A Similar Maleficence : Fred West

/

Preamble: I do not believe the planets, stars, or signs cause people to do horrific things. We cannot blame our chart for our problems. It is up to each one of us to decide how we will express and direct our energy and impulses. I believe there is a higher and lower expression to everything. The symbols do speak to and show where there may be difficulty - but it is often these very same influences that compel people to do the most interesting work.

Dahmer reverberates - 
Another horrible story.  

When I searched my database for another 'contrary to sect' Mars in Aries in the whole sign seventh house, I didn't come up with much - an athlete, an actor, a few others, sure...  However I was totally creeped out when I found an equally (to Dahmer) disturbing character, Fred West. He has not only the same basic signature (Mars Aries 7H) as Dahmer, but other shared degrees and sign placements. 

West, along with his wife, Rosemary, was a serial killer, rapist, zoophiliac, torturer, pedophile, incestual father, and all around general criminal. He likely suffered a brain injury in his teens (Aries rules the head, the battering ram, and is in opposition to his Sun in the whole sign first house of the body) - though this hardly explains the atrocities he committed as many suffer mild to extreme brain trauma and do not harm others.
 

Creepy, even as a child.

Creepy, even as a child.

The birth time on this chart is 'B' rated (from a biography), so there is a possibility it is not correct. I found it too curious however to see such sign similarities to Dahmer to not share.

In addition to the powerful out of sect malefic Mars in the seventh (Mars is generally less good for people who are born during the day), we see the signs: Taurus, Gemini, Virgo and Capricorn inhabited again, as was the case with Dahmer. Shockingly, if the time is indeed correct (though it's quite likely rounded off), they share the same zodiacal degree rising - the degree of the Sun at its maximum fall:  19+ Libra. 

Like Dahmer all the so-called (in ancient texts) "licentious, wanton, lecherous, and filthy sexed" signs are covered here. Capricorn again at the bottom of the chart, a house pertaining to death and burying the relatives under the family home (in very ancient times this was not a corrupt thing, but a place of burial for the ancestors) - and is exactly what he and his second wife maliciously did. Capricorn is inhabited by the Moon (its sign of detriment). The Moon (family, feelings, body, mother, the irrational) dominates Mars by square aspect - again, like Dahmer, Mars receives an aspect from a planet in Mars' sign of exaltation and seems to be empowered for the worse. And the Moon is in a superior trine to Saturn, the other malefic. Saturn (the almuten) an alternate ruler of the Ascendant is in Taurus (the Moon's exaltation) and sees the Moon occupying his own sign (Capricorn) while placed in the whole sign eighth house, another house of death. This is, once again, a lot of seeing and receiving between the three houses of death (4, 7, 8). See a previous post if you are scratching your head as to why these three houses pertain to death.  

Mercury and Venus are in Scorpio (a sign of detriment for Venus) and disposit to Mars. Mars is in fact the final or 'sole dispositor' of the chart. I find when a malefic is the sole dispositor [especially if it is the malefic of the sect not in favor = Mars, when the native is born during the day, and Saturn, if the person is born at night] that it can be quite problematic for a person, and extra care and conscientiousness must be worked on. 

And what about that grand trine in earth?  =  Moon  Saturn  Neptune 
Grand trines humorously garner a lot of attention for being a good thing - but it is entirely dependent on a) the planets involved, and b) the person's consciousness.
Reinhold Ebertin in The Combination of Stellar Influences has things (on the darker side) like this to say:

The sickness of the soul.. the inability to mature or develop emotionally.. a low character.. pessimism.. pathological states of depression..

 

Inner wheel: West
Outer wheel: Dahmer

One chilling point in the chart that compelled me to post is Rahu, the north node of the Moon and head of the dragon, it resides at 21+ Virgo the exact degree of Dahmer's north node in the twelfth house - a traditional house of imprisonment and self-undoing.  

If anyone has insights about this particular degree of Virgo, or other observations, please leave a comment. 

