Category Archives: Current Events

Trump’s 2nd Impeachment: Timed to Mars Antiscia

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Introduction

About a month ago, I published an article on the timing of Donald Trump’s political downfall. The focus was on how the solar eclipse of Dec. 14th, 2020 was metaphorically an eclipse of Trump’s political reign. It occurred on the day of the electoral college vote that sealed Trump’s loss.

The eclipse, as a New Moon, signaled the important events of the lunar month Dec. 14th to early Jan. 13th. Additionally, as an eclipse it has relevance even beyond the month. See the article on the eclipse for more details. Also see the article on the Six Elements for Deducing Advanced Knowledge for why lunations are especially significant mundane charts.

Distribution through the Mars Bound of Libra

Since late 2019, I have pointed out that the key astrological factor symbolizing a sea change in Trump’s fortune is the activation of Trump’s Mars as distributor. The distributor is the bound lord of the directed Ascendant (by primary directions).

In an April 2018 update to my 2012 article on the distributor technique, I noted that Trump’s rise corresponded with a Venus distributor period. The transition to a Mars distributor in late 2019 preceded Trump’s 1st impeachment. That impeachment itself occurred on the day of an exact transit of twelfth-part Mars conjunct to Trump’s Sun at 22 Gemini (and his natal twelfth-part Mars).

Transits

In comments on my article on the Trump Eclipse, one reader seemed to put a lot of stock in the appearance of seemingly positive transits for Trump on the 6th. I noted to him that transits in themselves are insignificant in traditional astrology. The significance of transits is solely in terms of timing out indications from root charts and activation techniques.

In fact, the preoccupation with transits as being the most fundamental predictive technique in astrology is a direct byproduct of the factor-as-index fallacy. This fallacy is pervasive in modern astrology and much astrology of the traditional revival as well.

As I noted in those comments, the eclipse is indicative of the downfall of Trump while the transits merely time out the events. As the factor that most vividly symbolizes a threat to Trump’s leadership and authority is Mars in his chart, one must have a pretty good grasp of that Mars and all its “positions” in the chart.

The Traditional Symbolic Palette

This brings us to the things that the index view further obscures. Indexation not only puts the emphasis on just the natal chart and transits to it, but also toward dismissal of factors that are “merely symbolic”. Such factors include twelfth-parts, lots, and antiscia. In the symbolic view, twelfth-parts and antiscia are echoes of the symbolism of the planet but projected to different positions. In the index view, one just scratches one head, what could these things index? There is little room for symbolic redundancy in the index view.

For a true full analysis of the indications of Trump and the noteworthy Mars timing points, we need to know more than the natal planetary positions. We need to look at the solar return and important mundane charts like the ingresses and lunations. Not only the plain Mars positions and interactions with Mars in those charts must be examined, but we should also be aware of the twelfth-part and antiscia Mars positions.

Antiscia

I will not be delving deeply into all these things in this article, but I will be looking at one of the most overlooked factor types, the antiscia.

I am not immune to overlooking these factors. Only a handful of my articles ever mention antiscia positions. In fact, I also have very few articles looking at fixed stars, which are another crucially important traditional factor. Antiscia has been touched on a little bit in articles on the site, particularly in the analysis of serial killer David Carpenter’s chart.  I have also provided an overview of some of the history behind antiscia.

Rather than a robust analysis of the timing of the January 6th, 2021 insurrection and Trump’s 2nd impeachment, I will only looking at a minor matter of timing. The transit that most pertained to the timing of Trump’s impeachment was a transit by antiscia. As I noted, a transit in itself is insignificant. This transit became significant in timing because of events which were indicated pertaining to the downfall of Trump connected to Mars.

A Mars Antiscia 2nd Impeachment

During the 2nd impeachment, which occurred just after a New Moon (within 24 hours), Mars made an exact transit antiscia to Trump’s Mars. This was a historic impeachment on multiple counts. It was the fastest impeachment and most bipartisan impeachment of all time. Additionally, it was the first time a President has ever been impeached twice and it occurred despite Trump having only one week left in his term.

The timing of this historic impeachment pertains to a number of significant mundane charts. However, here my main focus is on looking at how indications pertaining to Trump’s natal Mars were timed to the event. I have noted that Mars pertains to the indication of Trump’s demise and showed how the timing of the 1st impeachment and Trump’s electoral college loss were closely linked to that Mars. We continue this line of inquiry.

Trump’s Antiscia Positions

In the free and open source traditional astrological software Morinus, you can pull up antiscia positions very easily around any chart. Below is the natal chart of Donald Trump with the antiscia positions around the wheel. Note that Trump’s Mars antiscia is 3 degrees 13 minutes Taurus.

Trump’s Natal Chart with Antiscia Positions Along Outer Wheel

January 13th, 2021 New Moon

The New Moon on the morning of the 13th (and the solar eclipse of Dec. 14th) are far more significant than any transits through the month. That is because these lunations actually say something about the month, while the transits merely time out indications. The New Moon of Jan. 13th from D.C. speaks not only about the impeachment later that day (or rather the next day astrologically, as it occurred just after midnight), but also of other important events for the lunar month.

tMars Antiscia nMars

The New Moon shows the close (within a degree and applying) antiscia of Mars. Below I shows the lunation chart with its own antiscia positions around the outside. You can see that Mars is at 2TAU57, approaching Trump’s Mars antiscia (3TAU13).  Or put another way, you can see that the antiscia of the lunation’s Mars is in late Leo, conjoining Trump’s natal Mars.

 

New Moon Chart 01-13-2021 with its Antiscia Outside the Wheel

Mars Touches the 10th House While Secretly with the Natal Gemini Sun-Mars

As a reader noted in the comments of the eclipse article, impeachment time to the entrance of transiting Mars into Taurus. This is significant as Taurus is Trump’s 10th house of authority (strongly linked to his rise). Additionally, as Mars is between 2TAU30 and 5TAU00 its twelfth-part is in the following sign, Gemini, co-present with Trump’s Sun and own twelfth-part Mars.

