Monthly Archives: November 2011

Astrology of Religion, Atheism, and Belief | 6. Billy Graham

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An Astrology of Religion?

Is a predisposition toward belief or doubt shown in the astrological chart? In this series on the astrology of religion, we have explored the charts of a number of famous believers and doubters. In each chart we look for signs of belief and doubt. Here we explore the astrology of religion in the chart of Billy Graham, the famous evangelist.

The ingredients and recipes for this type of analysis can be found in the first post of the series, which you can view here. The relevant factors were reviewed with additional comments in the last article of the series, on Madalyn Murray O’Hair.

Billy Graham

Billy Graham is one of the most prominent Christian evangelists.  You can check out his biography on Wikipedia by clicking here.  His natal chart is below, and has been given a Rodden Rating of AA.

Billy Graham’s Natal Chart

Billy Graham’s Central Belief Indications

Jupiter:

Quite strong

Jupiter is strongly advancing in the chart and is in an angle/”stake” of the chart.  However, Jupiter did station retrograde 4-5 days before birth which is somewhat weakening to it.  When a planet is strongly advancing it is as if the volume is cranked very high on the planet in the person’s life. The planet’s significations are powerful and pervasive, touching upon all areas of life. Therefore, this Jupiter is quite strong.

Extremely benefic

Jupiter is naturally benefic, and here it is in sect, in a good place, and scrutinized by the Sun (by trine). The Sun is the sect light, so it provides a benefic influence and it confers power and prominence (making Jupiter even more prominent because of its close connection).  Additionally, Jupiter is trine Venus (with Venus applying to Jupiter).  There are no major indicators of maleficence for Jupiter, so it is very benefic.

Notes on Jupiter

Jupiter is one of the most prominent planets in the chart (the Moon, and to a lesser extent Mars, are also very prominent).  There is also an identification with Jupiter. This self-identification is because of Jupiter’s strong connections with the Ascendant which symbolizes the self in the chart. Jupiter is the term ruler and triplicity ruler of the Ascendant, regards the 1st Place, and rules the Lord of the 1st (Mars).  Religious identification is strong, and religion represents almost purely good things in this person’s life.

Billy Graham’s Natal Chart (Ctrl-click to enlarge)

The 9th Place:

Extremely strong and Lunar, Martian, and Jupiterian

The 9th place, Sagittarius, is ruled by Jupiter, characterizing it as open and expansive in orientation. Planets in a place have a more direct effect on the place’s dealings. The planet ruling a place provides a more overall characterization.  The presence of a Light, the Moon, in the 9th is enough to make the 9th very strong.  That the ruler of the Ascendant, Mars, is in the 9th, makes the 9th even stronger, and very strongly tied to this person’s sense of self.  Additionally, the Moon is within 5 degrees of the MC, thus is quite prominent, and Mars being tightly conjunct the Moon and just over 5 degrees from the MC, is also quite strong.  Jupiter rules the 9th, and again is quite strong.  Rarely do we see such a prominent 9th house, and one so strongly tied to the individual.

Mixed, somewhat benefic

–The benefic Moon is in the 9th, and the most benefic planet in the chart, Jupiter, rules the 9th, so there are strong associations of the 9th with beneficence.  However, the out of sect malefic, Mars, is also in the 9th, and both Mars and the Moon are overcome and scrutinized (in this case a right-side trine) by Saturn.  Saturn is not the ruler of the 9th, nor is Saturn in an angle or stake of the 9th, so the 9th is not Saturnine in nature though.

Notes on the 9th Place

The 9th is Lunar (powerfully and vividly subjective, personal, even irrational) and Mars-y (competitive, contentious, aggressive), in sometimes unpleasant or difficult ways. However, its overall characterization is that of religious and spiritual expansiveness (Jupiter).  There is extreme self-identification with matters of belief, and Jupiter plays a major role in the belief-system.

Billy Graham’s Natal Chart (Ctrl-click to enlarge)

Saturn:

Somewhat weak

Saturn is arguably the weakest planet in the chart (Venus is also very weak).  The Moon and Mars are conjunct the MC, Jupiter is strongly advancing, and the other planets are advancing (Mercury is also in phasis). However, Saturn is just barely advancing, with no other major strength indications.

Quite mixed, somewhat benefic

Saturn is naturally a malefic so will indeed have some negative significations, but Saturn is in sect and in a very good place, the 5th place. It is also being scrutinized by the Moon by trine. These are all indications that Saturn can also have positive significations. However, Saturn is also scrutinized by Mars by trine (in fact, exactly), showing maleficence.  Therefore, we have quite a broad range for whether Saturn’s significations are more positive or negative.  A fair characterization would be to say that Saturn overall serves to improve life circumstances, but in ways that are constrictive or challenging.

Notes on Saturn

Saturn’s significations are not prominent in Billy Graham’s life, nor does he really identify with them.  Saturn has little influence on matters of belief, but does characterize some of the planets with direct influence on belief as more Saturnine.  Overall, Saturn is more geared towards its positive significations (duty, tradition, discipline, tangibility), than negative ones (fear, depression, death, loss).

Billy Graham’s Natal Chart (Ctrl-click to enlarge)

Mercury:  

Somewhat strong

Mercury is just barely advancing, but Mercury is in phasis, so Mercury has some strength.

Malefic

Mercury is somewhat malefic in the chart, as Mercury is neutral, and so easily swayed, and here Mercury is out of sect, in a bad place (the 8th), and dominated by Saturn, which scrutinizes it (right-side square within 3 degrees).  Mercury is assembled with Venus and overcome by Jupiter though, so we expect some positive associations with Mercury also.

Notes on Mercury

There is not an identification with Mercury’s significations as Mercury neither rules, nor even regards, the 1st place.  Intellectualism and communications have a somewhat strong influence upon the life, but they also have primarily negative associations in the person’s life.  Mercury’s assemblage with Venus may show an artistry with communication, or a “way with words”, and Mercury’s ruler is in the 9th of belief, putting Mercury in its service.

Billy Graham in 1966

Strong Spiritual Belief with Crusading Energy

In conclusion, Billy Graham has one of the most belief-oriented natal charts one can find.  Doubt and intellectualism are eclipsed by a strong personal relationship with belief systems (Jupiter and the 9th), and a pervasive spiritual influence (Jupiter), particularly upon matters of belief.  We also see a strong Mars influence upon belief that is characteristic of evangelizing or “crusading” for one’s beliefs (even characteristic of crusaders for atheism).

Image attributions: 

Featured image is in the public domain.

Chart images produced using Morinus software.

Billy Graham in 1966 is in the public domain. 

The 10th House in Ancient Astrology | House of Children?

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Introduction

Someone today mentioned a passage in Valens in which the Midheaven is associated with children. I hadn’t recalled any association of the Midheaven nor 10th House with children, apart from special techniques in which a planet in the 10th confers children. For instance, having a benefic (especially Jupiter) strong in certain enabling houses, including the 10th, free from the harm of malefics, can signify one will have children  The 10th house (also known as the 10th place) is strongly associated with matters of profession, career, and social standing/rank, so it seems odd to me for it to also describe a child.  However, in my quick review of about a half dozen different ancient authors, I discovered that a few of them do indeed associate the 10th with children.  In such cases the 10th is also associated with marriage.

Additionally, the 10th is often associated with mothers and parents. This appears to relate to the fact that the 4th is the house of the father and origins, while the 10th is opposite the 4th (7th from 10th) and thus would signify the partner of the father.

Differing Viewpoints

Indeed, in looking into this matter of children, there are a lot of references to 10th house significations of children.  Below are some of the conflicting viewpoints that exist in ancient astrology as concerns significations of children from the 5th and 10th places.

Hellenistic Astrologers

Early Hellenistic (1st-3rd centuries)

Manilius (see Astronomicon, Book II, 856-967): He associated the 1st house with children and the 10th with marriage. Manilius is an odd Hellenistic astrologer when it comes to these associations.

Valens (see Anthology, Book II, Ch. 16P; Book IV, Ch. 12; Book IX, Ch. 3P): In his initial list of place significations he associated the 5th with marriage, the 11th with children, and the 10th with actions and occupation. However, in his later list of place significations he gives many significations for each place and many places are associated with children. Furthermore, the 5th is specifically called the place of children in that section. The 4th, 10th, and 11th are also associated with children but secondarily, as the first significations given are rank, occupation, and friends, respectively. In Book IX, for predictive indications involving the lives of children, Valens advises to look at the 5th (step-children from the 11th).

