In the last article on Whitney Houston’s death, I discussed some major astrological predictive factors. A number of predictive techniques highlighted the importance of Saturn. From the activation of her natal Sun-Saturn opposition, to Saturn’s transit through her 8th house of death. At the time of death we found the transiting Sun conjunct her natal Saturn while the transiting Moon was in her 8th with natal Mars and applying to that transiting Saturn. Altogether, 8th house and Sun-Saturn themes abound in the predictive indications. In fact, though not noted in the other article, Houston also has her twelfth-part Saturn in Virgo, the sign activated by the monthly profection at the time of her death.
Primary Directions
Following the publication of that article, some commentary on it prompted me to explore primary directions in some depth. I followed that exploration with a series on pre-Renaissance traditional primary directions. That series explored the basic use of primary direction in ancient astrology and how they can be calculated with free software. The first post on primary directions concerned the primacy of the Ascendant in early directions and the time lord technique of directing the Ascendant through the bounds. This later came to be known as the distribution. The bound lord is called the distributor, or jarbakhtar from Persian terminology. I also explained how to calculate primary directions. Since that time an update of the Traditional Morinus version of the software has been released which improves the display when directing through bounds. You can download the software here.
Death and Directions
In this article, I won’t be discussing all the ancient special techniques for longevity and death. I will hit on some of them in some future posts in this series. However, note that in those techniques there is an emphasis on the direction of a malefic significator (planet, star, lot, or point) of harm to a significator of the health and the body (typically a Light or the Ascendant). For instance, the Descendant is symbolic of death (point of setting) so a direction of the Sun to the Descendant could signify death. While conjunctions, squares, and oppositions are typically the most important types of aspects, for primary directions we consider all classical aspects. This is because primary directions take so long to occur. Often a planet will only aspect another planet or point a few different times over an entire lifetime.
Whitney’s Chart
Whitney Houston Natal Chart (AA-Rodden-Rating)
Directing Through the Bounds
As I detailed in my introductory article on primary directions, the bound lord of the directed Ascendant was typically considered a very powerful time lord, setting the tone for the period. For this reason, I advise that one should always look at the direction of the Ascendant through the bounds, The bound lord, an important time lord, is known as the distributor or in Perso-Arabic astrology as the jarbakhtar. A table can be generated in Morinus as discussed in the article I referred to earlier. The following table of jarbakhtars is for Whitney Houston, with the period active at her death highlighted.
Whitney Houston – Distributors of the Ascendant for 100 Years After Birth
Saturn as Distributor
As we can see from the table above, Saturn is the main time lord of the period (day of death was Feb. 11, 2012). We find that this technique, as with many of the others, strikingly highlights the role of the natal 12th house Saturn in characterizing the period.
Other Distributors
While the distributor of the Ascendant is typically the most important, and is the one used by Abu Ma’shar, some authors, including Masha’allah, use the technique for other life-signifying points as well. Typically, it is one of the Lights or the Lot of Fortune that are also considered. While I consider the distributors of the Ascendant to be much more important, I’ve included below a table of the distributors of the Lights and Lot of Fortune as well. It is interesting that the Sun and Lot of Fortune also (like the Ascendant) have malefic distributors, in this case Mars.
Houston Distributors of Lights and Fortune Age 25-50
Algol to Ascendant
One of the most striking primary directions at the time of death is that of the fixed star Algol to the Ascendant. Algol is considered to be one of the most malefic fixed stars. It is in the constellation of Perseus, which images the hero Perseus grasping the head of the Gorgon, Medusa. Algol is the eye of Medusa in the constellation. The star has separately been associated with demons, evil, death, decapitation, horror, tragedy, and such in many different cultures. For those unfamiliar, you can get a quick briefing on Algol on Wikipedia and especially on Constellation of Words.
A table showing all the directions of fixed stars to the Ascendant from Age 25 to 50 is below. The table says the direction was exact on February 15th, which in primary directions is still “exact” even on February 10th, because even seconds of inaccuracy in recording the birth time equates to days of difference in timing by primary directions.
Directions of Fixed Stars to Whitney Houston’s Ascendant (direction of Algol to Ascendant in February 2012)
Saturn transiting over the Directed Sun
Whitney Houston’s Natal Chart
One of the more interesting directions at the time of death concerns the Sun. As seen above (2nd table up), the distributor of the directed Sun was in the Mars bound of Libra. This bound is 2 degrees in length starting at 28° Libra and ending at 0° Scorpio. Interestingly, Libra is Whitney Houston’s 8th House and the Mars bound of Libra is the bound Saturn transited at death. In fact, look below at the chart of the primary directions zodiacal positions at the time of death. We find the directed Sun at about 29°14′ Libra. Transiting Saturn was conjunct it in the same degree at the time of death.
PDs in Chart for Death of Houston
In my opinion, this was one of the more striking repeat Sun-Saturn significations. Consider this together with over-arching Sun-Saturn planetary years manifestation, Saturn as the main distributor, and the transit of the Sun over natal Saturn.
Whitney Houston – Transits at Time of Death
Conclusion
If you’re new to primary directions, I hope this has whet your appetite for this very valuable technique. Please check out the other articles on primary directions to start working with them yourself. They are really not hard to work with when there is great free software available for the calculations. Until next time, give someone you love a big hug, and let them know how much you care. Continue having fun exploring traditional predictive astrology.
This article continues the series on examining religion, faith, or lack of such in the astrological chart. In the last article, we looked at the chart of atheist and notable skeptic Michael Shermer. In this article, we turn to the chart of the philosopher and esotericist, Rudolf Steiner. The ingredients and recipes for this type of analysis can be found in the first article, on James Randi. The basics were reviewed with additional comments in a few articles back, on Madalyn Murray O’Hair.
Happy precessed solar return to Rudolf Steiner!
Rudolf Steiner
In this series, I’ve been alternating between those who are strongly atheist/skeptic and those that are religiously or spiritually devout. Rudolf Steiner is an interesting case of the spiritually devout. He had many profound and guiding spiritual experiences throughout his life. Steiner founded the Anthroposophical Society, an “association of people whose will it is to nurture the life of the soul, both in the individual and in human society, on the basis of a true knowledge of the spiritual world.”.
He was also something of a rationalist, a well-read philosopher seeking a synthesis between science and mysticism. He reminds me somewhat of Leibniz, who combined a profound rational intellect with deep religious convictions, seeking their synthesis in philosophy. Certainly, thinkers like these remind us that spirituality and rationality, while not necessarily conjoined faculties, are not opposed faculties either. This in spite of frequent New Atheist claims to the contrary in our era.
You can read a brief biography of Steiner on Wikipedia by clicking here. His natal chart is below, and has a Rodden Rating of AA. Despite the AA rating, I should note that even the day of Steiner’s birth is not without controversy, so the AA rating should be treated with a little bit of suspicion.
Rudolf Steiner’s Natal Chart
Steiner’s Chart Analyzed in Brief
Jupiter:
Extremely Strong
Jupiter is the strongest planet in Steiner’s chart. Jupiter is culminating in the 10th place, in a sign ruled by a Light, and it is the first triplicity lord of its place. Most importantly, it is actually conjunct an angle (the MC) within 3 degrees. Jupiter is very prominent in the life, being aligned as it is with the meridian through Steiner’s location, in the South, at his birth.
Benefic, somewhat mixed
Jupiter is naturally benefic and is in a good place, the 10th, while very strong. This is a benefic Jupiter overall. Jupiter is out of sect and dominated by Mars (though Mars is in sect). Therefore, while benefic Jupiter can associate with a fair degree of battles, heated situations, and general competitions and contentions.
Notes on Jupiter
Jupiter has an extremely strong and pervasive influence on Steiner’s life. It pertains most directly to the 10th of actions, occupation, and career. Due to its prominence its influence is felt in all areas of life. Jupiter’s expansive, positive, faith-oriented, truth-seeking, and spiritually experiential nature leaves its mark on his life in a big way. Being out of sect and dominated by Mars, Jupiter’s significations are also connected with heated challenge from others at various points in his life.
9th Place:
Very Prominent, Lunar, Saturnine, and Mercurial
The 9th, Cancer, is empty, and is ruled by the Moon, the Light of the nocturnal sect. Generally, the Moon pertains to subjective power, irrationality, instinct, the wild, movement, nurture, and bodies of water. The Moon also regards the 9th place so her influence is strong there. She is with Saturn, adding a sense of fear, control, obligation, and doubt to the significations. The Moon shows an emphasis on the natural and the subjective in the belief system. Her position in the bound of Jupiter, links her to Jupiter’s expansive positivist spirituality. Her house, that of Mercury, links her to rational intellect and communication or teaching. The Moon separates from the Sun and applies to Mercury in his chart. Firmicus associated this configuration (from Sun to Mercury) by night with particularly learned people who publish writings and are concerned with secret wisdom.
Somewhat benefic, mixed
The Moon is very mixed in the chart. She is for the most part a powerful force (the Sect Light), benefic, and in a good place. She is ruled by a Mercury that is itself made benefic by sect, place, and rulership (by Jupiter). So the Moon is primarily benefic. However, her copresence with Saturn, the out of sect malefic, and her being overcome by Mars, both weigh her down and associate her with difficult circumstances and challenges in the life.
Notes on the 9th Place
The Moon’s dominant influence over the 9th adds a particularly idiosyncratic element to the beliefs as well as stress on the role of natural processes, women, nurture, and personal development. The Moon, like Jupiter, has her significations associated with good things in the life, but also attended by difficulty.
Saturn:
Very strong
Saturn is very strong, as he is strongly advancing in the chart, about 14 degrees from the MC. Saturn has a strong and pervasive influence on the life.
Malefic
Saturn is quite malefic in the chart. In addition to being naturally malefic, it’s out of sect and overcome by Mars very strongly (applying within a degree). Saturn will tend to destroy, nullify, and challenge. However, it is at least in a very good place, the 11th. There it most directly influences friends and social circles. Saturn’s malefic tendencies are also tempered somewhat by its copresence with the very powerful Sect Light, the Moon.
Notes on Saturn
Interestingly, Saturn is very strong in Steiner’s chart and quite malefic. Steiner’s life was in fact plagued with a good deal of loss, death, sorrow, adversity, and oppression. He was certainly no stranger to doubt and criticism. Jupiter still was a great deal stronger than Saturn in the chart. The influence of Saturn was no doubt part of the reason he strove to make “proofs” of his ideas. He was hoping to make concrete and unbreakable the validity of his own deep spiritual experiences to others.
Mercury:
Strong
Mercury is in phasis, copresent with the Sun, in the chart. It is ruled by a very strong and prominent Jupiter. Mercury is also advancing. Therefore, Mercury is quite strong.
Benefic, mixed
Mercury is quite benefic in the chart, being in sect, in the 5th place which is a very good place, and ruled by Jupiter. Mercury is opposed by Saturn though, like a critical weight always pressing on Mercury and challenging during its activation.
