Anthony Louis's Blog, page 54

The Quincunx, Chiron and a Broken Leg

In sports news the weekend a major story was the broken leg of Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada. The Associated Press published the following on Saturday evening:

Associated Press

Published Saturday, Oct. 10, 2015 | 9:38 p.m.

LOS ANGELES — Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada broke his right leg when a takeout slide by Chase Utley flipped the shortstop during a four-run rally in the seventh inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers went on to beat New York 5-2 Saturday night to tie their NL Division Series at one game apiece.

I was curious to see what symbolism was active in the shortstop’s chart at the time of the accident.

Ruben Tejada was born on 27 October 1989 in Santiago de Veraguas, Panama (08N06, 080W58), time unknown. I used an approximate time of 9:30 pm in Los Angeles for the accident (based on the Associated Press report) and put the transits for October 10th 2015 around the outside of a natal chart set for Noon (actual time unknown) with equal houses from the Sun on the 1st house cusp.

Natal chart for Noon with Accident chart superimposed.

I was expecting Uranus (sudden disruptive events), Mars (forceful injuries) and Saturn (gravity, bones) to be active.

Transiting Uranus almost exactly opposes the transiting Sun and at the same time squares his natal Chiron (wounds to the leg). In the myth, Heracles accidentally shot Chiron in the leg with a poisoned arrow, causing a wound that would not heal. Transiting Chiron trines Tejada’s natal Chiron, but at the same time mutually applies to a stressful quincunx with transiting Sun. The quincunx involves signs that are either 6 or 8 signs apart and has a 6th and 8th house significance — illness, bodily ailments, the need for medical or surgical intervention.

Transiting Saturn squares transiting Venus but does not appear to be particularly involved with the natal chart by transit.

Transiting Mars in Virgo trines his natal Saturn/Neptune conjunction in Capricorn.

Here are the transits and progressions for the month before and after the accident.

Quite striking in this list is the lunar eclipse of September 27th which occurred almost exactly quincunx Tejada’s natal Sun from a 6th house distance, symbolizing risk of illness and bodily injury.

Also significant is the fact that the day of the leg injury (10 Oct 2015) is sandwiched between transiting Saturn sesqui-square natal Chiron on October 7th and secondary progressed Venus opposing natal Chiron on October 17th.

Venus is prominent both by transit (square transiting Saturn) and progression (opposite natal Chiron), so I suspect that Venus plays a significant role in Tejada’s natal chart.  In the Sun Sign chart (which is generic for someone born on this date), Venus rules his 12th house of illness and confinement; and it is certainly true that a leg injury led to a period of confinement (progressed Venus opposite natal Chiron).

Some things I learned or confirmed from this chart are:

The importance of the quincunx in bodily ailments and injuries.
The symbolism of Chiron as injuries to the legs.
The validity of Uranus as a symbol of sudden unexpected events.
The role of eclipses as harbingers of stressful events when they closely involve natal planets.
The name Tejada comes from the Spanish verb tejar, meaning to tile a roof.

A Pleasant Surprise

Recently Chris Brennan posted this request in Facebook: “I’m looking for some people who have had a distinct and unambiguously positive or fortunate event occur at some point in their life.” As I thought back over positive events in my life, one came to mind whose astrology I had never studied, so I decided to look at it now.

Not long after my horary book was first published I attended the United Astrology Congress at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Washington, D.C. from April 16 to 21, 1992. At the conference I was surprised and pleased when I received a “Regulus Most Promising Newcomer Award” at the opening banquet. I don’t recall the exact date of the award during the April 16-21 period. Judging by the programs of recent UAC conference, the awards banquet was probably Monday evening, 20 April 1992.

This award was totally unexpected, and I think it qualifies as an “unambiguously positive or fortunate event” which Chris was looking for. In addition to the unexpected recognition, I met some astrologers at this conference who have remained friends to this day — another very positive aspect of this period. Here is my natal chart with a superimposed chart for the first evening of the conference:

Natal chart with chart for first evening of the 1992 UAC conference superimposed.

The two benefics are notable for this fortunate event.  Transiting Jupiter (the greater benefic) conjoins my natal Part of Fortune, and transiting Venus (the lesser benefic) is extremely powerful as she is angular, exactly conjunct the natal Descendant.  Transiting Venus trines natal Venus, Moon and Pluto in Leo in the 10th.

The transiting Moon conjoins the benefic fixed star Spica. The transiting Sun sextiles natal Mars in Gemini in the 9th.  Transiting Pluto is trine natal Saturn in the 10th. Transiting Saturn on the cusp of the 5th (banquets) was closely trine natal Uranus in the 9th (publishing, astrology, long distance travel). Transiting Mercury was opposite natal Jupiter in the 12th.

Finally, secondary progressed Jupiter (not shown) lies at 11 Libra 53 where it almost exactly conjoins the natal Ascendant and opposes transiting Venus at the start of the conference.

