Maya Angelou’s Venus in Pisces and Much More

Posted on December 12, 2019 by Ant

Introduction

Maya Angelou lived a very complex and noteworthy life. She experienced life’s lowest lows and highest highs, keeping her humanity in tact along the way. Because he life has such low lows and high highs, and a well-timed birth chart is available for her, her chart is instructive one for understanding the complexity of significations.

Maya Angelou was born on 04/04/1928 at 2:10 pm (standard time) in St. Louis, Missouri. Her birth time is said to be from a birth record (AA rodden rating).

Note About Objectives

I read Angelou’s debut novel, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” when in my late teens. Additionally, I had the pleasure of seeing a lecture by her about 15-20 years ago. I recall that she emphasized the importance of letting those around us know we love them. She also discussed how all women can tap into the feeling of sexiness no matter their appearance. As the experience was long ago, much of the biographical information about Angelou’s life which I discuss, has been gleaned from online sources.

In this article I’ll explore the complex way that her chart reflects important points in her life. There are lessons on the site which explore the symbolism and this symbolic approach to astrology. My objective is to show how timing techniques enable us to better evaluate competing interpretations of factor meanings.

In Angelou’s chart this is particularly instructive. Her highs and lows were documented in an earnest fashion across seven autobiographies. She also has an exalted Venus and a Mercury in fall. These are particularly pivotal planets in her chart, as she is someone known particularly for her writing (Mercury), as well as art, entertainment, and sexuality (Venus).

Ages of Man

I recently completed an article that broadly surveys her life using the Ages of Man technique. In that article, it was clear that she was quite vulnerable and downtrodden during her Mercury and Venus periods of her youth. The solar period found Angelou much more empowered, as a globe-trotting entertainer and activist. The Mars period saw a full transition to very active writer and poet. We will consider again the Venus period in this article.

Future Articles?

Here I will particularly focus on some strong activations of Venus in Angelou’s life. The major activations of Venus in Angelou’s youth coincided with some of the most difficult events of her life. Perhaps at some point n the future, I’d like to look at many of the other planets in her chart in greater depth, especially Mercury.

Angelou is known for her wisdom (Jupiter), personal triumphant story (Sun ruling 1st house), and fight for civil rights (Mars) as much as for her art (Venus) and writing (Mercury). All of these things are, however, strongly related to each other in her chart (Jupiter rules Mercury-Venus and is conjunct the Sun; Mars rules Sun-Jupiter). I hope to show the distinctiveness of some of these complex indications.

Venus Exalted and Afflicted

The significations of Venus have been prominent in many of the most important difficult events of her life, but also some of the good ones. Angelou was raped at the age of 7 1/2 by a boyfriend of her mother. Also, later as a young adult she worked as a sex worker and a pimp at different points. Venus is the planet of sexuality.

Maya Angelou is also known as an artist and entertainer. Venus rules her 10th house of actions, recognition, and profession. Venus is symbolic of artists and entertainers.

In this article, I want to start by zeroing in on Angelou’s Venus. It is all too easy to associate the successes in Angelou’s life with Venus’s exaltation. How do we untangle the complicated mix of a planet’s significations, anyway? Timing techniques enable us to separate out and distinguish many of the different, often even contradictory, indications of a planet by what is activated at different points in time. Here we will focus on the significations of Angelou’s Venus for her early life experiences.

Dignity Interpretation

Angelou has Venus in Pisces, the sign of its exaltation. I’ve noted in many articles on dignity and in some on sexuality, that reinforcement by dignity tends to make the planet’s natural significations a bit more prominent (raised up in prominence) in the life.

This is different from the way that dignity is typically interpreted, where it signifies social or political value (high status) or associates the signification with gain or pleasure (benefic). Rather, my interpretation is that exaltation is making the significations of Venus, both natural (sex, art) and accidental (8th house, rulership of X and III, aspects, etc.) a bit more prominent in the life.

Maya Angelou’s Natal Chart with Twelfth-Part Positions Outside the Wheel

Benefic?

Since my work on dignity many years ago, I’ve noticed that it has generally become less emphasized in traditional astrology. I’ve also noticed that when it is emphasized, it is at least re-interpreted. While these are positive developments, some of the reinterpretations have also been concerning.

One of the more popular recent reinterpretations of dignity is that positive dignity shows something coming easy or naturally, while negative dignity shows something that one struggles with. I would caution against this interpretation. It is actually a re-working of the interpretation of dignity as benefic. Many of the arguments I’ve made in the past against the benefic/malefic interpretation of dignity apply also to this interpretation.

Struggle?

The interpretation also tends to diminish the accomplishments of those with planets in dignity. If, for instance, a writer has Mercury in fall and becomes a great writer, then it is seen to be due to their own perseverance against adversity. However, the same writer with Mercury in dignity supposedly just had it come easy. When one is successful, it is then attributed to dignity (easy talent) or negative dignity (improvement through struggle) when “success” itself is reflected by other factors in the chart, such as those pertaining to eminence. Therefore, too much is attributed to dignity or negative dignity in disservice to actually reading the chart.

Up and Down

When it comes to exaltation and fall, there are some special considerations. Fall was the only sort of “negative dignity” for most Hellenistic astrologers. Exaltation has a sense of raising up and fall of bringing down or depressing. These need not be benefic or malefic in signification. Rather it is again keeping with the interpretation of dignity that I advocate, pertaining to prominence; a type of raising up and putting it out there vs. a type of bringing it down and hiding it away. The planet in exaltation has its matters made more prominent in some way in the life, while the planet in fall may signify a type of being brought low, suppressed, or hidden.

As planets are in signs for extended periods, these are weak significations in themselves. However, when there are multiple similar indications then they can become more significant.

Exaltation as a Form of Prominence

Exaltation does not make significations better, easier, more beneficial, or more socially or politically normative. For example, both Jeffrey Epstein (Venus at 16 Pisces in partile conjunction with Mars) and Harvey Weinstein (Venus at 4 Pisces conjunct the twelfth-part of Saturn) were born with Venus in exaltation. Sexual circumstances in their lives, like those in the life of Angelou, became quite prominent. As Venus was also strongly connected with malefics, these circumstances tended to pertain to adverse circumstances (not “dignified” ones).

This is not to say that Angelou’s Venus has no benefic significations. All planets in any chart have both positive and negative indications. It is just that the positive or benefic associations of Venus do not necessarily pertain to “exaltation”. Rather, they include being a benefic herself and being ruled by Jupiter (and having a twelfth-part in Jupiter’s bound) among other things. Distinguishing the positive and negative associations of a planet in the chart is very important as different types of meaning will be activated at different times.

In any case, exaltation applies to a planet over a prolonged period of time (in theory one-twelfth the population could have Venus exalted). Therefore, it should be considered an overall relatively weak indication of prominence. Always look for repeat indications of any particular meaning in the natal chart and through predictive techniques.

Turning to Venus in Angelou’s Early Life

Venus and the 7th House in Angelou’s Chart

When it comes to the rape at age 7 1/2 and other such adverse sexual events we are most interested in Venus and the 7th house. This is because Venus is the natural significator of sexuality and the 7th house is the house of sexuality. Some also associate the 5th house with sexuality (it is the Joy of Venus), making the 5th possibly also relevant.

The adverse symbolic associations with Venus in the chart include her being out of sect, in the 8th house (a dark house), in the bound of Mars, domination by Saturn which closely aspects by superior square, and her twelfth-part in Scorpio which is the Place of Affliction in her chart and ruled by Mars.

Maya Angelou Natal with Twelfth-Part Positions Outside the Wheel

Maya Angelou’s Natal Chart with Select Lots

The 7th house also has its share of adverse indications. Mars, the out of sect malefic, is present in the 7th house and is in the bound and home of Saturn. It (Mars) rules and squares the twelfth-part of Venus from the 7th house. The twelfth-part of Mars is in the dark 6th house, pertaining to health and accidents, opposite the twelfth-part of Saturn. Mars also connects its significations of violent adversity to the Moon (her twelfth-part is in the 7th). The partile conjunct between Mars and the Lot of Spirit is also noteworthy.

In conclusion, Venus has a lot of adverse meanings in the natal chart pertaining particularly to her location and aspect with Saturn, but also associations with Mars in the Place of Affliction. The adverse associations with the 7th house itself are primarily through Mars, but also its ruler Saturn.

Age 7-8 : Rape, Death, and the Start of Silence

One of the most well-known and pivotal events in Angelou’s life was her rape recounted in her first book, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. In multiple interviews, Angelou has stated that she was 7 1/2 to almost 8 when the rape occurred. The event and its aftermath altered her life forever.

Angelou was raped at nearly 8 years old by her mother’s boyfriend. Shortly after telling her family, the man was beaten to death. The rape was extremely traumatic for Angelou but the death of the rapist was as well. She believed he was killed due to her reporting the rape to her family. This tormented her as she came to view her own voice as responsible. She in turn went nearly mute for about the next 5-6 years. She spoke sparingly, only with her brother, during those years.

The events bring forth much of the symbolism of the Venus-Mercury conjunction (sexuality; voice) in the 8th house (death) in a mute sign (Pisces) sharply squared by Saturn (death, muting), ruler of the 7th house.

Planetary Years: Venus

The 8th year (age 7) and age 8 are interesting as 8 is the planetary years of Venus. Therefore, the 8th year represents an activation of Venus by planetary years. This points to the significations of Venus as particularly important when it came to events of the time. This indication fits well with the events of the year.

Profection: Pisces 8th House

The annual profection at age 7 is to the 8th house (age 0 is the 1st house). Therefore, the rape occurred at a time when the annual profection was to Pisces, her 8th house, occupied by Mercury and Venus, ruled by Jupiter. Therefore, the year of the rape was not only reflected by the activation of Venus by planetary years, but also symbolized by the activation of the 8th house Venus in Pisces by profection.

The annual profection puts a clear focus on the themes of death, harm, and idleness (8th house, superior square of Saturn, Mercury-Venus in bound of Mars), as well as their relation to sexuality (Venus) and communication (Mercury). Additionally, as we’ll see, after and out of the harm of the 8th house comes an escape to a vast world of wisdom and sense of identity (Jupiter as ruler, in 9th conjunct Sun, ruler of 1st).

Maya Angelou Natal with Twelfth-Part Positions Outside the Wheel

It is also notable that the profection coincided with Maya briefly living with her mother. The rape occurred due to this brief stint of living with her mother and was at the hands of her mother’s boyfriend at the time. The 8th house, Pisces, is the Lot of the Mother.

Maya Angelou’s Natal Chart with Select Lots

Solar Return: Age 7

The meanings that are reinforced become clearer in the solar return for age 7.

Angelou Age 7 Solar Return as Transits Around the Natal Chart

Saturn in Pisces

Transiting Saturn had entered Pisces, the sign of the year. This was an activation of the dominating square from Saturn to the 8th house, and particularly to the Mercury-Venus conjunction.

Mars in Partile Opposition to Jupiter, Lord of the Year

The lord of the year, Jupiter was in Scorpio, the natal Place of Affliction, conjunct the natal twelfth-part of Venus, and opposed by return Venus, putting a focus again on Venusian events. When it comes to Jupiter natally, the capacity for upset to Jupiter is through Mars, as Mars is the out of sect malefic and rules Jupiter’s house (Aries). The return Jupiter is similarly “subject to” Mars, being located in Scorpio.

Natally, Jupiter, the lord of the year, is in very bad shape. Mars, the out of sect malefic, is in the return at 16 Libra retrograde, applying a partile opposition to natal Jupiter at 16 Aries. The position of Mars in Libra is significant for other reasons as well. Libra is a house of Venus and is the location of the Moon, indicative of the body. The rMars conjunct natal Moon also reflects the natal twelfth-part Moon with Mars in the 7th house (bodily harm in the house of sexuality).

Additionally, those with a good sense for twelfth-parts will realize that the position of Mars at 16LIB27 actually has its twelfth-part at 17 Aries, conjunct natal Jupiter.

In conclusion, we see an emphasis on the conflictive and malefic side of the Mars-Jupiter relationship. This is very significant as Jupiter is the lord of the year. Jupiter is also the ruler of the Mercury-Venus conjunction, so both the conjunction and its ruler are afflicted in the return.