 

Curious Maleficence : Dahmer

/

Essential dignity is important. Yet I think it is easily misunderstood, overemphasized, or used willy-nilly without considering a lot of other factors. Assessing dignity [like most things in astrology] is complex. Some people will make a really big deal about a dignified planet, but dignity does not simply make a planet good. Dignity is also strongly altered by planetary aspects and receptions. 

In a very dark example, likely the darkest expression of the day, we see a so-called 'dignified' (in its own sign) yet 'contrary to sect' malefic, Mars, configured with the Moon in the place of the setting sun (7th house). Mercury, Venus, and Saturn as well are all in their own domicile (sign), and therefore have essential dignity.

 

 

Some technical gymnastics:

The Ascendant in Dahmer's chart rises in Libra at the degree of the Sun's deepest debility. The Sun is most exalted at 19 degrees Aries and is at its maximum fall at 19 Libra. I think this is an immediately important factor since it is a daytime chart (the Sun is above the horizon and so is the luminary of the sect in favor). The ruler of the Ascendant is Venus (the benefic of the sect not in favor - it prefers the night). It has 'power' in its own sign, Taurus, so it is good at getting what it wants, even if this is not particularly good for the native. It is in the 8th whole sign house, so it does not see the Ascendant. The 8th house is the traditional house of death. Venus is also rising before the Sun, and so is a morning star Venus, showing her more assertive and warrior-like face. Venus connects to Rahu, the head of the dragon (north node of the Moon), by a close trine aspect, but it is the sign of Venus' fall (Virgo) in the 12th house. The exaltation ruler (and almuten) of the Ascendant is Saturn in Capricorn (its own sign) in the whole sign 4th, giving a strong connection to and esteem for the parents and tradition. Also think of the 4th as pertaining to things buried, or deep under the earth. Saturn is, however, in a tight square aspect to the Ascendant, so we see potential for stress and blockage here. Houses 4, 7, 8 all pertain to death; in the 4th we return to the place from which we came, 7th is the setting place, and 8th is the experience of death, often not our own but the experience of death and upheaval around us (sometimes called a place of transformation). Also of note here, as all these places are highlighted, houses 4, 8, 12 according to the 13th century astrologer, Guido Bonatti, were thought to be houses of varying kinds of imprisonment.  

The Moon, luminary of the night sect (not the sect in favor), is waning and is right on the horizon, setting at the time of his birth. The Moon is configured in the whole sign 7th (traditional house of death = setting Sun) with the contrary to sect malefic, Mars, which is in its own sign Aries (making it strong, though potentially reckless). Moon (pertaining to body, nourishment, feelings, and the irrational) receives a dominating square from both Jupiter - which is debilitated in the sign of its fall, Capricorn, and is also the sign of the Moon's detriment - and Saturn, strong in Capricorn, but seeing the Moon in the sign of its own fall, Aries (which it does not care for). Mars receives these squares as well, and since Capricorn is the sign of Mars' exaltation, it is strengthened further (and apparently not for the better). Remember, strong does not equal good. Saturn sees Mars in this square and being the sign of its fall is not especially pleased. Mars is also the lord of the 7th house of partners and open enemies.

Mars severs, it is related to cutting and knives, it separates . . . 

Mars is also antiscia the moon's Node - a point symbolizing connections. Mars|Node can be work connections, physical, sexual, or athletic connections, connecting with men, or collaborative or quarreling connections. Mars can also sever or cut connections (Yikes!- when considered literally). Antiscia, being symmetry around the cardinal axis or Aries Point, is indicative of how we connect to the world. Dahmer connected via Mars|Node. Of course, a general Mars|Node connection means a lot of different things as noted, dependent on varied context and circumstance.

The Sun, the luminary for the day, is configured with Mercury, the lord of 9 and 12 and in the curious, dual sign Gemini. Mercury is a youthful and somewhat androgynous character, one that moves between worlds (the underworld and the earthly world). The primary trigon lord for Air signs in a day chart is Saturn, so both Sun and Mercury are tied strongly to Saturn at the bottom of the chart.
 

Chart set up from the Lot of Fortune. 
(Vettius Valens, a 2nd century astrologer, instructs us to use the Lot of Fortune as an alternate Ascendant.)