All-in-all the transits and the secondary progressions of my natal chart clearly depict a fortunate event.

Chris Brennan pointed out that the April 1992 conference occurred during an 11th house profection year.  I met some people at the conference who have been friends ever since. In the Hellensitic Whole Sign House system, Leo is the 11th house of my chart.  In an 11th house profection year, the planets in Leo and  Leo’s ruler, the Sun, become activated.  Thus, the Moon which rules the 10th of career and Venus, which rules the Ascendant, play a major role during the year of the award. In addition, Mercury in Leo rules the 9th of foreign travel, and the NCGR group from Mexico invited me to give a workshop in Mexico City in October of that year.

A sex-addict who imposed his moral hangups on society

Recently I was listening to a podcast about the history of the birth control pill in America. The speaker mentioned the history of oppressive laws in the United States aimed at suppressing women’s interest in their own sexuality. Many of these laws were the brainchild of compulsive masturbator Anthony Comstock, the “father of American censorship.”

As a biographer explains:

“Comstock’s own sexual frustration may have led to such hatred of obscenity.  During his war years, “lust, masturbation, and the reading of pornography also worried the young soldier.  In the diary that he kept during this period he often confessed to a nameless sin, which, in the opinion of his biographers, was probably masturbation.”  Psychologists today would argue that Comstock’s failure to express his own “sinful” sexuality eventually sublimated itself in the form of ruthless censorship.”

Comstock even has a law named after him. The Comstock Law is a federal act passed by the U.S. Congress on March 3, 1873 for the “Suppression of Trade in, and Circulation of, Obscene Literature and Articles of Immoral Use”. This act makes it illegal to send the following items through the U.S. mail (which is probably how Comstock orginally ordered his own masturbatory pornography): erotica, contraceptives, abortifacients, sex toys, or information about any of these products!

I wondered what Comstock’s natal chart might look like in light of his documented sexual compulsions and his need to force his extreme version of morality on American society.  My speculation was that he would have an afflicted Mars (the male sex drive), a prominent Pluto (compulsive behavior) and a rigid Saturn (stern morality).

According to wikipedia, this bastion of uptightness was born on March 7, 1844 in New Canaan, Connecticut (my home state). Here is a chart for Noon (birth time unknown) with Sun sign houses and the Egyptian terms around the wheel.

Anthony Comstock, 7 March 1844, Noon chart.

As expected, Mars is prominent opposite his natal Moon, and Mars-Moon-Saturn form a significant T-square in the natal chart. Mars lies in detriment in Taurus and disposes the stellium of Uranus, Pluto and Venus in Aries (ruled by Mars).

Pluto (compulsion) closely conjoins Venus (sexual pleasure) in assertive Aries. The planets of sex, Venus and Mars, are in mutual reception, each occupying the sign of the other. In addition, Venus and Pluto are in the terms of Mars, and Mars lies in the terms of Venus — a configuration which again emphasizes his compulsive sexuality.

Mars forms an extremely tight semi-square with his natal Sun, again highlighting the importance of Mars to his sense of identity.

Saturn (laws, restriction, oppression) dignified in Aquarius very closely squares his debilitated Mars in Taurus, suggesting a powerful need to suppress his male libido and perhaps his felt need to impose his stern morality on the rest of society (perhaps symbolized by the Moon).

Neptune conjunct Mercury does not incline toward logical thinking but puts him more at the mercy of his beliefs, fantasies and imaginings. This Mercury/Neptune conjunction, which describes his mode of thinking, takes place in the terms of Mars whose glyph depicts the male phallus.

Infantile behavior on the baseball field

In the sports news today we learned that the Washington Nationals have suspended closer Jonathan Papelbon for four games without pay for his role in a dugout incident in which he choked his teammate Bryce Harper.

According to ESPN:

“After getting out of the batter’s box slowly on a pop fly to left field, Harper returned to the dugout and was approached by Papelbon …  The two appeared to have a brief but heated exchange that resulted in Papelbon putting his hands on the 22-year-old Harper’s throat and shoving him into the back wall of the Washington dugout.” This is not the first time Pabelbon has been suspended for acting like a two-year-old during a game.

I guessed that in his birth chart he must have an afflicted Mars to account for such impulsive aggressive behavior, so I looked up his birth information: 23 Nov 1980 in Baton Rouge, LA, time unknown.  Here is a Noon chart with Solar Sign houses:

Noon birth chart, time unknown.

Mars, the planet of aggression, is quite strong being exalted in Capricorn.  However, Mars is afflicted by a square from Jupiter (expansion, excess) and Saturn (hardship, restriction).

Jupiter rules his Sagittarius Sun which is already in a stressful semi-sextile with Mars. The square from Jupiter to Mars increases the tendency to impulsive behavior of the red planet. The square from Saturn to Mars has a push/pull effect on Mars, causing the Mars energy to express itself in fits and starts.