Saturn’s Rejection

In addition to the timing of the Mars symbolism, there is Saturn symbolism (ending; banishment; rejection) all over the chart. The lunation itself at 23CAP13 is in partile (same degree) opposition to Trump’s natal Saturn (23CAN48). Lunation Saturn is at 3AQU02: lunation Mars (2TUA57) is applying a tight square (less than 5 minutes of a degree) to that Saturn while antiscia Trump’s natal Mars.

New Moon 01-13-2021 Around Trump’s Natal Chart

Timing of Trump’s 2nd Impeachment by Transit

Trump was reportedly impeached at 4:33 pm EST on Jan. 13, 2021. During the session for debating impeachment, Mars transited 3TAU13, the exact antiscia position of Trump’s Mars. It concluded as the transiting Moon was conjoining transiting Saturn, both square to that Mars antiscia Trump’s Mars. The Ascendant in Cancer (17CAN) was approaching Trump’s Saturn (23CAN), with its twelfth-part conjunct Moon-Saturn.

Trump’s 2nd Impeachment Transits (4:33 pm EST 1/13/21) Around His Natal Chart

Conclusion

The micro-zodiac of the twelfth-parts is nearly as old as the zodiac itself. Twelfth-part and antiscia positions have been at times hailed as a key to the hidden secrets of the astrological chart, since at least the time of Julius Firmicus Maternus. Noteworthy ancient astrologers like Abu Ma’shar used twelfth-parts across an array of predictive techniques, even in returns, directions, and transits. Still, such “implicit” or “symbolic” positions continue to be neglected today.

The timing of the 1st impeachment of Trump revealed how astrologers ignore transits by twelfth-part at their own peril.  His 2nd impeachment reveals the same for antiscia positions.

To learn more about twelfth-parts and antiscia, please feel free to search the site for relevant articles. If you find yourself biased against even trying out such positions, please check out my essay on the symbolic nature of astrology. For another look at the significance of twelfth-part and antiscia positions in transit, please see the article on the Notre-Dame Cathedral fire.

Featured image attribution: Amir Pashaei, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons: Ceiling of Chehel Sotoun’s mirror hall that contains Āina-kāri art, Isfahan, Iran

The Trump Eclipse: The Timing of Trump’s Election Loss

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Introduction

After a month of false accusations of widespread voter fraud accompanied by 6-7 dozen failed lawsuits, Trump’s loss of the 2020 election became official on Dec. 14th, 2020. Without a single court or official investigative body finding a shred of evidence to support Trump’s claims of widespread voter fraud, the electoral college voted.  They made official the will of the people in each state of the USA, with not a single faithless elector. Joe Biden won with 306 electoral votes to Trump’s 232.

The timing of the event was very interesting from an astrological perspective. It took place on the day of a solar eclipse. Not just any solar eclipse; a solar eclipse conjunct Trump’s own natal lunar eclipse, and opposing his natal Sun within a degree!  Let’s take a closer look.

Trump’s Natal Eclipse

Donald Trump was born on June 14th, 1946 at 10:54 am at Jamaica Hospital Queens in Queens, New York. His birth data is sourced with an AA Rodden Rating (i.e. it is from an actual birth record).

Trump was born on the day of a lunar eclipse. One can spot the lunar eclipse in his chart right away, as the Sun and Moon are opposite each other (22 Gem and 21 Sag) while both are very close to the Nodes (20 Gem/Sag), where the Moon crosses the ecliptic (apparent path of the Sun). More information about the lunar eclipse on that day can also be found readily on the internet.

Donald Trump’s Natal Chart with Lunar Eclipse Highlighted

The Lights (Sun and Moon)

In my lesson on the planets, I noted that the Sun and Moon both generally “signify powerful and important things”. As well as the MC (point of the zodiacal culminating) and the 10th house, the Sun and Moon are the key factors to examine for timing power and its loss. The Sun is particularly symbolic for leadership, as the leader of planets, especially by day (Trump was born during the day). An eclipse symbolizes a disruption of the natural order.

Shedding Light on the Nature of Trump’s Leadership: Trump’s Lights in Brief

As the lunar eclipse in Trump’s chart pertains to circumstances of leadership and authority in his life, it is appropriate that his own legacy as a leader has so much pertained to the eclipse symbolism; disruption of the established order. The lunar eclipse is across mutable air and fire signs, which in traditional astrology are associated with instability, confusion, and socializing (think Twitter), additional hallmarks of his leadership style.

The Sun in the 11th house of friends and Moon in the 5th house of children is also appropriate. Consider the degree to which Trump has staffed his administration with his own children (5th house) and only the most loyal of friends (11th house), and led through direct popular appeal (11th house popularity). The Sun’s many connections to a cruel, bullying streak in the character (1st house) are also appropriate: 1st house Mars in the Sun’s home and near Ascendant, Ascendant in Mars bound and Sun’s house, Sun in Mars bound, Sun applying to Mars, twelfth-part of Mars conjunct the Sun.

The Trump Sun-Mars Leadership and Character Connections

Rise with Venus

In April of 2018, I added some analysis of Trump’s rise to power to an article on using primary directions. There I noted that Trump’s candidacy and inauguration pertained very strongly to primary directions pertaining to Venus. Venus rules the 10th house (authority, achievement) in Trump’s natal chart. Her twelfth-part also occupies the house. After Venus became the distributor of Trump’s directed Ascendant in 2010, Trump’s political identity became cemented. Trump becomes more politically involved, and more Republican. Within a few years he is already looking into a presidential run. His inauguration came with the period when Venus also aspected the directed Ascendant.