I read the chart from Fortune with whole sign houses, meaning: 0-30 Virgo is the 1st house, 0-30 Libra is the 2nd house, and so on. 


Pluto, lord of the underworld, rises with the north node, Rahu - the insatiable, hypnotic and deceptive head of the dragon. Neptune in 3rd - confusion and deceit in communication. Jupiter in its fall with Saturn in 5th - morally problematic pleasures and recreation; Venus' joy distorted. Chiron and Ketu, the tail of the dragon, indicative of loss, illusion, and wounding in the place of the other -the 7th. Moon and Mars - body and cutting and upheaval in 8th. Venus 'strong' in Taurus (strong for what? pursuing one's bodily desires? pursuing 'matter') and in the 9th, the traditional house of god and spiritual concerns; Dahmer's life was devoted to matters of the flesh. Of note here, Venus receives superior trines from both Jupiter (in its fall) and Saturn, in Capricorn; Capricorn is a notoriously lusty placement for Venus, and so due to the unimpeded flow (trine) it is highly affected by this influence. Sun Mercury in whole sign 10th - public image - Mercury in its own sign is receiving its only strong aspect from Mars, a superior sextile from the malefic contrary to sect. Mercury Mars is adept at handling tools, dissecting for instance [in his case, curiosity gone horridly awry]. Two faces, two places. Uranus in 12th - strange secrets. 

A brief interview with Dahmer. 

His father's perspective. 

This is of course a horrific example of a person with a serious mental illness. Astrology does not show that he is mentally ill, and it does not show that he would harm or kill people. It does show issues with emotions, parents, and others, but astrology does not say what a person will do or how conscious, conscientious, or aware they are. 

To recap, it seems clear that essential dignity does not make a planet good, it may make a planet good at getting what it wants, but this might not be good for others or for the person himself. Dignity does seem to strengthen a planet, but again that can be for better or worse. (Frida Kahlo for instance had an exalted Mars in the 6th (health, disease, accidents) and it was in partile opposition to her Sun in Cancer (the sign of Mars' fall) - it seems probable this powerful planet did more harm to her than it did good.)

One must look at the whole chart. Aspects relaying dignity or debility (called receiving and reception) seem to alter and affect things immensely, as does the way in which one chooses to direct and work with the energy. 

 

ALGOL : Ardor or Fury

/

Medusa by ​Arnold Böcklin, circa 1878

​

Much about sex and brutality has come to light and been in the news the past week. At the same time the star Algol is being activated repeatedly. Algol (also known as Medusa) is located in the constellation of Perseus. Algol is the Gorgon's decapitated head which Perseus, the son of Zeus, holds in his hand. You will find many clues to Algol's meaning in the stories surrounding Medusa, her rape by Poseidon, and betrayal and outcasting by Athena. One brief synopsis of the story is here - and a good compilation of others, here. 

"Al Ghūl literally signifies a Mischief-maker, and the name still appears in the Ghoul of the 'Arabian Nights' and of our day." —Richard Hinckley Allen

Algol is known by other names too. According to Bernadette Brady in her book 'Star and Planet Combinations,' Rā's al Ghūl, a name given by the Arabs, means "the Head of the Demon, and they considered this demon to be the wife of the Devil." Tseih She, is the name given by the Chinese, meaning "Piled-up Corpses." In the book 'Star Names; Their Lore and Meaning,' Richard Hinckley Allen writes: "The Hebrews knew Algol as Rōsh ha Sātān, Satan's Head, Chilmead's Rosch hassatan, the Divels head, but also as Līlīth, Adam's legendary first wife, the nocturnal vampyre from the lower world that reappeared in the demonology of the Middle Ages as the witch Lilis, one fo the characters in Goethe's Walpurgis Nàcht."  Returning to this association as the first wife of Adam, Lilith, who left him "because she refused to be submissive to his needs," Brady writes:

"Algol came to embody everything that men feared in the feminine. She is not the mother face of the goddess but rather the passionate lover or the whore... This star contains immense female passion and power, or the potential power of Mother Nature, strong but not evil."

