Houses of Power

 The power of any one man is also measured by the freedom he has.

Fortified by the Angular

In traditional texts the accidental dignity of a planet to a great extent relies on its location whether it be just below the horizon in the East, or just above the horizon in the West, or in the most Southerly part of the sky known also as the Midheaven, or Northerly part known also as the Imum Colei.

Power is what this is primarily about, the power that a person possesses will be described by planets in the 1st house and in the 10th house. The whole idea of the 1st house as the “mask” is actually without much reason. The planets that rise in the 1st are the planets that are on my side in life. One identifies with these planets in the beginning and one eventually becomes them and embodies them in life.

The difference between a person with a strong will and a strong reason for existence and one who is weak or not in control in their life is the difference between a Master and a Slave. The house of slaves is traditionally the 6th house, the most cadent place and only less unfortunate than the 12th, house of imprisonment and abandonment.

A Master of his life, and destiny, a man who controls and has power over his own environment, over his choices in life and over the people around him will have powerful planets placed in the 1st and 10th houses. A man whose wife is powerful or whose father is powerful and support him through their power will have planets similarly placed in the 7th and 4th houses. A King or Prime Minister who has power in the 1st house will not bend his knees to anyone, Margaret Thatcher is a prime example with Saturn rising on the Ascendant in accidental power. A King who is in the 12th house, such as Louis XVI will always suffer at the hands of enemies, and his power will always be taken from him, and he will always become a slave of others. The truth of the world is that, he who sticks his neck out will win. It is those people who shy away from attention that inevitably lose in life.

The first house is pure selfishness. So much is also true. The Eastern Horizon at dawn is characterised always by a red hue, reminiscent of violence and aggression. This is not to say that to be successful in life one must be violent, merely aggressive, merely arrogant. It means that one must ask for what one wants with brazenness, with irritation at the others around you who are also asking. The difference between success and failure in life is marked in the stars.

More Accidental Dignity = More Power

Speaking of Angularity though, there are more possibilities that exist which serve to increase the locus of self-control and mastery over others. A planet that is swift as the ancients say, or fast and in forward motion doubles its power in any house. A planet therefore that is in forward motion is one that is moving forward in life rather than backwards. This little facet is all important in any idea referring to power. If a man is signified by a planet in forward motion, then his life moves forward, from one thing to the next, from one goal to the next, it means that there is no waiting around or procrastinating in life. It means that one would go for a job, do it and then move on to the next with success rather than doubt.

A retrograde man signified by a 1st house planet in retro motion is a man in self doubt, a man who looks back at what he’s done in self criticism, it signifies the man who regrets, who does not move forward, forgetting the past with ease. Self doubt is not conducive to the locus of control, it is not conducive to power, because while the retrograde man contemplates his decisions, others take what is rightfully his.

Unhindered and Unbound

The man further still, who is unhindered or not subject to some great power, as signified by the 17 degree orb of the Solar Ray, is at liberty.  Under the Sun, one is made a slave by a great power and oppression, so it makes sense that out of those beams the free man can move forward and be his own king rather than a kneeling subject. The ancients called such subjugation “combustion” or “under the beams”.

To note, the man of freedom and self-mastery is also only truly free if he is unafraid and out of the reach of “the tyranny of evil men” that sometimes beset him from all sides. To have a planet in the 1st yet square to Saturn or Mars in the 10th or 4th signifies that he is under attack from either his own father or from some other authority signified by the Midheaven. Yet, although the ancients described this influence as most “malefic” or “evil”, the man who is strong ought to be able to defeat such nuisances. The “evil” signified by Mars’ square is that of violence, and the evil signified by Saturn is that of another variety which is the cause of “melancholy”.

Power for Good and Evil: Dignity of Essence

The one who unhindered by the great authority, or evil men on either side, the one who is corporeally present and moves forward towards what he desires, will inevitably rise into power and authority over his surroundings and over others.

That the power of one does not exist without others giving themselves over to that one, is the next important stage. It is well and good to be strong and the wellspring of all wonder and admiration, to give orders and to be obeyed, yet as always power to do good or evil is always present.

The planet with essential dignity, i.e. the beautiful woman with a beautiful voice yet placed in the 12th house and retrograde will stay indoors, read poetry and will never be seen. Under the Sun’s beams would add that her father keeps her there also. The woman is good, pure, etc. by the essential dignity of Libra Venus, yet the power or loci of control is not with her, and the ancients would say that she has misfortune or “debility” by accident.

Yet, if the beautiful Venusian light rises in the first, unhindered, the power to shine will prevail in beauty, kindness and goodness to all. She will be a master of all through either beauty or through kind actions and words. Saturn rising and unhindered is likewise capable of goodness, but this will only be through its “essential dignity”. Placed in Capricorn or Aquarius, an in power Saturn will only do good, he will refrain from evil. The good works of Saturn in power are wielding power and organising the world, for without dignity he is not able to “do the job well”.

On Freedom

The man who is blessed, is the man with dignity by essence, and unhindered by circumstance. The man who is truly free has autonomy, fears no evil, fears no authority, he has no doubt, and he moves forward pitted against all others. Yet the man who is truly blessed is dignified and acts in accordance with his true nature, in harmony with that nature. He does things well and does not hurt others.

Transits: Saturn in Libra 2009-2010

Because Saturn is essentially dignified in Libra, the sign if its exaltation, Saturn is welcome to this sign and can do only good things for all planets points and houses that are placed in this sign. Planets that are placed in Libra will be given nothing but support from a Saturn in its happiest and even most powerful state. Saturn has in fact got more essential dignities in Libra than he has in his own signs of Aquarius and Capricorn. The idea of an exaltation is that the planet is increasing in strength and power. The idea is that any planet by transit will bestow its good or bad qualities through the house in which it is visiting at the time.

