Anthony Louis's Blog, page 11

The Ousting of Kevin McCarthy

On 3 October 2023 Kevin McCarthy was ousted from his position as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. This event was no surprise because McCarthy had made a Faustian “deal with the devil” in January of 2023 to secure enough votes to squeak by in winning the vote to become Speaker. Political pundits were expecting the devil to cash in on this Faustian bargain, and the eventual ouster seemed inevitable. The only question was when it would occur. Let’s look at the chart of McCarthy, whose data are from his Birth Certificate.

Kevin McCarthy Birth Chart

With Aquarius on the MC, Saturn is the traditional ruler of his profession and actions in the world. Saturn in the 10th is angular and is often seen in charts of people who rise to positions of prominence but are at risk of a great fall, depending on their conduct in office. The 10th can indicate governmental positions. Besides the 10th of career, Saturn rules the 9th (travel, religion, legal affairs) and is the ruler of the 6th by exaltation. Saturn is almuten of the 10th and 6th Placidus house cusps.

Saturn closely squares the horizon axis. It’s placement almost exactly on the nonagesimal (the highest point or 90th degree of the ecliptic above the horizon) gives Saturn even more prominence in this chart. Saturn also closely squares the natal Moon which lies on the cusp of the 7th house and rules the 3rd of communication.

Even though Saturn is prominent in the angular 10th house and square the horizon, it possesses little essential dignity. Saturn’s antiscion lies at 26 Libra 02′, the sign of Saturn’s exaltation but it lies in the 6th house, which can be unfortunate. Saturn’s dispositor is Jupiter which occupies the unfortunate 12th house of secret enemies. Jupiter rules the 7th of partners and open enemies and the 11th of supporters and benefactors, but Jupiter’s placement in the 12th suggests that people he thought were friends and partners turn out to be secret enemies. This interpretation is reinforced by Neptune (illusion, deception) in Scorpio in the 6th opposing Jupiter in the 12th.

The most notable fixed star connections are the natal MC parallel Sirius, and Saturn conjunct the ecliptic position of Fomalhaut. Traditionally, MC in configuration with Sirius (of the nature of Jupiter and Mars) is connected with high governmental office.

Fomalhaut is one of the four Royal Fixed Stars of Persia. Bernadette Brady writes that each of the four royal stars “gives power and promises success, but only if you can deal with the particular hurdles that will be placed in front of you.” Saturn conjunct Fomalhaut (of the nature of Venus and Mercury) in the 10th is significant for career matters.

Robson comments that Saturn conjunct Fomalhaut is associated with “accidents, ailments affecting the lungs, throat and feet, loss through enemies, friends, Mercurial affairs, bands and companies, wrongfully accused, affairs involved at end of life, sudden death and family cheated out of their rights” (italics mine). Ebertin notes the Fomalhaut can be either very favorable or very adverse, depending on the rest of the chart. Joseph Rigor comments that Fomalhaut has an undermining influence and gives the example of President Richard Nixon: “Fomalhaut, is in conjunction with Nixon’s Venus, which is negative. This star, in conjunction with a negative Venus indicates he is subject to undermining influences by self-seeking individuals that could only lead to his downfall” (italics mine).

Bernadette Brady writes that Fomalhaut prominent by paran indicates that “you need to be very clear and honest with yourself about your motives in the pursuit of some goal and, as you start to achieve your outcome, it is imperative that personal glory does not become the main driving force. If recognition is forthcoming, it is also important that it is not manipulated for personal glorification.”

Other notable people with Saturn conjunct the ecliptic position of Fomalhaut include Boris Johnson, Nigel Farange, Woody Allen, Justin Bieber, and Courtney Love.

What happened to his House Speakership in 2023?

Let’s begin with his annual profections? In 2023 McCarthy, born in 1965, turned 58 years old and his profected Ascendant sign became Aires, ruled by Mars. Because it is a day chart, Mars is the contrary-to-sect malefic. Mars is further infortunated because it rules the Aries 12th cusp and the sign Scorpio in the 6th house, both considered unfortunate houses. Mars is peregrine in the Egyptian system of dignities. Mars is also opposed by Neptune in Scorpio in the 6th. A year whose Lord is Mars is likely to be especially challenging for this native. His 12th house enemies are likely to be quite active against him.

McCarthy was born on a Mars day during a Jupiter hour, so that Jupiter was his Lord of the Orb at birth (age 0). Because there are seven planets in the Chaldean sequence, Jupiter repeats as lord of the orb in 7-year cycles: ages 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 29, 56, and so on. Thus, at age 56, Jupiter was Lord of the orb, which means that at age 58, the Sun was Lord of the Orb, making the Sun a key partner with Mars in ruling the solar return year 26 Jan 2023 – 26 Jan 2024. The Sun as Lord of the Orb draws out attention to eclipses during this year.

Now, let’s look at this solar return for 2023-2024. Because Congress was in session, I assume he spent his birthday in Washington, DC, and cast the solar return for his location — the method advocated by Morinus. Here is his natal chart with the DC solar return superimposed.

McCarthy natal chart with Washington, DC, solar return superimposed.

Mars is Lord of the Year, and solar return (SR) Mars occupies the natal 1st house, conjunct the natal Asc. Natally, Mars signifies his 12th house secret enemies and their machinations against him.

The SR MC in Aries is ruled by Mars and closely squares SR Pluto in the natal 9th of legal matters. The Solar Eclipse of 20 April 2023 at 29 Aries 50′ falls almost exactly on the return MC in square to SR Pluto. We can expect a dramatic major change in his professional status this year. In addition, his Sun at 6 Aquarius 42′ , ruler of the solar return Ascendant, lies within 2 degrees of a perfect square (“at the bendings”) to his true lunar nodes, indicating a period of crisis and unwelcome or unexpected change.

In addition, the Lunar Eclipse of 5 May 2023 occurs at 14 Scorpio 52′, exactly opposite solar return Uranus in the natal 12th house, where SR Uranus conjoins natal Jupiter, dispositor of his natal MC-ruler Saturn. This lunar eclipse is also in partile square to his natal MC at 14 Aquarius 26′. A major disruption in his career brought about by secret (Jupiter in 12th) and open (Jupiter ruling 6th) enemies seems highly likely this year.

