employing the dark feminine? Miley Cyrus

Disclosure: I’m not a fan. I find Miley Cyrus’ expressions (antics) to be predictable. But she did sprout out of our crassly materialistic, oversexed, plastic gummy bear culture, so what can one expect. Something about it all though, particular elements, have really crept under my skin. So I’m turning to some charts to see about why— why the relentless pinging. ”. . . All she's doing, one way or another, is using her body to get herself attention. It could all use a bit less flash (and a lot less flesh) and a lot more substance.”


Cyrus was born with the Sun in Sagittarius, the sign of the centaur - half man and half animal, shortly before sunset, making hers a diurnal chart. The more positive and productive planets for her are ideally those of the day sect: Jupiter and Saturn. And those which ought to present her with more difficulty are planets of the night sect: Venus and Mars. With the Sun in a fire sign we know immediately it has strength, due to it being in its own triplicity. The trigon or triplicity lords for fire are Sun and Jupiter, Saturn is a participating ruler. With fire we know that a measure of success and honors is important to the person (Su/Ju). The Sun is also in the Egyptian bounds (a.k.a. 'terms') of Jupiter, as is Venus and Saturn. When posited in the bounds of a benefic such as Jupiter, the ancients believed it 'magnified the fortune of the native.' Moon, Mercury, and Mars are posited in the bounds of Saturn. 

The north node of the moon, Rahu, is configured by sign with the Sun. Rahu is a notoriously individualistic and eccentric creature in Indian astrology. It is the head of the dragon [or serpent]. Its tail, the south node of the moon, is Ketu. These are the lunar eclipse points, also known as ‘shadowy grahas’ (graha means grasp or seize - and graha is another name for planet). All of this makes the nodes pretty different from the modern psychological /western/ approach to astrology—where the north node is where you are headed and is most certainly good for you—in India, Rahu is known more for its dark side, having an insatiable, exaggerative, hypnotic, and illusory quality. Beyond this wide configuration with the Sun, however, the nodes are not conjunct or square (at the bendings) to anything else in the chart, so we'll move on.

The dark Moon is in the murky waters of Scorpio, the sign of its fall: opposite its exaltation. But this Moon is not at all close to its maximum fall at 3 degrees—unless you perceive the chart through the sidereal zodiac, and one could make a compelling case for doing so, as the ancients would have most definitely noted the Moon and planet positions in the night sky. The Moon’s sidereal position is 3 degrees. The Lot of Fortune resides at 23 Taurus at the Ascendant, as she was born during a very dark waning moon. (The Lots will always be close to the Ascendant in very dark and new moon births—and they will join the Descendant (7th house cusp) at full moon births.)

Mars, known as "Nergal" to the Babylonians, is the planet rising first, leading the way. Mars unrestrained and on its own can be a bit too fierce or aggressive, especially in a daytime chart as it is here. For time immemorial Mars has been associated with war, destruction, fevers, the plague, and so on. It's also how we direct our will and shows what we have passion for, and sometimes (especially per a Uranian perspective) it is reflective of our work. Mars is in Cancer here, a sign ruled by the Moon, and so is associated with the body, feelings, family, nourishment, and shifting tides (it changes). Cancer is the sign of Mars' fall. And here it is positioned at its maximum fall.

Theo Wargo/WireImage

Theo Wargo/WireImage

With the Moon in Scorpio (and Mars in Cancer) the two are making a nifty exchange: seeing one another from the other's domicile. This is a reception, usually a helpful connection, though with both planets in their fall (and contrary to sect) their benefit to each other is altered. As Tom Callanan notes on Skyscript: it is "like two drunks helping each other home." As it's a trine aspect, it flows easily, unimpeded, a maximum assist. And Mars, at its worst with the Moon, can be a degradation of the body or feminine form, or dis-ease for the body generally—or just a load of anger. Consider her ease of expression with regards to raunchy tongue poses and twerking.