 

Because Saturn is in Libra, it is bestowing its best side in this sign and “on the side of” all planets which Saturn must conjoin. There is some degree of variance to what you can expect though depending on planet and on  house. Say for example that natal Sun is in Libra, this is the sign of Sun´s fall, with Saturn crossing over Sun, Saturn will be exceedingly strong, and bring out the best qualities which are counter to the essence of the Sun. In other words Saturn brings forth principles of co-operation and dependency, reliance on other people, and alliances, it´s not good for individuality or self-serving goals, however it is excellent for all aspects related to a more social interaction. Saturn in this instance will force Sun into being considerate of others´ needs. The same story can be said of Saturn transiting a Libran Mars, even more so, it goes against Mars´s nature to be co-operative, but on the other hand you might see a situation where planets in their fall are helped by a planet the feels completely at home in this sign.

 

The converse now must be said for those with essentially dignified planets in Libra. Venus or Saturn in this sign will definitely benefit from Saturn´s discriminating ray. It is said time and time again that Saturn is a serious planet, and true it is, but it can also be said that Saturn is simply realistic. This transit is important for taking in the big picture, which sounds awfully like Jupiter. While Jupiter makes big promises and big wishes about the big picture (which are hardly ever realised), Saturn on the other hand makes decisions (Capricorn ruler) which it can stick to and which in the long run go on to create the big picture. A transiting Saturn to a Libran Venus is akin to a transiting Jupiter to a Pisces Venus, or Sun to an Aries Mars, or Mars to a Capricorn Saturn. Having a dignified planet conjoined by another dignified planet by transit can only bring forth good things. Some of the possibilities with Saturn in Libra will be about picking the right partners, but being Saturn it is likely that the choice will be well thought out and arranged without emotion, if that´s what is needed. Saturn likes things that last a long time, the idea that marriage is “for better or for worse”, the idea that it ought not to be broken, that comes from Saturn´s exaltation in Libra.

Pluto, Uranus, Jupiter, Node

I´ve mentioned in other pieces on this site that Saturn is configured during 2010-2011 with other outer planets. In my opinion, these hard aspects will bring much calamity and changes, but the people that need worry are not early Librans, Libra in the 7th house might be different though. The basic principle that I put forward is that Saturn is the “strong” or rather, the strongest planet in this stand-off. Uranus may attack Saturn from Aries with a Jupiter in Triplicity, and Pluto may go all psycho on Saturn from Capricorn, (all in cold calculatation), however, this exalted Saturn is so much stronger than all the planets that confront it, any planet in Libra with reasonable dignity will come out smelling of roses after this transit is over. All alliances will be victorious in the face of adversity. On a personal level it bodes well for planets in Libra which may symbolise marriages, partnerships, artistic or musical work, in fact anything that planets in this sign rule over in the chart.

Late 2009 is the beginning of first Saturn Pluto Square. It is true that Pluto can destroy things, or at least make things appear to be destroyed. Remember the idea of “from the ashes”, it´s cliche, but it seems to be the appropriate keynote for Pluto transits. The fact that Pluto is in Capricorn in any case will give Saturn and any planets in early Libra the upper hand. Pluto will be forced to co-operate, something that rarely ever happens.

Botched Horary:The age old questions

It really doesn´t matter sometimes whether I ask a horary and get a negative response. The horary for me tells me about the situation right now, this minute this day. So if I get a no today, things can change in a couple of weeks and be the way I want them to be.

The questions I posed today were: 1. Will I pass my course? I feel like I´m doing a lot of hard work for no apparent reason. And 2. Does she love me? “She” being the all binding, all-obsessive subject and object of my affection. I ask that question primarily because I get mixed signals from women, especially her. And also there is a translation thing going on where our words cross two distinct languages and end up with different meanings.

Clearly I (Saturn) will pass my course. As Saturn I am a worried, a hard working rather than smart working individual. I am in forward motion and in the 7th house, which is good. I am said to be angular. A few months ago I might have been Saturn in retrograde in the 8th house. 9th ruler Venus makes a sextile aspect to Saturn from fifth house Cancer therefor I shall pass the course.  One thing to note is Saturn is conjunct its dispositor Mercury, this is greatly beneficial. I am clearly backed by romantic interests and by financial backing from my parents. Co-significator Moon also sextiles Venus (9th ruler) and moon and Venus are mutually receptive.

The love question: Sun and Saturn don´t apparently aspect. However, Moon does square Sun which is a strong aspect, both planets are strong, dignified which bodes well, because both feel good, this is one aspect of stress and is often denoted by Lilly to be a “yes” answer although with difficulty and delay. Well let me see, I do find myself waiting for her email for a long time, even if it´s only a week. But looking at the progression of aspects further note that after Squaring Sun, Moon trines Saturn fairly closely. In this circumstance this is the “transferal of light”. Moon in this case meets up with Sun, and directs the Sun´s energy to Saturn in a beautiful easy trine, and especially in this case the Moon can only do good being placed in Exaltation.

My botched horary of the day tells me not to worry, because the aspects are now firmly in favour of me. And even if there are things in this chart which may be unaccounted for, I have stated at the beginning that I am seeing only what I want to see anyway. Eventually what you want materialises.

