco-Roman Neptune share the attributes of darkness, withdrawal, and mystery. But they differ in several respects. Neptune is the planet of illusion, of living in a fantasy world. The Norns tolerate no illusions. Rather, they unveil the reality of our lives. Neptune represents the dissolution of boundaries, whereas the Norns emphasize and reinforce those boundaries. With Neptune, we lose our sense of self, while the Norns enhance and sharpen this sense.

World War I (WW1) was defined by the presence of the Norns in Uruz, the rune of untamed might, unconscious forces of life, and the will to live. WW1 started upon their entry into this rune, and ended upon their exit. Millions of soldiers and civilians lost lives and property in WW1. After the war, Europe no longer dominated world affairs, and European colonial empires began to break apart. The political map of Europe was redrawn to benefit repressed nationalities. Forces that had been suppressed for decades, even centuries, finally broke loose when the primal powers of Uruz were released upon the world. Mere human institutions were unable to contain the transcendent vitality inherent in Uruz. WW1, like Uruz, demonstrated that the veneer of civilization is thinner than we believe.

The rune Uruz straddles the end of the Greco-Roman sign Cancer, and the beginning of Leo. A Greco-Roman forecast of Neptune's passage through these signs would have been a pinnacle of culture, peace, and aristocracy. Artistic Neptune is exalted in pacifist Cancer, and solar Leo emphasizes monarchy and unified empire. The reality was just the opposite - elitist societies overthrown by war.

World War 2 (WW2) was defined by the Norns in Kenaz. Unlike WW1, WW2 was a clash of ideologies, and conflicting visions regarding the nature of humanity itself. It augmented the power of government, and raised the specter of humanity's annihilation. Kenaz is the rune of the forge, by which we remake ourselves between the anvil and hammer. Kenaz is the rune of the underground grave mound, yet also of the torch of enlightenment. The world order, as humankind itself, was transformed through the trials of his rune.

The rune Kenaz overlaps the end of Virgo, and the beginning of Libra. Virgo and Libra are perhaps the most refined, delicate, and civilized of the Greco-Roman signs. A traditional forecast for humanity would have been a flourishing of art, culture, and learning, and a turning away from the horror and brutality of war. Neptune in its Virgo detriment emphasizes pragmatism over unrealistic dogma, and Venusian Libra indicates the triumph of diplomacy. Few would describe WW2 as practical or cooperative.

But what of the future? As of today, the Norns are in Sowilo, the rune of indomitable will and victory. This is a weak position for them, and it is harder for them hinder humankind's progress. But their next rune is martial and authoritarian Tyr, and we may expect difficulty when they depart Sowilo.

Copyright (c) 2011 Alt Horoscopes, LLC

Franz Josef Stern has studied Greco-Roman astrology for over 30 years, and the Norse mythos for over 15 years. He offers Norse astrology for individuals seeking psychological and spiritual knowledge from a Northern European perspective. Through Alt Horoscopes, LLC, Franz Josef Stern offers alternatives for those dissatisfied with conventional astrological disciplines.

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