Have you ever wondered why some transits come and pass with seeming little impact on the life of the individual, even though they looked pretty powerful? Have you or one of your clients ever experienced a huge life changing event and yet there is nothing obvious happening in the chart that could be attributed to it?
The main technics that modern astrology has at its disposal for advancing the chart through time are transits and progression. Traditional astrology uses techniques that identify planetary periods and time lords. This is one of the principle differences between modern astrology and traditional (being pre-18th century) astrology. A time lord refers to a planet which has governorship over a period of time in a person’s life. When a planet takes over the role of time lord whatever it rules in the chart will come into focus; its condition and position in the natal chart will dictate how easy or difficult the period is likely to be.
Anything that happens to the planet that is the Lord of the time period will come to the forefront and be more likely to manifest in the life. Transits to or by this planet will be active and produce impressive events in the life, while transit to other or by other planets during the same period may feel like duds; nothing of any significance happens. It is as if the planet that is the time lord is switched on and lights up a particular part of the chart and therefore a sphere in the life. There are also times when a second planet may also be “switched on” and it will act as co-time lord./ This can be very helpful to the astrologer who is now better able to tell which of the many transits coming are likely to actually produce some activity and which can in all probability be dismissed.
There are many different planetary period outlined in the tradition; some cover periods of many years of an individual’s life and others that cover a much shorter period. One of the oldest and simplest time lord techniques that come to us from the tradition is yearly profections. Simply speaking the chart is moved or profected one whole sign per year. The ruler of the new profected Ascendant takes the role of time lord for that year. If there is a planet or planets in the sign of the new profected ascendant they will also be activated for the year.
Having the knowledge of which planet is the profected Lord of the year also helps to focus the solar return chart; for the position and state of this planet in the solar return chart provides more information.
Natal chart data withheld
An example of how this might work:
The native turned 51 years old in 2011, this is a 4th place profected year. We move everything in her chart by 4 full signs; her 4 degree Capricorn ascendant profects to 4 Aries, a sign ruled by Mars. Mars therefore becomes the Lord of the year from her birthday 2011 to her birthday 2012. Since she also has her natal Moon very close to the degree of the profected Ascendant, the Moon will also take on an important role during that year.
The 4th house themes are home and family and also cover literally, the physical home we live in. Her Moon being right on the IC point brings in the themes of the 7th house which she rules; therefore relationship and partners. Natal Moon reinforces this theme by being opposite natal Venus; the universal significator of relationship and partners. In her natal chart Mars also rules the 11th house; the house of friends, colleagues and our “hopes and wishes”. Note as well that the profected 7th house cusp lands on natal Venus at 4 degrees Libra, and profected Venus comes to the natal ASC at 4 degrees Capricorn, emphasis on relationship coming from many directions through the profections of the year.
We would expect that all these themes: home, relationship and her “hope and wishes” will be brought to the forefront during this year. And they were. The native wanted to sell her existing house and buy a bigger place, one that was more modern and to her taste; her “hopes and wishes”. She had been living with her partner for just under 2 years and there were problems in the relationship that made her want to live alone again, though she was emotionally torn.
We can see by the state of her Moon that relationship generally would be a challenge for her. Moon in Aries means she has a strong emotional need for freedom; Mars which rules it, has little dignity and is in the frustrating position of being weak in the cadent 6th house, squaring his dispositor Mercury, (universal significator of communication). He is also opposite Jupiter the natal ruler of her 3rd and 12th houses. Relationships would bring up this frustrated Mars and the difficulty she has in communicating without getting emotional or argumentative. As Mars is in the 6th house the stresses of all this are likely to impact on her health.
Using the yearly profections it is fairly easy to see that she is going to experience a difficult year, as well as a pivotal year, for both the home front and the relationship represent fundamental areas of life.
Her 2011 Solar Return
The solar return chart can be thought of as frozen transits for the year. Her solar return for the year 2011 strongly reinforces the themes brought up by the 2011 profections. This is not always the case, but being so tells us what an important and charged year this is for the native.
Lord of the Year, Mars and Moon are opposite on the ascendant and descendant angles. Both are in pretty bad shape essentially; Mars is in sign of its fall and the Moon is in her detriment. The Moon is also conjunct natal Saturn at 11 Capricorn and squaring the SR Saturn at 15 Libra. Bringing a Saturnian theme and further emphasizing the difficult nature to the year. The IC point of the SR chart is conjunct her natal Moon and there we find Uranus.
Because Mars is so powerfully placed on the 7th cusp, we know that the native will have the ability to take the action necessary, as difficult as it might be. Mars is about cutting or severing. Uranus is strongly placed on the IC of this chart indicating a change on the home front, but as it is also transiting the natal Moon, who rules the natal 7th it highlights the relationship sector as well. Uranus is associated with divorce and relationship breakups. In fact she did with great difficulty and emotional stress sell her house, break up her relationship with the partner and move into her new home alone.
One of the problems in the relationship had to do with money. She had worked hard to own her own home and was about to upgrade. Her partner had no assets of his own and she feared that he would be able to claim some of hers if they continued living together. She did not want to risk her fortune on a relationship that had problems (they argued an awful lot), even though she did not really want to break off the relationship totally as she enjoyed the companionship. Lord of the Year Mars in the Solar return chart is on the degree of her part of fortune, symbolically an interesting placement.
The year was immensely stressful for her and she developed a serious problem with her digestion, which weakened her physically as she was unable to eat very much. The South node in the solar return chart is on the 6th cusp and conjunct her natal Mars. As Mars is the Lord of the year, ruler of the profected ascendant, he governs her body and the south node is draining her vital energy.
Pluto is making a transit to her natal ASC which tells of major changes to her life, but the profections really focus us on which areas of the life those change are going to manifest. There is always so much that can be seen in a chart, but having a method with which you can focus on which area will come to the forefront makes it far easier to interpret what is likely to happen in the life over a particular period of time..
Looking at Hitler’s chart we find that the Almuten of the Ascendant is Saturn 13 Leo in the 10th house, because it has both exaltation and triplicity dignity over the ASC degree of at 21 Libra in this day chart.
Finding the compound almuten over the degrees of the Moon 6 Capricorn, Mercury 25 Aries, and 26 Libra ASC we find the significator of Quality of his Mind to be Mars 16 Aries with 13 points, closely followed by Saturn 13 Leo with 12 points. These two planets would function very much as a team especially as they are aspecting each other by square as well as by a very tight, almost to the minute antiscia1 conjunction. This antiscia allows these two planets to function far more cooperatively than their stressful square aspect would indicate.
Finally, we must find the Pilot of the Soul. In this chart the search is difficult because Mars, Saturn and Moon are all in detriment, Sun and Mercury are peregrine which means they have no essential dignity whatsoever and Jupiter though he has face dignity is in his fall. Of the seven classical planets only Venus in Taurus has any dignity and she is retrograde, conjunct Mars as well as being very close to the 8th house cusp. Yet by default she wins the position of Pilot of the Soul. This would have been the ideal planet for Hitler to follow…But did he? Let us review.
His Lord of the Ascendant is Saturn in Leo in the 10th house. The planet signifying his Quality of Mind is Mars in Taurus in the 7th house with Saturn in Leo a close contender. Finally the Pilot of the Soul is Venus in Taurus in the 7th conjunct Mars.
Lord of the Ascendant,Saturn in the 10th house, is debilitated in his sign of detriment, in other words far from his (Saturn’s) essential best nature. Saturn was seen as the great malefic by the ancients. Debilitated malefics function in extremes, their nature is amplified and exaggerated. This planet could bring great misfortune in one’s life unless it was on his best behaviour. At its best Saturn is patient, responsible, disciplined and holds authority. But in this chart, he is not at his best, he is at his worst and yet he is positioned in the 10th house to act and act strongly. So, he will act in a strongly malefic manner.
As Lord of the Ascendant, Saturn represents Hitler’s corporeal desires; being in the 10th house, he desires power and authority. Saturn in Leo, he probably wants to be king. Saturn’s dispositor (and MC ruler), Sun is peregrine, he has no ability to keep Saturn in check. Saturn disposits Moon and Jupiter in Capricorn conjunct the south node. Moon in Capricorn is in detriment and would feel insecure unless in control. Jupiter is equally debilitated in his fall, though he has a bit of face dignity this is more to do with fear than an actual strength2. Both being with the south node only adds to their debility and sense of weakness. All this would give Saturn more justification to take control and not let go (Leo fixed).