Whether as the Head of Medusa, Caput Gorgonis, Lilith, or another name, Algol may be perceived as the face of the outraged feminine. In Algol we may find the power and potential for intense creativity and passion, or else destructive anger and rage. Obviously relevant for women, it is equally if not more so for men. This week, collective focus on Algol makes it relevant for everyone. 

[Interesting side note: both Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali had Algol conjunct planets in potent parts of their nativities. The "Queen of Jazz," Ella Fitzgerald, has Mercury conjunct Algol. Henry Miller's north node rests there, as does Oscar Wilde's; Mick Jagger's Moon. Another dimension: Rodney King was awarded nearly 4 million dollars after being savagely beaten by Los Angeles police officers; he has Jupiter conjunct Algol.]

Details in the dates:
Algol was activated at the New Moon solar eclipse on Thursday, May 9th. Occurring at 19'31 Taurus, a sign ruled by Venus, this eclipse was not conjunct Algol by "projected" ecliptic degree, but instead the Sun and Moon culminated in paran with Algol that day. A powerful statement. 


Backing up, Venus made her yearly reappearance as an evening star earlier in the week, while passing through Algol's projected ecliptic degree: 26/27 Taurus. Venus reemerged from her sojourn in the underworld (moving out from her sacrificial time behind the sun) and at the same time was transiting Algol; this is in my opinion a rare and therefore significant occurrence and omen.

Venus : Algol : Amanda Berry  

We find this potent point on the ecliptic (25/26/27 degrees Taurus) activated in the birth chart of a key figure, escapee Amanda Berry, who has her natal Venus in the exact same degrees of Taurus. Amanda Berry reemerged quite literally from the underworld at the same time as transiting Venus did in our evening sky. And Venus in her chart is doubly or triply important because it is the lord of both lights (the Sun and Moon).

Amanda Berry's birth chart -->
[exact time unknown]
 

 


There are other stories in the news that mirror the energies with great relevance, one being the horrific truth about military sexual assault. This story also broke around the same time as Berry's escape. And this week on PBS, on Monday May 13th, a program called The Invisible War premiered at the time Mercury the planet of broadcasting and communication came to Algol by ecliptic degree.


Why the sacrifice - why such horror? What next? 


I assume there is more to come, more will be brought into the light. The planet Mars is going to transit the degree of the solar eclipse on Thursday, May 16th. We may see publicized some corrective action. Or we may learn of more violent events relating to themes talked about here. It is quite interesting to note, and no accident of course, that the Sun (the light) will be at the ecliptic degree of Algol: 26/27 Taurus, at the time of Mars' transit. 


 
Recap: 

May 6/7 : Venus comes to Algol while making her appearance as an evening star
May 9 : Solar eclipse in Taurus, Sun/Moon culminate with Algol by paran
May 13 : Mercury comes to Algol (by ecliptic degree) - premiere of The Invisible War
May 16 : Mars transits degree of the eclipse, while the Sun comes to Algol (ecliptic degree)
Addendum: May 16 - Introduction of the "Military Justice Improvement Act" 
May 24/25/26 : Mars comes to Algol (by ecliptic degree) 
 

Be well. Channel your Al Ghūlian energies wisely.  

 

 

Friday Lecture

/


If you are in the Seattle area this weekend, I am giving a talk at the Northwest Astrological Conference - NORWAC - on Friday, May 24th @ 4:15pm.  

"Applying The Power of Antiscia" 

An audio / visual presentation by Kate Petty 

An audio / visual presentation by Kate Petty 

 
Kent Bye interviews Kate Petty at the Northwest Astrological Conference:

Listen to Kate Petty on Antiscia, Annual Profections & Solar Return Chart by Esoteric Voices | Explore the largest community of artists, bands, podcasters and creators of music & audio.

K U R T

/

Today it has been nineteen years since Kurt Cobain's death. To commemorate him, his life's work, his bittersweet poetic and musical contribution to the world (which I personally think was of tremendous importance), I will delineate a few elements of his natal chart that I believe speak a great deal to his style and character and maybe also to his destiny.  