Cafe Astrology offers the following delineations:

Mars square Jupiter: “This aspect brings great impulsiveness, insatiable desires, playfulness, and daring. You might be frequently trying to prove yourself, to others and/or yourself …”

Mars square Saturn: “You can pick at yourself and others unmercifully, trying to get circumstances in your life to match some unspecified standard.”

The Sagittarius Sun conjunct Uranus in fixed and intense Scorpio increases the native’s willfulness, arrogance and rebellious streak.  It is interesting to see how public figures act out their charts in a public arena.

Jupiter and Saturn both put pressure on hot-headed Mars through a challenging square aspect, which causes a lot of friction.  Jupiter steps on the accelerator while Saturn steps on the brakes.  Help is available from Venus in Libra which applies from Libra to an out of sign sextile to Mars in Capricorn. If he could learn to call upon his natural grace, charm and sense of balance, he could avoid situations like the one he just created.

Pope Francis canonizes controversial saint Junípero Serra

On Wednesday 23 September 2015 in Washington, DC, Pope Francis canonized the controversial Spanish missionary Junípero Serro, despite the fact that Serra had not met all the church requirements for sainthood.  He had not performed the two requisite miracles, but perhaps the canonization of this brutal colonist counts as his second miracle.  The Pope had to give Serra a special dispensation from church rules to elevate him to sainthood. The Holy Father’s motive appears to be political, that is, a thinly disguised attempt to appeal to the Hispanic population of the New World by giving them a saint of Spanish origin despite his well-known practices of whipping, beating and flogging Native Americans to force them to believe in the love of Christ.

Historical records reveal that Friar Serra attacked the dignity of the native community, sadistically mistreating and abusing Native Americans to force them to accept his version of the deity. Serra’s tactics were not unlike those used today by ISIL whose religious fundamentalists try to force the population to accept their version of the “truth.”

Painting of Junípero Serra whom critics accuse of  torture and “cultural genocide.”

To quote an article in the Guardian:

“Opponents of sainthood point out that from the time Serra arrived in 1769 the native population was ravaged by European diseases, including syphilis spread by marauding Spanish soldiers. Indians were used as forced labour, badly fed and shackled and severely beaten if they tried to leave the missions. Serra “oversaw the whipping, beating, flogging and extermination of Native Americans in what is now California”, Rose Aguilar, a descendant of the Pomo tribe, wrote on Tuesday.” Descriptions of Serra’s abuse of human rights and disregard for human life among the native peoples he was forcing to convert to Catholicism make one wonder whether he was less a saint and more a Mengele of missionaries to the New World.

An event as significant as being elevated to sainthood should show up in his natal chart. According to historical records, Serra was born on 24 November 1713 in Majorca, Spain at 1:00 LAT in the morning. Here is a photocopy of his baptismal record with the time of birth.

Junipero Serra’s baptismal record with the birth time of 1 AM local time (00:35 AM UT).

Here is his natal chart calculated from the data in his baptismal record.

Natal chart of Junípero Serra based on 1 AM local time in his baptismal record.

The 1:00 AM time is probably a close estimate of the time of birth. If he were born a minute and 10 seconds later (1:01:10 AM local time, MC at 16 SAG 03), then on the day of his canonization secondary progressed MC would have exactly trined his natal MD-ruler Mercury (progression of MC by solar arc in longitude), and his primary mundane directions, direct and converse, at the Naibod rate for 2015 would be:

Serra’s primary mundane directions, direct and converse, at the Naibod rate for 2015 (calculated with Janus 4 software).

These directions make symbolic sense. Venus rules his 9th of ecclesiastic matters, Mercury rules his MC (career, honors), the Sun is a general significator of dignity and public recognition, and Jupiter is the Greater Benefic of the solar system. This is a year in which he was honored and received public recognition for his role in church history.

The time of birth was understood to be LAT.  Local mean time (LMT) did not come into use until a couple centuries after his birth. Note that the charts of Junípero Serra at astro.com and at astrotheme.com are mistakenly calculated for LMT and give an Ascendant and an MC a few degrees later than the ones here, which are calculated in the LAT of Serra’s epoch.

To check the validity of this chart, I looked at a major event from his life when he was 36 years old.  He suffered a severe leg injury or infection in November of 1749 not long before his 37th birthday.  The biography at astrotheme.com reports:

“…he joined the missionary College of San Fernando de Mexico in 1749.  That year he journeyed to North America, first to Mexico City, where he taught. While riding on a mule from Vera Cruz to the capital, he injured his leg in such a way that he suffered from it throughout his life…”

Another source says that his leg became severely infected because he refused to ride the mule: “… he arrived in Vera Cruz, horses and mules were waiting to take the missionaries to Mexico City. But Father Junípero said that he preferred to walk. It was a rule of the Franciscan order that friars were supposed to walk unless they were sick or injured. After many days of walking, one of Father Serras’ legs became swollen, blistered, and badly infected. …”

A chronic illness should show up as a 12th house matter.  The planet Saturn is a general signifier of chronicity.  The 6th house of bodily afflictions should also be involved. Injuries usually involve Mars (forceful blows) and falls tend to involve Saturn (gravity). Infections and inflammations are attributed to Mars. Here is a list of his primary directions for the year 1749 when the injury to his leg occurred.