One thing I always take note of when examining a chart is where the Moon has been and where it is headed—the separating and applying aspects. In this case we see the Moon has separated from a conjunction with Pluto, as well as a square from Chiron; traditionally we would not consider the aspects with Pluto and Chiron, as they are transpersonal bodies and invisible to the naked eye, but these points of contact are most definitely evocative . . . themes of the Underworld and Wounding . . . from a traditional standpoint we’d note that the Moon is visibly separating in a square aspect from Saturn. And its next visible application is to Mercury. Firmicus Maternus, a 4th century astrologer, writes about the Moon's translation of light from Saturn to Mercury:

"But if the Moon had little light, then either it impedes the sound of the voice or deafens the ears. But it also debilitates the bodies of those who have it thus with wretched weariness; it makes persons suffering from melancholy, jaundiced, splenetic [bad-tempered; spiteful], consumptives [wasting], those suffering from dropsy, [or] lung disease..."

Okay, a wee bit harsh. He goes on, but I think you get the picture. 

 
Saturn has a few faces in astrology. It is the father, sometimes the king or ruler, or a worker of the land, or the people. At other times, it is a dark figure or criminal. Most often it is associated with older men, gives a serious approach, and is connected with the ripening of karma (or fate). It can also be indicative of illness, or makes bodies slender and with angular features. At its most noble it is a significator of great wisdom, self-discipline, sobriety, and surrender: a silent sage. The Moon Saturn aspect in this chart is a bigger deal than at first it may appear. The Moon is tenth from Saturn here, in the Indian tradition, the third, seventh, and tenth signs from Saturn are where it makes its especially potent aspects. This Moon (manas, mind) is most certainly influenced by Saturn.

Another biggie on my list: look for planetary stations. And voila, Mercury! - and Mars. 

Cyrus has a heliacal rise Mercury. It is about to station direct—within a week of her birth to be exact (what we call phasis)—a strengthening factor. And this happens to show up with some frequency in the charts of those special souls who have something to communicate to the world—whether vocally, or technologically (see the charts of Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, and many other highly successful tech people). Or Mercury has something to SELL. It is the great "merkerter" after all. Here it’s in the sign of the Scorpion, a water sign where Venus and Mars rule by triplicity (highlighting passions, love and strife), and it’s retrograding back to a conjunction with Pluto. It has a fierce bite.  

SUN CULMINATION CHART:
Mercury connects to MarS
note: Moon Pluto and Saturn on the Ascendant!

Speaking of fierce, the other planet close to its station, Mars, turned direct about five days before her birth (also a phasis). Essentially what this means is the two planets—which also happen to be in closest aspect in her chart (another on the A-list in my sequence of delineation)—are standing pretty much still in their fervent watery trinal embrace. And it is on this day that their kiss—or excessively sexualized message (Mercury), as Sinead O'Connor warns—perfects. This perfection occurs at about noon, when the sun culminates. (Which, in fact, is another way to look at a chart without a known birth time: use the chart for the culminating sun on the day in question.)
 

A key to understanding all the passionate fusion, creativity, love/hate, and muse-seeking sides to water, as mentioned above, is through the element's two primary trigon lords: Venus and Mars - Moon is a participating ruler. In Cyrus' chart we see all of her nocturnal planets (Venus, Mars, Moon) in the yin/feminine signs (earth/water) and all of her day sect planets (Sun, Jupiter, Saturn) in their own triplicity (fire/air). This adds strength to the chart and gives her a kind of comfort in her skin.
 

winter solstice 2013
Venus stationing retrograde

Her Venus is posited in the traditionally lusty sign, Capricorn—and I'm willing to make a very predictable prediction: there will be more Cyrus controversy in the news in the coming months. Venus begins her infrequent retrograde cycle soon, stationing Rx on the solstice, December 21st @ 28'58 Capricorn, and turns direct on January 31st @ 13'33 Capricorn. This is one degree from Cyrus' Venus. 

