Industrial Symphony No. 1 is a very ethereal musical play created by David Lynch. It features music by Angelo Badalamenti with vocals by Julee Cruise. It was performed in 1989, after Wild At Heart and foreshadowing, musically and thematically, the Twin Peaks series. I missed it on its release to VHS in 1990 but it’s also been released in the Lime Green Box Set and a lower quality version floats around on YouTube (below).
The Moon through a Loud Speaker
The irrational is pervasive in Lynch’s work. Watching his films is akin to a swim through the sphere of Yesod on the kabbalistic tree of life. It is of little wonder to find the Moon as the loudest and most influential planet in his life.
General Lunar Prominence
There are many factors that make the Moon the most prominent planet in Lynch’s life in a general way as if her volume has been turned up. The sect light is the Moon (Lynch was born at night), and she is above the horizon in a feminine sign (i.e. in haym). Luna is very prominent as she is strongly advancing on the MC (conjunct MC within 2 degrees). The Moon is in the place of the Good Spirit (the 11th house; pertaining to friends and social benefit). She’s also in the place of Love (i.e. place occupied by the Lot of Love, one of the 4 principal lots, and actually within 2.5 degrees of the lot).
Lynch’s Natal Chart with 4 Principal Lots (CTRL-click to enlarge)
Personal Lunar Prominence
The Moon is also one of the planets that impact the character and sense of self. The Moon’s twelfth-part is in the most important place, the 1st house, which pertains to the self. She also is a lord of the Ascendant (participating triplicity lord with a regard by sextile). Additionally, she regards and rules the lord of the Ascendant (Mars in Cancer) and she is conjunct the twelfth-part of Fortune.
Lynch’s Natal Chart with twelfth-parts (CTRL-click to enlarge)
Lunar Themes
Lunar themes of vivid depths of subjective experience, instinct, and irrationality permeate Lynch’s work. Also, lunar themes of the familiar and habitual (i.e. sentimentality) are also apparent in his life and work. I am thinking particularly of his repeated use of familiar actors, the non-linearity of his work, and the thematic grappling with the relationship between role and real-life. He also explores the complex and paradoxical subconscious evocations of rural life and nature, as well as the influence of dreams, visions, coincidences, and spiritual experiences on life.
The Moon is in Virgo, a mutable sign, thus the Moon tends to express through interactivity, as opposed to through powerful changes (cardinal) or stable developments (fixed). Virgo is an earth sign, evoking the land, tradition, and the body. Virgo’s ruler, Mercury, is the messenger. He is in the 3rd House, the Joy of the Moon. The Moon is herself a traveler, while Mercury delivers and communicates. This adds a lot of movement, interaction, communication, and consultation to the prominent relationship between the Moon and Mercury. The Moon rules Cancer, the 9th house, which is the place of God, pertaining to truth-seeking, spirituality, and foreigners.
Mercury in Capricorn with Sun and Venus
Mercury is in phasis and is most directly influenced by Venus and the Sun, with which he is assembled in the third house, Capricorn. Venus pertains to love and art; the Sun to influence and publicity. This is especially so with Venus, as she is most closely assembled with Mercury and rules his bound (as well as being a triplicity lord of Capricorn). The combination of Venus, Mercury, and the Sun in a place of connection and conveyance is evocative of many important professional aspects of Lynch’s life, from the artistic direction of important projects to his bold use of music.
Capricorn, the 3rd house, is mostly benefic in the chart. It is occupied by the sect benefic and dominated (right-side square) by Jupiter. Meanwhile, Mercury applies an opposition to both malefics, and it is ruled by an out of sect Saturn (in the 9th house of God). This lends an aura of foreboding ethereal terror over matters of Mercury, Venus, the Sun, and the 3rd House.
Echoes in Life and Work
The Moon pertains to family and childhood, especially the mother. The Virgoan Mercurial influence and prominence of the 3rd house fits with Lynch’s mother being an English tutor and his father and agricultural research scientist. Additionally, the prominence of the 3rd House, the Moon, mutability, and Mercury, all evoke travel and movement. This fits with his experience of moving a half dozen times with his family as a child and embarking on some formative trips as a young adult. The land, tradition, the elderly, fear, and handicap are all very Saturnine themes evoked in his work. They are linked with the supernatural and lurking in the shadows, contrasted with human innocence.
David Lynch’s Natal Chart
Malefics in the Lunar House of God
When it comes to personality analysis, the main indicators are the lord of the Ascendant (Mars in this case), Mercury, and the Moon. Mars is in sect and in a good place in the chart, but conjunct the out of sect malefic, Saturn. It is also strongly influenced by both benefics (benefics are in the stakes of Mars), and ruled by the very benefic Moon, while in the bound of the benefic Jupiter. The overall sense with Mars is of an ambitious nature and one which can be irritable and rebellious, but very beneficial and noble (sect, good place, benefic influence). Yet Mars is also touched by the dark, dreadful, and macabre (Saturn). All in all, there is incredible complexity to the character because of all the planetary influences on the lord of the Ascendant. Mars additionally occupies the 9th Place, the House of God, drawing Lynch to spiritual matters.
The 9th House of God
Spirituality itself is a complex and prominent matter in Lynch’s life. On the one hand, there would seem to be animosity toward religion given the strong association between spirituality and evil. This is signified by the presence of both malefics in the 9th, the retreat of Jupiter in the 12th house of the Evil Spirit. Also, there is an identification with rebellious Mars and intellectual Mercury. However, there is an overwhelming prominence and personal investment in matters of spirituality, truth, belief, and dream in his life.
Note that most of the planets in his chart (5 of 7) are in the 9th and 3rd houses. This includes both Mars and Mercury. Also, the sect light (the Moon) rules the 9th, lending additional prominence and associating spirituality with her significations. While Mercury is strong in some ways, it lacks the overwhelming pervasiveness of the more subjective and irrational lunar influence over the life. Through twelfth-parts, we also find the identification with the Moon and Venus, as their parts are in the Ascendant. Additionally, we find Jupiter, the planet of faith and spirit, playing a more prominent role in career and administrative aspects of the life, with its twelfth-part positioned in the 10th of actions and authority.
Lynch with twelfth-parts
Darkness
Fear-inducing (Saturn) and violent (Mars) spiritual entities (9th place) tended over by nature, night, and instinct (the Moon) are frequent themes in his work. The connection with art pertains to the fact that the malefics oppose and rule his Venus, the goddess of beauty and art. Venus is in the 3rd House, the Joy of the Moon, in the nocturnal house of Saturn (Capricorn), in the bound of Mars, and with the Moon as the primary triplicity lord. Her twelfth-part is in the 1st House, that of the self, in the nocturnal house of Mars (Scorpio), in the bound of Jupiter.
Venus is the primary planet pertaining to his aesthetic and it is fitting to find her dominated by subjective and spiritually-tinged maleficence (Mars and Saturn in the 9th, in the bound of Jupiter, ruled by the Moon) and irrationality (Venus in the Joy of the Moon, general pervasiveness of the Moon, Venus and Moon twelfth-parts co-present in the 1st of self and identity). The 3rd house journey/transportation themes also occur frequently in Lynch’s work. Wild At Heart, Lost Highway, and even The Straight Story are road movies, while main characters are often visiting outsiders.
A Couple Key Years
1966: Age 20
In my opinion, a pivotal year in Lynch’s life was 1966, when he moved to Philadelphia to attend an art school which held more promise than the last one, got his future wife pregnant, created his first short film (Six Men Getting Sick), and became acquainted with the fear of crime-ridden urban living.
9th House Profection
He would have been Age 20 at the time, thus the annual profection would have been to his 9th House, Cancer, occupied by the malefics, Mars and Saturn, with the Moon as lord of the year. These are all key influential planets in his chart and especially in terms of relationship and artistic matters (Venus). Lunar years are typically quite varied and eventful, as the Moon is prominent and moves quickly. In this case, the Moon herself profected to the 7th of partnership, ruled by Venus. It was as if in this year Lynch stepped into the house of the Moon, finding Mars and Saturn there creating fear and violence. The Moon lorded over everything as its guide, in terms of pregnancy, bonds, and the artistic promises of the 3rd house.
Solar Return Moon in the 3rd
At the time of the solar return, the Moon was in the 3rd house, conjunct natal Mercury. This put a spotlight on the work of that house. Mars and Venus of the return were both in the 4th of home and family, while Saturn was in the 5th of children just as Saturn’s natal twelfth-part is. This signaled weight and apprehension in the house of children.
David Lynch’s 1966 Solar Return Transits
Zodiacal Releasing of Spirit to Cancer
The importance of a year in terms of one’s professional objectives is primarily seen through zodiacal releasing of Spirit. In October of 1965 the 1st Level of Spirit’s releasing made its first transition from its starting period in Gemini to its new period in Cancer where it would stay until 1990. This started off with a 2nd Level period also in Cancer until October 1967. Therefore, both of the two main levels of Spirit’s releasing were to the 9th House, Cancer, ruled by the Moon, occupied by both malefics, and additionally activated at the Age 20 profection.
Venus-Jupiter and Mercury Activation by Planetary Years
The activations by planetary year were also interesting. Age 20 is most prominently a Mercury year, while also a year in which Venus-Jupiter (8+12) relationships come into play, such as his Jupiter in sign and bound of Venus and dominating her, signifying artistic benefit and children (both planets confer children, and both are the main rulers of the House of Children, the 5th, Pisces).
1990: Age 44
9th House Profection
There were many other pivotal years in his career but 1990 stands out as particularly important and prolific. He won the Palme d’Or at Cannes for Wild at Heart, Twin Peaks was hitting TV audiences, he released the Industrial Symphony No. 1, and his early paintings were in an exhibition. Interestingly, 1990 marked another profection to the 9th House, Cancer. The Moon, lord of the year, was transiting through the 1st house of the Self at the time of the solar return, which was also a Venus return, as Venus was at 27 degrees Capricorn in the return, almost exactly conjunct her natal position at 26 Capricorn, strongly realizing Venus’s artistic birth promises.
Lynch 1990 Solar Return
Zodiacal Releasing of Spirit to Leo
When we look at the releasing of Spirit for 1990, we find that it marked the next Level 1 transition. It went from Cancer (the period which started in 1965) to Leo, the 10th house, ruled by the Sun. Thus this next major transition in his professional life marked a new period, ruled by the Sun. The Sun is with Venus in the 3rd and the Sun rules the 10th house of actions, honors, and authority. It was as if Lynch had received his king’s (the 10th and the Sun both pertaining to rulership/kings).
Image Attributions: Eraserhead poster image (cropped) is in the public domain.
The events of July 20th, 2012 in Aurora, Colorado were deeply disturbing. They were so disturbing that some modern astrologers simply refused to look into the killer’s chart. Some thought it to be a distasteful thing to examine while other believed something so heinous is beyond astrology. I understand the sentiment that many astrologers have of not wanting to upset the victims, victims families, and others impacted by such horrific events. It offends the sensibilities of many people to say such things were “in the stars”.
Signs Not Causes
I’ve always been very interested in the astrology of the worst experiences in life. Not so that I can blame bad times on the stars as some might believe, but because I view astrology as a language, rather than as a cause. To me astrology is a system of signs from the gods (some higher intelligence). Therefore, when something particularly bad happens, I wonder if there was any such indication given by some higher intelligence through the celestial language of signs. I remain agnostic about whether things happen “for a reason” or according to some higher preordained plan. I simply look to see if there were any signs in the sky, after the fact and with hindsight on my side.
The Existence of Evil
It is not easy for me to come to grips with the fact that this world creates people like Adolf Hitler, Jeffrey Dahmer, and James Holmes. Those who go on to commit horrible atrocities. However, the world does create such people and they are indeed part of our reality. Our reality ranges from the most sublime expansive spiritual experiences to senseless random unfair cruelty, like this tragedy in Colorado. If these astrological signs reflect reality, then they should reflect such a horrifically significant experience. Events like this repulse me, make me cry, and lead me to pray for the victims and their families. I offer my condolences to all involved and hope my loved ones are never faced with such idiotic displays of cruelty.
Birth Certificate
About a week ago, the birth certificate of the Colorado movie theater shooter, James Holmes, was unearthed and his birth time uncovered. In ancient astrology a valid birth time is essential to character analysis as it sets the rising degree which determines which topics are assigned to which signs (i.e. the houses of the chart). Now that we have a birth time for James Holmes, I would like to make a couple brief notes about the chart which reiterate some of the important points I’ve raised in past. I have previously explored the factors for character analysis and issues with the use of essential dignity. I’m also an advocate of the use of advancement in assessing planetary prominence. This will not be an in depth look at the events and will largely be devoid of timing techniques. I may delve into such topics at some future point.
James Holmes
James Eagan Holmes was born on December 13th, 1987 at 9:04pm in La Jolla, California (source). His basic chart is shown below.
James Holmes Natal Chart
Solar/Mercurial Character
I’ll discuss the indications from some of the most important factors in character analysis. These factors include the Ascendant and 1st house, its lord, the Moon and her separations and applications, the Sun, Mercury, and general planetary strength.
