Midpoints are an incredible tool for self-discovery and insight.

+ I now offer: Uranian/Symmetrical/Hamburg School/Cosmobiological readings.

The Hamburg School is known for its accurate prognoses. The Hamburg School's continuing emphasis on various techniques can probably be traced back to the fact that Witte himself was a technical surveyor. However, its approach also shows a deep spiritual connection. The horoscope is considered to be creative plan for each individual life which is understood as being one in a long cycle of incarnations. The Hamburg School's view is that astrology is a 'welcome orientation guide' on the way to perfection because it helps us get to know what our inner potential is.

Our astrology chart reflects our experience. Midpoints provide an even more detailed, nuanced view of our experiences. There are themes and patterns within each of us that are present throughout our entire lifetime. And at other times a distinct story or theme emerges as an event (outer experience) or an inner experience. At all times there are several themes, motifs, and processes unfolding simultaneously.

Some topics and patterns overlap and combine (a shared midpoint structure) which creates a wildly potent, very personalized motif. Sometimes a theme or event acts as a trigger for the literal or symbolic (exterior or interior) manifestation of an important matter, feeling, process, or time in your life. Through examining midpoints, planetary pictures, antiscia—and the myriad of timing techniques which accompany these methods—we can get a good sense of what is currently up for you, and how to work with it.

Midpoints conduct and guide energy. Like the apex of a T-square, they are focal or funnel points for planetary significations.

As symmetrical astrologers we work with direct and indirect midpoints, the latter some claim to be slightly less intense (I do not find this to be true when exact). Antiscia fall under this domain as they are simply midpoints around the four cardinal turning points (the equinoctial and solstitial axes). The cardinal points are sometimes just called the Aries Point—and are literally the sun's nodes. Actually, to be more precise, zero Aries is the ascending node of the sun while zero Libra marks the descending node, which puts the solstice points at 'the bendings' (or square) to the sun's nodes. [A topic that deserves deeper examination at another time.] The sun and its nodes are important because they are two of the six personal points we as Uranian astrologers are most concerned with. The moon and its nodes, the Ascendant, and the Midheaven are the other four. These are always thoughtfully examined in a reading.

There are also planetary pictures to analyze. (Midpoints are pictures as well.) A completed planetary picture is like a closed circuit statement, it speaks to major themes in a person's life. Planetary pictures are periodically triggered by transits or other timing methods, or across charts in synastry, and when this occurs it is often significant. There are also incomplete pictures (a.k.a. Parts or Lots) which seek a transit or other direction (or another person, i.e., synastry) to set off their significations. While transits and directions are fated (timing is predetermined), how we react, and with whom we relate, is within our control.

In the Uranian system we also sometimes employ the TNPs (TransNeptunian Planets) for nuanced delineation.
Read how Alfred Witte, the creator of the system, discovered them in this article.

Planetary Pictures or 'Lots' always create an isosceles trapezoid shape in the chart The midpoint at the center is a significant axis — Planetary Pictures or 'Lots' always create an isosceles trapezoid shape in the chart

the center of these midpoints is a significant axis

Those signs reflecting each other across the Solstices (Antiscia) and equinoxes (Contra-antiscia) these create midpoints focused on the cardinal axis ( = World expression) — signs that reflect one other across the Solstice (Antiscia) and equinox (Contra-antiscia)

to Create midpoints focused on the cardinal axis or “Aries POint”
( = World stage) expression in the world

I now offer symmetrical/midpoint readings as a focus for chart work (75-minute consultation available for $150). The aim for this consultation is to discern a number of primary themes in your life, and determine which factors and motifs are emerging now through midpoints, planetary pictures, antiscia, and several key timing techniques.

I look forward to working with you!

Not every day do we witness such an archetypally important and highly visible event. Friday (Venus day) April 29 2011, was one of those special days. With the wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton, much is being said by all -- and especially pondered and scrutinized by astrologers.

The first thing that stands out is Venus placed at the top of the chart or MC (Midheaven)! Venus symbolizes love, beauty, creativity, relationships and happiness, and placed at the MC makes her most visible. From this position, Venus also makes a superior trine to the Ascendant -- a most auspicious statement. Also note, Mercury is at the top of the chart and advancing (moving toward) the MC in the Ninth whole sign house (the house of religious and mystical matters, and the king). With Mercury highly prominent and visible, matters pertaining to communication, news, public opinion, and vows are pronounced. The midpoint of Mercury and Venus is in fact the MC. VE+ME = MC : beautiful appearances and sounds in public, thoughts and words of love, and a time (MC = moment or minute) of beauty, grace, merriment, artistry and music. Remember the bells?