The significator of the Quality of the Mind isMars working closely with Saturn. Here we find Mars equally debilitated in detriment squaring his ally Saturn. One of the main meanings of the quality of the mind is conscience, knowing that an action is right or wrong because we are conscious of a higher and broader perspective than just that of our individual ego. Mars is a mutual reception with the Moon; both are peregrine and in detriment, but are trining each other with reception by exaltation. Unfortunately this will not bring the promised support usually associated with reception; the only thing they can provide the other is the insecurity of their debility.
Mars also rules Mercury in Aries. Mercury being peregrine was easily enlisted to do Mars (and Saturn’s) bidding. Hitler was a great orator who was able to stir the emotions of the masses and lead them into war. As an aside, Germany is said to be ruled by Mars and Aries. Hitler became Germany’s mouth piece. So Hitler’s Quality of Mind was not going to tame or soften his Saturn’s drive for power and authority. On the contrary the two would work in tandem together and both bring with them the insecurity of the Moon and fear of Jupiter.
So far, we have a dire situation, but was it absolutely necessary for Hitler to become what he became? The Pilot of his Soul may have helped him steer a different path. As Venus in Taurus, we see fertility and creativity, but it is retrograde, conjunct Mars and square Saturn. The good nature of Venus is over shadowed by the strong malefic energy working together and feeding off the long-term fears and insecurities (Moon, Jupiter conjunct South Node). The two malefics used the veneer of Venus to camouflage their indent, presenting a more benign face of Hitler to the world.
Remember that Hitler’s first aim in life was to be an artist and then an architect. Unfortunately, he was rejected by the Vienna Academy of Art in 1907 and 1908 and didn’t have the educational qualifications to apply for study of architecture. We can only speculate how history may have turned out differently if he had been accepted by the Academy. So, his Pilot of the Soul was not given a chance to take the drivers seat. Does this mean that Hitler was inherently bad or evil? I do not think so, he was insecure and angry, so the odds were stacked up against him. He needed to overcome an awful lot to turn his life towards goodness.
Astrology is about time and we can not look at Hitler’s life or chart without regards to his time. Hitler’s fate was that of Germany’s. Looking at the chart of the man I would conclude that this was a man who was essential weak with little choice then to be carried by the forces of the times in which he lived. Picking two events that seemed to have been pivotal in Hitler’s life; one mundane and one personal and, we may trace the growing dominance of Mars & Saturn’s influence in Hitler’s life.
The Weimer Republic
November 9, 1918 at 13:30 CET in Berlin Germany
In 1918 on November 9th the Weimer Republic came into being, shortly followed by the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. This perceived public humiliation of the German nation coincided with the period of Hitler’s Saturn return and marked a turning point in his life. This event planted the seed of his nationalistic and racial fervour that germinated into the Nazi Party and lead the world down the road to holocaust.
On that day the Sun 16 Scorpio was directly opposite Hitler’s Mars, Venus conjunction at 16 Taurus and in contra-antiscia to his Saturn 13 Leo. The event chart’s North Node was at 13 Sagittarius, conjunct its MC and was on the antiscia degree of Hitler’s South Node 15 Capricorn, whilst the event charts Jupiter 15 Cancer was transiting Hitler’s natal North Node; his 6 Capricorn natal Moon was being opposed by the obsessive and at that point unknown, Pluto at 6 Cancer. On a more personal front his progressed Moon 8 Aquarius was moving to oppose his Saturn 13 Leo.
The fate of his nation evidenced by this charts MC, Sun and North Node triggered the worst of Hitler’s horoscope promises: deeply malevolent Saturn and Mars in positions of extreme power, fed by the insecurity of his foundations (Moon, Jupiter and South Node).
Geli Raubal
Another incident that was very pivotal in the development of Hitler’s persona was the death by gun shot to the heart of his niece, Geli Raubal on Sept 19th 1931. Rumored to have been his mistress, Geli and Hitler had an unusual relationship which in many ways played out the symbolic configuration of his Mars conjunct Venus in Taurus in the 7th house square Saturn.
Hitler, twenty years her senior, found happiness with Geli, her presence subdued and relaxed him and yet he was totally controlling and fanatically jealous of her. There were questions as to whether Hitler was in any way involved in her death. The rumours and innuendos were never proved, but her death was to have a profound effect on Hitler. became suicidal and never regained the public joy he had exhibited in Geli’s presence.
Her body was discovered at approximately 10:00 am on the 19th, by the landlord. It is believed that she died sometime on Sept 18, 1931.
Body discovered Sept 19 1931 at 10:00 in Munich Germany
On the day her death was discovered, Saturn was 16 degrees Capricorn trining Hitler’s natal Mars, Venus and conjunct his South Node; and transiting Jupiter at 13 degrees Leo was on his Saturn. Mars, ruler of his 7th house was transiting his 1st house, at 1 degree Scorpio applying to square his MC (5 Leo) and oppose his natal Mars, Venus conjunction. His progressed Moon sextiled natal Mars, Venus and was conjunct his North Node and on its way to conjunct his MC on the day he took the control of the newly formed Third Reich (January 30, 1933).
Hitler’s highly afflicted Saturn and Mars were triggered by this event. It is said that after Geli’s death Hitler threw himself ever more into his public life. Having enough political influence to ensure that his involvement surrounding the suspicious circumstances of her death never came to light, must have empowered his sense of invincibility. The ambition of his Lord of the Ascendant, Saturn coupled with the ruthless and destructive Mars, devoid of the balancing force of Venus (possibly symbolized by Geli herself, her death being the final death of Hitler’s Venus) allowed the evil that was festering below the surface to be given full expression.
We can not judge a chart in a vacuum. Hitler’ fate was linked to the circumstances of his era, culture, nation and birth. Hitler did not act alone in perpetrating the evil that was the Third Reich. Yet as the figure head for this movement he became the focal point of its manifestation. Was Hitler an evil man? The answer is that he was a weak man who through fateful circumstances yielded a huge amount of worldly power (symbolized by his celestially weak planets in terrestrially strong placement). What could have been done with this power need not have been so destructive, but it takes a strong individual to resist the allure of the ego.
The 13th century Saint Thomas Aquinas expounded the truth that: “The stars may incline, but do not compel.” 3Yet even Thomas Aquinas conceded that only when a man’s soul was in communion with God, was his will freed from the bondage of his corporal nature – with his physical body and its appetites, needs and desires. The stars may only incline, but your spirit needs to be in touch with a higher power to resist their inclination. Clearly this was not the case with the individual Adolf Hitler.
Antiscia – From the Greek, meaning “opposite shadow”. A degree and its antiscia are equidistant from the summer-winter solstice axis (Cancer/Capricorn). Planets related by antiscia have the force of a conjunction. Contra-antiscia (the opposition to the antiscia degree) has the force of an opposition. ↩︎
The Faces supply some intriguing leads about those areas where the individual has fear or problems. The point is that most people don’t like fear and would rather cloak fear with hatred”. From Lee Lehman “Essential Dignities” page 136 ↩︎
This is a paraphrase of a Latin saying: “Astra non compellunt, sed inclinant”, translating to: “the stars do not compel, but they do incline”. A concept that Aquinas frequently used to explain how astrological influence may suggest a course of action, but because of human free-will, a person is not forced to follow it. ↩︎
EVIL • adjective1 deeply immoral and malevolent. 2 embodying or associated with the devil. 3 extremely unpleasant: an evil smell. • noun1 extreme wickedness and depravity, especially when regarded as a supernatural force. 2 something harmful or undesirable. In religion and ethics, evil refers to the “bad” aspects of the behaviour and reasoning of human being – those which are deliberately void of conscience, and show a wanton desire for destruction. The opposite of goodness, which itself refers to aspects which are life-affirming, peaceful, and constructive.
Can evil be seen in a chart? Do certain individuals choose to be evil or are they fated to be so? And do their charts reflect this? And are we fated to live out what is in our chart? These questions are all loaded and profoundly disturb many in our profession.