Holmes has Leo rising, with the Ascendant in the bound of Mercury, so we expect some “self-identification” with the Sun and Mercury. Their placements in the chart more important to the character than typical. The Sun would make someone attention-getting, competitive, leading, powerful, achieving, and dominant. This is even more so if the Sun is regarding the Ascendant, is generally prominent, and is somewhat prototypical (in a place of its dignity). Mercury would make someone clever, flexible, complicated, analytically skilled, and possibly a bit mischievous. Again, this is more so if it’s also regarding the Ascendant, strong, and somewhat prototypical.
The Clever Golden Boy
Both the Sun and Mercury regard the Ascendant and are advancing. Therefore, we expect the solar and mercurial qualities to be quite evident in the nature of the character. In his chart these planets are together in the 5th house, that of Good Fortune, which pertains to physical enjoyments and achievements, such as entertainment. They are ruled by Jupiter which is in the 9th house, which among other things pertains to higher education, and is particularly scholarly here in the bound of Mercury and stationing direct. Jupiter indicates benefits or opportunities related to higher ed in this case (9th house).
Not So Sunny
The solar personality is modified quite substantially in the chart by the fact that the Sun is in the bound of Saturn and is adhering to Saturn (i.e. applying conjunction within 3 degrees). Saturn is the out of sect malefic which is typically the planet in the chart that signifies the most difficulty or disruption. Saturn pertains to darkness, death, the macabre, and cruelty, especially when out of sect. Therefore, there is a sense of this solar strongly influenced from being in the same house and room (bound) of this malicious Saturn, and powerfully joining up with Saturn over time. Mercury is also in assembly with this Sun and Saturn (assembly is an applying conjunction within 15 degrees in the same sign). Mercury is under the beams of the Sun, signifying hidden plans or communications.
Therefore, from the lord of the Ascendant and its bound lord, we get the sense that James Holmes is a solar-mercurial figure with a somewhat choleric personality but this belies bleakness, depression, dark malicious thoughts, and the like (Saturn). Additionally, the twelfth-part of the Ascendant, which can show a hidden personal emphasis, is in the 8th place of death and harm. The Lot of Necessity and the twelfth-parts of the lots of Fortune and Spirit are also in the 8th.
Holmes Natal with Twelfth-Parts
Holmes with Principal Lots
Dark Moon
Another very important factor for personality is the Moon. Ptolemy (2nd century CE) advised that the Moon is particularly important for understanding the more instinctive or body-linked part of the mind (i.e. the subconscious or irrational mind). By contrast, Ptolemy used Mercury for the rational mind. The separations and applications of the Moon were thought to be extremely significant by many ancient astrologers. Julius Firmicus Maternus (4th century CE) provided lengthy delineations of the Moon’s separations and applications which pertain to the character.
With the South Node in Saturn’s Bound
The Moon in this chart is at 29 Virgo, in the sign of Mercury and the bound of Saturn. In this we see a reiteration of the importance of both Mercury and Saturn in understanding the character; intellectual and possibly dark or cruel. The Moon is also conjunct the South Node of the Moon very closely, which is the eclipse point. The South Node is often associated with Saturn, suggesting again a sense of darkness.
Moon on Affliction
Turning to the Lots we find that the Moon is also conjunct, in the same degree, the Lot of Affliction. Affliction pertains to the worst sorts of evils, afflictions, and problems (more on the Lot of Affliction here). Also, the Lot of the Moon, called Fortune, which pertains to physical and circumstantial happenings, is very closely conjunct Mars, the planet of violence and aggression.
Holmes Natal with 5 Lots
From Saturn into the Void
The Separations and applications of the Moon are also interesting in the chart. The Moon separates from a square with Saturn, but applies to nothing, being void. Traditionally, the Moon is considered void when it completes no application within the next 13 degrees of travel, or about a day. In such as circumstance, it is not “connecting” with any planets as “connection” is the terminology for a degree-based aspect. So it is as if we have a Moon fresh off connecting with a rather cruel Saturn from a rather tense square aspect proceeding to go aimless. The personal impulse is from cruelty toward randomness, with Saturn (bound lord and last planet connected with) setting the tone.
Malefics Advance; Benefics Retreat
In the series of lessons, I looked at the importance of advancement in assessing planetary prominence. James Holmes will be known for his brutally violent criminal actions. In his chart, we find Mars extremely prominent. It is conjoined to an angle, the IC, the bottom of the chart. Mars is also in a “stake“, the 4th house. The next most advancing planets are the assembled Mercury, the Sun, and Saturn. Therefore, the malefics (Mars and Saturn) are advancing. By contrast, the benefics, Jupiter and Venus, are retreating. Additionally, the benefics are cadent (the 12th, 6th, 9th, and 3rd are weaker houses). Thus, while the events in the life see the volume turned way up on Mars, they see the volume turned down on the benefics. Competitiveness, aggression, and violence get “featured” in the life.
Dignity Revisited
I have strongly spoken out against the misuse and overuse of essential dignity which is common in traditional astrology. For example, see my polemic about Jeffrey Dahmer’s many highly “dignified” planets, including Dahmer’s very dignified Mars in Aries. The chart of Holmes also warns against using dignity in any sense in which it is interpreted as making the planet more benefical or “dignified” in its indications. Mars is in Scorpio, its domicile and triplicity which is a solid +8 in late traditional dignity pointing systems. However, the display of violence that this person brought into being was anything but dignified. What we see instead is a Mars that is prototypically Martial, as in violent. Its bound ruler, Mercury, adds a sense of cleverness, irony, and weirdness. This is a Mars that is more Mars-y, but definitely not a “better” Mars in the sense of being beneficial or honorable.
Even in terms of strength, we must be careful not to attach a lot of importance to sign-based dignity. It is worth noting for instance that Michael Phelps has Mars in Cancer, the sign of its fall. Mars is a planet of brawn, competitiveness, and atheticism. Mars in fall is not indicating that these themes are weak in the life of Michael Phelps. On the other hand, from an associative point of view, Mars in Cancer fits Phelps well. Cancer is a water sign and is ruled by the Moon. Water obviously associates with swimming and the Moon rules over bodies of water as well as swift travel.
Conclusion
It’s my hope that this short look at the chart of a monster will assist astrologers in picking out chart factors relevant to character delineation. I hope I’ve also encouraged critical thought with respect to the status quo manner of dealing with essential dignity.
This series of articles has been about testing and refining an ancient Hellenistic approach to the astrology of a person’s profession or occupation. It can be best to view the results as pertaining to skills used in the context of one’s calling.
Actions in Hellenistic Astrology
Techniques of this sort were discussed by Ptolemy (2nd century CE), Paul of Alexandria (4th century CE), Olympiadorus (6th century CE), and Rhetorius (7th century CE), among others. These astrologers presented their own preferences, or art, for the application of the same basic technique. The techniques assign particular importance to the indications given by Mars, Venus, Mercury, and their combinations. These three are the planets of actions which can become the significators of the occupation. Furthermore, there is an emphasis in the technique on planets in the “stakes” of the chart (the 10th, 1st, 7th, 4th houses) or triplicity of the 10th house (10th, 2nd, and 6th houses), rulership of the 10th, and being configured with the Lights (i.e. Sun and Moon).
Not all ancient astrologers of the Hellenistic and Persian period used this technique. Some preferred basic delineation or a special combinations of factors for delineating profession. Rhetorius used this technique along with basic delineation and a discussion of special chart combinations which indicate specific occupations. However, as a specific technique for finding the planets most relevant to the occupation or calling, this technique is unrivaled in its efficacy.
Looking Back
In the first article, I outlined some notes and quotes on the Hellenistic views on the technique, as well as my own particular approach to it. In the last article, I reviewed the technique and explored three examples from a recent chart challenge. Please refer to those two articles for quick summaries of how the technique is applied in practice.
So far, most of the articles in the series have focused upon artists (Venus) and intellectuals (Mercury) with little attention paid to athletes and laborers (Mars). However, I’ve mentioned that Mars can be a little trickier than the others. In a chart of high social standing Mars may indicate a more aggressive managerial role or competitive political role rather than athletics or labor. So far, we’ve only seen one example of Mars as the main significator; Dick Butkus from the last article. Here we’ll look at another example of the technique correctly singling out Mars as significator in an athlete’s chart.
O. J. Simpson
O. J. Simpson is now a convicted felon who will be serving decades in prison. He is now best known for the controversial legal trial over the death of his ex-wife Nicole Brown. That trial was preceded by a lengthy flight from the police, but ended with his acquittal. Amazingly, it was followed by his attempt to publish a book detailing how he would’ve killed her if he had done it. Years later, he was arrested on multiple felony charges. You can read a brief bio on Wikipedia. His chart is rated AA for accuracy and is pictured below (with twelfth-part positions).
Simpson’s Natal Chart (outer wheel positions are those of the twelfth-parts)
Brief Note on Character
This series is not about delineating character, but I’d like to quickly note the indications of planets most relevant for character. Typically, the factors most relevant for character are the ruler of the 1st, the Sect Light, Mercury, planets in the 1st, and the Moon.
Dark Places and Malefics in the 1st
OJ’s Sect Light (the Sun) is the ruler of the Ascendant, but it is in a dark place, the 12th, pertaining to betrayal and enmity, in Cancer, ruled by the Moon. The Moon is also in a dark place, the 8th, pertaining to death and stagnation. Additionally, the twelfth-parts of both Lights are in the 6th, a dark place, in Capricorn, ruled by the malefic Saturn. Therefore, both Lights and the ruler of the Ascendant are entirely oriented toward the dark places, pertaining to hidden and potentially harmful matters.
Mercury is out of sect and in a dark place, the 12th, while under the beams (concealment). This is an association between the rational mind (Mercury), concealment (12th house, under the beams), enmity (12 house), and instability (out of sect).
Saturn is in the 1st house of self, as is the twelfth-part of Mars, the out of sect malefic. Therefore, the malefics are directly operable in the house of the character and temperament. Additionally, the Ascendant and the Moon are both in the bounds of Mars.
Malefic Character with a Jupiter Life
Overall, it is very clear that the malefics and dark places predominate over matters of character. Therefore, it wouldn’t be unusual to expect much in the way of hidden motives, malicious intent, and personal undoing. However, the sect benefic, Jupiter, is the most prominent planet in the chart, actually right on the IC (conjunct within 3 degrees). Fortunately, or unfortunately, a great deal of good fortune, luck, and a larger than life atmosphere permeate the life as loud and pervasive themes as well.
Actions
Let’s turn to the technique for actions.
Pertinence
Place
Mars is advancing to the MC (about 18 degrees from it). Saturn and Jupiter are the only planets in stakes of the chart (the 1st and 4th respectively). However, out of Mars, Venus, and Mercury, only Mars is in an appropriate place, the 11th, Gemini. Additionally, the twelfth-part of Mars is in the 1st house. Of lesser importance, Mars also overcomes, by applying sextile within 3 degrees, Saturn, the occupant of the 1st.
Rulership and Other Matters
Mars is the only planet of the three action planets in the chart with some form of rulership at both the Ascendant and the MC It rules the rising bound, while it has participating triplicity at the MC and 10th. Jupiter also has a form of rulership in both places. The Sun and Venus, which respectively rule the 1st and 10th are both in the 12th, which is generally the most inappropriate place for actions. However, Venus is strongly in phasis in the chart, almost exactly 15 degrees from the Sun.
Conclusion
Mars is judged to be the most relevant planet for professional matters by far. It advances toward the MC, in an appropriate place (with its twelfth-part in a pivotal place), and has some rulership of the Ascendant and MC.
Jupiter is also very important for the profession. It is in a stake, with rulership at the 1st and 10th. However, it is not one the three action planets, so we view it more as a modifier. Note that the twelfth-part of Jupiter is with Mars in the chart, an indication of a champion (fortune in athletics).
Venus also has importance on account of ruling the 10th and being in phasis. The Moon very closely aspects Mercury also (separating). Therefore, there is a sense in which the 12 house cluster of Sun, Venus, and Mercury together signify entertainment work of a Venus-Mercury nature (vocal, acting). In later life he was an announcer and actor fitting with such work.
General Strength
Jupiter is by far the planet with the greatest general strength in the chart. It is not just strongly advancing but actually conjunct the angle of the IC. Jupiter also regards both lights by trine. The Sun (Sect Light) overcomes Jupiter by applying trine within 3 degrees. Additionally, Jupiter stations direct about 6 days after birth. Jupiter is ruled by Mars, arguably the second strongest planet in the chart, and pertaining to athletics.
I consider Mars the second strongest planet in the chart in a general way. It is the strongest of the three action planets. Mars advances to the MC and is dominated by the Moon. Most of the other planets in the chart are retreating or barely advancing. Venus is also strong but in different ways. Venus is in phasis, and is advancing, while she is co-present with one Light and regards the other.