As you probably already know, much about astrology is finding recurring or reiterating themes (i.e. confluence). Usually one does not make a judgement or assessment about a chart based on a single factor alone. This is especially true when examining a natal chart (a person's birth chart). When an astrologer sees repeating or similar factors emerging from different aspects of the chart, they can be near to certain that the expression of those themes will be present and active in the native's life. With Kurt Cobain we see this.
 


First, some basics. You can see in his chart the Sun is under the horizon in the sign of Pisces, Venus' exaltation. He was born after sunset. The rising sign is Virgo, and in the hour and minutes of Cobain's birth the long-standing conjunction of Uranus and Pluto were rising right on the horizon at his Ascendant. His character was greatly defined by these two radical outer planets.

Mercury is the lord of, and is exalted at, the Ascendant and is another major definer of character. It is in Pisces, which is the sign of its fall, and it sees the Ascendant from the seventh place. A planet in its fall frequently must do things outside the box -- in some way outside what society deems is acceptable or normal or appropriate. This somewhat androgynous Mercury, guiding souls to and from the underworld, is a powerfully descriptive planet for him. In earlier times, when we would not have had Uranus and Pluto to help us see immediately the revolutionary or rebellious qualities inherent in his chart, we would associate much of these things to Mercury in Pisces (along with the position and aspect of Saturn, more on that in a minute). 

Cobain's powerful Moon in Cancer (the Moon rules Cancer) is positioned in the eleventh sign from the Ascendant, the place of friends, gain, and Good Spirit. The Moon is the sect light (the 'luminary of the sect in favor' - due to it being a night chart) and is of supreme importance. It is configured with Jupiter which is also in Cancer (Jupiter is in its exaltation). Jupiter is a great benefic and can bring great success, and Jupiter is positioned here in its own house of Joy strengthening the association. There can however be a tendency toward indulgence and extravagance with Jupiter and that possibility is increased here due to its being a night chart. Because Jupiter is a planet belonging to the day sect, and is therefore out of sect in this chart, its potential for boundlessness, knowing no limits, is increased. This can be good and bad, and in Cobain's case I believe we see both. The good and bad is reiterated again by aspects the Moon and Jupiter receive: superior trines from both Venus, the benefic that is of the sect in favor (for a night birth), also in its sign of exaltation, and Saturn, the most difficult malefic being out of sect at night. Venus Saturn being dark art, torment and love. (As an aside, you see the Moon configured with Jupiter in Whitney Houston's chart too, though in the second sign from the Ascendant; Saturn also is in a superior aspect. She too was a night birth. I'm not implying that you will always see problems associated like the ones shared by these two artists, but wanted to mention this similarity in expression.)

Returning to Pisces, the seventh sign from the Ascendant -- classically a place of marriage, enemies, the later part of life, and death -- we see the Sun configured with Mercury, Venus, and Saturn. Saturn being contrary to sect is a very important player here, it colors Cobain's character in a very strong and distinct way -- a way of decay, darkness, and heaviness, like lead. (Another aside, these are a lot of planets dispositing to a very dignified (by sign and place) benefic, Jupiter. We see something similar in Jimi Hendrix's chart: the Sun, Mercury, and Venus all in Sagittarius disposing to Jupiter also exalted in Cancer and configured with the Moon.)
*See charts for both Houston and Hendrix at bottom of article. 

Next we note Cobain's Mars, the "better" of the hard-working malefics, is dignified in its own sign Scorpio, which favors meaningful conflict and struggle and a preference for experiences that are passionate and devotional. This is the third sign from the Ascendant, one might say a place of oracles, and as it's Mars (in Scorpio) its expression is intense. Configured here with Mars is the south node of the Moon (a.k.a. Ketu, a mystical, otherworldly figure) and Neptune. This leads us to an importantly precise grand trine between Neptune, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn. Flowing, and again, knowing no bounds, for better and worse . . . inspiration, devotion, manifestation of melancholic beauty, fantasy, slipping into escape, overwhelm . . . a dream that's gotten out of control.