Uranus-Pluto-Saturn-Jupiter 2010: The Next Ideology (Part II-Neptune)

Astrology, like any subject of knowledge requires a lot of research and a lot of patient going through the facts, going through the past. In this installment concerned with the T-Square alignment of 2010 I am going to give my predictions in the way in which most Astrologers operate with regard to keeping secret their technique of prediction. Already in Part I part of this reasoning has already been explained. Part II is not going to focus on charts or on the aspect patterns, but rather on the facts, on tangible things. To me it is a test also because in two years time I the one making predictions, shall be probably looking back at these thoughts and thinking how I did not foresee certain things which were obvious.

In the light of the previous analysis of the 2010 Zeitgeist, (Spirit of the Age and nothing more) several things have been brought to attention. The first is that when outer planets involved with Saturn are aspecting each other politics in the world are affected. When Pluto and Uranus both are involved in aspect with Saturn the change is highly significant for the human race as a whole. But I don´t want to give away all the pieces just yet.

The alignment of 2010 changes the entire world. It is in terms of specific and daily events unremarkable, because daily events are unremarkable. 2010 in fact is the reason why Astrology has an amazing flavour to it, because it allows the student to anticipate the future and the incredible and unbelievable things that are about to take place.

The truth of the matter is that like the 1966 event, 2010 in the context of my writing at this point in the analysis is not going to be stupidly different from 2009 or 2008 the same way that 1966 and 1967 were similar to each other. People have jobs, they have lives, they have ideas and relations with other people, countries have institutions, they have buildings which have lasted over a 1000 years and some of them double or triple that.

Neptune

There are two possibilities here: One is that cultural ideas will change, the other is that they will continue roughly as the have been since 1966.

Culturally, if the decades following 2010 will be Aquarian in nature, marked by the isolated presence of Neptune in Aquarius in the 2010 world chart. The spirit of equality, the idea of group think will be the fashion. Films about robots in love, music that samples the antiquarian is the fashion of the Aquarian. Aquarius is the “post-modern” sign, the idea with Aquarius is to go through all experiences, all emotions, to provide a medium for the experience and knowledge, but then to step back from it and look at it coldly. Equality is the cultural lexicon of the new era, but an equality which is simply based on equality of knowledge, freedom of knowledge.

This knowledge in the form of ideal Neptune is however, isolated from the matrix of the aspect grid. The significance is that cultural patterns, and what people are doing, what is written about, what is sung about, what the film makers make for TV and Cinema, what people do for escapism will have nothing at all to do with the political formation taking place. This is to say that the T-Square takes place but Neptune is left out in the cold.

One effect of this is that there will be no such thing as “the swinging 60´s” in the terms of it being a cultural revolution of sorts. There will be no “Victorian Age” known for its writers, for its cultural output of Art, Science, of ideas, of illusion, poetry and music that Neptune gave to the 1850 aspect grid from the most spiritual sign Pisces.

Neptune´s absence indicates that this new era will not be “softened” by its subtle glow, by its slightly mysterious, deceitful, enticing and spiritual presence. What it does mean on the other hand is that the political structure will either be away from the global “super-conscience” which Neptune does signify and thus remain out of the common people´s reach, out of our ability to criticise, to write protest songs about, or to support it through our artistic or cultural endeavours.

Despite these assertions there is again room for more manoeuvre. Because Neptune´s placement in Aquarius is strong, it may be possible that cultural change will not be occurring, this in fact appears to be in place since the 1966 aspect in which Neptune was involved. That Neptune was a Scorpio Neptune influenced by planets in Virgo and Pisces. It is possible that Scorpio will continue to be the cultural lexicon to which people live their lives until the next great aspect.

If Neptune is left out of this configuration, this can mean that Aquarius Neptune really does not figure at all in the next Ideology. Because politics will change while the emotional streams in which people live are not revolutionised at all. If we take Aquarius, then the obvious growth of the mass media and Internet group-think is the hallmark of the new Era. It might just mean that people are left on the outside and happy to have nothing to do with it whatsoever. Or on the other hand Scorpionic 60´s sex revolution, drugs, rock and roll, emotional and obsessive cultural trends which are related from gangs and drug associated violence to mental illness, to James Bond, the most Scorpionic 60´s icon with a gun, everything that informs our norms, ideals, accepted behaviour, or what is held in the context of the World´s Neptune will continue to develop along the lines of Scorpio.

So because of Neptune´s isolation ironically in Aquarius, it is possible that there will be no new cultural change. There is none that seems to be occurring now, films and music are of the same style of consciousness that they have now been for 40 years, and they are not likely to change within two years, because there is nothing “new” now the way there really was “new” in previous Eras. If there is, it will be Aquarian, it will be intellectual, and of a friendly, airy nature. If the new Era is to be an Aquarian Neptune phase, then Bond must die and be replaced by a different cultural hero which befits Aquarius and not Scorpio.

Uranus-Pluto-Saturn-Jupiter 2010: The Next Ideology (Part I)

Some of the things that I present to you in this little exploration of the planetary aspect pattern which is currently forming above our heads will not be socially acceptable for you. What I am going to suggest here will send you either fuming with indignation, or phoning up the anti-defamation league or amnesty international, or calling the government in protest of the ideas which are presented in this highly subversive article. If I were to be honest with you, I don’t care. I have as a natal trait the wonderfully free chart ruler Mercury conjunct Uranus in Sagittarius in  the house of communications. What’s more is that Mercury is parallel Jupiter and Neptune, which means that my ideas here will be influenced by the benevolent ray of Jupiter in his own sign as well as a sympathetic Neptune. Because of these aspects in the TRUTH orientated Sagittarius, I will protest that my interest is not in promoting any ideology, nor deriding any, my interest here is in truth and seeing clearly the events which are to follow. Being Sagittarian to this degree, I am inclined towards belief in good and a moral and benevolent ideology, which has sympathy towards animals as well as people, but this is as far as my bias goes.