His political rise was very Venusian, in both good and bad ways. On the one hand, he was a popular entertainer appealing to his fanbase. On the other hand, the political rise was marred by one sexual scandal after another. In general, as a benefic, Venus signifies benefits, especially with regards to the 10th house (achievement), due to her rulership and twelfth-part there. The problems accompanying Venus’s benefits are primarily signified by her position in the 12th house conjunct Saturn in the natal chart.

Fall with Mars

If Trump’s birth time were exact, Trump left the period of Venus as distributor of the Ascendant in November of 2019 at which point Mars became the distributor (as it still is). Birth times are almost invariably rounded, at least to the nearest minute. For primary directions a few minutes of clock time can mean the difference of a year for indications. Therefore, we view the distributor as changing to Mars in late 2019. In December of 2019, Trump was impeached. The Senate ultimately voted against his removal from office in early 2020. A common refrain heard at that time from the Republicans was “let the voters decide” if Trump should be removed, as it was an election year.

Timing and Symbolism of Impeachment

Trump’s impeachment started on December 18th, 2019, exactly a year ago to the day as I write this. The timing of the transit of Mars on that day was vivid. Mars was at 19 Scorpio applying a square natal Mars (26 Leo). But more telling was that the twelfth-part of Mars conjoined Donald Trump’s Sun, at 22 Gemini, exactly on that day.

Transits in DC on Day of Trump’s Impeachment 12/18/2019: Note Twelfth-Part of Mars at 22 Gemini – the Degree of Trump’s Sun

The fact that a conjunction of the twelfth-part of Mars to Trump’s Sun timed his impeachment was no accident. As noted, Trump’s distributor changed to Mars just before the impeachment symbolizing a change of circumstances. No longer would Trump’s circumstances be characterized by a benefic Venus bolstering his 10th house. Now they are symbolized by hot and dangerous Mars in the 1st house of the body and identity; a warring character and, as we’ll see, an infected body.

Unpacking Some Martian Symbolism

Mars is a malefic and out of sect in Trump’s chart, signifying a danger of extremes of force and infection. Mars is in the 1st house of the body, character, and identity in Trump’s chart, while ruling the 9th of distant lands and the 4th of home and fatherland. The impeachment pitted him against his own country (4th house) pertaining to attempts to bully a foreign power (9th house) for political gain.

The Natal Promise

The transit of the twelfth-part of Mars to Trump’s Sun realizes the event promised by Trump’s own conjunction of his natal twelfth-part to his natal Sun. The Sun in Trump’s chart applies to Mars by sextile, but afflictions by Mars are more vividly symbolized by the occurrence of the twelfth-part of Mars conjunct Trump’s Sun (Mars symbolizing malefic danger and the Sun symbolizing leadership). Note that transiting Mars itself was transiting in Trump’s 4th house (Scorpio) opposing Trump’s own 10th house (Taurus) at the time of the impeachment.

Trump’s Chart with Twelfth-Parts Outside the Wheel and Mars-Sun Connections Highlighted

A New Mars in the 1st House Threat

Following the impeachment, Trump’s Mars distributor period was immediately followed by another crisis. He downplayed the threat played by the rising global pandemic of COVID-19. Interestingly, this also fits into the symbolism of Trump’s Mars. Mars is the planet most associated with infectious disease. The first house is that of the body, the person themselves. We go from issues of an abuse of power stemming from a display of a Mars character to a recklessness concerning threats to the body, both Mars 1st house themes.

The Aries Ingress of 2020 saw an unusually afflicted Jupiter, besieged by the malefics (separating from one and applying to another) in its fall, in a partile conjunction with Mars in the bound of Saturn. That’s a configuration with symbolism for the world as a whole for that year from late March 2020 to late March 2021, which saw an outbreak grow into a global pandemic that would significantly alter life for the next year.

2020 Aries Ingress from DC

For the US, the ingress was personal, as Mars and Saturn ruled the Ascendant (bound of Saturn in Scorpio) and the Sun found itself in the house of illness and servitude (6th house). The year revolved around COVID-19 concerns of Mars like infection and ongoing issues of bullying by the authorities, particularly police against minorities.

For Trump also, whose 10th house lord, Venus, is at 25 Cancer, the opposition of this configuration from 22-29 Capricorn was a little too personal. The twelfth-part of the ingress’s Ascendant in DC (about 27 Leo) also fell right on Trump’s Ascendant-Mars configuration. Trump not only grappled with COVID-19’s devastation of the US economy but he also got the virus and apparently was a party to a super-spreader event.

The Trump Sun-Mars Leadership and Character Connections

Trump Loses, and Loses, and Loses Some More

While the 2020 election will be known primarily for the unprecedented mail-in vote (due to the pandemic), election day Nov. 3, 2020 kicked off with the Moon in Gemini applying to Mars in Aries.  The most talked about transit of the day though was that of a stationing Mercury, and for good reason. As I noted in the lesson on planetary prominence, a stationing planet is of increased importance. The station is a planet changing direction in the sky, and here the symbolism is literally of a change of direction.

Station to Station

A direct station was considered strengthening for the planet. Mercury naturally rules elections, so its station is particularly symbolic here. Due to the unprecedented mail-in vote, a number of swing states witnessed a large initial Trump lead that would reverse to a very strong Biden one. I’ve noted that I previously attach a lot of significance to Venus when it comes to Trump’s rise (Venus in his natal is at 25CAN44).

It is therefore impossible to overestimate the important of Saturn transiting at 26 Capricorn on election day, opposite Trump’s Venus within a degree. The aspect of opposition signifies obstruction or contrary force, while Saturn is a malefic bringing loss. Mercury (at 25 Libra) didn’t just change direction on election day, but it changed direction directly into an aspect with that Saturn from a partile (same degree) square with Trump’s Venus (at 25 Cancer).