When is this major career disruption likely to occur? One way to answer this question is to divided the solar return year into roughly month-long periods using the various types of Moon-related returns. Morinus preferred to use the tropical lunar return to divide the solar return year. Other astrologers (for example, ibn Ezra if I recall correctly) used what are now called “12-harminic returns,” which simply means dividing the year into 12 segments, each beginning when the Sun returns to the exact degree and minute of the solar return in each of the 12 signs of the zodiac. Yet another method is to divide the year into twelve parts based on the Sun-Moon phase angle of the solar return. All of these methods produce interesting charts. Let’s look at the so-called “12th harmonic” method (a name I dislike because it can be confused with other uses of the word “harmonic” in astrology).

Chart for the moment the natal/solar return Sun occupies the same degree in Libra as it does in the birth chart. This chart covers the period from 6 Libra 42′ to 6 Scorpio 42′. McCarthy was ousted on 3 October 2023 while this chart was in effect. The Ascendant degree of this chart falls almost exactly on the degree of McCarthy’s prenatal eclipse.

Note in this so-called “12th harmonic” chart that Saturn is Retrograde, rules the 8th and conjoins the MC.

Jupiter rules the MC and conjoins the 12th house cusp of exile and also conjoins Uranus (sudden unexpected events) just inside the 12th house. Mercury rules the Asc and opposes Neptune in the 10th of career from the 4th of endings. Jupiter at 14 Taurus 30′ Rx is in partile opposition to the position of the May 2023 Lunar Eclipse at 14 Scorpio 52′.

The true lunar nodes are stationary, which usually corresponds in a solar return chart to a major life event and in a lunar return chart probably indicates an important month. Mars (profected Lord of the Year) at 21 Libra 55′ lies in partile conjunction to the Solar Eclipse of 14 October 2023 which occurs at 21 Libra 08′.

Pluto at 27 Cap 55′ Rx in the 8th of this chart lies within 2 degrees of orb of a perfect square to the Solar Eclipse of April 2023 at 29 Aries 50′. In addition, this 8th house Pluto is squaring the antiscion of natal Saturn (at 26 Libra 02′) which rules the natal 10th and is conjunct the true south lunar node in this monthly chart within just over one degree.

All in all, this looks like a month in which the proverbial 10th house mierda, promised in the solar return, will hit the fan.

The “Bendings” in Horary and Predictive Astrology

It may be coincidence but I repeatedly come across charts in which the “bendings” of the Moon’s orbit carry a great deal of symbolic significance in the interpretation. The bendings are simply the points on the orbit of the Moon which are in square to the lunar nodes (the points where the Moon’s orbit crosses the path of the Sun).

In the 2nd century CE, Claudius Ptolemy mentions the importance of the nodes and bendings of the Moon in his discussion of bodily illness and injury in the Tetrabiblos. After pointing out that the form and temperament of the body are closely related to the symbolism of the Ascendant and the Moon in the birth chart, Ptolemy connects bodily injury and illness to the nodes and bendings of the Moon in the following comments, quoted from the Loeb edition:

“Again, if the luminaries, together or in opposition, move toward the maleficent planets upon the angles, or if the maleficent planets move toward the luminaries, particularly when the moon is at the nodes or her bendings, or in the injurious signs such as Aries, Taurus, Cancer, Scorpio, or Capricorn, there come about deformations of the body such as hunchback, crookedness, lameness, or paralysis, congenital if the maleficent planets are joined with the luminaries, but if they are at the mid-heaven points, elevated above the luminaries or in opposition one to the other, the deformations will result from serious dangers, such as falls from a height, the collapse of houses, or the attacks of robbers or animals. If Mars prevails, the danger is from fire, wounds, bilious attacks, or robberies; if it is Saturn, through collapse of buildings, shipwreck, or spasms.” (Tetrabiblos, 12. Of Bodily Injuries and Diseases)

Nowadays not all astrologers make use of the Moon’s bendings. However, some modern astrologers recognize their importance. To quote a couple of examples:

Kevin Burk in his Complete Node Book writes on page 212: “In classical astrology, a planet that was square the nodes was said to be ‘at the bendings,’ and this planet would become a focal point of change and crisis for the individual.” Burk adds that in natal charts “a planet that is ‘at the bendings’ must be given careful consideration, because that planet and the issues associated with it, will tend to take center stage repeatedly in the individual’s life.”

In addition, Astrojin at Skyscript.co, on 5 Nov 2011, 5:42 AM, delineates a planet square the Moon’s nodes in a horary chart as follows: “When a planet is conjoined to the lunar bendings (squares the nodes), it can mean crisis due to unwelcome change or [that] things will bend in the direction that is away from that which is proper.” To my mind, this change may not necessarily be “unwelcome” or “improper” but may simply be something that is unexpected, not customary, or different from the habitual way things have been happening up to that point, though it usually is stressful.

Thus, key words for the bendings include crisis, and unwelcome or unexpected change which may be stressful for the native to cope with.

Traditionally, astrologers used the mean nodes of the moon, which always travel in retrograde motion. In the modern error with its advanced technology and observational methods, many astrologers now use the true lunar nodes, which are my preference. An advantage of the true lunar nodes is that they periodically become stationary and reverse direction. I have found repeatedly that the occurrence of the true lunar nodes in a solar return correlates with a major and memorable life event, often of a stressful nature and not uncommonly involving bodily injury or illness.

For example, I recently discussed the birth chart of a young man who had a serious motor vehicle accident which required hospitalization and surgery and will have a prolonged recovery period. His solar return at his location not long before the accident looks like this:

Solar Return, several weeks prior to the accident: Pluto opposite Mercury on the horizon axis, with Pluto and Mercury within orb of the bendings, closely square the Moon’s nodes, which lie across the 3rd and 9th houses (travel transport), Importantly, the Moon’s Nodes are STATIONARY, suggesting a major and often stressful life event this year. Mars rules the 3rd and lies in partile quincunx to Pluto on the Ascendant. Mercury rules the 8th and conjoins Mars, ruler of the 3rd. Saturn rules the 1st (the body, health) and the 12th (hospitalization) and closely opposes the 8th cusp (serious injury). The solar return Sun occupies the 6th house of illness.

How Morin Directed Lunar Returns

This post is a continuation of the previous one in which we discussed how Morin directed his Solar Return of 1613, the year in which he graduated with a Doctorate of Medicine on 9 May 1613 in Aix-en-Provence, France. Because he spent the day of his solar return at his birthplace, he cast the chart for that location. He spent the day of his Lunar Return of April 1613, just prior to his graduation, in Aix-en-Provence, so he cast the Lunar Return for that location. This is what the Lunar Return looked like by modern calculation.

Morin’s Lunar Return prior to his graduation from medical school on 9 May 1613.