Introduction

The configurations in the sky do not affect one nation, or one people. The patterns in the celestial sphere create and destroy patterns which are copied on Planet Earth with the simple determinism of seeds being planted on fertile ground germinating and producing fruit. They impel of course they impel, but when a seed is planted, watered and given the right amount of sunlight, nutrition, and warmth, it is fairly easy to say that you will be reaping what you have sown. This article is interested in finding out whether the heaven’s seed are about to fall on stony ground, and whether those seeds might just contain a few weeds among them.

The Last Ideology:1966

Now, down to business. Uranus and Pluto were conjoined in longitudinal degrees during the late 1960’s everyone knows this and a few people may also be aware that they were simultaneously opposed by a beleaguered Saturn in Pisces and eventually given a winning hand from Jupiter as he traversed late Virgo after that opposition. The Ideology however, is what we are after. Several ideological structures came out of the late 1960’s which were previously not in circulation. Some of the things which are thought of as being created during that era are women’s power, as well as civil rights for minorities. These are big things, big ideas with big laws that were passed in order to support those people, and there is nothing wrong there as far as I can see. This was one of the great movements of progress of the 20th Century. 1966 marks the T-Square of these planets with Jupiter sadly detrimented in Gemini, with Saturn in Pisces and with Uranus and Pluto conjoined in Virgo. It is this moment in time which has been the beginning of the Era of late 20th Century and early 21st Century, politics, and social modes existence, the social rules were in effect changed in 1966, which does mark the watershed moment.

Why was this ideological structure developed in the way it was? The reason is not in the noble ideas of equality and dignity of humanity, nor in the progression of the rights of anyone, but in the power structure of Empire. The real motivating force for these changes was historical. For an empire to exist there needs to be social cohesion. Social cohesion in the Western World was only possible through these bills of rights and social movements, which were in effect damaging to the structures of traditional Religion, signified by Jupiter in Gemini being defeated by the other stronger planets in materialistic and analytical Virgo, and a Saturn in Pisces which is reminiscent of power structures that are torn in two directions.

In essence the 1966 alignment allowed for social cohesion and the economic freedom in vast untapped numbers of the Western population, namely women’s economic power, befitting the Virgo symbolism of a Woman associated with service and harvest. the main focus of Virgo is that everything has a place and a worth, and the simple economics of this placing has allowed the economic materialism due to the nature of the Earth element to empower a Western Empire which is constant in its adaptation and has no centralised power structure but various co-operating structures, which again is part of the nature of those three mutable signs, Pisces, Virgo and Gemini, with emphasis on materialism and Mercurial thought over the Piscean and Sagittarian belief, sacrificed for the economic power structure. And all of course based on that key logical yet completely anti-spiritual Ideology of the 1966 T-Square.

Note: Although Neptune is not directly involved in the T-Square aspect pattern, Neptune however, does confer its particular power from Scorpio, and this is where the association of the ‘sixties with Sex and Sexual Revolution comes from, due solely to Neptune in Scorpio, nothing to do with Mars, or Pluto. The Neptunian energy manifests itself mainly in music, art and cultural pursuits including drugs.

Ideology formed and given power: 1931

Now we go one more step back in the 20th Century, we come to the ideology which was formed and crystallised in 1931. How can you not look to Germany? Saturn, Pluto and Uranus were T-Square in Cardinal signs during this year with the Sun conjoining as close a matrix as possible on July the 13th of that year. Now the Sun in this aspect pattern gives the show a big star. Most people will immediately say, Adolf Hitler!! Ah, what intuition! But they would be wrong the heavens have scattered several big stars all across the globe, certainly he was one of the stars of that Era, but we have other big house hold names like Roosevelt, Stalin, Churchill, all of which actually managed to hold power in their own countries for as long as Mr Hitler, if not a lot longer. These men were all sensitive Cancerian types, Father figures who were fighting for the preservation of their homelands. Can you get a better description of Pluto conjunct Sun in Cancer?

So, what was the ideology which existed between 1931 and 1966? This ideology was based on the darkness of Saturn in Capricorn and the impulse of destruction and creation, of Uranus in Aries.  Even after the War, it was the “Cold War” a rather befitting term for Saturn in Capricorn, whose nature inclines towards low energy, though with a tenacity and talent for persistence and survival. The Iron Curtain and the Berlin Wall are powerful symbolism of this placement, how much more evidence is needed to show that the Era of thirty five years was commenced in 1931, even after the demise of the fascist Bogey man of all time.

Note: Mars, although not directly involved in the T-Square aspect pattern is however, powerfully connected in virgo with Sun, Saturn and even Uranus through an Inconjunct aspect. Mars although outside of the matrix which is the Era creation is however so involved that it is impossible to separate his energetic and agressive influence. Indeed looking at History it is easy to see how Mars even in 1931 in this aspect grid was influencial, with Uranus in Aries, it is necessary to view the dispositor, Mars.

1903 (note: not a Saturn configuration, though still powerful technologically)

This year is also a marker of Uranus-Pluto forming a T-Square with another outer planet, Jupiter. This is though, an exception to the Ideological Structures and 1903 really belongs to the matrix of 1851. Because this is Jupiter it is not the powerful social rule creating, politically fueled force that involves Saturn. On September the 12 1903, the Sun plugs into this T-Square to form a grand cross. 1903 is significant for other reasons. Shortly after the Grand Cross of September the 12, Orville Wright makes the first combustion engine powered flight, the USA begin to expand with the instigation of rebellion and eventual control of Panama. During this period Edward VII became King of England and Emperor of the British Empire, so 1903 loosely coincides with the transferal of power, though for the true ideological Era it is necessary to look back further.