Election Day to Trump: Mercury Changes Direction to Apply to Saturn Who Opposes Trump’s Venus

Shitting the Bed

The month after election day would become dominated by a dozens upon dozens of lawsuits from Trump seeking to overturn the results of the election. In the end, I believe Trump had nearly 80 court losses. His refusal to concede exposed him as the biggest sore loser in American presidential history. His un-American attempts to undermine democracy will certainly become one of the most remembered features of his presidency leaving a sour taste for many years to come. Trump unfortunately ended his presidency by publicly shitting the bed tarnishing his legacy for decades to come and making a whole slew of new powerful enemies that will haunt him for the rest of his life.

Trump Officially Loses the Election

Finally, on Dec. 14th, 2020, the election results became official when the electoral college voted. As Forbes reported it, Trump officially lost his presidency on the day of an eclipse during a meteor shower and the appearance of a moderately bright comet. The Geminids meteor shower was supposed to have started that day and comet S3 Erasmus was perhaps visible with a good pair of binoculars, but we are mainly interested in the eclipse. Trump was born on the day of a lunar eclipse and Dec. 14th marks the official loss of Trump’s bid for a second term.

Solar Eclipse of Dec. 14th, 2020 from DC

The eclipse of December 14th, 2020 was a total solar eclipse in early 23 Sagittarius. What’s so special about 23 Sagittarius? Well, Trump was born with the Sun at late 22 Gemini. This means the eclipse was directly opposed to Trump’s natal Sun, the very planet signifying Trump’s leadership. In fact, the eclipse opposes Trump’s Sun so closely that it is within a quarter of a degree of exact. A fitting end to the reign of the chief disrupter.

The Electoral College Eclipse as Transits to Donald Trump’s Chart: When Trump was Finally Eclipsed

Featured image is of the December 14th, 2020 Eclipse from Gorbea, Chile attribution: CuervoNN, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Vividly Timed Car Accident of Kevin Hart

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Introduction

Sometimes astrological symbolism is simply too vivid to keep it to yourself and friends. Today, through social media posts by astrologers Naomi Bennett and David Cochrane, I learned that Kevin Hart had an accident at the time of some very vivid malefic transits. The transits to the natal chart include transiting Saturn opposed to Hart’s Sun and a transiting Sun-Mars conjunct Hart’s Saturn on his Ascendant, repeat vivid indications pertaining to potential harm.

As astrologers we read signs, a practice that is understandably met with considerable skepticism. Therefore, it is our duty to regularly show the public how such signs reflect real world circumstances to such a magnitude and vividness as to betray “chance” as a reasonable explanation. This event in the life of Kevin Hart is one of those astrological circumstances that should be widely known.

The Accident

Yesterday morning, in Calabasas, California, actor/comedian Kevin Hart was involved in a car accident. He was a passenger in his own car when his driver lost control of the car and it tumbled down an embankment. Hart suffered some major back injuries.

Kevin Hart’s birth data is from a birth certificate (i.e. Rodden-rating of AA). I’ve taken a brief look at his natal chart before, but in the context of the charts of comedians.

Kevin Hart’s Birth Chart with twelfth-parts (outside wheel)

The time of the accident was reported as about 12:45 am by the news media.

Kevin Hart Car Accident – 12:45 am 09/01/2019 Calabasas, CA.

Below I show his natal chart with the transits around it, with some significant configurations highlighted. We’ll come back to these configurations after first exploring why they signify an important even of this type. Note that transits alone are superficial, showing activations of things that must be indicated in the natal chart and activated by (i.e. picked out by) time lords.

Kevin Hart Car Accident Transits Around Natal Chart

Annual Profection: Capricorn, Saturn, and More Saturn

Hart was born on July 6, 1979. Therefore, he was 40 years old at the time of the accident. Every multiple of 12 is a profection back to the first house, so the Ascendant profected to the 5th house for that year. Therefore, the sign activated by the profection is Capricorn (its glyph is highlighted in the chart above), ruled by Saturn. Saturn is lord of the year, and Saturn was also transiting in Capricorn, the sign of the year, at the time of the solar return (see below) and at the time of the accident. In other words, the most important events in the year will involve Saturn.

In the natal chart, Saturn is not in bad shape. It is in sect and in the 1st house. Hardship and obstacles (Saturn) show a positive effect on character (1st house). However, there is also danger, particularly pertaining to the body, as Saturn is in the 1st house on the Ascendant (self, body) and is dominated by Mars (violence, accidents). Therefore, the dangers of Saturn pertain mainly to its relationship with Mars, as well as the fact that Saturn connects the 6th place of accidents (Aquarius, ruled by Saturn) with the 1st place, that of the body (Virgo). Additionally, Mars opposes the natal Moon, another indication of potential significations of bodily harm from Mars.

Solar Return: Saturn Opposite Sun, Mars-Mercury Conjunction

The solar return for the year has Saturn retrograde at 17 Capricorn. It is not only confirming the central importance of Saturn but it is applying an opposition to Hart’s natal Sun (13 Cancer). The Sun in Hart’s chart is the sect light (i.e. he was born during the day) and is very strong in the 11th house. The sect light is a powerful factor in the chart and some of its significations pertain to health. Therefore, we see an indication of Saturn (loss, hardship) impacting health and vitality (Sun) through opposition (obstruction, conflict).

Additionally, the chart has Mercury in return in Leo (12th house) conjunct solar return Mars. Mercury signifies transportation, the 12th house can signify hidden dangers, and Mars signifies violence and accidents. Therefore, this configuration shows potential hidden threats pertaining to transportation accidents.

Additionally, the Moon is conjoining natal Saturn in the 1st house. The Moon can signify the body, as can the 1st house, so this is a double indication of the body impacted by Saturn. The 1st house is Virgo, ruled by Mercury, and the Moon is in Mercury’s bound. Therefore, Mercury (planet of transportation) also figures prominently in this configuration.