Notes on Mercury
Steiner’s Ascendant is in the bound of Mercury, as is his MC, Descendant, Jupiter, and Saturn. There was an identification with Mercury, the planet of rationality, intellect, and scholarship. However, Mercury doesn’t have the same sort of pervasive influence on the life as Jupiter (or even the Moon, Saturn, or the Sun). Mercury is in the 5th of children, entertainment, leisure, and creative products. This place provides Mercury with an outlet for teaching and lecturing. It also connects Mercury with children and the creative arts (esp. with Sun there as well). The strength of Mercury combined with the strong identification with Mercury combine to make Steiner quite the intellectual and rationalist.
Conclusion
Overall, the most immediately striking feature of Steiner’s chart is Jupiter conjunct his MC in Leo. Consider this with its ruler, the Sun, in Pisces, in turn ruled by Jupiter. This says something of his role as a leader and spiritual teacher.
Digging deeper we find that while Steiner’s faith and sense of the spiritual were extremely strong, this was not due to an absence of adversity or a lack of understanding of difficulty and darkness. It was despite his very difficult experiences. It seems to me that he was contending with darkness and doubt nearly constantly. He was always attempting to build up stronger and stronger arguments and works against it.
I think this is at the heart of his desire to fuse mysticism and science, and to make mysticism somehow more objective, verifiable, and concrete. He was a rationalist of immense strength, identifying more readily as a scholar than a religious leader. Steiner was extremely well-learned in philosophy and adept in a broad array of subjects. He was an intellectual to be reckoned with and used these powers intensely to bolster his spiritual cause.
Image Attribution
Featured image of Monument of Rudolf Steiner’s tomb in the park of the Goetheanum at Dornach, Switzerland byAlMare [CC BY-SA 3.0], from Wikimedia Commons (image has been cropped)
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. Here were explore the astrology of religion in the chart of Michael Shermer, the famous skeptic.
The ingredients and recipes for this type of analysis can be found in the first article of the series, which you can view here. They were reviewed with additional comments in a past article, which you can view here.
Michael Shermer
Shermer is one of the most prominent skeptics in the world today. He is the founder of The Skeptics Society (skeptic.com) and editor in chief of its magazine, Skeptic. He is also a self-professed atheist – see here for his article, “Why I Am An Atheist”. You can read Shermer’s biography on Wikipedia by clicking here. His natal chart is shown below and has a Rodden Rating of AA.
Michael Shermer’s Natal Chart (CTRL-Click to enlarge)
Michael Shermer’s Central Belief Indications
Jupiter:
Strong
Jupiter is strong in Shermer’s chart. Jupiter is advancing, in a sign of a light (Cancer), and regarded by both Lights. It is also receiving the application of its ruler, the Moon. When Jupiter is generally strong in this way, we might suppose that among other Jupiter significations being prominent in the life. For instance, we may suppose that the native has had many expansive spiritual experiences that transcended the known.
Benefic to Mixed
Jupiter is naturally benefic and is in the 11th (its Joy), while in sect. This is a very benefic Jupiter overall. Mars is the out of sect malefic and Mars opposes Jupiter. Jupiter is afflicted in this sense and can be mixed. Mars adds heat and contention to Jupiter’s significations, particularly upon activations of the Jupiter-Mars opposition.
Notes on Jupiter
The influence of Jupiter is substantial and mostly positive. The subjects which Shermer pursued in school reflect this. Those subjects were cultural anthropology and experimental psychology, both of which are more expansive, holistic, and Jupiterian fields. Later in life, he earned his Ph.D. in the History of Science. While an atheist, he has also argued that science cannot invalidate religion. Unlike many prominent skeptics and atheists, he doesn’t appear to advocate intolerance for others based on their religious beliefs. He does have a strong Mars-Jupiter signature in the chart which relates to argumentation and crusading for one’s beliefs.
9th Place:
Moderate strength
The 9th, Taurus, is empty. Venus, the planet of sensuality, artistry, and pleasure, rules the 9th. Venus is advancing, but is in a cadent place. She does regard the 9th by an opposition. Overall, the 9th is only of middling prominence.
Somewhat malefic, mixed
Venus rules the 9th and is somewhat malefic here in the chart, as she is out of sect and applying a conjunction to a malefic (Saturn). She is also in both the bound and the sign of the out of sect malefic, Mars. Saturn is in very close aspect to Mars, and Saturn opposes the 9th. Overall, the 9th place has a very Saturnine influence on it, inducing much doubt, critical thinking, and need for tangible evidence when it comes to matters of belief and truth. In the evaluation of belief, Saturn leans toward science/skepticism, while Venus leans toward aesthetic value and human pleasure/joy. There may be an association of matters of higher truth or dogma with unpleasantness or strife. However, it is mixed in this regard, exhibiting a broad range, as Saturn is in sect and Venus is a benefic.
Notes on the 9th Place
Belief-systems and truth-seeking have moderate prominence in Shermer’s life. They are not as prominent as in most of the charts of vocal atheists we’ve seen. His evaluation of belief systems tends to be heavily influenced by aesthetics/pleasure (Venus rulership) and doubt/skepticism (Saturn opposes the 9th and is with the ruler of the 9th).
Saturn:
Moderate strength
Saturn is moderately strong, as it is advancing but cadent. While Saturn has a strong effect on the 9th (via opposition), it doesn’t have a strong effect on the life overall. The life is not marked strongly by doubt, loss, dreariness, darkness, and negativity as it is in the charts of many atheists.
Mixed to somewhat malefic
Saturn is naturally a malefic and is ruled by the out of sect malefic, so there are some challenging circumstances indicated by Saturn. However, it is also in sect and conjunct a benefic, so there are definitely some benefits and positive outcomes associated with Saturn. Jupiter overcomes Saturn by sextile; another beneficial configuration. Therefore, there is a quite a broad mixed range with the significations of Saturn in the chart, from malefic to bringing about very positive developments.
Notes on Saturn
Saturn influences the belief system but doesn’t have a huge impact on the life overall. Saturn has both constructive and challenging associations.
Mercury:
Extremely strong
Mercury is very prominent. It is strongly advancing on the Ascendant and rules the Ascendant. It is also very strongly in phasis (15 degrees from Sun). Therefore, Mercury is extremely strong and prominent in this chart. The god of movement, intellect, rational thought, and commerce has a very strong and pervasive effect on the life as a whole. Shermer encounters prominent Mercurial themes (complexity, rationality, ingenuity, synthesizing, commerce) in his typical life circumstances.
Somewhat malefic
Mercury always has a broad range from benefic to malefic, but here it leans malefic due to its influences. Mercury is out of sect and in a dark place (the 2nd), while in the bound of Saturn, and applying to Mars. All of these indications push Mercury to be more malefic. In other words, we expect Mercury to be more geared into destroying than creating, and negatively evaluating rather than positively contributing something new. In the bound (and exaltation, and triplicity) of Saturn, we expect Mercury to be particularly at home with skeptical evaluation (Saturn pertains to doubt, judgment, and nullification).
Notes on Mercury
Mercury connects strongly with the Ascendant, indicating a strong identification with Mercury. It is also very prominent in the life generally. Mercury is in the 2nd of money and wealth, so while Mercury’s influence is pervasive and broad, the significations concerning commerce are particularly reinforced. We expect that Shermer is a shrewd business-minded individual. The general identification with Mercury is a very common theme among atheists and skeptics. As a whole, they identify very strongly with rationality and intellect. So far, half of the atheists/skeptics in this series (Randi, O’Hair, and now Shermer) have had Mercury as the actual ruler of the Ascendant.
Conclusion
With Shermer, we again see a strong identification with Mercury. By contrast, there is no identification with Jupiter, despite the fact that Jupiter has a significant influence on life circumstances. However, Mercury is the strongest overall influence in his life. We also see the influence of Saturn upon the belief system (9th) and rational thought (Mercury). Unlike many atheists, it appears that there isn’t a strong influence of doubt, dreariness, difficulty, and rejection in his life in general (Saturn is not very strong). Also, he may have had many spiritually expansive experiences in his life that tested the limits (Jupiter is strong). Perhaps it is this which has led him to be more tolerant of religion generally than many other skeptics and atheists. He remains open-minded and directs his attacks instead at specific ideas and claims.
Image Attributions:
Featured image of Michael Shermer at TAM 5 (cropped) by José Ramírez [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Final image of Michael Shermer by User: Loxton (Wikipedia) [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
In the first article of this series, I discussed a little bit about the history and use of primary directions. One point that I made was on the primacy of the Ascendant. Other directions are used in Hellenistic and Persian predictive literature, but directions to the Ascendant, and particularly those of the bounds, have an immense primacy in early directions literature that was lost in later eras.
This primacy of the Ascendant was still evident in the Persian period. In fact, the entire Book III (Distributions) of Abu Ma’shar’s On the Revolutions of the Years of Nativities is devoted to primary directions involving the Ascendant. From his jarbakhtar technique and his look at planets (and Lots and even Twelfth Parts) conjoining or aspecting the Ascendant by primary motion as partners with the jarbakhtar direct everything relative to the Ascendant. There is also an exposition of how to direct the Ascendant through the Indian Ninth Parts and their subdivision into thirds (Abu Ma’shar claimed that this was how the Indians directed the Ascendant, and so he recommended it as an alternative).
Getting Ready
In that first article, I discussed how to roughly estimate directions involving the Ascendant with the use of ascensional times. I also examined how to play with astro-clocking how to calculate directions through the bounds with the free astrological program, Morinus. This is going to be a very short article in which I’m going to show how other primary directions can be found with the Morinus software. We will be adjusting settings in Options->Primary Directions within the program. First, make sure that The Primary Key is set to Ptolemaic and and the type of direction is only Direct. You can do this in the Tables->Primary Directions settings. Those settings in that section will not change for the reasons noted in the last article.
Basic Settings
Basic settings for looking at aspectual directions will be very much the same as those discussed in the last article. We’ll just add in the traditional aspects, the points we want to see directed and directed to, and consider a few settings. Below is how I would look at directions to the Ascendant.
Significator and Promissors
The Ascendant would be the significator. The significator is a point that we want to stand still relative to the location. Everything else (the promissors) rotate through by primary motion. A promissor and the zodiacal degrees it aspects will arrive at the significator by primary motion.Check as promissors all the planets and other points you might want to direct to it.
Semiarc and Zodiacal without Latitude
Semiarc and Zodiacal without latitude were the standard means of directing until about the 15th century.
Aspects of Significators?
In zodiacal options, the first option should definitely be checked, but the second is more controversial. Traditionally, the second option would not be used. You direct aspects of promissors to the significator, but not vice-versa. Some may opt to include these though as they also involve primary motion.
The difference between the two pertains to a notion of what aspects what, and from what direction. Ptolemy called these direct and converse. However, they are different from the modern sense of converse directions (modern sense is backwards directions, opposite the primary motion). Basically, if you check the second option then besides looking at when a planet or its aspects direct to the Ascendant, you will also be looking at when a planet directs to a spot in the sky that at birth was occupied by a degree that aspected the natal Ascendant degree. For more on this see the last section of Chapter 1 of Martin Gansten’s 2009 book, Primary Directions: Astrology’s Old Master Technique.
Asc and MC as Promissors?