1851

The 24th of October 1851 marks the beginning of an Era which ended not in 1903, but in 1931, this is a period of eighty years. The T-Square of 1851 is a bit of an understatement. In the early degrees of Taurus and late Aries a stellium lined up to include Pluto, Saturn and Uranus. This alone marked the beginning of an Era, the beginning of an ideology and the chronocrator of a time period which saw the height of the British Empire and the almost total domination in true Taurus style of most of the world’s land mass by one Empire. On the other side of this stellium is to be found another stellium of Moon, Sun, Jupiter, and Venus. Those personal planets signify a family united under a bright star a king and emperor in the most powerful sign at the first degree of Scorpio symbolising the beginning the Empire. Mars of course in the sign of Leo shows that it was the Nation whose symbol of military strength was indeed three Lions and has Lion imagery in every crest and seal.

Ideologically the period starting in 1851 was one in which the Fixed signs dominated, with Scorpio and Taurus as feminine signs of both power and cultural creation it was a time in which a strict code of law was in force, a cultural ideology based on wealth and industrial power took hold, the rise of a bourgeois middle class with great power in not only the British houses of Parliament, but in the nations of Europe and America as well as in Asia with Japanese imperialism based on industrial and monetary growth. There is nothing that symbolises this as a time marker more than the opening of THE GREAT EXHIBITION OF THE WORKS OF INDUSTRY OF ALL NATIONS in the Crystal Palace, Hyde Park in of course London, which ran for most of that year.

The accepted norms of society though are what we are looking for, the equivalent of 1930’s Fascism and 1960’s Feminism was 1850’s, this is an Era which is determined by strict social rules and stability, by respect for tradition, by love of culture, of literature, music, and religion, with the Uranus, Pluto and Saturn Stellium between the last degree of Aries and the early degrees of Taurus. The Scorpio inner family symbolised a unity of a central family which could not be better described better than by the enduring family of Queen and Empress Victoria at the centre of this Ideology, and not surprising that it is now known as the “VICTORIAN AGE.”

Note: Neptune is connected to this aspect pattern, though slightly wide from making a sextile to Pluto and Saturn, it does slide into a wedge with Uranus and the family of inner planets in Trine on the other side. So to note, some of the greatest cultural achievements in Literature, Art and Music were achieved during this Era. Even beginning in the 1850’s Dickens was writing his great works, as were the other great authors and composers of the second half of the 19th Century. That Pisces Neptune must be interpreted in terms of spiritual accompaniment durning this period, great Religious fervour and belief, in spite of the developing ideas of the times like Darwinism, Marxism and Science. This Neptune in Pisces as always symbolises two fish swimming in opposite directions, two fish who both have belief, and in retrospect these fish are both Religions and Sciences.

1819

On the 17th December 1819 a Square took place involving Pluto and Saturn in Pisces, (Chiron also) with Uranus and Neptune forming a stellium with Sun and Moon in Sagittarius. There are some ways in which this was a greater Era creator than the 1851 alignment. Namely Neptune is involved in the alignment, though the energy and buoyancy of Jupiter and Mars are omitted with the result that this alignment was in many ways a silent, velvet revolution in World Thought. There are numerous world writers who were born during this period, Fyodor Dostoevski, Anne Bronte, and George Eliot as well as Charles Dickens give or take a couple of years are a few, and the writings which they eventually wrote were highly religiously inclined with huge spiritual involvement, all due to the effect of this Pisces, Sagittarius alignment.

Some events of this alignment are the beginning of George IV’s reign, as well as the end of the Napoleonic Wars with a return to the traditional establishment, to the traditional mode of belief, which the French Revolution as well as the American Revolution had threatened. South America became a free enterprise in the year 1819 with the proclamation of Gran Colombia.

1792

This year is very different from all other alignments of the nature which are under scrutiny in this article. The planets Uranus, Pluto along with Sun-Moon conjoining in Sagittarius on the 13th December of 1792 form a Kite aspect pattern. This alone fulfils the criteria of a powerful aspect pattern involving the said planets although the sextiles are fairly weak on there own they are in a powerful alignment. To note also, Jupiter forms a T-Square with the Pluto-Uranus opposition though does not link up with Saturn.

The events of the years between 1792 and 1819 are well chronicled. Franch becomes a scene of Revolution, with much upheaval and bloodshed, it also forges ahead with new ideas and experiments with different forms of governance but does inevitably become an Atheistic Empire on the rampage under Napoleon Bonaparte.

But of course the events in the Heavens were not just taking place over France. Britain and Germany saw a cultural revolution in the name of a Poetic movement now known as ROMANTICISM. And not only were these poets writing their subversive texts, there really was fear in the rest of Europe of Revolution taking place because of the unparalleled social change of this Era. The Kite formation is a pattern which is made for movement, for travel and like the actual physical kite its symbolism can be seen in this period in the name of great movement, upheaval and excitement, as if whole nations were able to fly and metaphorically, France did just this.

1649

The only true link up between Uranus, Pluto and Saturn with an acceptable orb and acceptable strength of power took place in 1648 and 1649 and involved Uranus in conjunction with Neptune on 27th February 1649. Saturn, True Node and Pluto were conjoined together in Gemini in opposition with the Uranus and Neptune placement in Sagittarius. The Sun and Mercury formed a Grand Cross with Moon and Mars in opposition in Virgo.

