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  • Reception, the Tony Soprano Clause

    This is a rather long, but (I believe) entertaining and interesting article on this complicated subject. I would welcome any feedback.

    Anyone who has studied astrology for a reasonable length of time will have examples of charts that defy our most stanch inner sceptic. These charts stand as evidence that the connection between the stars and our world is far more mysterious then we imagine. The most fascinating thing about these charts is that their origin can be so ordinary. Coming across one of these charts is like having the magic of life exposed; everything takes on a special glow and it reaffirms the reason we astrologers continue our study long after the realisation that the path to riches, this is not.

    When such a chart is encountered the desire is to share it, exposing it to the world and challenging those who would degrade astrology to explain how such beauty and perfection can be dismissed. Recently I came across such a chart; revealing itself to me during my search for a better understanding of receptions, it stands as testimony of the powerful wisdom inherent in astrology. But let me begin at the beginning of this quest.

    Encountering Classical Astrology in Modern Times

    As the many techniques from our astrological past are being rediscovered and reintegrated into contemporary astrology, terms and labels are often bandied about without a thorough understanding of their meaning. Astrology students are at the mercy of their teachers who have been informed by conflicting texts, some of which were translated by academics with no knowledge or respect for astrology. Consequently our understanding of the terminology of old is pretty confused.

    Contemporary astrologers have given new meaning to old terms and have initiated various ways of applying the old techniques. This causes confusion, as certain words come to mean different things to different people. Making matters worse even amongst the old masters there were different opinions, so our modern confusion is understandable. However we should endeavour to understand and agree on the basic meaning of our astrological vocabulary, if only to insure that we do not repeat mistakes like that of assigning rulership to “new” planets, in contravention of the essential system on which astrology was founded.

    Recently the words “receive” and “receptions” were discussed in one of my astrology groups. It became evident that there were differing ways of understanding the meaning of this term. As reception is a crucial part of delineation, it important that we are in agreement as to the definition of this word and its application in astrological reading. Researching the meaning of reception has brought home to me the subtle complexity of the whole subject. The problem appears to be that if a planet is in another planet ruling (or exalted) sign there is a reception, but which planet receives and which is received and what does this mean in practical terms?

    Receiving and receptions

    Nicholas de Vore gives two definitions for “reception” in his “Encyclopedia of Astrology”: (1) A planet posited in a sign not its own, is said to be received by the ruler of that sign, as if one were visitor and the other host. (2) The condition in which a planet is receiving an aspect from a faster moving planet.” According to these definitions a planet can “receive” an aspect from another faster moving planet, it can also be “received” by the ruler(s) of the sign it is in.

    The term reception is now commonly used to refer only to relationship between a planet and the ruler of the sign it is in. {There is also reception with the minor dignities of triplicity, term and face, but for the sake of this article I will focus only on rulership and exaltation}. Contemporary astrologers may think that the need for an aspect is superfluous, yet most of the old texts imply the need for planets in reception to be in aspect, or applying to aspect each other before their ingress into a new sign. When there is an aspect, the two planets in reception are interacting or communicating to a far greater degree. Reception allows the potential of an aspect to be fulfilled.

    There is some room for interpretation here as an “aspect” in classical times was thought to exist between signs not planets and points. It is fair to say that as long as there is aspect by sign, receptions are active. This still precludes all but the Ptolemaic aspects (sextile, square, trine, opposition and conjunction). Both the semi-sextile (30 degrees) and inconjunct (150 degrees) connect sign with no commonality, which therefore can not see each other.

    In the context of a reception through sign or exaltation, the planet “receiving” is the ruler of the sign in which the other “received” planet finds itself. The receiving planet is the host and as such is under obligation to welcome and allow his guest access to his domain, resources and virtue. He also has a responsibility towards his guest; he can do them no harm, even if this would be his natural inclination. The received planet or guest is also bound to support his host or ruler and to help do his bidding.

    Reception between planets reflects society’s rules about how we relate to one another. If you are my guest I will not harm you, on the contrary I will welcome you and give you access to my home. It would be very bad form if anything unfortunate were to happen to you whilst you were under my roof.

    Rules also apply as to how guests are expected to behave. Generally speaking they will respect their host, heed expectations, offer them help if needed and they will not overstay their welcome. All of this is dependent on the essential character of both host and guest, the more honesty and integrity they have the more they will uphold the terms of their association. The more afflicted they are, the more they will struggle to do the right thing.

    Aspects give two planets the means of “seeing” each other and communicating. The type of aspect indicates how harmonious or stressful that communication will be. The closer the aspect the clearer they can hear each other, the better the aspect the more they will agree with each other. When there is reception the planets share common motivations and are inclined to assist each other; the stronger the reception the better they can co-operate to achieve their goals. Planets inconjunct, with no aspect between them can not communicate at all, even if they happen to be in one another’s sign.

    Broadly speaking the receiving planet has power over the planet that is received, for it rules the territory in which the received planet finds itself in. The received planet is recognisant of his host and could be said to love him. This exchange of power and affection becomes far more complicated when there is “mutual reception”, the situation that arises when both planets are in each other’s signs.

    A Study in Reception

    Whether a reception is helpful or a hindrance is dependent on the circumstances present in the chart. It also must be remembered that receptions, aspects and dignity have different implications in different types of chart investigations. Horary and some event charts are of a finite moment in time, where as a natal chart is for the life, so that even the most afflicted planet will by direction, progression and transit shift in time. We need to understand reception in context of the specific chart and not as a cook book panacea.

    The best way of illustrating how reception may work is through the use of a chart. As providence would have it while trying to make sense of this subject I was also immersing myself in the fictional world of the “The Sopranos” via the iconic television series created by David Chase. The interaction between some of the characters was very reminiscent of the interaction between planets in reception. I began to imagine the characters as planets in particular sign led by the main character, Tony Soprano as a hypothetical Saturn in Aries.

    Before continuing my imaginary casting I decided to have a look at the chart for January 10, 1999 at 9:00 pm the date and time the series’ first aired in America. I set the chart for Newark, New Jersey, the geographical setting for the show. The resulting chart is an interesting study of receptions and a great example of how obliging astrology can be in providing us with the perfect chart for every occasion. As the cast of characters naturally found their assigned planet, led by Tony Soprano, the previously hypothesised Saturn in Aries, I was left in awe at the synchronistic revelation that is astrology.

    Cast of Characters

    I have to apologise for those of you who are not familiar with this fine television program and will provide you with a brief synopsise and outline of the main characters who so easily find their significators in the above chart.

    The story line of “The Sopranos” orbits around the character of Tony Soprano a New Jersey mafia boss in full throws of midlife crisis. Tony suffers anxiety attacks and depression from the weight of his family responsibilities, the expectations of his criminal underlings and a profoundly dysfunctional relationship with his mother. Between the normal mid-life worries about teenage children, money, security, mistresses, ageing family members, as well as manoeuvring the political minefield of the criminal world and dealing with the constant suspicion about everyone’s motivations, we discover that Tony is not much different then the rest of us. The series follows the ups and downs of the individuals living in this world, who other then their predilection of solving problems through violence and murder, share the same aspirations of love, happiness and a better life for their children as more law abiding citizens.

    So, let us now move on to our casting. As previously stated Tony Soprano would have to be Saturn in Aries, and obligingly he find him here positioned in the unfortunate house of death and legacies. Saturn is in its fall, but does have a bit of dignity by term, so though driven by excess he is able to conduct business. In this nocturnal chart he is the most elevated planet, as would befit the “boss” of the family. Saturn being a diurnal planet in a nocturnal chart is out of sect, reflecting the difficulties he has in performing his duty as the head of the family.