Conclusion
Mars is the planet in O.J. Simpson’s chart with the greatest relevance for profession. It is also a planet with a broadly pervasive influence over his life. We expect martial significations to show up in many guises and in many different areas of the life, with great frequency. In the most simplistic terms, Mars would show a career path pertaining to brawn, as opposed to the brains of Mercury or aesthetics of Venus. It is interesting that Mars is in the bound of Jupiter and with the twelfth-part of Jupiter, connecting it with success.
Once again we find this technique to be a breath of fresh air in comparison to most other vocational technique of western astrology. It leads us down the right path to look at the proper planets. We even learn something of the nuances and variety to occupational possibilities and developments. Not only is Mars singled out for O.J. but we get a sense of the importance that Venus (entertainment) can play and how it all relates to a hugely pervasive Jupiterian influence on life circumstances. Saturn’s twelfth-part is conjunct Jupiter, suggesting where such luck hits limitations.
Like so many people around the world, I was saddened to hear of Donna Summer’s recent passing. Summer died on Thursday, May 17th after a battle with lung cancer. Donna Summer is a dearly missed musical icon.
I missed out on the heyday of disco in the mid-’70’s. However, I fondly remember as a child in the early ’80’s dancing to songs by Donna Summer, Michael Jackson, and similar artists of the era.
Longevity in Traditional Astrology
I don’t believe there is a single method out there, such as a hyleg/alcochoden technique, that on its own allows one to make accurate predictions about the length of someone’s life. In this regard I may be in the minority of traditional astrologers. Rather, I thank that if you throw a lot of techniques together, then there should be clear repeat indications of death. Predicting death in advance, particularly one’s own, is another matter. Looking at it in hindsight is always easier, and that’s largely what this series is about.
I’d like to look at some of the “signs” around the time of Donna Summers death and how they relate to death. Death is one of the key events in every life. By exploring the connection between death and natal predictive techniques, we sharpen our ability to recognize the astrological language of death.
Donna Summer
Donna Summer was born on New Year’s Eve, 1948 (12/31/48) at 9 pm in Boston, MA (source: AstroDatabank). For the reader unfamiliar with her life and work, a good source for a quick brief is the Wikipedia article on her. Her chart with twelfth-parts is shown below.
Donna Summer’s Natal Chart with Twelfth-Parts (outside wheel)
Profession
It is hard to imagine a chart more oriented toward artistic performance. First, Venus is the significator of profession. This is so as Venus is in a stake of the chart (the 4th) and strongly advancing, while having triplicity at the Ascendant and possibly bound. She also receives the next application of the Moon and is with the twelfth-part of the sect light (the Moon is the sect light as she was born at night). Secondly, there is a whopping 5 planets, including the Sun and Moon, as well as the ruler of the 1st (in the bound of Venus), in Capricorn, the 5th House, which is the Joy of Venus and is oriented toward the fruits of creation and to representation. Finally, the ruler of the 5th is on the Ascendant and thus is extremely prominent.
Mercury also crops up as important for the profession as Mercury rules the 1st and 10th signs and the bounds of the Asc and MC. It also has its twelfth-part in the Ascendant. Therefore, Venus and Mercury as co-significators of the profession. Venus is the more dominant of the two. Together they combine artistry and beauty (Venus) with vocalization (Mercury). A fairly common combination for singers.
Death
Donna Summers died of lung cancer at age 63. She was not a smoker. Donna believed that her lung cancer may have been caused from inhaling dust and smoke from the Sept. 11 attacks, possibly containing asbestos. However, she also had a family history of cancer and played hundreds of shows over the years in smoke-filled clubs.
Unlike the other deaths we’ve examined so far (Whitney Houston and Marvin Gaye), Summer’s death was not sudden. She was diagnosed with cancer the year prior to her death. Therefore, the exact timing of death might be thought of as less important than the overall characterization of that period of her life.
Key Factors
In analyzing the timing of death, we are most interested in the more potentially difficult elements of the chart. In my opinion, one of such difficult configurations is the conjunction of the Ascendant (significant for the body and self) with the out of sect malefic, Saturn (significant for death, loss, struggle, isolation). Another is the close (but separating) conjunction of the Moon and Mars (lord of the 8th of death, Aries) in the bound of Mars within 3 degrees of each other, with both ruled by Saturn.
Donna Summer’s Natal Chart with Twelfth-Parts (outside wheel)
Mars is particularly important. Mars not only rules the 8th house (Aries) but also rules the Lot of Affliction or Chronic Illness (also in Aries) and the Lot of Death (Moon to 8th sign, proj. from Saturn, day or night; in Scorpio). It also has its twelfth-part with those of Saturn and the Ascendant in Scorpio (Lot of Death). Additionally, Mercury, which can signify the lungs (as well as the self and body here as Lord of the 1st), is applying to Mars (conjunction).
Summer’s Natal Chart with Select Lots
Planetary Years
For an introduction to planetary years, please see the introductory post on them. Donna Summer was in her 64th year, and 63 years old, at the time of death. Therefore we are particularly interested in combinations of planetary years that add to 63 or 64. This may involve multiples, as there are not two distinct planetary minor years that sum to more than 55.
Possibilities
There are only two combinations of three planets’ minor years that work without any multiples. They are Saturn-Mars-Sun (30+15+19=64) and Saturn-Venus-Moon (30+8+25=63).
Possibilities involving multiples with one and two planets are below:
One Planet: Venus (64)
Two Planets: Venus-Mercury (24+40=64), Mars-Sun (45+19=64), Jupiter-Mercury (24+40=64), Sun-Moon (38+25=63).
Of these, I regard some as less important because the planets in the relationship are not all configured together with each other by either rulership or aspects. For instance, Saturn-Venus-Moon is less significant to me. This is because Venus and the Moon are in aversion, and Venus is not ruled by Saturn. Similarly, Venus and Mercury are in aversion, so that two planet combination is not as important.
The Most Important Activation: Saturn-Mars-Sun
There are four possibly significant activations by planetary years. They are Saturn-Mars-Sun (Mars and the Sun are together and ruled by Saturn), as well as Mars-Sun (they are together), Sun-Moon (the Sun and Moon are also together), and Venus. The most significant is Saturn-Mars-Sun. Not only is this an activation of 3 planets without multiples, but Mars and the Sun are together in Capricorn, ruled by Saturn. Additionally, the activation of Mars-Sun reinforces this activation. The activation of Sun-Moon also somewhat reinforces it, again stressing the stellium in Capricorn.
This Saturn-Mars-Sun activation is also the most significant activation for the matter of death. The activation includes both malefics. Each of the malefics directly afflict significators of the body in the chart (Mars with Sun and Moon; Saturn on Ascendant). The Sun is symbolic of vital power.
Donna Summer’s Natal Chart with Twelfth-Parts
A Peak at Transits: Saturn-Mars-Sun
The importance of the Saturn-Mars-Sun activation is confirmed by transits on the morning of the death. Mars transited with natal Saturn in the 1st house and applied to the natal Sun within a degree (superior trine). The transiting Sun also applied to natal Mars within a degree (trine) while closely opposed to the natal twelfth-part Mars (25 Scorpio). We will return to these transits after looking at some of the big-picture indications.
Transits to Natal – Morning of 5/17/12 in Naples, FL
Primary Directions – Distributors
Distributors are time lords which tend to rule over more than a one year period and can be very significant for health matters. The distributor is typically the bound lord of the directed Ascendant. Traditionally, for about the first 1,500 years, primary directions were done by zodiacal semi-arc without latitude, using the Ptolemaic-key (see my article on primary directions). While the Ascendant was typically preferred, some later Persian astrologers used the sect light as well as, or instead of, the Ascendant. The sect light was seen as an alternative to the Ascendant in some Hellenistic techniques as well.
The distributor is a time lord, but a planet actually applying an aspect to the directed angle or sect light (presumably either within 3 degrees or within the same bound) could take over or share the rulership of the distribution. The obsession with direct hits by primary direction, rather than the use of it for time lords, was a later post-Hellenistic development. I touch on some of these issues in my introductory article on primary directions. There’s also an article on the software calculation of primary directions.
Ascendant->Venus and Mars; Sect Light->Mars
Distributors of Ascendant and Sect Light for Donna Summer
Donna Summer died on 05/17/2012, so we are interested in the periods containing that date. From the table of distributors we can see that the distributor of the Ascendant was Venus. The distributor of the sect light (the Moon) was Mars. What about any aspectual co-rulers of the distributions?
One of the very useful features of the primary directions module in Morinus is that one can pull up the actual primary directed chart for a given day. For the day of Summer’s death that chart is below.
Chart of Summer’s PD Positions on 5/17/12
What the chart tells us is that 25 Libra was passing over the Ascendant at the time of death. Similarly, we see 23 Pisces passing over the natal Moon’s position (relative to birth location) at birth. Let’s return to the natal chart to see if these represent applying aspects.
Donna Summer’s Natal Chart with Twelfth-Parts
The zodiacal position of Mars was 27 Capricorn, so the Ascendant (significator) at 25 Libra has the square of Mars (promissor) directed at it within 2 degrees. The 23 Pisces position directing over the natal Moon does not involve any applying aspects within 3 degrees, so there is no co-ruler in that case.
A Focus on Mars
In conclusion, Mars is the distributor of the sect light. Mars also became the co-distributor of the Ascendant, starting about a year prior to death, due to applying aspect.
These time lords by primary direction are extremely important for matters of health and general circumstance. Here we see an emphasis placed upon Mars in the natal chart. As noted, Mars is the ruler of the 8th house of death (and illness/affliction by lot) and the Lot of Death (Scorpio). Mars is in the 5th afflicting the Moon, Sun, and Ascendant lord (Mercury).
Primary Directions – Aspects
There is also one very close aspectual primary direction within about a month of the death that is very symbolic of death. It is the direction of Saturn (promissor) to oppose the prenatal syzygy (significator). The prenatal syzygy is the New Moon or Full Moon directly preceding the birth. It is one of five points that are particularly important for symbolizing the health in the chart, the five hylegical points. These include the Sun, Moon, Ascendant, Fortune, and the prenatal syzygy.
The syzygy is particularly important for Donna Summer as she was born just the day after the New Moon (syzygy) in early Capricorn. In fact, the Moon was still in the same house as the Sun at the time of her birth (Capricorn). This opposition is from the prenatal syzygy’s ruler, Saturn, so it appears to be an important direction in symbolizing the death.
The time of diagnosis at age 62 corresponded to a profection to Summer’s 3rd house, Scorpio. Scorpio is the place of death by lot (Lot of Death). It is ruled by Mars and is occupied by the twelfth-parts of Mars, Saturn, and the Ascendant.
At age 63 the Ascendant profects to the 4th house, which in Summer’s case is Sagittarius, ruled by Jupiter, which is cazimi the Sun, in the 5th with Mars, and ruled by Saturn. Being the lord of the year, Jupiter is a particularly important planet to examine in the solar return.
Valens Profections: Mars and the 8th
It is also worth noting that by Valens-style profections, both lights (Moon and Sun), the Ascendant lord (Mercury), Mars, and Jupiter (lord of the year), all profect to Aries. Aries, the 8th house of death, is also the place of illness/afflication (by lot), and is ruled by Mars. The profection of the sect light (and the Moon generally) was particularly important to Valens for health and overall circumstance. As Aries is empty, it is the case that the sect light (and all the planets in the 5th) transmit to Mars, the ruler of Aries.
Donna Summer’s Natal Chart with Twelfth-Parts
Again, this places emphasis on themes of death (the 8th, malefic ruler) and affliction of the body (Mars-Moon conjunction, Moon ruled by Mars, Aries as Lot of Affliction). The solar return transit of the Moon through Aries (the 8th) is also a repetition of this theme (see return chart). Additionally, the profection of the Lot of Fortune was used for health by Valens and it profects to Scorpio, the other house of Mars and the other place of death (by lot).
Donna Summer’s Last Solar Return as Transit (outer) to Natal (inner)
Profections repeat every 12 years, so the real value here is in seeing which themes and planets we should watch. We again find Mars to be a particularly important planet to watch in the solar return and by transit.
Jupiter in the Return
Jupiter is in separating opposition to Saturn in the return (within 3°). Saturn is the out of sect malefic, and Jupiter relates to the vitality through the Sun (cazimi the Sun). This is a suggestive configuration. However, as an out of sign aspect and pertaining chiefly to the return itself, it is not particularly compelling. However, there is much more to this return than just the position of Jupiter.
Donna Summer’s Last Solar Return
Analyzing the Final Solar Return
As I explained in my article on analyzing solar returns, there were some particular red flags identified by Dorotheus. The 3rd, 4th, and 5th rules mentioned in that article are particularly important. The third rule is to watch squares and opposition from malefics, especially superior squares (domination). The fourth rule is that planets transiting in dark places of the natal chart can be more malefic. The fifth rule is that there will be a focus on the solar return Moon and its house, especially for health. The sixth rule is that there is a focus on the place highlighted by the annual profection and its ruler.