Look at the third option on the bottom left. There are some arguments for treating the Asc and MC as promissors. However, they were not treated that way traditionally. In this scenario, the degrees of the Asc and MC move away from the actual Asc and MC by primary motion. Therefore, you are basically treating the natal degrees of the Asc and MC like the planets. These two degrees and all the degrees they aspect arrive at natal positions like the Asc and MC. In this way, an aspect of the Ascendant degree as promissor can actually be carried to the Ascendant as significator.
I would argue against their use, especially initially. They are very different from directions to an actual angle, but are often confused for them. Unlike a direction of the a planet to the Ascendant, which reflects a planet rising after birth, a direction of the Ascendant’s degree as promissor to a planet as significator, goes from the Ascendant degree up to a planet that has already risen. It has a sense of backwardness to it. Note that the direction of the Ascendant degree to a planet is not likely to be as significant as the direction of a planet to the Ascendant (eastern horizon).
Secondary Motion of the Moon
The second thing that I’ve highlighted is accounting for the secondary motion of the Moon. When we use the astro-clocking method we are accounting for secondary motion. Secondary motion is very slight in the few hours following birth for all planets but the Moon. The technique examines connections made by the planets, especially to angles, after birth, in a natural manner. The hours after birth are symbolic of the lifetime with every 4 minutes of clock time as a year.
It doesn’t appear that secondary motion was accounted for in the traditional technique, especially when ascensional times were used. However, an argument can easily be made for accounting for the secondary motion of the Moon so that directions more accurately reflect the reality in the relevant time after birth. If you do use this option, then you’ll have to figure out what the three different iterations mean, because I’m not sure. They could pertain to accounting for some combinations of secondary motion, parallax, and refraction that affect lunar positioning. There is more on this topic of secondary motion in Chapter 7 of Martin Gansten’s aforementioned work, Primary Directions: Astrology’s Old Master Technique.
Adding More Significators
From here, if you want to look at directions to additional signficators, just check their boxes. As mentioned in the last post, in order to pull up the table of directions just click Tables->Primary Directions, choose only Direct, select the age span, and hit OK.
I would caution against starting with too many significators. Ultimately, you want to stick with a very limited number of significators. After the Asc, expand to the MC, the lights (Sun and Moon), and Lot of Fortune. Directing through the bounds is the most important for the Ascendant and the sect light.
Have fun!
Featured image of Etalon-1 is in the public domain.
In this, the third post of the series, I’m going to keep things a bit briefer. We will look at a chart that possesses a large number of the factors seen in the other two posts; something of a more exaggerated case. I recommend that the reader check out the first two posts of the series in order to get a feel for the important factors and configurations. The first post, introduced some of the basics and discussed Traci Lords. The second post, pertained to ex-prostitute and all-around sex guru Annie Sprinkle. While it can be hard to obtain accurate times for porn star birth data, the previous two posts did deal with AA-rated birth data, as will this one. I’ll be discussing Ilona Staller, who in addition to being in porn has, like Sprinkle, positioned herself as an icon of lustful sexuality.
Ilona Staller
Ilona Staller is a Hungarian-born porn star who came to fame in Italian porno. She also was able to get elected to Italian parliament where she is famous for doing things like delivering speeches with a breast out and offering to have sex with Saddam Hussein for peace in the Middle East. She has also had a brief musical career of explicit pop songs about sexual matters. More biographical information about her is available from her Wikipedia entry. She was born on November 26, 1951 at 5am in Budapest, Hungary, and this birth information is Rodden-rated AA for accuracy.
Ilona Staller’s Natal Chart
Staller’s Indications
As far as I can recall, hers is the only chart I’ve examined with all 7 planets in dark or “bad” places of the chart. Not pictured in the chart are her Lot of the Sun (Spirit) at 0 Libra, Lot of Women’s Marriage at 14 Scorpio, and Lot of Venus (Eros) at 22 Libra.
Identification with Venus
Identification with Venus is shown by Venus connecting with many personal points. Here the Ascendant is in the bound of Venus and Venus is a triplicity lord of the Ascendant, while the sect light (the Moon) is in the bound and sign of Venus with 3 other planets and the Lots of Spirit and Eros in that same domicile of Venus (Libra), as well as Venus ruling the Descendant/7th and the Node being in the bound and exaltation of Venus. Additionally, Venus is co-present with the sect light and Ascendant lord, and regards every planet in the chart. We get the sense that Venus is important in understanding this person’s character.
Venus in a Dark Place
She is in a dark or “bad” place, one that doesn’t regard the Ascendant. Venus in the 12th or 6th has been particularly associated with lustful longing by Masha’allah, particularly when under the regard of both Mars and Jupiter, as she is here.
Venus-Mars
Venus is with Mars, and generally afflicted. Venus-Mars connections were said to increase sexual passions, and a connection with Mercury, which is also present, can possibly connect notoriety to these passions. Eros is also conjunct Mars very closely in a sign of Venus and in a bad place.
Lustful Signs Prominent
Lustful signs are prominent, particularly among personal points. Venus, the sect light (Moon), Ascendant lord (Mars), Descendant, Saturn, Jupiter, the Node, Spirit, and Eros are all in lustful signs.
Reinforced Venus
Venus in a place of her own rulership (i.e. a place of her “dignity”). Here Venus is in her own domicile. As discussed in the last couple posts, sex workers tend to have Venus in a place of her own rulership, which perhaps makes her pertain even more to the prototypical Venusian concerns of sexual procreation.
Venus-Moon
Venus involved in the Moon’s motion. Here the Moon is separating from Venus and applying to Mercury. Any lunar separation or application involving Venus can bring in sexual themes, but especially when the Moon is waxing or very full of light (Moon is waning and slight here). Maternus did associate this Moon of little light moving from Venus to Mercury with indecencies and “those who maintain the management and provision of exotic pleasures and delights” (Book 4, Ch. 2, #2, Holden trans., 2011, p. 197). It’s unclear to me whether he intended these exotic pleasures and delights to have a sexual connotation or not. It is clear that the lunar separation provides yet another personal link to Venus, however.
Fixed Star Alphecca Rising
Finally, there is an honorable mention worth looking at in the chart, concerning the fixed star Alphecca, the principal star of the constellation Coronae Borealis. It is at about 11 Scorpio. Maternus identified this constellation rising as particularly pertaining to Venusian matters, including lustful sexuality, adulteries, etc. (Book 8, Ch. 11, #1, Holden trans., 2011, p. 487). With her Ascendant at 9 Scorpio, we would expect Alphecca to be very close to the horizon, emphasizing the rising of this constellation at her birth.
Conclusion
Again, we are seeing patterns emerge in the charts of porn stars and the sexually notorious. Having looked at only 3 charts, it is far too early to tell what works best. We must determine which indications are more suggestive vs. which are more boldly indicative. If a confluence of factors is necessary for a strong indication, then of which factors. We are starting to see the wisdom and experience behind some of the weird ancient proclamations regarding licentious lust. When gathering together such statements we find ourselves with the most effective starting points for developing our own approach to delineating a very particular natal topic like this.
References
Maternus, J. F. (2011). Mathesis. (J. H. Holden, Trans.). American Federation of Astrologers.
Featured Image
Cropped version of the photo Cicciolina Eros Galicia 2009 by Certo Xornal from Wikimedia Commons.
This article was significantly updated in April of 2018.
Primary Directions Buzz
Few techniques are accompanied by more hype than primary directions. Late traditional astrology was a time when the complexity of an astrologer’s mathematical abilities were more important than the veracity of one’s predictions. It is little wonder that primary directions were the key predictive technique of the era and that they grew increasingly complex.
I often hear it said that primary directions are the key to predicting the time of death. Also, that a type of primary directions can time out all of the major events in a person’s life to the very day that they occur. Additionally, because of the last belief, I’ve heard that birth times need to be rectified (even if recorded with a stopwatch at birth) so that important life events line up with primary directions to the exact day.
Primary Directions in Ancient Astrology
While primary directions are over-hyped, they are an important addition to the astrologer’s predictive toolbox. They also have their origins in Hellenistic astrology and were popular in Persian medieval astrology. Directions through the bounds and directions to angles, especially the Ascendant, were the earliest types of directions used. They are also among the most important types of directions.
I feel that it is best to start from the beginning, with the way primary directions were used in early Hellenistic astrology. We will progress gradually from there. I will not explore the increasingly diverse approaches to primary directions that arise during and after the Renaissance. I’m of the rather cynical opinion that the reader will be better off for that.
According to Martin Gansten who wrote the definitive text on the subject, prior to the 15th century, directions were always in the zodiac (i.e. in zodiaco as opposed to in mundo), without latitude, used semi-arc proportions, and without any relationship to particular system of quadrant house division (Gansten, 2009, p. 61). That dispenses with about 90% of possible software settings for primary directions. Let’s keep it simple and stick with primary directions as they were done for about the first 1500 years of horoscopic astrology.
What are Primary Directions?
As you’ve probably heard, the Earth spins once around over a 24 hour period. The planets rise, culminate, and set with this spin. The apparent motion of the planets as they rise, culminate, and set with this spin is called their primary motion.
The Primary Motion of the Planets and Signs
Now imagine we were to freeze copies of the positions of the planets in the sky relative to the Earth at the moment of birth. Then we were to let everything spin as usual and watch the planetary conjunctions and aspects that occur in the sky relative to those copies as the day goes on, with the planets continuing to rise, culminate, and set. If we did this we would see planets arrive at (i.e. be directed to) our birth planets and our birth angles by the primary motion. These are the primary directions of the planets.
The clock time that it would take for these conjunctions and aspects to occur is the timing of these directions. For instance, we may say that 4 minutes of elapsed clock time is symbolic of 1 year of life.
Right Ascension
The 24 hours of spin is given a constant measure called Right Ascension (RA), such that 30 degrees of RA pass over the Meridian of the location in exactly 2 hours of clock time. Therefore, 360 degrees of right ascension passes over the meridian in 24 hours. Since 24 hours equals 1,440 minutes, each of the 360 degrees corresponds to about 4 minutes of clock time (i.e. 1,440/360=4). In other words, if a planet were to culminate (i.e. reach the MC) 8 minutes of clock time after birth, then we’d convert this to degrees of RA as being a direction to the MC 2 degrees (of RA) after birth.
The Annual Key
To convert these degrees of RA into years of life, we use an annual key. The original key is 1 degree of RA equals 1 year of life. This key is sometimes called the Ptolemaic key. However, it was not Ptolemy that originally used it. This is the annual key used for primary directions until about the Renaissance, and thus it’s the only one we’ll use. Remember, 1 degree of RA = 1 year of life = 4 minutes of clock time.
Smaller Units of Time
We now know that 1 degree of RA is symbolic of 1 year of life, but there are 365.25 days in a year, so how much RA is a day? 1 degree is equivalent to 60 minutes of a degree which is equivalent to 3,600 seconds of a degree. By dividing 3,600 by 365.25 we get that a day is about 9.86 seconds of a degree of right ascension.
We really don’t need that sort of precision, as primary directions are not the appropriate technique for timing to the day anyway. When we do want greater precision we can let a good software program do the calculation for us. It was common practice in the ancient world to approximate with a 360 day year. This would give an even approximation of 10 seconds of a degree for one day (i.e. 3,600/360=10) and 5 minutes of a degree for one month (i.e. 10 seconds * 30 = 300 seconds = 5 minutes).