In this day, when even the ancient descriptions of planets as benefic and malefic elicits discomfort in contemporary astrologers, it is no longer regarded as correct to think in these terms. The idea that a planet or person could be inherently bad goes against our accepted standard of judgment. Deviation from acceptable behaviour is seen as an understandable reaction to the emotional and psychological experiences that have traumatized or otherwise wounded individuals.
Ironically as we move away from judging an individual as evil we continue to embrace the idea that evil exists in the world. As illustrated by our “war on terror” and our fear of the “terrorist threat”. The concept of evil has always been present but we have confused the doing of evil with being evil.
When our ancestors spoke of a planet bestowing malevolent or benefic influence in a horoscope, we tend to imagine this as being a very cut and dry affair: bad planet cause bad things, good planet, cause good thing. The reality is far richer and more subtle than it appears at first glance.
The Malefic Planets: Mars & Saturn
In the traditional cosmos the so-called malevolent planets were Mars and Saturn. At their best both are a necessary and positive force in the chart, allowing us to take righteous action, be responsible and build strong foundations. Both have ‘jobs’ related to ending and death. When these planets were afflicted, they went out of balance and their influence becomes negative and destructive.
A planet is at its best when in essential dignity and with some reception. A debilitated planet has a really hard time expressing its true nature; they become an exaggerated or distorted version of themselves. Mars doesn’t just take action; he kills all who stand in his way. Saturn doesn’t just take responsibility he becomes tyrannical. The other planets can also cause trouble when in a debilitated condition, but their effect is unlikely to be thought of as evil.
Whether fate is pre-destined or created by the native’s choices is a tricky one. The modern paradigm places more emphasis on the free will and choice of the individual then was the case in the past. In previous generations the individual had their place within the social hierarchy and few had any choice about it. Even those at the top of this hierarchy had limited choices. Overseeing all, there was God.
Now we may speak of the higher self rather than God. Many have become uncomfortable with the concept of a Supreme Being overseeing us all, choosing for us, and allocating our fate. The concept of the “higher self” individualises us, if not in fact certainly in title. It allows us the illusion of having more power to choose. Regardless of our modern belief in the importance of the individual, fate can not be denied; it is what is bestowed on us.
We are born into a certain era or time, a particular body, gender, to a particular set of parents, within a family, culture and nation. We do not consciously choose this; we are given this. This is fate. Our free will to choose is confined to limits of our given fate. Man’s essential nature is both corporeal and spiritual; the integration of these polarities draws us closer to our essential nature. Essential nature by definition signifies a more balanced state of being. A state more aligned with the Divine, however we define that word.
In nature a daisy will grow into the best daisy specimen possible within the environment it is given. It can not do otherwise or choose to grow into a rose. Because nothing in the natural world can stray from its essential nature, there is no evil there. A volcano may cause devastation, cruel as this may seem, it is nothing more then the restoration of balance. Nature has no will to choose otherwise. But the human being has free will to choose and can turn away from his essential nature. He must come to know and accept who he is, what he has been given, understand his purpose in the scheme of things and fulfil it. The further away from his essential nature he moves the more he encounters evil or in the words of our fore bearers; malevolence.
The principal thing that pushes man away from his essential good nature is his desires; desire that stem from his corporeal existence. His desire to possess more than what he has been given, to have more power than he needs and to strive for a purpose not of his own. In modern jargon these corresponds to the ego and remember that the ego is never satisfied.
The Lord of the Ascendant, Pilot of the Soul and The Significator of the Quality of the Mind
Using traditional astrological methods, we can see in the natal chart how easy or not it will be for an individual to stay aligned with his true nature and how strong the pull of his desires will be. By identifying three planets: the Lord of the Ascendant, the Pilot of the Soul and the significator of the Quality of the Mind, we have the information needed to judge how likely one is to move towards or away from his/her essential nature.
To find these planets we use the table of essential dignities to calculate the almuten (overall ruler) of particular degree of the zodiac. Giving the planet in rulership 5 points, in exaltation 4 points, in triplicity 3 points, in term 2 points and in face 1 point, we simply add up the points for each planet to find the one with the most essential dignity at a particular degree or degrees. It is important to note whether it is a day or night chart and use the appropriate triplicity ruler.
The Lord of the Ascendant is the planet which has the most essential dignity at the ASC degree, in other words the almuten of the ASC. Often this is the planet ruling the ASC but not always. As the overall ruler of our ASC this planet is most concerned with our corporeal life; the driving force that motivates us. In modern jargon we could say it signifies our ego.
The Pilot of the Soul, is the planet with the most essential dignity overall; and in the strongest position, in the chart. Ideally it would also be free of accidental debility such as retrograde or combustion. The Pilot of the Soul is the planet that would ideally take charge. This is the planet that could set us on the right path and redirect us if we get side-tracked. This is the planet most closely aligned to spirit; most connected to Divine source. This is the planet we should endeavour to engage and make friends with, for it is most likely to raise us above our corporeal fate.
Finally, we find the significator of the Quality of the Mind by finding the compound almuten; the planet with the most essential dignity at the degrees of the Moon, Mercury and ASC. Quality of the mind does not refer to intelligence, but rather to how and to what purpose the mind is used. It relates to conscience and the moral nature of the native. This planet represents the balance between their sensible and rational minds and how well their corporeal and spiritual facets integrate. In other words, do they use their mind for good or evil?
Where is the cat? This is a horary question that has almost become cliché. Why do these loveable creatures seem to get into so much trouble? Maybe it is our love and dedication to them that is the real problem. In any case it is wonderful when a chart can alleviate the stress and worry of an owner.
November 4 2007 at 16:48 AEDT Melbourne Australia
BACKGROUND
The querent showed up at my house very distressed; she was making the rounds of all the neighbours looking for her cat, Pukka, who she thought may have hidden in someone’s garden after an incident 2 days prior. Pukka had followed her to the milkbar (in Australia this is a small corner store) and as the cat followed her across the street she appeared to have been hit by a car. Pukka ran under a parked car, but when the querent went looking for her, she had she was not there and she didn’t respond when she called to her.
SIGNIFICATORS
The Querent is signified by the Aries ASC and its ruler Mars. Mars is in fall in the 4th house trining and receiving the Sun in the 8th. The querent was thinking the worse; her significator was in the house of the grave and trine a planet in the 8th house of death, anxiety and anguish of mind. She strongly feared for Pukka’s safety. Luckily Mars is receiving the Sun by trine, indicating that the querent will get some benefic and joyful light on the matter. The Sun rules the 5th(of children and pleasure) and she spoke of Pukka as being her baby.
Pukka the cat is signified by Lord 6 Mercury and the Moon. Mercury has dignity by term and has accidental strength being angular and free from the Sun’s beams. He is also helped by his sextile aspect to Jupiter. Mercury is also favoured by his conjunction to the lucky fixed star Spica; a fortunate omen!
As Mercury has only just gone direct, he was moving very slowly, under 30 minutes. A fitting description of a cat having just been injured and hiding away somewhere, probably sleeping and not being very active. As Mercury is now starting to pick up speed, we have yet more positive testimony that Pukka’s fate is improving, not getting worse.
The fact that neither Mercury nor the Moon are applying to, or making an aspect to either Lord 8, Venus or the turned Lord 8 (the 8th from the 6th being the radical 1st)Mars, as well as the mutual reception between Venus in Virgo and Mercury in Libra show us that Pukka is still alive.
The Moon is on the cusp of the 6th, indicating Pukka is very close by, possibly somewhere behind her house. The Moon’s last aspect was to Saturn 2 degrees before indicates the incident with the car; which had occurred 2 days before. Saturn rules the turned 6th house, so this fits in well with the cat being hurt. The Moon’s next aspect is to Mars Lord ASC in 3 degrees, suggesting the cat will be back in 3 days. And she was!
WHERE WAS PUKKA?
As to where Pukka was hiding, the testimony in this chart suggests that she was inside or under something, close to a dry and even ground, (L 4 Moon in Virgo, Mercury in Libra); maybe a garden shed (Moon with Saturn) that was old and abandoned. There was such a shed just behind the querent’s apartment block. The elderly woman who owned the property would not let the querent go into or near the shed as she feared it was unsafe and might collapse. It was an old wooden shed, grown over and totally abandoned; a perfect place in which a cat could hide and recuperate.