1649 begun the Era which lasted until 1819. This period of time was begun with the execution of King Charles I, the killing of the King, God’s representation on Earth had never been done before, but was done by Parliamentarians, whose logic was founded in the power of Pluto conjunct Saturn in Gemini. It is hard going back so far to make an estimation of the cultural and social values of this time period. During this period John Milton was writing Paradise Lost and supporting Republicanism, in an age of total Monarchy.

The Grand Cross in mutable signs confers a great struggle between on the one hand Gemini materialism and logical thought and on the other side Sagittarian orthodoxy. This is a struggle which lasted until 1819 which seems to have marked a brief period of all embracing Religious Faith until the 1851 alignment.

© https://nightssky.wordpress.com 2008.

Horary and Dignity

I have found myself looking at horary charts recently and saying to myself, if it’s a possible no then it’s a definite no, and if it’s a possible yes, it’s probably no just as well. The truth is that you only really ask a horary question if you want something or someone that is apparently out of reach, something that you believe you have only an outside chance with and something that almost always only exists in the realm of your own fantasy.

I have found recently that each time I ask a question, I am represented as a planet in either its fall, or its detriment, or by Saturn placed in the eighth house. Often the significator of what I most want in life is not far off, translating light towards me through a third party, making an aspect after about 10 more degrees and usually dignified.

What does this signify? The pattern emerges. What I am asking for is dignified, strong, is even sympathetic towards me, whether it be an idea a job, or a person. But I am not happy. I am in a permanent mess. I am the one who possesses no dignity, in a place where I don’t want to be and unhappy with my own self. This is what the significator of the 1st house placed in detriment signifies.

Natal Chart

Sometimes it is hard to accept the unacceptable. Not just sometimes, most of the time. Life is not going to ever be the way you want it to be, and the horary method will only compound what is already written in the natal chart. If in your natal chart the Ascendant ruler is placed in detriment or fall, then this is an indication that the life of the person who owns the chart will be a miserable affair. The person will not be where they want to be, they will be driven by unhappiness right the way through until the end. It doesn’t mean that they won’t succeed in anything in life, but it does mean they will always be weak in some respect, always rely on someone else to help them along.

Composite and Synastry – Destined Relationships

Soulmates?

I believe that these are probably the most quested for types of horoscopes which can be cast. To cast your own chart and to interpret it is one thing. If you know the time and believe it to be accurate, then all you have to do is to work it out and nod your head when you realise what you are, accept the faulty nature which is no fault of your own, and move on to trying to work with it.

But when there is someone that you know 100% that you love and that you are made for each other, it doesn’t really matter what interpretation you get, if it’s not the one that says you should stay together until the End of the Age, then it is obviously wrong. It is wrong, of course it’s wrong, how can some random Astrology tell you about how you feel about someone when it doesn’t even have feelings of its own.

There probably are some good relationships out there somewhere in the blue yonder, somewhere, there are people who find their happiness, all they do though is keep it secret. But it can happen and is destined to happen for those that believe in it, for those that seek and never give up hope.

Natal Chart vs. Synastry

Part of the parcel of course is that, written in every person in the Natal chart is a picture. This picture can say whether relations with other people, will be positive, or negative, whether they will encounter opposition, or whether they will encounter amiability. If the ruler of the natal 7th house is debilitated or weak, judge accordingly, all relations with regard to intimacy will involve a weak or debilitated person.

If the ruler of the Ascendant is joined happily with the ruler of the 7th, if the ruler of the 7th is placed in the 1st or the ruler of the 1st placed in the 7th, then the native will find contentment with a their significant other. These are the lectures of William Lilly. But this is a gross simplification. I use it simply to identify that some of the natural tendencies within an individual are already set, and that whatever synastry chart or composite chart they can find through someone else, that individual is set up for certain relationships from birth.

Instead of looking for certain things in a synastry or in a composite chart, you should look for the relationships which are destined in your natal chart. I don’t believe that it is necessary to have the same relationships throughout life, I don’t believe in the psychological model of the parental and familial relationships being repeated, at great cost and misery to any one particular person. Those individual relations are one-offs like every relation.  the point of them is to accept them, integrate them in your life, however distinct from what you crave and want, and then set out to find someone that is different, because life is about gathering up different experiences.

There may well be similarities between what you experienced as a child and what you experience as an adult with other adults. But it will not be the same, the same patterns do not have to be repeated. There is one house which signifies parents, one house which signifies siblings, one house that signifies extended family, and another entirely different house that signifies relationships.

I think that parallels are important in synastry and in a natal chart. The 7th house and its signifier must have some similarities with the overall nature of the person that you are interested in. They must in some way fulfil the destiny of that planet, of that house, and the aspects of that planet and its house.

MEANING

If you have ever read Brave New World by Aldous Huxley you will know that to have perfect and easy relationships and lives is to never learn anything and never acquire knowledge and human understanding. But that is not to say that in order to live a meaningful life you must suffer all the way through it. Just that you can only measure the successes and the happy times with the seemingly infinite times of failure, solitude and misery.

Some Pointers to Positive Synastry

There is no such thing as the perfect chart. But these things should be sought after rather than using aspects in order to reject someone. Compatibility is one thing, but there is also such a thing as having someone that is different to yourself and who can encourage you to experience different things.

Venus signifies love, and attraction, it is so obvious. Venus – Sun in aspect, this is the aspect that you should look for, all other aspects are just inferior.