Estimating Primary Directions to Angles with Astro-Clocks
Because about 4 minutes of clock time is equal to a year of life by primary directions, one can actually use an astro-clock to find key years quickly. Look at the time in minutes that it takes from birth to when a planet conjoins or aspects an angle of the chart. Take that time, divide by 4, and you will get a rough approximation of the year (and quarter) when an event is likely to occur. Out of all of the primary directions that are aspect-based (as opposed to the time lords discussed below), these directions to the angles are the most pivotal, especially the direct hits. It is handy to be able to approximate these with an astro-clock or by manually time adjusting a chart.
Example: Kurt Cobain
The divorce of Kurt Cobain’s parents when he was seven years old is often cited as a very influential event in his life. Looking at his natal chart we see that Jupiter is the ruler of his 4th of family, and that Venus (one significator of the mother in the chart) is conjunct Saturn in his natal chart. This Venus-Saturn conjunction was a particularly significant combination in his musical career, his marriage to Courtney Love, and his suicide.
Kurt Cobain’s Natal Chart
30 Minutes After Birth = 7.5 Years
Sure enough, about a half hour (about 30 / 4 = about 7.5) after Kurt’s birth Jupiter, ruler of the 4th, exactly aspects the Descendant, and Venus conjoins the Descendant. The setting of Venus is more significant here because it is a direction to the horizon itself, rather than a direction of an aspect of a planet to the horizon (the Jupiter direction is from the trine of Jupiter to the horizon). While a traumatic parental separation may not strike one as a particularly Venus and Jupiter type of event, Jupiter, in Cancer and ruling the 4th shows the emphasis on parents, and Venus, being conjunct Saturn, shows the effect on his sense of relationships, and the loss and burden associated with that.
30 Minutes after Cobain’s Birth
48 Minutes After Birth = 12 Years
At age 12, his mother granted full custody to his father. Age 12 would correspond to about 48 minutes after birth (4*12=48), and sure enough Saturn sets in the chart about 48 minutes after birth. The setting of Saturn rounds out the impact of this very powerful Jupiter-Venus-Saturn configuration coming due by direction to the Descendant.
Play with Astro-Clocking
I invite the reader to take a few minutes to play around with this on one’s own chart and other working charts. I want you to get a rough idea of when directions to angles occur in the life, especially those that are complex configurations involving a series of hits over a few years. Think in terms of natal significations that could be unlocked by the prominence that lining up with angles can bring.
Early Primary Directions
According to Gansten (2009, p. 11), there is evidence of the use of primary directions as far back as the 1st century CE. They appear in the Carmen Astrologicum of Dorotheus and possibly also in a paraphrase of the early 1st century CE astrologer Balbillus.
There are three things that you should know about the earliest primary directions:
There is an exclusive focus on the Ascendant.
The rising of the bounds of a sign give rise to a time lord of the period and this bound lord sets the tone of the period.
Directions of planets to the Ascendant and planetary aspects to the Ascendant mark transitory events.
As noted in the series of lessons, the Ascendant is symbolic of the self, so this focus on the Ascendant makes sense. As with the metaphorical journey of the self through the houses by profection of the Ascendant, the directed Ascendant shows a journey of the self through the bounds of the planets. Directed aspects to the Ascendant show the self encountering significant sets of circumstances.
Directing through the Bounds
This second point about directing the Ascendant through the bounds was lost to later traditional astrology. Today, primary directions are used as a suped-up set of transits rather than as a time lord system. However, this was a critical facet of this technique from the beginning right on through the Persian period. During the Persian medieval period, the bound lord of the directed Ascendant is known as the jarbakhtar (distributor of time, much like the Greek chronocrator). In Hellenistic and Persian astrology, this use of directions appears to have been given more stress than the aspectual type.
The bounds used were the Egyptian bounds. Note that the “Egyptian” bounds were the only set which were widespread and independently attested in multiple Hellenistic sources, and are rooted farther back in Mesopotamian astrology. You can find a table of Egyptian bounds online at Altair Astrology’s blog here, or download a free pdf of the bounds and more from Project Hindsight here.
Astro-clocking can be used to roughly estimate the distributor as well. Simply note the time it takes for the Ascendant to change bounds.
Dorotheus on Directing through the Bounds
When Dorotheus directed the Ascendant through the bounds in Book III, Ch. 2 of Carmen, he emphasized both the bound lord and planets aspecting the bound. For instance, when the Ascendant reaches 24-30 degrees of Scorpio, the bound of Saturn, he gives the distribution to Saturn and Venus. Venus in the chart is at 27 degrees Leo, aspecting the bound, so Venusian events occur. Overall, the period is marked by difficult Saturnian events though.
I would interpret the bound lord as the overall distributor characterizing many key events which take place over the period, The aspecting planet then comes to the forefront and characterizes important during the year when the aspect is close. Study the following excerpt of Dorotheus (Book III, Ch. 2, 2017, Dykes trans., p. 193; note that information in {} brackets is mine):
Then the distribution reached Saturn, and Venus cast rays to 27° of Scorpio from the square: so Saturn and Venus governed this distribution together. {…} And because of the place of Saturn his mother died in that time, and he acquired goods because Saturn indicated these {Saturn was in the 2nd}, and he will marry a woman with a dowry, and a child will be born to him ([and]live a little bit, and die) in the third year; so his joy will be from women and children due to Venus, and his weeping and the death of his children due to Saturn.
Distributor Sets the Tone
In this case, the native has many difficult events occur as the main distributor is Saturn. This is due to the natural significations of Saturn as well as his indications in the chart. In the chart, Saturn is in the 2nd, rules the 3rd and 4th, dominates the 5th, and is closely dominated by an out of sect Mars who squares him within a degree. However, around the 3rd year, when the aspect of Venus is effective, he marries and has children. Venus naturally signifies marriage, she rules the 7th and is the exalted ruler of the 5th, and she is in the 10th house where she confers children. Thereafter, misery strikes again with the death of the child due to the fact that Saturn is still the distributor.
Estimating Ascendant Directions with Ascensional Times
The ecliptic is at an angle to the horizon, so signs rise somewhat diagonally. For this reason, they take more or less than 2 hours to rise, rather than a steady 2 hours per sign. The length of time it takes for a given sign to rise depends on the latitude of the location, and this length of time is measured in Right Ascension (RA). You will recall that 1 degree of RA is basically 4 minutes of clock time. Therefore, if a sign rose uniformly, then all 30 degrees of the sign would rise in 30 degrees of RA or 2 hours (30 degrees RA * 4 minutes clock time = 120 minutes clock time).
What are Ascensional Times?
When a sign takes longer than 2 hours to rise, it is called a sign of long ascension. Let’s say it rose in 3 hours, then we’d call this 3 hours its “ascensional time” for that latitude. However, we want to express the ascensional time in RA. 2 hours of clock time is 30 degrees RA, so 3 hours of clock time would be 45 degrees RA. Therefore, the ascensional time for that sign which took 3 hours at that latitude would be 45 degrees of RA.
Ascensional Times as the Years of the Signs
The ascensional times of the signs for the latitude of birth are important to know. They are used in various Hellenistic predictive methods. The ancient key of 1 year for each degree of RA was used in multiple ways in Hellenistic astrology. For instance, an activation of the sign in the chart was thought to occur around the same number of years as the ascensional time of the sign. In our 45 degree sign example, we might expect some special activation of that sign in the birth chart at 45 years of age.
Ascensional Times in Valens
For instance, in Book II, Ch. 2 of Anthology, Valens advised to look at the sect light and its triplicity lords to assess if one has an overall fortunate life or not. The position of the sect light itself is important, but the triplicity lords, which typically indicate supportive influences, preside over certain periods of life. The first triplicity lord assists in the first period of life, with the second taking over after that, and then the third after that. Valens instructs that the time that the first triplicity lord rules is either its minor years or the ascensional time of the sign it occupies.
For nativities which are badly situated (whether day or night births), if the predominant houseruler is unfavorably located, but its successor is at an angle or otherwise configured well, the native will experience ups and downs during his early years or until the rising time of the sign or until the cyclical return of the chronocrator, but will afterwards be vigorous and effective–except for being unsteady and anxious. (Valens, Book II. Ch. 2, 2010, Riley trans., p. 25)
There are many other areas in the Anthology in which Valens uses the ascensional times of the signs. See for instance Book II, Ch. 28, Book III, Ch. 14-15, Book IV, Ch. 29, and throughout much of Book 7. The examples in Book VII are particularly revealing as he considered the age corresponding to the ascensional time of the sign to activate events symbolized by planets in and aspecting the sign. He also does quite a bit of adding the ascensional times of the signs to the minor years of the planets in or aspecting the sign to show combined activation.
Ascensional Times in Primary Directions
Additionally, the ascensional times were used to estimate primary directions pertaining to the Ascendant. They were also sometimes used as a sort of rough symbolic direction of other points, even though it is not astronomically correct to use them for directing other points. Gansten (2009, p. 14) mentioned that at least Valens and Paulus Alexandrinus employed this short cut method. The method is as follows: take the ascensional time of the sign, divide it by 30, and use that as a conversion unit for the RA of one zodiacal degree of the sign.
To better understand how this is done, the reader will have to first obtain a table of sign ascensional times for the latitudes. One such table is available from Project Hindsight for free as the last pdf link on this page. Please download that table at this time and refer to it for the discussion in the next few paragraphs.
Calculate Kurt Cobain’s Directions by Ascensional Times
Let’s return to Kurt Cobain. He was born at about 47 North, for latitude, and his Ascendant is Virgo. At the intersection of latitude 47 and the sign Virgo, you will find the ascensional time of 40°29′. Dividing by 30 we get 1°21′ or 1.35°, which is our conversion factor. In other words, while the Ascendant is in Virgo, we pretend that 1° of zodiacal longitude is equivalent to 1.35 years of life (about 1 year, 4 months, and 1 week).
Bounds of Virgo
Kurt’s Ascendant is at 20 Virgo in the bound of Jupiter but the bound switches to that of Mars in a degree, and thus at about age 1 year, 4 months. Mars rules that time in the life until the Ascendant enters the bound of Saturn which starts at 28 Virgo, 8 degrees past the Ascendant. We calculate the entry into the Saturn bound as 8*1.35=10.8 years, or about 10 years and 9 1/2 months of age. In other words, from about age 1 1/2 until almost age 11, Mars is the lord of the time, and will set the tone for events. The Saturn bound lasts for 2 degrees, or 2.7 years (1.35*2=2.7), until he is about 13 1/2. After that point the Ascendant enters the first bound of Libra, which is another Saturn bound.
Bounds of Libra
When entering a new sign we have to find the conversion factor for the new sign. However, in this case it is easy, because Virgo and Libra have the same ascensional times, and thus the same conversion factor. That Mars and Saturn as time lords set the tone during Kurt’s childhood for the other directions is significant, particularly in relation to our speculations about the meaning of the Jupiter and Venus directions above.