The important thing is that Pukka returned in three days as evidenced by the chart, she seemed to be fine though rather hungry. She was probably a bit shaken and sore by the encounter with the car and so hid away to sleep and heal.
The querent is a young woman trying to establish herself as a stylist in a competitive field. Initially she asked me whether she; should be involved in a project she had committed to? After a bit of probing we came to understand that what she really wanted to know was whether there was any benefit for her in being involved. So the question became “Will I benefit from being involved in this project?”
The project was a fashion runway show for some young emerging designers and included the shooting of a promotional video. There was no money involved, though it promised to be a creative and possibly good networking opportunity. As her focus of interest is photo and props styling, she was made responsible for all props. She was now having second thoughts about the project as she had a lot of paid work on and felt that it was going to take up far more time than she first had anticipated. She also had a sense that the woman in charge of the project had subtly manipulated her into getting involved and was very vague as to the time commitment it would involve.
Simple Judgement
The chart has Aquarius rising giving Saturn exalted in Libra as significator of the querent. Saturn is being sextiled by the Moon in Sagittarius who could also be taken as a significator for the querent. The project, being a creative project that falls into the category of entertainment, I gave to the 5thhouse and therefore was signified by Mercury in Leo in the 6th house. Mercury is disposited by the Sun in Cancer in the 5th house, which I took as the “Boss” of the project, the woman who was putting the project together and had asked my client to be involved.
Both Mercury and the Sun are in the signs of Saturn’s detriment. The answer was clear. She would not benefit from this project, in fact it was likely to be to her detriment. Mercury in the 6thimplies that she will be worked like a slave and the Sun’s position in Cancer shows us how the Boss could manipulate the Moon, our querent to do whatever it wanted.
The promise that this would be a good opportunity to network and make contacts, was not going to happen as Mercury, the project was already separating from Jupiter, the ruler of the 11thhouse who signified these contacts. However, Saturn being in a partile sextile with the Moon on the cusp of the 11thhouse indicates that the querent is already making contacts. A fact that the querent conceded.
I have been working with Solar return charts and profections for many years now. I take the ruler of the profected ASC as Lord of the Year and look at its position, condition and configuration in the Solar Return chart. When angular the native is more of a driving force behind the events that will take place that year, when cadent things happen through the outside impetus. I have found that the returning of angles in the solar return chart to the same signs as in the natal chart indicate a significant years.
Here is the story of a Solar Return. My son was visiting over the Christmas holidays and he asked me to look at his chart. His birthday being in April I drew out his next Solar return chart. As he had been living abroad in Cambodia for 4 years I could have relocated his SR chart, however I have found better results by simply using the natal position. So his Solar Return chart was set for Melbourne Australia, his birthplace.
Natal Chart
His natal chart has Sun exalted in Aries ruling his MC, however the 10th place from the ASC is Virgo, ruled by Mercury. His Aquarius Moon is in the 3rd house, a placement I have found many writers to have. There’s an abundance of Taurus giving him a staying power and the ability to work hard.
The Ascendent of the Solar Return was almost at the same degree as his natal ASC, which made this a significant or important year for him. The ruler of the solar return ASC, was Jupiter in Taurus in the 5th, close to cusp of the 6th house and deposited by Venus, ruler of the 6th positioned in the 6th .
Solar return
He was turning 29 so he was in a 6thhouse profected year, with his profected ASC being 21 Taurus. As he has Mercury, Mars and Venus in Taurus in his natal chart my first thought was that he would have a busy year. Since the profected ASC landed on and was ruled by Venus; Venus was a clearly the Lady of the Year. Venus rules the natal 6th and 11th house, and the 1st and 6th house by profection.
In the SR chart Venus is cadent in the 6th house in Gemini and conjunct the South Node. The theme of being busy, working hard but getting little recognition or honours during that year becomes more pronounced as the 6thhouse is emphasized by profection, natal and solar return placements. Further testimony supporting the denial of such honours is provided by Venus applying to perfect a partile square to retrograde Mars in Virgo on the MC; and the essential condition of the MC ruler, Mercury in Pisces, where he is in detriment, fall and peregrine.
The Solar Return Moon in Libra is conjunct Saturn, reinforces the sense of hard work and also hints at his forthcoming Saturn return which will impact his 11th house of friends and colleagues.
So I made my judgment: “This year, you will be working really hard, be very busy and may go back to doing something from your past (Venus conjunct the South Node), but you will get little recognition publicly for all your efforts. The events for the year will be initiated by others rather than by you. It will be an important and significant year which will be fortunate as both profected and Solar Return rulers are the benefics (Venus and Jupiter) and both are in good condition in the natal chart and not too bad in the Solar Return Chart. You may have difficulties with friends or colleagues .” (Moon/Saturn in the 11th)
So What Happened
My son could not make much sense of such a reading as he had been working as a journalist for 3 years and freelancing for the past year with quite a bit of success. He didn’t understand how being very busy and working hard would not bring him recognition, nor did the idea that events would be initiated by others make much sense, as it was through his own travel and ideas that he had come up with the material for all the articles he had been writing and selling. And how, he asked could the year be “good” if he was going to be so busy but get little recognition?
All I could say was that this is what I saw in the chart.
A couple month later, about 1 month before his actual birthday, he received a phone call out of the blue from a reputable publishing company asking him if he would be interested in writing a book on modern day Cambodia. He signed the contract in June (a couple months after his birthday) and was busy researching and writing for a good 18 months. He worked really hard and initially got no recognition. He said that doing the research for the book recalled his time at the University. He also experienced resentment and professional jealousy from some of his older journalist friends which he found uncomfortable.
So my judgment stands; and my son was duly impressed.
A note of interest: In most of the traditional text it is written that when Venus is the Lord of the Year or a time Lord, she will bring about events and circumstances to do with relationships, marriage or women generally. I could see no indication in the chart of this being relevant in that years; as there was no emphasis on the 7th houseshowing relationship or marriage (and he was currently not in a relationship). Though it is interesting that it was a woman who called him asking him to write the book!
As a rule, I normally do not think that “should” questions are able to be answered with horary, but every once in a while I get a chart that is just so clear, the answer so obvious that it defies this “rule”.
The querent had recorded a song and wanted to get it released but was told that without a video clip this would never happen. He has been trying to get someone to “direct” the clip as he felt totally unqualified to do so himself, though he had lots of ideas about how he wanted it to look.
This chart shows the significators of the querent highly dignified and fortified, while the significator of others (7th ruler, Mercury) or employees (6th ruler, Sun) are both in bad zodiacal condition and in weak positions, giving us the answer.
The querent is signified by Lord of the ASC, Jupiter in Sagittarius is on the MC. Venus being on the ASC would also signify the querent. Both are dignified benefics and on the major angles clearly providing the answer; yes he should direct the clip. The Moon also in the 10th close to the MC and conjunct Jupiter, is about to sextile the Sun (Lord 6), and Venus sextile Mars ruler of the 2nd (the money) and 9th (the vision), on the 11th cusp. With the help of friends (11th house) and hiring others (Lord 6) the job will be done.
The sextile of the Moon and Sun can be understood asbringing the vision to light, as the Moon is ruler of the 5th house which could signify the creative project, especially relevant as the Moon’s last aspect was a sextile to Neptune (conjunct the Sun) and universal significator of film.
Mars being exalted the vision and the friends assisting will be of a good quality.
It is also interesting that the Nodes are conjunct the ASC/DES axis, showing a fated quality to this question. Having tried to find someone to direct this clip for quite a long time with no success; signified by the Sun (Lord 6) in detriment on the 12th cusp opposite Saturn in detriment retrograde, being let down by others promising one thing and not coming through. These others could also be signified by Lord 7 Mercury in Pisces and with Uranus in the 12th, very unreliable. Neither Sun nor Mercury engenders any sense of reliability and trust.