Angelou Age 7 Solar Return as Transits Around the Natal Chart

Venus in Focus

I’ve noted a few ways in which Venus was in focus for the year, from the activation by planetary years, to the activation of the 8th house by profection. The solar return greatly intensifies this focus on Venus. It also reinforces what I’ve said about being wary of interpreting dignity as ease or beneficence.

The solar return had the Moon rising and conjoining Venus in Taurus, with the actual bound of Venus on the Ascendant. Additionally, the degree of return Venus is 17 Taurus, the same degree as Angelou’s MC. This is a “status” changing year, but not for the better. Saturn’s twelfth-part in the return also falls in Taurus by the Ascendant (5PIS47 -> 9TAU), again reinforcing the Saturn-Venus natal configuration.

Maya Angelou Age 7 Solar Return

Mercury-Saturn

Of course, looking beyond the Saturn-Venus indications, we find that the Saturn-Mercury indications are also in focus for the year. Mercury is in return in the 8th house, while Saturn is also there. Due to the tight applying Mercury-Venus conjunction in the natal chart, the significations of both planets are often strongly related to each other. Return Saturn and return Mercury together in Pisces further emphasize the themes of suppression and muteness associated with natal Mercury in Pisces square Saturn.

Angelou Age 7 Solar Return as Transits Around the Natal Chart

Primary Directions: Saturn to the Moon

The primary directions for the period are revealing as Saturn (by sextile) directed to the natal Moon. This connects Saturn’s significations of affliction to the personal life and sexuality. The Moon is located in the house of Venus and has her twelfth-part in the 7th house with Mars in Aquarius, ruled by Saturn. Saturn’s difficulties pertain particularly to sex, communication and death due to Saturn’s square to the 8th house Venus-Mercury).

Angelou Age 7-8 Primary Directions

Aftermath of Experience

I’d like to take a moment to note the transformative effect that the year had on Angelou. The events were traumatic on multiple levels and would drive her to become a near mute. However, over the subsequent years, Angelou would immerse herself in reading and writing. She would also meet a teacher, Mrs. Flowers, who would become a pivotal role model, eventually coaxing her to start talking again at age 13.

Much of the aftermath is reflected by the natal Sun-Jupiter conjunction in the 9th house and the Moon in the third (female school teacher). The beneficial aftermath consisting of near constant reading and writing would transition to more difficult periods in her late teens and early twenties. Note that the period from age 4 to age 14 is the period of Mercury, planet of communication and study, in the Ages of Man (see below).

Age 14-22: Teen Pregnancy and Struggles

Ages 14-22 are interesting when looking at Venus. Ptolemy viewed the ages of 14-22 as particularly tied into the symbolism of Venus. A scheme that he noted called the Ages of Man creates a set of correspondences between the planets and stages in every person’s life. In this scheme, Venus is representative of the late adolescence, a time puberty puts sexuality and relating into focus and one physically transitions into an adult.

This is a time lord technique used by Ptolemy for sketching the broad outlines of the life. You can find Ptolemy’s full explanation of the Ages of Man in Book IV of Ch. 10 of his Tetrabiblos (follow the link).

For Maya Angelou, these years were some of the darkest in her life, as detailed in her second autobiography, Gather Together in My Name. The period is marked by teen pregnancy, dropping in and out of school, despair, suicidal thoughts, and resorting to crime, even prostitution to survive.

Age 14: Moves in With Mother

At age 14, kicking off the Venus years, Angelou moved from her grandmother, who had raised her since age 3, to her mother in San Francisco. This would have been an annual profection to the 3rd house, Libra, ruled by Venus, and occupied by the Moon. The symbolism of the chart fits, as the Moon, in her Joy in the 3rd, is very symbolic of Angelou’s mother. This would have been the first profection to the house occupied by the Moon since Maya moved in with her grandmother 11 years prior.

Maya Angelou Natal with Twelfth-Part Positions Outside the Wheel

Age 15 or 16: First Black Streetcar Conductor

Around age 15 or 16, Angelou became the first black streetcar conductor in San Francisco. This was a job she was very proud of. It is sometimes reported as happening in 1943 (she turned 15 in 1943) and at other times in 1944 (she turned 16 that year), and typically reported as when she was 16. As she got pregnant when she was 16, I’m guessing that this event took place when she was 15, during the profection to Scorpio, occupied by the twelfth-parts of Mercury and Venus, significant for a job (Venus ruled 10th) pertaining to street cars (Mercury).

Age 16: Teen Pregnancy

Angelou’s Venusian troubles didn’t end at age 8. She got pregnant at age 16 (another activation of Venus by planetary years; 2 x 8) by a neighborhood boy, and gave birth to her first and only child at age 17. Note that age 16 was an activation of the Sagittarius 5th house of children by profection (occupied by Saturn), and age 17 of Capricorn (Saturn as lord of the year).

The solar return for age 16 sees Saturn at 21 Gemini, opposite natal Saturn within 3 degrees. It also sees Venus at 22 Pisces, in exact return within 2 degrees. The lord of the year, Jupiter, a planet that confers children, is transiting through the 1st house of the body and closely trine its natal position. Clyde, who later went by Guy, was to be her only child.

Maya Angelou’s Solar Return at Age 16 as Transits Around Natal Chart

Venus as Distributor: Ages 16-28

The teen pregnancy was not just an activation of Venus by planetary years. It also occurred just after the distributor changed to Venus for the first time. The distributor of the Ascendant had been Mercury since about age 7 1/2, around the time of the rape and the silence. At about age 16, it switched to Venus.

Maya Angelou’s Distributors of the Ascendant Over the Entire Life

The period which began with the pregnancy, also included the desperate years of her late teens and early twenties, as well as her first marriage, and the start of her entertainment career. We see darker elements of the Venusian signification during the Venus developmental years (by Ages of Man), while themes switch to marriage, publicity, and travel in relation to entertainment during the solar ones.

Ages 17-21: Struggles and Criminality

In the late 1940’s, as a young adult (about age 17-21) she worked odd jobs to support her child. This included exotic dancing in night clubs and even serving as a madam and sometime prostitute at a brothel.

Using the Ages of Man technique, we find that the Venus developmental years are largely marked by obscure struggle to survive; a desperation to make a living and support her son. She came face-to-face with poverty, racism, and having to resort to crime to survive, even resorting to prostitution. Almost as soon as the period ended, circumstances changed for the better.

This is the contrast between the heavily afflicted Venus and the very strong and prominent Sun which is conjunct Jupiter. Angelou married a Greek sailor who was an aspiring musician, at age 23, just after the Sun period started. Her and her husband immersed themselves in the study and performance of dance and music. She also changed her name from Marguerite Johnson to Maya Angelou. This change involved her childhood nickname of Maya, together with a modified version of her Greek husband’s last name Angelos.

Age 26: The Venus-Pisces Activation

While the activation of the exalted Venus at age 8 by planetary years was tragic, we may suppose that this was an isolated incident. Perhaps activation of Venus together with the sign that she is exalted in (Pisces) would produce a much different scenario.

One traditional Hellenistic means of looking at an activation of the planet together with the sign is to look at the planetary years of Venus plus the rising time of the sign. The rising time for Pisces in her chart is 18.57 years, which together with the 8 planetary years of Venus is 26.57 years. What happened at about age 26 in Angelou’s life?

Rising Times of the Signs at Angelou’s Birth

Marriage Dissolution

In 1954, at age 25 or 26, Angelou got divorced from her first husband and briefly went back to exotic dancing (1954-1955). This was a difficulty and a setback, keeping with the symbolism of Venus in her chart. It was also a liberation that would make way for her career as a traveling entertainer.

There are some important significations related to the combination of the solar significations of the development period (by Ages of Man) and the Venusian significations of the Venus in Pisces activation. Actually, age 26, the 27th year, is also an activation of the Sun-Venus relationship by planetary years (19+8). One point of contention in the marriage (Venus) was religion (Sun-Jupiter in IX), as her husband was an atheist. Additionally, just after the marriage dissolved, Angelou didn’t just feel freer to worship (Sun-Jupiter in IX) but also to travel as an entertainer (Venus ruled by Jupiter in IX).

Career Takes Off

Starting at age 26, Angelou joined a production of Porgy and Bess which toured Europe. This was one of the highlights of her early entertainment career. While she didn’t complete the entire tour due to a need to return to her son, she visited 22 countries over about a year’s time. It was a significant time for career, travel, and Venus.

Profection to Libra

I’ve already noted how the Sun-Jupiter in IX and Venus in Pisces fit into the equation. However, the annual profection continues the themes of Venus and travel. The profection was to the 3rd house, Libra, occupied by the Moon and ruled by Venus. The Moon and the 3rd are both significant for journeys, while the ruler, Venus, lord of the year, signifies the arts and entertainment. The twelfth-part of Jupiter is also in Libra conjunct the Moon, further reinforcing the themes noted by other indications.

Maya Angelou Natal with Twelfth-Part Positions Outside the Wheel

Age 26 Solar Return

The solar return for age 26 shows the divorce and separation from child (she didn’t take her son on tour), as well as the career focus and glory. First of all, 19 Scorpio rises in the return, putting a focus on Maya’s 4th house and her twelfth-part Venus (20 Scorpio). Saturn is transiting in the natal 4th house at the return, indicating a break-up and ending of the home life. This is further reinforced by a partile opposition between the Moon in the 7th house of the return and Saturn in the return 1st house.

Maya Angelou’s Age 26 Solar Return

Libra, the sign of the year is occupied by only the Lot of Fortune (and twelfth-part of return Mercury at 8 Libra). It is unafflicted by the malefics. Venus is lord of the year, and in the return she is opposed to Saturn. I take this as showing a separation from (Saturn and opposition) the difficult home life (Saturn transiting through 4th), through entertainment career (Venus transiting in X) and travel (Moon with Venus in X; natal Moon and twelfth-part Jupiter in Libra III).

Maya Angelou’s Age 26 Solar Return as Transits Around Natal Chart

A Complicated Web

The return Jupiter graces natal Venus with a very tight (within a degree) applying inferior square from the natal 11th house. All in all, we find a very mixed year. The significations of Venus for family and partnership are clobbered by Saturn. Return Mars has a superior square to Pisces which also plays out a return to some of the 8th house Venus themes of sexual exploitation. However, as a stripper she is discovered by a production company and her entertaining career hits a new high.

The distinct career benefit orientation of Venus is shown by return Venus (and her twelfth-part) in X, finally calling the shots in that house sheReadability rules. Therefore, there is a distinct polarity between career success and family upheaval playing out. The malefic reign in the lower chart and the benefics up high.

Exaltation

What can we gather about exaltation from all this? On the one hand, the activation of sign and planet together coincided with some Venusian lows, including divorce and a return to stripping. Yet, on the other hand, it coincided with Venusian highs of career opportunity (Venus ruled 10th) and globe trotting as an entertainer.

Again, I would argue that chiefly what we see is that an exalted Venus is one in which the sign gives the planet more prominence. The activation by sign + years brought forth an explosion of important themes represented by Venus in the chart. An annual profection to Libra certainly reinforced these. However, this is a very complex Venus, and one quite loaded with symbolism of affliction. Many of the themes of affliction through Saturn were reinforced for marriage and home life. At the same time, many beneficial significations follow from Jupiter in the natal chart and its relation to Venus.

Raised Up

It is important to first consider the role Jupiter may be playing. That is, before crediting “exaltation” with all manor of benefit as astrologers are apt to do. The profection falls to Jupiter’s twelfth-part and Jupiter in the return aspects natal Venus within a degree. Natal Jupiter in the 9th conjunct the Sun (recognition, fame) also accords with the nature of the travel and significant opportunities of the year.

In the sense of being “raised up” to prominence, perhaps the exaltation can signify more. As I’ve noted before, it signifies weakly in itself. Planets are continuously in a sign over an extended period, so the signal is not very distinctive. Still, we may see a broader signification of raising up in some sense. In this case, a raised up signification is reinforced by Jupiter, which also signifies loftiness, and return Venus in the 10th house, the loftiest of houses. Angelou was literally raised out of her home and circumstances to tour the world for entertainment (Venus-Moon in X).