    Tony is married to his teenage sweetheart, Carmela Soprano, who supports and encourages him. She keeps a nice home and tries to be a good mother to his children, and though enjoying the fruits of his ill got gains she appears to be in denial about exactly how and where Tony gets his money. Her sphere of influence is the immediate environment and she is of course Moon, cadent in the third house and fallen in Scorpio giving her an excessive need for security and a kind of powerlessness.

    The third house maybe cadent, but this is the house where the Moon finds her joy and is referred to as the “House of the Goddess”. The Moon/Carmela’s position here supports the traditional view of the sanctity of the family and the role of the mother in the Italian culture that is the world of the Sopranos. The Moon/Carmela with no aspect to Saturn/Tony can not see him, but her close square to Venus who is in Saturn’s domain and rules the material assets, shows her attraction and uneasy relationship with all things provided by Saturn/Tony.

    Tony has many business associates who have to answer to him. They are loyal out of friendship, family ties, insecurity and fear. In Tony’s world friends and allies can quickly turn into liabilities as everyone jostles to align themselves with power. Mercury, peregrin in Capricorn, applying to square Saturn and under his power, collectively signifies these various characters.

    Tony’s nephew Christopher holds a special position in the family, the golden boy and Tony’s heir apparent. Sun in Capricorn, ruler of the twelfth house, applying his square to both Mars and Saturn makes a perfect significator for this most interesting and flawed character enmeshed in a complex relationship with his boss and uncle. Christopher is an aspiring writer and film maker with a substance abuse problem, whose loyalty to Tony and the oath he took is such that he would allow his fiancée to be killed rather then betray him.

    Mars in Libra, applying his opposition to Saturn signifies all of Tony’s various enemies. In true “Godfather” style there is an understanding between enemies, the rules oblige those in power to take certain action: it’s not personal, it’s only business.

    Venus in Aquarius sensually positioned in the fifth house of pleasure and applying to sextile Saturn/Tony, signifying all the spoils of the Soprano’s business interests: money, luxury and the women. Symbolically Venus represents the material gain, but personified she embodies all of Tony’s various mistresses.

    Finally we have Dr Melfi, the psychiatrist Tony Soprano has been in therapy with for years. She appears as the voice of moderation and the only one able to reflect back to Tony the dysfunction of his familial relationships and the moral dilemmas his chosen profession create. Jupiter in Pisces, in the seventh house of the physician and in the sign most closely associated with the unconscious could not be a more perfect significator.

    Receptions at Play and “the Tony Soprano Clause”

    Let us first examine our main protaginist, Tony Soprano ie: Saturn in Aries. As Mercury, Sun and Venus are in Saturn’s ruling signs of Capricorn and Aquarius, Saturn welcomes or receives them into his rulership. As these are applying to aspect him, Saturn/Tony is receiving a sextile aspect from Venus and square aspects from Mercury and the Sun.

    Looking at Mercury, Tony Sopranos criminal colleagues, we see that he will perfect his square aspect to Saturn at 27 degrees, but his movement into the next sign will keep him in Saturn’s domain. This means that Mercury is the guest of Saturn and as such he has his attention and can take advantage of what Saturn has to offer. Squaring an angry malefic in his fall situated in the house of death would clearly be a problem for Mercury, but here Saturn’s reception of Mercury alleviates much of the danger.

    Saturn holds the power and has the responsibility to offer Mercury protection just as a sovereign would to his subjects (or a mafia boss would to his family). In the old texts Saturn would be said to be bestowing his virtue unto Mercury. I call this the “Tony Soprano Clause”; Tony is duty bound to make sure his guest come to no harm whilst they are in his home. Mercury as the submissive planet being received has to offer support to the needs of his ruler, Saturn. As a guest he must obey the rules of the house and not overstep his welcome. But here we are dealing with a reception by square aspect so there is tension in the relationship. The interplay between Tony Soprano and his criminal colleagues certainly reflect the stressful power play of this reception.

    Mercury is in a just separating sextile with the Moon/Carmela. Mercury is in the Moon’s detriment, therefore is received by her. Being in the Moon’s detriment means that Mercury receives the worst of her, he doesn’t like her at all. Saturn/Tony’s criminal colleagues resent Moon/Carmela and she doesn’t want to give them anything. Being in a sextile aspect they will be cordial with each other, but neither gets much support from the other.

    Saturn receives Venus, welcoming her into his ruling house of Aquarius, with Venus perfecting her sextile to him at 27 degrees. This reception works both ways as Venus is also receiving Saturn but into her detriment. This means that while Venus has access to the power and goodness of Saturn/Tony, he is welcomed into the world of Venus’s detriment, accessing all the trouble that Venus can bestow.

    Venus in detriment indicates an exaggerated desire for luxury, pleasure and all things sensual. In this chart with Venus placed in the fifth house as well as ruling the money house, not to mention her besiegement at the hands of Neptune and Uranus, we get a clear indication of how Venus could come to spell trouble for Saturn/Tony. Venus as Tony’s various mistresses has access to the best of him and though she provides him with pleasure she is also the source of major headaches. No matter how much pain his mistresses may cause Tony and how much he may want to make them pay for it, he is obliged to do them no harm. This is the “Tony Soprano Clause” in action.

    Tony’s mistresses, Venus is in a precarious relationship with his wife, Carmela, the Moon. We see the Moon fallen in Scorpio, the sign of Venus’s detriment closely applying to square her. Venus welcomes (receives) the Moon into her detriment and bestows on to her the worst aspect of herself. This is one very stressful square, which through Venus’s relationship with Saturn ties Saturn to the Moon. So while Venus gets to have the virtue of and protection from Saturn but she gets nothing but a square from the Moon who is like a thorn in her side reminding her of what she can never aspire to: wife and motherhood.

    The worst of Venus is accessible to both Saturn and Moon. The Moon as Carmela is as corrupted by the money and luxuries also represented by Venus as her husband Saturn/Tony is and her knowledge of Tony’s sexual infidelities almost destroy her. Venus as the symbol for the spoils of Tony Sopranos business, also receives Mars into her domain. The square aspect between them does not perfect, but it does come into orb, indicating a weaker reception. So Mars/Tony’s enemies has access to the goods, including the money represented by Venus. Seeing as this is what everyone wants in the world of the Sopranos this comes as no surprise.

    The Sun, signifying Tony’s nephew Christopher Moltisanti is applying to square Saturn and Mars, and both receive him into their rulership and exaltation respectively. The Sun/Christopher has a more complicated relationship with Saturn. Saturn is in the exaltation of the Sun, creating a mutual reception between Saturn/Tony and Sun/Christopher. While Sun is being received by Saturn and has access to his power and virtue, he is protected from being harmed by him in the same way that Tony is protected from being harmed by Christopher through the Sun’s reception of Saturn into his exaltation.

    It is clear that Saturn/Tony and Sun/Christopher are very fond of each other, but this relationship is not free of danger. For one, it is a square relationship between a nasty malefic and a luminary with little dignity, and for another, the Sun squaring Mars first, will carry the light of Mars another nasty malefic and Tony’s enemies, to Saturn. This is a case of the “Tony Soprano Clause” cancelling itself out as both planets being received are protected from the harm the other might inflict on them, they are also vulnerable through their reception and welcoming of the other into their domain.