The ascending sign Leo, another symbol of royalty, is ruled by a prominent Sun placed in the Tenth whole sign house. The Sun, ruler of the Ascendant, is therefore aspecting the ASC by a superior square, a powerful statement from a very public position. The Sun is not configured to either malefic by aspect, also a good omen. Though the rulers of the 1st and 7th (partnership) are not connected, the ruler of the 7th (Saturn) is well-placed both by sign (exaltation) and angular, on the IC, though in the 3rd whole sign house. This seems to be the best of both worlds - neither malefics are angular but the one that matters most, Saturn, ruling the marriage, is strongly placed at the IC.

An element of this wedding chart that makes many astrologers uneasy is a dark, waning moon (the new moon occurs on Monday, May 2). A waxing moon (a moon growing in light) is usually considered more desirable for the day of a wedding, as marriage is something we want to see grow and last and develop over time, and the building of light is considered a fruitful thing. One has to wonder what this dark moon will ultimately represent, could be the denial of fruits from the marriage, i.e. the couple will not have children. With the light obscured too, we may wonder if it will keep them out of the spotlight, a relationship more hidden or behind the scenes.

The moon is considered by many modern western astrologers to be Void-of-course. This means it has finished making aspects to other planets while it remains in the sign of Pisces, before it enters the next sign, Aries. A Void moon is thought to mean that a project, contract or decision initiated at this time is doomed to failure. However, the modern notion of a Void moon only seems applicable in Horary astrology. Traditionally, the moon is only Void when it does not make an aspect to any visible planets within 30 degrees! Also, William Lilly, a notable medieval astrologer, said the moon cannot be Void in the signs: Taurus or Cancer (it's exaltation and domicile), or Sagittarius and Pisces (signs of Jupiter). In this case, the moon is not only nullified from being Void by being placed in Pisces, but it is also applying to the conjunction of Venus, which will perfect at 11 degrees 32 minutes of Aries -- a sweet applying aspect from the moon indeed!

Let's examine this chart on the 90 degree dial, with the TNPs (TransNeptunians).

The first thing that pops out is Venus and Cupido sitting antiscia to one another on the cardinal axis (aka the world's stage). This is indicative of a harmonious marriage in its most simplistic, obvious expression. Venus/Cupido also represents artistic and musical associations, peaceful societies, and happiness among groups of people or in the family.

Because Cupido rules marriage let's examine its placement further...

The first thing we see is that Cupido sits directly across from the AS (Ascendant). Technically speaking, it is in precise sesquiquadrate from the AS at 0 deg 00 sec. A sesquiquadrate or half-square is indicative of things that happen out there, outside ourselves, or in our environment. The AS symbolizes location or surroundings and is what is on the horizon or rising at that exact moment. In terms of timing, the AS (and also the MC) is like the minute or secondhand of a clock. And if we consider it like we would in a nativity (a person's birth chart), it is the mask or persona, or the face, of this relationship as captured in this specific moment in time.

The closest completed planetary picture, which is a perfectly aligned symmetrical arrangement of planets and angles incredibly difficult to see with an unaided eye, is MC + Cupido - AS = MC. This means MC (the moment, soul, awareness) + Cupido (family, societies, associations, marriage, artistry) - AS (the place, relating to others in the surroundings) = MC (the moment, soul, awareness). And this occurs at 0 deg 0 min 01 sec. Now that is quite expressive of the time, isn't it?

Very interesting to note, the next twenty completed planetary pictures all include Cupido -- which to me is pretty astonishing!

The second picture is with the Moon -- symbolizing the female, the public; add Cupido/AS and you get a woman proceeding to marriage. The next is with Mercury, symbolizing conversation, news, music, or vows. Then follows the Node -- symbolizing connections, sometimes karmic or fated; with Cupido/AS, a family coming together for a marriage. Next is with Venus -- the female again, the bride. Then with the Sun, and then Mars -- both symbolizing the man, the father, the bridegroom. The Sun with Cupido/AS adds community and the day, and Mars brings in the action -- connections leading to marriage. The list goes on...

... So, per Uranian methods, utilizing some TNPs, this is a clear statement of a beautiful wedding day. Will the marriage be successful is another story. Consider the darkness of the Moon, and that by modern standards it is Void; and that the ruler of the First and Seventh houses are not connected (though they do share the same planetary lord: Venus). Either way it was a profoundly beautiful day -- and was captured in the exact midpoints and planetary pictures of the day.