Dorotheus (see Carmen Astrologicum, Book I, Chapter 5, Pingree, 1976): Dorotheus noted “[…] fifth from the ascendant which is called the house of the child […]” (p. 164).  I was unable to find any reference to the 10th or 11th concerning children, but like Valens, Dorotheus is a messy text to sort through, and the index isn’t spectacular.  The strength and beneficence of the first two triplicity rulers of Jupiter, as well as Jupiter itself, Venus, and the Moon, figure heavily in his special techniques for children.

Late Hellenistic (4th-7th centuries)

Paulus Alexandrinus (see Introductory Matters, Ch. 24, Greenbaum, 2001): Paulus very explicitly noted that the 5th “signifies the reckoning about children” (p. 46). He associated the 10th with actions , but added, “it becomes indicative of marriage and male children” (p. 48).  Paulus does have a special technique for children, examining respectively: the 5th, 11th, 10th, 4th, Lot of Children, Jupiter, Jupiter’s triplicity, Venus, and Mercury. However, these places are relevant in so much as showing possible gateways or enabling factors, causing children to be more likely.  Therefore, I get the sense in Paulus that only the 5th rules children, in the sense of describing them and events concerning them. Additionally, many houses pertain to whether one will have few, many, or no children.

Firmicus Maternus (see Mathesis, Book II, Ch. 14-19): He associated children with the 5th. Actions and the home were associated with the 10th.

Rhetorius (see Compendium, Ch. 57, Holden, 2009): Rhetorius mentioned “marriage and children and the substance of the parents” (p. 91) in the significations for the 10th place. His significations for the 10th do also include actions, i.e. occupation/calling. Rhetorius discussed Venus and the manner of rule as primary significations of the 5th. He does consider benefics and malefics in the 5th to reflect the condition of one’s children though, especially the “first children”. He gives a special technique for actions that is a fusion and development of Ptolemy and Paulus, with many additional special configurations.

Perso-Arabic Astrologers

Sahl (see The Introduction, Ch. 3, Dykes, 2008): He does not connect the 10th at all with children but does connect it with mothers.  As might be expected, he does include in his significations of the 10th, “every profession [or mastery]” (p. 7).  Love and children are the primary significations of the 5th in Sahl.

Abu Ma’shar and al-Qabisi (see I.13 of Dykes, 2010, Introductions to Traditional Astrology compilation): They both largely agreed in their basic house significations (though al-Qabisi gives more).  The 5th is primarily about children and desires. The 10th is primarily about actions, authority, and the like. The 10th also pertains to mothers (but not children).

Al Biruni (see The Book of Instruction, #461, Wright, 1934): He associated the 5th primarily with children and pleasure. The 10th is primarily concerned with rule and profession.  However, one of the significations for the 10th in a natal chart that is given is “well-behaved children” (p. 60).

Homogenizing

We’ve seen that a few Hellenistic authors make some association of the 10th with children. Rhetorius is believed to have drawn from older source material connected with Antiochus of Athens. Therefore, the different associations for the 5th and 10th may reflect earlier meanings assigned to those houses.  In the later medieval tradition there is almost no mention of any association of the 10th with children. There is also less disagreement that the 5th is the primary house of children.

This is one of many instances in which we observe that ancient astrology moved from greater diversity to less diversity over time. Contrary to popular belief, astrology became more homogeneous with time, particularly through the Middle Ages.  This is a matter I addressed in the earlier post, “Ancient Astrologers Didn’t All Agree“.

My Opinion

My opinion, as a father of two, is that the 5th place has the most pertinence to matters of one’s children.  However, I do believe that in special techniques for the delineation of whether someone will have children, certain places have more relevance than others.  In that regard I agree with Paulus. The 5th, 11th, 10th, and 4th places are relevant.  The 5th associates with love, desire, and children themselves. The 11th is opposite the 5th, and connects with friends and networking. The 4th signifies family, origins, and the father. The 10th signifies mothers as well as social standing.

Therefore, I largely follow the opinion of Paulus in this matter, both in terms of house significations and in terms of his special techniques. The discussion about the 10th and children underscores the importance of special techniques in matters of the delineation of more specific topics. Topics such as whether someone will have children require special techinques.  Often we attempt to read very specific things from the general basics of a chart. However, in ancient astrology these problems were the proper domain of special techniques that evaluated many factors relevant to the situation, such as various places and planets, lots, fixed stars, and other such things. Important areas of life should not be delineated from just the relevant house and its ruler.

References

Abu Ma’shar, The Abbreviation of the Introduction to Astrology, in Dykes 2010.

Al Biruni, The Book of Instructions in the Elements of the Art of Astrology, trans. R. Ramsay Wright (London, England: Astrology Classics, 2006).

Al-Qabisi, Uthman bin ‘Ali, Introduction to the Science of Astrology, in Dykes 2010.

Rhetorius of Egypt, Astrological Compendium, trans. and ed. James H. Holden (Tempe, AZ: American Federation of Astrologers, Inc., 2009) .

Dykes, Benjamin, trans. and ed., Works of Sahl & Masha’allah (Golden Valley, MN:The Cazimi Press, 2008).

Dykes, Benjamin, trans. and ed., Introductions to Traditional Astrology: Abu Ma’shar & al-Qabisi (Minneapolis, MN: The Cazimi Press, 2010) .

Paulus Alexandrinus, Late Classical Astrology: Paulus Alexandrinus and Olympiodorus, trans. Dorian Gieseler Greenbaum, ed. Robert Hand (Reston, VA: ARHAT Publications, 2001)

Rhetorius of Egypt, Astrological Compendium, trans. and ed. James H. Holden (Tempe, AZ: American Federation of Astrologers, Inc., 2009).

Sahl bin Bishr, The Introduction, trans. and ed. Benjamin N. Dykes, in Dykes 2008.

Featured image is in the public domain, cropped from Tacuina sanitatis (XIV century) 4-aspetti di vita quotidiana, canto in chiesa, Taccuino Sani.

Astrologers Should Be on Diaspora* | RIP Ilya Zhitomirskiy

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What is Diaspora*?

As a long-time user and fervent advocate of the leading open-source, privacy-aware, social network, Diaspora*, I was recently very shaken by the death of Ilya Zhitomirskiy.  Ilya was one of the four original founders of the project and a core developer.  He died this past Saturday.  The cause of death is believed to have been suicide though it has not yet been conclusively confirmed.

Diaspora* is a rather young social network, making its debut in November of 2010. As of this writing it is still in Alpha.  Many people are familiar with the even newer Google+ and its use of “Circles”.  However, few know that Diaspora* had such a feature from its very launch, called “Aspects”. Aspects operate in a similar, if not easier-to-use, fashion.  Diaspora* is spreading by word of mouth, as the project is donation funded.  It was started by four NYU college students with a desire to make a social network that didn’t operate like a panopticon.

What’s wrong with other social networks?

Other social networks like Facebook and Google+ are wielded by multi-billion-dollar multi-national corporations. These corporations use these networks to build a centralized database of our lives.  Multiple controversies have arisen with these corporations over their use of our information. Their data is often openly accessible to government agencies with specialized interfaces. They enable surveillance, profiling, and identity theft on a scale hitherto unknown. These popular social networks are the most effective panopticons of all time, putting everyone in a position to socialize about any and everything together. While we do this we supply personal photographs, videos, and information in a convenient ready-for-database form. We do this without any way of knowing if others are monitoring and what others are doing with this information.

Why Diaspora*?

The founders of Diaspora* set out to make a social network that was quite different.  Their social network demonstrates a commitment to privacy, decentralization, community ownership, and freedom of speech.

Privacy

Privacy features like “Aspects” are built-in and prominent so you can be sure that what you say is seen only by the connections you specify. Additionally, the network is decentralized, such that anyone (with the property equipment and know-how) can host the software of the network themselves.  Each instance is called a “pod” and seamlessly connects to all of the other pods on the network.  Diaspora* is not located in any one place on the net, such as diaspora.com, but rather is located at any domain hosting a pod.  The founders’ pod is Join Diaspora, but is invite only. However, there has been an outcropping of more and more pods allowing instant public joining as well. These include Diasp.org (which I’m on) and Poddery, among dozens of others.  Most of these pods are ad-free and donation-funded.

Diaspora* also freely allows the use of pseudonyms and doesn’t require inputting any personal or identifying information whatsoever to use and enjoy. This is in stark contrast to other proprietary social networks.  You can have multiple accounts with different names and that is just fine.  The founders of the social network realized that pseudonyms promote free speech and the protection of personal privacy.