The querent did go on to direct the clip with the help of friends and others. The exalted state of both Venus (the querent) and Mars (the vision and friends) show us that the querent was not 100% comfortable doing this but he was capable. It was a successful project whichsaw his vision realised.
It is often said that horary works best when dealing with concrete and verifiable matters and as such is concerned with the trivialities of life. Anyone can learn the rules and techniques of horary, but it is only through consistent practice that the inexplicable correspondence between the will of the soul, the moment of asking and the celestial movements come to be revealed. It is then that a horary chart mirrors the depth and magic inherent in the most basic events of human life.
The simplest of inquiries can hide a complex web of relationships and meaning that the horary chart will reveal in plain sight to any with the eyes to see. Astrology generally and horary in particular makes the truth known; but few really want to know the truth, they are happier to be told that what they already believe, is the truth. The rigorousness and discipline of horary gives the astrologer an objective framework from which to work and with which the truth and richness of life and human experience is exposed.
Some charts defy rational explanation and prove the truth that lies at the heart of astrology. Here is such a chart:
“Will Adrian get the house?” Aug 14, 2008 at 3:50 pm, Melbourne
Adrian had been planning to renovate and move into a property he owned, but he was not really happy with its location. He had recently seen a property which would suit his needs quite well and situated in a neighbourhood he wanted to live in. The asking price seemed pretty low, but it was going to be sold at auction. He had all his financing is place and planned to bid at the auction on the following Saturday. I asked this question as Adrian had been in a long term relationship with my daughter which looked to be headed for marriage and this property could end up being her home.
The first thing to note is that the ASC has a very late degree rising which could mean that the matter is already settled and nothing about this matter can be altered by the judgement of this chart. At the time I did not understand how this could be relevant but have later come to see this simple question in a different light.
On the surface this is a clear and simple buying and selling question. Adrian is not the querent so is signified by the 7th house and its ruler, the Moon. The seller would be the ASC and its ruler Saturn and the property itself would be signified by the IC and its ruler, Mars and the profit from this property would be signified by the MC and its ruler Venus.
The next applying aspect of the Moon is a trine to Mars; there are no impediments to this aspect and it is being received, as the Moon is in the sign of Mars’s exaltation. This is about the best scenario you can get. It goes without saying that he got the property. The profit to be had from the property would appear bad as Venus is in her fall and conjunct Saturn, but he did buy the place for a relatively low price. Again I didn’t understand and thought something was wrong, but a different perspective would later make sense of this.
On further consideration, the lack of planets in the angles and all the main significators positioned in either cadent or the 8th house, gives reason for concern. Guido Bonatti’s 5th consideration tells us to “consider how many ways the Moon is ill affected…whereby hindrances and damage happen in all questions…”[1] Here the Moon is in the sign of her detriment as well as being peregrine, in the 12th house connected to Jupiter in the sign of its fall. After the Moon makes her aspect with Mars she will be VOC until she comes into orb of opposing the Sun, which is considered to be an affliction to her, especially as this opposition was in fact an eclipse of the Moon at 24 Aquarius, incidently opposite Adrian’s natal Sun at 23 Aquarius.
Major alarm bells are now ringing. The poor state of this Moon certainly reveals that the matter will be “hindered and damaged” and the stellium of planets in the 8th house of death is a further warning that all may not be so rosy. Further more the Moon also rules Adrian’s turned 12th house of self-undoing and makes a partile sextile to Uranus in the 3rd house opposite Mars.
As it turned out Adrian purchased the property for a low price in dollar terms, but the price in emotional terms was very high; he did not profit from this move and neither did my daughter. The relationship which had been at its peak, went downhill very soon after moving into this property and ended thereafter.
In this chart the Sun is conjunct the South Node and Adrian’s turned 2nd house hinting of the money worries this purchase engendered. Even the fact that Mars signified the property suggests strife. Adrian’s natal chart connects with this horary proving this to be a radical chart[2]. The Moon is conjunct his natal ASC and Mars is conjunct his natal North Node indicating the fated nature of this matter. The North Node and Neptune of this chart sit on Adrian’s natal 2nd house cusp, mirroring the money issues highlighted in the horary chart.
Though I asked this question with no conscious awareness of my concern for my daughter, her natal chart also connects strongly with this horary chart. Her natal Moon sits on this chart’s MC at 16 Libra, her natal Venus is on the degree of this chart’s Mars, and Saturn was on her 11th cusp, just beginning to put his heavy damper on her “hopes and wishes”.
My daughter, being Adrian’s partner would be signified in this horary by the ruler of the ASC, Saturn peregrine in the 8th house, of “mental anguish” symbolically depressing both her mind (Mercury) and her pleasures (Venus). She has since told me she felt lost, unsupported and suffered from depression during the first year in this property.
With the benefit of hindsight the 29 degrees on the ASC can be understood as indicating a crisis and a change of circumstance about to happen, but I did not see this at the time. After all, the question was simply about whether Adrian would get the property and the strong testimony that he would proved true. But behind this question was a desire to see Adrian and my daughter happy and secure; yet the testimony in this chart point to strife, depression and unhappiness for both.
Astrology never ceases to amaze and humble me. Far from being trivial, horary astrology is as deep and multi-layered as the world it reflects and reveals.
Postscript:
The antiscion degree of the Jupiter (3rd house ruler) of this chart was on my daughter’s natal Uranus. The antiscion degree of the North node (on the 2nd house of money) was on Adrian’s natal Uranus. The Antiscion degree of this chart’s Uranus falls on Adrian’s natal Mars.
When they broke up Jupiter and Uranus were conjunct at 27 degrees Pisces opposite Mars.
[1] (page 3-4) Guido Bonatti 146 Considerations, from William Lilly The Astrologer’s Guide, first edited in 1778, reprinted by AFA 2005 from the 1953 edition.
[2] A radical chart is one deemed able to be judged. “Pertaining to the radix, or horoscope of birth, the root from which everything is judged.” Nicholas deVore Encyclopedia of Astrology, Astrology Classics 1947(page 328)
The connection between astrology and alchemy has its genesis in the fifth and forth century BC, in the philosophies of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle and the metallurgical skills of the ancient Egyptians. The meaning and structure of alchemy were summarised in the “Emerald Tablet” and presented as a revelation to Hermes Trismegistus the supposed author of “the Corpus Hermeticum”.
In recent times our understanding of astrology and alchemy has become so distorted that they have lost all true meaning and purpose. Our empirical understanding of reality has made alchemy appear at best as philosophical musing, at worst as little more than superstition.
Astrology and alchemy are in essence looking at the same thing functioning on different levels or different realms. To put it simply astrology deals with the celestial realm and alchemy with the sub-terrestrial realm of the same thing; the movement and manifestation of spirit.
Spirit is the essence of all life and binds the whole of creation together. It permeates all matter and form giving it substance and vitality. Spirit or essential form is akin to the vertical threads of life, the horizontal threads being the substantial or material. Soul is both essential and material, it is both spirit and body, it embodies the rich tapestry woven when the essential spirit and material come together to create life. The purpose of soul is to reflect spirit. The purpose of alchemy and astrology is to purify and align the soul/body in order that spirit can be wholly reflected through its embodiment in matter.
What is Alchemy?
The word alchemy evokes many images including that of the crazed medieval chemist, stooped over arcane manuscripts, trying to unlock the secrets of nature in order to make gold out of base metals or create the so called “philosophers stone” propounded to bestow eternal life. Some have excused alchemy as a philosophical endeavour, defining the alchemist as a philosopher and those who engaged in the transmutation of metals or the search for eternal life as misguided fools. In the 20th century psychologist led by Carl Jung used the image and symbolism of alchemy and ascribed it to the psychotherapeutic process of personal evolution and analytic practice.
Modern psychological astrologers have embraced this Jungian understanding of alchemy and use the natal astrological chart as a symbolic guide to self-growth. While this works well in gaining an understanding of an individual’s process of individuation and knowing themselves it is a misunderstanding and misrepresentation of alchemy. Alchemy is not about the individual or his process; neither is alchemy naïve chemistry, as some would define it.
Alchemy is the endeavour of purifying soul in order to reflect spirit truthfully, in the sub-terrestrial world the result is gold.