Primary directions for 1749, Placidus semi-arc, Naibod rate, with latitude (Bianchini method).

Serra has two planets in his 12th house of chronic ailments: Pluto and Saturn.  (Uranus would be considered a 1st house planet because it lies within 5 degrees of the cusp.) Saturn in the 12th rules the 6th house cusp in Aquarius.

in 1749 primary directed Saturn (6th ruler in the 12th house) comes to the square of Mars, symbolic of a fall, inflammation, or crushing injury. The square of 12th house Pluto comes to Neptune in the unfortunate 8th of major medical problems.  The square of Neptune in the 8th comes to Jupiter in the 6th of bodily afflictions.  Jupiter has a connection to legs and feet though its rulership of of Sagittarius and Pisces.  Overall, the symbolism of the primary directions for 1749 fits well with the major event of that year.

If we look at the Solar Return in effect during most of 1749, we see further confirmation. This is the year that he traveled to the New World and also the year when he severely injured his leg, a chronic condition which would bother him the rest of his life. Here is his natal chart (“rectified” to 1:01:10 AM LAT) with the Solar return for his birth place superimposed:

Serra’s Solar Return for 1948-49 (Nov. ’48 to Nov. ’49) superimposed on his natal chart. This is the year of his chronic leg injury.

The Sun in his solar return chart lies in the return 9th house of foreign travel.  His voyage from Spain to Mexico was the major event of 1749, closely followed by his leg injury which became a chronic ailment.

The Solar Return ASC closely conjoins his natal Jupiter in the 6th house, highlight a health concern for the year.  SR Jupiter rules the SR Ascendant and conjoins the cusp of the natal 6th house where Jupiter also closely conjoins natal Chiron (the “wounded healer”).  SR Jupiter conjoins SR Uranus (accidents) within 2 degrees. The SR Uranus/Jupiter conjunction is squared by SR Saturn (ruler of the natal 6th and resident of the natal 12th) from the cusp of the SR 3rd of local travel (he was riding a mule when he injured his leg).

The astrological evidence seems to confirm the validity of the recorded birth time.

Pope Francis canonizes controversial saint Junipero Serra

On Wednesday 23 September 2015 in Washington, DC, Pope Francis canonized the controversial Spanish missionary Junipero Serro, despite the fact that Serra had not met all the church requirements for sainthood.  He had not performed the two requisite miracles, but perhaps the canonization of this brutal colonist counts as his second miracle.  The Pope had to give Serra a special dispensation from church rules to elevate him to sainthood. The Holy Father’s motive appears to be political, that is, a thinly disguised attempt to appeal to the Hispanic population of the New World by giving them a saint of Spanish origin despite his well-known practices of whipping, beating and flogging Native Americans to force them to believe in the love of Christ.

Historical records reveal that Friar Serra attacked the dignity of the native community, sadistically mistreating and abusing Native Americans to force them to accept his version of the deity. Serra’s tactics were not unlike those used today by ISIL whose religious fundamentalists try to force the population to accept their version of the “truth.”

Painting of Junípero Serra whom critics accuse of  torture and “cultural genocide.”

To quote an article in the Guardian:

“Opponents of sainthood point out that from the time Serra arrived in 1769 the native population was ravaged by European diseases, including syphilis spread by marauding Spanish soldiers. Indians were used as forced labour, badly fed and shackled and severely beaten if they tried to leave the missions. Serra “oversaw the whipping, beating, flogging and extermination of Native Americans in what is now California”, Rose Aguilar, a descendant of the Pomo tribe, wrote on Tuesday.” Descriptions of Serra’s abuse of human rights and disregard for human life among the native peoples he was forcing to convert to Catholicism make one wonder whether he was less a saint and more a Mengele of missionaries to the New World.

An event as significant as being elevated to sainthood should show up in his natal chart. According to historical records, Serra was born on 24 November 1713 in Majorca, Spain at 1:00 LAT in the morning. Here is a photocopy of his baptismal record with the time.

Junipero Serra’s baptismal record with the birth time of 1 AM local time (00:35 AM UT).

Here is his natal chart calculated from the data in his baptismal record.

Natal chart of Junípero Serra based on 1 AM local time in his baptismal record.