Morin was off in his calculation. He had an MC of 20 Aries and an Asc of 5 Leo. The modern chart has an MC at 14 Aries 29′ with a R.A. of 13d 19′. (d = degrees)

The graduation apparently took place at Noon on 9 May 1613. The Lunar Return occurred about 11:15 AM on 16 April 1613. According to Morin, by his calculations there is a difference of 22 days 23 minutes between these two events. By modern calculation, the difference appears to be 23 days 45 minutes. (There are 14 days from April 16th until 11:15 AM on April 30th. Then, from 11:15 on April 30th until Noon on May 9th, there are 9 days and 45 minutes. 14 + 9 = 23 days.)

If I understand him correctly, Morin’s method is to project the tropical month onto the 360 degrees of Right Ascension of the Celestial Equator. The tropical month has a duration of 27.321582 mean solar days (that is, 27 days 7 hours 43 minutes 5 seconds).

360 degrees = one tropical month = 27.321582 mean solar day ==>

360 / 27.321582 = 13.17639659 degrees per day, or 13d 10′ 35″ per day.

In other words, each calendar day of the Lunar Return, the directed MC will advance by 13.176 degrees of Right Ascension.

To direct Morin’s figure of 22 days 45 minutes, or 22.03125 days, we multiply by 13.176 degrees of R.A. per day, and then advance the MC by that amount.

22.03125 x 13.176 = 290.28 degrees of R.A. = arc of the direction

The R.A. of the MC of the Lunar Return = 13.32 degrees to which we add 290.28 degrees, and the result is 303.6 degrees of RA, which corresponds to a directed MC of 4 Aquarius. Calculating the Asc at Aix-en-Provence for an MC of 4 Aquarius, we find that the directed Asc lies at about 29.5 Taurus. In Morin’s calculations, he got a directed Asc at 1 Gemini.

If we direct 23.03125 days (the modern calculation): multiplying by 13.176 degrees R.A. per day, we get a result of an arc of direction of 303.46 degrees of R.A. which we must add to the MC:

303.46 + 13.32 = 316.78 R.A., which corresponds to 14 Aquarius as the directed MC, and 11 Gemini as the directed Asc.

Here is a triple wheel with the solar return in the center, surrounded by the lunar return prior to graduation, and finally the natal chart as the outermost wheel.

Morin’s charts: center = 1613 solar return at birthplace,
middle = lunar return of 16 April 1613 at Aix-en-Provence where he graduated,
outer = natal chart.

The solar return has Leo rising, ruled by the Sun, which in the lunar return lies at the MC of the solar return chart and conjoins Morin’s natal Asc — symbolism fitting his graduation as a Doctor of Medicine.

The directed lunar return Asc lies at 11 Gemini (if my modern calculations are correct) in partile trine to an angular Mercury in the solar return. The directed lunar return MC on the date of graduation lies at 14 Aquarius in partile sextile to the lunar return MC which occupies the 9th of higher education of the solar return chart. The directed lunar return MC also trines Mars in the solar return chart in which Mars rules the MC.

How Morin directed Solar Returns

One of the readers (Cristhian) of the previous post asked in the Comment section if I could explain Morin’s method of “directing” a Solar Return, which he describes in Chapters XV and XVI of Book 23 of Astrologia Gallica. Personally, I found these chapters somewhat difficult but I will present my understanding of Morin’s method. For simplicity’s sake, I will only discuss directing Solar Returns in this post.

Morin begins by stating that a well-accepted practice is to use primary directions with natal charts to predict future events, and that the timing of such directions is based on the mean daily motion of the Sun in RIGHT ASCENSION (R.A.), which is 59′ 08″ of arc on the Celestial Equator. He argues that by analogy we should be able to direct Solar and Lunar Returns by a similar method. Because he is using the MEAN or average daily motion of the Sun, the timing may not be exact but will be close to accurately timing the event. A more accurate method might be to use the actual solar arc in R.A. to direct the Solar Return Midheaven, but as far as I know Morin used the mean daily motion of the Sun.

Morin is working in the tropical zodiac and uses the tropical year in his calculations. In one tropical year (365.24219 days) the Sun travels one complete cycle of 360 degrees to arrive at the next Solar Return. If we divide 360 degrees by 365.24219 days, then each 59′ 8.33″ of the Sun’s travel in R.A. along the Celestial Equator is equivalent to one day of life during the Solar Return year.

Let’s look at an example from Morin’s own life. He graduated with a Doctorate of Medicine on 9 May 1613. In Chapter XVI, he tells us that 47 days 20 hours 41 minutes (almost 48 days) had elapsed since the exact moment of his 1613 Solar Return of 22 February 1613. This figure is probably a typo or an error because, in fact, there are 76 days between Feb 22 and May 9. My guess is that Morin intended to write “74” but instead wrote “47.” In addition, he counted the dates from his birthday (Feb 23) instead of from the date of the Solar Return (Feb 22) and arrived at 74 instead of 75 days 20 hours 41 minutes, which is almost 76 days.

Morin spent his 1613 solar return at his birthplace, and the MC of the return was 28 Aries 22′, which has a R.A. of 26 degrees 21 minutes of arc.

On the date he got his Doctorate (May 9, 1613), 76 days had passed from the day of his Solar Return. Because the mean travel in R.A. of the Sun is 59′ 8.33″ per day, the arc of the direction is 76 days x 59′ 8.33″ per day = 74.9 degrees of arc of R.A.

To find the directed MC on the date of his graduation, we must add 74.9 degrees of arc to the R.A. of the MC of the Solar Return (which was 26d 21m of arc). The result is 101.3 degrees of arc, which is the R.A. of the directed MC. the R.A. of 101.3 degrees corresponds to 10 Cancer on the directed MC and a directed Asc degree of 8 Libra. Morin calculated the directed ASC on May 9, 1613 to be at 7 Libra, very close to the value we get by modern calculations.

If we wanted to calculate the direction a little more exactly in “real time,” we could use the distance traveled by the Sun in R.A. from the Solar Return until the moment of the graduation.

Morin’s natal Sun lies at 4 Pisces 11′ with a R.A. of 336d 05m.
He graduated on 9 May 1613 when the Sun was at 18 Taurus 54′ with a R.A. of 46d 26m.

Doing the math: the actual distance the Sun had traveled in R.A. from 22 Feb until 9 May, 1613, was 70d 21m of arc in R.A.

Adding the Sun’s actual travel in R.A. to the R.A. of the MC of the solar return: 26d 21m + 70d 21m = 96d 42m of R.A., which corresponds to a directed MC of 6 Cancer and a directed Asc of 5 Libra, about 2 degrees different from Morin’s calculation of 7 Libra the directed Asc.