Her Venus is also configured with Uranus—a defiant oddball at worst, and at best: a refined, striking, original beauty, with much grace (think of Elizabeth Taylor). However Taylor, unlike Cyrus, had Venus in Aries contra-antiscion her Pisces Sun and dispositing to her Pisces Mars. Pisces is the exaltation sign of Venus, so for Taylor it elevated its position in Aries, though it was still in detriment (and in the sign of Mars, so associated with cutting and separations), so not without difficulty, as was visible in her relationships. Cyrus on the other hand has Venus dispositing to Saturn in Aquarius where Saturn has strength. But its offering to Venus is indirect and without reception. Nor is there an aspect between them. To me it feels quite patriarchal—like the old man pulling the lipstick and powder puff strings from behind the curtain, calculated and measured, it feels stiff and mechanized.

Venus is also configured with Jupiter in a square aspect. This dominating square from Jupiter in Libra to Venus in Capricorn, the sign of Jupiter's fall, may speak to an abundant commercial explosion, not necessarily in good taste. Materialistic excess via ‘the business of sex and beauty.' Though Venus does benefit in the exchange, and controls the outcome for Jupiter. Saturn, too, ruler of the ninth and tenth houses of travel and profession, is greatly helped receiving this blessing-rich trine from the great benefic (Ju) posited in the sign of the reaper's (Sa) exaltation: Libra.

Of special note: the planetary periods for Venus and Jupiter have also been activated this year while Cyrus is 20 years old: Venus = 8 years and Jupiter = 12 years (8+12=20). This activation is even more potent as the planets are in aspect AND Venus rules the Ascendant. She is this business-y, yet otherworldly (Uranus Neptune) Venus.

Saturn is, however, arguably the strongest and most beneficial planet for this chart. Ruling the ninth and tenth houses gives it royal status, greatly strengthening it, and putting her in touch with people at the top. Note it’s the most elevated planet and is also literally advancing on the Midheaven (the culmination point in the chart). And Jupiter’s special aspect, the trine, gives it unbeatable support. The karma for her early success was predestined: as she was born to enter a planetary period of Saturn very young (see the Vimshottari dasa), and this spanned the first 18 to 20 years of her life (depending on which ayanamsa you work with). Timing is everything.


Sun in Sagittarius in contra-antiscion to Mars in Cancer

Pluto in a distant (under 2 degree) antiscion to Midheaven

A SYMMETRICAL FEATURE

Contra-antiscia:  Sun Mars

Her latest work:  Wrecking Ball  

Previous work:  We Can't Stop

Sun|Mars from Ebertin's
The Combination of Stellar Influences : 
the will
activity
ambition
determination
courage to fight
the power of attainment
the desire to be in the limelight
inclination to quarrel
hastiness
soldier..

 


Chart with twelfth-parts is quite illuminating! Look where the twelfth-parts of Venus and Mars' fall:


For those interested in the twelfth-parts (dodecatemoria) - See the Venus Mars positions right at the Ascendant(!) in Mars' bounds. This reiterates an animalistic, lusty nature; sexuality up front and center; and not necessarily great for health, or for the wellness those things signified by Venus (love, relating, aesthetics). And see Jupiter's position @ its fall with natal Venus, again: the "bu$iness of beauty."

Free software: Morinus

personal points on the cardinal axis : Abe Lincoln

Abe 

I will use President Abraham Lincoln as an example to illuminate the power of Personal Points on the cardinal axis. But first a quick description of the personal points and the cardinal axis.

In Uranian Astrology (aka Symmetrical Astrology) personal points are a big deal. The six personal points are the Sun, Moon, the moon's Node[s], Midheaven (MC), Ascendant (AS), and Aries Point (meaning, zero degrees of any cardinal sign: Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn).  

Through the personal points we connect to things. Through the Sun we connect via our will, purpose, body. Through the Moon we connect through our feelings, emotions, and perception. The Ascendant connects us to our locale, our immediate environment, and the people in our environment. Through the MC we find our sense of "I" or "My," our soul connectedness; it is the place within, and a place we see the world from; and in a way I like to think of the MC as connecting us to spirit. The Nodes are all about connections or unions by themselves, showing us how and with whom we'll connect. And finally the Aries Point, which is both the cardinal axis and the intersection of two great circles (Ecliptic and Equator), is the way in which everyone and everything connects in and to the world. The Aries Point is the personal point we all share.

