The United States Federal Reserve on September 17, 2015 delayed an expected interest rate hike. Interestingly, that was the day the planet Mercury went into retrograde, a time that is known for communication delays, problems with business and financial matters and other general annoyances.
While the Fed gave no indication that their decision was based on astrological predictions (Astrologer Larry Schwimmer predicted financial turmoil and a stock market decline in the U.S. during this Mercury Retrograde season), if it was, it would not be the first time in history that political leaders looked to astrology for guidance.
If you’ve paid any attention to the U.S. presidential election season, you’ve often heard Republicans proclaiming how great former President Ronald Reagan was. I wonder if any of them share his love of astrology.
U.S. President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy regularly consulted astrologers and planned many of their activities around the astrologers’ advice. Joan Quigley was an astrologer who provided insight into the preparation of President Reagan’s schedule. Another astrologer who was often connected with the Reagans was Carroll Righter.
The Reagans also consulted astrology on matters such as President Reagan’s safety. According to an episode of Nightline, before President Reagan was shot on March 30, 1981, an astrologer warned Nancy Reagan that an incident would happen on that day.
Earlier in Reagan’s political career, when he became governor of California, he scheduled his inauguration to take place at an unusual time — 12:10 a.m. — because that was a favorable time, astrologically speaking.
Reagan wasn’t the only U.S. leader believed to have an interest in astrology. George Washington and Benjamin Franklin were believed to look to astrology for guidance, according to books such as Turning the Solomon Key: George Washington, the Bright Morning Star, and the Secrets of Masonic Astrology, by Robert Lomas.
The United States isn’t the only place where leaders were believed to consult astrologers. Alexander the Great was believed to have used advice from astrologers to help design his military plans. There is even a story that Alexander the Great’s father told his mother to wait until a specific time to give birth in order to make sure Alexander was born at the perfect time in history. (Isn’t that an interesting thought for those working to conceive a child.) Queen Elizabeth I is also believed to have depended upon the advice of an astrologer.
If getting an astrological reading to gain some insight has been on your mind, you’re in good company.