Morin’s Birth Chart (left) and his Solar Return of 1613 when he got his MD degree on 9 May 1613.

Using Morin’s method, we calculated that on the day of his medical school graduation the directed Solar Return of 1613 had 10 Cancer on the directed MC and a directed Asc degree of 8 Libra.

The directed MC at 10 Cancer conjoins Mars in his natal chart and trines natal Saturn, ruler of his natal MC. Mars also rules the natal MC by exaltation. The directed MC is also widely trine Saturn in the 1613 Solar Return

The directed Asc at 8 Libra exactly squares natal Mars in the birth chart. In the Solar Return, the directed Asc opposes the Aries Moon which occupies the return 9th house of higher education.

In this example the “hits” to symbolically significant points and planets are very close. The use of the mean daily motion of the Sun in R.A. in this case was a bit more accurate than the use of the solar arc direction of the Sun. On the other hand, Morin in the 17th century was unaware of Pluto, and the directed Solar Return Asc (using solar arc in R.A. to direct the MC) at 5 Libra lies in the natal 6th house and almost exactly opposes natal Pluto at 4 Aries 40′ in the natal 12th house, so perhaps this 5 Libra directed Asc is closely related via Pluto and the 6th and 12th houses to his medical career.

The Life of Astrologer William Frankland

Recently I was chatting with a colleague about the methods of William Frankland, the 20th century British astrologer whose predictive techniques my new book discusses. My book on predictive astrology will be released in December of 2023. My colleague mentioned that Frankland had published an article about his birth chart in the June 1932 of the British journal Astrology and kindly sent me a copy.

It turns out that Frankland knew his birth time within about 30 minutes, and he put a lot of effort into rectifying his chart. Based on comments in his writings, my guess is that he was told that he was born around 4:30 in the morning. In his books published in 1926 and 1928, he describes his birth chart and appears to be using an Ascendant at about 15.5 degrees of Virgo with a birth time of about 4:26 AM UT. In the 1932 article he describes a natal chart with an Ascendant at 16.5 degrees Virgo with a birth time about 5 minutes later (around 4:31 AM UT). Frankland writes that he based his rectification on multiple life events, but unfortunately he does not describe which astrological techniques he used to rectify his chart.

Because the 1932 article was quite interesting and most readers will not have access to the original, I have re-typed it here. Frankland’s detailed list of life events will be useful for astrologers who want to practice their skills at rectification. As an experiment, I inserted Frankland’s life events into Alphee Lavois’ rectification module of the Millennium Star Trax program, which gave 4:26 AM at the “best fit” for the data, based the techniques of transits, secondary and tertiary progressions, solar returns, lunar returns, and solar arc directions. The “rectified” time of birth will depend on the astrological techniques used to do the rectification. Frankland, for example, rectified his birth time to 4:26 AM in the 1920s but had adjusted it to 4:31 AM by 1932, a 5-minute difference. Here is the 1932 article:

THE NATUS OF MR. W. FRANKLAND WITH AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

(by William Frankland, June 1932)

THE time of my birth was known to within about half an hour, and rectification by events establishes 16½o of Virgo as my ascendant.

Every horoscope has its own particular features. In my nativity Saturn, Jupiter, and Mercury divide the horoscope into three main divisions.

Frankland’s Rectification of his Natal Chart (published in 1932)

First, Saturn occupies the western angle in opposition to the Sun, Moon, and Mars.

Second, Jupiter occupies the 5th house in trine to Sun, Moon, and Mars.

Third, Mercury, the ruler, is almost on the ascendant with Venus, while Neptune from the 9th  house throws a wide trine to Mercury, Venus, and Uranus.

Saturn and Jupiter are in mutual reception, imposing upon my life alternate experiences of restriction and expansion. Of these two, Saturn has the advantage of being angular and exalted by house, while Jupiter is succeedent and sesquiquadrate to Mercury and Venus.

Of the three groups, however, the one under the sway of Mercury is the strongest, drawing under his influence all the planets in Mercurial or Venusian signs. Neptune, Uranus, Venus, Mars, Sun and Moon all contribute to Mercury, but Saturn and Jupiter, like two agents of Destiny, seem to manipulate the odds for or against, while in mutual agreement with each other.

In the early morning of September 26, 1878, in a village near Burnley, Lancashire, I first added to the anxiety and responsibility of my already severely handicapped parents. My father was a coalminer, weak in constitution and very poor. My mother was a much-worn live wire. Both were deeply spiritual and were such as to give me proud memories. Only recently I discovered that my father was interested in herbalism and Astrology. He died when I was almost six years of age, after a long illness. My mother ceased her struggles three years later. This left four children orphaned, a brother and two older sisters.

At about nine years of age I secured a book on phrenology. Round about ten and on to thirteen years of age I devoured pamphlets on physiognomy and thus laid the foundation for later studies.

My scanty education was obtained at the old-fashioned Board School, until, at exactly ten years of age, I entered a cotton-mill as half-time worker.

The day I was thirteen years of age I bid adieu finally to school and became a full-time worker in the mill. From that time experience had to be my sole teacher. With the exception of periods of illness and one year of other occupation, mill life was my destiny until I came to London at 37 ½ years of age.

At 18 ½ years of age, a serious illness occurred – pleuropneumonia, necessitating an operation, leaving me with a slight deformity. I was almost 21 years of age before being able again to enter work at the mill, and during that time my life was despaired of (mutable signs).

Marriage occurred at 23 ½ years of age.

At 30 ½ years of age another serious illness occurred, extending over nine months. Again life was almost extinguished.

The period from this age to 34 was exceedingly drastic and difficult. The death of my first wife took place in August 1912. At that time I had to walk a total of ten miles daily to and from work and commence at 6 a.m. During this time I was in reality homeless.

This period illustrates my theory that aspects in close square or opposition are effective about 35 years of age.

At 35 years 5 months of age, when the point of life was conjunction Uranus, I suddenly decided to study Astrology. This point of life conjunction Uranus was also significant of another very important change in my life. Two months previously, at the age of 35 years 3 months, I married a second time, and my wife also became deeply interested in Astrology, which has been a great advantage to me in my work.

When I commenced Astrology, time for study was very limited. It was a case of walking to and from work with a text-book in hand, then close study every evening, but the desire to learn was strong, so that in about a fortnight I could cast charts. During that year, 1914, I delved into Horary Astrology and Medical Astrology, and became known amongst workmates as “him as studies t’ stars.” There were frequent challenges from these men. I remember one man saying “Aw’ll find thee one tha caan’t tackle.” The chart was cast, and the judgment given was that the native had sustained injury or mishap to the leg (Saturn conjunction Mars in Aquarius), which convinced the critics at that time.