The true aim of alchemy is to go beyond the “I” for it is the “I” as a thought concept or ego consciousness that is the barrier preventing consciousness from being flooded by the light of pure spirit. In the alchemical view of reality consciousness exist in one form or another in all things including the metals and the planets.
The Roots of Alchemy
The problem in trying to come to an understanding of alchemy is that it has always been an esoteric or occult science. Alchemy was known as the “royal art” it was not meant for everyone. A person had to gain the wisdom needed before being privy to the secrets of the alchemists. The true purpose and truth of alchemy is hidden in the symbolism of the alchemical language. This symbolism has a great similarity with astrological symbolism.
In the same way that the physical process of trying to make gold was fraught with danger from accidental poisoning or explosions, alchemical knowledge was considered dangerous to those who were not ready or properly prepared. Philosophically alchemy threatened the dominant monotheist religions and so needed to remain hidden. This may account for much of the old texts being written in secret language, illustrated symbols, paradoxes and riddles.
Much of the astrological, alchemical and philosophical wisdom of old comes to us from “The Corpus Hermeticum”, a work attributed to Hermes Trismegistus a mythical wise man also said to be the Egyptian God Thoth. The Corpus Hermiticum is said to record all human knowledge up to that point. It is in this work that we first encounter the precept of: “What is below is like that which is above, and what is above is like that below.” This sets out the basic principle on which alchemy is founded and this same dictum goes to the heart of astrology and magic the world over.
Alchemy aims to create purity in order for spirit to be reflected and manifested in this earthly realm. In the same way that light has no direction or substance until it encounters an object that can reflect back, giving light form, colour and direction, spirit needs to be reflected by soul, which exist in all matter. But when soul/matter is impure, like a dirty mirror that can only partially reflect light, it distorts the reflection of spirit. Spirit can only truly express itself through pure soul. The purer the receptacle or body of the soul the more able it is to reflect the light of spirit.
The alchemical process begins and ends with the Materia Prima. It is both the origin and the fruit of the work. The Materia Prima is found everywhere in creation, it is the primary substance of the world and the basic substance of the soul. It contains all things and is contained in all things. In order to purify the Materia Prima, it must be broken down and opposites must unite, creating liquid fire, the embodied spirit, the volatile stable or air like earth.
The moment soul (be it human, metal or other) achieves purity and becomes a clear receptive mirror of spirit, the revelation of the creative spirit takes place. Purity can not take place until the creative spirit reveals itself, which can not happen until purity is achieved. This paradox is the true meaning of the sacred marriage alluded to in alchemical writings. The King and Queen come together, pure being meets pure spirit. This is the marriage of Sun and Moon; spirit and soul, sulphur and quicksilver, the primary ingredients of alchemy.
Sulphur and Quicksilver
Two of the principle ingredients of alchemy are sulphur and quicksilver.
– Sulphur, is the original masculine power, it is hot and dry and is symbolised by the Sun. It is the dynamic aspect of the solar or masculine cause.
– Quicksilver is the original feminine power that is cold and moist and is symbolised by Moon. It is the productive power of “materia”, the dynamic aspect of the lunar or feminine cause.
Together quicksilver and sulphur embody the two phases of nature: dissolution and coagulation. On some level dissolution can relate to the active, vertical thread (or pole) of essence or spirit, of which alchemical sulphur corresponds. Coagulation relates to the horizontal passive thread (or pole) of substance to which quicksilver corresponds. These two may seem as opposite but they are in fact mutually complimentary.
Sulphur corresponds to the Divine command, by which the world became out of chaos and quicksilver represents Universal nature, the passive counterpart of the former that allows itself to be used and moulded. The first property: hot and cold, of both is the active masculine. The second property: dry and moist, is the passive feminine. Between them sulphur and quicksilver, by their qualities can expand (hot), contract (cold), coagulate (dry), and dissolve (moist) in a variety of combinations.
Corruption of matter happens when the properties of each mutually penetrate each other: so when the dry (coagulation) of sulphur joins with the cold (contraction) of quicksilver, complete rigidity of soul and body occurs. In human life this is expressed as the torpor of old age, avarice and a total loss of the original receptivity and vitality, both spiritual and sensual. The other way with the moist (dissolution) of quicksilver penetrates the heat (expansion) of sulphur, we get unbridled passion and a volatility of power. Often these unbalanced states are found together, one begetting the other.
Creative equilibrium can only happen when the expansive power of sulphur and contracting power of quicksilver hold the balance while at the same time the masculine coagulation and feminine dissolving capacity come into a fruitful union. This marries the two threads (poles) of being (essence and substance) and is symbolised by the intersecting triangles of the Seal of Solomon.
The Seal of Solomon, an interlaced hexagram symbolizes: protection, harmony, and the union of opposites; in the Ouroboros, the serpent that eats its tail, symbolizes wholeness, eternity, and renewal.
This state of absolute equilibrium between the passive and the active, the realisation of the centre of the earthly state is the ultimate goal of alchemy. Only in this state can matter, body or soul reflect back its true unadulterated spiritual essence. The evidence of reaching this state will manifest on all levels of existence including the mineral. So gold will be made, physical life will be prolonged and psyche will be freed of its desires. The dross will be removed through transmutation to allow the revelation of the light of spirit in matter.
Astrological symbols and alchemy
Throughout alchemical texts are found astrological references and symbols. It is evident by this that both are related and an understanding of one would help to understand the other. Both traditions come from the same source that at its heart understood the world to be interconnected and united, imbued with conscious intelligence that manifested in various forms.////Astrology interprets the meaning of the planets and zodiac, alchemy interprets the meaning of the elements and metals. The planets are embodied intelligence; the metals are intelligent bodies. While the metals were generated in the womb of the earth they are essentially under the influence of the seven planets.////The sacred metals of gold and silver are the earthly reflections of Sun and Moon and thus also reflect all other realities of spirit and soul that are related to this heavenly pair. Gold, the supposed aim of alchemist is regarded as the purest of metals; it is free of the impurities of other base metals and is the mineral reflection or subterranean manifestation of spirit. Silver the other sacred metal whose reflective quality acts as a mirror has the ability to reflect spirit. All other planets had a corresponding metal with which they shared their symbol.
Saturn = Lead
Jupiter = Tin
Mars = Iron
Sun = Gold
Venus = Copper
Mercury = Quicksilver (Mercury)
Moon = Silver
The hierarchy of the planets descends from Saturn, analogous to intelligence or intellect, through to the Moon which is analogous to the vital spirit that rules the involuntary and instinctive activities of the body. The hierarchy of corresponding metals are ascending from lead the densest and most chaotic of metals to Silver, the embodiment of pure unformed receptivity. In both Gold/Sun occupies the central position, which is the ultimate and true goal of the alchemist.
The seven signs of the planets/metals express the entire cosmic hierarchy which is the result of the polarisation of existence into an active or masculine pole symbolised by the Sun and a passive or feminine pole, symbolised by the Moon.
The Sun is symbolised by the circle and reflects the active principle of being, the pure act of essence. This is the planetary symbol of the King. Gold the metal associated with the Sun represents pure spirit embodied in mineral form.
The Moon is symbolised by the crescent or semi-circle and reflects the passive principle of becoming, constant change. This is the planetary symbol of the Queen. Silver is associated with the Moon and represents the metal whose purity is like the purified soul able to reflect spirit in all its glory.
Earth (Physical matter) is symbolised by the cross of the elements (or of matter), the vertical pole of active essence (fire and air) and the horizontal arm of passive substance (water and earth). The wheel of heaven is made up of the cross of matter and the circle of the active principle. This is the symbol for earth or the angular cross of the horoscope. The physical realm of the sublunary world, where form is corrupted is the setting for the desired alchemical transmutation.
Spirit/Sun acts on soul/Moon and changes it, as seen in the changing of the Moon’s form and the constant unchanging form of the Sun. Becoming is therefore passive, while the pure essence of being is active and remains unchanging.
The Work of Alchemy
Though Spiritual alchemy was not necessarily involved in metallurgic work, there is a supposition that originally the inward and the outward work went hand in hand. The purpose of alchemy is not to transcend matter, but rather to manifest spirit in matter. The way to do this is to free the soul or body from its impressions and passions, returning it to its original state, which is pure receptivity. The Materia Prima, primary substance of the world and the basis of soul, contains all things and is found in all things.