A Note on 1965 and the Sign+Planet Technique

Very few astrologers today use symbolic techniques like planetary years and rising times of signs. However, I think they are missing out. For instance, combining rising times with planetary years, we might also want to focus on the time that is about the 37th year and the age 37, 1965. That year combines the planetary years of Mars (15) with its natal house Aquarius (22.18 years), as well as the Sun (19) with its natal house Aries (18.57 years).

Rising Times of the Signs at Angelou’s Birth

1965 is interesting as it marked Angelou’s return from Africa to the US. She had lived in Ghana with her son for the preceding few years. Upon her return to the US she worked with Malcolm X on the new civil right organization, Organization of Afro-American Unity. However, he was assassinate in February of that year. Devastated, she moved to Hawaii to sing again. Yet, she then moved to the Watts neighborhood of LA to focus on writing. There she witnessed the Watts riots of the summer of ’65, the worst LA unrest until the Rodney King riots of 1992.

These events clearly show the importance that the Sun and Mars hold for political activism in her chart. I touched upon how her Aquarian Mars and her Aries Sun relate to her career in activism in my exploration of the Ages of Man. Similarly, we see the value in using planetary years and ascensional times as a form of planet in sign activation.

Jupiter, Saturn, and the 5th House of Creative Fruits: Some Key Years

I won’t be looking at every activation of Venus in Angelou’s life, as that could fill a book. However, I do want to note that many landmark years actually coincided with profections to the 5th house, Sagittarius, occupied by Saturn and ruled by Jupiter. In the article on the Ages of Man, I noted how the 5th house can pertain to creative fruits of all sorts. I also mentioned that Angelou directed her first film to kick off her Saturn Ages of Man period (age 68; also a profection to the 9th house, occupied by Jupiter). AI also noted that Angelou’s teen pregnancy occurred during a 5th house profection.

Yet, the significance the 5th house Saturn extends well beyond her teen pregnancy or the 68 year old directorial debut. Angelou recorded her first CD in November of 1956 (Miss Calypso), which would have been during a profection to her 5th house (age 28). She also acted in her first film the same year (Calypso Heat Wave), which would be released after her 29th birthday.

Angelou wrote her first book, and most famous autobiography (I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings) when she was 40 (1968-1969), another 5th house profection. 24 years later, in January 1993, at age 64, she delivered her landmark public recitation of a poem, at Clinton’s inauguration. The performance catapulted her fame and the recording of the poem won her a Grammy the following year.

Maya Angelou Natal with Twelfth-Part Positions Outside the Wheel

Why Jupiter-Saturn?

I bring up these Jupiter-Saturn 5th house activations because they point to an often overlooked part of her chart. Saturn is a malefic and contributes to the harsh significations around Maya’s 8th house Venus. However, Saturn is also a planet in sect, ruled by Jupiter, involved in a trine with its sect mates the Sun and Jupiter. Together with Mars in the VII, we find that activations of these planets have much more to do with productive and successful periods in Angelou’s life than Venus.

This highlights the symbolic complexity of a natal chart. We must go beyond “good planets” and “bad planets” to specify just how certain combinations can symbolize in difficult or beneficial ways. Saturn in this chart is quite mixed, being very harsh in relation to Venus but extremely beneficial in relation to the Sun and Jupiter.

A Couple Key Activations

That first book was not only written when Angelou was 40 but it was published when she was 41 (her 42nd year), an activation of Saturn with Jupiter (30+12). Angelou most memorable acting role was in early 1977, during her 49th year, an activation of Saturn with the Sun (30+19), in Roots.

Venus, Mom, and Character

I want to end this article with a look at character analysis in the chart, as well as some of the significations pertaining to Venus, especially as regards her mother.

Character

In some of the other explorations of character on the site, I’ve noted the key importance of the rulers of the Ascendant for self-identification. There are other factors that are important as well. These include Mercury, the twelfth-part of the Ascendant, Mercury, and the Ascendant lord, the planetary day and hour rulers, the Lot of Spirit, prominent fixed stars, the sect light, and more.

The Sun

The Ascendant lords are always a good place to start though. Angelou was born with the Ascendant in the Mercury bound of the Sun’s home, Leo. The Sun is a key planet for the character in her chart, as both the Ascendant lord and the sect light. We see the Sun’s natural significations of confidence, attention-grabbing, leadership, boldness, and flair in the character.

There are also its natural significations pertaining to its conjunction with Jupiter in the Mercury bound of the 9th house, Aries. We see religion, wisdom, travel, internationalism, courage, teaching, bluntness, honesty, and communication as tied up with these accidental significations.

Maya Angelou Natal with Twelfth-Part Positions Outside the Wheel

Mercury

Mercury is the other most significant key planet for character in her chart. It is not only the bound ruler of the Ascendant, but also the bound ruler of both lights, and Jupiter, and Saturn. In addition to being the bound lord of the Sun, Mercury also rules the Sun’s twelfth-part (in Virgo). Mercury can even naturally signify the conscious or rational mind.

Day and Hour?

Even more significantly, Mercury is the planetary day and hour ruler. While these symbolic day and hour rulerships are not strongly emphasized today, they were in the past. Hellenistic astrologers like Valens, Paulus Alexandrinus (Chs. 19-21), and Rhetorius (Ch. 56) noted the planetary day and hour rulers. The day lord was said to preside over the day, while the hour lords managed affairs for their period. These day and hour lords were also given significant weight in some later medieval point-based techniques for finding a chart lord.

Maya Angelou Natal with Twelfth-Part Positions Outside the Wheel

Complex and Verbose

Mercury is clever, communicative, and complex. From Angelou’s self-identification as a poet to her teaching and her influential period of near muteness, Mercury in the chart says a lot about who she is. Mercury is conjunct Venus in the bound of Mars, in fall, in the 8th house, dominated by Saturn, but ruled by a lofty and fiery Jupiter. Much of what Angelou has to say is described by this proximity to love and art, and rulership by a planet granting broad opportunity, yet familiarity with abuse, desperation, prejudice, and loss.

Mars

Mars is the most prominent planet in the chart in one sense. This is because it is so strongly advancing toward the Descendant and is the only planet in an angular house. In fact, these two factors render Mars an important career significator. This is further reinforced by the conjunction of Mars with the Lot of Spirit. The Lot of Spirit can signify in relation to the character but also in relation to profession.

Maya Angelou’s Natal Chart with Select Lots

As Mars does not rule the Ascendant, its significations regarding the character are a bit more indirect. Its prominence makes martial affairs prominent in the life in a way that suggests Mars is “busy” in the life. Angelou is very familiar with violence, masculinity, struggle, conflict, and courage. She even had relationships (Mars in VII) with revolutionary men. Aquarius, a human sign, makes the struggle largely a humanitarian one, and connects it with the oppressed and minorities (Saturn).

In the Ages of Man article, I noted that Angelou’s writing career didn’t fully materialize until her Mars period started at age 41. The Mars period saw her as highly productive and extremely politically active. Mars represents the activist, fighter, and hard-working side of her character.

Venus

Venus also has no rulership of the Ascendant so its significations too are a little more indirect. She does rule the twelfth-part of the Ascendant though, which gives he some importance for the character. However, Venus is more important when it comes to the career. Venus and Mercury, like Mars, have significance as career significators. There is more identification with Venus-Mercury for matters of career because of their connections with the Ascendant and MC, despite the greater prominence of Mars. Venus-Mercury also both have their twelfth-parts in the 4th house, a stake of the chart. See the first article in the series on career significators for more information about these placements.

The 10th house, Taurus, is ruled by Venus and both her and Mercury closely aspect the MC. Angelou identified with being an artist and entertainer, especially in her early years. She was a singer, dancer, and actor. Even her forays into being a madame, an exotic dancer, and prostitution indicate her associating Venus with making her way in the world (X). Therefore, I take Venus as being less relevant for describing the character itself than in describing an identification with using Venus for the career.

She was eventually able to combine her more personal identification with Mercury with her need to incorporate Venus into her career. Her role as poet and creative autobiographer/memoirist fits the bill. Few professions are a better fit for the symbolism of her Mercury-Venus conjunction in Pisces.

Maya Angelou’s Natal Chart with Select Lots

A Closer Look at Venus and Mom

Angelou’s Venus is significant on a number of other levels as well. I’ve noted that exaltation, rulership by Jupiter, and its rulership of the 10th house all serve to increase the prominence of Venusian matters. Less obvious is the connections between Venus and Angelou’s mother. This is itself a matter of afflicted hard feelings with prominence, much like Venus.

Pisces is the Lot of the Mother, and Venus is there. Venus has her twelfth-part in the 4th house of roots, and as a feminine planet in the house of roots this is significant for the mother. The Moon, a natural significator of mothers, is in Libra, ruled by Venus. The Moon has her twelfth-part in Aquarius with Mars. There’s much Mars and 8th house in these significations, but also a lot of importance and prominence. The Moon, and Jupiter, tend to show the pleasant side of things here while Venus the more problematic.

Maya Angelou Natal with Twelfth-Part Positions Outside the Wheel

A Pivotal Complex Relationship

Angelou felt abandoned by her mother as a child. Her rape occurred during her brief time living with her mother again, and at the hands of her mom’s boyfriend. Her mother disapproved of her marrying a white foreigner. There was a lot of conflict with her mother in her early life. Yet, Angelou’s final autobiography centers entirely on her complex relationship with her mother. It is title Mom & Me & Mom and was published in 2013.

Maya reconciled with her mother and they were crucially supportive of each other. Her book is a testament to her profound admiration of her mother. It befits a birth chart with a Full Moon in its Joy in Libra conjunct the twelfth-part of Jupiter. She laid out the good and bad of her mother and their relationship in the book, while leading with the theme of her mother’s profound influence and wisdom.

Prince | Part 2: The Timing of his Death

Posted on July 24, 2019 by Ant

Prince Part 2: Death

In the last article, I discussed Prince’s natal chart with a particular focus on his character and career.

Prince Rogers Nelson was born on June 7, 1958 at 6:17 pm in Minneapolis, MN. His birth data has a Rodden Rating of AA (i.e. from birth record).

Prince’s Natal Chart

Prince was found dead at his home (in Chanhassen, MN) on the morning of April 21st, 2016 (at age 57). He death was the result of an fentanyl overdose (a prescription opioid). He was discovered shortly before 10 am but was believed to have been dead already for about 6 hours.

Significators of Death

The 8th place of death in Prince’s chart is Gemini. Gemini is a busy place, occupied by its ruler Mercury as well as the sect light, the Sun. Saturn opposes the place. Additionally, the Sun applies an opposition to Saturn. Saturn is also a natural significator of death. Therefore, our initial look suggests that Saturn, and the Sun-Saturn opposition, is the most relevant for matters of death.

Mars is the out of sect malefic in the chart (Prince was born by day). Mars is also in the 6th house of illness, a traditional “bad” or “dark” place pertaining to accidents and illnesses. Mars also rules the 1st house (body) and the 6th (illness), while having its twelfth-part also in the 6th. Therefore, there are many repeat themes connecting Mars to indications of accidents, illnesses, and other threats to the body.

Other Places of Death

We want to examine the 8th place from Fortune and the Lot of Death, as both are also places pertaining to the topic of death. Fortune is in Leo, so the 8th place from it is Pisces.

The Lot of Death (from Dorotheus Book IV, Ch. 3) is found by day or night as the distance from the Moon to the start of the 8th sign (~88 degrees), projected from Saturn. It is also Pisces.

We find that both places are Pisces, ruled by Jupiter. Pisces is occupied by the Moon and dominated by Saturn (superior square). The fact that Saturn dominates the Moon and the place that is 8th from Fortune and the place of the Lot of Death further suggests the importance of Saturn as a significator of death.

Prince’s Natal Chart with Choice Lots

Jupiter rules the place and is in a tight sextile with Saturn, while it’s twelfth-part is in the 8th in tight opposition to Saturn. Additionally, the Sun’s twelfth-part is tightly conjunct Saturn.

Prince Natal Chart with Twelfth-Parts (outer)

Mars and Other Significators

We’ve established that Saturn is the most relevant for symbolizing death in the chart due to both natural signification and multiple accidental indications. Mars should be kept in mind as being of lesser importance for death as well. It is the out of sect malefic in a place of accidents and illnesses (6th). It also opposes Jupiter (lord of the Lot of Death and 8th from Fortune). The Sun, Mercury, Jupiter, and the Moon are all also relevant due to positions in and rulership over places of death. Mercury is particularly relevant among them as it both rules and occupies the 8th place.