Some of my most effective horary work was done in this first year and in 1915.

Late in 1915 a lady from London came to lecture on Astrology at a T.S. Lodge in Burnley which I attended. An introduction followed. This led to an invitation to come to London to act as assistant to an astrological bureau that was then being formed. Perhaps our position at this time could best be understood when I state that, because of this opportunity, I burned my boats, left the cotton-mill, and came to London (having sold all our goods for £6). Here I cast horoscopes and took classes for the bureau. Later in the same year I commenced independently in this work. The difficulties were tremendous, but I have never regretted the step, despite heavy obstacles.

From the earliest stages of my studies and work in Astrology, I have been convinced that the symbols of signs and planets are important, not only in regard to the characteristics of people, things, and events, but also in regard to time.

To my mind, the whole setting is of meaning and a symbol in itself. For example, not only is there a symbol in Saturn in Virgo, Sun in Taurus, Mercury in Sagittarius, etc., but also a symbol in the space or distance, and all these symbols, whether of planets, signs, or space between them, are hieroglyphics concerned with both character and time.

This idea is the foundation upon which my investigations have been built.

Another incentive has been the conviction that the need for additional maps is only because of the still hidden secrets of the birth map or nativity.

Theosophy, anthroposophy, physiognomy, psychology, and pathognomy have all been of untold value to me in astrological work.

I mention these in order to show the propelling factors behind my interest in research. How does my nativity compare with the facts of my life?

The early loss of my parents can easily be traced to both luminaries opposed by Saturn, with Mars, lord of the 8th house, between them.

The nature of my first long severe illness can be seen in the affliction of the occidental Saturn, with the mutable signs strong.

The second illness, which commenced in the throat and was connected with a poisonous substance, is traceable to Neptune in Taurus square Dragon’s Tail, sesquiquadrate Moon and Jupiter. The illness occurred when the point of life was conjoined with Dragon’s Tail square Neptune.

I had throat trouble again at 51 years of age, when the point of life was opposition Neptune.

The destiny of the life to restrictions and industrial work may be seen in the position of Mars between the luminaries, in opposition to Saturn.

Many benefits through good friends can be seen in the Moon, lord of the eleventh house, trine to Jupiter, while Mercury is conjoined with Venus on the ascendant.

Mercury, almost exactly on the ascendant, lord of the 1st and 10th houses, and in exact conjunction with Venus, links the 1st, 2nd, 9th, and loth houses. in Saturn in Virgo, Sun in Taurus, Mercury in Sagittarius, etc., but also a symbol in the space or distance, and all these symbols, whether of planets, signs, or space between them, are hieroglyphics concerned with both character and time.

This idea is the foundation upon which my investigations have been built.

Another incentive has been the conviction that the need for additional maps is only because of the still hidden secrets of the birth map or nativity.

Theosophy, anthroposophy, physiognomy, psychology, and pathognomy have all been of untold value to me in astrological work.

I mention these in order to show the propelling factors behind my interest in research. How does my nativity compare with the facts of my life?

The early loss of my parents can easily be traced to both luminaries opposed by Saturn, with Mars, lord of the 8th house, between them.

The nature of my first long severe illness can be seen in the affliction of the occidental Saturn, with the mutable signs strong.

The second illness, which commenced in the throat and was connected with a poisonous substance, is traceable to Neptune in Taurus square Dragon’s Tail, sesquiquadrate Moon and Jupiter. The illness occurred when the point of life was conjoined with Dragon’s Tail square Neptune.

I had throat trouble again at 51 years of age, when the point of life was opposition Neptune.

The destiny of the life to restrictions and industrial work may be seen in the position of Mars between the luminaries, in opposition to Saturn.

Many benefits through good friends can be seen in the Moon, lord of the eleventh house, trine to Jupiter, while Mercury is conjoined with Venus on the ascendant.

Mercury, almost exactly on the ascendant, lord of the 1st and 10th houses, and in exact conjunction with Venus, links the 1st, 2nd, 9th, and 10th houses.

Of course, there are the puzzle cases with a certain percentage of failures, but the failures are few as regards normal human life; the difficulties lie with the abnormal cases chiefly.

This is natural, for at least two reasons; first, the astrologer is human, not a deity; second, like every other study under the sun, available knowledge is less than the source of knowledge.

The percentage of accurate results, however, is sufficient to make an astrologer proud of his subject, while the failures and problems are such as to urge every real student to earnest, patient investigation.

Astrology has some new secret to yield that equals every change in human evolution. We have entered an Ultra-Age, and, while evolution seems to advance by leaps and bounds, so does Astrology furnish its additional information correspondingly.

The discovery of Uranus led to further fields of exploration, then Neptune, and now Pluto, until eventually we shall have the octave of each of the old-established planets, thus:                                                    

Mercury  ..   Uranus

Venus  ..       Neptune                                   

Mars  ..        Pluto                                           

Jupiter  ..     ?                                   

Saturn  ..     ?                                   

One good way of convincing the doubters that Astrology can be of value in future decisions lies in furnishing them with some item of their past. Unless we can estimate what is likely to have already transpired, it is of little use to be eloquent of the future.

Like the scientist in his laboratory, who seeks to unravel the secrets of nature, the ideal in Astrology would be to spend one’s whole time in astrological research.

My ambition is eventually to become an efficient astrologer.

— W. FRANKLAND

 _____________

Timeline based on Frankland’s article:

Born 26 September 1878 near Burnley, Lancashire, UK.

Father died in 1884, not long before Frankland’s birthday (? August 1884 ?).

Mother died 1887, three years  after father died (? July or August, 1887 ?).

Began working part-time in a cotton mill on 26 September 1888 (age 10).

Left school and began full-time work in the mill at age 13 (? 26 September 1891).

Serious illness (pleuropneumonia) and surgery at age 18 ½ (? March or April, 1897 ?).

Married at age 23 ½ (? March or April, 1902).

Serious illness at age 30 ½ (? March or April, 2009 ?).

Wife died in August of 1912 (he was almost 34 years old).

Married for a second time at age 35 years 3 months (around 26 December  1913).

Suddenly began to study astrology at age 35 years 5 months (around 26 February 1914) and studied horary and medical astrology in 1914. He did a great deal of horary astrology in 1914 and 1915.

Moved to London at age 37 ½ (? March or April, 1916 ?). He was invited to London late in 1915 (around age 37 years 3 months) by a woman from London lecturing on astrology in Burnley.