Rich Features

While only 1 year old and in alpha, without millions or billions in funding like other social networks, the network is surprisingly feature-rich. Current features include: convenient tagging functionality; following public posts when you add someone prior to reciprocal sharing; animated gifs; embedded videos and music; messages; email forwarding; tools for rapid sharing through your browser; photo upload (with photos only posting to those who you want to see them); posting to FB, Tumblr, and Twitter from within Diaspora*; public posting; a community spotlight feed; the ability to follow tags; a markup language for formatting text; ability to post very long messages with an expandable preview showing in the feed; posting pictures as clickable links from url. New features are always being added.

Did I mention that the program is also open-source? Software developers can examine the code and take part in its development.

Why is Diaspora* Right for Astrologers?

Astrologers should find Diaspora* to be the most hospitable of all the social networks. By astrologers I mean people who do astrology for a living, as well as hobbyists and people just interested in learning and talking about it.  Astrologers as a group are frequently under attack by both religious fundamentalists and the skeptic community. Astrology is seen to involve supernatural views and concepts largely incompatible with both religious fundamentalism and materialist fundamentalism.

Most astrologers don’t do astrology for a living. Additionally, some are involved in serious scientific or intellectual work. Many jobs also involve extensive work with the public at large.  A privacy aware and decentralized social network can allow people to discuss astrology without broadcasting it to others. Talk about science with your scientist friends and astrology with your astrology friends freely on the net, without going permanently “on record” with both. You also don’t need to set up a profile of yourself for advertisers, government agencies, and who knows who else.  Social networking is intended to be chatty, informal, and free-flowing. With Diaspora* it can be like that without all the big corporations and data harvesting. Talk about astrology, politics, or anything you want without a need to explain yourself to those who may pass judgment on you, or even seek to harm you.

Aside: Astrological Circumstances Surrounding Ilya’s Death

When Ilya passed I was very shaken, and I am still quite shocked that such a bright, charismatic, and innovative person could see the end of life at only 22 years of age.

Astrology doesn’t really help me to change the events of life, as it may for some people.  I look to my will and spirituality to overcome.  However, astrology does  provide me with some insight that everything happens purposefully within a context of rich meaning, known by an intelligence far greater than my own.  For this reason, when unfortunate events occur, I eventually get around to looking at the astrology.

Ilya was born on October 12, 1989.  I don’t know his time or place of birth, thus the possibility for very extensive chart work is ruled out unless such reliable information comes to light.  I do know that he was born with the Sun at late 18 or early 19 degrees Libra, co-present with the malefic planet Mars at 14 degrees Libra, and Mercury at 1 degree Libra.  Mercury is in phasis, and thus appears to be strong in the chart, showing intellectualism.  This stellium of planets in the socially-oriented Air sign, Libra, is squared (in a sign with a 90 degree relationship with the other sign) by both Jupiter and Saturn (Jupiter and Saturn being opposed to each other in Cancer and Capricorn respectively.

Saturn conjunct Sun in Solar Return

Ilya passed one month after his most recent solar return. A solar return is one’s astronomical birthday – the exact moment of the Sun’s return to its position at one’s birth.  The solar return has been used since ancient times as a chart signifying important happenings for the year.  Saturn in his solar return was at 20 degrees Libra, within about a degree or less of Ilya’s Sun.  Saturn is the planet signifying death, as well as melancholy, depression, fear, and dread.  The Sun is the planet most associated with the life force.  Ilya’s solar return signified a strong and rare joining of the force of death and dread to his personal force of light and life.  I found this to be a sad and fascinating metaphor for his death.

Ilya Zhitomirskiy’s Birth Chart (inner – time unknown) with his 2011 Solar Return (outer)

Saturn’s trip around the zodiac takes about 28 years, and thus Saturn conjoins one’s natal Sun for a period that occurs at most about once every 28 years.  While the event happens about every 28 years, it is even rarer that at the time of one’s solar return for the specific year of the conjunction, Saturn should be within about a degree of the natal Sun. Note that same configuration occurred in Kurt Cobain’s final solar return prior to his suicide.

Rest In Peace Ilya ZhitomirskiyI thank you sincerely for your dedication to human integrity and liberty.  You will be dearly missed, both by those intimate with your unique spirit and the millions whose lives you will have helped to make a little better.

Link: The Definition of Astrology

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A Good Definition of Astrology

Just a quickie!  I found this awesome article by Chris Brennan on the definition of astrology.

Signs or Causes?

It has some interesting insights into how mainstream definitions, and especially skeptic definitions, of astrology tend to mis-characterize it. Astrology does not require a belief that there is some sort of causal force emitted by planets that accounts for a set of astrological “effects”.  He discusses how most ancient, and many modern, astrologers have viewed astrology in terms of signs and correlation rather than causation.

Of course, skeptics would like to believe that astrology necessitates physical forces emitted from the planets. Upon showing that there are no such physical forces sufficient enough to influence human affairs in such ways, they can claim they’ve “debunked” astrology. However, astrologers from the earliest strata of its practice in Babylonia tended to view it as “heavenly writing” akin to signs from a higher intelligence. Such as view does not require that planets cause anything. It is outside of the realm of physics and the opinions of physicists.

Mind and Body

Personally, astrology to me is no more or less mysterious than the mind-body problem, and is no closer to a real solution.  I actually view the mind-body problem and the celestial bodies and their signs problem as not only being parallel, but probably the very same problem.  Some have claimed to have bridged it, in both areas, but I think they are on very shaky ground.  There is no necessary and logical reason that a certain physical electrical configuration through the brain should cause or even correlate with the non-physical thought about say, your investments or Barney the purple dinosaur. However, sure enough some physical happening will correlate with that thought at that moment.

It’s a great article with great insights! Check it out.

Featured image is a cropped portion of a page from „Ἀρχὴ ἐν βουλγαρίοις ριμάτον εἰς κῑνῆ γλότα ἐρχομένη”, a Bulgarian-Greek dictionary from the 16th century. Vat. Archivio San Pietro C 152, fol. 134v (public domain).

Astrology of Religion, Atheism, and Belief | 5. Review and Madalyn Murray O’Hair

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Introduction

In the last article of the series, we looked at the chart of Pope Benedict XVI. For those that are new to this series, the basic rules of the game were spelled out in the initial article which you can find here. This is a series on determining if there is belief indicated in the natal chart, and as such each analysis is not intended as a thorough look at any individual’s life.

Review of Significators

The basic idea is that Jupiter tends to give strong significations about the role of expansive spirituality in the life. Similarly, the 9th house tends to give indications about religion, but more broadly about philosophy, higher education, and “belief systems”. Saturn is a natural significator of doubt, fear, skepticism, and challenge. Mercury is a natural significator of intellectualism. The 1st Place (i.e. the rising sign) and its ruler tend to reflect strongly on the individual, their character, and self-identification.

Perhaps in a future article, I will go into more depth on the Hellenistic and Persian techniques for delineating faith and religion. Those techniques tend to incorporate additional things, particularly the Lot of the Sun (i.e. Lot of Spirit) and/or Lot of Faith, and the 3rd Place.

Review of Factors

Prominence

We restrict ourselves to just 4 major strength/weakness indicators. However, on occasion I mention more minor strength indicators such as dignity, joy, and regard from one of the Lights, i.e. the Sun or Moon. The strength of a place or a planet will show more prominence and pervasiveness in the life.  For instance, a more prominent Jupiter will make spirituality, fortune, and positivity more prominent in the life. A more prominent Saturn will tend to make doubt, criticism, and challenge more prominent themes.

Interestingly, we found that both atheists and religious folk tend to have a strong 9th place.  In other words, for both types belief plays a major role in their lives. This lends some credence to the view that atheism IS a religion, albeit one of doubt. However, “philosophy” is a better all-encompassing term for 9th place matters. Philosophy is inclusive of religion, science, atheism, and other approaches to belief and “big truths”.

Beneficence

We also use 4 major beneficence/maleficence indicators. Again, there are many more minor ones, such as being in the place or term of a malefic.  These can be a bit trickier than the strength/weakness indications. They give us a measure of whether the planet tends to signify unpleasant matters and states (bad times) or more pleasant and fortunate matters and states (good times).  All planets will signify a mix of some good and some bad. However, there is a great possibility for a predominance of signification of one or the other. There can be very mixed, maybe even to extremes, such that good is signified in connection with certain configurations and difficulty with others.

This is not necessarily a view incompatible with human will and spirituality (i.e. not necessarily fatalistic). Rather, we acknowledge the fact that will acts within a context and contexts can be very unfavorable.

Our finding so far is that atheists will tend to have negative associations tied to Jupiter. They will also tend to have a Saturnine influence on the 9th (doubt-oriented belief-system). Additionally, a strong identification with Saturn and/or Mercury (i.e. doubt and negativity and/or intellectualism and rationality) is common, as shown through the 1st place.  Religious people on the other hand, will tend to have more positive circumstances associated with Jupiter and the 9th. They may also have a more Jupiterian (faith, positivity, expansion, fortune, spirits) characterization of the 9th.