    Saturn is in the exaltation of the Sun and has access to the disillusionment that is the danger of exaltation. Over the course of time Tony Soprano becomes more and more disappointed with Christopher’s actions which true to a twelfth house ruler include a fair bit of substance abuse and secrecy. The mutual reception of Sun and Saturn insured that the two stayed bonded, but in the end Saturn/Tony’s essentially debilitated state allowed him to take advantage of circumstances in order to do away with Christopher. It could never end well, as the Sun’s next move was to be into the house of its detriment.

    The “Tony Soprano Clause” ensures that Saturn can not kill anyone in his own home, but reverse the situation and invite Tony into your home and things may not end so amicably, for once he crosses over your threshold you give him permission to inflict whatever damage he chooses. This is what happened to the Sun/Christopher and to Mars, Tony’s enemies.

    Mars is in Libra, receiving Saturn in Aries into his rulership, whilst accepting Saturn’s reception by exaltation. Mars represents Tony’s enemies, one of who was Ralphie, the captain of one of Tony’s crews, he generally angered all who had dealings with him including Tony, exactly what one would expect from Mars in detriment. Being one of Tony’s business associates may help explain why he felt safe enough to receive Tony into his home. Once inside Saturn/Tony’s anger at Mars/Ralphie boiled over and Tony used the Aries energy at his disposal, bestowed to him by Mars, to do away with him.

    Mars/Ralphie himself tried his best to inflict onto Saturn/Tony what ultimately got him, but being in detriment he was essentially weaker then Saturn/Tony’s state of fall. And so Mars/Ralphie lost his head, this is the danger of receiving nasty malefics into your domain. This mutual reception of Saturn and Mars is in an applying opposition. Every opposition with reception will have the receiving planet(s) in their detriment or fall. This may account for the negative reputation of opposition, reputed to be the worst of all aspects.

    Moving on we find the Moon/Carmela in Mars/enemies domain of Scorpio, but because there is no possible aspect between the two planets they can not communicate. Tony’s enemies are aware of Carmela (the Moon) but as per the rules they have nothing to do with her. She along with all other family members are safe from Tony’s enemies, the reception insure it, but the lack of aspect means they can not help or give support to each other, they have no connection. Receptions without aspects can not really function. If you are in my home but I have no way of communicating my welcome to you, then this is like the reception with no aspect.

    The final member of our hypothetical cast is Jupiter in Pisces as Dr Melfi. This is the only one of the classical seven who is not in a reception (or aspect) with any of the others. She is essentially well dignified in her own sign and though in Venus’s exaltation, there is no possible aspect between them as they are in adjacent signs. We could hypothesise that Dr Melfi/Jupiter may have an insight into the desires represented by Venus, but she has no real connection. Venus does not hold any sway over Jupiter here. In the end Jupiter strong in his own sign and angular is powerless to affect the other planets as he has neither aspect nor reception with them, he stands alone. This is very like the fictional Dr Melfi who concludes that there is no point in continuing the therapy with Tony/Saturn as it only serves to reinforce his destructive attitudes.

    Epilogue, the Chart and Beyond

    There are some final points of interest in this chart, like Pluto, Lord of the underworld sitting on the IC underpinning the chart. The twelfth house associated with criminals and secret enemies is ruled by the Sun that is on the antiscia point of Pluto. The two malefics, Mars and Saturn are in the signs of their detriment or fall, accentuating their malevolence and allowing them to act in an extreme manner. Both unfortunately placed, they oppose each other from the house of death and the house known as “the gates of hell”.

    Venus the ruler of the second house of money, a primary motivation for all who inhabit the “Soprano” world, is in a closely applying square with the fallen Moon, symbol of an unrequited need for security. Adding to the Moon dilemma is the fact that she is on the antiscia point of the South Node. This being like a hidden conjunction it symbolically implies that a strong tie or pull to the past hinders the ability for change and growth. Obviously the Moon also finds itself in a contra-antiscia, or hidden opposition with the North Node, symbol for the road that lies ahead.

    So what does lie ahead for Tony Soprano and his follow cast? The final episode “Made in America” aired on June 10, 2007 at 9:00 pm. The chart for this event again set in Newark NJ compares interestingly with the chart of the show’s premier. Mars, Venus and Mercury have all moved to oppose their premier chart’s position, the South node is conjunct the premier chart’s ASC almost to the minute and the Moon is conjunct Saturn’s premier position.

    The Sopranos final episode

    Saturn/Tony has now moved into the sign of Leo. This is appropriate for at the shows end he has survived a deadly coup by his criminal rivals and can claim the position of “king” over his criminal organisation, albeit his power is much diminished by the loss of so many of his crew. Saturn/Tony is in detriment and is conjunct the twelfth house North Node of the premiere’s chart.

    Mercury, significator of the criminal colleagues is unfortunately receiving the Sun, eighth house ruler, lord of death into his own sign. Though the two are in adjacent signs and appear to make no aspect they are in an exact antiscia to each other. So Mercury covertly invited Sun/death into his home, and death did his thing. True to the symbols in this chart, by the end Tony had few surviving colleagues. Their demise being perpetrated at the instigation of Tony’s enemies, Mars now stronger in Aries, who is being received by the Sun into his exaltation.

    So Mars/Tony’s enemies is able to access and use the virtue of the Sun, lord of death to seek his revenge on Tony “family”. This is a strong reception as Mars is in a partile sextile with the Sun enabling him to carry the light from the lord of death to Tony. But Mars himself is in a precarious position being conjunct by antiscia the South Node. Symbolically Mars can be thought of as the final winner in the game, he sits on the IC the end point or it could be the grave.

    The Moon/Carmela is trining Saturn/Tony from Saturn’s original position, indicating that Carmela has come to understand and accept Tony. Her position on the IC represents the conclusion of the show that family is the true foundation of life. The Moon in Aries, is received by Mars from whom she is separating, indicating that she has access to his virtues, including self-assertion and courage. By the end of the show Carmela has gone from an obedient and subservient wife totally dependent on her husband, to one who accepts the life and man she has chosen, takes financial responsibility and sits more as an equal partner with Tony. {Interestingly the Moon is on the antiscia point of the premier charts Mercury/Tony’s criminal colleagues}.

    Venus makes no aspect to any planet and though the Sun receives her into his rulership, the reception is poor as they will not perfect or come within orb of an aspect to each other. As a significator of money, her placement on the eighth house cusp mirrors the financial difficulties our characters find themselves by the end of the show, a situation that will probably not change in the near future. Moral of the story is that crime doesn’t pay after all.

    Obligingly, Pluto has moved for his angular position on the IC to one on the ASC, the underworld has come out from hiding. Meanwhile, Jupiter/Dr Melfi is still essentially dignified, but is afflicted by her accidental state of retrogression and position in the twelfth. She is moving away from all aspects and is not involved in any reception. Jupiter like Dr Melfi is isolated from all the other planets/characters and is powerless to take any effective action.

    So what happened when the screen went black? Did Tony Soprano live or die? The evidence gained from the receptions in this chart point to Tony’s survival. Lord of death, Sun receives Saturn/Tony into his domain. The “Tony Soprano clause” works in Tony’s favour here death can do him no harm. Yet he is under the Sun’s power in the sign of his detriment and in the house indicating anguish of the mind. We can conclude that Saturn/Tony will not be free of the fear of death, but for the moment death, the Sun can not harm him.

  • Classical Astrology

    As Soul descends through the planetary spheres on its way to incarnation it is bathed in the sleep of forgetfulness. As it awakens, fully inhabiting its new vehicle for experience, the body, it has forgotten from where it came. Time in now its new reality: nothing existed before and nothing will be after.