The Descendant: The Descendant has as its natural ruler Venus, and is the traditional house of your intimate love. So what you need here is Venus – Descendant aspects, and by its very nature, Venus – Ascendant aspects, but especially Venus conjunct the Descendant.

Mars signifies sex, interestingly Mars is the natural ruler of the Ascendant and 1st house. Mars in harmonious aspect must be present to bring heat and warmth, its nature is of fire, this makes for passion.

Then Saturn, the other traditional malefic. Saturn allows things to last. A relationship is based on time spent together, and Saturn is Cronus. Saturn by its nature is in exaltation in the 7th sign Libra, the sign of the marriage and partnership. Saturn brings stability to people’s lives and permanence. Harmonious Saturn aspects are wanted.

Jupiter is important for Faithfulness. Jupiter in aspect will make things feel good.

Pluto. Pluto is about manipulation and attraction as well.

To be continued…

Pluto in Aquarius

I am not going to make predictions about what will happen in 2023 onwards, though that would be fun. But I do think that Pluto in Aquarius is an interesting topic. Here is my take on Pluto in Aquarius.

Elizabeth I, Queen of England had Pluto in Aquarius placed in the 1st house. This person was a writer and a poet, as well as a monarch and symbol of sovereignty. She embodied Pluto in the first house, by maintaining power. But that power was not solely hers, it was of course, in Aquarian style shared. Elizabeth was no dictator, she presided and encouraged her country to begin an era of cultural experimentation, of scientific advancement and rewarded her subjects for their ultimate voyages of discovery. Elizabeth was also known as the “Virgin Queen,” she did not marry and was a Virgo Sun, Virgo is the sign of duty and this fits with her sacrificing her love life for her country. But the 1st house is the house which is most associated with a person, which makes someone who they are more than any other planetary placement. Scorpio is on the tenth house cusp, and therefore Pluto disposits that highest honour and esteem into the first through Pluto in Aquarius.

Aquarius is a sign which is often alone, yet wants, society. So it is befitting that Elizabeth patronised the likes of William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, Ben Jonson, Francis Drake, Francis Bacon, Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Humphrey Gilbert. She rewarded people who were cultural creators, poets, play writers, adventurers, pirates, explorers and colonisers of “new worlds.” These people were all doing something to expand the English National consciousness, they were contributing to the construction of a society, which was not totally reliant on singular religious codes, but dialogic, offering rebellion, change, intellectual freedom, freedom to roam, while still maintaining itself as a power to which all paid respect.

Simon Bolivar, was accredited with being one of the leaders of the liberation of South America from the yoke of Spanish Empire. This man was a Freemason, and a leader of armies. He was a fighter and he had Pluto placed in natal 11th house in Aquarius, with Scorpio ruling the eighth. He was instrumental in the transferral of collective resources from an empire, to independence. Something that he does have in common with Elizabeth and it is just a curiosity is that he was a widower who’s wife died early on, and who never remarried. In essence he was alone for most of his life. Even with the Sun in Leo in the 5th house and with Neptune in Libra in the 7th.

Pluto in Aquarius is about changing a system, and a society. People who have this placement are motivated by seeing themselves outside, or above the current system and are inclined to alter it, in order to change human social interactions, not just locally but on a national and international scale.

Parallels and Contraparallels – Latitude

Here is a secret which most astrologers don’t know about. Here, unless you are an 8th house native and already go about looking beneath, are the aspects that go, well below the surface. And unless you are committed to seeing the unseen, and knowing the unknowable, the practically invisible forces, you will, like 99% of the population who supposedly dedicate themselves to this particular study, totally miss out, and totally live on the surface for the rest of your life.

I am not going to go into how the aspect is calculated, or how it compared to different types of calculations. I believe that these are all possible, but basically amount to the same thing. Basically calculating the degrees of latitude allows you to view planets placed on line X. Whereas the vast majority of the study depends solely on line Y, calculating line X allows you the third dimension. It is that simple.

In the past the Antiscion was used. Some people still use this. Some people use it and are unaware of how or why they use it, of the reasons behind its tabulation. It was created to delineate a rough line of latitude. Latitude which the Sun follows and which the planets follow in relation to the Sun as they are roughly on the same disk shaped eliptical path around the Sun. The Antiscia are an old fashioned latitude calculator, and used today for no other reason than that this was the tool for which parallels were most easily seen in pre-computer days. Antiscia are simply a crude parallel calculator, they gave approximation of latitude through the solstice point, but with a rather large degree of error. Today however, the declinations are easily known, but not easily illustrated, not in relation to the longitude, without a three dimensional chart. Now that would be something.

Here is the secret then. The Parallel and Contraparallel aspects by their nature, allow two points which are not linked through elemental basis to be linked together, to be merged, to be combined in signs and degrees which are totally random as compared with longitudinal astrology. That is the core of it. This is the big secret.

But that is not all. The Parallel and Contraparallel are the pinpointers. These are the things that give you real things which actually happen, whether or not other longitudinal aspects are in operation.  Many times a conjunction occurs, an aspect of great importance, an opposition, or a square, but nothing apparent really takes place.

The way Astrology works is that the Stars make their rays felt on Earth. This is fine. This is why planetary placements work so well. This is why temperament, why house dispositors work. The Stars send down their qualities, their gifts and special talents, as well as their doubts and atrocities. But the aspects are not complete. This is what is greatly lacking in the vast majority of readings. The simple fact that Y by longitude is located and aligned with the zodiac, while X is totally ignored. Well X is the degree of latitude.