Donna Summer’s Last Solar Return
Mars in the Return
At the return, Mars was transiting in the 1st house, that of the body and self. We’ve seen how Mars is the primary significator of death in the chart. It rules the places of death by house and lot, and the Lot of Affliction. It is also activated by planetary years, distributions, profections of the sect light and Fortune, and the profection of the entire Capricorn stellium to the 8th house. Now we see Mars as chiefly pertaining to the self and body for the year.
Mars dominates the place of the annual profection of the Ascendnat. It is even in a partile superior square to the Ascendant lord Mercury, transiting in that place. Mars is also in a close aspect to natal Mercury by superior trine. Therefore, not only is Mars oriented to the body by being in the 1st, but it connects directly with the lord of the 1st (Mercury) by aspect in the return and natal. This echoes the bodily application of Mercury to Mars in the natal chart.
Twelfth-Parts and Mars
There are many things of interest when it comes to the solar return Mars and the twelfth-parts. First, the natal twelfth-part of Mercury is at the end of 17° Virgo in the 1st house. Mars was conjunct this within 3 degrees in the solar return. Yet an additional connection between Mars and the 1st house and its lord.
Donna Summer’s Natal Chart with Twelfth-Parts
Donna Summer’s Last Solar Return
In the return, Mars was at 20°12′ Virgo and Jupiter (lord of the year) was at 0°26′ Taurus. This puts the twelfth-part of Mars at 2° Taurus and that of Jupiter at 5° Taurus. Therefore, the twelfth-part of return Mars was conjunct return Jupiter (lord of the year) and its twelfth-part, both within 3 degrees. The solar return Ascendant is also interesting as it was at 27° Scorpio. It is not only ruled by Mars and the place of death by lot (Lot of Death) but it is also conjunct the twelfth-part of Mars (25° Scorpio) within 3 degrees.
Donna Summer’s Last Solar Return
Saturn and the Return Moon
Return Saturn is at 28 Libra, in dominating close square to the natal Mars-Moon conjunction at 27 and 29 Capricorn. Echoing the domination of the Moon by return Saturn is the opposition between the return Moon and return Saturn. The return Moon is the natal sect light and is in the 8th house, a dark house, putting a focus on its themes of death for the year, particularly in relation to health. Saturn is the out of sect malefic and in the return is also in a dark place. The opposition of the Moon to Saturn echoes the theme of loss.
Donna Summer’s Last Solar Return on Outside of Natal Chart
Return Venus
Natal Venus is in the sign of the profection so should also be looked at. In the natal chart, Venus is dominated by Saturn. Return Mars also dominates natal Venus. Return Venus is placed in Aquarius, the 6th house, which is a weak house pertaining to illness and ruled by Saturn.
Monthly Profection to the 8th House-Aries-Mars
As noted, the return Moon transits through the 8th of death (Aries), under rulership of Mars. This echoes the natal Mars-Moon conjunction and the profection of the Moon to Aries. The monthly profection of the Ascendant at the time of death was also to Aries, the 8th house, ruled by Mars. The monthly profection is indicating the month when the themes marked out by the 8th house and Mars by the time lords and annual methods will come into focus.
Ruler of Days
Some Hellenistic astrologers used daily profections, but it is not my preferred technique for daily time lords. I discuss an additional technique for small period time lords at the end of this article (levels 3 and 4 of zodiacal releasing). Personally, I also like another time lord technique for periods of days. This ruler of days technique was discussed by Julius Firmicus Maternus. In this technique we start with the lord of the year, and assign days to the planets according to their planetary days according to their zodiacal order in the natal chart. This divides up rulership of the year to each of the 7 planets. The lord of the year is Jupiter for Donna Summer.
Planetary days and their natal order:
Jupiter – 34
Mercury – 56 2/3
Mars – 42 1/2
Moon – 70 5/6
Saturn – 85
Venus – 22 2/3
Sun – 53 5/6
Moon as Ruler of Days
Using a date calculator, we find that Donna Summer died in about the 138th day following her solar return. The Moon took over days about 133 days after the return. Therefore, the Moon was ruler of days at the time of death. I find the ruler of days to be particularly important in timing events by transit. Also, note that the Moon was transiting in the 8th house opposite return Saturn in the solar return.
Day of Death
Recap
Finally, let’s return to the transits at the day of death. To recap, we’ve established that there is substantial importance placed on the malefics and the lights in the time lord techniques. Recall that Saturn-Mars-Sun and Mars-Sun are active configurations by planetary years. Mars, the ruler of the 8th house, Lot of Affliction, and Lot of Death, was particularly highlighted. For instance, it is a distributor or co-distributor of the directed Ascendant and sect light. It was also highlighted by the profection of the sect light and lord of the year to Aries (8th house ruled by Mars). Additionally, there were the many 1st house/Mercury connections with Mars in the return. Finally, we determined that the monthly profection is to the 8th, Aries, which was occupied by the Moon in the return and the Moon is ruler of days. Now let’s look at transits.
The chart for the morning of May 17, 2012 is below. Summer died some time in the morning on this day. The time of Summer’s passing is not known, so please disregard the houses in the chart. In the next section, I’ll show the chart as a set of transits against the natal chart. For now, note how closely the chart mirrors the solar return, from Mars in Virgo (natal 1st) to the Moon in Aries opposing Saturn in Libra.
Donna Summer Day of Passing
Transiting Moon
Shockingly, the Moon was transiting through Aries, the 8th house, at the time of death. This echoes both the solar return and the Valens-style profection of the Moon. It is also in the house of the monthly profection. The transiting Moon was applying an opposition to transiting Saturn at the time of death. The transiting Moon also applied a close square to natal Mercury, the Ascendant lord. Transiting Venus and Saturn were partilely aspecting each other, while receiving the application of the transiting Moon, at the time of death.
Transits to Natal – Morning of 5/17/12 in Naples, FL – Day of Passing
Transiting Mars
Mars was transiting at 9 Virgo through the 1st house. This is over 5 months after Summer’s solar return, and Mars is still transiting in the 1st house. In fact, Mars had been transiting in her 1st house all year (see ephemeris)! About a month prior to death, Mars had stationed direct at 3 Virgo, in adherence to Donna Summer’s Ascendant (6 Virgo). Transiting Mars was applying to the natal Sun-Jupiter conjunction within a degree at the time of death.
Transiting Jupiter
As Jupiter is the lord of the year, its transits should also be looked at. The transiting Sun and Jupiter (in late Taurus) were applying to natal Mars within 3 degrees at the time of death. Transiting Jupiter (and Sun) were also opposing the natal twelfth-part of Mars (25 Scorpio) within 3 degrees. The transiting Sun-Jupiter conjunction by degree itself also echoes the natal Sun-Jupiter conjunction.
Zodiacal Releasing
Before concluding I’d like to explore another Hellenistic time lord technique which I think can be valuable. Zodiacal releasing is the modern name given to a technique which survives only in the text of Vettius Valens. I’ve placed this exploration of the technique at the end of this article as it can be confusing. Zodiacal releasing is traditionally from the Lot of Spirit or the Lot of Fortune. For matters of bodily health and material circumstances, Fortune (the Lot of the Moon) is used (glyph looks like an X in a circle). Spirit (Lot of the Sun) was used for professional and mental matters.
Moving Signs by Planetary Years
Zodiacal releasing was discussed by Valens in Book IV of his Anthology (download it here). One stars with the sign of Fortune, giving the ruler of the sign the first period. This period is the length of the ruler’s minor years (the only exception being that we use 27 for Capricorn rather than 30). It transitions to the next sign in succession activating that sign and its ruler for the number of planetary years of the ruler. We continue moving from sign to sign after each period.
There are also minor periods that are 1/12 the length, and some additional nuances. One key “nuance” is that the periods involve “years” of 360 days. Therefore, I recommend using software to calculate them (such as the free Valens program). I recommend getting the technique from the horse’s mouth (i.e. download and read Book IV of Valens). The interested reader can also get a thorough education on the technique through Chris Brennan’s Hellenistic course, or his module on Zodiacal Releasing. As of this update, there is also a good explanation of the technique in a podcast by Chris Brennan and on Anthony Louis’s website.
Levels
The two highest level periods are particularly important in zodiacal releasing. I give four levels below:
Sagittarius (Jupiter): The sign is occupied by Venus and the twelfth-part of the Moon, ruler is cazimi the Sun in 5th, Capricorn. This is about a 12 year period beginning in 2010.
Capricorn (Saturn) – The sign is occupied by 5 planets, including Sun and Mars, with ruler in 1st, Virgo. This is a nearly 2 year period beginning in February of 2011.
Scorpio (Mars) – The sign is occupied by the twelfth-parts of the Ascendant, Saturn, and Mars, with ruler in 5th, Capricorn. This is about a 5 week period beginning on May 9th, 2012.
Capricorn (Saturn) – See #2. This is a nearly 5 day period beginning on May 15th, 2012.
Donna Summer’s ZR Periods
Interpretation
Before getting into the finer points of the interpretation of zodiacal releasing, I want to note the repeat Saturn-Mars activation. Saturn and Mars rule all but the largest of the time periods (the Sagittarius period of about 12 years). The signs activated are also very significant. Capricorn holds the natal stellium, including the Sun and Mars ruled by Saturn, but also the close Moon-Mars conjunction, and Jupiter (ruler of Level 1). Scorpio is the sign holding the twelfth-parts of both malefics (Saturn and Mars) and the twelfth-part of the Ascendant. In terms of the umbrella period of Level 1, Sagittarius, its ruler is Jupiter, which is cazimi the Sun in Capricorn, so it is closely associated with the Sun’s significations there.
Judging by Angular Strength
As mentioned, in interpreting the releasing of Fortune, Valens paid special attention to the first two levels. One interpretive principle commonly used is that the Lot or its ruler in an angle of the chart (1st, 10th, 7th, or 4th place) shows strength. By strength, we are referring to a stability and achievement in what is signified. In this case, material fortune and health (Fortune). On the other hand, if cadent from an angle (12th, 9th, 6th, or 3rd place) it will show weakness. This rule can get difficult to use in practice, as Valens also suggests that we can use the angles of the Lot of Fortune. Using both the angles of the chart and those of Fortune, with both the Lot and its ruler, there are simply too many points and strong places in the chart to enable us to separate the wheat from the chaff.
Places from Fortune
Some people sidestep this dilemma by considering only the angles and cadents from Fortune, rather than from the Ascendant. Using that approach, the Capricorn periods would be vulnerable. Fortune would be in the 6th from Fortune (a cadent place). Periods ruled by a planet that is in Capricorn could be similarly vulnerable for the same reason. However, note that 5 planets are in Capricorn, which would cause most periods to have weak rulers.
The place of the Lot was thought to show the start of things and the ruler the development. So Level 1 in Sagittarius would start out not particularly strong or weak (as it is not an angle nor a cadent) but in the development of the period weaknesses could result (as the ruler is in the 6th from Fortune). Level 2 in Capricorn would start out weak, and would not develop much towards strength or weakness (as the ruler is not in an angle or cadent). The 3rd Level would start strong but end weak (Lot in angle, ruler in cadent). Level 4, like Level 2, would be weak without much improvement. Therefore, the overall stress of all 4 periods is on Capricorn. Capricorn is cadent from Fortune showing vulnerability when it comes to material circumstances.
Judging by Transmission
Valens discussed other principles of interpreting releasing from Fortune which I feel are a bit easier to delineate. One thing that he does is to view the 1st two levels as if the ruler of Level 1 is transmitting or passing off to the ruler of Level 2. It is like the ruler of Level 1 is running into some type of thing signified by the 2nd level ruler. For instance, a benefic transmitting to a malefic, as in the case here with Jupiter transmitting to Saturn, shows success liable to overturn. Additionally, the transmission of the Sun or Moon to Saturn is particularly dangerous for health, while Saturn to the Sun or Moon indicate the opposite, vigor.
… the sun and moon when transmitting to Saturn are indicative of setbacks and anxieties, and they bring hostility […] as well as bodily disorders and dangers, shipwrecks, sudden collapses, and very many crises … (Valens, Anthologies, Book IV, Ch. 5, Riley trans., 2010, p. 73)
Jupiter Cazimi to Saturn
According to Robert Schmidt of Project Hindsight, the original meaning of a cazimi planet is that it takes over signification for the Sun. Jupiter is cazimi the Sun in Summer’s chart and so acts akin to the Sun, another indicator of the vital spirit. The transmission of Jupiter to Saturn can be viewed as similar to a transmission of the Sun to Saturn, an indication of material danger.
Malefic to Malefic
If we were to consider the other levels in this type of consideration then we have Saturn transmitting to Mars (Level 2 to 3) and Mars transmitting to Saturn (Level 3 to 4). Valens regarded transmission from a malefic to a malefic (Saturn to Mars and vice-versa) as particularly dangerous, much like a situation that goes from bad to worse.