    So where did we come from? And what are we made of? These are the questions that great minds have grappled with for eons. To seek understanding of classical astrology is to engage in these quests in order to gain wisdom.

    Beginning my astrological study all those years ago I was motivated by the desire to know my fate. But what I found in contemporary astrology was not so much an understanding of my place in the scheme of things as a very concise view into my psyche. As interesting as this was for a short while, I sensed that there was mote. Then I discovered classical astrology (astrology as practiced up until 1700).

    I learnt that the astrology that had been around for thousands of years bears little resemblances to its modern namesake. The foundation of classical astrology is the Hermetic wisdom inherent in the saying “As above, so below” and the acceptance that all emanates from a Divine genesis. The cosmos do not effect or cause events on earth but rather the cosmos and earthlyl realms reflect each other, for ultimately we are all part of the same Divine expression. In classical astrology it is our relationship with the Divine that is of utmost importance rather then the relationship with our parents and peers.

    The biggest criticism hurled at classical astrology is that it is events based, overly focused on prediction and that it lacks the multi-coloured shades of our modern understanding into the process of growth and evolution. But contrary to this popular belief, to be immersed into the astrology of old is to discover the rich essence of Spirit in our life.

    Story of the three realms

    As understood by our forefathers reality is divided into three realms. The highest realm is the realm of the Divine, the realm of first principles. In this world everything is constant; there are no cycles, no decay, no corruption and no form. This is the world of essence, purity and unchanging nature. In this world nothing dies, nothing is born, nothing is created and yet all of creation emanates from there.

    The lower realm is the one we are most familiar with, it is the world we live in. It is the realm of matter, corruption, decay and cycles. It is the world of constant change, creativity, beauty and infinite variety, as well as the realm of certain death. Nothing is constant and everything will change, end and begin again. This is the realm of Earth.

    The middle realm is that of the twilight, the in-between world we may enter into during our dreaming, spiritual disciplines and meditations. This is the realm that shaman travel in their healing quests. In classical astrology this was understood as the planetary realm, or the realm of the planetary spheres, through which the souls descended on their way to incarnation. The final sphere and the one closes to the earth plane was that of the Moon, known to be both entirely of the material and of the spiritual.

    The Descend of the Soul

    From the classical period it was understood that souls choose their life and then fall into matter in order to live out the chosen life. Plato (450 BCE) tells a story in the Myth of Err about souls waiting to be born. An angel, messenger of the Divine comes along with a number of lives from which the souls impetuously grab one, with little regards for the consequence of their choice.

    Taking their chosen life to the three Fates, they would wait while the Fates checked the spindle of life around which the stars, sun, moon and planets spun and make sure that everything lined up to allow the life chosen to unfold and end as it should. Only when everything lined up properly was the soul thrown down into incarnation to live out their chosen life. Falling into incarnation the soul had to pass through the seven planetary gates or spheres. At each gate they would take on qualities and gifts both good and bad that would help shape their temperamental nature.

    The soul’s descent through the planetary spheres begins with Saturn the most distant of the visible planets where they take on structure and authority. Here the soul also takes on grief, the grief of being restricted by the matter and time, the physical reality they so readily jumped into.

    At the gates of Jupiter the soul gains the desire to rule, to give and receive honour as well as the impulse for wealth and the power to act. Envy is the down side of Jupiter’s gifts. Mars gives the soul bold spirit as well as impulsive and reckless daring. Here the soul also acquires discernment and is given the ability to cut through the dross, but with these new found gifts also comes the propensity for aggression and cruelty.

    In the sphere of the Sun the soul acquires vision and the sense of perception. With these gifts comes pride and in the extreme, arrogance. Venus the next planetary sphere through which the soul passes, offers the gift of love and the impulse for passion. Beauty, luxury and the arts are also gifts of Venus, as is her negative expression, lust.

    Mercury gives the soul the analytical faculty of the mind and language with which to communicate. But he also gives them the ability for evil plotting, a yearning for money and greed. The final sphere is that of the Moon, which imparts to the soul its body and the ability to change and grow. This is where the soul acquires hunger and its pains. Gluttony is one of the Moons not so pleasant offerings.

    This journey down through the planetary spheres is most profound for it begins with Saturn ruler of Capricorn which is the point of the winter/summer solstice and ends with the Moon ruler of the summer/winter solstices. Astrologically the Moon is a symbol of the infant and so it should that the soul is born into this plane of existence as an infant.

    On the way out of this life the soul again passes through the planetary spheres in the reverse order, but this time it releases the qualities and gifts back to each planet, finally giving up structure, authority and grief at the gates of Saturn. Astrologically Saturn is the symbol of the old man and death, a fitting end to the incarnated life.

    The beauty of classical astrology goes far beyond the psychological analysis of the individual into the understanding of the soul and its relationship with the earth plane. Through the placement of the planets in our chart we can come to understand the gifts we took from the planetary sphere and the lessons they provide us with. Classical astrology is an art that connects us with our philosophical and spiritual roots and allows us a glimpse at our place within the Divine plan.

  • How the Traditional View of the Planets Differs from the Modern

    The way in which the planets were viewed and understood by the ancients differs fundamentally to the way in which modern astrologers approach them. The actual meaning of the planets has retained some of the traditional essence though much has been distorted through mistranslation and interrupted transmission. As the modern planets; Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, have adopted attributes once worn by the visible planets our understanding of the meanings and association of the classical seven has been watered down.

    Modern astrology understands and works with the planets almost exclusively from the perspective of their “universal” or common significance. Any Astrology book will provide extensive lists of words associated with and describing each planet. Such as Venus being the planet of love and representing our values, Mercury the planet of communication and representing our rational thinking, Saturn the planet of responsibility and restriction, Jupiter being associated with wealth and expansion et cetera. In traditional astrology the common description of a planet is far briefer.

    In modern times whole books have been written about individual planets, exploring every aspects of their meanings and providing thorough analysis of their expression through the signs, houses, aspect and cycles. From the psychological perspective our understanding of the planets as urges of our psyche has given us a model in which planets are seen as equal, though some may challenge us more. Saturn represents authority, father figures or restriction in everyone’s chart. How well we deal with these things will depend on Saturn’s aspects, sign and house position in our individual chart.

    The standard way of presenting the planets is in order from the Sun outwards, except for the Moon that is commonly placed after the Sun, indicating her equal status as one of the luminaries. Following the Sun and Moon we have the inner or personal planets, Mercury, Venus and Mars followed by the social planets, Jupiter and Saturn finally arriving at the trans-personals, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. This order seems logical and clear yet bears no relation to that used by our astrological forefathers.

    Before considering how the ancients understood the planets we must exclude the so called transpersonal: Pluto, Neptune and Uranus. Planets were referred to as “wandering star” and had to be, by this definition visible like all other stars in our sky. Focusing on the traditional seven planets without competition from their younger more glamorous siblings, allows some of the qualities attributed to these younger members our solar system to be reclaimed by the seven senior planets: Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury and Moon.

    The planets were presented in this order, referred to as the Chaldean order. This order is very important and forms the backbone to our astrology whether we know it or not. It reveals the genesis of how planets relate to each other through aspects, reception and house position. The planets were ordered according to their speed, from slowest to quickest. The “outer” planets consisted of Saturn, Jupiter and included Mars for they were beyond the orbit of the earth. The Sun was, as should be in the center followed by the inner planets; Venus, Mercury and the Moon.