The Lot of Fortune (an alternate Ascendant) is in Taurus and its ruler Venus is located in the eleventh sign from fortune, a place of acquisition. Again: the place of friends, gains, and Good Spirit, a place associated with Jupiter; a theme is reiterated. 

Much of what we associate with Neptune was originally expressed through Jupiter and Saturn. Something to think about....

 

MUSIC +
POETRY

Cobain was born just a couple of days before both Mercury and Neptune stationed retrograde. Because stations occur over time, meaning the planet from our perspective doesn't just stop on the day of its station, but slows down and stalls out, literally standing still for days at a time, any planetary station which occurs within a week of one's birthday (on either side of the date) is of huge importance. 

Indian astrologers hold the opinion that retrograde planets are actually at their strongest -- this usually differs from traditional or modern Western thought. 

Mercury, along with Venus, is very much associated with music and musicians.
Neptune, the imagination. 

 

SYMMETRY

 

Being the huge nerd that I am, I also love to examine declination +and+ antiscia.

With Cobain we see parallel conjunctions of Mercury, Venus, and Saturn. We already know that the planets are conjunct by zodiacal degree (longitude), but by declination (sharing the same latitude) they are even more closely aligned. This further strengthens their conjunction and because they all rest near the celestial equator (by 2.5 degrees of Southern declination), they are very much tied to the earthly plane.

Note too that the Moon is way Out Of Bounds. Another signature for a bit of a radical character and unrestrained energy; and ruling the eleventh, extremes apply to fortune and friends, and, as astrologer Austin Coppock points out, fans.

 

ANTISCIA?
 

Planets and angles connected by antiscia (symmetry around the zero degree cardinal points) have been recognized as important and potent for at least two thousand years.

A more modern perspective sees connections across the axis as illuminating 1) that a person will connect to the world, and 2) how that person will connect with the world (whether it be intentional or not).

With Cobain we see a strong connection between the powerful and dignified luminary of sect the Moon and his Midheaven. The Moon is emotion, it rules the public, also women and the feminine. And this ties the lord of the eleventh (again), the place of Good Spirit, fortune, and friends, to the MC (Midheaven) - the point of profession, one's mission or path, and culmination in the life, and for Uranian astrologers: the soul. In fact, in Reinhold Ebertin's classic book, The Combination of Stellar Influences, the principle delineation given for Moon|MC is =

"One's own soul." 

 

To me, Kurt Cobain expressed, exposed, and shared with us his soul. He certainly touched other souls. Like the Moon, his work and nature was not, or seemed not to be, rational. And his music, his lyrics, prose and poems, uncomfortable at times (Saturn), sometimes desperately sad, touched and spoke to others on what I can only think of as an emotional (Moon) soul level. 
 

 
 



Leave a comment if you like. 


​androgynous mercurial chart ruler 

​androgynous mercurial chart ruler 

Election Day Outbursts

/

Reflecting on the upcoming election and the placement of planets around the cardinal axis, a.k.a. on the world's stage, I think of the antiscia of Mars Pluto on that day and my mind goes to the notorious tennis hot head John McEnroe. 

In McEnroe's birth chart the closest aspect (less than 20'min of arc) is a Mars Pluto square. I think his outbursts provide a nice illustration of the energy. No doubt we also experience his Mars Jupiter opposition, Jupiter dominating Mercury by square, and Moon Mars separating conjunction - adding to the exaggeration and intensity. 

On Tuesday, Election Day, a day ruled by Mars, the antiscia of Mars Pluto becomes exact at just about the same time both the Sun and Moon come to the cardinal axis (15 Scorpio and 15 Leo). The Sun rules the day, the Moon rules the hour. The Moon is also the public. Between 7:00 and 7:30 pm EST (4:00/4:30 pm PST) all of these points come to precise antiscia & contra-antiscia - we can expect this hour and those leading up to it to be exceptionally intense. (No surprise.)

Another interesting thing to note about the day is the placement of Kronos.