Kevin Hart Age 40 Solar Return as Transits

Distributions: Mercury Distributor Aspected by Mercury

The distributor is another very important time lord in Hellenistic astrology. It pertains to the bound lord of the directed Ascendant (by primary directions) and the aspects to the directed Ascendant.

The distributor for the period (since late 2014) has been Mercury as the Ascendant has been directing through the Mercury bound of Libra. Additionally, the closest aspect to the directed Ascendant was from Mercury at the time of the accident. Therefore, the distributor put an emphasis on Mercury (communication and transportation) for major events of the period.

Kevin Hart Distributors

Monthly Profection: Aquarius, 6th House, Saturn

As the accident occurred less than 2 months following the birthday, the monthly profection, which moves one sign per month, had only shifted one sign. The monthly profection was to Aquarius, also ruled by Saturn. Therefore, Saturn was lord of the year and lord of the month.  The 6th house suitably pertains to accidents and illnesses.

Transits: Saturn, Mars, and Mercury

We’ve seen that Saturn is a highlighted planet for important events during this period. There was also a spotlight put on Mercury from primary directions. It was noted that these factors are not so negative in themselves in the natal chart but with certain activations, particularly those involving Mars, danger can be shown. The solar return connected that danger to transportation (Mars-Mercury in XII) and reinforced the notion that Saturn signifies a danger to health in that year (Saturn opposed to Sun).

 

Kevin Hart Car Accident Transits Around Natal Chart

The transits are now even more vivid than just on the face of it. It happened when Saturn’s opposition to Hart’s Sun was very close  (within half a degree and applying). This was reinforced by a partile (in the same degree; 8 Virgo) Sun-Mars conjunction which happened to be on Hart’s Ascendant (7 Virgo) and his natal Saturn (9 Virgo), while with transiting Mercury (5 Virgo). The transiting Moon in LIbra was applying to natal Mars and transiting Saturn (the Moon applies to the next planet it will aspect within about a day’s travel, 13 degrees). The accident happened with Gemini rising (the sign occupied by Hart’s Mars and ruled by Mercury).

The Lunar Nodes

The lunar nodes have an interesting relationship with Saturn in the natal chart. Hart was born with Saturn conjunct the North Node rising. At the time of the accident the North Node was transiting conjunct his Sun while the South Node was conjunct transiting Saturn, opposed to his Sun. Therefore, the Node-Saturn configuration of the birth chart plays out in the occurrence of the nodes over Saturn’s opposition to his Sun.

Conclusion

Much more could be said about these charts and the timing but I’ll conclude there with the factors I think are the most vivid.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that Kevin Hart should hide indoors or avoid transportation every time his Saturn is activated. Rather, I am saying that this event was symbolized astrologically in a systematic and rich fashion with repeat indications and multiple layers of meaning.

It wasn’t just an activation or a transit that had a chance correspondence with the events. We see a complex indication rooted subtly in the birth chart. However, it required repeated vivid reinforcement through various time lord systems, the solar return, and finally the transits. The sky indicated these types of circumstances will occur with specific factors as the main means of timing. And this for a chance random circumstance outside of the individual’s control.

Featured Image (cropped) is by Memorial Student Center Texas A&M University [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Current Events | Tiger Woods in a Return to Form

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Tiger Woods

A few days ago, on April 14th, 2019, Tiger Woods won his first major championship in over 10 years. After a scandal pertaining to an affair broke in late 2009, Tiger’s career ebbed toward a low point. Over the last 10 years his performances have been marred by a series of injuries. Therefore, the recent win at the Master’s Tournament is an important turning point in his career. I’ll be examining the event in the context of traditional predictive techniques.

Tiger was born on 12/30/1975 at 10:50 pm in Long Beach, CA. This birth data has an AA Rodden rating (from birth record).

 

Tiger Woods’s Natal Chart

Mars as Planet of Actions

By the traditional approach to analysis of profession in the chart, Mars is Woods’s planet of action. This is because Mars is in the 10th place. It is the best placed of the potential indicators.

Mars is indicative of a competitive profession with a possible physical component, so it is fitting for an athlete. Mars is in Gemini in its own bound (and decan).  Gemini is an air sign ruled by Mercury, so the symbolism is fitting for a profession that is focused on delicate precision (Mercury) and a small air-borne ball subject to the whims of the wind.

Mars, Mercury, and the Lights

The rulers of the Ascendant show personal inclination and identification. The Mars bound of Virgo, nocturnal house of Mercury, was rising at birth. Therefore, we see a strong identification with the symbolism of Mars and Mercury in the chart. Tiger was even born on the day of Mars and the hour of Mercury.

Tiger Woods Natal Chart with Twelfth-Parts (outside)

Mars is in sect, prominent by place, and aspected by the sect light (Moon) and by a superior Jupiter to which it applies. By this Mars is associated with good fortune and importance, especially as concerns the career (10th house). Mars’s ruler, Mercury is in the 5th house of good fortune, with the Sun and the twelfth-part of Mars. That twelfth-part of Mars is in its sign of exaltation (Capricorn). Additionally, the Sun is antiscia the Moon (both are about 8 degrees from 0 Capricorn). Therefore, we have multiple indications of the importance of Mars in career matters and its link to publicity and fortune.

Planetary Years

The planetary years of Mars are 15. Therefore, at about age 15 and multiples of that, there are activations of Mars by planetary years. Interestingly, at age 15 Tiger Woods became the youngest U.S. Junior Amateur champion (a record broken 20 years later).

His 30th year (age 29) and age 30 were more complex, due to the activation of the planetary years of Saturn at 30. He regained his spot as the top golfer but his father’s death (Saturn in XII ruling the Sun), he took a little time off. He came back strong at age 30, breaking tour records for wins.

The next couple years will see similar activations as Woods hits his 45th year and age 45.