ZR Conclusion
Interestingly, in the zodiacal releasing method for health we find a repeated emphasis on Capricorn, Scorpio, and Mars. There is repeat activation of the 5th house. For Valens, the places from Fortune were even more important than the natal places for the purposes of this technique. Interestingly, Valens considered the 6th place from Fortune to pertain particularly to health crises. The 6th from Fortune is none other than Capricorn, the sign we see so strongly emphasized by the releasing from Fortune.
In addition, after finding the Place which has been assigned to Fortune, examine the points square with it and the other aspects, just as with the angles in the natal chart. The Lot itself will be equivalent to the Ascendant and will mean “Life;” the tenth place from it will be equivalent to MC and will mean “Rank;” the seventh will be the Descendant; the fourth IC. The other places will have the same effects as the <original> XII Places. Some astrologers have mystically hypothesized that the astronomical Ascendant and the points square with it are the Cosmic Angles, while the Lot and the points square with it are the Natal Angles […] (Valens, Anthology, Book II, Ch. 18, Riley trans., p. 34)
Conclusion
Donna Summer’s death was by the slow wasting illness of cancer. It did not involve dramatic sudden events like those of Whitney Houston and Marvin Gaye. We find Mars to be the most important planet for the topic of death and serious illness in her natal chart. Mars rules and dominates the 8th house of death and place of affliction by lot, and rules the place of death by lot while occupying it by twelfth-part. Summer’s Mars is fairly well-placed, being in sect, in a sign of its sect, in a benefic place (5th house), and exalted (Capricorn) with a trine from its 1st house ruler.
The timing of death coincided with about a dozen repeat activations of natal themes pertaining to Mars and death. The period ones involved Mars as a distributor of the sect light and co-distributor of the Ascendant, second level zodiacal releasing to Capricorn occupied by Mars, planetary years highlighting the Saturn-Mars-Sun configuration, profection of the Capricorn stellium (including Mars and sect light) to Aries, and profection of Fortune to Scorpio.
The solar return, with its Scorpio rising, Mars in the natal 1st, and the Moon in Aries (natal 8th) opposed to return Saturn certainly reinforced these themes. There was also that prolonged transit of Mars through the natal 1st house, passing back-and-forth over the Ascendant. That transit was not only in the January 1st solar return but spanned the entire first half of 2012, including at the time of her death in May. Finally, we saw Donna pass during an Aries, 8th house, monthly profection. The Moon timed the death with its transit through Aries on that day, in fitting application to transiting Saturn and Venus (death and artistry).
In late February of 2019, this article was significantly edited and revised. There were some significant changes. I revised the wording of many sections for greater clarity. For instance, the analysis of profections and solar returns was re-written to explore the important Valens-style profections and the rules for returns which I noted in another article. Additionally, the section on zodiacal releasing was moved to the end due to the learning curve involved. There are now some great free explanations of zodiacal releasing out there, so I’ve linked to those. Also, the Lot of Death and Lot of Affliction were not touched on in the original article but were added due to their great significance.
I was about halfway through an article on the death of Donna Summer when my friend Ile Spasev brought Marvin Gaye to my attention. The timing of Gaye’s 1984 death at the hands of his father is absolutely fascinating. In reiterates the importance of planetary years, solar returns, profections, and transits.
One of the most interesting things about Gaye’s death is that it occurred on the exact day of his 45th solar return! It was also the day of a New Moon (conjunction of the Sun and Moon). It occurred the day before his calendar birthday. However, in astrological terms, it occurred on his true astronomical birthday (solar return). He was actually killed just a few hours after the exact return of the Sun to its position at his birth.
Marvin Gaye’s Natal Chart
Marvin was born on 4/2/1939 at 11:58 am in Washington D.C. (Rodden-rated A birth info). According to news releases he was pronounced dead on the afternoon of 4/1/1984 at 1:01 pm in L.A., California. His death followed his attempt to intervene between his mother and father, who were on the second day of intense bouts of argumentation. After Gaye pushed his father things took a turn for the worst. Gaye’s own father, in the heat of anger, ended up shooting him, which proved lethal.
His birth chart is shown below with the twelfth-part positions depicted along the outer wheel.
Marvin Gaye Natal Chart w/twelfth-parts
The Father in the Chart
In ancient astrology, Saturn, the Sun, and the 4th place (Valens adds the 9th place) are particularly relevant for the father. In Gaye’s chart, the Sun in the bound of Venus in the 10th is more pertinent to his fame and honors than his father. The Sun naturally signifies honors as does the 10th place, and the Sun adhering (applying conjunction within 3 degrees) to Mercury (vocal) and in the bound of Venus (arts) has particular relevance to his singing fame. The Sun additionally has no rulership over the 4th, so it provides less testimony over the house of the father, family, origins, and property. Still, the Sun is one significator of the father in the chart. The fact that Marvin’s death at the hands of his father occurred on the day of a solar return speaks to this.
Saturn is another natural significator of fathers. Like the Sun, it is in the 10th (a “stake” of the 4th). However, Saturn rules the 4th house of fathers by exaltation and triplicity (first triplicity lord of air by day). Saturn not only naturally signifies fathers but also accidentally strongly connects with the house of the father in the chart. Therefore, Saturn is considered to give the strongest testimony regarding matters concerning the father.
The Lot of the Father
The houses are not the only way that a planet comes to accidentally signify a topic. The lots also assign topics to places. Planets on or ruling a relevant lot also become significant for that topic of that lot. As I explained in my lesson on the lots, the typical formula for the Lot of the Father by day is to take the arc from the Sun to Saturn and project it from the Ascendant. This would yield a lot in early Leo. However, Dorotheus (1st century CE) and Paulus (4th century CE) both advised to use an alternate lot when Saturn is under the beams of the Sun, as it is here. The alternate lot is calculated from Mars to Jupiter, projected from the Ascendant.
Gaye’s Lot of the Father (by the Dorothean alternate formula) is at 8° Libra, the very same degree as his IC, in the 4th house. This again argues for the significance of Saturn which both strongly aspects the place, has multiple forms of rulership there, and naturally signifies the father. The antiscia of Jupiter at 8 Libra, the same degree as the lot and IC, connects the father with religion (minister).
Marvin Gaye’s Natal Chart with the Lot of the Father at 8*47′ Libra
Saturn
Saturn does a good job of describing the father (and also the death itself). It is in a cardinal sign, known for initiating major changes through abrupt action. Saturn is also in a sign and bound of Mars, the planet of violence. Additionally, it is dominated by Mars (right side square). Furthermore, the twelfth-part of Saturn is in Scorpio, the other house of Mars. Therefore, the influence of Mars over Saturn is reinforced in multiple ways. Domination gives Mars substantial influence over Saturn, symbolic of a father becoming dominated by rage and violence. Saturn is also in the sign of its fall. Fall can show a type of weakness, though Saturn takes about 2 1/2 years to traverse a sign, so it is not particularly noteworthy.
Saturn afflicts Mercury, the Sun, MC, and the twelfth-parts of the Ascendant and Venus, as all are in Aries with Saturn. The vulnerability of these significators to Saturn, through their shared habitation of Aries, pertain to argumentation (Mercury), publicity (Sun), career (MC), self/body (Asc), and music and mother (Venus). Saturn’s close aspect with Mercury, both of them under the beams, may relate to the father’s strange contradictions. He was a minister who was an alcoholic, physically abusive, and a cross-dresser at home. While Marvin did not get along with his father, his own drug use and paranoia near the end of his life was seen to be turning him into his father in the eyes of some observers (twelfth-part of Asc conj. Saturn).
Marvin Gaye Natal Chart w/twelfth-parts
Death and the Father
Saturn is the planet with the greatest testimony over the place of death in the chart, the 8th house, Aquarius. This is because Saturn rules the sign, has triplicity there (1st triplicity lord of air), regards the place, and is a natural significator of death. Therefore, Saturn’s testimony with regards to death is very strong in his chart.
The Sun also has some lesser testimony over both the father and death. I discussed how the Sun is a natural significator of the father and is in a stake of the 4th. The Sun also rules and has its twelfth-part in Leo which is the 8th house from Fortune (Capricorn). The 8th place from Fortune was considered the main “place of death” by Vettius Valens. Leo also happens to be the position of the other Lot of the Father (Sun to Saturn, from Asc). Therefore, there are repeat connections between the father and death in Gaye’s chart.
Finally, there is the Hellenistic Lot of Death which is taken from the degree of the Moon to the start of the 8th sign, and projected from Saturn. There is a distance of 127°48′ from the Moon to Aquarius. Projecting this from Saturn in Aries bring us to 27° Leo for the Lot of Death. As noted, Leo is also the 8th from Fortune, the position of a traditional Lot of the Father, and the position of the twelfth-part Sun. Therefore, we see yet another repeated connection between the father and death.
Mars in the 7th House
Mars is the out of sect malefic in the chart and is in the 7th house, the alternative house of death. The 7th house was not only associated with death in early Hellenistic astrology but its opposition to the Ascendant was viewed with suspicion by Dorotheus and Valens. The fact that a planet there opposes the Ascendant (significator of the self) is indicative of the possibility of harm against the native. Mars is out of sect in the 7th and has its twelfth-part conjunct Jupiter and opposed to the Moon, two of hte significators of the self in the chart. Therefore, it signifies the potential for bodily violence.
Marvin Gaye Natal Chart w/twelfth-parts
Beyond the Sun, Saturn, and Mars
Both Venus and the Moon give testimony regarding the mother, even though neither of them regard the 4th house of family. Venus does so because she rules the 4th and is a feminine natural significator of mothers. The Moon does so because she is also a natural significator of mothers and is in the 3rd house, her joy, another place of the mother (per Valens).
The Moon and Jupiter provide some of the strongest testimony in terms of Gaye himself and his temperament, as they both regard the 1st and have a lot of lordship over the actual Ascendant.
Planetary Years
I discussed the use of planetary years for prediction in a past article. Planetary years are a valuable technique for timing the activation of key events concerning notable configurations in a chart.
Marvin’s death occurred on his 45th solar return. Very rarely do planetary years culminate at such an exact point. Fascinatingly, 45 is the activation of Saturn-Mars relationships in the natal chart. Saturn has 30 planetary years, and Mars 15, yielding 45.
This signifies a very major event as it activates three important Saturn-Mars configurations in his chart: the Mars-Saturn square with Mars dominating; Saturn in Aries (domicile of Mars); and Mars in Capricorn (domicile of Saturn). Thus planetary years show a strong activation linking the father, violence, and death.
Planetary Days
According to the technique of planetary days discussed by Julius Firmicus Maternus (4th century CE), the ruler of the year rules the first set of days in the year. Therefore, Mars was the planet in charge of signifying both the plan for the year and the days at the time of death.
As the death happened just after the 45th year solar return, the annual profection of the Ascendant moved to the 10th place of the chart. Therefore, Aries was the sign of the annual profection at the time of death. The profection was highlighting the planets in the 10th place, including Saturn, Mercury, and the Sun. Mars, the ruler of Aries, was the lord of the year. In other words, the annual profection put the focus squarely on Saturn in Aries, ruled by and dominated by Mars.
Solar Return and Transits
I have been meaning to expand on my series on solar returns, which I started here. For now, it suffices to look at the solar return as a set of transits to the natal chart. I depict the solar return along the outside of the natal chart below. In addition, I have posted the natal chart with twelfth-parts as there are fascinating connections between the return on the day Gaye died and the natal twelfth-parts.
Outer positions are from Gaye’s Final Solar Return which is on the day he died
First, it is noteworthy that the return, and death, occurred on the day of a New Moon in Aries. This is a further activation of the sign Aries and its occupants, including Saturn, and its ruler Mars. At the time Gaye was pronounced dead, the transiting Moon was at 16 Aries adhering to Gaye’s Saturn.
Second, as Mars is lord of the year and of days, the position of Mars in the return is of pivotal importance. In the return Mars is in Scorpio, one of his own domiciles. Return Mars is with return Saturn and in Saturn’s bound, again echoing the Mars-Saturn significations. Additionally, Mars is at 28 Scorpio, conjunct the twelfth-part of natal Saturn in the very same degree! The twelfth-part of return Mars was itself at 9 Libra, opposing Gaye’s Sun, and conjunct his Lot of the Father and IC (both at 8 Libra).
Marvin Gaye Natal Chart w/twelfth-parts
Venus and the Moon
In addition to Mars transiting right over the natal twelfth-part of Saturn (at 28 Scorpio), the twelfth-part of transiting Venus was also at 27-28 Scorpio. I take this Venus transit to represent the connection with the mother, who Gaye was arguing on behalf of at the time of the incident.
Transiting Venus itself was at 22 Pisces with Gaye’s Jupiter, symbolic of himself. This position is also opposed to his Moon, connecting to both himself and his mother. Fascinatingly, this is also the position of Gaye’s natal twelfth-part of Mars. Therefore, there is the symbolism of himself and his mother mix and come into contact with the father’s rage and violence (Mars).
Primary Directions
It is also worth noting important primary directions around the time of death, as I did for the death of Whitney Houston.