There are three stages to the work; as well there is a lesser and higher level to each stage of the alchemists work.
Firststage is the blackening. Black is associated with downward movement, into matter away from the luminous origin. Secondstage is the whitening or bleaching. White is associated with upward movement, aspiration towards the origin/light. Third stage is the reddening. Red or Royal Purple is associated with a tendency towards expansion on the plane manifestation.
The lesser work, has the Moon/silver as its end point, precedes the greater work whose ultimate aim is Sun/gold. The two-fold (lesser & greater) and three-fold (black, white & red) stages do not conflict. They occur in a seven-fold division based on the reign of the planets and properties of metals.
The first three stages of the lesser work is related to Saturn, Jupiter and the Moon. This is the phase whose end point is the Moon and Silver. Saturn and Jupiter are symbolised by a glyph compromising the cross of matter and the crescent of the Moon. The first three stages are purely lunar signs.
The first three stages of the greater work is related to Venus, Mars and the Sun whose glyph compromises the cross of matter and the circle of spirit. The original glyph for Mars was a circle with a cross on top, rather then the arrow now used. The last three stages have purely solar signs.
Mercury, whose associated metal is quicksilver, the principle initiator of the alchemical process, is symbolised by the cross under the circle under the crescent. It is the only astrological glyph to contain all three symbols. Only Mercury is androgynous and contains both lunar and solar signs. Mercury, quicksilver comes before all the others. It is not a stage in the alchemical process, but rather the key to the whole work.
The order of the lesser and greater works is in opposite direction to the other. For every active aspect there is a corresponding passive aspect.
Saturn represents the passive abasement or extinction of ego-bound consciousness.
Mars represents the active descent into unconscious passion
Jupiter represents the passive development of soul’s receptivity
Venus is the active rising of the inward sun or spirit
The Moon and Sun represents the two poles in their pure state.
Mercury bears both essences within itself and is the key of the alchemical process.
The Lesser Work
The first stage of the lesser work, the blackening: The first, black stage of the lesser work comes under Saturn, whose metal is the densest and most chaotic of all metals: lead. This is the mortification and putrefaction stage. Symbolised by the Raven or skull. At this stage consciousness must be withdrawn from the senses and turned inwards. Saturn’s glyph is the cross of matter over the lunar crescent of soul. The Soul is submerged in matter (the cross) and hidden from the light.
The second stage of the lesser work, the bleaching: The second, whitening stage of the lesser work is dominated by Jupiter associated with the metal tin. Now the crescent, the soul has risen out of matter and is on the horizontal arm of the cross. It has risen above and out of the earth. Jupiter or tin its corresponding metal, represents the first step in the loosening of the soul from the elemental pairs of opposites.
The third stage of the lesser work, the reddening: The reddening stage of the lesser work brings us to the Moon or silver. Here the crescent stands alone free from matter, independent of the cross of elements. Here the potentiality of the soul has been purified from the initial chaos of death (Saturn) and has now fully developed and united in a state of pure receptivity. The white mirror-like metal of silver manifesting this purity, a state also symbolised by the “blessed virgin mother”, the Moon.
In the lesser work the energy as represented by the crescent moves upwards in an ascending movement until the Moon stands alone. These first three stages correspond to the “spiritualisation of the body” the last three stages correspond to the “embodiment of spirit” and represent a downward movement and descent back into matter.
The Greater Work
The first stage of the greater work, the blackening: Venus dominates the first stage of the greater work. Here the form giving power of the active essence of spirit imprints anew to the cross of the elements. At this stage the volatile power of Quicksilver prevails over the solid bodies, later the fixative power of sulphur will prevail over volatile Quicksilver and crystallise a new soul-body form.
The colouring power of Sulphur does become visible in Copper (Venus’s metal) yet the new creation is not perfected, it is still unstable and coarse, because it is still attached to the opposing forces contained in the cross of the four elements.
The second stage of the greater work, the whitening: Mars dominates the second stage of the greater work. Saturn and Mars are opposite each other, seen in their glyph where the cross sits atop dominating the crescent of the soul or the sphere of spirit. Both represent an extinction of sorts, while Saturn symbolises the chaotic condition of death, Mars is an active and directed descent of spirit into the lowest levels of human consciousness.
Here the body is completely penetrated by the incombustible Sulphur. In Iron the fixative and colouring power of Sulphur, though present, can not manifest its lustre. The spirit is wholly submerged in the body, this is the threshold of the final completion; the transformation of body into spirit-become-form.
The final stage of the greater work, the reddening: The completion of the greater work is expressed by the Sun. The centre point that was missing at the start in the circle, representing what was only potentially present is now manifest. This stage is the reddening, which expands spirit into matter, reflecting the completion through the colour royal purple-red.
In the greater work the energy as represented by the circle moves downwards until the Sun stands alone. The Sun is analogous to the soul transmuted and illuminated by spirit, representing the perfect union of spirit, soul and body, it is the centre point of equilibrium sought by the alchemists.
The alchemical work that transmutes metals into gold, light incarnated, has its parallel in the inward alchemy of prayer. The soul initially becomes congealed on turning away from the outward world, and then dissolves as a result of inner warmth, and finally after having been a volatile changing stream of impressions, becomes a motionless crystal filled with light.
Ultimately the process of alchemy changes the life of the alchemist in the same way that astrology will forever change the way an astrologer will view life. There is far more to both then initially meets the eye. The more one puts into both the more depth and wisdom is unearthed.
This article also appears on the C.I.A. site and was published in the FAA journal in 2008
Reference:
Burckhardt, Titus: “Alchemy, the Science of the Soul” published by Fons Vitae, 1997 (originally published 1960)
Burckhardt, Titus: “Mystical Astrology According to Ibn’Arabi” published by Fons Vitae, 2001 (originally publishd in 1950 in French, first English translation 1977)
Zoller, Robert: “The Arabic Parts in Astrology: a Lost Key to Prediction” published by Inner Tradition International, 1980
Editors of Time-Life Books: “Secrets of the Alchemists”, published 1990
Traditional astrology is erroneously assumed by some to be void of any psychological component; this is especially the case with horary astrology. The preconception being that horary astrology simply answers the question asked of the astrologer, predicting the outcome of a client’s fate without any sensitivity to their particular situation or feelings. This idea is easily refuted by even a cursory reading of William Lilly’s “Christian Astrology”.
William Lilly was a successful astrologer living in 17th century England and is widely acknowledged as being one of the greatest proponents of horary astrology to have lived. In the first book of his classic work: “Christian Astrology” he set down the basic principles and rules for astrological delineation. In his second book he puts these rules into practice, presenting his judgement on over 35 horary charts providing the reader with a gold mine of astrological nuggets. Here we can observe this great astrologer at work and are privy to the extent of depth and detail which he extracts from a horary chart.
The astrological rules of horary can be likened to the musical scales, arpeggios and technical exercises endlessly practiced by musicians. These technical exercises maybe integral to a musician’s craft, yet they are not what we hear when a musician is performing. At the point of performance it is the musician’s soul that speaks; and so it should be with the astrologer. Reading some of William Lilly’s judgement can be likened to witnessing a virtuoso’s performance, the depth and beauty of his skill leaves one in awe. Bending the rules Lilly illustrates his ability to dig deeper, beyond the fate evidenced of the chart, into the possibilities that are open to the client if they chose to make use of them in order to take an active role in shaping their destiny.
Horary is not only a means of “finding the cat” or getting a simple yes or no answer to your client’s queries. Horary is the tool that will most clearly guide your client to an understanding of their present situation and what possible path they can take. The issues troubling a client may be evident in their natal chart, but practical guidance is far more difficult to extract. This is when a horary chart can be of immense help.
Recently I had a client who present with a problem that she wanted answers to. This is a client who has been in therapy for a long period of time, with a soul based psychologist, trying to understand herself and her response to life’s challenges. She and her husband have also been in counselling for many years. She came to me as an astrologer and asked me point blank “Can you see in my chart if my husband will change so that it is worth my staying in the marriage?”