Planetary Years

Prince died at age 57 (58th year), less than 2 months shy of his 58th birthday. 57 is an activation of Mars-Jupiter (15+15+15+12), Saturn-Mars-Jupiter (30+15+12), and Moon-Mercury-Jupiter (25+20+12). 58 is an activation of Sun-Mercury (19+19+20) and Mars-Jupiter (15+15+12+12) configurations in the natal chart by planetary years.

The Sun and Mercury are both located together in the 8th house and Mercury rules the house. I’ve noted the importance of Saturn in Sagittarius (Saturn ruled by Jupiter), Saturn in close aspect to Jupiter, and Saturn dominating Pisces (important place of death ruled by Jupitter), and Saturn opposed to Jupiter’s twelfth-part for the matter of death. Additionally, the importance of the Mars-Jupiter opposition was noted as also significant. Therefore, we should pay particular attention to other activations of Saturn-Mars-Jupiter and Sun-Mercury configurations during this period.

Distributors of Ascendant and Sect Light

The distributors of the Ascendant and the sect light are very important for characterizing the general circumstances of a period. These are the bound lords of the primary directed Ascendant and Sun in Prince’s chart. Prince died on April 21st, 2016. The bound lord of the directed Ascendant was Mercury, while that of the Sun was Saturn.

Prince’s Distributors

The Mercury bound of Capricorn was directing over the Ascendant at the time of death. This bound spans from 0-7 Capricorn and is aspected by Mars and the Moon. At the time of death the Ascendant had directed past the aspect of Mars but not yet to the aspect of the Moon. Therefore, the aspect of Mars was still considered an active influence upon the bound. Mercury as distributor for the period is appropriate as Mercury rules and occupies the 8th house.

The Saturn bound of Leo was directing over the Sun at the time of death. This bound spans from 11-18 Leo. It is aspected only by the Sun. The aspect of the Sun to its own sextile by primary directions was a significant one, corresponding to the time of death within a few months.

Aspectual Directions

As noted, the most notable aspectual direction corresponding to death was that of the sextile of the Sun to itself. This is significant as the Sun is in the 8th house of death in the natal chart and opposes Saturn. This aspect of the Sun to itself occurred while the Saturn bound (of Leo) was directing over the Sun. Therefore, Saturn was distributor with the Sun as co-distributor for this period, highlighting their opposition and its significance. As we will see, the fact that the Sun was directing through Leo is also noteworthy when it comes to the annual profection.

Prince’s Primary Directions Near Time of Death

Annual Profection

Prince died at age 57. Age 57 represents an annual profection to the 10th house. Prince’s 10th house is Leo, ruled by the Sun. Therefore, the Sun was the Lord of the Year.

It is as if a spotlight is on the Sun when it comes to the major events of the year. This makes an examination of the solar return even more important and alerts us to keep an eye on transits to and from the Sun. The distributorship of the Sun is also intensified (Saturn as distributor; Sun as co-distributor).

The Sun in the natal chart occupies the 8th house, which principally pertains to death and stagnation. As noted in the section on significators, the Sun opposes Saturn in the natal chart across dark houses, which is one of the most prominent configurations pertaining to matters of death. Additionally, the twelfth-part of the Sun is in the 2nd house with Saturn.

Profection of the Lot of Death

In the lesson on the use of lots, I noted that a significant predictive use of the lots involved their profection. Above we saw that the Lot of Death is located in Pisces in the natal chart. The annual profection is to the 10th house, so every point in the natal chart profects to the 10th from its natal position by Valens-style profections. Therefore, the Lot of Death profects to Sagittarius (10th house from Pisces) for the year of death. The Moon, which Valens profected for matters of health, is also natally in Pisces, so it too profects to the 2nd house (Sagittarius).

On its own Sagittarius is occupied natally by Saturn and the twelfth-part of the Sun. Therefore, by Valens-style profections the indications of the Lot of Death are passing to Saturn, which natally afflicts the Lot by a superior applying square within 3 degrees. Additionally, as we’ll see below with the solar return, the death occurred during a year when Saturn was in its return, in Sagittarius. Therefore, there is a confirmation of the significance of the 2nd house Saturn in relation to the significations of the Lot of Death in that year.

Final Solar Return

Prince died at age 57, on April 21, 2016, less than 2 months before his 58th birthday. Therefore, his final solar return was in 2015. This solar return is very striking! The srSun is applying a conjunction to srMars within 2 degrees! Both are right at the solar return MC and overcoming srJupiter, aspecting within a degree (superior sextile). Additionally, the Sun-Mars conjunction opposes natal Saturn, emphasizing the natal Sun-Saturn opposition. Saturn is also in return (in Sagittarius), so the sfSun, srMars, and srMercury are all in opposition to srSaturn by sign.

Prince’s 2015 Solar Return

Mercury, ruler of the 8th house, is also in its return, retrograde, 1 degree from its natal position.

Prince Final Solar Return (outer) compared with Natal Chart (inner)

Reviewing Activations

It is easy to see the activation of the most important significators of death in the chart in the return. We see that Prince was still going through his second Saturn return (Saturn was back in Sagittarius). Saturn is the slowest moving of the traditional planets. Its return, which occurs about every 28-29 years, is an important rite of passage. Due to the Saturn return, at the solar return the Sun was in whole sign opposition to Saturn, putting a strong emphasis on the natal Sun-Saturn opposition.

Mars, relevant for threats to the body and health generally, is adding quite a bit of extra oomph to the symbolism. There is an applying conjunction between it and the Sun, which among other things can indicate the health (Sun – sect light) coming into contact with a threat to the body (Mars – out of sect malefic). The fact that the Sun is the lord of the year also adds quite a bit of oomph to the configuration, showing that matters which the Sun symbolizes are coming into focus. These matters importantly include health (Sun as sect light), fame and career (Sun ruling X), and death (Sun in VIII).

The fact that Mercury is in return puts even more stress on 8th house themes. Not only is the Sun joining the out of sect malefic in the 8th, and Saturn is transiting opposed to the 8th, but the ruler of the 8th is backing up to his birth position.

Reviewing Basic Solar Return Rules

In an article from 2012, I summarized the oldest set of rules we have for interpreting solar returns. These rules originate with Dorotheus (1st century CE) and treat the solar return positions much like a set of transits to the natal chart. Let’s go through these rules again now against Prince’s chart.

The first rule was that planets opposing their own natal positions can show difficulties. This does not apply as no planets in Prince’s solar return oppose their natal positions.

Out of Sect Malefic to Sect Light

The second rule was that the transit of an out of sect malefic to the sect light or sect benefic is particularly difficult. This situation strongly applies. Here we see Mars (out of sect malefic) transiting at the place of the sect light (Sun) in the solar return within 2 degrees. A very strong sign of difficulty for the year.

“It is worse for this [native] and more difficult in its maleficence if Mars is reaching the place in which Jupiter or the Sun was by day, or [if] Saturn is reaching the place in which the Moon was by night.” (Dorotheus, Book IV, Ch. 1, #188, Pingree trans., 2005)

Other Aspects

The third rule pertains to a number of different types of aspects. We would like malefics to be trine their natal positions, not opposed to or square them, as those aspects can indicate difficulty. None of the malefics are trine, square, or opposed their natal positions here.

We would prefer benefics to dominate (right side square) the positions of malefics. Both benefics in the return are in Leo and no planets are in Scorpio in the natal chart, so benefics don’t dominate any malefics. Similarly, there are no return malefics dominating natal benefics.

Dark Places

The fourth rule concerns watching transits to dark places. Return transits of planets to dark places are said to be difficult, especially if the planet occupies a dark place in the natal chart. For Dorotheus, the 6th and 12th are the worst, while the 8th, 2nd, and 3rd are moderately bad.

In Prince’s return we have a lot of this to worry about. Four of the seven planets in the return are transiting through dark places (the 2nd and 8th houses). This includes the lord of the year (the Sun) plus Mars, Mercury, and Saturn. Additionally, all 4 of those planets occupy dark places in the natal chart, with three of them being in return (Mars occupies the natal 6th house).

The Moon

Dorotheus also put a lot of stress on the position of the Moon in the return. Additionally, we should look at contacts between the return positions and the natal Moon.

The return Moon is in IV, Aquarius, in the 22nd degree (21AQU38).

Notably, the house is ruled by Saturn and the bound is ruled by Mars. Additionally, the Moon is applying a very close aspect natal Saturn (22SAG). Finally, IV is a house that also pertains to death and endings, being the lowest point in the chart (anti-culmination). Therefore, when it comes to the health and body (Moon), there are multiple indications of danger, coldness, and endings.

Natally, the Moon is at 1 Pisces. The natal Moon is dominated (superior square) by return Saturn at 0 Sagittarius, and it is a close aspect (within 3 degrees). The return benefics do not aspect the natal Moon at all. Therefore, we see a repetition of the theme of Saturnian affliction of the Moon (depression, impediment, or death afflicting health).

Profection

Dorotheus also put a stress on the house of the annual profection and the house occupied by the lord of the year (ruler of the house of the annual profection).

One thing that is notable is the conjunction of the Lord of the Year (the Sun) with Mars. The house occupied by the lord of the year is the 8th, but this is less notable in this case because the Lord of the Years is the Sun and it will be in the 8th house at every solar return as that is its natal position.

Coming at the chart in terms of the timing of death, it may seem odd that the sign of the year, Leo, was occupied by both benefics. However, there were more significant events to this year than just Prince’s death. Prince died about 10 1/2 months into the year. This was a year with an intense career-focus (10th house themes) including the release of two albums and a tour. Hit n Run Phase One and Two was something of a double album released in two separate phases. The Piano & A Microphone Tour was a raw solo tour with just Prince at the piano on stage. The tour opened to critical acclaim in February, but started running into problems pertaining to Prince’s health in April.

Conclusions Regarding Dorothean Rules

We find that Dorotheus provided some good guidelines for interpreting solar returns. The main concerns in the return pertain to the conjunction of the out of sect malefic with the sect light, a stress on positions in dark houses with such dark houses already stressed in the natal chart (particularly the 8th of death), and the Moon-Saturn configurations.

The profection provides more complex indications, both showing danger (Sun-Mars in VIII) as well as a career focus and career benefit (Venus-Jupiter in X).

Monthly Profection

I noted that the trouble for Prince didn’t really surface until April. In fact, it was on April 7th, exactly 2 months prior to his upcoming birthday (June 7th) that Prince saw a doctor and first postponed a couple shows on his tour, announcing he had influenza. Whether the influenza story was a cover for an addiction that was spiraling out of control, or Prince was battling both influenza and addiction to pain meds that April, this would be Prince’s final month.

As his last month was two months prior to an upcoming birthday, it was two signs prior to the sign of the year (Leo). Therefore, the profection of the month was to Gemini, the 8th house of death, and the site of the Sun-Mars conjunction in the solar return.

Final Lunar Return

Prince died in the early hours of April 21st, 2016. The exact time of death is unknown but he was already dead when found shortly before 10 am.

Prince’s last lunar return was on April 4, 2016. It has a number of very striking features.

Prince Final Lunar Return

Most striking is the fact that Saturn was at 16 Sagittarius, opposed to the natal Sun (16 Gemini) in the same degree. Also striking is the besiegement of both the Sun and Jupiter in the lunar return. Jupiter (retrograde) is separating from Saturn and applying to Mars. The Sun is separating form Mars and applying to Saturn. The lunar return Sun (lord of the year) was actually applying to Saturn in the return within two degrees!

Prince Final Lunar Return Outside of Natal Chart

Lunar Return Twelfth-Parts

Also, let’s consider the twelfth-parts of some of these return positions. As I noted in an article on computing twelfth-parts in one’s head, each 2 1/2 degrees is an additional sign, and every 5′ is a degree. Software programs don’t always allow you to easily calculate twelfth-parts in every chart, but twelfth-parts are extremely important in all astrological work. Therefore, one should regularly practice quickly finding twelfth-parts for all positions in any chart.