Aspects
We can do the same thing for aspects to the Ascendant. The Ascendant is at 20 Virgo and Saturn is at 28°44′ (about 28.75) Pisces. When 28°44′ Virgo rises this direction of Saturn opposite the Ascendant (same direction we mentioned as occurring around age 12 above on astro-clocking) will be complete. Therefore, we are interested in the age that corresponds to about 8.75 degrees of zodiacal longitude. Multiplying by our Virgo conversion factor for this latitude of 1.35, we get 11.8 years of age for the setting of Saturn, which is pretty close to the estimate we got by astro-clocking.
Quick Pen and Paper Primary Directions
Hopefully, you now have a good grasp of how the sign conversion factors can be used to convert zodiacal distance into years of life. This is simply a rough estimate because each sign does not rise at a constant rate. It is not precisely accurate to equate any arbitrary zodiacal degree of Virgo with the same particular unit of time. However, it is useful when you don’t have access to a program that can calculate primary directions or even an astro-clock.
Directing through the Bounds with Free Software
In a future article, I’ll give more details about finding primary directions with free software. However, I want to leave the reader with at least the chance to create and print off tables for the Ascendant jarbakhtar periods of any chart. This is done with the free open-source traditional astrology program Traditional Morinus.
I won’t get into the details of installing the program and entering basic chart data here because I’ve addressed it in this prior post, and further in this one. If you are new to Morinus, please check out those posts. Please download, install, and get a chart in there, before continuing on.
OK, now that you have a birth chart up, you should have a screen that somewhat resembles the following:
Settings
First, let’s set the Key. Click Options, then Primary Keys (or press SHIFT-K). Select “Static” and select “Ptolemy” from the list, then click OK.
Second, let’s set the other Primary Directions options for some traditional Ascendant through the bounds type of directions. Click Options, then Primary Directions (or press SHIFT-D). Make sure your selections look as follows. You can do this by deselecting everything (by clicking “reset”) and then selecting the options shown (Terms as the only promissor; Conjunction as the only aspect; Asc as the only significator). Recall that semiarc and zodiacal without latitude are the standard approaches prior to the Renaissance.
Pulling Up the Distributors
Now we are ready to calculate the tables. Go to Tables in the top menu, then Primary Directions. You might as well check 0-100. Make sure only Direct is checked. Converse here are actually not traditional converse primary directions at all, but a sort of reverse primary direction where we imagine that the signs are moving across the sky in reverse (i.e. moving opposite the primary motion), so they are a very weird modern experimental thing which we we’ll ignore, always choosing Direct.
When you hit OK, you should end up with a Table of primary directions of the Ascendant through bounds.
Example: Whitney Houston’s Death
For the example below, I pulled up the jarbakhtars for Whitney Houston from Age 25-50.
One thing that we notice is that for the period from April 18, 2009 until March 3, 2013, the Ascendant directs through the Saturn bound of Taurus (22 to 27 Taurus). This tells us that Saturn is jarbakhtar for the period and sets the tone as a time lord. Saturn characterizes very significant events as it is located in her 12th House, opposite her natal Sun. Houston died during the period on Feb. 11, 2012. For some more on the importance of Saturn in the timing of her death, please see the article on her death.
Whitney Houston’s Natal Chart
Pulling Up Distributors and Aspects
As mentioned above, the distributor (bound lord) and the aspectual directions to the Ascendant were typically looked at together. These primary directions are the most important ones due to the symbolic nature of the Ascendant, so I highly recommend that you save a table which includes just these directions for your own chart and all the charts you analyze.
Let’s pull up the table. Go back into primary directions options (press SHIFT-D). Now you will need to check some additional promissors and aspects, but everything else will remain the same. For promissors, check all of the 7 classical planets (Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury Moon). Also, check that the secondary motion of the Moon is accounted for (i.e. check Sec. Motion). For aspects, check Conjunction, Sextile, Square, Trine, and Opposition.
Example: Trump’s Political Rise
Let’s pull up the table of directions for the Ascendant for ages 50-75 for Donald Trump (birth data AA rated).
We find that the Ascendant is in Libra, going through the bounds of Jupiter, Venus, and Mars during the final 20 years of the period (ages 55-75). Libra is ruled by Venus (ruler of the MC) and occupied by Jupiter (ruler of the 5th house of children) in the natal chart. Interestingly, Jupiter is located in the bound of Jupiter, and Venus strongly aspects her own Venus bound in the sign, so both planets make eventful aspects during their distributorships.
Trump’s Natal Chart with Twelfth-Parts (outer wheel) – CTRL-Click to enlarge
Jupiter Distribution
The Jupiter distribution from 2002-2010 saw a number of important Jupiterian events in his life, especially as it relates to Jupiter’s position in the 3rd house and rulership of the 5th house. Also, there is the presence of twelfth-part of Mercury in the Jupiter bound.
Trump became a television star with the start of the Apprentice in 2004. He married his third wife in 2005. However, the most important period is when the aspect of Jupiter aspects his bound, which is in 2006 and sees the birth of his fifth child.
Venus Distribution
By 2011, Trump is in his Venus distribution. Venus rules the 10th house of rank and authority and she has her twelfth-part in the 10th house. There is a strong orientation toward political leadership during the period.
This is a particularly important bound. It is aspected by 5 planets, including its ruler (Venus), both lights (Sun and Moon), and both malefic (Saturn and Mars). The fact that the lights aspect the bound highlights themes of leadership and authority shown by the fact that the ruler of the MC (Venus) also rules and aspects the bound. Saturn and Mars highlight that this is also going to be one of the most difficult periods.
Trump has had a political aspirations as various points in his life, but his real political career within the Republic party kicks off in 2011 during this period. It kicks of with a 2011 CPAC speaking engagement. After that engagement, his political contributions, which had been mixed but mainly to Democrats, decidedly shifted to Republican candidates.
In 2013, with aspects from the Sun and Moon within a degree, the political direction intensifies. We see our first intimations of candidate Trump. While Trump does not announce his candidacy until 2015, Trump spends a million dollars in 2013 to research a possible presidential run and is a popular featured speaker at CPAC. His popularity with the conservative base takes off.
However, the most important period is when Venus aspects her bound. The aspect is exact in January of 2017 and sees Trump sworn in as the President of the USA.
Conclusion
If you’ve found primary directions to be confusing or overly intimidating in the past, I hope I’ve helped to make them clear. In the next article, we’ll delve a little deeper into the use of primary directions.
References
Dorotheus of Sidon, & al-Tabari, U. (2017). Carmen Astrologicum: The ’Umar al-Tabari Translation. (B. N. Dykes, Trans.). Minneapolis, Minn.,: The Cazimi Press.
Gansten, M. (2009). Primary Directions: Astrology’s Old Master Technique. Bournemouth, England: The Wessex Astrologer Ltd.
In the second post of this series, I’d like to look at the chart of Annie Sprinkle. She has been involved in the lustful side of sexuality in just about every way possible. She was a prostitute for two decades. Sprinkle has also been a stripper, porn star, porn producer, etc. She has really positioned herself center stage as an icon of licentiousness, calling herself a “sacred prostitute”. You can read more about her biographical details in her Wikipedia entry.
As in the look at Traci Lords, I will be pulling out some factors in the chart that pertain to signification of licentiousness. As the series progresses we’ll see certain trends and confluences of factors appear repeatedly as a common theme. The reader is urged to first read the last post on this topic before proceeding, as I discuss some of the basics and give some warnings appropriate to this type of work.
Again, as in the chart of Traci Lords, we are dealing with a Libra rising chart, with Venus as Lord of the Ascendant and in a dark or “bad” place (i.e. one that doesn’t regard the Ascendant – 6th, 12th, 8th, and 2nd) while out of sect. This identification with Venus and placement of Venus into a vulnerable place subject to corruption is noted by Masha’allah in relation to licentiousness. Note that like most simple delineation statements, the following illustrate the principle with extremes rather than being a cookbook delineation. In other words, the principle is that Venus as lord of the Ascendant inclines to identification with Venusian things and that planets in bad places incline to the darker side of things. According to Masha’allah (On Nativities, Ch. 5, Dykes trans., 2008, p. 400):
If Venus were the Lady of the Ascendant, and in a good place, it designates him to be handsome and humble. And if she were in a bad place, it designates he is hot [in desire] (and if were a woman, it designates her to be a prostitute).
Venus in XII Regarded by Jupiter and Mars
Another passage by Masha’allahn from the Book of Aristotle was previously mentioned in the Traci Lords post. It also holds in this chart, with Venus in the 12th, regarded by Mars and Jupiter:
Indeed for the appetite of longing and sexual impurity, consider the following. For, Venus in a place of longing-namely the sixth or twelfth-under the regard of Jupiter and Mars, or if she would be lingering with the Lord of the Lot in the Midheaven, it defames the female spouse because of prostitution, hides an abortion, presents [her] for sale […] (Masha’allah, Book of Aristotle, Dykes trans., 2009, Book III, Chapter 7, Section 8, p. 146)
Reinforced Venus
Also, as in the chart of Traci Lords, we find that Annie Sprinkle’s Venus is in the bound of Venus. While we may be tempted to draw some conclusions based on the position of Venus in her sign of fall, Virgo, as pertaining to ill-dignified Venusian behavior following the later medieval idea of “negative dignity” when a planet is in fall, this would lead us down the wrong path. Venus is in her own bound and triplicity here. Also note that Venus is in her own bound and domicile in the chart of Traci Lords and in her exaltation in the chart of Jenna Jameson.
It may instead be the case that some deeper connection of Venus to prototypically Venusian matters of sexuality, as opposed to other manifestations of love and beauty, is important. The reinforcement of these Venusian indications is shown through Venus being in her own domicile, exaltation, bound, or triplicity. Triplicity is more effective if it is the first triplicity ruler, which Venus is here of Virgo by day.
Notes on “Dignity”
In my own opinion, a form of rulership in its own place makes a planet more independent in action. The planet is less tied to other planets or encumbered by dependencies to them. In that sense, a form of rulership in its own place can make a planet a little bit stronger, less restrained or forced to cooperate. However, it should never be interpreted as having effects that are in some sense more “dignified”, in the sense of admired, socially accepted, commended, honorable, or even as conferring greater success.
I’ve addressed this at length in prior posts on the issue, most succinctly in The Curious Case of Jeffrey Dahmer and Ted Turner. I contrasted Dahmer’s 4 very positively “dignified” (in domicile) planets with Turner’s 4 planets in detriment and fall with none in domicile or exaltation. Their charts illustrate the absurdity of identifying a planet in a form of rulership with the degree to which a planet signifies dignified matters in the life.
Venus-Mercury-Mars
There is a substantial connection between Venus and Mercury in the chart, which are in a partile sextile and have most of the important planets of the chart under their rulership. For instance, the Ascendant and the Moon are in domiciles of Venus but bounds of Mercury. Venus is in the domicile of Mercury but in her own bound. Mercury is in the bound of Venus. The Lot of Venus (Eros – at 20GEM) is in the domicile of Mercury and bound of Venus. The MC is in the bound of Venus. Five planets are in water or earth signs where Venus is the first triplicity lord.