Kronos rules government and authority, things that are grand, tall, and above average. As stated in Alfred Witte's book Rules for Planetary Pictures, Kronos is executive power. Kronos stands at the exact opposition of Pluto and so joins the antiscia to Mars. Mars Kronos and Pluto Kronos according to Arlene Kramer are: "Procedure dictated by the power of the government. Power of the state. Autocratic. Great leader and organizer." and "Great changes. Changes in the form of government. Change of boss." etc. I don't think we should assume this translates to a change in leadership or a win for Romney though. Why? Because Kronos is much more active, activated, and activating in Barack Obama's chart. (This is in addition to many other factors I'm not addressing here.)

Election Day on the 90 degree dial. (No need to be afraid of the dial, it won't bite.) 

Doesn't that just look like the chart of an election? I think so.

In addition to the Mars Pluto Kronos antiscia above you can see the Sun and Moon directly on the cardinal axis. You also see Zeus connecting to Jupiter. I know that sounds redundant (Jupiter|Zeus) and it is sort of. Successful leader, work,fireworks... Zeus and Kronos together makes "a great commander-in-chief".  

In Obama's natal chart the Moon is conjunct Kronos and in a precise square to Zeus (highlighted with the blue circle below). This makes him a Zeus|Kronos type of person since the Moon is an important personal point. Interestingly transiting Pluto|Kronos have moved into the exact midpoint of Obama's Sun and Moon - a highly charged spot! On the dial below you can see transiting Pluto|Kronos circled in red picking up his Sun and Moon. To me this seems like an auspicious signature for the growth and development of great leadership ability and power.

In Romney's chart the transiting Pluto|Kronos is at the precise midpoint of his natal Sun|Hades and Vulcanus|Hades. (Romney also has Hades at the midpoint of his Sun|Moon natally, while Obama has Sun|Moon = Cupido; this says a lot, as Hades has to do with secrets and filth, and Cupido signifies family, community, and society. Just to be clear: having Hades at the midpoint of one's Sun|Moon is not a bad thing, it would be excellent for a psychologist, investigator, astrologer, nurse, or antique collector for instance; however without an outlet like these the potential for a more negative or secretive expression, preying on the hardship and suffering of others for example, does exist. And yes, I'm aware of my bias coming through - I do not think Romney is a morally good person.)

So what does the above Kronos transit mean for Romney? 

From Witte's Rules for Planetary Pictures:

Vulcanus + Hades - Kronos:  "Gigantic crimes and evil deeds. Heavy oppression and suppression by governments and ruling powers."

Sun + Hades - Kronos:  "Physical difficulties or restrictions through the state, officials or superiors. Pursued by misfortune through higher power. Leading among criminals. Crime sanctioned by the government."

Is it just that these things may be coming more into the light? (Like his auto bailout profiteering.) Or is there more to it? I guess we'll have to wait and see.

If Romney were to win, I believe it would be another one of his grand (and/or sanctioned) crimes. But I don't think he will. 

There is so much more to be unpacked within these charts, as I'm sure you're gathering, especially as we begin to look at transits and midpoints. This is not in any way a thorough delineation of the charts or a prediction really. Mostly I wanted to share what I thought the energy of the day might feel like (Mars Pluto: McEnroe) and to use the Election Day chart to show the power and impact of the transneptunian Kronos. 

It's a wild time. All the world will be watching on Election Day - made very clear by the Sun and Moon on the cardinal axis. 

Oh.. on Election Day in addition to exercising your right to vote, I highly recommend some literal exercise as that Mars Pluto will be felt by all!

Take care and feel free to leave comments, questions, or feedback.  

Candidates on the Cardinal Axis

/

Just the charts, no commentary.

Mitt Romney 

Antiscia: Sun/Neptune  

Contra-antiscia: Moon-Jupiter/Saturn 

Houses ruled by Romney's planets in antiscia *blue* & contra-antiscia *red* 

(I use Whole Sign Houses topically.)

Third house ruler connects to Neptune.

Second, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth house rulers all connected by contra-antiscia.