Saturn’s Twelfth-Part

Let’s find the twelfth-part of lunar return Saturn at 16SAG19. 15 SAG to 17SAG30 is the sign opposite Sagittarius, Gemini, so the twelfth-part is in Gemini. Every degree equates to 12 for the twelfth-part so 16SAG is 12GEM. Then we have the 19′ to account for, with each 5′ equating to another degree. This puts it at 3 more (almost 4) degrees. Therefore, the twelfth-part of Saturn is at 15GEM, just before 16GEM. The natal Sun is at 16GEM. So lunar return Saturn is opposed to the nSun within a degree and has its twelfth-part conjunct the nSun within a degree.

This is a good time to recall that the Sun opposes Saturn while the twelfth-part of the Sun is closely conjunct Saturn in the natal chart.

Mars’s Twelfth-Part

Let’s find the twelfth-part of lunar return Mars at 7SAG54. 7SAG30 is 3 sets of 2 1/2 degrees past the start of the sign so from 7SAG30 to 10SAG is in Pisces (more than 3 full signs from the start of Sagittarius). 24′ equates to 4 (almost 5) degrees. Therefore, the lunar return Mars is at 4 Pisces, conjunct the natal Moon within 3 degrees in the place of the Lot of Death, and square natal Mercury (4 Gemini; ruler of and occupant of 8th house) within a degree.

Prince’s Natal Chart with Choice Lots

Lunar Return’s Lot of Death

I noted earlier that the formula for the Hellenistic Lot of Death is the distance from the Moon to the start of the 8th sign, projected from Saturn. The 8th sign in the lunar return is Virgo, so the distance from the Moon to the sign is just over 178 degrees (Moon at about 2 Pisces). 178 degrees from Saturn in the return (16SAG) is 14 Gemini, putting the Lot of Death in the 8th house of the natal chart, conjunct the Sun.

Prince Final Lunar Return

Prince Natal

Death Transits

Transits are superficial in themselves. They take on meaning through their relationship with activations of specific natal promises. These activations include times lords as well as indications in returns which reflect specific subsets of indications in the natal chart.

The danger to Prince’s health was most succinctly represented in his last solar and lunar returns which highlighted the 8th house close and intense afflication of the Sun (sect light) by malefics.

Malefic Stations

Saturn stationed retrograde at 16 Sagittarius on March 25th of 2016 (less than a month before death). That station was in partile opposition to Prince’s Sun (16 Gemini). Mars stationed retrograde on April 17th, just 4 days before Prince’s death, at 8 Sagittarius. That Mars station was actually within 2 degrees of Prince’s prenatal Syzygy (10 Sagittarius), a significant point pertaining to length of life according to Vettius Valens.

Full Moon Opposed Venus

Prince’s death came on the morning of a Full Moon, in the early hours (about 4 am) of April 21, 2016. The Moon had a opposed Venus some hours earlier, prior to midnight. Venus, transiting through Prince’s 6th house (health/accidents) was very symbolic of health issues with substance abuse as Venus pertains to intoxicants. Perhaps the Moon’s opposition to Venus coincided with Prince’s administration of the fentanyl that killed him.

Saturn-Mars Culminating in Sagittarius

Prince’s death would have coincided with the approximate time that Saturn and Mars were culminating in his location.

Prince Death Transits

tSun Conjunct nSouth Node

We have already noted the close opposition of Saturn (and to a lesser extent Mars) to Prince’s Sun, evident in the lunar return. Also, noteworthy was the conjunction of the transiting Sun (lord of the year) with Prince’s natal South Node within a couple days of death.

Prince Death Transits Outside Natal

Moon Applies to Natal Saturn

The time of death is believed to have been about 6 hours before Prince was found. At that time the Moon would have been at 22 Libra, applying to Prince’s natal Saturn (22SAG51) after just having separated from his natal 12th house Jupiter. It is worth noting that transiting Jupiter (Saturn’s lord) was afflicted at the time of death, as it was beseiged by the malefics.

Timing Conclusions

In conclusion, the timing of Prince’s death pertained to the activation of his natal Sun-Saturn opposition by his Saturn return. Prince’s Saturn in the 2nd not only afflicts his natal Sun by opposition but also dominates his Moon and Lot of Death.

The annual profection and the distribution of the sect light both put the focus on the Sun-Saturn opposition. The solar return did as well while also highlighting the role of Mars, which afflicted the Sun by conjunction in the return. The profection of the Lot of Death also raised additional concerns about Saturn and highlighted Sagittarius.

The timing of the death occurred after Saturn and Mars had both stationed retrograde in Sagittarius. These stations were opposite the natal 8th house Sun and Mercury. The Saturn station was in partile opposition to Prince’s Sun. The Mars station presaged the death by only a few days.

Death most likely occurred while transiting Saturn and Mars culminated. The Full Moon had opposed Venus probably around the time that Prince took the fentanyl, then it applied a conjunction to Prince’s 12th house Jupiter, and likely separated to applying to Prince’s Saturn at the time of death.

Cause of Death Considerations

Some Hellenisitic astrologers explored techniques for finding the cause of death in the natal chart. While some, like Dorotheus, provided multiple possible factors to consider, Valens put most of his stress on the 8th sign from Fortune. How does that approach hold up against the known cause of Prince’s death, an accidental drug overdose?

One of the more disturbing features of Prince’s drug overdose is that he believed he was taking a safer medication. Apparently, Prince was taking counterfeit Vicodin that was actually laced with the much more potent fentanyl. Additionally, he seems to have reached out to get help after an overdose less than a week prior. He was being treated for opioid addiction and was found by the son of a doctor who was to treat him.

The prospect that Prince was unwittingly taking a much more dangerous medication raises concerns about poisoning. However, no one was charged with any wrongdoing in relation to Prince’s death.

Valens and the 8th from Fortune

In Book II, Ch. 41 of his Anthology, Valens considered looking at the cause of death in terms of the nature of the 8th sign from Fortune.

Pisces

The 8th from Fortune is Pisces, as we’ve noted. It is also the position of the Lot of Death. The Lot of Death was one of the places noted by Dorotheus as used by astrologers for assessing cause of death. Therefore, in this case both the Valens’s Place of Death and the Dorothean Lot of Death are the same place.

Jupiter Destroys the Sun

“Leo is destroyed by Pisces, i.e. the sun by Jupiter. As a result men die from heart attacks and from complaints of the liver. They are at risk in wet places or from moist complaints, falls, the ague, accidents in the baths, and the treachery of women.” (Valens, Book II, Ch. 41, Riley trans., 2010, p. 56)

While heart and liver are certainly relevant to Prince’s death, they are also relatively general. It is easy to see where Valens derives most of the significations. Pisces is moist and feminine and ruled by Jupiter which also rules the liver. The Sun rules the heart.

In one sense we may say the heart falters by way of the liver, which applies here in terms of the heart stopping due to toxicity (liver). The ties of Pisces to Jupiter and Venus, relief and drugs, are appropriate for toxicity pertaining specifically to pain relievers. Additionally, the Moon is there in Prince’s natal chart adding a sense of physical need and subjective power, as in addiction.

Aspects

Valens considered planets in the two houses (Fortune and its 8th) as well as the relationships pertaining to their rulers. We have already looked at the Moon in Pisces. Venus is the main planet that Valens associated with poisoning. The Moon is in the bound of Venus, in the sign that is the kingdom of Venus, Venus is first triplicity ruler, and she aspects the Moon. Therefore, there is a pretty close connection between the Moon in Pisces and Venus in the chart.

It is important to note that Jupiter, the ruler of Pisces, is actually in a trine with the Sun, the ruler of Fortune. Also, Leo itself is unafflicted. This was a painless, nonviolent death, but still an early and accidental one. The malefics are not very strongly and directly involved with Pisces, a sign ruled by the benefic Jupiter and occupied by the Moon. This helps to indicate that death is not of a violent sort.

Saturn as Problematic

The issues with Pisces, Jupiter, and the Sun pertain chiefly to Saturn in the chart. Saturn is in a close aspect with Jupiter, an applying opposition with the Sun, and dominates Pisces. Additionally, the fact that the Sun, Jupiter, and Saturn are all in dark houses (hidden issues) can be problematic. As we saw in the predictive techniques, things became problematic during a time in which the Sun-Saturn configuration was repeatedly activated in numerous ways.

Pisces, Death, and Children

It is a good time to bring up Prince’s attempts to have children. Prince has a prominent Venus and a prominent Moon. Both of these planets tend to confer children. However, Prince has no children. Why?

The 5th house is not only the 8th from Fortune but is also the Place of Death by lot, and is dominated by Saturn. We looked at the Lot of Death in relation to timing Prince’s own death, but the significance of the Lot of Death goes beyond that. It is simply an important indication of matters of death in the life. Prince actually had a son but he lived only a few weeks. Later his first wife also had a miscarriage.

Prince’s Natal Chart with Some Lots

These connections between the 5th house of children and death are not superficial. They are not apparent from a cursory glance at the chart. By looking at lots we find the Lot of Death in the 5th closely aspected by Saturn, and we find the lots of Son and Daughters (given by Valens) to both be in the 8th house.

Rumors of a possible love child continue to circulate, so I suppose time will tell if there’s a another child.

Note on 8th House: Gemini

I think Valens is on the right track to chiefly consider the 8th from Fortune in this consideration. The 8th house in general is less instructive. Gemini destroying Scorpio is much more about Gemini-like limbs (and extensions), complications, and flammability hitting upon Scorpio ruled genitals, insects, heat, aggression, and infection. We don’t see that here.

“Scorpio is destroyed by Gemini, i.e. Mars by Mercury. They die by knife cuts to the genitals or the rump, or from strangury, festering sores, choking, crawling things, violence, war, attacks by bandits, assaults of pirates, or because of officials, and by fire, impaling, attacks of beasts and crawling things.” (Valens, Book II, Ch. 41, Riley trans., 2010, p. 56)

Longevity

I have written a couple articles on Hellenistic techniques for estimating the length of life. First, I did an article that surveyed early traditional length-of-life techniques. Next, I illustrated and tested those techniques on the chart of Kirk Kerkorian who lived to 98. Often these techniques can be difficult to apply and yield conflicting results. However, let’s look at a few of these techniques relative to Prince’s chart.

Dorothean Technique

By my understanding of the Dorothean technique, Prince’s Sun qualifies as the Control in the chart. This is because the Sun is the sect light, is not cadent, and it is aspected by its house ruler (Mercury) and first triplicity lord (Saturn). However, it should be noted that the Moon is in the stronger position in the chart and she is aspected by her bound lord (Venus).

Prince’s Natal Chart

For Dorotheus death comes when the control (Sun) is directed through a bound that is ruled by or aspected by a malefic without any intervention from a benefic aspect.

Dangerous Bounds

First, let’s consider the bounds where this can happen in Prince’s chart. The Mars bound of Gemini is malefic and aspected by Saturn but it is also aspected by Jupiter (and occupied by Jupiter’s twelfth-part), which is protective. The Saturn bound of Gemini is malefic and is not protected. The Mars bound of Cancer is malefic but aspected with a trine from the Moon. The Saturn bound of Cancer is malefic and is not protected. So Prince passed two malefic bounds without death.

Prince died during the Sun’s direction through the Saturn bound of Leo in terms of true primary directions. This bound is malefic and it is only aspected by the Sun itself (sextile). Ptolemy considered a sextile to be harmful when across signs of long ascension (Gemini is short ascension but Cancer and Leo are long). But overall, without the benefit of our hindsight and knowledge of the significant role played by the Sun-Saturn opposition in death, we’d be more likely to predict death during one of the empty Saturn bounds than this one aspected by the Sun.

Prince Natal

Considering Other Controls

Still, I think our evaluation of the Sun as control is correct. Of the other possible controls/hylegs, none were directing through a malefic bound in April of 2016 except the Sun. Additionally, of them, only the Sun and Ascendant significant aspectual direction within three months of death. The direction to the Ascendant was that of the sextile of the Moon in early July of 2016 which seems much less threatening than an aspect of the Sun to itself from the Saturn bound.

Still, as I noted in my article looking at the technique relative to Kerkorian’s chart, we find that in itself it is not enough. Death does not simply come with the control’s direction to a malefic bound unaspected by a benefic. Malefic influence on the bound is necessary but not sufficient.

Directing by Ascensions

As Dorotheus directed by ascensions rather than by true primary directions, let’s consider where the Sun was at about age 57 7/8 *57.875) by ascensions. A table of the ascensional times of the signs at Prince’s birth place is below.