    One of the most beautiful images using this order is that of the descent of the Soul from the realm of the fixed stars through the planetary spheres or gates, beginning with Saturn and finally arriving on earth through the Moon: the Moon being the only planet existing wholly both in this lower world of material generation and the upper world of divine spirit, a beautiful symbol of the Soul. You will notice that Saturn rules Capricorn and the Moon rules Cancer, this is in line with the Solstices. In the earlier times the natural wheel of the Zodiac began with Cancer, the point of earthly birth.

    The ancients understood planets through their essential nature: hot, cold, moist and dry. Though they talked of benefic and malefic planets, it was understood that any planet close to its essential nature would behave well and any planet far from its nature could behave in an exaggerated manner causing trouble for the native.

    The qualities that best promote life are hot and moist, but too much heat with no moisture is not conducive to fertility. Cold and dry are the most destructive to life of all the qualities, but cold with moisture can still create growth. The so called malefic planets: Saturn and Mars, are both overly dry or hot, Saturn is extremely dry and cold, Mars is burning hot and dry. Both inhibit growth.

    The benefic and malefic status of the planets is reflected in the signs they ruled, their relationship to the luminairies, the givers of life and the doctrine of aspects. Traditionally Saturn rules both Capricorn and Aquarius, both these signs oppose Leo and Cancer, the signs of the luminaries. Mars traditionally ruled Scorpio and Aries these signs square Leo and Cancer. While Venus and Jupiter rule signs that are in sextile or trine to the domain of the Luminaries. The only planet to defy this scheme is naturally Mercury, the trickster of the gang who is always out to fool us. He rules the signs on either side of Leo and Cancer so therefore has no connection with either.

    The planets were seen as players in the drama of the native’s life, and these players were versatile; they could take many parts and often share roles. How well they fulfilled their role was dependent upon their celestial and mundane condition, in other words how they related to the unchanging realm of the divine; the zodiac and the ever moving mundane world; the houses which hinge on the horizon and the MC/IC. The planets were understood to have both specific meaning in an individual chart as well as universal or common meaning.

    In natal astrology it was the specific significance or meaning that was most important to the judgment of a native’s life. Jupiter may signify riches and wealth but this means nothing if Jupiter is not the significator of these things in particular chart. Jupiter’s role as universal significator of wealth could assist by being well aspected to the specific significator of wealth; the planet best placed to act as “the bringer of riches”.

    The traditional understanding of astrological judgment and chart delineation meant that you couldn’t deduce anything by just taking one planet in isolation. As I have said the planets played varied roles and interacted with each other in a fashion unique in every chart. A weak planet could make way for a stronger one (through reception, aspect and rulership) to fulfill or at least assist in its role. The strength of a planet would be judged by their essential dignity (rulership, exaltation, triplicity, term or bounds and face) or lack thereof. The ability of a planet to deliver its promise depended on its accidental dignity and debilities: house position, position relative to the Sun, retrograde, speed. The strength and ability to act of a particular planet would indicate how well that aspect of life would unfold.

  • Horary: “Will Harry Potter die?”

    This horary analysis was published in the June 2007 FAA journal

    Who says that astrology has to be serious? If astrology is real, if it truly reflects life and the world we live in, then surely it would reflect our humour, fiction and the make believe stories we tell.

    Unless you have been in a coma for the last six or so years, you would be aware of the Harry Potter phenomenon. If you live with any children or young adults you would surely have the date July 21 2007 marked in your calendar, as this is the day that the last installment of the Harry Potter series will be out.

    In my household it has cause great excitement as have all the previous Harry Potter launches. There is much discussion about what this last installment will contain and the previous six Harry Potter books are being reread in search for clues as to what will happen. I do not believe we are unusual in our madness. Global warming, wars, elections make way for the really important stuff: Harry Potter and his fight against the Dark Lord.

    There has been a lot of speculation about the final showdown between young Harry Potter and the dark Lord Voldemort. That Harry will defeat him seems almost a given, after all, good always triumph over evil, but will he survive the encounter? Should he survive? What would he do with himself afterwards? Fade into the sunset? Worse of all, get a job at the ministry of magic?

    Rereading the first six books was not an option for me so I decided to ask a horary question to put my mind at rest and my predictions out there for all to ponder. We only have till July 21, 2007 to wait for confirmation as to the accuracy my judgment of this horary.

    will Harry Potter die?

    They say that horary questions can only be asked if we seriously need to know the answer. Frivolous questions are not allowed, but this I would argue, is far from a frivolous question. I’m sure that there are millions of Harry Potter fans spending sleepless night wondering and worrying about Harry’s fate.

    The question was asked on Feb 5, 2007 in Melbourne Australia at 3:17 pm, giving us a 29 Taurus 50 ASC. The planetary hour is Moon making it compatible with the Taurus rising chart. The late degree of the ASC could be a problem; it indicates that it is too late to ask. Harry Potter’s fate it has already been set in stone (or at least on paper) by JK Rowlings. There’s nothing we can do to change the outcome, from that perspective it is too late, but this doesn’t prohibit us finding the answer to our question in this chart.

    As he is a stranger to me the querent, Harry is 7th house. Scorpio on the cusp makes his significator Mars, exalted in Capricorn, a very apt description of our young hero especially as he is placed in the 8th house of death showing us that death is on his mind. He is disposited by Saturn in detriment and retrograde in his turned 9th. His growing sense of the responsibility he has been fated to carry would weigh heavily on him.

    As well Saturn is co-ruler of his turned 2nd house of his resource and could represent those who support Harry including; fellow students and member of the DA (Dumbledore’s Army) and the Order of the Phoenix, who have all been devastated by the loss of their exalted leader, Albus Dumbledore at the end of book six. That Capricorn is intercepted may show us that there will be some unexpected allies who will appear.

    The last aspect Mars (Harry) made was a trine to the Moon at 14 degree 30 just after his sextile with Uranus at 13 degrees. He did encounter an explosive battle just before the funeral of his mentor Dumbledore and the bittersweet break up with Ginny in order to spare her the danger of being associated with him. Harry is becoming far more serious about his responsibilities (Mars in Capricorn).

    Death would be signified by either the radical or turned 8th house, so Jupiter or Mercury. There is no applying aspect from either to Mars (Harry). There is however an antiscia conjunction between mars & Jupiter. The turned Part of Death is at 0 Gemini and the turned Part of Danger & Violence is at 11 Gemini, so both are ruled by Mercury and again no aspect with Mars is forming. Mercury is in Pisces in detriment much weaker then Harry Potter Mars in Capricorn. The antiscia between Harry and the radical lord of death, Jupiter is not enough to indicate his death, though it may show us that he will come close to it and may even appear dead.

    So Harry will survive, but what about Lord Voldemort?

    Lord Voldemort is signified by the house of open enemies, the turned 7th house. He is Venus in Pisces exalted on the MC. Venus is applying to square Jupiter (Lord of 8th ruler) just after she encounters by conjunction explosive & erratic Uranus. She will then conjunct the North Node before the sextile with Mars (Harry) perfects at 22 Pisces. Jupiter in Sag (death) is stronger then Venus in Pisces (Lord Voldemort), which is also being received by Jupiter. Death receives the Dark Lord.

    The Parts of Death and Danger & Violence, tell us the same story. At 0 and 11 degrees of Sagittarius respectively, they are also ruled by Jupiter (ruler of death) which will square Venus in 5 degree 21 minutes. Could this be the 5 month and 11 days before his public demise, very close to the July 21 2007 date for the release of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”?