Mars-Jupiter Years

As Jupiter is in a close superior applying aspect to Mars, Mars-Jupiter combinations should mark favorable periods. These periods correspond to combinations of 15 (Mars) and 12, the years of Jupiter.

Woods’s first hot streak coincided with ages 26-27 (27th year and age 27). He hit something of a high point in 2002 with a decline afterward in 2003-2004.

Mars-Jupiter combinations by planetary years are not noteworthy at this time (age 43). However, understanding the way such activiations manifest can be informative when using other predictive techniques.

Mars-Gemini

Planetary years were also combined with the ascensional times of signs for activations of planets in signs. Woods is currently 43 years old (44th year). About age 44 will coincide with activation of Mars in Gemini. This is because the ascensional time of Gemini for his place of birth is 29.5, which together with the 15 years of Mars is 44.5.

Tiger Woods’s Ascensional Times

Annual Profection

Age 43 is a profection to the 8th house. For Tiger this is an annual profection to the 8th house, Aries, occupied by Jupiter. Mars is the ruler of the sign and so becomes lord of the year. Therefore, we see an emphasis on the Mars-Jupiter configuration in the annual profection.

Tiger Woods Natal Chart with Twelfth-Parts (outside)

Solar Return

The last solar return features Jupiter in Sagittarius strongly advancing with Mercury. Return Mercury is conjunct the natal Moon. Return Mars is at 29 Pisces, just about to enter the sign of the annual profection, and with a twelfth-part that is in the 1st house of the return. Mars, Jupiter, and Mercury are the only three planets of the return in stakes of the natal chart, indicating their importance for events of the year.

 

Tiger Woods’s 2018 Solar Return

Unfortunately, there is also some difficulty possibly shown in the return as the Sun applies a close conjunction with Saturn. Still, neither Saturn nor the Sun are particularly highlighted by time lord techniques at this time.

Transits

The transits on the day of his win are very telling.

Augusta Masters Transits April 14th 2019

The Sun, indicative of publicity and recognition, was in the sign of the annual profection (24 Aries) and in partile trine to Jupiter (24 Sagittarius). The Moon (21 Leo) applied in a grand trine to both transiting Jupiter and the Sun that afternoon.

Tiger Woods Transits to Natal April 14 2019

Comparing the transits with the natal chart we can see that Jupiter was transiting conjunct Tiger’s Moon, Mars was in return, and Mercury and Venus were transiting on Woods’s descendant.

For me the most striking indications pertained to the grand fire trine and the Mars return. The fire trine involved the Lights and Jupiter, configured with Tiger’s own Moon and Jupiter. It indicates recognition and good fortune, setting off indications of such in Tiger’s natal chart and solar return. The Mars return in the 10th house highlights that this event is about Tiger coming back into his own in terms of professional performance.

 

Image Attribution

Featured image of Tiger Woods at the 2018 US Open by
Peetlesnumber1 [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Current Events | Fire at Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral Transits

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Update 4/16/19:

Note that some sources say the first signs of a fire appeared around 6:20-6:25 pm local time. These times would put the first or second degree of Libra on the Ascendant of the event. This is even more striking! The twelfth-part of Mars rising conjunct the antiscia of Mercury would coincide with the first awareness of the fire.

Notre-Dame de Paris

Notre-Dame de Paris is one of the most famous cathedrals in the world. This Catholic cathedral is a marvel of French Gothic architecture from the High Middle Ages. Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, was set at the cathedral. Hugo’s novel planted the cathedral vividly in the imagination. In our times, it is the most visited monument in Paris.

Unfortunately, on the 15th of April, 2019, just before 6:50 pm local time, it caught on fire. The cathedral was significantly damaged. It lost its spire and two-thirds of its roof in the blaze.

Notre-Dame Fire

Transits at the Start of the Fire

Astrologers have puzzled over the indications coinciding with the events, pouring over the transits coinciding with the event. Here, I’ll be examining the transits from the start of the blaze using traditional factors.

In traditional astrology, major events are not signaled through the strength of the transits involved. One should examine developments from a hierarchy of mundane charts centered on ingresses and lunations preceding the event. Additionally, one would also want to examine the chart of the building’s founding (if known).

Moon-Mars Square at the Mars Hour of a Moon Day

In the matter of any fire, an astrologer should first look to Mars. Mars is traditionally the “hot” malefic symbolizing fiery destruction and violence. Additionally, it is the Moon which holds the key for the final timing of important earthly events.

In Hellenistic astrology, the Moon applies to a planet when she is within her daily motion from exactly aspecting it (about 13 degrees). The fire happened as the Moon was directly applying to Mars (about 6 degrees). The aspect is a square which is itself an aspect of the nature of Mars, eventful, tense, and overly energized. Mars is in the superior position – a superior square is said to “dominate” or “overcome” the inferior planet. Therefore, the Moon applies to a Mars that dominates her.

Notre-Dame Fire Moon-Mars

Mars

Mars is in an air sign. the Mars-air combination is symbolic of fire itself (gaseous destructive heat).  It is in a dualistic sign which is unpredictable. Mars is in the bound of Jupiter, planet of religion, and opposes Jupiter by sign. It is very symbolic of the fire that the Moon should apply to a Mars oriented toward air, unpredictability, and opposition to Jupiter.

Moon Day, Mars Hour

The planetary ruler of the day of the event was the Moon, highlighting its configurations for the day. Interestingly, the ruler of the hour was Mars. The Moon-Mars square was highlighted.

I’ve addressed the importance of planetary days and hours as time lords in Hellenistic astrology in a previous article.

Mars on the Bull’s Eye

The fire started with Mars at 10 Gemini conjunct the fixed star Aldebaran. Aldebaran is literally the star that marks the bull’s eye of the constellation Taurus. Anonymous of 379 noted that this star is of the nature of Mars (destruction/fire) and Venus (arts/beauty).