Distributor
Marvin Gaye’s Distributors of the Ascendant and Sect Light
First, we look at the distributors. Amazingly, both the Ascendant and the Sect Light (the Sun) were directing through the bounds of Mars. Mars, the out of sect malefic, set the tone as the many time lord during the period in which the death took place.
Aspectual Primary Directions
The aspectual directions are not as striking to me as some of the indicators, but there are a few relevant ones. One of the more interesting directions occurring within 6 months of his death is that of the star Algol (associated with death and violence) directing to Gaye’s MC.
Algol Directed to Gaye’s Natal MC
Additionally, less than 4 months before his death there was a direction of Mars to Jupiter. This is relevant as Jupiter is one of the important significators for Gaye himself in the chart. Jupiter rules the bound of Asc and exalted in the sign of Asc. The relevance of the placement of twelfth-part Mars on Jupiter and opposed to the Moon in the natal chart is echoed. I discussed how the transit of Venus at death over this position also pertained to the importance of the mother in the situation. Gaye was intervening on his mother’s behalf.
Mars Directed to Jupiter
Conclusion
Death is not a pleasant topic to analyze. However, it is one of the most definitive events in every individual’s life. Therefore, it should be one of the most stand-out events from an astrological perspective. When we see that there is a higher intelligence at work in this universe it forces us to rethink the nature of life and reality. Perhaps our analysis will bring us closer to accurately spotting death, enabling us to even avert death for a time. Or maybe Urania will simply whisper indications a bit more quietly when we forsake her secrets. In any case, even in hindsight, looking back on the pertinence of the symbolism when using the ancient techniques is always thought-provoking and humbling.
Featured image is in the public domain.
Updates
02/11 to 2/13/2019: Thorough edit, plus additional information regarding Mars and the Lot of the Father, as well as some notes about Gaye’s dad and more.
At that time, in early March, through private correspondences (and on her Facebook wall), my friend, Kate Petty, and I both accurately matched all three charts to the proper occupations. How did we do so? By using the ancient techniques for delineating occupation which I’ve discussed in this series. Our methods were objective and repeatable, not intuitive.
Actions in Hellenistic Astrology
I discussed the technique in the post Astrology of Profession or Calling | 1. Technique. The basis of the technique is found in comments made by Ptolemy, Paulus Alexandrinus, Rhetorius, and other Hellenistic astrologers who commented on their work. However, there is some variation in the way the technique is explained by different authors. Additionally, it is by no means the final word in delineating actions and occupation. Every astrologer should adapt the technique to their needs and attempt to improve upon it. This technique provides the best foundation you’ll get for delineating profession. You will learn to identify those planets that are most significant in terms of skills and themes developed within the context of one’s calling. There are many other more specific indications that can then be used in the hopes of narrowing down to more specific professions.
In a chart challenge situation, the technique will rarely be 100% accurate. It’s not the final word on occupation and my adaptation is not perfect. Additionally, special combinations in the chart can be relevant for profession. However, this technique shines in differentiation tasks. Therefore, I’d like to go through and show how the technique itself performs on these three charts to lead to objectively obvious decisions which happen to be correct. Before reading on, please familiarize yourself with the chart challenge thread and my explanation of the technique.
Technique Notes
Below I reiterate what I stated about the technique in the first post. Perhaps the simplest explanation would go something like this: 1. Planets strongly “pertaining” to the 10th, MC, and Lights give strong significations regarding personal striving and one’s calling. 2. Those strongly “pertaining” to the 1st and the Ascendant give strong significations regarding the personality and self-identification. 3. Planets which are generally strong tend to show broad pervasive influences upon the life circumstances.
By “pertaining”, I mean occupying a place, ruling a place or position, scrutinizing a position (i.e. aspecting it within 3 degrees), strongly advancing toward the angle (i.e. advancing within about 15 degrees), being in a “stake” of the place (1st, 10th, 7th, or 4th from it), and otherwise regarding the place or point.
These things are all indications that a planet has “testimony” (things to say) regarding the place or point being investigated. Testimonies form the basis for later almuten or “winner” techniques. However, such “winner” approaches are sophomoric mechanized ways of handling testimony. As astrologers, we must be more judicial than that. One of the problems with “winner” techniques is that there is a tendency to consider one planet as always the most significant. By contrast, there may be many significant planets which become relatively more prominent at different times in the life, which we can observe through timing techniques. In other words, we want to know both the range and the relative pertinence of each planet, as well as which planets stand out and in what ways.
Technique Recap
Pertinence to actions:
MC: Strongly advancing to MC.
Places: Order of importance – 10th (place of actions), 1st, 7th, or 4th, (i.e. the “stakes” of the 10th), 2nd or 6th (i.e. triplicity of the 10th), 11th, 5th, 8th.
Rulership: Dignity in 10th or Ascendant (or to a lesser extent at the MC). Planets scrutinizing the Ascendant or MC, i.e. aspecting them within 3 degrees, should also be considered.
Phasis and the Lights: In phasis, or a bound ruler of a Light (esp. of sect light).
General strength:
Advancing/Retreating: Advancing planets are stronger than retreating ones, in the sense of being “louder” in the life, and this is a continuous variable.
Lights: The Lights (Sun and Moon) naturally signify prominence and power, so a strong relationship between one of them and a planet make the planet more generally strong.
Stations: Stationing direct within 7 days of birth makes a planet generally stronger or more prominent while stationing retrograde make it generally weaker.
As noted in the original post, I start with pertinence, and then use general strength pick out the more dominant planet or planets among the most pertinent ones.
Analysis of Charts
I will deal with the charts in a rather collective way. I want to note the first impressions of the chart that anyone should get when using this method for such a purpose. Rather than posting them here immediately, I want the reader first to view them on the thread here as one did in the chart challenge.
Evaluating Placement
The first thing you want to look at is to see if planets are strongly advancing toward the MC, i.e. to the left of the MC degree within 15 degrees. None of the charts have this. Next, you want to look to see if any of them have planets in the 10th place, which is the 10th sign from the Ascendant, which in the first chart is Aries, the second is Taurus, and the third is Leo. All are empty except for Moon in Leo in Chart 3.
Next, look at planets in the other “stakes” of the chart, which are the 1st, 7th, and 4th, in about that order of priority. Chart 1 has Venus (in Capricorn 7th). The next one, Chart 2, has Mars (in Scorpio 4th). The last one, Chart 3, has the Sun (in Scorpio 1st) and Saturn (in Taurus 7th). We have planets with pertinence to action by place already, so we won’t keep looking at less pertinent places, except maybe for Chart 3 as we’d like to know which is most pertinent by place among Mercury, Venus, and Mars. However, all three are in the 12th of that chart, so the relative pertinence of each will have to be assessed without consideration of place.
1st Chart
2nd Chart
3rd Chart
Preliminary Placement Results
So far our best candidates and their indications by chart number are as follows:
Venus – the arts – the musician. Why? Because Venus is angular (in VII).
Mars – physical or dominance-oriented – the football player. Why? Because Mars is angular (in IV).
Moon, Sun, Saturn – all leadership-oriented planets – the Cardinal. Why? Because the Moon, Sun, and Saturn are all angular (in X, I, and VII).
Evaluating Rulership
Let’s look at rulership for confirmation.
For Chart 1 we find that Venus has rulership by triplicity and bound of the Ascendant. She also has rulership by exaltation and triplicity atthe MC. Additionally, Venus also most closely scrutinizes the MC (sextile of about 2°). Therefore, there is strong support for Venus.
Chart 2 is one in which Mars has triplicity in the 10th and MC. No planets scrutinize the MC or Asc. Therefore, there is a little bit of confirmation for Mars, though it is fairly weak from rulership.
In Chart 3 we find that the Sun, which is in the 1st house, as domicile and first triplicity lord of the 10th house. Additionally, the Sun and Saturn both closely scrutinize the MC. The Moon has only triplicity at the MC. All three are confirmed as significant, but especially so for the Sun.
Dave Brubeck
Chart 1 has Venus angular, ruling the rising bound, and exalted ruler of the MC. Looking at the chart we also find that Venus is the bound lord of the sect light, the Moon. She is also bound lord of the Sun. So she is bound ruler of both luminaries. Furthermore, Venus is strongly advancing. No planets are in phasis. If we were to look at twelfth-parts we’d also find twelfth-part Venus angular in her own domicile (Libra). Therefore, Venus is the obvious choice. The first chart is that of the musician, as Venus pertains to art and aesthetics (and sexuality/sensuality, etc.).
Brubeck’s Natal Chart
It is also good to understand how other planets can be involved in the occupation. Saturn may be relevant because it is strongly advancing on the IC, where it scrutinizes the MC. Additionally, Saturn dominates Venus. Finally, Mercury is a planet of actions and in a relevant place (the 5th), and it closely aspects Venus, within 2 degrees, so it also relates to the occupation. Mars can also pertain to matters of the occupation as Mars rules the 10th and is in an eligible place (the 8th). However, what is most important is that Venus provides much stronger testimony than any of the other planets, including the other planets of actions.
Dick Butkus
Chart 2 has Mars angular in IV while it rules the MC and 10th by triplicity. Looking at the chart we find that Mars does not rule the bound of either Light. However, Mars does rule the Moon, the sect light, by exaltation and triplicity. There are no planets in phasis. Mars is the most advancing planet in the chart, and there are no stations, etc. It is also domicile and first triplicity ruler of its own place. The obvious choice here is Mars, clearly indicating Chart 2 to be the football player. It is the chart of Dick Butkus.
Butkus’ Natal Chart
Mercury and Venus can also be relevant for occupational matters as they are planets of actions in the eligible 5th place. Butkus became a sports commentator and an actor later in life.
Butkus and Twelfth-Parts
It is always a good idea to look at the twelfth-parts in the matter of occupation. The lots, especially the lots of Fortune, Spirit, and Actions, can also be significant, as can relationships by antiscia. Let’s look briefly at the twelfth-parts in Chart 2.
Dick Butkus Natal Chart with Twelfth-Parts (outside wheel)
Mars takes on increased important as twelfth-part Mars is in the 2nd place, another eligible place, and very closely aspects the MC. Additionally, the twelfth-part Ascendant is in a house of Mars (Aries) and conjunct Jupiter (fortune). Twelfth-part Venus is with twelfth-part Mars connecting their significations (Venus-Mars can pertain to athletics). Mercury (voice, analysis) becomes more pronounced and important for the profession and identity as its twelfth-part is in the 1st house.
Cardinal Krol
We noted that the Sun is particularly relevant for the profession, as are Saturn and the Moon. We didn’t see much from the planets of actions, as they are all in the 12th house in chart 3. Paulus also advised to check the place of Fortune but it is empty (ruled by Mercury). However, we find that only Mercury is in phasis, and Mercury rules the bound of the Moon. Additionally, Mercury receives the next aspect of the Moon, which Paulus also advised as significant. Mars rules the bound of the sect light (Sun). Therefore, out of Mercury, Venus, and Mars, we expect Mercury to be the most pertinent to occupation, tending more toward a thinking occupation. Mars is next most pertinent.
Cardinal Krol’s Natal Chart
Altogether we see strong relevance for leadership and administration. This is due to the importance of the Lights and Saturn in signifying for profession. Without really strong signification for a cardinal specifically, we still rule this chart to be the best match for the Cardinal.
Krol and the Twelfth-Parts
The twelfth-parts really provide the key to understanding the religious leadership orientation in Krol’s chart. Twelfth-part Jupiter is at 18 Leo, in Krol’s 10th house, in partile conjunction to his Moon (ruler of his 9th). The twelfth-part Ascendant, Venus, and Mars (Mars rules the Asc) are in the 9th of God. Twelfth-part Mercury is in an eligible place (the 8th) in its own domicile.
John Krol’s Natal Chart with Twelfth-Parts (outside wheel)
Conclusion
The method indeed lead to the correct matches, with some additional valuable information. So while this isn’t as much of a flashy technique as many of them used in that thread, it is systematic and objective. It is also has its origins in the earliest strains of traditional horoscopic astrology.
Featured image is in the public domain and is the Egyptian design of a scarab amulet with two different images of Thoth from some time between 646 BCE and 342 BCE (Late Period). It is from the collection of the Walter Art Museum and was retrieved from Wikimedia Commons.
Update 2018: This article was updated on 12/15/18 with some editing for clarity as well as a couple new links. The notes and charts concerning twelfth-parts were also added at that time.
One of the first topical series on the site pertained to the delineation of faith. I initially laid out some general guidelines based solely on basic principles, rather than special techniques. The basic ground rules were laid out in the first article of the series. I returned to those and reviewed them a bit in the fifth article of the series. However, in ancient astrology, strong delineation of a topic requires special techniques.
Special Techniques
Special techniques go beyond basic house ruler and natural significator indications, to examine a variety of key indicators. We might consider my initial approach of using Jupiter, the 9th, Saturn, Mercury, with a stress on the Ascendant for the self as being its own initial special technique. However, that approach was somewhat crude, so we should continually be looking at ways to refine and add to that set of tools.