My teacher Gary Christen would say a person who has personal points on the cardinal axis will be very visible and known in the world. Though having personal points connected to the axis is not a requirement of visibility, you do find it shows up frequently, and is always descriptive of the way one connects to the world. In a minute you will see that President Lincoln serves as a great example of this.

What does it mean (technically) to have personal points on the cardinal axis? When we say a person has points on the axis we're not limiting this to their having planets or angles at precisely 0 degrees of the cardinal signs (or 29 mutable), though that works too. We're interested in whether they have personal points engaged and reflected around the axis as well. This is called antiscia: when points fall on either side of a 0 degree cardinal point in perfect symmetry

Note: Zero degrees Cancer/Capricorn are Solstice Points - zero Aries/Libra = [Equinox] Equinoctial points

And Antiscia, sometimes referred to as Solstice Points, have been used for a very long time. Hellenistic authors refer to them not infrequently. 


As an example, in the chart for today, we see that Mars resides at less than 1 degree Cancer. This means that Mars sits directly on the cardinal axis. 

 

 

 

And in another recent example, the chart for the Summer Solstice, June 21, 2011, we can see several points are in antiscia to one another on the cardinal axis.

 


Here we find Node Pluto in anitscia, and also Jupiter Ascendant (Note: AS is only relevant in the immediate locale - here in Seattle. Lucky us.) Node Pluto would be indicative of transformative and powerful connections, changing connections, possibly concealed or subversive connections, and likely some big developments and/or power struggles. 
 


Back to Abe. 

Let's first look at his chart on the classic pie wheel.

If the birth time we have for Lincoln is correct, we notice right away the powerfully angular Sun in Aquarius rising, and the Moon above the ascendant in Capricorn in the twelfth house. I find Saturn at the top of the chart (with Neptune) a very interesting feature, as it resides in the famous Gauquelin sector. Isn't Saturn so very appropriate for Lincoln? From his stature, to issues with melancholy, his reflective nature, social commitment, and responsibilities... And both the Sun and Moon of course disposit to that Saturn. I find it also quite fascinating that all five of the innermost planets, Sun through Mars, are in detriment (opposite the signs they rule). Just one planet, Jupiter, is in its own domicile (Pisces). 

Now let's look at the chart on the 360 degree dial. 

Look at those personal points! 

At first glance we see 4 of the 5 personal points sitting in reflection on the axis. The Sun lies antiscia to the Node, general connections in the public, to reach out and make contact, meetings with others. The Moon is antiscia to Saturn, connecting with laboring and suppressed people, work with the public (Moon), a public administrator; also feeling inhibited, somber, or lonely; and since it is the Moon this can also describe the woman he relates to (think of his wife and some of her difficulties). And- Ascendant to Node, connections with many in one's environment, many acquaintances, even a kind of 'group identity.'

We can also see that he has a powerful Venus Jupiter contra-antiscia. Lincoln literally saved the Union. 

Upon even closer examination- if you see where the tiny black dot is by the MC, the fifth and final point, the Midheaven, is actually pulled onto the axis at 22.5 degrees. 

This is easier to see on the 90 degree wheel:

If this birth time is indeed accurate, both the Ascendant and Midheaven stand on the axis, meaning President Lincoln has every single personal point on the cardinal axis.

We can most definitely say he is a man known in the world.

In concluding this post, I find it somewhat interesting that his Node is due to his Sun by solar arc . . .

Is he connecting with the world again?   ;-) 


The chart (the moment) (the person) (the connection) lives on . . .

Be well. 

The Moon passes through the Water Bearer's Urn

The Moon may be in the zodiacal sign of Pisces today, but she is passing through the constellation of Aquarius. The Babylonians referred to this constellation as the Seat of the Flowing Water. Yesterday the Moon passed over the star Ancha —a drop of water falling from the urn. And today she passes near Situla —the first star in the flow of water at the edge of the urn

These waters are symbolic of the cycle of creation, both in its life-promoting forms and floods and in the storms that take life away.