Mars is the only planet in a “stake” of the position of Venus (i.e. in the 1st, 4th, 7th, or 10th sign from Venus – in this case square to Venus). Given the strong interchange between Mercury, Venus, and personal signification, we get a sense both for the passionate sexuality of Mars-Venus and the strangeness, “talk”, and notoriety that Mercury can bring to the mix. The chart doesn’t fulfill the following statement by Ptolemy but the strength of the ties Venus has to Mars and Mercury reflect it:
Therefore Venus, with Mars, produces merely amorous dispositions, but if Mercury is present, notoriety also… (Ptolemy, Tetrabiblos, Book 4, Ch. 5, Robbins trans., 1940, p. 401)
Similarly, Rhetorius claimed, “Venus and Mercury and Mars aspecting each other will make lechers” (Compendium, Ch. 66, Holden trans., 2009, p. 121). But this indication is so commonly occurring in natal charts as to be worthless predictively. Though it does indicate the way that combinations of Venus, Mercury, and Mars can be indicative of mind/talk, passion, and sexuality getting mixed up in possibly scandalous ways.
Mercury in X in Bound of Venus
With Venus in the 12th and all the back and forth between Mercury and Venus, we particularly get the sense that sex is strongly on the mind and on the tongue. Mercury in the 10th, strongly advancing on the MC, and strong due to stationing direct days prior to birth and being in phasis, along with being fortunate through being with Jupiter, all give strong indications of great career success through her words and mental personage. She has indeed lectured on a wide variety of topics and claims to have a Ph.D. in human sexuality (unconfirmed). In the following video she discusses her sexual history a bit and one gets a good sense of her style of sexual advocacy and openness.
Mercury in the bound of Venus is typically a good and pleasant thing, but it does associate Mercury with sexuality. Given that Venus is out of sect and in the 12th, the identification with Venus, and some of the other Mercury-Venus connections, we might expect that some of the more difficult indications of Mercury in the terms of Venus to come forth. As Maternus noted for Mercury in the bound of Venus:
They will certainly be lustful in sexual intercourse, and those who corrupt the marriages of others with a depraved mental desire. They will be full of moral faults, and those who are always battered with constant scandal because of these faults. (Maternus, Mathesis, Book 5, Ch. 5, #6, Holden trans., 2011, p. 297)
Moon-Venus
Venus is moving more than twice as fast as Mercury at the time of birth. Therefore, the Moon was invested in application to Venus in the chart until shortly before birth when Mercury intervened. Venus and Mercury are in partile sextile, and the Moon applies to both, to Venus with the stronger type of aspect (trine), but first to Mercury with the sextile. Technically, the Moon is separating from Saturn and making her next application to Mercury, but the application to Venus may be important as well. I note this because Maternus provided the following among his indications for a waning Moon separating from Saturn and applying to Venus:
But if she was of little light, it denotes the depraved enticements of love affairs, or it makes [them] to be involved in impure and indecent passions, or it denotes disgraceful actions in continual succession. (Maternus, Mathesis, Book 4, Ch. 3a, #7, Holden trans., 2011, p. 188)
Conclusion
Many indications involve a Venus with more malefic associations in the chart. In this case, Venus is out of sect, in a dark place, and regarded by malefics and Mercury . Many indications also pertain when prominent and personal factors connect with Venus by rulership, regard, and application. I mean factors such as the Ascendant, Moon, the strongest planet in the chart (Mercury in this case), and the Descendant.
This chart and the chart of Traci Lords show a trend that we’ll continue to see, in which Venus in her own term, sign, exaltation, and/or triplicity is more likely to give indications directly pertaining to sexuality than a Venus that lacks such rulership in her own place. I think there is a sense behind this in which Venus prototypically refers to the procreative nature, with her additional indications pertaining to beauty, art, and so forth being extensions of this. Venus in a place of her rulership is more independent for better or worse. She is also reinforced which strengthens her significations related to sex in the person’s life.
References
Bishr, S. ibn, & Masha’allah. (2008). Works of Sahl & Masha’allah. (B. N. Dykes, Trans.). Minneapolis, MN: The Cazimi Press.
Masha’allah, & al-Khayyat, A. ’Ali. (2009). Persian Nativities I: Masha’allah and Abu ’Ali. (B. N. Dykes, Trans.). Minneapolis, MN: The Cazimi Press.
Maternus, J. F. (2011). Mathesis. (J. H. Holden, Trans.). American Federation of Astrologers.
Ptolemy, C. (1940). Ptolemy: Tetrabiblos. (F. E. Robbins, Trans.). Cambridge, MA: Loeb Classical Library. Retrieved from http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Ptolemy/Tetrabiblos/home.html
Rhetorius of Egypt, & Teucer of Babylon. (2009). Rhetorius the Egyptian. (J. H. Holden, Trans.). Tempe, AZ: American Federation of Astrologers.
Featured Image
The featured image of the Statue of Leda and the Swan at Hever Castle, Kent, England is in the public domain.
Synastry is the art of comparing the astrological birth charts of two or more people. Typically, this is done for relationship insight. We look for complimentary strengths, personality compatibility, and possible conflict or contention.
You may be familiar with the idea of Sun sign compatibility. This has been popularized by newspaper horoscopes and popular books like Linda Goodman’s “Love Signs”. However, you may not have known that synastry was used in the earliest chart-based astrology (Hellenistic astrology). An analysis of marriage and friendship often involved some amount of synastry.
Sources for Ancient Synastry
I’ll be exploring a few of the basics of synastry as found in Dorotheus’s Carmen (1st century CE), Ptolemy‘s Tetrabiblos (2nd century CE), and Masha’allah‘s The Book of Aristotle (8th century CE).
Carmen of Dorotheus can be picked up here. An English translation of the Tetrabiblos can be found online here. The interested reader will want to refer to Book IV, Ch. 5, “On Marriage”.
The first and only English translation of Masha’allah’s The Book of Aristotle was made by Dr. Ben Dykes in 2009. The Book of Aristotle is a mammoth indispensable work covering all aspects of natal delineation, It was published with Abu’Ali‘s On the Judgments of Nativities as the first volume of the “Persian Nativities” series, which you can purchase here. I’ll be referring to Book 3, Ch. 7, Section 11, “On the concord and esteem of each”. It is assumed that the author is Masha’allah, but Dykes has recently speculated that the author could al-Andarzaghar (another astrologer of the period).
Both Ptolemy and Masha’allah place a premium on the relationships between the Sun, Moon, and Venus, both in the natal chart and between charts.
Sun-Moon
For Ptolemy, the Sun in a woman’s chart is particularly significant for describing a husband and facets of her marriage. The Moon in a man’s chart describes the wife and facets of his marriage. Harmony between the Sun and Moon was very important for marriage. Ptolemy does not neatly separate out natal and synastry factors, but rather seems to refer often to both and sometimes to one or the other. He appears to refer to synastry when he says “by exchange” in the following passage.
Marriages for the most part are lasting when in both the genitures the luminaries happen to be in harmonious aspect, that is, in trine or in sextile with one another, and particularly when this comes about by exchange; and even more when the husband’s moon is in such aspect with the wife’s sun. Divorces on slight pretexts and complete alienations occur when the aforesaid positions of the luminaries are in disjunct signs, or in opposition or in quartile. (Ptolemy, Tetrabiblos, Book IV, Ch. 5, Robbins trans., 1940, p. 184-185)
Natal Sun-Moon Harmony
My sense is that this consideration of harmony between the luminaries is more important in synastry than the natal chart. I believe that harmony between the Sun and Moon in a natal chart is symbolic of harmony between the sexes and/or parents. Perhaps co-presence, trines, and sextiles are symbolic of a natural harmony between two partners, sexes, or gender roles. This could relate to a sense that partners should get together and deepen bonds. Squares and oppositions draw out a symbolism of dynamism and possible tension and conflict. Aversion between the lights symbolize a detachment between them.
Natal Sun-Moon in Examples
Courtney Love’s Natal Chart
Looking at this consideration in the charts of Courtney Love and Kurt Cobain we’d conclude that there is strong impetus for both to be in a serious relationship. Courtney’s Sun and Moon are co-present in Cancer. Kurt’s Sun and Moon are trine across Pisces and Cancer. There is a symbolism of partners sticking together and deepening bonds, a harmony and glue between the sexes, gender roles, or partners. For Kurt, particularly, with his Sun-Moon trine, this relates to his desire for a lasting long-term traditional relationship, as well as disappointment in his parents for failing to uphold such a relationship.
Kurt Cobain’s Natal Chart
Moon-Venus Natal Harmony
Masha’allah, following Dorotheus, stressed the relationship between the Moon and Venus in both the natal chart and synastry. He noted that “the traversal of Venus and the Moon in the same sign denotes the insoluable concord of the conjugal agreement” (Masha’allah, The Book of Aristotle, Book III, Ch. 7.11, Dykes trans., 2009, p. 149).
Dorotheus noted in Book II, Ch. 5 of Carmen, “Similarly [does it happen] if you find that wherever is the Venus of one of the two [marriage partners], there is the Moon of the other, especially if the Moon of one of the two is in trine with the Moon of the other” (Pingree trans., 2005, p. 206). Therefore, regards between the Moon and Venus are important, and especially their co-presence in the same sign.
The strength of the Moon-Venus relationship is perhaps symbolic of personal and emotional investment in love. In many authors, such as Firmicus Maternus, it is said to indicate heightened investment in sexual activity in the natal chart, especially when the Moon separates from or applies to Venus.
Intimate and Sexual
Where Sun and Moon may show partnership in a more idealistic, general, abstract form (i.e. along the lines of husband and wife), this is perhaps shows the more personal desire for intimacy. In some authors, strong Moon-Venus connections (together with other factors) come up in relation to incest, such as with the mother. This again relates to the personal life, nurture, familiarity, and even emotional fulfillment (Moon) being linked with love, beauty, and sexuality (Venus). Relationship bonds can be shaken by a lack of sexual intimacy and affectionate personal space. Perhaps Masha’allah’s stress on Moon-Venus connections for strength of bond relates to this sense.
Moon-Venus in Examples
The Moon and Venus are in aversion (disregard each other) in Courtney Love’s chart. They are in trine (powerful harmony) in Kurt Cobain’s chart. This could symbolize that it is more natural for Kurt that intimate familiarity go hand-in-hand with sexuality and affection. For Courtney, they may be more disconnected facets of life.
The regards of benefics and malefics (as well as house placement and other factors) are also examined in the literature. For instance, that Saturn, the out of sect malefic in Kurt’s chart, is with the Sun and Venus (strongly conjunct Venus), may be indicative of weight, isolation, and melancholy in relationships. It may also indicate the sorrow of the husband (or father) in the relationship, as opposed to the idealized wife shown through Moon-Jupiter. Courtney’s own Mars-Venus indicates things getting heated surrounding love and sexuality, including contentions and aggression related to such matters.
Sun, Moon, Venus, and the Angles in Synastry
There are many ways to delineate aspects of marriage and love from the natal chart. I’ve mentioned the ones above because they are used by Ptolemy and Masha’allah as springboards into looking at the same factors in synastry.