Mars on the bull’s eye, a star pertaining to both Venus and Mars himself is a cogent initial symbol of the cathedral fire. Notre-Dame Fire Fixed Stars

Mars-Saturn Contra-Antiscia

When Mars reached 10 Gemini, something else happened as well. Mars and Saturn became equidistant from the starting point of the zodiac, 0 Aries. Mars at 10 Gemini is 70 degrees from 0 Aries, as is Saturn at 20 Capricorn. These are degrees of equal ascension, also known as contra-antiscia.

Contra-antiscia is an important traditional planetary configuration on par with degree-based aspects. I have discussed contra-antiscia’s history in an article on traditional symmetrical configurations. When one uses a chart of antiscia positions, contra-antiscia shows up as an opposition between the planets.

Notre-Dame Fire with Antiscia Positions (outer)

The contra-antiscia of Mars and Saturn involves both malefics, fiery violence (Mars) and unfortunate collapse (Saturn). It also involves the lunar nodes, as Saturn was transiting on the South Node at the time. The nodes are the points of intersection of the paths of the Sun and Moon, where the eclipses take place. As they are the eclipsing points, they were traditionally viewed as malefic and powerful.

Sun-Moon and Venus-Ascendant Antiscia

You may have noticed some additional interesting configurations by antiscia in the chart above. At the time of the start of the blaze the Moon conjoined the antiscion of the Sun, while the Ascendant conjoined the antiscion of Venus. These connections highlight publicity and importance (Sun and Moon) as well as the involvement of a work of beauty (Venus).

Notre-Dame Fire with Antiscia (outer)

Twelfth-Parts of Mars and Saturn

We’ve seen the very important role played by antiscia positions. Another subtle but very significant factor is the twelfth-part positions of the planets. The twelfth-parts are subdivisions of each sign into 12 micro-signs. They have been used since Babylonian times. For some Hellenistic astrologers they were regarded as a necessity for accurate chart examination. I regard them as so important that I find them mentally when I look at any chart.

The fire started just as the Moon conjoined the twelfth-part of Saturn (at 4 Virgo). Additionally, the twelfth-part of Mars is in Libra, so its rising was something of an ignition point. Some have reported to me that the fire actually started at about 6:25 pm which is when 2 Libra (twelfth-part of Mars) was right on the Ascendant. Additionally, see the antiscia chart above, as 2 Libra is also the antiscia of Mercury. The Moon’s own twelfth-part was also in Libra, opposing the Sun in Aries.

Notre-Dame Fire with Twelfth-Parts (outer)

Conclusion

Transits are rather ephemeral. One should not attempt to predict mundane events on the basis of transits at any given moment. This is because transits realize a potential promised in more important root charts, including foundation charts, ingresses, and lunations. Nevertheless, the transits of the moment of a major event tend to be vividly symbolic, as we find here.

The transits at the time of the Notre-Dame fire highlight the important role played by Mars and the Moon. They also highlight the significance of fixed stars, antiscia, and twelfth-parts. These are traditional factors too often overlooked, especially in transit analysis today.

Image Attributions

Featured image (cropped by me) is of Detail of the west facade of Notre-Dame, Paris, France by Dietmar Rabich / Wikimedia Commons / “Paris, Notre Dame — 2014 — 1477” / CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo of the fire by LeLaisserPasserA38 [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Current Events | Newtown School Shooting | Malefics and the 3rd House

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Tragedy Befalls Sandy Hook

It is my belief, given my years of studying astrology and meeting astrologers, that it is unlikely anyone could have predicted that a horrible school shooting would occur at Sandy Hook. Whether we may ever have that capacity by reading the astrological signs is questionable. However, there is much to be gained by research and data collection. We can examine the ever-flowing pen of history against the signs marked out as significant by ancient astrologers.  That is all that I endeavor to briefly cast light on here.

As a father myself, I was deeply shocked and disturbed by the school shooting in Connecticut.  I offer my sincere condolences to the loved ones of the victims.  I do not intend this examination of the astrology of the events as a means of implying that things were “in God’s plan” or anything of that sort.  My faith in both astrology and God are too frail for me to speak confidently about any purposeful underpinning of such tragedy.  I only stand continually perplexed by the occurrence of thematically relevant signs in the sky.

Analysis of the Charts

In ancient mundane astrology, the most important charts were those of the moments of the equinoxes, solstices, and lunations (new and full moons; eclipses).  In fact, Abu Ma’shar gave 6 hierarchical levels of mundane chart types (see article on the subject here). All of those charts are moments of equinoxes, solstices, and lunations, of varying significance.

For specific events affecting a community, we will typically be interested in the chart of the New Moon from that location as it speaks of the significant facets of the month.  For very influential events, particularly those involving transformation of the political, cultural, or physical landscape, we look beyond the month. We do this by looking at the preceding equinox or solstice (for indications regarding the quarter), the preceding vernal equinox for the year, and higher level charts reflecting larger periods.

Vernal Equinox 2012

It is unusual for the US to have two major public shootings in one year.  That itself is cause enough to examine the chart of the year, which is the Vernal Equinox of 2012.

Atropos Equinox

While it is not a traditional indication, it is intriguing to me that the Sun was conjunct asteroid Atropos (the one of the three fates which brings death) at the equinox this year. Atropos was at 00ARI39 when the Sun hit 00ARI00, the equinoctial point.

21-23 Sagittarius

In my analysis of the shooting in Aurora, IL, I primarily examined the shooter’s chart.  A shocking and fascinating parallel exists between the chart of James Holmes, the Aurora shooter, and the timing of the Sandy Hook shooting by Adam Lanza.  James Holmes (the Aurora shooter) was born on December 13th with his Sun at 21 Sagittarius, conjunct Saturn at 23 Sagittarius.  The New Moon (conjunction of the Sun and Moon) that occurred the day before the Connecticut shooting in the Sandy Hook area, occurred on December 13th, Holmes’ birthday, at 21 Sagittarius, with the Sun having reached 23 Sagittarius by the morning of the shootings.