Barack Obama 

Antiscia: Midheaven/Jupiter 

Contra-antiscia: Midheaven/Mercury & Moon/Saturn

Houses ruled by Obama's planets in antiscia *blue* & contra-antiscia *red*

Second & Eleventh house rulers connect to Midheaven (MC).

First, Fifth, Sixth, Eighth, Twelfth house rulers & Midheaven connected by contra-antiscia.  

Alfred Witte's Rules for Planetary Pictures:

Romney

Sun + Neptune - Aries

To be inspired. To have a poor sense of direction. Uncertain times.

To lie and cheat. - K.Petty

Jupiter + Saturn - Aries  

Separation favored by good fortune. Change of place. Real estate. 

Moon + Saturn - Aries 

Laboring people (classes), suffering, suppressed populace. Losses in the populace. (Abraham Lincoln shared this signature; common to find among people working within government institutions.) 

Obama

Midheaven + Jupiter - Aries 

The state of mind effects the general world. General contentment. 

Midheaven + Mercury - Aries 

Reputation. Opinion. Judgement about. Thoughts about common things. 

Moon + Saturn - Aries 

Laboring people (classes), suffering, suppressed populace. Losses in the populace. (See above comment.) 

Feel free to comment if you like.  

Parans (resurfaced)

/

Parans are the true angular relationship between planets and/or stars. When a planetary body rises, sets, culminates, or is at the nadir (the lowest point under the earth/the foundation of the chart), and another planet or star is exactly rising, setting, culminating, or at the nadir, they are said to be in paran with one another. Parans in a natal chart, as well as in mundane (world event) astrology, are quite illuminating. They show intense combined energy. 

These are the parans for 11/11/2010 (the time/date this post was originally written).

The above image is a "paran clock;" a tool which allows us to visually experience any paran relationship (mundane square) between two planets. Notice the exact angular relationship (though it looks like a conjunction) between Venus and Pluto - located at the top of the chart @ 10:30am PDT. Venus is culminating, "M" stands for Meridian, while Pluto is rising in the East, "E."  Notice in the chart below Venus is culminating, but Pluto is not very angular by ecliptic degree. You can see below how the two-dimensional chart breaks down; it can't capture the actual spatial relationship between planets, it only captures them by zodiacal degree. 

Charles Jayne in 'Horoscope Interpretation Outlined' notes: "It has been found that if during the prior or following day two bodies have this relationship, even if they are not on those local planes now, they still act in a paran manner."  

In the image below you can see Pluto is clearly on the horizon while Venus is culminating (at the MC). The horizon is the Ascendant, and is what astrologers refer to as the rising sign. Pluto's true relationship to the horizon isn't accurately portrayed in the chart above. Pluto isn't even in the Ascending sign in the chart above, but it is on the horizon. 

I think this phenomenon, Pluto on the horizon while Venus culminates, would have been exceptionally important to the ancients, just as stars on angles were. Of course Pluto is invisible to the naked eye so they wouldn't have actually made this specific observation. But a paran can occur between many planets (and planets with fixed stars) and are visual statements that cannot be denied. Today we often miss seeing these truly angular relationships, because we view everything as if it were on the ecliptic (the Sun's path). It's good to jump off the ecliptic once in awhile...

More on parans in the future. 

The Power of Antiscia Video Lecture

/

The complete multi-media presentation of the talk I gave at the United Astrology Conference (UAC) 2012 is available. Please contact me if you'd like to access the video. 

Please contact me for the password to view this video lecture.


Please contact me for the password to view this video lecture.

Antisica in action:

On the day I gave the talk (my first public lecture on antiscia) the transiting Sun and transiting Mercury were actually in precise antiscion to both my natal Sun and Mercury! -- and so pulled my Sun Mercury into the cardinal axis. As I didn't schedule the time, it was a surprise to learn. 

In the talk I outline what antiscia is - as well as why and how to use it. I offer a historical context, and give directions for calculating antiscia, in addition to applying it to many modern musicians, comics, and politician charts. Example charts begin at the 41 minute mark.