Why Use Folks Representative of the Extremes?

Of course, the bulk of us humans are likely to be quite mixed.  This mixture emerges through time in the form of various degrees of faith and doubt through life. Similarly, belief itself may have an unstable importance in our life, sometimes figuring into matters, sometimes disregarded. Some of this complication can be seen in just a cursory glance at the factors I’ve discussed in a natal chart. One can be highly religious but still be a scientist and a rationalist. Similarly, one can simply have no interest in either religion or atheism, putting their focus completely elsewhere. The natal chart of an average person typically shows a complex mixture of indications concern religion and spirituality, befitting the complexity of the matter.

Trent Reznor and Complex Beliefs

For example, sometimes people strongly critical of religion, who are assumed atheist, have also publicly stated that they believe in some form of God or higher power in explicit terms. In such cases, they are often mislabeled as an atheist or agnostic.  An example, which I hope to address in a future post is Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, who has railed strongly against religion, leading many to assume atheism (one quick example), but also has acknowledged explicitly that he does believe in God.  Reznor has Mars in the 9th, Virgo, with Mercury ruling the 9th, though Mars is in sect and dominated by both benefics, Venus and Jupiter. Mercury, as you might imagine is extremely strong, and is actually conjunct the IC.

Extremes as Test Cases

The techniques “work” quite well, and can even be used predictively to see events affecting these matters. However, they won’t necessarily classify the populace into “believers” and “non-believers”. Human beings are complex and dynamic. The techniques need continual refinement and improvement if we are to untangle the web and grapple with that complexity. When we examine the charts of people who sit strongly on one end or another of a continuum, we can test our hypotheses regarding which factors are most important and in what ways.

Madalyn Murray O’Hair

Madalyn Murray O’Hair was a prominent crusader for atheism. She helped to put in place many reasonable political reforms related to her beliefs. For instance, she helped protect public school children from having someone else’s religion hoisted on to them in their daily lives. With three planets in the 11th place of friends/groups, she emerged as an activist and organizer. Her beliefs were a strong reflection of important personal circumstances in her life, particularly surrounding abortion. She was known to generate a fair amount of controversy.

Sadly, O’Hair was also a victim of career criminals who kidnapped, killed, and mutilated her. I will not be addressing her death in this article.

More information about her and her AA rated chart can be found here, as well as through Wikipedia and/or an internet search.

O’Hair’s Natal Chart

O’Hair’s Chart Analyzed in Brief

Jupiter:

Somewhat strong

Jupiter is somewhat strong, as Jupiter is advancing.

Somewhat malefic but mixed

Jupiter is naturally benefic and is in sect, but Jupiter is dominated by Mars, the out of sect malefic.

Notes on Jupiter

For an atheist, we find Jupiter unusually strong and mixed.  The 2nd Place was included in the bad places in Hellenistic astrology. The 2nd doesn’t regard the 1st. The 6th, 12th, 8th, and 2nd don’t regard the 1st and therefore were considered “dark” or “bad”.  However, in many ways the 2nd is the least bad of those houses. It may be the case that O’Hair’s atheism was a development in life brought on by Mars dominating Jupiter. This is a common configuration for evangelizing but can similarly pertain to aggression, contention, and competition when it comes to belief.  She was known to purposely try to offend people that disagreed with her. Additionally, she disowned her own son for becoming a preacher (Moon in V applies to and is dominated by Jupiter but is opposite Mars; Jupiter’s twelfth-part is in V). 

9th Place:

Strong and Saturnine

Just as in the charts of James Randi and Percy Shelly, we see the 9th empty but ruled by an extremely strong Saturn.  Saturn is in the 3rd of communication (messengers, transportation, as well as siblings/cousins).  Saturn is in a cadent place, but Saturn is Strongly Advancing. It is in fact the most Strongly Advancing planet in the chart. Therefore, 9th place matters of philosophy, belief, and religion are very prominent in the life, and strongly Saturnine (doubt-oriented).

Malefic

The 9th is ruled by Saturn. Saturn is naturally malefic. Saturn is not only the ruler of the 9th but also opposes the 9th. Additionally, Mars overcomes Saturn (right-side trine) and aspects the 9th. Venus is in a stake of the 9th (the 12th) but it is a left side aspect. Venus is also out of sect and in a dark place. The 9th is linked with Venusian matters (reproductive rights) but Venus is associated with being under threat (dark place, out of sect, square Saturn and in Saturn’s bound).

Notes on the 9th Place

Displeasure pervades matters of belief in her life . The 9th house is more oriented toward destruction and contention than construction and enjoyment.

Saturn:

Very strong

Saturn is very strongly advancing, but is in a cadent place.  In any case Saturn is quite strong, and could easily be considered the strongest planet in the chart, though I think Mercury is a bit stronger.  The influence of Saturn in the life is extremely pervasive.  The lord of darkness, death, doubt, and dread should make its mark all over the life in a major way.

Somewhat malefic

Saturn is naturally malefic entailing very malefic significations, unless there are major counter-indicators.  Saturn is in sect. However, Mars (out of sect malefic) overcomes Saturn (right-side trine).

Notes on Saturn

As with Randi, O’Hair is someone in constant touch with a powerful force of doubt, skepticism, and hardship of an often harsh sort.

Mercury:

Very strong

Mercury is advancing (albeit barely) and is in phasis.  Mercury is therefore very strong.  In my opinion, Mercury is the strongest planet in the chart, and then Saturn. Both of them having a very powerful and pervasive influence over affairs of the life. We also find Mercury in its own bound, a minor strength consideration.

Somewhat benefic to mixed

Mercury is in sect and in a very good place (the 11th of friends).  Overall, Mercury should be quite benefic, associating Mercury’s significations with the more enjoyable things in life.  However, Mercury is assembled with (and ruled by) the out of sect malefic, Mars. Mercury’s negative significations follow from Mars.

Notes on Mercury

Mercury is the ruler of the Ascendant, as in James Randi’s chart.  There was a strong self-identification with that signified by Mercury (intellectualism, rationality, speech, and argumentation). Mercury overall signified some of the better circumstances and matters in her life, and was a very strong and pervasive influence. However, it is charged with the more malefic side of Mars (meanness, vulgarity, aggression, and competitiveness).

Conclusion

In conclusion, in O’Hair’s chart we see Saturn much stronger than Jupiter. Additionally, Mars afflicts Jupiter. We also see a 9th place characterized by Saturn and impacted most strongly by the malefics. Like many skeptics and atheists, her identification with Mercury (as well as Saturn) was strong.  Her strong and aggressive, sometimes vulgar, war against all things religious seems strongly signified by Mars dominating Jupiter in her chart.

Featured Image Attribution

“Madalyn Murray O’Hair (full)” by Alan Light – Flickr: Madalyn Murray O’Hair. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Madalyn_Murray_O%27Hair_(full).jpg#/media/File:Madalyn_Murray_O%27Hair_(full).jpg

Ancient Astrologers Didn’t All Agree: Respect for Authorities vs. Appeal to Authorities

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The Contradictions of Ancient Astrology

I was reading some of Tamsyn Barton’s (1994) work, “Ancient Astrology” last night.  A passage at the end of her Chapter 5 on “Astrological Practice” spoke volumes to me.  She discussed how there were a number of contradictory responses possible for any astrological situation. This made it hard, if not impossible, to known what a chart indicates from a text alone. Therefore, it was necessary for astrologers work out their own preferences in practice and in apprenticeship to experienced mentors (Barton, 1994).  The passage is quoted below for you convenience:

To any one question, a large number of contradictory responses were available, and there were no clues as to how to choose between them.  This finding demanded an explanation. (Barton, 1994, p. 141-142)

Furthermore, on analogy with other fields of knowledge, didactic texts were not the means of teaching, but rather of displaying knowledge.  Secondly, I pointed to the importance of the institution of the ago¯n, or public debate, in Greco-Roman intellectual culture.   (Barton, 1994, p. 142)

She also emphasized the possible role played by initiations, apprenticeships, and elaboration through debate (Barton, 1994, p. 142).

Not a Singular Set of Methods Passed Down

Anyone familiar with ancient Hellenistic and Persian astrological texts will note that there is quite a large range of variation in terms of techniques and special methods. Different astrologers did things a bit differently. Many astrologers communicated the same basic principles, but then stressed them differently in their chart work.  For instance, in Valens and Maternus we find a strong stress on sect as an important force for evaluating goodness in all delineations. By contrast, in late Persian authors sign-based “dignity” becomes more prominent.