Throat problems at age 51 (when the Point of Life opposed natal Neptune).

Here his the possible “rectification” proposed by Alphee Lavoie’s Milennium Star Trax program as the best fit for key events of Frankland’s life.

The vertical red line is the blue region at the bottom indicates 4:26 AM at the best fit for the data, which gives the most hits simultaneously to the rectified Asc and MC degrees, indicated by the vertical blue lines through the graph within a one-hour period around 4:30 AM.

Reception in Horary: Will I survive this illness?

In April of 791 CE, a man asked the astrologer Masha’allah whether he would survive his illness, or was it going to kill him? Mahas’allah cast a horary chart for the time he understood the question. It looked something like this (I used Alcabitius houses, but the original may have used whole signs as houses).

Will I survive this illness or will it cause my death?

Masha’allah’s approach to horary is a bit different from that of William Lilly. According to Masah’allah, the querent and the horary question are signified either by the Ascendant-ruler (Mercury here) or by the Moon, whichever is stronger in the chart, especially which one aspects the Ascendant.

Here Mercury in Aries lies in aversion to Virgo, whereas the Moon in Taurus lies in trine to Virgo. The Moon is the clear winner and so gets to primarily represent the sick man asking the question about the outcome of his illness. Mercury is regarded as a participant with the Moon in that signification.

Masha’allah notes that both the Moon and Mercury are void in the course. Neither will complete an aspect before entering the next sign. However, the Moon moves faster than Mercury and will enter Gemini before Mercury is able to depart from Aries.

Once in Gemini, the Moon (the querent, the sick man, the signifier of the querent’s health question) will soon square Venus in Pisces in the 6th. In doing so, the Moon “commits her disposition” to Venus, putting Venus in charge of the outcome of the question. The Moon does not occupy the domicile or exaltation of Venus, and Venus does not occupy the domicile or exaltation of the Moon, so Moon square Venus occurs without reception. Nonetheless, the Moon, being the Moon, is able to commit her disposition to any planet she applies by aspect.

Now the matter of the outcome of the querent’s illness lies in Venus’s hands. What will Venus do with the Moon’s disposition with which she is now charged? To answer this question we must look at the future aspects of Venus. Being in Pisces, Venus will eventually square Mars and sextile Jupiter. A square to Mars would indicate death because Mars is malefic and rules the 8th house of death in this chart. A sextile to Jupiter in Taurus, the domicile of Venus, would mean recovery from illness, especially because a mutual reception would be in effect between Venus in Pisces (ruled by Jupiter) and Jupiter in Taurus (ruled by Venus), linked by a favorable sextile.

Rather than judge by the static positions of Mars and Jupiter in the original horary chart, Masah’allah appears to consider these aspects in real time. As Venus advances in Pisces, Mars will advance in Gemini. By the time Venus reaches the sextile to Jupiter in real time, Mars will be far enough along in the zodiac so that the square from Venus will not occur before Venus can aspect Jupiter. Here is the horary chart advanced by 15 days to the day that Venus will sextile Jupiter. Notice that Mars is well out of the way, so the Venus square Mars will not occur before Venus has a chance to sextile Jupiter.

15 days after the sick man asked his horary question. Venus will sextile Jupiter in real time before the Venus square Mars can take place.

Venus was carrying the disposition of the Moon for 15 days, and on the 15th day she passed the Moon’s disposition and the question on to Jupiter, who is now in charge of the outcome of the question. Jupiter is in good condition. In the original horary chart, Jupiter lies in Taurus and trines the Ascendant from the fortunate 9th house, the house of God. The sextile from Venus in Pisces, with mutual reception, is quite beneficial. Venus, exalted in Pisces, “pushes” the strength or virtue of her exaltation in Pisces to Jupiter. Venus in Pisces is imbued with the Jupiterian nature of Pisces and “pushes” that nature to Jupiter, who welcomes it with open arms. Jupiter in Taurus is bathed in Venusian light and “pushes” that Venusian nature back to Venus, who is overjoyed to receive it.

Next, because Jupiter is not applying to aspect Saturn, the outermost and heaviest planet, the buck stops with Jupiter. If Jupiter were applying to aspect Saturn, then Saturn would have the final say in answering the question. In this chart, Saturn remains silent and Jupiter has the final say in answering the horary question: the man will recover from his illness and go on with life.

This answer is reinforced by that fact that Mercury, ruler of the Ascendant and participant with the Moon in signifying the querent and his question, conjoined Jupiter about a day before Venus perfected her sextile to Jupiter.

My new book will be released on Dec 8, 2023

Llewellyn, the publisher of my new book on the predictive techniques of William Frankland, informed me that it will be released on December 8, 2023. Amazon.com already has it listed (https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Predictive-Astrology-Franklands-Techniques/dp/0738774642/):

In a previous post I described some of the techniques used by Frankland. Each time I use them I am a bit astounded by their simplicity and accuracy. Let me give a recent example.

A young man whom I know was involved in a serious motor vehicle accident in late August of 2023. Fortunately, he was not killed but he was fairly severely injured, with broken bones that required surgery and a stay in the hospital. Because of the injuries he sustained, he is expected to require a fairly lengthy period of rehabilitation, which will interfere with his career goals and ability to earn a living. I was able to obtain his birth data and to study the chart.

Man who was in a motor vehicle accident in late August of 2023.

Before attempting any predictions, Frankland would of course study the natal potentials in the chart. Mars is quite prominent, being angular in the 10th house and conjunct the MC. This configuration would cause some concern because the chart is diurnal, making Mars the malefic contrary-to-sect. In addition, Mars rules the 8th house, which can indicate risk of serious injury. Mars ruling the 3rd of local transportation and occupying Gemini, ruled by Mercury, hints of the risk of an accident while traveling, which is reinforced by Saturn at the cusp of the 8th, conjunct the South Lunar Node and in square to Mercury which disposes Mars and rules the Ascendant (his body and physical well-being). In addition, Mars lies in square to the Ascendant degree. So far, this is all fairly standard astrology and is not unique to Frankland’s approach to the chart.

Frankland would consider what he calls the “Age along the Zodiac” which is a measure of one degree per year of life, starting at 0 Aries. At the time of the accident, the young man was slightly older than 27 years, so his Age along the Zodiac in late August of 2023 lies at about 27 Aries 08′ in the 8th house and is square to Neptune in Capricorn in the 5th and semi-square to Venus in Gemini in the 9th. The square to Neptune could indicate some significant problem due to carelessness, distraction or intoxication. In this chart, Neptune’s aspects are an opposition from the Sun (ruler of the 12th of confinement and hospitalization) and a conjunction with Uranus (which often signifies accidents). The semi-square to Venus makes sense in that Venus rules the 2nd (income) and 9th (a travel house), and conjoins the MC (career).