The 1:00 AM time is probably a close estimate of the time of birth. If he were born a minute and 10 seconds later (1:01:10 AM local time, MC at 16 SAG 03), then on the day of his canonization secondary progressed MC would have exactly trined his natal Mercury (progression of MC by solar arc in longitude), and his primary mundane directions, direct and converse, at the Naibod rate for 2015 would be:

Serra’s primary mundane directions, direct and converse, at the Naibod rate for 2015 (calculated with Janus 4 software).

These directions make symbolic sense. Venus rules his 9th of ecclesiastic matters, Mercury rules his MC (career, honors), the Sun is a general significator of dignity and public recognition, and Jupiter is the Greater Benefic of the solar system. This is a year in which he was honored and received public recognition for his role in church history.

The Importance of an Accurate Birth Time

This article is a revision of one that appeared on October 25, 2000 on StarIQ.com. The original discussion was based on an inaccurate birth time, the bane of serious astrologers.

Skeptics usually dismiss astrology as misguided pseudoscience. A leading skeptic in today’s world is Michael Shermer, a university professor, prolific author and director of the Skeptics Society. Dr. Shermer has made a career of exposing and debunking the claims of mediums, psychics, bigots and practitioners of the paranormal. His recent books cover topics such as why people deny the Holocaust, why people believe weird things, how we believe, pseudoscience and the search for God in an age of science.

Michael Shermer, 8 September 1954, Glendale, California, 7:30 AM from his birth certificate (as reported by Dr. Shermer in an email to the author). Chart calculated with Halloran software.

Professor Shermer graciously supplied his birth data for this article. Originally he believed that he was born at 4:30 am on September 8, 1954 in Glendale, California. When he finally located his birth certificate, he discovered that his birth time was actually 7:30 in the morning and he sent me an email with the newly discovered information. Although Professor Shermer may not believe in astrology, a look at his birth chart may help astrologers understand what goes on in the mind of a skeptic.

The Sun, the Moon and the Ascendant: Three Cornerstones of the Personality

Skepticism is deeply rooted in one’s personality. In astrology, the most powerful indicators of personality are the Ascendant, the Sun and the Moon.

The Ascendant  represents the persona that we project onto the world. In the inaccurate 4:30 am chart, the sign Leo was rising on the eastern horizon, suggesting a person who is a natural performer, energetic, dramatic, feisty, fond of challenge and competitive in his interactions with others. Changing the birth time to 7:30 a.m. (as on his birth certificate) gives Shermer a Virgo Ascendant, which indicates someone who is typically mild-mannered, unruffled, calm and meticulous with details. Tiger Woods is a good example of a person with Virgo rising. Not knowing Professor Shermer personally, I cannot say which Ascendant, Leo or Virgo, better describes him.

The natal Sun signifies one’s core identity. Shermer’s Sun lies in Virgo, an earth sign and one of the most skeptical signs of the zodiac. Virgo is skilled at logical analysis, classification and the precise use of language. Virgo’s ability to parse complex matters into their essential details leads many natives of this earth sign into teaching, writing, editing and all forms of criticism. Virgos love to take things apart to see what makes them tick. Virgos also enjoy instructing others who may have overlooked the details that catch the discriminating Virgo eye. Most importantly, Virgo desires to be of service, to do something useful that will benefit others. With both his Sun and Ascendant in Virgo (making him a “double Virgo”), Dr. Shermer no doubt feels that he is providing a valuable service by protecting the public from the fraudulent claims of charlatans of the paranormal.

The final key to personality is the natal Moon, representing one’s emotional and security needs. In Shermer’s chart the Moon lies in Capricorn, which is an earth sign like Virgo. Psychoanalyst Carl Jung linked the element earth to the psychological function of sensation. Like doubting Thomas in the Bible, Jung’s sensation types are natural skeptics who demand hard evidence before they will believe anything. They pride themselves on their capacity to make objective evaluations and to analyze matters logically and critically.

To feel secure in the universe, those with their natal Moon in an earth sign feel a strong need for empirical evidence to shore up their beliefs. With his key astrological personality factors (Sun, Moon, Ascendant) all in earth signs, Professor Shermer is emphatically a skeptical Jungian sensation type who insists on indisputable reality-based evidence before he will assent to any proposition.

Angular Planets and the Personality

Any planet lying close to an angle in the birth chart has a powerful impact on the personality. The angles of the chart are formed by the horizontal (east-west) and vertical (north-south) axes. Shermer’s 7:30 am chart has threeangular  planets: Mercury and the Sun in the east near the Ascendant, and Mars  in the north near the I.C., or theFourth House cusp.

Mercury, which conjoins the Ascendant, was the wing-footed messenger of the gods. He has come to symbolize communication, writing, verbal ability, quick thinking, swift motion and intellectual pursuits. Mercury falls in Libra, the sign of balance and fairness, indicating that Shermer is a person who weighs all the evidence before reaching a conclusion.