Emphasis: Prediction, Delineation, or Principles?

Different astrologers focused on different overall approaches to the chart as well. Valens was mostly interested in predictive techniques and longevity. He presented more example charts than are typical of Hellenistic texts. Maternus was mostly interested in natal delineation. Ptolemy wanted to re-invent astrology as part of Aristotelian physics. He evaluated topics based on the natural significations of the planets, and tried to avoid using houses and lots. Some astrologers, including Serapio and Porphyry, appear to have mainly focused on basic principles without examples of their use in delineations or prediction.

Special Technique Variety

When astrologers explored more complicated matters, such as occupation, fame, personality, or longevity, they often presented totally different special techniques. Paulus Alexandrinus evaluated the indicator of professional skill in a very different manner from Ptolemy.  Persian astrologers tended to evaluate personality based on the ruler of the Ascendant (first house) and on Mercury. However, Ptolemy didn’t consider the first house, and instead looked to Mercury, the Moon, and their rulers.  Maternus relied on a unique chart lord technique for the matter of personality. Maternus also cited 4 or 5 other ways that his contemporaries would find a chart lord which he found less effective.

Respect Plus Critical Thinking

The ancient astrologers were critical thinkers. Many of them were the premier natural philosophers of the age. For instance, Ptolemy’s modeling of the motions of the heavenly bodies and positions of the stars was very complex and the cutting edge for its day (2nd century CE). It was not superseded for over 1,300 years.

These natural philosopher astrologers had a strong duty to know their “science”, i.e. the body of knowledge. However, we can assume that they based their “art” (i.e. practice) on their own empirical work. In other words, they seem to have felt that prior astrologers, their “ancients”, had something important to say that should be studied and worked with, However, they didn’t feel one should just attempt to imitate them or that some “historically accurate reproduction” of their practice was a possibility. I feel that this contrasts sharply with both modern and traditional astrological practice in the modern era.

Modern Astrology’s Naïveté

Unfortunately, most modern astrologers are little interested in ancient science. They typically use concepts that were re-invented within the last couple centuries. It’s also common to see the use of modern astronomical definitions of what a “planet” is (based on orbital dynamics) rather than original astrological definitions of “planet” (a visible wandering star). Their techniques draw strongly on 20th century astrological inventors.

Disregard for Original Usage

This would be the astrology of the naive, where the origins of the science are of little importance. Astrology is almost completely re-invented to cater to modern disciplines like archetypal psychology. Of course, those modern astrologers that view astrology as more than mere entertainment may get involved in creating and testing hypotheses against charts. Many such astrologers are actively involved in organizations like the NCGR where research is important. However, overall there is a lack of respect for the ancients, the original authorities from which we inherited the system. Therefore, the basics used, and sometimes even tested, tend to have very little resemblance to Hellenistic astrology.

Critical Thought

Some positive attributes of modern astrologers include that they can be critical thinkers. Many disagree with authority are not afraid to tinker to improve something or come up with something better. If this group gets over their mistrust and misconceptions of ancient astrology, then some among them are likely to be the ones that can push it further. The opportunity exists for them to take the ingredients, together with today’s technology and abundant chart collections, infuse that with their critical thinking, creativity, and independent spirit, and produce truly amazing chart work.

I should add that the misconceptions modern astrologers have about traditional astrology are often the fault of a traditional community which has mis-represented traditional astrology as homogeneous in its basicelements, techniques, and philosophical outlook. The community has also given the impression of a fatalist fundamentalism though that fatalism is by no means a necessary feature of Hellenistic astrology.

Traditional Astrology’s Appeal to Authority

Many traditional astrologers today tend to view ancient astrology as having an orthodoxy. This correct way of doing things is arrived at not by empirical work but by appeal to the proper authorities. It is true that through the Middle Ages and the Renaissance astrology did become more homogenized. By following astrologers of this period verbatim, one has a ready appeal to authority. As these astrologers emphasized a subset of elements of earlier astrology, there is a tendency to cherry-pick from their earlier sources as if Renaissance astrologers practiced the same astrology as Hellenistic ones.

Rather than a respect for authority, like the ancient astrologers had, we see an appeal to authority. In debates about technique, they will tend to cite authority rather than supporting and contrasting examples. They seldom realize the richness of the earlier tradition. One can actually practice astrology very differently from the way that they do and still be completely relying upon ancient principles and techniques.

Late Tradition is Very Different from Early Tradition

There is a draw with this group toward a few astrologers whose work emerged over 1,000 years after the traditional began.  Names like Bonatti, Lilly, Morin have come to be the primary authorities of “traditional” astrology. This characterization ignores the fact that the quadrant house systems, aspect doctrine, absence of sect, and dignity weighting doctrine are central features of only the later tradition. These key features of the later tradition are marginal or absent from the first thousand years of the tradition. It may be tempting to view later astrological work as part of a refinement of astrology in its march of progress. However, in my experience with charts, this is not so.

Reconstructions

Even among Hellenistic astrologers, there is often a need to stick with the interpretation of the tradition by a given astrologer. Particular astrologers advocate their own mix of preferred techniques, but too often it is represented as “the” Hellenistic astrology, rather than “a” Hellenistic astrology. This is clearest in reconstructions of the “the Hellenistic system”. Based on scant evidence an astrologer asserts that they can teach the original system, defining some terms and concepts along the way which were not widespread features of Hellenistic astrology. The implication is that Hellenistic astrology is already a corruption of another purer system, now lost, which they can teach you. These astrologers then become the new authorities to appeal to.

Developing an Art

To be a traditional astrologer you must be able to see through modern scientific triumphalist attitudes about knowledge and wisdom as well as religious fundamentalism. Therefore, it is somewhat surprising that traditional astrologers can so often be triumphalist and fundamentalist in their own approach. Do not confuse cherry-picking appeals to ancient authority with a respect for ancient astrology. There are countless means of approaching and assimilating the richness of traditional astrology. Simply appealing to a later approach  does not do justice to the richness of the early texts. Nor does never moving beyond our teachers and authorities to explore the texts ourselves. Dig into source material, experiment with an open mind, and you’ll see the value of doing so.

Conclusion

I do much to characterize “many” and “most” astrologers of different schools, and perhaps this is an unfair straw man.  I’d like to think so, but it’s going to take a new breed of astrologers to break me from my tendency to stereotype when it comes to these matters.  My own appeal to authority is a simple one, do as the ancients did: study the foundational astrological texts, and think critically, rationally, and empirically. We should study ancient astrology thoroughly, and draw upon its rich set of vocabulary and techniques, but recognize that there is no single philosophical “right” understanding of astrology. We can distinguish a good practice of the art by its qualities of being consistent, coherent, and effective. It is separate from ancient science which is a vast pool of rich resources to draw upon.

Questions?  Comments?  Please add to the discussion.

References
Barton, T. (1994). Ancient Astrology. NY, NY: Routledge.
Featured image is Ornament for the month of January featuring the Roman god Janus by French illustrator Adolphe Giraldon (2014; public domain; cropped).

Vampires, Werewolves, and Shapeshifters: Understanding Maleficence

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Saturn with a Snack

Dark Entries

Vampires and similar supernatural beings are very popular these days. From the TV show True Blood to movies like Cronos and Interview with the Vampire, these fearsome beings continue to probe our imaginations.

Watching True Blood one day, it occurred to me that the powerful trinity of vampires, werewolves, and shapeshifters connects strongly with the astrological malefics.  Viewing malefics this way allows beginners to easily grasp the essential nature of the malefic planets. Furthermore, it fosters and understanding of the term “malefic” itself.  In this article, I ask the beginning student of astrology to imagine Saturn as a vampire, Mars as a werewolf, and Mercury as a shapeshifter.

What does it mean for a planet to be malefic?

In ancient astrology, certain planets were noted as being “malefic”, namely Saturn and Mars. These malefics tended to signify more difficult or extreme things.  Subjectively, they relate to two types of unpleasant emotions: fear (Saturn) and anger (Mars).  Objectively, few matters in life are more unpleasant than those of death, the macabre, and darkness (Saturn) on one hand, and violence, explosiveness, and invasiveness on the other (Mars).

Here we are getting at the heart of the malefics, Saturn and Mars.  Saturn is dark, and slow, but arriving certainly, like death. Saturn signifies matters of death, cold, fear, isolation, depression, rot, doubt, rigidity, poverty, imprisonment, breaking things down to basics, and energy loss. In contrast to the certainty of Saturn’s looming threat, Mars is erratic, wild, and unpredictable. For example, Mars signifies violence, burn, inflammation, violation, anger, competition, sport, conflict, and an overload of energy.