Intense and harmonious connections between the Lights (esp. man’s Moon and woman’s Sun) and between the Moon and Venus in synastry indicate strong bonds between partners. Squares, oppositions, and aversions between them can indicate problems, especially if malefics are involved.
The Stakes in Synastry
Additionally, the “stakes” (1st, 10th, 7th, and 4th places, also known as “angles” or “pivots”) of the charts are very important. When the same signs are angles or the above mentioned planets are in each other’s angles, it increases the bond. See the following quotes from Dorotheus and Masha’allah (drawing on Dorotheus).
The man is suitable for the woman and the woman for the man if the ascendent[s] of these two are the same cardine. If the two luminaries or one of the two is in the ascendent or midheaven, then also it is suitable. (Dorotheus, Carmen Astrologicum, Book II, Ch. 5, Pingree trans., 2005, p. 205)
Which if each Sun, under the birthdays of both, would be lingering in the same sign and in a pivot, it promises [the same]. (Masha’allah, The Book of Aristotle, Book III, Ch. 7.11, Dykes trans., 2009, p. 149)
Malefics and Benefics in Synastry
All three authors, Dorotheus, Ptolemy, and Masha’allah, stress the role of malefic planets (i.e. Saturn and Mars) in splitting up the relationship. This particularly the case when a malefic in one person’s chart is with (i.e. co-present) one of the Lights in the partner’s chart. The timing would seem to coincide with an activation of the malefic that is making the connection.
By contrast, benefics co-present with the Lights or regarding them harmoniously increase the stability of marriage. They may also reunite partners when other problems such as hard connections between the Lights are indicated.
Kurt and Courtney Synastry
Let’s look at the synastry of Kurt and Courtney to illustrate. I have a chart pictured which has Courtney’s chart on the inside with Kurt’s planetary and angular positions marked on the outside. Some of the more positive configurations for their relationships are marked out with blue, while the more problematic configurations are marked out with red.
Kurt-Courtney Synastry – Kurt’s natal placements are on the outside of Courtney’s natal chart.
The Angles
Kurt has Virgo rising and Courtney has Libra rising, and since these are adjacent signs which are in aversion this is not a strong connection between their Ascendants. However, it should be noted that the signs Libra and Virgo are contra-antiscia to each other which lends an affinity between the two signs (see my post on antiscia and contra-antiscia for more on this).
The Lights
The Lights (Sun and Moon) reveal a very powerful connection between the two of them, particularly in that his Moon is conjunct her Sun, in Cancer, which is the midheaven of her chart (one of the “stakes”). Additionally, both have their Suns trine each other, and his Moon-Jupiter with her Sun-Moon is an extremely powerful positive connection.
However, there is a very difficult configuration in the chart also, shown by her Saturn in Pisces, which is the place of both his Sun and his Venus. In fact, her Saturn is in close conjunction with his Sun and this Saturn draws out his own Saturn-Venus conjunction in the same place in his natal chart. This Saturn is definitely the most difficult factor in their synastry.
Venus
Venus in one chart is square to Venus in the other. The squares between Venus are not necessarily indicative of problems, and may in fact show more passion and a stronger love connection than if they were in aversion. Additionally, Courtney’s Venus is in Kurt’s midheaven (a “stake” of his chart), so it has an intense attractive impact on him. However, both have Venus conjunct a malefic, Saturn in Kurt’s case and Mars in Courtney’s, so Venus in each chart is also afflicted by the malefic conjunct each other’s Venus, and Mars joins Venus on Kurt’s midheaven, fostering conflicts.
Kurt’s Death
Shortly after Kurt’s last solar return in February of 1994, his behavior began to spiral out of control. The behavioral problems often pertained to relationship matters with Love. Kurt’s drug habit had also gotten out of control.
Sun-Saturn Solar Return
In February of 1994, Saturn had just entered Pisces. Saturn was at 2 Pisces at the time of Kurt’s last solar, two degrees from Courtney’s own Saturn, and within a degree of both Kurt’s Sun. It was also within a degree of the solar return Mercury (ruler of Kurt’s Ascendant), and was with the solar return Venus. These configurations reinforced the natal configuration of Sun, Saturn, Venus, and Mercury in Pisces.
Kurt’s 1994 Solar Return (precessed) – Saturn is conjuct return Sun within 1 degree.
Kurt’s Natal Chart with Solar Return Positions on Outside Showing Return Transits to the Natal Chart – Sun-Saturn-Mercury conjunction on the natal Sun at solar return.
Sun-Saturn Symbolism
The most potent symbolism of Sun-Saturn is loss of the vital heat and spirit, i.e. death. This indication at death (Sun-Saturn) has been discussed in my article on the death of Ilya Zhitomirskiy (committed suicide after a solar return with a tight Sun-Saturn conjunction) and my article on the death of Whitney Houston (activated Sun-Saturn opposition).
Day of Death
I am not implying that Courtney directly had anything to do with Kurt’s death. It is simply interesting that conflicts in their relationship intensified as Saturn came into Pisces activating that synastry. Kurt’s self-inflicted death, which ended their relationship, was clearly symbolized in the chart. Kurt’s death occurred on April 5, 1994 with Saturn at 7 Pisces. Courtney Love was going through her Saturn return. Transiting Mars had also entered Pisces and was conjunct transiting Mercury, both of them just a couple degrees from Kurt’s Venus, at the time of the suicide.
Cobain’s Natal Chart with Transits on the day of death around outer wheel. Both of the malefics and Mercury were transiting in the 7th, where most of Kurt’s natal planets are located.
References
Masha’allah, & al-Khayyat, A. ’Ali. (2009). Persian Nativities I: Masha’allah and Abu ’Ali. (B. N. Dykes, Trans.). Minneapolis, MN: The Cazimi Press.
Ptolemy, C. (1940). Ptolemy: Tetrabiblos. (F. E. Robbins, Trans.). Cambridge, MA: Loeb Classical Library. Retrieved from http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Ptolemy/Tetrabiblos/home.html
Dorotheus of Sidon. (2005). Carmen Astrologicum. (D. Pingree, Trans.). Abingdon, MD: Astrology Center of America.
Featured image for this article is courtesy of Kate Petty (modified for display purposes).
The singer Whitney Houston recently passed. Glancing briefly at some of the predictive factors leading up to her death I’ve found that there was a strong emphasis on Saturn, both her natal and transiting Saturn. Her death occurred while Saturn transited through her 8th house (Libra), occupied natally by Mars. There was also a highlighting of transiting Mars in her 7th house by monthly profection. In this article, I provide a brief look at her natal chart, last solar return, last lunar return, and transits of the day of death.
Whitney Houston’s natal chart is pictured below. The birth data is Rodden-rated AA for accuracy. Information about her life and the circumstances of her death is available in her Wikipedia entry.
Planetary Years: Sun & Saturn
Whitney Houston’s Natal Chart
Planetary years were used by many ancient astrologers for signifying the activation of natal planets and configurations.
Whitney was 48 1/2 at the time of death, which is her 49th year. One of the more interesting combinations due at that age is the combination of the Sun (19) and Saturn (30), summing to 49. Whitney was born with an applying Sun-Saturn opposition across the health and loss oriented 6th and 12th houses, Leo and Aquarius (the houses of the Sun and Saturn respectively). Sun-Saturn is particularly symbolic of death. Saturn is the natural significator of death and coldness. Natally, it opposes the Sun, the natural significator of vital power and the heart. Therefore, this configuration, strikingly symbolic of death, had its main activation by planetary years at about 49 years (49th year from birth).
I bring up planetary years first, because it is an easy but nearly always overlooked technique. A cursory examination of the chart should alert us that there is an applying Sun-Saturn opposition in the chart, involving difficult houses. From there we immediately should consider possibility of important events pertaining to the configuration occurring at about 49 years of age. The configuration speaks of vitality, authority, or power (Sun) eventfully meeting an obstacle, lack, or loss (Saturn), while the 6th and 12th houses speak of danger to the health and well-being. Other indications involving this configuration and Saturn should then be closely examined.
Annual Profection: 1st House, Jupiter – A Benefic Attended by Difficulty
Whitney Houston died at age 48, a multiple of 12. Therefore, Whitney was in a 1st Place, Pisces, annual profection. Jupiter was the lord of the year. While naturally benefic, Jupiter has a particularly broad range of signification in the natal chart. Positively, Jupiter, a natural benefic, is symbolic of abundance, and is here in the house of money, with the Moon (sect light) closely conjoining it, and with rulership of the self and career (1st and 10th). However, more difficult indications pertain to Jupiter’s location in a dark place (2nd), out of sect (it’s a night birth), partilely overcome by Saturn (itself out of sect in a dark place), and the opposition from Mars in the 8th. Mars is noteworthy as it also opposes the Moon, the significator of the body. Therefore, reversals of Jupiter’s fortunate indications can pertain to either malefic.
Whitney Houston’s Natal Chart
Last Solar Return: 8th House Saturn Rising
Whitney Houston 2011 Solar Return
While I find considerable significance in both precessed and non-precessed solar returns in my own practice. Here, I use Houston’s normal (non-precessed) solar return (note: I do no relocate returns). Her final return is striking. Saturn, natural significator of death, is in Libra conjunct the return Ascendant, significator of the self and conjunct natal Mars. Libra is Houston’s 8th house (house of death). Return Saturn is dominated by return Mars in Cancer. Additionally, Jupiter, the lord of the year, is placed in the solar return 8th house.
Last Lunar Return: 8th House Saturn Rising
Whitney’s final lunar return took place on January 28th, 2012, and is pictured.
Houston’s Final Lunar Return
Her final lunar return echoed the solar return with Saturn in Libra rising again, strongly advancing toward the return Ascendant within 6 degrees.
In this case, Saturn was additionally in the bound of Mars (natal occupant of the 8th house). The lunar return Moon, significator of the body, applies an opposition to Saturn. Saturn is also opposed to Jupiter (lord of the year) out of sign but within 3 degrees. Jupiter is again in the 8th house of the return.
Monthly Profection: 7th House, Mercury
The monthly profection of the Ascendant for the month of death (Feb. 9th to March 9th) is to the 7th Place, Virgo, ruled by and occupied by natal Mercury (side note: nMercury is conj. her nPluto within a degree). The 7th place, the place where the Sun and planets set, was one of the places associated with death in ancient astrology (though often less so than the 8th).
Of the 7th place, Manilius (1st Century CE) wrote, “…wonder not if it is called the portal of somber Pluto and keeps control over the end of life and death’s firm-bolted door. Here dies even the very light of day, which the ground beneath steals away from the world and locks up captive in the dungeon of night” (Manilius, Astronomica, Book 2, 951-954, Goold trans., p. 157-159).
Interestingly, Houston (symbolized by the profected Ascendant) entered the house (7th) occupied by transiting Mars which was at 20 Virgo at the time. Natally, Mars occupies Houston’s 8th House of death. The monthly profection is congruent with the significations that the month beginning Feb. 9th may bring her into contact with danger (symbolized by transiting Mars). Mars was afflicting Mercury (lord of the month) and in the natal chart afflicts Jupiter (lord of the year). Additionally, the lord of the month, Mercury, was at the time transiting through Aquarius, occupied by natal Saturn.