New Moon 12-13-12
Sandy Hook

These degrees have an obvious tragic importance for the year. In fact, a friend of mine was born on December 14th (Sun at 22 Sagittarius) and had a trying year. He filed for divorce on his birthday in 2012 (after the same New Moon which occurred before Sandy Hook) amidst very dramatic circumstances. His divorce was less than a year after his wedding.

Degrees Dominated by Saturn of the Air Epoch

What is it about these degrees for this year?  There is much mundane astrological literature still yet to be translated into English and published, so perhaps future study will provide more elucidation.  For now, my best guess is that the degree area is marked out as particularly linked to afflictions of Saturn for the entire Air epoch in the Jupiter-Saturn cycle which began in 1980.

The 1980 Vernal Equinox from DC projects signs relevant to major events in the US from 1980 to 2159.  Saturn, the planet of loss and afflictions, was at 23 Virgo in the chart of the Vernal Equinox of 1980 from DC and was in the 7th House which can be a house of enmity, as well as in the bound of Mars, planet of violence.  Sagittarius is dominated by (i.e. in inferior square to) that Saturn. 23 Sagittarius is particularly afflicted by it as the dominated degree.  Still, there are many gaps to fill.

Vernal Equinox 1980 (from Washington DC)

The Shocking New Moon and Event Charts

Saturn New Moon

Turning again to the New Moon which occurred about a day and a half before the Sandy Hook shooting, we see some very striking symbolism. Saturn was out of sect, conjunct the Ascendant within a degree, and in the nocturnal house of Mars. This makes for a particularly malefic Saturn ruled by Mars. Mars was in the 3rd House, the main house of schools and primary education, and in the nocturnal house of Saturn. Additionally, 4 planets were in dark places disconnected from the Ascendant (Sun, Moon, and Mercury in the 2nd; Jupiter in the 8th).

New Moon 12-13-12
Sandy Hook

Day of the Attack

News reports indicate that the police were called from the school at about 9:30 am December 14th.  Therefore, the violence started some time slightly earlier than this.  I use the time of 9:15 am in the chart of the shootings below. This is only an approximation as the shooting of the man’s mother occurred earlier in their house and the school shootings may have gone past 9:30 am.

Importantly, the majority of the killing, if not all of it, occurred while a Moon-Mars conjunction in Capricorn was rising.  The Moon is symbolic of the body and congregation, while Mars is symbolic of violence. This configuration can potentially signify bodily harm and waves of violence.  It is an effective configuration when the Moon and Mars are in the same sign, but even more so when the Moon is applying within 13 degrees according to Hellenistic sources.  Here the Moon is applying within 11 degrees.

The Moon is actually in a condition of being besieged, as she has separated from the malefic Saturn and applies to the malefic Mars.  This is symbolic of particularly destructive occurrences, as the Moon rules the general flow of events. Her applications and separations here indicate a movement from bad to worse (sect malefic to non-sect malefic). For a better understanding of what maleficence means, please check out my early post on the malefics.

Newtown Shooting 2012

Now What?

I’ve presented a few more examples of the sky saying something that we should seek to understand more deeply.  Unfortunately, I have little more to offer at this time. I can only hope that a great deal of fruitful research into mundane astrology will occur in the coming decades. All astrologers need to learn more about the techniques of the original practitioners of mundane astrology.

Parting Notes on Mars in Capricorn and Dignity

One thing that stands out in this examination is the strong relevance of Mars in Capricorn.  Mars was also in Capricorn during the 9/11 attacks. This is worth noting because many traditionalists insist on a separation between “zodiacal” state and “terrestrial” state. However, in that approach Mars is accidentally benefic in Capricorn due to exaltation.

A Nature Determined in the Sky?

The separation between zodiacal and terrestrial state was noted by Morin of the 17th century. In this view, a planet is qualified as pleasant or harmful and so forth by zodiacal factors like dignity and planetary aspects (zodiacal state).  Then it is directed to pertain to certain sets of affairs and is quantified in strength by its house placement (terrestrial state). Examining zodiacal state, many astrologers take exaltation and other types of dignity to represent an indication of good. In the case of a malefic, sign dignity could transform it into an accidental benefic.

A False Dichotomy

I have explored reasons why one should abandon this interpretation of sign dignity as being benefic.  For instance, Jeffrey Dahmer’s character indicators are burgeoning with planetary dignity while Ted Turner’s are quite ill-dignified.  Additionally, terrestrial factors of sect and place were among the most important factors for beneficence in Hellenistic astrology. In short, there are both zodiacal and terrestrial factors which are significant in evaluating the quality (benefic or malefic), quantity (prominence or strength), and topical relevance of a planet’s indications. There is no neat separation between the zodiacal and the terrestrial types of indications when it comes to judging these matters.

Mars in Capricorn

With Mars in Capricorn at this shooting, we see further support here for my position on these matters. We need to dismiss the medieval dignity pointing system, the dignity is beneficence theory, and the Morinus separation doctrine regarding the nature of factors.

Both this shooting and 911 occurred with Mars in Capricorn (the exaltation of Mars). The Aurora killer, James Holmes, had Mars in Scorpio (a domicile of Mars). Jeff Dahmer has Mars in Aries (a domicile of Mars).  Such events and characters have been in no way representative of a dignified martial expression. These violent people and events do show a greater prominence of Mars (i.e. augmented quantity). They also show a more malefic expression. Maybe this heightened maleficence is linked to the rulership of Mars by a malefic (itself, or Saturn in the case of exaltation). Or perhaps it is because a planet in a form of rulership is less dependent on rulers and thus more unhindered.

Featured image of police at Sandy Hook Elementary is in the public domain.