Ptolemy on Benefic and Malefic Planets

Ptolemy, a prominent second century Hellenistic astrologer, best known for his sophisticated geocentric model, differed from the other ancient astrologers in the way he described the planets. He described the basic nature of the planets in terms of the basic Aristotelian qualities of hot/cold and wet/dry.  According to him, Saturn and Mars are malefic because they represent extreme states. Saturn is an extreme cold. Mars is an extreme dryness.  By contrast, Jupiter and Venus are considered benefic because they are temperate and moist (fertile).

Sun, Moon, and Mercury

Glyphs

The Sun and Moon also tend to be more benefic in their symbolism. However, they weren’t regarded as the benefics. The Lights, as they were called, are symbols of power and influence. As such they can signify fortunate or desirable matters.

Mercury is the most neutral planet, being strongly influenced by other planets that connect with it.  In other words, Mercury has a broad range and can change forms quite readily.  However, the Lot (or “Arabic Part”) associated with Mercury in Hellenistic astrology is one that has overwhelmingly negative significations. Therefore, aside from Saturn and Mars, Mercury is viewed as the next most capable of signifying adversity.

Mercury signifies cleverness, intellectualism, commerce, symbols, language, and so forth.  All of these things involve a fair amount of complication and ambiguity. This complication is a ready basis for deceit, manipulation, misunderstanding, and trivial contention. For example, think about con artists and propagandists. They use language and complication to deceive and manipulate.

What does it mean for a malefic to be accidentally benefic?

The identification of Saturn and Mars as malefics, and of Mercury as ambiguous, in no way entails that their significations are just “bad”.  It is recognized that they signify important and powerful facets of life which serve productive purposes.  Additionally, it is recognized in ancient texts that the circumstances of the chart can make Saturn, Mars, and/or Mercury signify positive and fortunate circumstances. However, their more natural signification is of difficulty.

How Malefics Gain Benefic Significations

Different ancient astrologers had their preferred factors that they thought made a planet more benefic or malefic.  In Hellenistic astrology, sect, place, and regard by other planets were commonly at the forefront of such considerations.

Maternus on Sect and Place

Below is Julius Firmicus Maternus (4th Century C.E.), excerpts from Book II, Chapter VII, “The Conditions of the Planets” (p. 38, Mathesis, Bram translation). He emphasized sect and place as factors that affect the benefit or difficulty associated with planets.

On diurnal planets:

Therefore, in diurnal charts, if they are in favorable positions, they indicate good fortune.

On nocturnal planets:

Favorably located in a nocturnal chart they indicate good fortune, unfavorably in a diurnal chart, the greatest evils.

Valens on Sect, Place, and Regard

Vettius Valens (2nd Century C.E.) also noted the important sect and place, as well as the influence of other planets. This excerpt is from Book I, Chapter I, “The Nature of the Stars” (5P, Riley translation).

The benefic stars which are appropriately and favorably situated bring about their effects according to their own nature and the nature of their sign, with the aspects and conjunctions of each star being blended.  If however they are unfavorably situated, they are indicative of reversals.  In the same way even the malefic stars, when they are operative in appropriate places in their own sect, are bestowers of good and indicative of the greatest positions and success; when they are inoperative, they bring about disasters and accusations.

Dignity?

Astrologers of the Medieval and Renaissance periods tended to put more emphasis on sign-based rejoicing conditions. Chief among those was whether a planet was in the sign that was its domicile, exaltation, fall, or detriment (note: detriment was not a distinct concept for the major Hellenistic astrologers).  Eventually, these sign-based considerations became a system of “dignity”, and a weighted system of dignity pointing, which I am highly critical of on empirical grounds.  For instance, I’ve discussed some of the history and problems associated with dignity. Also, I’ve given a poignant empirical show of how misleading the approach is. Therefore, I don’t recommend using so-called dignity by sign to judge whether a planet is made more benefic or malefic.

Qualities and Quantities

Benefic or Malefic?

The factors that make a planet more benefic or malefic in a chart are often referred to as “qualitative” considerations. That is, they affect the quality of the planet, making it indicate along more productive or destructive dimensions. These factors include sect, place, and planetary influence by configuration (regard and rulership). Often, I refer to them as factors that associate the planet with “good” and “bad”, as subjective and judgmental such an outlook may seem.

These factors can be contrasted with those that make a planet stronger or weaker in power and pertain to prominence or pervasiveness. Such factors are more “quantitative”. Additionally, factors such as advancement, stations, and phasis act to accentuate and draw attention to the importance of a planet’s indications.

Mean and Range

A planet is never wholly good or bad. Everyone’s chart will show a unique range of pleasant and unpleasant possibilities associated with any planet. These are ready to manifest at various times, with varying degrees of inevitability. Perhaps they are even affected by the person’s own will and consciousness.  All the same, when Saturn, Mars, or Mercury signify positive things, they will still do so with a sense of their own nature. Saturn may show success through control, discipline, fear, and difficulty. Mars may indicate it through atheleticism, competitiveness, and sheer drive.  Saturn can show a certainty fortified against negative possibilities. Mars can show a courage that can surmount the most difficult of obstacles.

The public image of the malefics

The malefics have been ostracized. We may even try to ignore them out of existence. By this I mean that we tend to view horrible things that happen in this world, such as genocide and plagues, as against the natural or spiritual order. However, ancient astrology has a language that encompasses the full good and bad, pleasantness and unpleasantness, of this world. Try as we may, we can’t ignore the fact that murder, violence, war, death, disease, oppression, poverty, and deception exist in the world. Clearly, they are natural elements of our existential reality.

Furthermore, we can’t ignore the human tendency to ostracize these things and to hate them. We view them as abominations, as existential errors, caused by an original sin, a flaw in the system, an indication that God doesn’t exist, or the work of a devil.  In other words, on a fundamental level we view certain categories of things as naturally malefic, evil, devilish, or bad. At the very least they are unpleasant, undesirable, and challenging.

Dark Supernaturals

The supernatural creatures of vampires, werewolves, and shapeshifters strike a chord. They help us to understand the malefics. I particularly like their representation in True Blood. In that show they are part of nature but fashioned to feared and dangerous extremes. Furthermore, they are ostracized and pushed into a hidden world, a sub-conscious realm.  Similarly, malefics can signify things that the individual may be comfortable with but which society doesn’t accept or approve of.  The depiction of the vampires, werewolves, and shapeshifters in True Blood really resonates with the spirit of Saturn, Mars, and Mercury in traditional astrology. Such mythological personifications help flesh out these forces. Or perhaps these forces flesh themselves out in our mythologies? Importantly, they give us insight into the more extreme and super-natural aspects of being human.

Saturn the Vampire

Vampires are dark, cold, and dead, like Saturn. Vampires and Saturn are about the dark side of things, about fear and the macabre. They exploit the limitations, vibrancy, and uncertainty of life. The key concept with both vampires and Saturn is the idea of sucking the life out of something. They need to control out of fear of the unknown and an identification with the dark.

Ironically, Saturn is of the diurnal sect, fitting in with the more respectable and principled order of day time. Saturn is made tamer and less malefic by day.  However, like a vampire, Saturn becomes the most dangerous by night. Saturn is in touch with the past, with history and tradition, the soil, real estate. In other words, Saturn is less alive, but more certain, and more tangible. Furthermore, there is a dark cynical humor behind the knowledge that there’s nothing new under the Sun, and everything will die and be lost.

Mars the Werewolf

I particularly like the portrayal of the werewolves in True Blood.  The werewolf is presented as rough, naive, instinctual, aggressive, and lacking manners. By contrast, the refined vampire is desensitized and matured to a controlled extreme. Similarly, Saturn’s temperament, like that of the vampire, has been characterized as melancholic. By contrast, that of Mars, like the werewolf, is choleric.

Mars is of the nocturnal sect, led by the Moon. Mars seems more animal-like, connected with the hunt and predation. We all know Mars types who like machismo, sharp objects, dangerous things, getting their hands dirty, and hanging out with their “pack”.  Mars rules over the gangs and bikers of the world. Werewolves hunt in their packs, where violent initiation is the norm.  They are not particularly “bright” but they have strong instincts and reflexes. Werewolves involve themselves in work with sharp or dangerous things. They enjoy working with tools and affecting material things whether by building them or blowing them up.

Mercury the Shapeshifter

Less ostracized than the more malefic vampire and werewolf, the shapeshifter is still a source of suspicion. Mercury’s involvement with intellectualism and commerce is not without controversy.  Furthermore, stereotypes ostracizing intellectuals and businessmen abound. For instance, we see this in the extreme in racist views of the Jewish people from their associations with money lending in Renaissance Christian Europe.