The Sun and Mars both partake of the element fire, which adds an energetic, pioneering and competitive spirit to Shermer’s basic earthy (skeptical) temperament. The prominence of Mars and the Sun has a similar meaning to Leo rising, which was a factor in the erroneous 4:30 am chart. Shermer is a warrior (Mars) who does battle with false beliefs.

The Third House and the Mind

Mental functioning is shown by the Third House of the birth chart. In Shermer’s case, Scorpio, the sign of investigation and penetration, occupies the Third House cusp, indicating someone who studies matters deeply and seeks to bring hidden issues into the light of day. Scorpio is the sign of the detective, surgeon, psychologist and scientific researcher.

There are no planets in the Third House, so we look to the rulers of the Third House cusp for further information about his thinking patterns. Scorpio has a traditional ruler, Mars (the god of war), and a modern ruler, Pluto (the god of the underworld).

Pluto indicates, among other things, an interest in the occult and paranormal. Pluto, a ruler of the Third House of mind, lies in the sign Leo, suggesting someone who wishes to shine and be noticed for his intellectual achievements. Pluto also conjoins the cusp of the Twelfth House of spiritual matters and how we believe.

Mars, the classical ruler of his Third House of mind, lies in the earth sign Capricorn. This placement of Mars reinforces the earth/sensation-type theme and the strong inclination toward reliance on empirical data and skepticism. Mars also lies in the Fourth House of family, home and tradition, which suggests a significant interest in history and intellectual foundations. Third house ruler Mars closely sextiles Saturn in Scorpio (ruled by Mars), again suggesting an mind which prefers hard facts and cold logic.

It is instructive how a difference of three hours in the birth time changed the emphasis in the interpretation of Shermer’s chart, but kept the basic personality description the same.

Addendum (September, 2015):

When Dr. Shermer emailed me the newly discovered time from his birth certificate, I recall checking his solar return with the revised time to see if it matched the events of that year.  Our correspondence took place in 2000-2001.  His mother had died in the Fall of 2000 and I assumed that it would show up prominently in his return chart.  Here is the solar return with Placidus house calculated for September of 2000.

Solar Return for birth place for the year 2000-2001, based on 7:30 AM birth time. Chart calculated with Elías D. Molins Astrospica software.

When analyzing Solar Returns, I usually begin by studying the return chart, especially SR Ascendant sign and its ruler (sign, house and aspects), and also the sign, house position and aspects of the Sun. I then overlap the two charts to see where the Solar Return positions fall in the natal chart, and vice versa. The solar return and natal houses which share the same cusp become thematically linked during the year ahead. For example, Sagittarius rules the natal 4th house of home and family and governs the 2nd house of finances in the 2000 Solar Return. Thus, one would expect much activity with family financial affairs during the 2000-2001 solar return year. In fact, his mother died not long after the solar return, and he spent considerable time and effort dealing with her estate.

The Solar Return Ascendant lies in Scorpio, which rules the natal 8th house of death. The planet Mars, the traditional ruler of Scorpio, lies in the SR 10th house, which represents career but also the mother. Modern astrologers use Pluto as a co-ruler of Scorpio and regard Pluto as lord of the underworld and a general significator of death.  Here Pluto very closely opposes Jupiter (ruler of the natal 4th of parents) on the cusp of the SR 8th house.  The SR Sun forms a T-square with the SR Pluto/Jupiter opposition and 8th house cusp, suggesting that this configuration would be a dominant theme of the solar return year. Because it is a solar return, the aspects of the Sun are of great significance in the chart. Natally, the Sun rules Leo on the cusp of his natal 12th house of sorrow and mourning. The Sun also rules the SR 10th house of the mother.

SR Saturn in Gemini applies to the cusp of the 8th.  Natally, Gemini governs his 10th house of the mother. Jupiter rules the natal 4th of family and endings. Natal Mars rules the 8th of death and occupies the Solar Return 10th of the mother.   All in all, I thought that the Solar Return symbolism adequately described his recent loss, suggesting that the 7:30 AM birth time was fairly accurate.

To the best of my knowledge, Dr. Shermer remains quite skeptical about astrology, but he was gracious enough to supply his birth data for this article when it was first written (around 2001) and he seemed genuinely interested in following the evidence wherever it might lead him.

What is an inner planet?

Recently I was reading an astrology book and I noticed that the author referred to Jupiter and Saturn as “inner planets.”  This was surprising because I had learned from my classes in astronomy that the inner planets referred to the four planets within the asteroid belt, namely Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. You can see in the NASA diagram that the Sun and the Moon also lies within the asteroid belt. Astrologers user the Sun, Moon and the inner planets to symbolize very personal aspects of the individual.

The planets that lie outside the asteroid belt are called “outer planets and include Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and (for astrologers) Pluto which was demoted to a dwarf planet by a group of astronomers. Astrologers use the outer planets to represent social, cultural and historical forces that influence the individual. To the best of my knowledge astrologers have not yet incorporated the Kupier Belt into their metaphorical understanding of the universe. It is interesting that the dwarf planets Pluto and Makemake lie within this outer belt whereas the dwarf Eris lies outside it.