The 9th House
I would like to briefly comment on the delineation of faith and its relationship to other topical delineations. It should be noted that faith, while having a large social component in many societies, can also be a rather personal matter. The house that most pertains to faith is the 9th, though the other major significations of the 9th involve travel and law. Obviously, faith is the more personal of these three topics. Therefore, faith calls for a deeper involvement with personality delineation and the 1st house (the self).
The Law
Additionally, we need to consider what exactly is meant by “law”. Today we think of law, religion, and science as very different fields. In the case of religion and science, they may even seem antagonistic. However, they are all concerned with types of law: civil law, spiritual law, and natural law alike. Religion is concerned with the laws and principles that pertain to spiritual harmony in much the same way as civil law is concerned with social harmony. Similarly, science is concerned with the laws and principles that pertain to the natural world. Therefore, the 9th is concerned with the deeper truths that lie behind appearances and enable some form of progress.
The Sun
Consider also that the 9th house is the Joy of the Sun and the place was called “God” by ancient astrologers. Firmicus Maternus also asserted that it was the Sun that produces religious customs among people (Book I, Ch. 2, #2 of the Mathesis). This solar sense of illumination and profundity is also apparent in terms of the Lot called Spirit. It is also known as the Lot of the Sun. Spirit is derived from projecting the arc from the non-sect light (darkness) to the sect light (light). It was considered by some to be relevant in delineation of faith. However, ancient astrology came into its own during an age when religion, power, and intellectualism were all considered quite solar. They were also more intimately linked than in many societies today.
The 3rd House and Faith
The 3rd house was also linked with faith. It is most prominently associated with shorter travels, siblings/kin, friends/neighbors, and counsel/messages. The 3rd house is the Joy of the Moon, and called “Goddess”. Some of the astrologers who linked the 3rd with faith were Vettius Valens (2nd century CE), Julius Firmicus Maternus (4th century CE), Rhetorius (7th century CE), Sahl (9th century CE), Abu Ma’shar (9th century CE), Abu ‘Ali al-Khayyat (9th century CE), Umar al-Tabari (9th century CE), Abu Bakr (9th century CE), and al-Qabisi (10th century CE). Umar al-Tabari, Abu Bakr, and Abu ‘Ali all explicitly directed the practitioner to look at both the 9th and the 3rd, and their rulers, when delineating faith (see Persian Nativities Volumes I and II trans. Ben Dykes).
The 9th House vs. the the 3rd House
Linking the 3rd with faith and religion was not as frequent in the Hellenistic period as in the following Persian period though. While nearly every Persian-Arabic astrologer linked the 3rd to faith and religion, only a handful of Hellenistic astrologers did. For instance, Paulus Alexandrinus (4th century CE) gave an exposition of the meanings of all the houses (Ch. 24 of Introductory Matters). However, he associated only the 9th, and not the 3rd, with philosophers, gods, mystics, divination, astrologers, dreams, and sacred rites. Paulus noted that the 3rd does partake in signifying travel and life abroad due to being opposite the 9th.
I find that the 3rd can pertain to faith and mysticism, particularly when it involves counseling others. However, if indications between the 9th and 3rd conflict, I would lean more heavily on the 9th. Please read on for clarification as to why this is so.
The Thema Mundi and a Mercurial 3rd
Note that in the Thema Mundi, Cancer is the 1st house. That would make Pisces the 9th house and Virgo the 3rd house. A 9th house belonging to Jupiter and exalting Venus is consistent with the laws for harmony and progress themes of the 9th. A 3rd house belonging to and exalting Mercury is consistent with attributions sometimes given to the 3rd concerning communication, news, media, and counseling (as well as siblings which are often connected with Mercury). I note this because I have a friend who is a radio personality who has both benefics in the 3rd. Additionally, some media empire types (Rupert Murdoch, Ted Turner) have strong 3rd house emphasis. This is significant as media, news, and communication technologies aren’t traditional 3rd house associations.
Deep Mysteries and Surface Mysteries
We must consider the possibility that the 9th is more concerned with the “deep structural mystery” of reality, where the 3rd is more concerned with “surface mystery” and appearances. I myself have noted that those with a strong 3rd house orientation may enjoy counseling, divination, and the appearance of mystery (such as magic with James Randi noted below). This does not necessarily entail a desire to take a long journey to discover deep universal truths. This is reflected in the significations of the 3rd as concerning shorter trips and the 9th with farther international ones. It is also reflected in the joys, where the 3rd is the Joy of the Moon, who herself is a superficial light (reflecting the Sun) and pertains to shorter journeys. The Sun, whose power reveals and uncovers, has its Joy in the 9th.
The Sun or Jupiter in the 3rd and Lack of Faith
Interestingly, not all astrologers agreed that the Sun in 3rd should signify faith. According to Abu Bakr,
“The Sun appearing in the 3rd house and in one of his own dignities, signifies [he will] totally lack faith” (On Nativities, Book II, Ch. 1.10, Dykes, 2010, p. 149)
Abu Bakr also makes statements indicating that he doesn’t believe Jupiter in the 3rd to be indicative of true faith, as opposed to just appearance. These assertions about the Sun and Jupiter in the 3rd are in direct contradiction to statements made by Maternus. This is a good time for me to repeat my admonition of “ancient astrologers didn’t all agree“. By contrast, Bakr did note religion and spirituality when those planets are in the 9th. This may be an example of a view in which the 3rd is more indicative of superficial appearance of faith. It is the house of counseling, communication, gossip, and tricks. The 9th, its opposite, is more indicative of the heart of belief. Similarly, Abu Bakr delineated Jupiter or the Moon in the 3rd as indicative of superficial appearance of faith, without much substance, even when they are in sect.
James Randi’s Prominent 3rd House
Pertaining to the topic of the Sun and the 3rd, note that James Randi has the Sun in the 3rd. He is one of the most prominent skeptics in the world, Randi has the Sun in Leo in the 3rd house with Mercury and Venus. Firmicus Maternus gave separate aphorisms noting that the Sun in 3rd, Mercury in 3rd, Venus in 3rd, Sun and Mercury in 3rd, and so on, all give indications of religious life. Additionally, Randi’s Mercury rules the Ascendant and is with the Sun, which should also make him religious by Maternus. Therefore, we must regard the strong association of the 3rd with religion given by Maternus with suspicion.
On the other hand, look at Randi’s faith more in terms of the 9th house. We see “law” (the 9th) characterized by intellect (air) and doubt (Saturn). Looking at Jupiter for enthusiasm for expansive realms and ideas (Jupiter) we find it weak (retreating and cadent) and embattled (12th with Mars). Additionally, we find doubt and struggle as very loud themes in the life (Saturn strongly advancing). Significantly, there is a self-identification with intellect and rationalism (air rising, ruled by Mercury).
Conclusions Regarding the 3rd
For all the reasons discussed, I advise that one leans more heavily on the 9th than the 3rd, and on the benefics rather than the Sun, for the “propensity to believe”. Jupiter itself, like the 9th, is a natural significator of religion, law, and philosophy. The influence and condition of Jupiter should not be ignored in delineating faith.
Mercury
In my series, I have used Mercury primarily as a natural significator of rationalism. However, to many astrologers, including Ptolemy, Masha’allah, and Abu ‘Ali, Mercury was also important for character. It pertains to the intentional or rational mind, and the nature of intention is important for character. Just as we examined the nature of the 1st and its ruler for faith, Abu ‘Ali examined the planets ruling and regarding Mercury as having a particularly strong effect on the native’s faith (see Judgement of Nativities, Ch. 29). Personally, I put more emphasis on the lord of the 1st than on Mercury in delineating character and inclination toward faith.
Lot of Faith
Abu ‘Ali and Umar al-Tabari both made use of the Lot of Faith or Law, and its lord, in the delineation of faith. Which lot is this? It could be Spirit or the same lot mentioned later by Bonatti as the Lot of Religion. This lot is the arc from the Moon to Mercury by day, or Mercury to the Moon by night, projected from the Ascendant. Umar included the Lot of Faith and its lord in a complicated (and corny, in my opinion) victor technique for a faith victor. He then he assessed the victor’s condition as the condition of the native’s faith. Interestingly, Umar advised to consider the triplicity lords of the lot. The condition of these would show changes to faith at different periods of the life (1st triplicity lord showing the first part of life, etc.). Abu ‘Ali looked at planets that are with the lot (i.e. in the same sign), as particularly influential upon faith.
Lot of Spirit
Our ideas of consciousness tend to be approximated in discussions of the significance of the Sun and its lot, called Spirit. The Sun is frequently described as the “light of the mind”. Spirit is the arc from the non-sect light to the sect light, projected from the Ascendant. In Hellenistic astrology it was used for many things, from professional achievement to mental health. Maternus, speaking of the house of Spirit in the natal chart said, “This house is called the substance of the mind.” (Mathesis, Book IV, Ch. 5, #2, Holden trans., 2011, p. 216) Abu Bakr considered Spirit to show appearance of faith while its ruler showed actual personal faith. In this way, one could appear faithful and be faithful (both strong and good), appear faithless but be faithful (lot weak but ruler strong), and so forth based on the strength and beneficence of the lot and its lord.
Fortune
The Lot of Fortune, which is the Lot of the Moon, is more seldom used in connection with faith. However, it is another point that can have relevance for character. Therefore, its occurrence in the 9th was noted by some astrologers as indicating religious inclinations.
Added Indicators
With all that said, while re-exploring charts there are 5 additional indicators I’d like to evaluate:
Spirit shows appearance of upright religious conduct while its ruler shows the actual personal sanctity in private – a sort of word vs. deed distinction. (Abu Bakr, Book II, Ch. 1.10)
Mercury’s rulership and influential regards by planets is indicative of the nature of faith. (Abu ‘Ali, Ch. 29)
The Lot of Faith and its lord participate in the delineation of faith on similar footing with the 9th and its lord, in that benefics in the places or with the lords and the lords in good condition (particular stress on the nature of the planet with or ruling the lot) are indicative of faith and wisdom, while the opposite shows the opposite. (Abu ‘Ali, Ch. 29)
The quadruplicity of the 9th sign indicates the fixity of the beliefs. Mutable signs show instability or flexibility in faith, fixed signs show steadiness, and cardinal signs show doubt and frequent change of faith. The quadruplicity of the ruler adds to this to a lesser degree. (Abu ‘Ali, Ch. 29)
Lord of the 9th oriental (i.e. preceding) the Sun shows more open profession of belief. The lord of the 9th occidental (i.e. following) the Sun shows concealing of belief. (Abu ‘Ali, Ch. 29)
Additionally, we should look at twelfth-part positions and antiscia as I’ve noted in other articles on the site. These are zodiacal relationships which are essential for understanding the full extent of a planet’s associations in the chart.
Example: James Randi
I first examined Randi’s chart in this context in the initial article of this series. There I noted the identification with Mercury which both rules and regards the Ascendant. We also saw the blaring general strength of Saturn in the chart which is conjunct the Descendant (i.e. was setting at birth) and has the most authority over the 9th (Saturn is domicile lord of the 9th, second triplicity lord, and regards the 9th from the right side). Additionally, there is the afflicted state of Jupiter retreating in the 12th with Mars.
James Randi’s Natal Chart
Twelfth-Parts
Let’s look at the twelfth-parts, a topic I’ve explored in the last few posts (see here and here and here).
3rd House Emphasis
We find the twelfth-part of the Ascendant in the 5th, Libra, the kingdom (i.e. exaltation) of Saturn, in Saturn’s bound. Randi came to prominence as an entertainer, a stage magician. The 5th house pertains to performance and stage, while its ruler Venus and her house Leo reinforce these notions of performance. We can gather some of this from the 3rd, of communications, being occupied by the very prominent Sun, Venus, and Mercury in Leo. This indicates the important role of communication in the life because the signs of the Lights, Leo and Cancer, are strengthening to planets in them (the Lights are naturally prominent). The Ascendant ruler, the Sun, and Venus all occupy the 3rd which is Leo, so it is a very prominent house.
Jupiter and Saturn
The twelfth-part of Jupiter also falls onto Venus further signalling fortune through entertainment. Note that the twelfth-part of Jupiter in the 3rd does not bring faith here. Like Venus in the 3rd, it associates 3rd house themes with benefit. The twelfth-parts of the Sun and Moon fall in the 8th, Capricorn, one of the domiciles of Saturn, further stressing the influence of Saturn upon the life. The twelfth-part of Saturn is in the 12th, the place occupied by Jupiter, further afflicting Jupiter. This reinforces the curbed enthusiasm for stepping beyond the known. In fact, Randi, with his extremely strong Saturn, very afflicted Jupiter, and strong identification with Mercury, is a bit of an extreme case when it comes to resistance to out of bounds experiences.