Transits (outer) to Natal (inner) at Time of Death
Death Transits: The Moon Arrives, Saturn in Focus
On the day of her death in Beverly Hills in the early afternoon of Feb. 11, 2012, the Moon was transiting through Libra, Houston’s 8th house. She was transiting there with Saturn and past natal Mars. Meanwhile, the transiting Sun, with Mercury (lord of the month), in late Aquarius, cogently emphasized the Sun-Saturn configuration. The Sun’s transit of her Saturn was still fresh within 3 degrees of orb at the time of death.
Transits to Houston’s Natal at Time of Death
References
Manilius, M. (1977). Astronomica. (G. P. Goold, Trans.). Cambridge, MA: Loeb Classical Library.
Image Attribution
Featured image of Whitney Houston performing in Milan on 05/03/2010 (cropped) by Luca Viscardi [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
This series is sure to be offensive to many people. However, it is an important matter. Have you ever wondered if ancient astrology has anything to say about sexual behavior that is contrary to social norms? What of people who are publicly prominent (notorious) for such behavior, such as porn stars and prostitutes? There is no specific “porn star” astrological signature, but certain sets of factors show up repeatedly when it comes to adult film stars.
A Note on the Astrology
I draw heavily on Persian astrology in this analysis together with the basic astrological principles and techniques established in the Hellenistic period. I also have my own preferences for what works best from practice. Those interested in Persian techniques concerning sexuality is urged to check out the Persian Nativities series translated by Ben Dykes. That 3-volume series contains 5 huge and pivotal Persian works on natal astrology. The works deal with delineation and prediction on all life topics.
Unfortunately, there is a lack of good birth data for porn stars. Typically we have nothing other than a date and a location. There are only a handful of porn stars for which we have accurate birth times. Therefore, in this series, I may oscillate between thorough analysis of stars with good birth data and a more superficial analysis where such data is lacking.
A Caution Regarding Readings
Don’t take these indications and start delineating your friends and loved ones as fornicators with wanton lust. Really. Don’t. Accurate predictions can be made but they are very difficult. Venus with Mars in the same sign, for instance, is a common occurrence, and wouldn’t be enough to judge someone’s sexuality. Think of astrology as a language, with any set of factors potentially indicating a large variety of experiences. Additionally, many factors will not pertain strongly to the individual. They will instead pertain to other prominent people or circumstances in their lives.
The Basic Factors
When delineating sexuality, the single most important factor is Venus. However, when it comes to the person themselves, points of personal importance, such as the Ascendant and its lords, are pivotal. Often, I’ll just focus on Venus and her relationship to the individual and the chart. The most important factors are below:
Venus: Classical planet with the strongest natural significations pertaining to love, beauty, marriage, and sexuality.
Eros (Lot of Venus): This is the classic Hellenistic lot for Venus. Valens made this lot from Fortune to Spirit by day (reversed by night), projected from the Ascendant. It was a very important lot for Valens, as one of the four principal lots he looked at for effective places and profections. This form for the lot also came to be the most popular manner of constructing it in the later Middle Ages. Paulus instructed to take the lot from Spirit (Lot of the Sun) to Venus by day (Venus to Spirit by night) and projecting that from the Ascendant.
7th Place: The 7th House is the 7th sign counted inclusively from the Ascendant. It is the house opposite the house of the self (rising sign). The 7th is the house of marriages, unions, and partnerships. It also has some pertinence to sexuality.
The Lot of Marriage: There are a few different lots of marriage in ancient astrological works, but the Persians seem to have preferred the Dorothean one. It is Saturn to Venus from Asc for men (by day, reversed by night) and Venus to Saturn from Asc for women (by day, reversed by night). These lots were used in marriage delineation, and occasionally in delineation of sexuality.
Traci Lords
Traci Lords has certainly faced many challenges related to sexuality in her life. She was raped at 10 and molested in her teens by a drug-dealer boyfriend of her mother’s. Her molester also got her into porn when she was just a teenager. She illegally appeared in dozens of movies at only 16 years of age. She was eventually busted, but then did a little more pornography when of age. Later in life, she claimed that she was in porn solely for drugs. She achieved stardom through her porn notoriety, but she was able to transition in later years to acting for television and B movies.
You can read some biographical info about her at Wikipedia. Besides acting, she has been involved in the arts in other ways as well, including in music.
I remember her as Wanda, in John Water’s 1990 film, Cry Baby (starring Johnny Depp).
Traci Lord’s Chart
Her chart is below, based on AA-rated birth data of May 7, 1968 at 5:19 pm in Steubenville, OH.
Traci Lords Natal Chart (12th parts along outer edge; CTRL-Click to enlarge chart)
Analysis
One of the first things we should note in the chart is that Venus rules the Ascending sign, the 1st place, Libra. Therefore, there is a strong identification with Venus. Additionally, Venus is in Taurus, another sign of Venus, and is in the Venus bound of the sign. The sect light, the Sun, is also in a Venus-ruled sign, Taurus, and is with Venus in that sign. The Moon, Descendant, Fortune, and Spirit are also in bounds of Venus.
The twelfth-part of Venus in the 10th place of rank and recognition. This and the associations between Venus and the Sun connect Venus with social prominence. Venus is also advancing and is the primary career significator in my opinion (advancing; strong dignity at the Ascendant; main triplicity lord of 10th; 12th part in 10th; 8th is a valid place for significator). Venus is identified with, generally prominent, prominent in terms of the career, and connected to a number of key life areas. Venus and her natural significations of art, beauty, aesthetics, and sexuality are centrally important in her life.
For reference, the positions of the relevant lots are Lot of Venus (Eros) at about 15 Gemini (Valens) or 1 Virgo (Paulus) and the Lot of Marriage at 25 Virgo. Two of the lots are with the Moon in the 12th, and all are ruled by Mercury, which is conjunct Mars within 3 degrees. I will not analyze the lots in detail in this article.
Venus
She’s out of sect, in a dark place (8th) and a place that is particularly relevant in terms of fear and violation in power situations, while also with the out of sect malefic Mars. From this we gather that this Venus can signify pretty far along malefic dimension, i.e. that the significations of Venus will often pertain to difficulties, challenges, adversity, and circumstances arising where there seems to be something of a disregard for the person’s well-being and peace of mind. Because Venus rules the Ascendant, she will also tend to direct the person, be representative of the person’s self-identification in some ways.
Lustful Signs
In a previous post, I discussed the lustful signs. Lustful signs are prominent in the chart. The main lustful signs are Aries, Taurus, Capricorn, and Pisces, with Leo, and sometimes Libra, also added by some astrologers.
Significantly, Venus is in one of the main four lustful signs (Taurus), as are the Sun and Mars. Therefore, Venus is with Mars, under the beams, in a lustful sign. Aries is also one of the four main lustful signs and the 7th house and twelfth-part of Mars are in that sign.
When Leo and Libra are also considered, then five of the seven planets and the Ascendant and Descendant are in lustful signs. Important planets in lustful signs include Venus, the ruler of the Ascendant (again Venus), the ruler of Fortune (Saturn), the exalted ruler of the Ascendant (again Saturn), and the ruler of the 7th place (Mars).
Special Indications
There are many special indications or groups of indications in the chart that are discussed by various ancient authors in connection to controversy, adversity, and notoriety related to sexuality that are present in the chart. The following indications are found in the chart of Traci Lords.
Venus in a Lustful Sign
If Venus is in one of the signs of desire, which abound in lust (they are Aries, Capricorn, Pisces, and Taurus), and Venus is under the [Sun’s] rays with Saturn or Mars, then this indicates [something] like what I told you of the act of scandals […] (Dorotheus, Pingree trans., 2005, Book II, Ch. 7, p. 206)
Venus in a Dark Place
Masha’allah appears to associate the 12th and 6th places with being places of longing when Venus occupies one. The 12th and 6th places are two of the four dark places (see the lesson on places). It is possible that the 8th and 2nd should also be included as they are the other two dark places. Interestingly, it is the regard of both Jupiter and Mars while Venus is in such a place that is mentioned.
Indeed for the appetite of longing and sexual impurity, consider the following. For, Venus in a place of longing-namely the sixth or twelfth-under the regard of Jupiter and Mars, or if she would be lingering with the Lord of the Lot in the Midheaven, it defames the female spouse because of prostitution, hides an abortion, presents [her] for sale […] (Masha’allah, Book of Aristotle, Dykes trans., 2009, Book III, Chapter 7, Section 8, p. 146)
Venus Under Mars
Masha’allah also associated connections between Venus and Mars with increased sexual longing, as did Abu’Ali (among many others):
Moreover, Venus with Mars or in his bound, or under his regard from the opposition, advances sexual impurity and longing; indeed under a male birth it will be thus. (Masha’allah, Book of Aristotle, Dykes trans., 2009, Book III, Chapter 7, Section 8, p. 146)
Venus, if she were joined to Mars or in his bad aspect, signifies the foulness of wantonness. (Abu’Ali, On the Judgments of Nativities, Dykes trans., 2009, Ch. 26, p. 285)
Orientality of Venus
Additionally, oriental (i.e. rising before the Sun) sexual significators pertain to initiating and less restrained facets of sexuality. Masha’allah and Abu’Ali (among others) noted this association. However, note that the second passage may have been in reference to a man’s chart, in relation to delineating his love life in marriage.
Their orientality increases it greatly, on the contrary [their] occidentality restrains; but the regard of the Sun reveals sexual impurity. (Masha’allah, Book of Aristotle, Dykes trans., 2009, Book III, Chapter 7, Section 8, p. 146)
And if Venus were oriental, it signifies the boldness of the woman over the man, with a multitude of love and joy. (Abu’Ali, On the Judgments of Nativities, Dykes trans., 2009, Ch. 26, p. 286)
Conclusion
As one can see the delineation of sexuality in ancient astrology involves a rich vocabulary. There is the potential for very complex and detailed delineation. The primary stress was upon Venus, the natural significator of sexuality, rather than upon the accidental significations of a particular house or place of the chart.
The existing literature on sexuality addresses many of its facets from compatibility to homosexuality, and from sexual scandal to fidelity in marriage. The rich set of factors in traditional astrology, go beyond just “signs” to include places, planetary regards, relation to the Sun (oriental/occidental), and the lots. There is the capacity to bring much deeper levels of delineation. The delineations in the existing literature should be used as starting points for the development of practical technique, rather than as authoritative proclamations.
It is my hope that the reader will start looking at the chart from a different perspective. Let’s move away from the modern planet-in-sign approach as well as the stagnant traditionalist dignity-pointing approach to reading the chart.
References
Masha’allah, & al-Khayyat, A. ’Ali. (2009). Persian Nativities I: Masha’allah and Abu ’Ali. (B. N. Dykes, Trans.). Minneapolis, MN: The Cazimi Press.
Sidon, D. of. (2005). Carmen Astrologicum. (D. Pingree, Trans.). Abingdon, MD: Astrology Center of America.
Updates
02/07/2019: Added note about Valens lot of Eros and some additional minor edits particularly to the discussion of lustful signs.