The Sun at birth still had 44.44% of Gemini to pass through. This equates to about 12.45 years (0.4444*28.018). Then all of Cancer equals about 36.35 years, bringing us to age 48.8. 9 years remain to bring us to the time of death. All of Leo is 39.722 years so each degree of Leo is 1.324 years. 9 years takes us about 6.8 degrees into the sign of Leo (9/1.324). This would equate to the Sun’s entrance into the Venus bound of Leo. The bound is ruled by Venus and aspected by Venus, but is not aspected by any malefic.

In conclusion, we had better results with true primary directions than with directing by ascensions. Recall that for Kirk Kerkorian too, I found that the Dorothean technique worked better with true primary directions. In that case, the control directed to a malefic bound aspected by both malefics at death.

Ptolemy’s Technique

Ptolemy’s main technique is quite similar to that of Dorotheus but uses true primary directions with an emphasis on aspectual directions rather than bounds.

Question of Control

There is a huge complicating factor with Prince’s chart. Ptolemy required the control to be in the 1st, 11th, 10th, 9th, or 7th equal house. He defined these equal houses starting 5 degrees before the Ascendant to 25 after it. In other words, the Sun will only qualify if it is within 25 degrees of the Descendant. The Ascendant is 16SCO41 and the Sun is at 16GEM40, so it is not in the 7th equal house. This calls the choice of the Sun for Ptolemy’s technique into question. The Moon also cannot be control because she is below the horizon.

Ruler of the Proper Sect

If the lights cannot be control then Ptolemy advised to consider the ruler of the proper sect. First, any control must be in one of the authoritative places. In Prince’s chart only Mercury is in an authoritative place (7th equal house). To be ruelr of the proper sect, the planet must have the most testimony (and needs at least 3 forms of testimony) over the Sun, prenatal conjunction (New Moon preceding birth), and Ascendant.

Mercury is in the place of the Sun and rules the Sun by house and as one of the triplicity lords. It also rules the bound of the Ascendant. It does not have any testimony in the place of the prenatal conjunction (27 Taurus). Venus has more testimony over these positions, as she is in the place of the prenatal conjunction and rules it, she rules the bound of the Sun, and she aspects the Ascendant. Therefore, Venus has testimony over all the sect points. However, Venus is not in one of Ptolemy’s authoritative places.

In conclusion, there is some ambiguity in Ptolemy’s technique. Do we find the ruler of the proper sect as the planet with the most testimony over the sect positions, and then see if it is authoritative? Or, by contrast, do we only consider the planets in authoritative positions and see if they qualify as ruler of the proper sect? I’m of the opinion that we find the ruler of the proper sect (Venus) which plays a significant role in the life, then we see if it can be control. By that reckoning, no planet is control so it gets assigned to the Ascendant.

Mercury as Control

Before considering the Ascendant as control, let’s consider Mercury as the control. Does a malefic direction to Mercury coincide with death? No, Mercury was directing near the end of the Saturn bound of Cancer at the time of death but Ptolemy looked at aspectual directions. There are no planets that aspect the Saturn bound of Cancer.

Prince Mercury Directions

Prince Natal

The other technique used by Ptolemy involved finding the time for the control to set. This age indication is modified by the proportional hourly times of aspecting planets. Mercury set by primary directions at age 22. Ptolemy allowed benefics and malefics that have aspects that intervene in the setting to add or subtract years. Only Mars is relevant here as intervening with an aspect (to 0 Gemini). As Mars would subtract years, we know the indication would be less than 22 years without even calculating the proportional times for Mars. Prince lived far past age 20 so this is incorrect.

Note that the Sun set by directions at age 38.5 and would also be subject to subtraction from Mars. Therefore, whether using the Sun or Mercury, the timing of their setting was not involved in the timing of death.

Ascendant as Control

When a planet cannot be control, as appears to be the case here, Ptolemy advised to use the Ascendant by day. I noted above that the Ascendant was directing through the Mercury bound of Capricorn (0-7 CAP) at the time of death. The Ascendant had passed the square of Mars without death while death came at about the time the Ascendant met the sextile of the Moon.

Ptolemy did not suggest that a sextile from the Moon could kill. Why wouldn’t death come at the Ascendant’s much more lethal square to Mars which happened 3 1/2 years prior to death? Additionally, he advised that an aspect from Venus to the 8 degrees in front of the directed point would be protective. Venus is at 7 Taurus, so she would be regarded as protective of 1 Capricorn.

In conclusion, while the Ascendant sees some action at the time of death, on the whole we find Ptolemy’s technique lacking when it comes to the timing of Prince’s death.

Valens’s Technique

Valens has a lot in common with Dorotheus when it comes to choosing the control. For our benefit, the Sun qualifies as control here because it is not cadent or in fall.

Maximum Life Span

One maximum life span is from the Sun to its square (16 Virgo). We already noted that death occurred wit the Sun’s direction to about 16 Leo by true primary directions and 6 Leo by ascensions. Therefore, Prince didn’t live to that maximum shown by 16 Virgo (~79 years by true primary directions; over 90 by ascensions).

The bound ruler of the control is Venus. However, she cannot be house ruler because a position in the 7th house is disqualifying. Additionally, Venus is turned away from the Sun (she doesn’t aspect the Sun) and she is in inoperative degrees (retreating).

Timing of Death

As with Dorotheus, Valens stressed malefic bounds and aspects, particularly when directing the control by ascensions. We’ve already looked at these factors in the material on Dorotheus. Valens stressed malefic aspects in a 7 degree span (3 degrees on either side of the degree of the directed control). However, Valens also noted anaeretic bounds, including those aspected by the Sun, Moon, or angles. Therefore, the direction of the Sun into a bound ruled by Saturn and aspected by the Sun may qualify as possibly deadly by Valens’s approach.

Conclusions

The timing of Prince’s death is striking from an astrological perspective. Prince was born with a Sun-Saturn opposition across his 8th and 2nd houses. He passed during his 2nd Saturn return, after a solar return with a Sun-Mars conjunction. Death occurred less than a month after Saturn stationed exactly opposite his Sun to the degree, and a few days after Mars stationed in opposition to his Sun.

The Sun-Saturn opposition was further highlighted by the primary direction of his sect light, the Sun, which is arguably the control of his chart. The Sun was directing through the bound of Saturn and in aspect to itself (the Sun). The lord of the year was also the Sun.

We entertained the possibility that Pisces played an important role in the chart when it came to describing cause of death. Whether this is due to it being the 8th place from Fortune or the place of the Lot of Death (or both) is to be determined. In a future article, I’ll look more deeply at Hellenistic techniques for delineating cause of death.

In contrast to the striking indications of our predictive tool set we find the shakier indication of the special techniques for length of life. I’ve long warned that there is quite a bit of variation among Hellenistic astrologers in their approach to length of life and that the techniques have some issues. Some of the longevity techniques show some promise that warrants further work and development. However, astrologers should not kid themselves that techniques exist which clearly and accurately spell out length of life.

References

Valens, V. (2010). Anthologies. (M. Riley, Trans.) (Online PDF.). World Wide Web: Mark Riley. Retrieved from http://www.csus.edu/indiv/r/rileymt/Vettius%20Valens%20entire.pdf

Image Attribution

Featured image (cropped) by nicolas genin [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Prince | Part 1: Character and Occupation

Posted on July 22, 2019 by Ant

Prince Part 1: Life

Prince should require no introduction. He began his 40 year recording career by signing a contract with Warner Bros. at the young age of 18. For his debut, he played all 27 instruments on the record. His second album, Prince, released when he was only 20, went platinum. Prince’s discography is eclectic and innovative, while his persona has always been both bold and elusive.

His sudden death on April 21st, 2016 (at age 57) came as a shock to his millions of fans. He died from an accidental overdose of fentanyl, a prescription opioid pain reliever. Apparently, Prince had been struggling with opioid addiction for some time prior to the event.

In this article, I’ll be looking at a character and profession in his natal chart. I’ll also take a look at a few notable moments of his career. In the next article, Part 2, I’ll be analyzing the time of his death in terms of the symbolism of traditional predictive astrology.

Prince’s Birth Chart

Prince was born Prince Rogers Nelson on June 7, 1958 at 6:17 pm in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. His birth data has a Rodden Rating of AA (from birth record). He was born as 16 Scorpio was rising, the Sun was at 16 Gemini, and the Moon was at 1 Pisces.

Prince’s Natal Chart

Venus as Prince’s Professional Significator

Prince has Venus in Taurus as his professional significator. As discussed in the articles on the astrology of profession, this is because Venus is in a stake and has some rulership at the first house (first triplicity lord). Mars (in VI) is also relevant for professional matters as he is in an eligible place, rules the Ascendant, and rules the bound and decan of the MC. However, note that the twelfth-part of Venus is also in X confirming her greater importance for characterizing the profession. Also noteworthy is that the twelfth-part of the Ascendant is in Taurus, Venus’s home which she occupies. I’ve discussed the use of the twelfth-parts in profession in a prior article.

Prince’s Natal Chart with Twelfth-Parts (outer)

Some Notes on Character

Four particular traits help characterize Prince. First, he had a strong alignment with art and love in all its forms, from sex and fashion to the highest spiritual love of humanity. Second, he was a extremely private and elusive. Third, Prince was not afraid to stir the pot and provoke strong reactions. Fourth, he was very controlling when it came to his image and artistry.

The Loving Prince

While Prince was born during the day, all his diurnal planets are in dark houses (those that don’t aspect the Ascendant). Only Venus and the Moon are not in dark houses. Venus is particularly prominent in his chart. She is the only angular planet, she is the first triplicity ruler of the Ascendant (Scorpio), and she has her twelfth-part in the 10th house conjunct the Lot of Fortune. Venus is also in her own house (Taurus) in the 7th house of marriage and partnership. Prince’s twelfth-part Ascendant is also in Taurus with Venus. Therefore, Venus, goddess of art, beauty, sex, and love is the most personally prominent planet in Prince’s chart.

Prince Twelfth-Parts Outside Natal

Prince was also born with the Moon strongly advancing toward the IC in Pisces. Pisces is the house of Jupiter and kingdom of Venus. The Moon is also in the bound of Venus. This prominent Moon shows a focus on the subjective, emotional, humane, wild, and idiosyncratic (Moon) while reinforcing the stress on the arts, creativity, and femininity. The sign Pisces evokes the intersection of spirituality (Jupiter) and beauty (Venus). The 5th house orients it toward creative fruits. Additionally, the Moon rules the 9th house of God and travel. This connects this prominent advancing Moon with a lot of international activity as well as personal religious orientation. There are also connections between Mercury (bound lord of the Ascendant; ruler of sect light) and the 9th house.

A Few Striking Lots

One of the more striking features of Prince’s chart is that the Sun is conjunct the Lot of Love in the same degree (partile). The Lot of Love concerns relationship, alliances, and coming together in general. Coming together in alliance to take a stand for love and our humanity was a common theme in Prince’s work.

Additionally, the Moon is in partile conjunction with Prince’s Lot of Spirit, while Venus is in close conjunction with the Lot of Fortune. The Lot of Spirit pertains to mentality, social life, and goals while the Lot of Fortune pertains to health, personal life, and material circumstances. We see Prince materially seeped in the world of Venus in Taurus and mentally seeped in the world of the Moon in Pisces, while shining a spotlight (the Sun) on a dualistic Gemini Love.

Prince Natal Chart with Lots

The Private Prince

Prince was notably one of the most private celebrities. His 1st house of character is Scorpio, a sign not known for its openness. This nocturnal sign ruled by Mars tends toward introversion and peevishness, though other factors can overcome this such as a prominent Sun or Ascendant Lord. However, in Prince’s chart the Sun is in a dark house (the 8th) and the Ascendant lord, Mars, is also hiding away in a dark house (the 6th). In fact, 5 of the 7 classical planets in Prince’s chart are hidden away in dark houses. Prince would like to keep most aspects of his life hidden from view.

I have already noted that Venus and the Moon are exceptions to this. Venus particularly stands out due to her connection with his career and his character. Prince would like us to know the role of Venus in his life, and maybe the Moon, but the rest is off limits.

The fact that Mars is the domicile lord of the Ascendant and is itself in one of its own signs adds a bit of combativeness to this need for privacy. Prince didn’t just need privacy but prying or meddling in his affairs was likely to provoke some anger.