The following NASA image makes this distinction clear.

Inner and Outer Planets separated by the asteroid belt.

Wondering if it was just one astrological author who was confused about the meaning of inner planet, I did a google search and found that astrologers frequently misuse the term. For example, an article purporting to teach beginners the fundamentals of astrology says, “The inner planets (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn) and outer planets (Uranus, Neptune, Pluto) are part of the whole mandala …”  By no stretch of the imagination are Jupiter and Saturn inner planets.

This misinformed article appears in none other than the prestigious journal The Mountain Astrologer. The author appears to be confusing the definition of inner and outer planets with the idea of the seven visible planets of antiquity and the more recently discovered modern planets. Using scientific terminology correctly is somewhat of a pet peeve because astrologers don’t need to give the scientific community more reason to ridicule their way of thinking and lack of scientific understanding.

An Amazing Natal Chart

Recently I heard a program on NPR about Billy Williams, the amazing man who spent years with the elephants in Burmese jungles.  A book about him made the New York Times bestseller list. James Howard Williams (“Elephant Bill” or “Billy” Williams) was born on 15 November 1897 in St Just, Cornwall, UK (time unknown). He died on 30 July 1958).

His chart is striking for its stellium in Scorpio, showing great determination and intensity. Williams had a profound sensitivity to the secret language of elephants who are able to communicate over long distances through low frequency vibrations which are inaudible to the human ear.  Williams could apparently feel such vibrations in his chest as the elephants spoke to one another.

I’m not sure what astrological factors show his great love of elephants who became his mentors and best friends. Intimate one-to-one relationships are shown by the house opposite the Ascendant. Since we don’t know his time of birth, we can’t determine the sign ascending. It is interesting, though, that his Scorpio stellium in the 3rd decan of that sign lies opposite the 3rd decan of Taurus, which Ibn Ezra and Picatrix associated with elephants.

Billy Williams Natal Chart, Noon positions (time unknown), Solar sign houses.

Here is a quote from a review of the book about him entitled Elephant Company:

“Billy Williams came to colonial Burma in 1920, fresh from service in World War I, to a job as a “forest man” for a British teak company. Mesmerized by the intelligence, character, and even humor of the great animals who hauled logs through the remote jungles, he became a gifted “elephant wallah.” Increasingly skilled at treating their illnesses and injuries, he also championed more humane treatment for them, even establishing an elephant “school” and “hospital.” In return, he said, the elephants made him a better man. The friendship of one magnificent tusker in particular, Bandoola, would be revelatory. In Elephant Company, Vicki Constantine Croke chronicles Williams’s growing love for elephants as the animals provide him lessons in courage, trust, and gratitude.”

 

“But Elephant Company is also a tale of war and daring. When Imperial Japanese forces invaded Burma in 1942, Williams joined the elite Force 136, the British dirty tricks department, operating behind enemy lines. His war elephants would carry supplies, build bridges, and transport the sick and elderly over treacherous mountain terrain. Now well versed in the ways of the jungle, an older, wiser Williams even added to his stable by smuggling more elephants out of Japanese-held territory. As the occupying authorities put a price on his head, Williams and his elephants faced his most perilous test. In a Hollywood-worthy climax, Elephant Company, cornered by the enemy, attempted a desperate escape: a risky trek over the mountainous border to India, with a bedraggled group of refugees in tow. Elephant Bill’s exploits would earn him top military honors and the praise of famed Field Marshal Sir William Slim.”

If you have thoughts about elephants in this chart or about the amazing stellium in Scorpio, please leave a comment below.

Four Modes of Listening

Yesterday I attended a lecture by Dr. Salmon Akhtar about models of listening in psychoanalysis. The ability to listen skillfully to clients is essential for psychoanalysts as well as for astrologers who do any type of counseling. According to Dr. Akhtar, there are four principal styles of listening which have been elaborated in the psychoanalytic literature since the time of Freud: objective, subjective, empathic and interpersonal listening.

Dr. Salman Akhtar, Psychoanalyst

The lecture was thoroughly fascinating. As it went on, I was impressed with the speaker’s oratory skills. He spoke for over an hour without referring to a single note. He was engaging and entertaining, and captivated the audience with his stage presence, humorous anecdotes and ability to tell a good story.

Being an astrologer, of course I began wondering what his natal chart might look like. I speculated that Dr. Akhtar had such a compelling manner of engaging the audience that he must be a good actor, and Leo immediately came to mind. His manner of speaking, comedic sense of timing, ability to teach and clever use of words suggested Mercury in Leo. He clearly knew how to work an audience, so I wondered if he also had a Leo Sun. On the other hand, his command of an immense number of detailed without referring to a single note suggested a strong Virgo influence.  I concluded that he likely had Sun in either Leo or Virgo, with Mercury in Leo.