Randi on the Irrational
Why people are so drawn to the irrational is something that has always puzzled me. I want to be, if I can, as sure of the world, the real world, around me, as is possible. Now you can only attain that to a certain degree, but I want the greatest degree of control. I don’t … I’ve never involved myself in narcotics of any kind. I don’t smoke. I don’t drink. Because that can easily just fuzz the edges of my rationality, fuzz the edges of my reasoning powers, and I want to be as aware as I possibly can. That means giving up a lot of fantasies that may be comforting in some ways but I’m willing to give that up to live in an actually real world – as close as I can get to it. – James Randi (source)
As mentioned previously, Randi’s chart gives us a clear indication that heavy doses of solar energy in the 3rd are not sufficient to make one religious. Even the twelfth-part of Jupiter does not do so. The Sun in the 3rd may even be an indication of a total lack of faith as suggested by Abu Bakr.
Spirit
The Lot of Spirit in Randi’s chart is in the 9th, ruled by Saturn, the out of sect malefic, in the bound of Mars. It is squared by Mars and Jupiter from the 12th, and opposed by the Sun, Mercury, and Venus from the 3rd. Abu Bakr suggested either that the lord of Spirit in the 9th, or the lord of Spirit being the lord of the 9th (Saturn in this case), is indicative of good faith if the lord is received. It is not received though (Saturn does not aspect Jupiter). It is too premature to evaluate. However, the ruler is Saturn, the out of sect malefic, and is not received so this type of use of the Lot of Spirit could be worthwhile.
James Randi’s Natal Chart with Lots of Faith and Spirit
Outward Faith
Let’s consider the possibility that Spirit shows outward profession of faith. In such case, we would expect a combination of very strongly restrictive doubt and skepticism (Saturn ruling and out of sect). We would also expect a spirited pursuit of truth and intellectualism (the 9th and air). Additionally, there is aggressiveness associated with secret plans of undoing (Mars ruling the bound of Spirit in the 12th of hidden enemies). This is certainly the case. Randi has been launching secret offensives against faith since his early twenties. He has taken on jobs as fake astrologer, psychic, and so forth to spoof and attack supernatural beliefs. He did this while getting his career as a magician together and before coming into public prominence.
Certainly, Spirit is not in such great condition that we would suppose outward profession of sanctity. We were already getting much of the Saturnine sense from the 9th. Spirit may still be of value particularly as it occupies a specific bound, showing the 12th house Mars influence. Additionally, Spirit shows Randi’s own preoccupation with the 9th house themes of law and faith. Randi is more known as a tester of mystics (Saturn 9th themes) than even for his being a magician.
Mercury
It was Abu ‘Ali that advised we look at Mercury. We are to pay particular attention to the planet or planets Mercury is most strongly connected to. For this we look to planets with Mercury, ruling Mercury, or that Mercury applies to in aspect. Mercury is with the Sun, in the Sun’s domicile, and in phasis (i.e. making an appearance). Therefore, we expect a strong solar influence. Mercury is also in Jupiter’s bound and applying a square to Jupiter with Jupiter in the superior position, so we expect a strong Jupiterian influence. Both Jupiterian and Solar influences on Mercury are indicative of religious and faithful people to Abu ‘Ali. I’m not overly impressed with this technique, as the more general technique yielded a much more accurate analysis.
Lot of Faith
First, it should be noted that the Lot of Faith is right at the beginning of a sign and a birth time error of only about 2 minutes could put the lot in the preceding sign. This could make a huge difference. Per the current time the lot is in the 10th in the sign of Jupiter and bound of Venus. If birth was about 2 minutes earlier, it would be in the 9th in the sign of Saturn and bound of Saturn. This is a very big difference! Assuming that the lot is at 0 Pisces, it is ruled by Jupiter, however Jupiter is out of sect, in a bad place (the 12th), and with a malefic, so it is not very indicative of faith.
Abu ‘Ali seemed to highlight planets with or aspecting the lot. Saturn dominates (i..e superior square) the lot, and Mars is in a scrutinizing (i.e. within 3 degrees) square to the lot, so we might consider this lot extremely afflicted by malefics, showing a destruction of faith.
Quadruplicity of the 9th
The 9th sign is Aquarius, a fixed sign, so we might expect that Randi is not the type to question his own beliefs or radically change them much. This seems consistent with the fact that Randi has been involved in spoofing astrology, psychism, and all things supernatural since his early twenties. The ruler of the 9th is in Sagittarius, a mutable sign, which might show instability in belief and possibly a tendency toward syncretism (input from many sources combined into a new whole). I don’t see the mutability of the ruler as much in his life in regards to belief. However, the mutability could pertain to scientific approaches to establishing truth which are inherently unstable (changing as new evidence is presented).
Orientality of the 9th Lord
Saturn is occidental the Sun in Randi’s chart. This represents concealing of belief, keeping beliefs private. This certainly doesn’t seem to be the case, as Randi is a very prominent and vocal proponent of his skepticism. Perhaps this is overridden by the fact that Saturn is so strongly advancing right on the horizon in the chart. I associate general strength factors like advancing with the volume of a planet in the chart and would consider this a blaring loud Saturn. In any case the oriental/occidental distinction seems insufficient on its own to establish how ready one is to profess one’s beliefs.
Conclusion
I’ve thrown quite a lot of material at the reader in this post. While our general method of reading faith in the astrological chart has proved very valuable, there is room to go deeper. As we go deeper we take on more factors. Unfortunately, with more factors self-deception becomes easier. We must remain critical and thoroughly evaluate these additional factors, which are more complicated than they seemed.
All of this and primarily just to distinguish the very faithful from the very doubtful, and the very genuine from the very superficial? Apparently not. With all these factors there is room enough for a very nuanced view of one’s beliefs. Faith is one small topic among many. Obviously, as astrologers, we have our work cut out for us. To those who need all the answers now, so that they can go out and compete with psychics, this may be disparaging. However, I think the techniques are extremely promising, By remaining humble and working to hone our special techniques, the 21st century may be the century in which the art of astrology reaches a depth of accuracy never before attained.
References
al-Tabari, U., & al-Hasib, A. B. (2010). Persian Nativities II: ’Umar al-Tabari and Abu Bakr. (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.
Featured image is an illustration from Doubt and Other Things: Verse and Illustrations by Elihu Vedder (1922) in the public domain.
In the previous articles, I discussed the use of the twelfth-parts. These are also known as the dodecatemoria or the duads/dwads. For a review of the twelfth-parts and their use, please see the first and second article Here and in future posts of the series, I’ll be revisiting analyses from other articles on the site to look at the twelfth-part positions.
A Return to Sign Dignity
In my articles on dignity, I’ve pointed out the folly of using sign-based dignity to evaluate the beneficence or maleficence (i.e. benefit or harm) of a planetary signification. Overall, dignity has been a chart factor that has been far over-emphasized by traditional astrologers. It is to traditional astrologers what “Mercury retrograde” is to modern astrologers – a convenient but inaccurate crutch.
Dignity as a Separate Concept is a Distraction
It is my opinion, dignity as a separate concept is unnecessary. Dignity as a separate concept is a redundancy in most cases when it appears to work . Generally, a planet in its own domicile is made more prominent because its ruler is itself – a type of feedback loop. In that sense, a planet with dignity has a type of strength or prominence.
There are also more specific instances of a benefic or malefic interpretation in which dignity is not really at the heart of the issue. For instance, the Moon in Scorpio is linked with difficulty (especially in a day chart) by the Moon being ruled by a malefic. It is similar with Venus in Scorpio or Aries.
More commonly, the astrologer is overlooking more important factors such as place, sect, and the influence of malefics or benefics when they defer to dignity. Mercury in Pisces is a Mercury linked with benefit (Jupiter). However, if someone with that configuration had a speech impediment, the astrologer would be quick to blame Mercury in fall. Perhaps, they missed that Mercury is in the 6th house and dominated by Saturn.
The Curious Case of Jeffrey Dahmer and Ted Turner
The first of the articles on dignity compared the charts of Jeffrey Dahmer and Ted Turner. Dahmer had a whopping 4 planets in domicile, with only 2 peregrine and only 1 in fall – a chart with an unusually high amount of dignity. Ted Turner has no planets in domicile or exaltation, 1 planet in fall, 3 planets in “detriment” (for those who use detriment – I don’t), 2 planets peregrine, and only 1 planet with positive dignity – an unusually ill-dignified chart.
I found Dahmer and Turner to be the perfect minimal pair for explaining the trouble with dignity, not just in terms of beneficence and maleficence, but also for strength. I do use some sign-based significations like domicile, exaltation, fall, triplicity, and bound, for prominence myself. However, I give them less stress than typically given to them. I place more stress on advancing/retreating, being in a stake, stations, phasis, and relationship to the lights (including being in a domicile of a light). I explore strength indications at length in the lessons.
Dignity is Not Beneficence and Not Stature
Obviously, Dahmer’s life was not filled with more joy, goodness, and positive productivity than that of Turner, as might be expected if dignity pertained to beneficence and maleficence. Similarly, while Manetho, Maternus, and other Hellenistic astrologers suggested that one’s stature and power depend to a great deal on the number of planets in domicile in one’s chart, it is clear that this also cannot be the case. We would expect the lack of dignity in Turner’s chart to suggest he is very much held back. Similarly, we would suggest that Dahmer has immense social mobility. Therefore, while I believe that being in domicile, exaltation, triplicity, or bound is reinforcing of a planet, it is obvious folly to rely on dignity for beneficence and for evaluating social stature.
Enter Twelfth-Parts
With the above said, it is interesting that the twelfth-parts tend to reveal much more strength and beneficence in Turner’s chart. The twelfth-parts also reveal additional weakness and maleficence in Dahmer’s chart.
Dahmer’s Twelfth-Parts
Dahmer’s Natal Chart with Twelfth-Parts along Outside of Wheel
In Dahmer’s chart, there are 4 planets in domicile and 1 in fall but 3 twelfth-part planets are in fall (and 1 in “detriment”), with none in domicile or exaltation.
Twelfth-Part Mars in X Ruled by the Moon and Square to Mars
More importantly, the twelfth-part of Mars, occupies the powerful 10th place (Dahmer’s “achievements”), square to its natal position. The square to its natal position increases its malice (see quote in previous article on twelfth-parts that square or oppose their natal positions).
Mars-Moon combinations, such as the one in the natal chart, have significations that relate to bodily violence. The twelfth-part of Mars is in the sign of the Moon and square to the natal Moon-Mars. The twelfth-part of the Moon in Scorpio, a domicile of Mars, in the bound of Saturn (significator of death), and in the 2nd place (one of the dark places). Therefore, the Moon-Mars bodily violence signification is reinforced in many ways.
An Even Darker Character
The Moon is relevant for character, especially in terms of irrational impulses and instincts. Ptolemy identified it with the irrational part of the soul (see Tetrabiblos, Book III, Ch. 13). The Ascendant and Mercury are also relevant for character delineation and are in the bounds of Jupiter in the natal chart. The Moon, Mercury, and the Ascendant have their twelfth-parts are in bounds of Saturn. The twelfth-part of Mercury is additionally with the twelfth-part of Saturn in the 11th, pertaining to friends and groups.
The ruler of the Ascendant, the twelfth-part of the Ascendant, and the ruler of the twelfth-part of the Ascendant are also relevant to the character. We find the ruler of the Ascendant, Venus, to be in the 8th pertaining to death, fear, and harm, in the bound of Saturn. The twelfth-part of the Ascendant is in that same place and bound. Additionally, that twelfth-part is also ruled by Venus. Therefore, three important character significators are piled into the bound of Saturn, the planet of death, in the 8th place, the place of death, ruled by Venus, planet of sexuality.
Turner’s Twelfth-Parts
Ted Turner’s Natal Chart with Twelfth-Parts on Outside of Wheel
The 3 planets in “detriment” in Turner’s natal chart are in their own domiciles in the twelfth-parts. Saturn in fall sees its twelfth-part in “detriment”. However, detriment was not a distinct concept in Hellenistic astrology. Therefore, Saturn’s twelfth-part is actually in triplicity and the sign of the sect light. Being in triplicity and in a sign of a light, especially the sect light, is strengthening.
Lighting Up the 10th House
The Sun has its twelfth-part in the 10th with the Moon, in a sign of Mercury and bound of Jupiter. Both twelfth-part lights in the 10th provide an additional indication of power and influence.
Benefics Gracing the Lights
Additionally, the twelfth-part of the sect benefic, Jupiter, falls into the 12th, the place of the Sun, Fortune, and Venus. This links benefits to their significations. The other benefic, Venus, lands in the 11th, her domicile, the place of the Moon. Thus both benefic twelfth-parts occupy the places of the lights linking them with fortunate circumstances.
Conclusion
Twelfth-parts give very important additional information about planets and points in the natal chart. Dignity is often a redundant consideration, but it can play a role in terms of planetary prominence and reinforcement. If you are going to consider dignity as a strength consideration, then be sure to also examine the twelfth-parts.
The ancients stressed how the twelfth-parts are responsible for major modulations in planetary signification within a sign. In this sense, dignity relating to twelfth-part positions may be even more important than that related to natal positions. More work research is needed in this area. In any case, the twelfth-parts positions reinforce or contradict significations in the natal chart. It is these reinforcements and contradictions that help us to correctly interpret the chart.
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)