Frankland also found that 4/7 of the Age along the Zodiac was highly significant. In this case, 4/7 x 27 Aries 08′ equals 15 Aries 30′ in the 8th, which is square to his Ascendant-ruler Mercury in the 10th. A square from this measure in the 8th house to the Ascendant-ruler is indicative of some event that could be life-threatening around August of 2023. Because Mercury generally rules transport and also disposes Mars, ruler of the 3rd house, a serious accident while traveling is certainly a possible manifestation of this symbolism.

Another key measure which Frankland used is the Point of Life. This is based on Alan Leo’s theory about the orbit of Uranus being symbolically linked to the human lifespan. It is calculated by assigning 7 years to each sign of the zodiac and beginning the measure from 0 Aries. At age 27 years and 1.5 months, the Point of life is at about 26 Cancer 22′, closely opposing Neptune in Capricorn in the 5th (things we do for fun and pleasure). Again, Neptune is quite stressfully highlighted by these symbolic measures, suggesting some significant difficulty related to carelessness, inattention, tiredness, distraction or intoxication. I don’t know the details of the accident or whether drugs or alcohol were involved. Nonetheless, had this man consulted Frankland, he would have been warned that the period after he turned 27 years old was one of potential danger, especially while driving, and that he should avoid anything that could distract his attention at that time, especially drugs, alcohol or the lack of sleep.

An aside: as far as I know, Frankland did not use primary directions, but in this case the zodiacal position of Saturn, by primary motion, comes to the western horizon, opposing the Ascendant, in September of 2023, less than a month from the time of the accident. In addition, by Solar Arc directions, Saturn squared the position of natal Uranus on 19 August 2023. Furthermore, secondary progressed Mars squared the position of natal Saturn on 23 August 2023, very close to the timing of the accident and hospitalization.

Cazimi, a Case Example

The rare status of “cazimi” or being “in the heart of the Sun” is considered a great fortitude for a planet. In this state, from the perspective of viewers on Earth, the body of the planet and the body of the Sun join together corporally in the sky. As ibn Ezra described it, a planet in cazimi is like a subject sharing a seat with its king. The life-affirming nature of the Sun intensely imbues the planet with which Sol is merged during the cazimi state, and the cazimi planet feels strong, protected, energetic, vigorous and full of vitality.

In previous posts I have reviewed some of the literature on cazimi. There is some disagreement about whether cazimi applies only to the projected position of the planet on the ecliptic, or whether it refers to the actual body of the planet in space. My own view is in agreement with the definition given by Henry Coley in his 1676 textbook (which was praised by William Lilly), namely, that cazimi is “when a Planet is in the heart of the Sun, which is, when he is within 16 minutes of his Body, in respect of Longitude and Latitude.”

In other words, Coley is quite clear that cazimi applies to the actual body of the planet in space and that both the planet’s ecilptic latitude and longitude must be taken into account. Because most planets travel with an ecliptic latitude greater than 16′ of arc, the state of being cazimi is a rare phenomenon. In contrast, planets exactly conjoining the Sun in zodiacal longitude is a common occurrence.

Recently I watched a YouTube video in which the natal chart of a woman was discussed. She appeared to have her Asc-ruler Venus conjunct the Sun within 3′ of arc. Venus would certainly be considered cazimi, if being in the heart of the Sun were measured only along the ecliptic. However, in this case the Sun lies at 15 Aries 19′ with 0 latitude, and Venus lies at 15 Aries 21′ with a latitude of 1 degree 15′ South of the ecliptic. Hence, taking latitude into account, there is more than a full degree between the body of Venus and the body of the Sun. Rather than being cazimi, Venus in this chart is combust the Sun, which is a great debility. Since Venus is the Asc-ruler, we would expect this woman to feel weak, afflicted, overburdened, depleted of energy, etc. Here is her chart, which I cast with Alcabitius cusps, the house system in vogue when the concept of cazimi was popular in the medieval literature.

Woman with chronic low energy from childhood. Venus appears to be cazimi along the ecliptic but is combust the Sun in latitude. This chart has Alcabitius cusps. In the Regiomontanus system, Pisces was on the 5th cusp and Aries on the 6th cusp.

In fact, this woman reports suffering chronically from low energy, starting in childhood. Even as an adult she has difficulty pursuing her interests because “it’s an ongoing struggle” and it’s an effort just to “keep stuff up around the house.” Medically, she reported, that as an adult she lost her menstrual period for a two-year stretch.

Delineating the Ascendant of this chart, we see that Venus rules her Libra Ascendant (body, health, vitality, personal motivations, etc.). Venus occupies the 6th house of sickness, servants, subservient positions, small animals, etc., which suggests that such 6th house themes may play a major role in her life. Venus also rules the 8th, an unfortunate house, and is co-ruler of a large part of the unfortunate 12th house because most of Libra falls in the 12th. Traditionally, therefore, Venus would be considered an accidental malefic planet through its rulership of unfortunate houses. In addition, Venus is square to malefic Saturn and is closely conjunct the 12th-ruler Mercury, which signifies confinement, suffering and hardship in this chart. The planet Jupiter, which rules the 6th of illness, occupies the 8th and is square to the Moon’s Nodes, which reinforces her sense of chronically being in ill health.

Venus is quite afflicted, being combust the Sun, because the body of Venus lies more than a degree away from the Sun in latitude. Venus in the 6th house occupies Aries, the sign of her Detriment, and is also without any essential dignity and thus considered peregrine. Based on the afflicted and peregrine state of Asc-ruler Venus, it is no surprise that she has felt an overwhelming lack of energy and difficulty accomplishing household tasks throughout her life. If Venus were cazimi in this chart, one would expect the afflicting influences to be readily overcome, which has not been the case according to her own report.

Emigration, Distant Travel and the 12th House

In Bonatti’s 13th century book on horary astrology he comments in his discussion of journeys and pilgrimages that the 9th signifies long journeys, the 3rd represents short ones, the 5th indicates trips of moderate length, and the 12th signifies the longest types of journeys. In tabular form, we can summarize Bonatti’s comments pairing houses with travels as follows:

— 3rd house: short trips
— 5th house: trips of moderate length
— 9th house: long-distance travel
— 12th house: the lengthiest journeys

In Vedic astrology, which borrowed from the medieval Arabic and Persian texts on horary, the 12th house is used to signify travel to a foreign land, especially to relocate or reside abroad. This view of the 12th house is probably related to the signification of the 12th as a place of exile, far from one’s home, family and friends. Emigration, relocation and moving house are typically highly stressful situations. Bonatti includes as a 12th house signification the things which people fear and whether those things will happen or not. The 12th house also signifies large animals of the type that you can ride (e.g., horses, camels, elephants, etc.) to go on a long journey.