Parallels are more important than longitudinal aspects. This is the great and rigidly kept secret of astrology. Astrologers don’t want to share it because it is that tough little nut to crack, that little aspect which is the back door entrance to the third dimension. This is the aspect that lets you see in colour while all the other astrologers are still seeing in black and white.

If you have read as far as here, then you know what a parallel is, and you don’t need me to go into any more detail because you have done your own research on the subject, and you understand the importance of such aspects. Instead of giving examples though of its use, of its application I would like to give a definition, terminology which is distinctive and which befits the parallel and contra parallel in comparison with its longitudinal counterparts.

The Parallal: Harmonious aspect. This aspect is as strong as a conjunction on its own without the need for any longitudinal coinciding aspect. If the aspect is exact it should be considered as an exact conjunction is considered, if not more powerful. The reason for its power lies in the fact that its power can be felt even when there is no elemental connection between the signs. This amounts to a latitudinal alignment in the sky, and like a longitudinal alignment must be considered as its exact equal in strength and power.

The Contraparallel: This is an extremely potent force, more so than the opposition, it must be read as an extremely strong force, which does not have to be antagonistic, it does not have to be strained like the square, but it must be thought of like the Parallel in terms of materialisation of reality.

The latitude of planets are as important as the longitude. It is no secret, it is just something that an astrologer must work out before really seeing what is there. Looking at a chart and then looking at it through latitude is like looking at a body and then looking at it through X-Rays. Latitude must be considered in relation to all of the planets and all of the major points including the Ascendant-Descendant axis and the MC-IC axis as well, since these also are calculated using both longitude and latitude.

Antiscion and the Winter Solstice

The Winter Solstice is the split second in the year in which the Sun is at its greatest angular distance from the Equatorial plane from the observer. This occurs at Midday when the sun is at its lowest point in the Sky over the course of the year.

Zero degrees of Capricorn, marks this point. It occurs between the 20th and 23rd of December in the Northern hemisphere. The Winter Solstice has for millennia been associated with a very sacred, special period of time. From Stonehenge to the Pyramids, to Christ’s birth, which most Historians claim was not really on the 24th December, this astronomical event has been imbued with importance.

The Antiscia are the degrees of the Zodiac Year which correspond on either side of the Winter Solstice beginning at 00 degrees of Capricorn. How do they work? Why are they important? If you notice that a beautiful spring day in April can sometimes look and feel exactly the same as a beautiful day in October, or at least that there are the same number of daylight hours and night time hours you have the beginning of an explanation. There is a seasonal significance to the Antiscia, being that days in late spring can be very similar to days of early Summer, with early spring having similarities with late summer at least by the amount of daylight that there is due to the Sun’s rising and setting positions through the year.

The real significance of Antiscia though comes from its relation to that winter solstice. The Solstice is a magical point in time, the turning point in the year, and it should be considered as the real new year if you go by the Astronomical significance of it. So for an example: 15 degrees of Pisces and Libra are Antiscia to each other. They are both an equal distance away from the Winter Solstice which would be 75 degrees. They have the same number of hours of daylight, because the Sun at these point rises the same time and sets the same time. The Sun during the day reaches the same degree in the sky and the Midheaven is at the same distance from the equator. The only difference is that one side is increasing in light and the other is decreasing.

In the Night Sky of the Winter Solstice, as seen from a northern sky, the three stars in Orion’s Belt align with the brightest star in the eastern sky Sirius to show where the Sun will rise in the morning after winter solstice. At about three BC it is said that “three wise men” or “three Kings” came from the East following a “bright star” to witness the “Son of God” being born. It is interesting that to this day this birth is celebrated year after year coinciding with the Winter Solstice, the place where the Sun was traditionally thought to be “re-born” each year.

To think of the immense meaning and significance not just in terms of the mathematical astronomical point, but of what it means on a spiritual level, then the Antiscia connecting through the Winter Solstice must has an astrological significance too and it is not surprising that there are tables which delineate their positions.

How do you go about interpreting Anticia though? It is clear that even though many separate cultures around the world throughout history and pre-history did not have any cultural cross pollination, they still honoured the Winter Solstice. Take Amaterasu, the Japanese Sun-Goddess, bringing Sunlight back to the universe on this day, Beiwe of the Scandinavian Saami people, Chaomos ancient Pakistan, and then Natalis Domini of 4th Century Rome. All of these sacred traditions are connected together by re-birth of the Sun, by renewal of hope for the coming year, and all celebrated and honoured at the same time.

It would be obvious that any point that was close enough to the actual Winter Solstice point would be both conjunct itself and in Anticia. So two planets or points both placed within a degree of 00 Capricorn would be conjunct and in Anticia. The interpretation of points and planets must therefore be linked in with that Solar Renewal. It is often described that planets or points placed at 00 degrees of Cardinal signs are “Aries Point”, but if we take the Winter Solstice for its true Astrological and Astronomical significance, that point ought to be renamed the “Capricorn Point.”

Planets or Points that are Antiscia with each other are connected by the most sacred timing in relation to the Capricorn Point, in relation to the Winter Solstice. The interpretation of Antiscia, are that they mirror each other, they aspect each other through being symmetrically equidistant.

Having explained Antiscia though, I believe that these points are only connected by the Solar Year and only in relation to those Solstice points. They work like a mirror, but to get a truer picture it may be more useful to consider the parallel aspects. Anticia are based on Solar Longitude, they correspond roughly to the Solar Latitude throughout the year. But since the planets do not pass exactly along the elliptical plane, looking up parallel and contraparallel aspects are definitely a more accurate three dimensional representation, a more complicated calculation, sure, but with technology these aspects are easily seen and analysed.