Recently, the Panama Canal has seen an increasingly dire logjam of trading vessels due to a severe drought which has affected the surrounding lakes. The lakes feed into the canal’s system of locks and gates and due to the reduced water levels, the Panama Canal Authority has not only capped the number of vessels allowed to pass daily, but restricted the maximum depth of vessels passing through also.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/traffic-jam-at-panama-canal-as-water-level-plummets/ar-AA1fJ4gL
This story, as well as the history of the Panama Canal itself, appear to align with the astrological movements of the planets. At this moment, Saturn, co-present with Neptune in Pisces, are in opposition to Mars and a nearly retrograde Mercury. What follows is an attempt to unravel the astrology of this moment.
Saturn is the planet of walls, restrictions, limitations, and great obstacles and undertakings. He represents both the feeling of being stuck and also the drive to build long lasting structures that can stand the test of time. Neptune is the planet of dreams, romanticism, delusion, and the desire for transcendence. Both planets are in the watery sign of Pisces, which, like Neptune, represents our dream to commit to some higher ideal.
Mars represents the will to power, the drive towards conquest, and the desire to overcome all obstacles. Mercury is the planet of communications, commerce, and travel. Both Mars and Mercury in the earthy sign of Virgo, which represents our need to problem solve through detailed analysis and synthesis.
The Panama Canal is comprised of a series of locks and gates which may be reflected in Saturn’s themes of boundaries and walls. Due to severe drought, the lakes which feed into the canal have seen reduced water levels, echoing the themes of restrictions and limitations with Saturn in watery Pisces. At this moment, roughly 200 container ships are in a sort of logjam, stuck and unable to move. Saturn’s themes of feeling stuck, of being unable to move forward, may be seen here as well.
The construction of the Panama Canal itself, a massive undertaking which took a decade to build and one of the most challenging engineering problems ever attempted, may also reflect Saturnian themes of pragmatism, ambition, and the building of long lasting structures. The construction of the canal was reportedly beset by constant setbacks and a high mortality rate amongst its builders, which may be reflected in Saturnian themes of obstacles and death.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panama_Canal
Within the natal chart for the building of the Panama Canal, we can see Saturn in its own domicile of Aquarius, suggesting innovations, long-term planning, and outside the box thinking. Cutting an artificial canal across a continent then using a series of locks and gates to carry ships to the other side would appear to align closely with Saturn in Aquarius. It should also be noted that at the time construction was initiated, both Mars/Mercury were in a square aspect with Saturn, suggesting ongoing challenges which are echoed in our current time.
*Note that the birth chart used here is when U.S. construction began. The canal underwent a number of previous owners, each of whom suffered a number of challenges and obstacles and so there is some ambiguity as to when to place this birth chart.
Additionally, the Panama Canal Authority carries within its name the Saturnian theme of authority. Their decision to reduce the maximum depth of passing vessels due to the lower water level may also speak to this authoritative quality. Finally, and somewhat more abstractly, Saturn rules the sign of Capricorn, whose symbol is the sea-goat. The sea-goat is half terrestrial and half aquatic which may be echoed in the Panama Canal, itself a merger between the terrestrial and the aquatic, but this may be a stretch.
Neptune’s presence in watery Pisces is suggestive of the confusion amongst the port operators and ship captains and the blurring of boundaries as water levels are reduced, revealing the engineering miracle buried beneath the water. Neptune’s romantic ideal to commit to some larger dream may also be seen in the construction of the canal itself, an undertaking which likely required a hefty dose of delusional thinking. Note that in the U.S. natal chart for the building of the canal, Pisces was in another watery sign, the sign of Cancer.
Saturn and Neptune are both in opposition to the planets Mars and Mercury. In opposition, the planets are in a sort of tug of war, where neither side may gain an advantage. Mars’ desire to press forward and need for action is frustrated by the Saturn/Neptune opposition. This frustration may be felt in the operators of the vessels feeling stuck in place and inability to move forward. Mercury, who not only rules communication, but commerce and travel also, may be glimpsed in the bottleneck of trading vessels, delayed and unable to get to their final destination in order to make their deliveries. Although Mercury is strong in his own domicile of earthy Virgo, its opposition to Neptune in watery Pisces may further muddy the waters. Finally, and this is just speculation, the Panama Canal is a truly international transportation hub and one can imagine the sheer number of nationalities and languages spoken here. With this level of congestion, one can imagine the miscommunication and confusion that comes with such a vast array of languages.
The bottleneck at the Panama Canal appears to be an ongoing issue with no solution in sight, especially with the upcoming Mercury Retrograde. But, perhaps the resolution to these challenges may come when both Saturn and Neptune leave Pisces for Aries in 2025.