    Wanting to be thorough I looked for any relevant fixed stars. On Harry’s side I found that Mars was with Ascella (13 Cap 41) which according to Vivian Robson is “of the nature of Jupiter and Mercury and gives good fortune and happiness”. Conjunct the 7th house cusp I found Bungula (29 Scorpio 38) which has “the influence of Jupiter and Venus and gives beneficence, friends, refinement and place of honour.” Not bad for our hero!

    Looking at Lord Voldemort I found Skat (8 Pisces 55) with his significator Venus which “is of the nature of Saturn & Jupiter and with Venus gives psychic, occult interests, friends among opposite sex, favorable for gain.” The real gem came when I looked at the fixed star on his ASC; Alcyone (29 Taurus 59), this star is one of the Pleiades and “causes love, eminence, blindness and accidents to the face”. The influence of the Pleiades are “distinctly evil and when rising are said to cause blindness, injuries to the eyes & face, disgrace, wounds, stabs, exile, imprisonment, sickness, violent lust and military preferment.”

    My judgment is clear; Harry will struggle and may have a few setbacks (Mars in the 8th disposited by Saturn in detriment and retrograde), he may even appear to die, but will survive in the end with the help of friends known and unknown. As for Lord Voldemort, he will seem to triumph at first (Venus on the MC) but in the end he will be either blinded or disfigured before meeting his violent death possibly at the hands of one of Harry’s supporters.

    I judge that support for Harry will come at the eleventh hour from an unlikely or unexpected quarter and that there may be some ambiguity in the demise of the Evil Dark Lord. Being a powerful wizard well versed in the dark arts he may cheat or make a deal with death (Venus squares Jupiter with reception), but be slain in his final encounter with Harry (Venus sextiles Mars).

    As a postscript, it is likely to that Harry & Ginny will get back together after the final battle. After all Mars makes its sextile aspect with Venus at 22 Pisces, after Venus encounters Uranus & Jupiter. After Lord Voldemort is finally vanquished, Venus can go back to being Ginny to Harry’s Mars.

    Now for anyone out there still skeptical about the validity of this chart let me tell you a little story about the Pleiades. They were the seven daughters of Atlas & Pleione. Six are visible: Alcyone, Maia, Electra, Taygete, Celaeno and Sterope but their seventh missing or lost sister is said to be Merope who married a mortal and hid her face in shame at being the only one not married to a god. Any keen Harry Potter fan would recognize that Merope is the name of Lord Voldemort’s mother, who like her mythical counterpart shamed her family by marrying a mere muggle (a non-magical person); Tom Riddle.

    Herein lays the true mystery of astrology.

    Postscript

    Not one to usually toot my horn, I will now do so.

    For any of you that haven’t read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows here is a round down of the important points: in the final battle between Lord Voldemort and Harry, Harry does appear to die, but doesn’t, His friend Nevil becomes an unlikely hero and bad guy Snape ends up being the good guy after all. Oh! and Harry does end up with Ginny.

    So the blinding of Voldemort doesn’t happen, unless you count the more symbolic blindness of not seeing Harry’s true strengths… Don’t you just love astrology!

  • Temperament: An Astrological Look at two Different Educational Methods: through the temperamental nature of their founders

    According to seventeenth century master astrologer William Lilly, working out the temperament was the first and most important step of natal judgment. In my quest to learn and capture the insights temperaments gave our astrological forefather, I came upon the notion of identifying the significator of manner as a crucial step in understanding how the temperament would manifest in the life.

    Working with temperaments alone, gives us limited information, but identifying the planet that signifies the “manner” seems to unlock the secret of how an individual basic nature will manifest. The significator of manner was also referred to by other authors as the quality of the soul. The temperament shows us the innate nature of an individual whilst the quality of the soul or manner, show us what they want or choose to become.

    The significator of manner was identified by William Lilly as either a planet in the 1st house in the same sign as the ASC, a planet conjunct or in partile (to the degree) aspect with Moon or Mercury, ruler of the ASC if aspected by one of his rulers or finally if no planet fits any of the above conditions you would judge the planet with the most essential dignity at the degree of the Moon and Mercury to be the significator of manner, that is the planet through which the temperament is expressed. It is important to note how the planet signifying manner is configured in the chart, what it rules, aspects and its dispositor.

    The catch was that only Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn seemed to be eligible for the role of significator of manner. The luminairies and the outer planets (unknown in Lilly’s time) modify the planet(s) of manner and add much to the story it tells, but can not function alone.

    That a person’s life work reflects their nature should be a given, after all we can not divorce ourselves from who we are (no matter how hard we may try). Looking at the two educational methods that are Maria Montessori’s and Rudolf Steiner’s legacies we should be able to recognize their founders imprint.

    In particular will the basic nature of these gifted individuals as defined by their temperament and the planet that signifies their manner, be reflected in their educational method?

    A brief overview of the two educational methods

    Maria Montessori developed her method of education through the observation of children rather then by the application of theories. Her medical and academic training allowed her to approach her work in a very structured and intellectual manner. She observed the child’s innate ability and joy in learning and understood it to be a natural result of a child’s interaction with his environment. Many of Montessori’s then radical ideas about children and their education have now become part of the excepted norm.

    Whilst Maria Montessori focused her entire working life on education, Rudolf Steiner was far more eclectic. He was a visionary and came to his development as an educator through his profound understanding and experience of the spiritual nature of the world and man. His point was to nurture the spiritual development of the child and to allow it to unfold free from adult (and therefore corrupted) interference.

    Both systems have similarities, in that the respect of the child’s ability to learn is paramount and that the learning environment is child centered and focused. Both maintained that children learn only when treated with respect and in a nurturing environment. Both also contained an element of idealism, believing that through the child the world could be changed.

    Briefly, the Montessori system emphasizes the prepared and ordered environment in which the child is free to explore, naturally learning through his senses, beginning from the concrete evolving to the abstract. The Montessori system believes that the child’s innate desire to learn will lead him to naturally acquire the skills needed at the point when he is ready. Montessori discourages the exposure to fantasy and fairy tales, believing this to confuse the child and that the “real” world was fascinating enough.

    The Steiner method on the other hand encourages imagination and believes that the child comes to understand the nature of the world through colour, play and myth. The Steiner method emphasizes the spiritual nature of the child and encourages its expression through movement, storytelling and play. They advocate not exposing children to the academic subject until the age of eight.

    Maria Montessori, her life and work

    Maria Montessori

    Maria Montessori was born in Italy in 1870. As a child she showed a great interest and aptitude to study and was encouraged by her mother to pursue an academic career. After many difficulties and restrictions she became the first woman in Italy to qualify as a medical doctor. She later went back to school to study psychology and philosophy. In 1904, she was made a professor of anthropology at the University of Rome. She gave up both her medical and academic career in 1906 to focus on the education of children full time. Until her death in 1952 she traveled the world revolutionising pedagogy.

    Her personal life was more austere. She had a son, Mario, with a colleague, Dr. Montesano, the couple never married. It was said that Maria and Dr. Montesano agreed to never marry, but eventually Dr. Montesano reneged on his part and married someone else. Mario was raised by a family in the countryside of Rome and his mother would visit every once in a while.

    Judging her temperamental nature through her natal chart we find a woman whose more external nature (ASC and Sun) were predominantly Choleric, so basically hot and dry, with some Phlegmatic (cold, moist). This means that her natural inclination was to expand and move outwards (hot) and be very structured and defined. There can be a tendency for Choleric people to be dogmatic and stubborn and if biographical reports are to be believed, this was a part of her character. The Phlegmatic quality resided entirely in her Scorpio Moon conjunct her IC (foundations) and ruling her 12th house.