The Controversial Prince

Prince stirred up his fair share of controversy. Whether it was shaking up sexual norms, battling his record company, or defending his religious beliefs, Prince was not afraid of a fight. I think this trait is also reflective of his Mars ruled 1st house. However, it is additionally reflective of the prominence of out of sect planets in Prince’s chart. As we saw in the movie Purple Rain, Prince was not above playing a rather unsavory character, seething with jealousy and mistreating his girlfriend. The prominence of out of sect planets, including the all-important Venus, lends a sense of the revenge of the rejected or the return of the outcast mistreated by the establishment. Prince was unbelievably successful from a young age, but would continue to cast himself as the misfit and the underdog.

The Controlling Prince

The control that Prince exerted over his name and image are in the same vein as the last two traits. They follow largely from his focus on privacy and his casting himself as subject to the exploits of the establishment.

Prince’s Ascendant is a fixed sign and his Venus is also positioned in a fixed sign. While not necessarily rigid or stubborn generally, Prince was likely to be quite rigid and stubborn in relation to his works and relationships Venus, 7th, 10th) and his image (1st house). His Mars in the 6th house made him a highly productive work horse behind the scenes, but when it came to the image and the name (1st house) it had to be protected.

Prince often saw himself as enslaved by his record company that “owned” his image and his name. This seemed to provoke a lot of animosity and ire in him. It is so vividly symbolized by his Scorpio 1st house, ruled by a Mars in the 6th house. The 1st house pertains to the image and the name. Mars adds warlike combativeness to the topic. Mars is in the 6th house of work and slaves which does not directly see the 1st house, adding a sense of disjointedness. A laboring away for a name and an image that one does not fully own. This theme would resurface at multiple points in Prince’s career.

A Few Notable Years

While this article is focused on the timing of Prince’s death, it is also presents a good opportunity to explore the timing of a few particularly notable years in his career.

Age 18 – Venus 7th House Activation

First, Prince is reported (here and here) to have signed his first record contract at age 18. 18 is very significant as it represents the annual profection to the 7th house. In Prince’s natal chart, the 7th house is ruled by and occupied by Venus. I have already noted that Venus, the planet which most pertains to the arts, is the career significator. Venus has her twelfth-part in the 10th house of actions and occupation.

Notable in the solar return for the year was the occurrence of Jupiter (fortune) and Mercury (contracts) in the house of the year (Taurus) with natal Venus. Additionally, return Venus was conjunct the Sun (authority, power, recognition).

Prince Age 18 Solar Return

Age 24 – Superstardom – 1999

It was not until the release of Prince’s 5th album, 1999, that he entered the US top ten and really became a superstar.

The album was released in October of 1982 when Prince was 24 years old. 24 is notable as a profection back to the 1st house (Scorpio), as well as an activation of the Moon (25th year) by planetary years.

Prince Age 24 Solar Return

The solar return for the year is complex. It sees Venus in return in Taurus and Jupiter in Scorpio (house of the year), while the Moon is in the 2nd house of money (Sagittarius). Prince’s Sun (fame) is propelled to the top of the chart with the Moon Full at the root, while the Ascendant of the return is Virgo, the 11th house of friends (fame, popularity). The lord of the year shows demands as it is with Saturn (burden), but also tying into natal Jupiter (natal occupant of Libra; money) and Venus (arts), the ruler of the house.

Prince Age 24 Solar Return Outside of Natal

Mid-Twenties: Distributors

When we consider the distributors of the Ascendant and the sect light, we find that Prince’s mid-twenties as a whole were indicated to be quite fortunate. The Ascendant was directing through the Jupiter bound of Sagittarius from when Prince was age 17.5 to almost age 33. The sect light, the Sun, was directing through the Venus bound of Cancer (which Venus herself casts rays into) from age 22.5 to about age 28.5.

Prince Distributors during his Mid-Twenties

Age 26 – Purple Rain

Shortly after Prince’s 26th birthday (in June and July of 1984) he released the album, then the film, Purple Rain. The profection was to the third house, Capricorn, as sign ruled by Saturn and not typically associated with fortunate happenings. However, as luck would have it, Jupiter was transiting in Capricorn (in the Jupiter bound of the sign) at the time of the solar return. This return also saw another Venus-Sun conjunction prominent on an angle.

Prince Age 26 Solar Return

Saturn, on the other hand, was conjunct Mars in the return in Scorpio, Prince’s 1st house of character and identity. The image did much for characterizing how Prince would be perceived by the public. Prince actually presented himself as a somewhat fragile, somewhat cruel, and always controversial figure. This image was in line with Saturn and Mars, both retrograde, in Scorpio in the return. The figure is that of an artist damaged by an alcoholic father (Saturn in water), mistreating his adoring girlfriend (Mars in water), and seething with jealousy over his rivalry with another musician (Scorpio).

The movie was the most risky proposition of Prince’s career. Its soundtrack album was his magnum opus.

Prince Age 26 SR Outside of Natal

Age 34 – Birth of the Symbol

Prince had a career full of rocky relations with his record companies and contractual spite. His 14th album, released in fall of 1992 bore a symbol on it which he termed the Love Symbol. The album would end up being his most commercially successful since Purple Rain.

Due to increasing issues with his record company, Warner Bros., he changed his name to the same symbol in 1993. He claimed that he was a slave to Warner Bros. who owned his name “Prince”.

Prince was 34, so it was another profection to his 11th house of friends, networking, and fame. Fittingly, Prince’s 11th house, Virgo, is ruled by Mercury (duality, symbolism). The solar return was marked by a Moon-Jupiter conjunction in Virgo. Solar return Mercury was at 24 Gemini, the position of the twelfth-part of his natal Jupiter. All in all, following on the heels of a hit record, this publicity stunt of symbolism was very successful in generating quite a bit of publicity.

Prince Age 34 Solar Return

Conclusion

While one could easily go on to look at many more notable years in Prince’s life and career, I have to leave it here for now. Prince’s chart shows the activity of a prominent and powerful, but out of sect Venus. Prince always made art and celebrated love on his own terms. This many with Scorpio rising and Gemini Sun ever remained an enigma in the public eye. Secretive and at times even a little peevish, Prince was a working man behind the scenes and meticulously original in all his artistic undertakings.

In the next article, we’ll take an in depth look at the timing of his unexpected sudden death at age 57 in 2016.

Featured Image Attribution

Featured image by jimi hughes from ballymena, n ireland – https://www.flickr.com/photos/jimieye/ [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Traditional Astrology of Death | Scott Walker

Posted on April 12, 2019 by Ant

Scott Walker

Sadly, I just became aware of Scott Walker’s passing a few weeks ago. Walker was a musical maverick and innovator, from his early days with The Walker Brothers and through his solo career. He will be missed.

He died at age 76, on 3/22/19, in London, from cancer. I’ll be examining the timing of his death in terms of traditional predictive techniques, as I have with other articles in this series.

Natal Chart

Scott Walker’s birth chart is below with the twelfth-part positions marked along the outside of the wheel. His birth data source gets a Rodden rating of AA (from birth record).

Scott Walker Natal with Twelfth-Parts

Saturn’s Relationships with the Sun and Venus

Two immediate stand-out features involve the Sun (a significator of vitality) and Saturn (a significator of death). Saturn (death) rules the Sun (vitality/publicity) and 8th house (death) from the 12th house (loss). The twelfth-parts of the Sun and Saturn are in partile conjunct at 15 Leo.

Additionally, Saturn is strongly associated with Venus (arts) in the chart. Saturn rules Venus (and her twelfth-part) and Venus applies a trine to Saturn. Saturn-Sun and Saturn-Venus themes connect darkness and death to the arts and beauty, as well as to fame and publicity. This is more of a harmonious relationship with Venus-Saturn (trine). The relationship with publicity is a more dynamic one.

Significators of Death

While Saturn figures into the arts and public persona in significant ways, for our purposes we are most interested in significators of death. We must always start with the natal chart itself in any investigation of timing indications. Transits take on their meaning through their reflection of natal configurations activated by predictive timing techniques like profections, progressions, solar returns, and primary directions.

Sun-Saturn

Sun-Saturn is one of the most vivid of such configurations, pertaining to everything from Whitney Houston’s accidental death to suicides of Kurt Cobain and Ilya Zhitomirkiy, as well as natural deaths in old age. The symbolism of Saturn, which is that of darkness, endings, and limits, combined with that of The Sun for light, awareness, and vitality, is the most potent symbolism of biological death.

Scott Walker Natal with Twelfth-Parts

Here we have the Sun in VII (the setting place) ruled by Saturn. Saturn is in sect but in rough shape too, as it is opposed by Mars and in XII (house of the bad spirit). Sun and Saturn then intimately link through their twelfth-parts which are conjunct in the same degree in Leo (house of the Sun).

Venus

Venus is in the 8th house, has her twelfth-part also in the 8th house, and rules (the sign and bound of) the lot of death. Therefore, Venus is also significant for matters of death.

Scott Walker Natal with Select Lots

Mars

Mars is not strongly linked with death significantly but can be indicative of harm here. It is the out of sect malefic in a dark place (VI), dominating the Moon (superior square), opposed by Saturn, and with its twelfth-part conjunct the Ascendant.

Scott Walker Natal with Twelfth-Parts

Planetary Years

Walker died at age 76, in his 77th year, and just a couple months after his birthday. There are many planetary year combinations that pertain to the numbers 76 and 77. A few that stand out given our identified significators are Sun (19*4=76), Sun-Saturn-Venus (19+19+30+8=76), Saturn-Venus (30+30+8+8=76).

Primary Directions

When it comes to traditional primary directions, the distributors must be considered first. They set the tone for a period, particularly those of the Ascendant and sect light. Aspectual directions into those bounds then can impact the characterization of the periods. There are also suggestions in early Hellenistic astrology that the directions (bounds and aspects) to other places, particularly the other light, prenatal syzygy, and fortune, can also pertain to death under certain circumstances.

Distributors

The distributors (bound lords of directed positions) for all 5 hylegical factors are provided below. I’m typically most interested in the sect light and the Ascendant, as well as that of the Moon generally for the body. The sect light (Sun) was in the bound of Mars (of Pisces) at the time of death. That of the Ascendant was in the bound of Venus (of Virgo). The Moon’s distributor was Saturn (bound in Taurus). That of the prenatal syzygy was Mercury (of Pisces) and that of Fortune was Venus (of Scorpio).

Scott Walker Distributors

Note on Hylegs

However, some Hellenistic astrologers, such as Valens, would not take the sect light (Sun) or Ascendant as hylegs. Hyleg being a later term for what they might call the control, releaser, or apheta – a planet that pertains most strongly to the life, with directions to it indicating death. Neither Sun nor Ascendant are aspected by bound lords. Additionally, The Moon is cadent (IX) so wouldn’t be taken as such by Dorotheus or Valens. Similarly, the prenatal syzygy is at 15 Capricorn and is also not aspected by the bound lord (Venus). Fortune would be the best candidate with an aspect by bound lord. Still, Valens would like take Venus as the houseruler (alcocoden) of the releaser (hyleg) as Venus is bound lord of both lights and the prenatal syzygy.

Therefore, I provide those distributions for the sake of completeness. Still, I focus primarily on the Ascendant and sect light in practice.

Aspectual Directions

Saturn Square Ascendant

The bound lord of the directed Ascendant is Venus. We noted that Venus is in the 8th and rules the lot of death. However, also note that the bound of Venus is specifically from 6-12 Virgo. Only Saturn casts a ray into that bound and it is from superior square, from 6;16 Gemini. Therefore, we may say that the time period is generally characterized by Venus with more eventful characterization by Saturn. As no other planet casts a ray into the bound, we may assume that Saturn carries the chief eventful characterization. Saturn’s exact square to the Ascendant by primary directions occurred about a year prior (March 2018).

Scott Walker Saturn Direction

Profection and Solar Return

The annual profection for age 76 is to the 5th house. In this case it is Scorpio, with Mars as lord of the year. The solar return chart in fact has Scorpio rising. Mars is in Aries, the 6th house of return. More significantly, Saturn was with the Sun at the time of the return, emphasizing the natal configuration.