From the point of view of astrological aspects, planets in the 12th cannot see or behold planets in the 1st, and vice versa. The 12th and the 1st houses are “in aversion.” In addition, the longest distance a 1st house planet must travel on its orbit around the zodiac is to the 12th house. If we consider Bonatti’s list of the length of travels signified by the houses, we can pair the following aspects with each type of journey.

— 3rd house: short trips and local travel (sextile to the 1st house); the 3rd house is also related to siblings, neighbors, kin and things we do in the neighborhood.
— 5th house: trips of moderate length (trine to the 1st house); the 5th house also signifies pleasures, messengers and ambassadors whom we send to various places to represent our interests. In this case, the person sending the message belongs to the 1st house, the messenger to the 5th house, and the person to whom the message is sent (the recipient and destination of the message) to the 7th house.
— 9th house: long-distance travel, often to other lands (trine to the 1st house); the 9th also signifies pilgrimages, that is, travel to distant locales for religious purposes.
— 12th house: the lengthiest journeys (aversion to the 1st house); the 12th house also signifies exile, banishment and confinement, that is, being cut off or disconnected from the 1st house significations (life force, health, the body, personal initiative, customary mores, etc.). Thus, 12th house journeys are likely to be the most stressful.

Few western astrologers pay attention to the 12th house signification of long trips abroad, especially those related to emigration. Nonetheless, this meaning is often relevant to chart interpretation if you bother to look for it.

As an example, let’s consider the chart of Albert Einstein who emigrated to the United States in 1933 to escape persecution by the Nazis. One would expect the 12th house and its lord to figure prominently in his solar return for 1933. The following quote from the Times of Israel summarizes Einstein’s flight from the Nazis in 1933:

“When Adolf Hitler came to power in early 1933, Einstein, a native of the southern German city of Ulm, was already teaching his theory of relativity in the United States. Hitler’s Nazi Germany swiftly hunted Jews, targeting Einstein’s home near Berlin and confiscating his belongings. On his return to Europe from across the Atlantic, Einstein landed in Belgium in March 1933 with Elsa, his second wife, fearful that returning to Germany would be too dangerous. The physicist spent six months at De Haan under the careful watch of Belgian police.”

Einstein finally officially emigrated as a refugee to the USA and arrived there on 17 October 1933.

Einstein’s birth chart (left) and his solar return of March of 1933 (right) cast for De Haan, Belgium where he was residing. (His solar return for his birthplace has the same signs on all the cusps).

In the birth chart, Cancer rises and Gemini is on the 12th cusp, ruled by Mercury.

In the 1933 Solar Return, transiting Mercury is making a station in conjunction with the return MC. In addition the natal Asc at 11 Cancer lies in the return 12th house, placing a heavy emphasis on 12th house issues (enemies, things which people fear, relocation abroad, etc.). This makes sense with regard to the meanings of the 12th house because Einstein was at considerable danger from enemies (the Nazis and their sympathizers) but also because he was seeking to emigrate abroad (another 12th house meaning) as a solution to his risky situation.

In the solar return, the Sun in the 9th certainly places an emphasis on long-distance travel, and the angular stationary Mercury (ruler of the natal 12th) adds the meaning of emigration to a foreign land. In the return chart the Moon (his natal Asc-ruler and his return 12th house ruler) occupies the 4th (place of residence) and is opposed by Uranus (sudden or unexpected disruptions).

Henry Coley Rectifies a Chart

In Coley’s 1676 edition of Clavis Astrologiae Eliminata, A Key to the Whole Art of Astrology he gives an example of how to rectify a chart using primary directions. The chart is that of a friend who was 26 years old at the time. Henry’s friend was born on 11 March 1650 (OS) = 22 March 1650 (NS) in Willingham, England (52N19, 000E04). The friend reported his time of birth to be about 9:30 in the morning. This is what the chart looks like, based on the native’s report of his birth data. It has Regiomontanus houses, which were in vogue at the time. The modern planets are included here but were not known in the 17th century.

Chart of Henry’s friend based on a reported 9:30 AM birth time. Henry will proceed to rectify this chart based on events in the person’s life.

Henry asked his friend for major notable events in his life. The young man reported having a serious febrile illness which was quite debilitating and began on August 11, 1665 (NS) when he was 15 years and 142 days old (age 15.4 years). Henry reasoned that fevers are signified by Mars, which also happens to rule the 6th cusp of illness in this chart. Mars is combust the Sun and quincunx Jupiter (which conjoins the 6th cusp and rules part of the 6th house as well as the 7th cusp opposite the Ascendant).

Mars (febrile illness) casts its sinister square to the 7th degree of Cancer, which is about to rise. On the ecliptic there are about ten degrees between the eastern horizon and the sinister square of Mars. Henry therefore decides to adjust the birth time so that the Ascendant degree lies about 15.4 degrees away from the square of Mars along the Equator, measured in oblique ascension. Instead of the key of Ptolemy (1 degree = 1 year), Henry uses the key of Naibod (00 deg 59′ 8.33″ = 1 year). Doing his calculations by hand, he arrives at the following rectified birth chart, based on a single event of a significant illness at age 15.4. In practice, it is necessary to use many life events and to find the time that best fits all of them.

This chart is Henry’s first attempt at rectification of his friend’s 9:30 AM birth time chart, adjusted so that the sinister square of Mars on the ecliptic comes to the eastern horizon by primary motion (Naibod key) in August of 1665 when the native is 15.4 years old and suffers a serious febrile illness.

In the predictive system of “distributions” or “divisors and participants,” when 6 Cancer 27′ is on the eastern horizon, Mars will be both the divisor and the participant of the period, so that the significations of Mars in the birth chart are highly likely to manifest.

As a modern check on the relative accuracy of this rectified birth time, we can look at the Wynn Key Return for August 11, 1665, when the fever began. Here is the Wynn chart:

This is the Wynn Key Return for the date Henry’s friend fell seriously ill in 1665. Note transiting Saturn on the Ascendant (the body) and 8th ruler transiting Sun conjunct the 8th Wynn Key cusp and conjunct transiting Mercury, which rules the 6th in the Wynn chart and the Ascendant in the birth chart. Mars in this chart opposes the Part of Fortune in the 1st.