Naturally this opened up a dialogue in order to discern exactly what the problem was. Pointing out that wanting another person to change was not a realistic way of dealing with problems in our life; she admitted her awareness of this and confessed that she had come to the end of her tetters and was at a point where she was quite prepared to leave the marriage. She also recognised that doing so would entail more than a break of her relationship with her husband; it would have far reaching effects, potentially destroy other relationships as well as see the shattering of a family. She wasn’t sure she wanted to see the marriage dissolve, but felt so exhausted by the continually repeating problems that she doubted whether it was worth the effort to keep it together. After much discussion it turned out that she wanted to know whether the situation (her marriage) would change enough for it to be worthwhile for her to stick with it.
A horary was drawn up for the moment the question was clear to me, as I am the astrologer, the channel through which the stars have the ability to speak as I am conversant in their language. Over the years I have become aware of a strange sensation in my gut the moment when a question becomes clear. A gut feeling so to speak that heralds “the moment of Astrology”[1]. If I adhere to that moment the resulting charts appear to sing louder and clearer than others.
There are three important factors to consider in this chart; my client (the querent), her husband and the marriage. She would be signified by the ASC, the ASC ruler and the Moon, her husband by the 7th house and its ruler and the marriage by the 10th house and its ruler[2].
My client is signified by the ASC ruler Saturn in Virgo, the sign of Mercury, significator of the marriage in this chart and situated appropriately in the 10th house of the marriage indicating her principle concern. Saturn is currently peregrine, meaning he has no innate power and little control, but is placed in a strong angular house and is with Venus a benefic planet that is applying to conjunct him. Venus being the universal significator of relatonship further emphasises my client’s concern about the state of her marriage.
Saturn is in a partile sextile to a debilitated Mars conjunct the Moon, which he receives into his detriment; clearly describing to us my client’s anger at her husband and the situation she sees he has placed them in. Saturn is now at the beginning of his cycle (having recently conjunct the Sun) and so is increasing in light, he is also about to move into Libra the sign of his exaltation. Both are indications that my client’s significator will be gaining strength and in ability to act.
Normally we would also give her the Moon as a secondary significator, but here the Moon is the ruler of the 7th house and so signifies her husband. The Moon is in Cancer and is on the 8th house cusp partile conjunct fallen Mars and the South Node. The Moon currently in his own sign indicates that he is at present principally concerned about himself and his money (Moon rules his turned 2nd house of money). The five degree rule puts the Moon in the radical 8th house of “anguish of mind”[3]. The combinations of these factors describe an essentially honest man who is at present, in a bad place and keeping bad company. Being signified by the Moon would also suggest a man who is easily influenced by others. There is little happiness here and a lot of anger.
Being in the sign of Saturn’s detriment indicates that much of this anger is likely to be directed towards my client. Soon the Moon will be moving into Leo where he loses all power and control when he becomes peregrine. He is also losing light being in the last waning quarter of his cycle. This shows us that her husband is losing strength and heading towards a position of weakness.
Moon is applying to perfect a sextile aspect with Saturn, but first will conjunct Mars and carrying his light towards Saturn who is receiving the Moon into the sign of his detriment. So though there is an aspect formed and perfecting between the two there is not much agreement. The presence of Mars in this configuration shows the anger that is shared by both parties. Seeing as all of these aspects are already to the degree, but not quite perfected shows that this is the situation between the two as it stands now and things will very soon be changing as all are at the end of the sign.
Ultimately this question is about the marriage and whether the circumstances within it have the ability to change. Marriage as opposed to relationship is about a contract or agreement between two people. The ruler of the 10th house signifying the marriage[4] is Mercury in Libra. The marriage has recently under gone a shift described by Mercury’s recent ingress into Libra. Mercury is just under the Sun’s beams and will be following and getting closer to the Sun until it makes its superior conjunction at 12 Scorpio. We could interpret this as describing the marriage as becoming less visible or as having the truth of the marriage exposed. Mercury has recently had its inferior conjunction with the Sun (retrograde conjunction), and so is into the second half of its cycle.
It is interesting to note that the beginning of the sydonic cycle of Mercury (the superior conjunction) was at 21 Cancer[5]; very close to the Moon’s position. The inferior conjunction, being like the “full Mercury” point, the opposition point of greatest awareness occurred at 27 Virgo. My client’s significator is currently sitting exactly on that degree. We could say that she has a far greater objective perception of the state of their marriage than does her husband who maybe trying to hang on to the past, the old status quo which existed at the beginning of the marriage. This symbolic picture is given further weight by the Moon’s conjunction to the South Node.
When Mercury makes his superior conjunction with the Sun at 12 Scorpio heralding the beginning of a new cycle, Saturn will have moved into Libra, sign of his exaltation where he will stay till Oct 2012, (though he comes very close to his ingress into Scorpio in February 2012). Taking the symbolic time of the progressed Moon as equal to that of transiting Saturn, then the Moon will remain powerless in Leo till February 2012.
It was at this point that my client revealed to me some further information about the issues affecting the marriage. The issues principally revolved around money and her husband’s business dealings which were constantly getting them into problems that threatened the family’s financial security, though he has a very strong capacity of generating income. It turned out that the authorities were investigating him and that there was a very strong possibility that he would be barred from running a company or having financial control of a business for a period of two years. One of the proposed solutions would be for her to take financial control of the business. She would have the power and for the first time in their married life she would be at the forefront of their financial affairs.
The Part of Fortune is in Libra, ruled by Venus who is applying to conjunct Saturn in just over 1 and half degrees. Venus also rules the 11th house which could be seen as the 2nd from the 10th in other words the house of the marriage’s money. This makes sense as money which is so much part of the problem and therefore this question. Venus is intimately connected to both Saturn and the Moon, significators of my client and her husband as well as being in mutual reception with Mercury significator of the marriage.
The 11th house can also reveal to us the hopes and wishes of the querent. Ruled by Venus the planet of conciliation and with the presence of the Sun in Libra on its cusp shines a light on the truth that she is dearly hoping that the situation will change enough for her to reconcile the marriage and save her family as well as her sanity. Despite the presence of Mars, the aspect between the Moon and Saturn is a sextile indicating that there is possibility for cooperation despite the conflict.
This horary chart was able to show my client the increase in power that she had already been feeling but was loathed to fully trust. Seeing her husband’s coming worsening state confirmed that he was reaching the bottom of a cycle and powers beyond him would have to take control. The timing indicated in this chart fit in with the circumstances revealed to me only halfway through the session. My client left with a renewed sense of focus and confidence, satisfied that the possible outcome to their current predicament would allow changes in the marriage which could benefit all.
References:
William Lilly “Christian Astrology (Book 1 and 2): An Introduction to Astrology. The Resolution of All Manner of Question” written in 1647
Deborah Houlding “The Houses: Temples of the Sky” The Wessex Astrologer 2006
Geoffrey Cornelius “The Moment of Astrology” The Wessex Astrologer 2003
[1]See “The Moment of Astrology; Origins in Divination” by Geoffrey Cornelius published in 2003 by Wessex Astrologers Ltd
[2] Traditionally the ancients saw the 10th house as the house of marriage as this was associated with ones status in the world and the 7th house being the house of the marriage partner. In some circumstances we could use the 7th house as signifying the marriage, but in light of this question we needed to distinguish between her husband and the marriage, so the 10th house was a logical choice, especially as my client’s attitude to the situation was far more rational and concerned with the practical ramifications of a break up rather than being emotional driven.
[3] William Lilly “Christian Astrology” Volume I, Chapter VII, page 54
[4] See Deborah Houlding “The Houses, Temples of the Sky” page 85, published in 2006 by Wessex Astrologer Ltd.
[5] There is some debate as to when the inner planets Mercury and Venus’s cycles begin. The superior conjunction occurs when the planets are on the other side of the Sun and in direct motion, while the inferior conjunction occurs when the planets are between the Sun and Earth and in retrograde motion. Dane Rudyard set the inferior conjunction as the beginning of the cycle and this has been widely accepted since. The evidence from traditional sources refutes this and from my perspective it seems illogical to have a cycle begin when the planet is going backwards. Deborah Houlding has an article appearing in the Jan/Feb 2010 Mountain Astrologer about this very issue.
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