Sochi – Olympic-Sized Terror or Media Hype?

The opening ceremony for the 2014 Olympics in Sochi occurs at 8:14pm Sochi time. In the horoscope erected for that time, the first thing that pops out is Mercury, a mere 18 hours into retrograde motion, together in the sky with Neptune. Mercury is the planet of the news media, transportation and information of all sorts. Neptune has you either talking to God or face down in the gutter, puking your guts out from too much booze. Neptune’s about saints and sinners: Only truly enlightened beings walk the high road with this planet (most of us are somewhere in the middle). Deceit and clouding of the issue are key words for Neptune. Neptune also has some connection with human rights.

The second important piece in the Sochi story is Vladimir Putin. You can’t talk about Sochi without talking about Putin. This is his baby. This is his second go-round as president of Russia. In his career, prior to becoming president the first time, he spent a number of years in the KGB, rising to Lt. Colonel. Doesn’t that make you feel warm and fuzzy? He became president when Yeltsin resigned, or was forced out. Who knows? One of the first things he did at that time was corral the media, silencing opposing voices in a neat little cosmic tie-in that aptly symbolizes the Mercury/Neptune combination in this horoscope – distortion and suppression of the media.

So we have the planetary combination of retrograde Mercury and Neptune with a regime known to suppress the media. In addition, the horoscope set for that time has Virgo on the Ascendant and Gemini on the Mid-heaven. These are two very important points in any horoscope. Here, they are both Mercury ruled. Zodiacally, Mercury is not in a very strong position in this chart. This means that the mercurial function of passing along information has a few broken cogs in the wheel. Also, censorship is a given with Saturn in Scorpio posited in Mercury’s house, indicating suppression and constriction.

The major news focus has been on terrorist attacks and security during the Olympics. With this horoscope, one needs to look beyond the headlines to try and find out what is really going on. The Anti-Gay legislation is just the tip of the iceberg. Journalists have received threats and faced harassment for writing about the abuse of residents who are subject to forced eviction without just compensation, the mistreatment of migrant workers, and the environmental impact of road and high-speed rail construction on Sochi’s Mzymta River.

In this opening timeframe, Mercury, Neptune and the Moon are prominent. The Moon, at the highest point in the chart, rules the people and public opinion. There may well be protest in and around the Olympics, but it is doubtful that there will be much media coverage, as any attempt to report will be obstructed, or what is covered will be distorted.

The possibility of terrorist attacks is, sadly, always with us these days. Whether Sochi will be a scene of terror is not easily discernible because, according to the cosmic signature, the world has not been allowed to see the real picture. The chart shows a strong police presence, but any act of terrorism will be more subtle in nature, such as a gas leak, contamination of the water, or disruption in the food supply – anything that affects the public health with particular attention being paid to places serving food and drink. With Neptune involved, you’re never going to see it.

Whatever news comes out of Sochi during the Olympic Games, don’t rush to judgment. Read between the lines and wait until the dust settles before forming an opinion. For most definitely, the news media will be hampered, hindered and kept on a short leash.