Where there is cleverness and complexity one fears a deceptive trickster may be at hand, especially if money is involved. Additionally, Mercury is associated with theft and con artistry in ancient astrology. Interestingly, we see these themes play out in True Blood with Sam, the shapeshifter. He is the major local business owner and previously he was a thief. Furthermore, he has a brother shapeshifter who is a thief and a liar.  Mercury, like the shapeshifter, can be a bit too clever for his own good.  Mercury is both the magician, as well as the trickster.  The portrayals of the shapeshifters in True Blood bring out these qualities of the planet.

Your Opinion

What mythological creatures, gods, or spirits do you most readily associate with Saturn, Mars, and Mercury?  What about the other planets? I’d love to hear your opinions in the comments.

References

Maternus, J. F. (1972). Mathesis: A fourth-century astrological treatise. (J. R. Bram, Trans.). NY, NY: New York University.

Valens, V. (2010). Anthologies. (M. Riley, Trans.) (Online PDF.). World Wide Web: Mark Riley. Retrieved from http://www.csus.edu/indiv/r/rileymt/Vettius%20Valens%20entire.pdf
Featured image is cropped from Saturn Devouring His Children by Jan van Kessel the Elder (circa 1660) which is in the public domain.

Astrology of Religion, Atheism, and Belief | 4. Pope Benedict XVI

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Introduction

In this article, we turn again to someone who is highly religious We are focused particularly on how Jupiter, the 9th, Saturn, and Mercury are placed and relate to the person’s sense of self.  The ingredients and recipe for this analysis can be found in the prior article which you can view here. Note that this series of articles is one on discovering indications of belief in the astrological chart and will not really address other aspects of the life or personality.

Pope Benedict XVI

The current Catholic pope is Joseph Ratzinger, who has taken on the name Pope Benedict XVI.  His natal chart is below and has been given a Rodden Rating of AA.

Natal Chart of Pope Benedict XVI

Pope Benedict XVI’s Chart Analyzed in Brief

Jupiter:

Extremely strong

Jupiter was conjunct the Ascendant, rising at birth.  This means that it was both strongly advancing in the strongest way possible, and in the strongest “stake”, the rising sign.  None of the planets in the chart are stationing, in phasis, nor combust.

Primarily benefic

Jupiter is naturally benefic.  It is in a good place, the 1st, where it directly affects the individuals sense of self, so there is a strong identification with Jupiter.  Jupiter has some malefic influences owing to being dominated by Saturn (right side square regard from Saturn, the out of sect malefic) and being out of sect.

Notes on Jupiter

Jupiter is both in and ruling the 1st. Therefore, the identification with spirituality, religion, and expansive wisdom is very strong with this person. Additionally, Jupiter’s effect in the affairs of the life are powerful and pervasive. 

9th Place:

Very strong and Martial

The 9th, Scorpio, is ruled by Mars.  Mars, like Jupiter, is strongly advancing in a “stake” of the chart. It is in the last degree of the 4th sign/place, Gemini.  Mars makes the matters of belief, wisdom, and religion signified by the 9th prominent.  It tends to make matters more competitive, quarrelsome, even violent, depending on the benefic/malefic tendencies of the planet.  A very Martial 9th can be found with those that actively crusade or attack those with different beliefs, as well as those that compete for positions of religious power. The Mars influence can also simply show contentions about particulars of their belief system.  It depends on many additional factors, but in either case some level of aggression and drive is connecting with matters of belief, wisdom, religion, dogma, and the like.

Mixed, somewhat benefic

Mars, while naturally malefic, is in sect, in a good place, and dominated by Jupiter (Jupiter regards from right side square).  Saturn regards Mars from the opposition, and Mars is naturally malefic, so the 9th place matters are likely to be beset with difficulties at time, particularly at activations of the Mars-Saturn opposition.

Notes on the 9th Place

The 9th place relates strongly to the Jupiter-Mars square in the chart which has Jupiter dominating. We see ambition and competition (Mars) strongly linked with the faith and self-identification (Jupiter in I; IX). .

Saturn:

Somewhat weak

Saturn is somewhat weak, as it’s retreating. However, it is in a “stake” of the chart (the 10th), so while not overtly pronounced it has a strong effect on important matters in life.

Malefic

Saturn is the out of sect malefic, and is therefore malefic, even though in a good place, the 10th. However, this would be modified somewhat by other minor factors which add up. These include the placement of Saturn in the sign, term, and triplicity of Jupiter (Jupiter has a lot of power over the development of Saturnine activity). Jupiter therefore has an influence on alleviating challenges to his status or authority, and challenges from government and other authorities (i.e. challenges from 10th house figures/matters).

Notes on Saturn

Saturn is not strong in a general pervasive sense (not advancing, stationing, etc.) so its significations are more focused. It is in X and dominating the first house, so it does influence the character and career to a great extent. Saturn has the capacity to signify considerable challenges, but also can signify hard-won religious authority through its strong connections with Jupiter.

Mercury:

Very Strong

Like Jupiter, but not the same extent as Jupiter, Mercury is strongly advancing and is in the strongest “stake” of the chart, the 1st place.  Unlike many religious figures, Ratzinger self-identifies as an intellectual, as Mercury is in his 1st place, though he identifies more strongly with Jupiter (religion, God) because Jupiter is both in and ruling the 1st.  Mercury has a pervasive and powerful effect on the life, and there is much intellectual activity.

Somewhat malefic/mixed

Mercury is somewhat malefic in the chart, as Mercury is neutral, easily swayed. Mercury is out of sect and dominated by Saturn, and in a close applying square with Mars. However, Mercury is mixed because it is in the 1st, in a good place, and is assembled with Jupiter.  Still, we expect Mercury to be attached with difficulties.  Mercury strongly reflects this person’s own self, since it is in the 1st, so there is likely to be few qualms about putting forth inflammatory and hurtful comments, words, and intellectual positions on occasion.

Notes on Mercury

Pope Benedict does strongly identify as an intellectual, and doesn’t mind being controversial or contentious on intellectual pretenses. However, overall the chart shows a person who identifies more strongly with religion and spirituality (Jupiter).

Conclusion

In conclusion, in the Pope’s chart we see an extremely strong and pervasive influence of Jupiter and the 9th. This influence is for the most part positive. However, because of the influence of Mars, things can get competitive, zealous, and contentious.  This person identifies strongly with both religion/spirituality and with intellectualism, though more strongly and fundamentally with religion/spirituality.  Saturn is one of the weaker planets in the chart, and certainly the most malefic planet in the chart.

Astrology of Religion, Atheism, and Belief | 3. Percy Shelley

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An Astrology of Religion and Atheism

In this series, the charts of notable skeptics and religious folk are analyzed. Consistently applying some basic principles of Hellenistic astrology, we find that atheism and faith shows up in the birth chart.

The basic rules of the game were spelled out in the initial post of the series which you can find here.

Percy Shelley

Once again we are going to be looking at the chart of an atheist. This time it is the brilliant poet, Percy Shelley.  He led a short life filled with romance, as well as controversy. Notable for our purposes, Shelley was expelled from Oxford for writing a pamphlet, “The Necessity of Atheism”. Shelley is one of the few notable atheists of past centuries whose birth time is said to be accurate, with an A Rodden Rating.

Percy Shelley’s Natal Chart

Percy Shelley’s Chart Analyzed in Brief

Jupiter

Weak 

Jupiter is weak, as it is retreating and cadent.

Malefic

Jupiter is naturally benefic, but here it is out of sect, in a bad place (the 6th), and assembled with (actually in partile conjunction with) Mars.  Jupiter is regarded by Venus from the right side, but overall Jupiter is strongly associated with unpleasant things.

Note on Jupiter

Jupiter is weak and malefic, so we don’t expect expansive spirituality and religion to be a prominent influence in the life. We expect there to be a lot of negative associations with religion and faith.

9th Place

Strong and Saturnine

Just as in the chart of James Randi, we see the 9th empty but ruled by an extremely strong Saturn.  Saturn is in the 1st of the self, so there is a strong personal identification with Saturn. Saturn connects the self with matters of religion and belief very strongly, but in a Saturnine way filled with doubt, fear, and darkness.

Malefic

The 9th, is ruled by the out of sect malefic, Saturn, and so is connected with negative circumstances, particularly concerning fear, control, doubt, and so forth.  Mars is also square to the 9th place from the right side, adding to the contentiousness of this place.