    Identifying the significator of her manner, the planet through which her nature is focused, we find that Venus is in her 1st house in the ASC sign of Leo in antiscia conjunction to Pluto in the 10th house.

    Venus is powerfully positioned on her ASC and rules her MC, 3rd house as well as Mercury (conjunct the 3rd cusp). Clearly we see career coupled with early learning and children (Mercury, natural ruler of children, despositor of the 5th house ruler Jupiter and PoF in Gemini). Her choleric nature was most clearly expressed in these realms of life through powerfully placed Sanguine Venus, helping to temper her overly choleric nature. Coupled with the influence of powerbroker Pluto, we can symbolically see the incredible transformation of childhood education that she accomplished.

    As her the phlegmatic part of her nature resides entirely in her Scorpion Moon and was ruled by Mars in all dignities: domicile, triplicity, term and face. We could judge Mars as a secondary significator of manner. Mars himself is in the phlegmatic sign of Cancer (in mutual reception with her Moon in Scorpio) and conjunct Uranus. Today we may forget how radical some of her ideas on children and education were, as well as how radically she lived her private life.

    There is idealism in her educational philosophy that can be seen in the partile trine between her 9th house Neptune and 5th house Saturn: idealizing the structure of the environment. Neptune is also squaring her Mars and is in antiscia conjunction with her natal Sun.

    The relative positions of Venus and Mars in regards to the ASC indicate that Mars came to the forefront later, when by direction the ASC and Mars had conjoined, at about the age of 21/22 when she began to fight to attend medical school. This was a woman who fought for and won everything she achieved in her life, beginning with her conservative father, the authorities at University and later other educationalists. Mars rules her foundation and father (4th house) and higher education (9th house). Privately, her life was not as successful as her career. She had a child out of wedlock (5th ruler Jupiter is in detriment) who was raised by another family and she never married. Her personal fights may have ended in a far more phlegmatic manner then her public ones.

    Rudolf Steiner

    Rudolf Steiner

    Rudolf Steiner was born into a stable working class family. From a very young age Rudolf was aware of things unseen. As a boy he showed such intelligence and eagerness to learn that his father arranged for him to be educated. Steiner studied far more subjects then was required, doing outside reading on subjects as philosophy, psychology, science and geometry.

    He was inspired by Goethe, who he recognized as one who perceived the spiritual in Nature. Eventually Steiner founded the Anthropophy society (a break away faction of the Theosophical movement with more emphasise on the Western mystical tradition, rather then the eastern bent of the Theosophist).

    Unlike Montessri he did not dedicate his life to education, but rather to a far more expansive palette of interests, with an overall theme of transforming society through the recognition of the spiritual nature of man. He was extremely prolific, writing some 33 books and delivering over 6000 lectures in his lifetime. His development of the Waldorf school happened later in life at the age of 57 at the instigation of friends.

    Rudolph Steiner’s chart indicates a Phlegmatic/Melancholic temperament giving him a predominately cold nature (with equal moist and dry). This means that his movement is down and inwards. This is a man who was able to spend much time alone and in contemplation. The moisture in his nature gave him the ability to connect things together whilst the dryness allowed him the ability to put structure to his insights.

    As no planet was in the 1st house, no planet was in partile aspect or conjunction to either Moon or Mercury (though Neptune conjuncting Mercury will be a modifying influence), the ASC ruler Mars was not aspected by any of his rulers, we are left with Mercury as the planet with the most dignity at the Moon and Mercury degrees as the significator of manner.

    So his manner was signified by occidental therefore melancholic Mercury, conjunct Neptune in Pisces. The dispositor of both is Jupiter in Leo conjunct this MC. Jupiter is the universal significator of all things philosophical, religious and spiritual. This indicates that his nature was expressed through a dry mind that was able to perceive things unseen (Neptune). He would want or choose to communicate and share these perceptions with the world.

    Mercury also tells us about the great variety and amount of interest and work he did. Mercury rules the 8th and 11th houses, Moon, Uranus and Saturn giving us further clues as to how and in what areas of life Steiner’s very cold, contemplative nature would be best expressed.

    The Lunar contact, Moon is in opposition and is received by Mercury, supported by Neptune conjunction, indicates the reflective nature of Steiner’s mind. Through his Moon, ruler of the traditional 9th house of dreams, philosophy and religion, his nature is drawn to the unseen. The Melancholic nature of his Moon (and Mercury) gives him the ability to structure his perception of the spiritual world. His desire to awaken humanity consciousness to the spiritual nature of life is clearly indicated by Mercury’s dominion over the 11th house of community and 8th house of death. After all we need to accept the death of the body before we can understand the life of the Soul.

    The only heat in the temperament comes from his ASC ruler Mars. It is interesting to note that Pluto is conjunct ASC ruler Mars and is in almost perfect antiscia with MC. This allowed him to bring the energy and power (Mars conjunct Pluto) needed to project his work out to the world as he did.

  • Horary: What’s wrong with Sally?

    What’s wrong with Sally?

    Having spent the day with a friend of mine I became concerned for her well being. She seemed very nervous and stressed, to the point where I was compelled to ask a horary. At the time of asking I was not aware of her medical history.

    On June 22, 2006 at 5:51 PM in Melbourne Australia (AEST –10:00) I asked the question: “What’s wrong with Sally?”. Seeing as Sally is my friend I gave her the 11th house therefore Venus signifies her, appropriately as she is a young, blond Venus like woman. Because this is a medical horary I would also use the Moon as representing her body.

    What\'s wrong with sally?

    Looking at Venus we see that she is in Taurus, at first this looks pretty good as this is the sign of her rulership. But on closer inspection we see that Venus in an oriental position to the sun and is therefore sanguine; hot and moist, but she is in the melancholic; cold & dry sign of Taurus. This is a positive indication that she is seriously out of sorts. Moon is exalted in Taurus and disposited by Venus. Both are strongly essentially dignified which is a good sign that she will survive this ailment.

    To understand what afflicts Venus (Sally) we need to find which planet is causing her problems. She rules herself, with Moon holding the exaltation and triplicity over her. Moon represents the body and it’s last aspect was a square to Mars (in Leo). Venus has been chasing an applying sextile to Mercury, but this will not perfect. Venus and Mars represent the disease, both are in fixed signs indicating that this is a chronic long term condition.

    Venus in her own sign, her “first house” is an indication that what afflicts her is located in her head. (Venus at 27 Taurus = disease of thick melancholy and thin phlegm. Causing pain to the head.) Venus is chasing Mercury in Cancer, and though she will never perfect, being within orb indicates that the eyes maybe afflicted. This would be a secondary reaction rather then a primary cause of the illness. Mars also indicates the head and in Leo indicates a lot of heat, fever. (Mars 11 Leo = Causes headaches and too much blood.)

    All this is supported by the ruler of the turned sixth house (6th from the 11th = 4th with Pisces on the cusp) Jupiter as the indicator of her illness being in her 1st house, the head again. Jupiter is retrograde, this is a recurring problem and is fixed so long term as opposed to acute. Jupiter is being received and squares Mars adding support to Mars’s involvement with the situation. He is also in partile square to Saturn in detriment. Both of these planets are in her 10th house indicating the involvement of the work sector in this problem.