When I got home from the lecture, I looked up Dr. Akhtar online to see if I could find his birth data. According to Wikipedia and TBD on Ning, he was born July 31, 1946 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, so I cast a chart for this date with the Noon positions of planets (time of birth unknown) and solar sign houses.

Natal chart: Dr. Salman Akhtar, July 31, 1946, Uttar Pradesh, India, Noon (time unknown), Solar sign houses.

The Sun and Mercury were in Leo, as I suspected because of his stage presence and dramatic ability.

I hadn’t anticipated Mercury almost exactly conjunct Pluto but it made perfect sense that a psychoanalyst would have a powerful Pluto influence in his chart since Pluto has to do with matters related to the underworld and the human unconscious. Pluto is also a planet of intense power, and its conjunction with Mercury (thinking, speech) certainly described his impressive manner of conveying his ideas before an audience.

Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, also has a powerful Pluto which is part of a stellium of planets in Taurus in his chart (Pluto, Sun, Uranus and Mercury in Taurus). Venus which rules Taurus conjoins Freud’s natal Pluto from late Aries. Scorpio rules Freud’s Ascendant.

The Virgo influence had been anticipated and is here shown by three personal planets (Moon, Venus, Mars) all in Virgo. He is able to manage an immense amount of detail in his public oratory with grace and ease, and without having to look at a single written note.

His charming manner of speech is reflected in the Leo Mercury being part of a stellium in Leo which sextile Jupiter in Libra, whose ruler Venus (grace, charm) is part of a stellium in Virgo (skill with words and attention to detail).

His love of writing (he has written hundreds of articles and numerous books) and his innovative style of presentation are probably shown by the extremely close trine of Jupiter in Libra to Uranus in Gemini (ruled by Mercury connected with speech, writing and communication). The North Node of the Mood in Gemini suggests a karmic need to pursue effective means of communication with others. Neptune in Libra sextile the Sun/Pluto/Mercury stellium in Leo reflects his love of poetry. Sun trine Neptune is a creative, imaginative aspect which suggests a deep appreciation of spirituality in his life.

The square from Saturn at the end of Cancer to Jupiter in Libra is curious. Saturn rises just before the Sun and is somewhat hidden beneath the Sun’s beams. The Jupiter appears to be related to his love of public speaking, writing and publishing. The square from Saturn in Cancer (a maternal sign) suggests that somehow his motivation for this activity is tied to a maternal need or sense of lack or duty (Saturn) toward the mother. It would be interesting to speak with Dr. Akhtar about the role his mother played in his love of writing and lecturing. Saturn in Cancer could symbolize a dutiful mother, a sense of lack of mothering, or a felt need to act maternally toward others.

All in all, this chart resonates well with the traits displayed by Dr. Akhtar in giving his lecture. Trying to guess what the chart of someone you meet by the traits which they display is a good exercise which confirms the validity of astrology but also shows astrologers that they are not infallible.  If you ever get a chance to hear Dr. Akhtar speak, I can’t recommend it highly enough. (Some of his lectures are available on YouTube, if you are interested.)

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Addendum: Here are the generic interpretations of some key points in his chart generated by the program Solar Fire.

THE SUN IN LEO

Your Sun is in the zodiac sign of Leo indicating that you’re good-hearted, and have a sunny personality which shines in the company of others. In fact you love an audience, basking in the attention which comes with being centre stage. Most of the time you do manage to attract the attention that you so keenly seek, as your enthusiasm and sense of fun has a contagious effect lighting a spark of fun and joy in those around you. Your generous nature also means that you’re willing to share your abundant goodwill with others. You may also find yourself surrounded by children ready to join your playful games, for you’re adept at bringing out the child in everyone..

SUN SEXTILE NEPTUNE  Orb 1°05′ Separating

Opportunities will arise for you to express your intuitive and artistic nature.

MERCURY IN LEO

You are enthusiastic in your quest for knowledge. You are proud of your learning abilities, and believe in the saying that learning is fun. You may have a tendency to be a know-it-all.

MERCURY CONJUNCTION PLUTO  Orb 0°09′ Applying

You have a probing mind. You avoid social chit-chat preferring deep and meaningful conversations. You are able to research topics of interest.

JUPITER TRINE URANUS  Orb 0°04′ Separating

You have an enormous ability and energy to achieve your goals. You set out to make changes in society and can do much. You avoid restriction and may live an unconventional life, breaking new ground in ways of living.

MOON’S NORTH NODE IN GEMINI

This is a quest to learn to see life from other people’s point of view and to become adept in the art of communication. You have a tendency to be restless and scattered. You need to develop focus and the ability to communicate your ideas in a way that helps the many people in your life.

FYI: A Spanish translation of the original post (prior to the addendum and a couple additional comments in the body of the text) can be seen by clicking on this link.