Notes on the 9th Place

The influence of Saturn, planet of doubt, over the 9th place of God is very strong. There is an identification with the 9th place and a prominence in the life, but it is in a destructive sense. The 9th place is associated strongly with fear and suffering (Saturn) as well as fighting and contentions (Mars dominating the place and its exalted ruler). Therefore, there is a strong pull to repudiate religion. Also, matters of spirituality and higher truth have a dark coloring to them.

Saturn

Very strong

Saturn is strongly advancing and in the 1st place (strongest place), in fact, conjunct the Ascendant (Saturn was rising at birth).  The influence of Saturn in the life is extremely strong and pervasive.  The lord of darkness, death, doubt, and dread should make its mark all over the life in a major way.

Quite malefic

Saturn is naturally malefic, and as the out of sect malefic, entails malefic significations.  Saturn is in a good place (the 1st) but overall Saturn signifies for some of the worst things that happen in the life.

Notes on Saturn

As with Randi, Shelley was someone in constant touch with a powerful force of doubt, skepticism, and hardship of an often harsh sort, even identifying with such.

Mercury

Somewhat strong

Mercury is advancing and is in its own sign and bound, without any other major strength/weakness considerations.  Mercury is therefore somewhat strong.

Mostly benefic

Mercury is in sect and in a good place (the 5th of creativity and procreation) but is also regarded by Saturn by trine on the right side.  Overall, Mercury will be more benefic, but the influence of Saturn likely had it signify some negative matters or dark influence in the life at certain points.

Notes on Mercury

Percy identified quite strongly with Saturn, which occupies the Ascendant, and Venus, which rules it. Mercury is not a planet that was strongly identified with but it is prominent due to advancing in its own sign and bound.

Parting Notes

In conclusion, in Percy Shelley’s chart we see configurations typical of deep skepticism and atheism. Notably, Saturn is prominent, Jupiter is weak, and Jupiter and the 9th are associated with with malefic planets and tendencies. These indications are often accompanied by a strong Mercury or a strong identification with Mercury and/or Saturn.

 

Image attribution:

Featured image (Mary and Percy Shelley Engraving by George Stodart after monument by Henry Weekes) is in the public domain.

Astrology of Religion, Atheism, and Belief | 2. Dalai Lama XIV

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2

An Astrology of Religion and Atheism

Is there an astrology of religion? Can we look at a birth chart and tell if or when someone will come to believe in God or the supernatural? In this series, I critically ask that question by looking at the charts of more extreme cases (religious figures and outspoken atheists) using the basic symbolic tools of ancient astrology. The rules of the game for this analysis can be found in the first article.

In the last article, I looked at a prominent skeptic, James Randi. I will give analyses of very religious people as well, to make sure we’re consistent and are not over-predicting religious doubt. In this article, we look at faith and doubt in the chart of the fourteenth Dalai Lama.

The Dalai Lama

For obvious reasons, religion is an extremely important part of his life.  The Dalai Lama has also experienced extreme hardship associated with his own religion. Within his lifetime and reign, he’s seen his country taken over and has had to flee for his life into exile.

The Dalai Lama’s natal chart is below and has been given a Rodden Rating of A.

Dalai Lama’s Natal Chart

The Dalai Lama’s Chart Analyzed in Brief

Jupiter

Very strong 

Jupiter is advancing and it is stationing direct in the chart.

Benefic

Jupiter is naturally benefic. It is out of sect but it is regarded on the right side by the sect benefic, Venus. Additionally, Jupiter is in one of the most benefic places, the 5th, and is not regarded by a malefic from the right side.

Notes on Jupiter

Our initial expectation from Jupiter is that expansive spirituality and positivism is a powerful, pervasive, and mostly beneficial force in this person’s life. Jupiter is the exalted ruler of the 1st, and is regarded by both the sect light (the Moon in the 3rd of communications) and the Sun in the 1st. Therefore, spirituality (Jupiter), power (the Lights), and the self are strongly and harmoniously connected. The Sun in the 1st is applying an overcoming trine to Jupiter within 1 degree, so authority/recognition (the Sun) has a powerful impact on the nature of spirituality (Jupiter) in a beneficial way.

9th Place

Very strong and Jupiterian but also directly affected by Saturn

The 9th is occupied by a planet which gives it some increased prominence.  Jupiter is the ruler of the 9th, and as analyzed above is very strong. Therefore, 9th place significations are very powerful and pervasive in the life.  Jupiter’s effect on the 9th is to align it with loftiness, expansiveness, fortune, and spiritual experience.

Very mixed, overall benefic

The 9th, Pisces, is occupied by Saturn, which connects religion and long distance travel to trying and difficult circumstances.  The relationship with religion is consistently tied to challenges and responsibilities.  Jupiter is very benefic, so 9th matters are likely to be quite prominent and fortunate despite more direct misfortune. Jupiter regards Saturn by trine from the right-side, which in Hellenistic astrology is called Jupiter “overcoming” Saturn. This is the keynote theme here as a benefic overcoming a malefic is said to take away some of Saturn’s evil. Additionally, Jupiter is much stronger than Saturn in the chart and rules Saturn.

Notes on the 9th Place

The 9th place is prominent as it is occupied by Saturn, ruled by the exalted ruler of the Ascendant, and has both lights in aspect, with the sect light (the Moon which is also Ascendant lord) and Mercury in its stakes. There is an identification with matters of the 9th place as it is ruled by the exalted ruler of the Ascendant and has the Ascendant lord and sect light (the Moon) strongly in aspect (opposition). The 9th is mixed in terms of beneficence. It is most immediately malefic (due to the presence of Saturn) but overall benefic, due to the rulership by Jupiter who overcomes the 9th and Saturn by trine

Saturn

Somewhat weak

Saturn is not very strong in the chart.  Saturn is retreating and cadent (and is not stationing). The afflication of the Moon by opposition and the close trine with the Sun, as well as placement of its twelfth-part in the 1st house, do give it great significance in the life, but it is not pervasive.

Somewhat malefic

Saturn is the out of sect malefic, and that alone entails some malefic significations.  However, Saturn is regarded on the right side by trine by Jupiter and is in a good place (the 9th), so Saturn will have positive significations at times as well.

Notes on Saturn

We don’t expect doubt and/or fear to be a powerful and pervasive influence in this person’s life.  We expect the most trying experiences from Saturn to be directly related to religion though.

Mercury

Somewhat strong 

Mercury is retreating and cadent, but Mercury is also in phasis and stationing direct. Therefore, Mercury has a somewhat strong and pervasive influence over the life. The prominence is particularly related to the career and authority (twelfth-part of Mercury in the 10th, phasis). The twelfth-parts of Mercury and Jupiter are in the 10th of actions and authority, illustrating the important role of spiritual (Jupiter) communications (Mercury).

Malefic

Mercury is malefic in the chart, as it is out of sect, in a bad place (the 12th), and dominated by Saturn (overcome by square from the right side).  However, Mercury is scrutinized by Venus, the sect benefic (i.e. Venus aspects Mercury by sextile within 3*).  Rationality and intellectualism will have some strong associations with negative matters in the person’s life, and are not very strongly connected with the person’s sense of self (no rulership at Ascendant).

Notes on Mercury

This person does not strongly self-identify as an intellectual or as the voice of rationality. He may even see over-intellectualism as a vice.  There is much exposure and involvement with intellectual activity and communication in the life though. Mercury has prominence on account of being in phasis and stationing direct.  Betrayals and secret enemies (12th place) will probably be of a Mercurial character. For instance, the press and bureaucrats. Mercury may have other associations to unpleasant circumstances that occur in the person’s life.

Parting Notes: Illuminated Jupiterian Overcoming Saturn in the House of God

In conclusion, in the Dalai Lama’s chart we see someone with a very strong Jupiter and 9th place. Furthermore, Jupiter and the 9th are strongly tied together, providing a more spiritual view of truth and wisdom.  With Saturn in the 9th, we expect difficult experiences with religion, even possibly strong doubts.  In the chart, we see spiritual experience (Jupiter) overcoming such difficult experiences.

Skepticism does not play a generally significant role in the person’s life (Mercury and Saturn are retreating and cadent, with no rulership at the Ascendant). Skepticism and doubt are also not identified with as they Mercury and Saturn lack dignity at the Ascendant. Therefore, we  not expect their influence on the identity to be sustained or forceful.

Rationality does play a role in the person’s life (sect light in Virgo). However, it is associated with unpleasantness (out of sect Saturn dominates Mercury and rules its bound).  The identity is impacted by the Sun (occupies 1st), the Moon (rules 1st), and Jupiter (exalted ruler of 1st). Therefore, the identity is connected with leadership (Sun), social power and subjectivity (Moon), and fortune and religious experience (Jupiter).

Image Attributions:

Featured image is in the public domain.