    There is no perfecting aspect between Venus and either the radical or turned Lord of the eighth (death). She (Venus) is essentially stronger then the Lord of her disease Jupiter more indication that she will not die of this condition.

    I judged Sally to be suffering from a problem of too much heat or blood to her head, a recurring disease that possibly affected her eyes as well. She is stronger then the disease and therefore will survive the ailment. The disease is caused by her (Venus) with an involvement of Mercury, so too much stressful thinking. With the connection to Saturn/Mars in the 10th the stress may have been brought on by work.

    Venus is at 27 Taurus 59, she will move into Gemini (a hot moist sign, like herself) in just over 2 degree. Being in a fixed sign I judged that she would recover from her illness in just over 2 months when she (Venus) would move into a more congenial sign.

    The outcome:

    Sally suffered from bleeding in the brain. This was a recurring condition from which she first suffered 5 years previously, and is a weakness in the actual brain itself. The flair up of the problem first makes itself known by affecting her eyes and with fuzzy headaches. This current bout was brought on by too much stress at work. She lost her job in a very underhanded manner. The only treatment is rest and avoiding stress. She began to recover after about 2 months in late Aug 2006.

    It was later discovered that her stress level was also affected by a hormonal imbalance. I wondered whether this could be related to Venus thing.

  • Horary: Beaconsfield Gold Mine Disaster

    Horary astrology can reveal and illustrate the most mysterious and paradoxically the most practical and verifiable aspects of astrology. All horary astrologers have examples of charts that “speak” so eloquently the truth that they want to share them with anyone capable of understanding. There is no denying astrology when a horary chart works; the answer is clearly visible, the story behind the question symbolically illustrated in detail and the magic of astrology validated.

    Some say that a horary question can only be asked by someone who has a vested interest or relation to the thing being asked about, but as long as there is a genuine desire or need for the answer a horary can be asked. Here is an example of a chart that illustrates its validity regardless of the lack of direct relationship between the querent and the thing being asked about. Ultimately this chart is an outstanding example of the power and beauty of astrology.

    Everyone in Australia would be aware that on Tuesday April 25th, 2006 a seismic event triggered an underground rock fall at the Beaconsfield gold mine in northern Tasmania. Three men were trapped below ground: Larry Knight, Brant Webb and Todd Russell. Two days later (April 27 at 7:22 am) the body of Larry Knight was found. Miraculously the other two men were found to be alive on April 30th at 5:45 pm when rescuers heard them singing. The news of their survival created euphoria in the small mining community of Beaconsfield and an international news media frenzy.

    The next day this horary question was asked by someone unrelated and unknown to anyone associated with this event: “Will these men get out alive?” (May 1 2006, 5:16 pm, Melbourne Australia AEST) The querent was motivated to ask the question because the initial reaction to Brant and Todd’s discovery was overshadowing the fact that they were still trapped deep underground in a very dangerous situation. At that point in time the media was reporting that the men would be out within 48 hours. The querent felt strongly that their rescue far from being a certainty.

    Will these men get out alive?

    In horary the most important thing is to identify the significators of the question. The most common way of identifying a significator is to use the ruler of the house in concern. The other way is to use the planet which is the natural ruler of the matter.

    In this question we need to find significators for the trapped men, the rescuers and death. The rescuers are workers to whom we can give the 6th house and therefore they are signified by Jupiter in Scorpio retrograde. Death would be the radical 8th house, Mercury in Aries, as well as the turned 8th house once we have identified the trapped miners.

    Because the querent has no connection with the question or its outcome we need not be concerned with her. The question is what signifies the trapped men?

    We could use the 7th house, being the house of “strangers and others”, giving us Venus in Pisces conjunct North Node, albeit in the turned 12th house. The exalted nature of Venus with the benefic North Node doesn’t seem to describe two men trapped underground with a lot of loose rock over their heads. We could use the 1st house, in which case we get Mars in Cancer, receiving both the rescuers (Jupiter) and death (Mercury). At first this seemed a good choice, but when we consider the natural ruler of miners, Saturn, we find a much better candidate for significator.

    Saturn (the miners) is in detriment in the 10th house, at 4 degrees 58 minutes of Leo. He also rules the 4th house of the chart which is mines and his dispositor the Sun rules gold, this seemed appropriate; they were trapped in a gold mine!

    Though underground they are very exposed through the media. Interestingly Saturn was nearly 5 degrees into Leo and the men were found almost 5 days after they became trapped. Also the Sun receives the miners into his rule and is separated from a square with Saturn by 6 degrees, at the time of the question the men had been trapped for 6 days. Both of these facts give us a clue as to the timing in this chart.

    Now the question is about the men’s survival or lack of, therefore their possible death. Looking at the ruler of the radical 8th house of death we find Mercury at 22 degrees of Aries. There is no aspect between the men and significator of death. Expect for Saturn receiving Mercury into his fall (which could indicate the men’s understandable fear of dying), there is no reception between the two. Nor do we find any antiscia connection. This bodes well; they will come out alive, but when? Can this chart tell us?

    Digging further (no pun intended) we look to the rescuers which are signified by the ruler of the 6th house of workers, Jupiter in Scorpio retrograde. Jupiter is moving back into the via combusta (15 degree of Libra to 15 degrees of Scorpio), seen as a malefic part of the zodiac and is in opposition to the Sun (gold mine) in Taurus (earth) both indicating their dire situation. The rescuers certainly were facing opposition to a lot of earth down in the mine. The retrograde condition of Jupiter tells us something about the slow progress the rescuers were having in getting to the trapped men. Jupiter will perfect a square with Saturn at around 9 degrees Scorpio/Leo, possibly indicating 5 days (degrees) time frame.

    Looking to the Moon for the timing of events we find that she separated from a sextile with Mercury (significator of death) 3 degrees ago. This fits in roughly with the timing of the finding of Larry Knight’s body. The Moon will next square Venus in Pisces before ingressing into Cancer. Her move into her domicile is another promising sign for a positive ending to the situation.

    In mundane astrology the Moon represents the people. If we take the Moon to indicate the people, her position in Gemini indicates being in two minds; exhilaration at Brant and Todd’s survival, worry at their continuing state of danger and grief at the death of their colleague Larry. The Moon’s antiscia degree is 4 Cancer 23, squaring the Nodes, a clear picture of the people’s future, hanging on the balance of fate. This is interesting but doesn’t give us any timing for the men’s rescue.

    Going back to the question, we see that it is about their death or rather their escape from it. Looking at Mercury (death) we see that he is Saturn’s FALL, therefore is being received by Saturn in a negative way. Once he moves into Taurus, the situation will be changed and (death) will have no connection with Saturn.

    The miners were under the threat of death (receiving Mercury into their fall) until the moment they walked out of the mine, and they would have been aware of all the possible dangers. There could have been another earth tremor that would have killed them or their rescuers …So once the miners (Saturn) no longer receive death (Mercury), they are no longer under its threat or power, they are free. Mercury will ingress out of Aries and into Taurus in seven and half degrees or 7 and half days; could this be our time timing?

    On May 9 at 5:58 am Todd and Brant walked out of Beaconsfield mine. This was exactly 7 days, 12 hours and 42 minutes after the question was asked. Mercury was 7 degrees and 21 minutes from its ingress out of Aries. Not quite exact, but pretty close. In fact Brant & Todd were freed from the mine at 4:47 and 4:54 respectively making it 7 days, 11 hours and 31/38 minutes, making it even closer. When Mercury moves out of Saturn’s fall, death (Mercury) ceases to be a threat to the men. And so it was!