Scott Walker Solar Return

Comparing the solar return to the natal chart, we can clearly see the Sun-Saturn return transit in VII, the return Moon in VII (conjunct the S. Node), the lord of the year Mars strongly square the Ascendant from superior position, and Venus in partile sextile to her natal position from the 6th house of illness.

Scott Walker Return Comparison – Solar Return Transits Outside of Natal Chart

Secondary Progressions

Believe it or not, secondary progressions are Hellenistic, being explored by Vettius Valens in his Anthology. We noted that Mars was the lord of the year in terms of profections and the bound lord of the directed Sun (sect light). Mars in the solar return was at 5 Aries. This degree is interesting as the secondary progressed Sun position is in fact 5 Aries.

Scott Walker Secondary Progressions

Also interesting is that the secondary progressed Moon at 6 Sagittarius was in opposition to natal Saturn at 6 Gemini (progressed Saturn is at 7 Gemini). Compare natal chart with twelfth-parts below to secondary progressed positions above.

Scott Walker Natal with Twelfth-Parts

Transits

The exact time of death is unknown. It noted the Sun-Saturn configuration’s importance for signifying death, and its indication in the solar return. On the day of death, Saturn was transiting at 19 Capricorn, within a degree of the natal Sun.

Transiting Venus was at 25 Aquarius, the degree of the S. Node and the position of the Moon in the solar return, in the 8th house. Additionally, transiting Venus in the 8th house (place of death) was in a tight square with transiting Mars in Taurus (place of the lot of death).

Scott Walker Transits on Day of Death Outside Natal Chart

Featured Image

Featured image is a portion of Orpheus in the Underworld by Frans Francken the Younger (circa 1620), which is in the public domain.

Traditional Astrology of Death | Elizabeth Taylor

Posted on June 6, 2014 by Anthony

Introduction

Death is one of the most significant events of any life. Like many people, I was initially skeptical that astrological indications are provided at the time of death. When I started intensively studying astrology, but before studying traditional astrology, I would carefully examine the timing of celebrity deaths. I pored over the transits for some cogent sign of the end. I was surprised to find that exact symbolic transits were rather rare. Occasionally, there would be a particularly telling transit, but it would often involve the Moon, which would make the same transit each month.

Of course in those days, I was fixated on transits and progressions. I did not understand planetary periods and time lords. At that time, I didn’t understand the natal chart much beyond “personality”. Now I understand that predictive indications must reflect natal indications of death. Everyone has various indications of death in their own charts, and everyone dies eventually.

For transits and other predictive techniques to make sense they must reflect natal indications of death. Those natal indications must also be reinforced through numerous layers of similar symbolic activation. Activation gives transits “meaning”.

Traditional Astrology and Death

Getting into traditional astrology, I deeply researched the techniques given by Robert Zoller in his DMA course. Zoller’s approach to the astrology of death largely revolved around the techniques of Bonatti (13th century CE). It also included elaborations of a technique involving primary directions made popular by Ptolemy (2nd century CE). In my own research, I went from doubt, to enthusiasm, to renewed doubt, about such techniques.

From there I researched Bonatti’s sources. His sources were primarily Perso-Arabic astrologers of the last few centuries of the first millennium of the common era. I started to get a sense of a greater diversity of opinion existing in the older texts as compared with the late Middle Ages where things became more homogenized. Finally, reaching back into the earliest surviving strata of horoscopic astrology, Hellenistic astrology, my suspicions were confirmed. It became clear that there was a diverse wealth of material on death in Hellenistic astrology. This material still needs exploration, testing, refinement, and synthesis.

Prior Analyses

In this series, I have, so far, worked in broad and general strokes, looking at fundamental symbols of death in the chart. You will notice that I’ve ignored some of the more particular special techniques for longevity. I will continue such a trend with this article on Elizabeth Taylor (analyzed by request of a reader). The approach follows along similar lines of analysis as my prior articles on the subject.

Initially, I looked at the death of Whitney Houston, with an additional focal analysis of primary directions. I also looked at the shocking death of Marvin Gaye at the hands of his own father on the day of his solar return. Additionally, I examined the death of Donna Summer, a death by cancer at age 63, which included a look at zodiacal releasing. Now we turn to Elizabeth Taylor who lived to 79 years of age, dying of congestive heart failure.

Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor was born on February 27th, 1932 at 2:30 am in London, England (birth data rated AA for accuracy). Her chart is pictured below with twelfth-part positions and then again with a few choice lots.

Liz Taylor’s Natal Chart with Twelfth-Parts

Elizabeth Taylor’s Natal Chart with Choice Lots

Profession

For those who have followed my series on the professional significator, you will notice that Venus is the clear choice.

She is is strongly advancing conjunct an angle (adhering to the IC), in a succedent house, rules the bound of the Ascendant, and closely aspects the Ascendant. Venus also rules the sign of the MC, and has triplicity in the 10th. Additionally, she is the ruler of the twelfth-parts of the Ascendant, Sun, Moon, Fortune, Mercury, and Venus.

That Venus is scrutinized by Jupiter adds an additional sense of opportunity, elevation, and fortune to her significations. Venus, goddess of love and beauty, pertains to a profession relating to aesthetics, the arts, and/or entertainment.

Death

As with the death of Donna Summer, Taylor’s death was not a sudden dramatic affair. It was a relatively peaceful death by congestive heart failure at the advanced age of 79.

Significators

As we look at her death, it will be important to first identify some of the more difficult areas of the chart, particularly as they relate to health and the body. The Ascendant and the Lights, particularly the sect light, are important in terms of health. Also, Valens noted some important points in Book II, Ch. 41 of his anthology that become relevant for the matter of the type of death. These include the prenatal syzygy (i.e. the position of the new or full moon preceding the birth), the 7th place, the 8th place, the 8th place from Fortune, and Fortune itself.

The 4th place is also noted as significant with regards to death by Valens and many other authors. Additionally, there is the Hellenistic Lot of Death, which is taken by day or night, as the distance from the Moon to the start of the 8th sign, projected from Saturn. In terms of the planets, Saturn is the one that naturally signifies death. Let’s look at these factors in Taylor’s chart.

The Moon in Scorpio XII

The sect light, the Moon, is in the 12th place, Scorpio, in her fall, squared by Saturn in Aquarius, and ruled by Mars. This is among the more difficult configurations in the chart as the 12th place is also the Place of Affliction (Injury) and the 8th from Fortune. Additionally, the Moon rules the 8th house, Cancer, and the Moon’s twelfth-part is in the 6th house of illness.

Mars

The Sun, symbolic of vitality, is with Mars, in Pisces, the 4th house. Mars is also with Mercury, the ruler of the prenatal syzygy and Lot of Death. The prenatal syzygy of the chart is at 2 Virgo, opposed by Mars within a degree. Therefore, while Mars is in sect, it is still an important planet to watch in terms of death and threats to the health.

Liz Taylor’s Natal Chart with Twelfth-Parts

Jupiter-Saturn

Jupiter rules the Ascendant and in Leo is in opposition to Saturn in Aquarius in the chart. Jupiter is the lord of the Ascendant (self/body) and Saturn is the out of sect malefic (malefic with least regard for the self). Their relationship is reinforced by the conjunction of the twelfth-parts of both planets in Aquarius.

Virgo-Mercury

Virgo is of interest because it is the place of death by lot (14 Virgo). It is also the sign of the prenatal syzygy (the Full Moon at 2 Virgo that preceded Taylor’s birth). Mercury rules the sign but opposes it, and is cazimi the Sun.

Planetary Years

Liz Taylor died at age 79, in her 80th year, so we are particularly interested in the activation of planets by planetary years which pertain to 79 or 80.

Summing to 79

Looking at 79, some activated planetary combinations include Saturn-Sun (30+30+19), Mars-Sun (15+15+15+15+19), Saturn-Mars-Sun (30+15+15+19), Mercury-Sun (20+20+20+19), and Jupiter-Sun (12+12+12+12+12+19). The Sun and Saturn don’t aspect each other, nor rule each other, so that activation is less signification. It is similar with Saturn and Mars. Therefore, the Mars-Sun activation is particularly significant for our purposes. Mars and the Sun are together in the chart and relevant for health and death.

Summing to 80

Looking at 80, some activated planetary combinations include Mercury (20+20+20+20), Mars-Moon (15+15+25+25), Saturn-Moon (30+25+25), Saturn-Mercury (30+30+20), Mars-Mercury (15+15+15+15+20), Venus (8*10), and so forth. There are a lot of ways that combinations of planetary years fit into 80. However, for our purposes we are most concerned about combinations that involve natal configurations (rulership or aspect). The Mars-Moon activation is significant of the Moon in the 12th in Scorpio. The Mars-Mercury one is significant due to the conjunction of Mars and Mercury in the 4th house. The Moon doesn’t have a strong relationship with Saturn. Neither does Mercury.

Mars-Sun; Mars-Moon; Mars-Mercury

In conclusion, for the year of death we are interested in the activation of Mars as it relates to the Sun, Moon, and Mercury.

Liz Taylor’s Natal Chart with Twelfth-Parts

Zodiacal Releasing

Releasing from Fortune was noted by Valens as significant for matters of health.

The four levels of zodiacal releasing from Fortune at the time of death (1:30 am on March 23, 2011 in Los Angeles, CA) are:

1. Leo

2. Aries

3. Cancer

4. Cancer

Elizabeth Taylor’s Zodiacal Releasing Periods

Levels I and I: The Sun transmits to Mars

As mentioned near the end of last article, the emphasis is on the first two levels. The lord of the sign of level 1 transmits to the lord of the sign of level 2. In this case, what we have is the Sun transmitting to Mars. This is interesting from the standpoint of a luminary, showing power and vitality, passing off to a malefic, showing harm. It is also interesting from the standpoint of activating the Sun-Mars conjunction in the chart. You’ll recall that the Sun-Mars configuration is one of the configurations of harm in the natal chart that was highlighted by planetary years.

Liz Taylor’s Natal Chart with Twelfth-Parts

Mars transmits to the Moon

We then see Mars transmit to the Moon (Aries to Cancer). You’ll recall that the Mars-ruled Moon is a key factor pertaining to death in the chart and was highlighted by the planetary years. Zeroing in on the day of death we find that occurred just a couple days after the switch to L3 Cancer, so L4 was still in Cancer as well. The Moon transmits to itself (Cancer to Cancer). That Cancer is highlighted in the shorter periods around the death is very significant. Cancer is the place of death (8th house) in the chart, and Cancer’s ruler, the Moon, is in the 8th place from Fortune.

As we’ll see when we get to transits, the Moon-Mars relationship also shows up strongly at the time of death. The death occurred on a lunar return in Scorpio with the Moon in partile aspect to transiting Mars.

Notes on Zodiacal Releasing

In conclusion, the zodiacal releasing of the second level (December 2010 to February 2012) highlighted a sense of vitality and heart (the Sun rules the heart) undergoing turmoil or violence (Mars). It was an activation of the natal Sun-Mars conjunction, also highlighted by planetary years. The third level, Cancer, started on March 21st, 2011, and activated the natal Moon-Mars relationship. Mars transmits to the Moon and activates two houses with particular relevance for death (the 8th, Cancer, and the 8th from Fortune, Scorpio). The fourth level (March 21-25) again put the emphasis squarely on the Moon, with the death occurring on a lunar return.

Distributors

Distributors are important time lords that one finds by directing certain important points through the bounds. The distributor is typically the bound lord of the directed Ascendant (using zodiacal semi-arc non-latitudinal ptolemaic-key primary directions). However, some Persian astrologers used the sect light rather than the Ascendant. This parallels the use of the sect light as an alternative to the Ascendant in many Hellenistic techniques, such as for profectional lord of the year.

Planets applying an aspect to the directed point (Ascendant or sect light) can share in the distribution as co-distributors. Presumably this aspect would have to be within 3 degrees, as that was the definitive range for applications in Hellenistic astrology.

Primary Directions Then and Now

In later traditional astrology, there was something of an obsession with direct hits by primary direction. This contrasts with the traditional emphasis on the distributor as time lord. After about the 15th century CE there also was an outgrowth of different ways of calculating primary directions. However, the traditional manner of calculating them, in the zodiac using semi-arcs without latitude and by the rate of the Ptolemaic key, was the standard before then. I touch on some of these issues in my introductory post on primary directions (and there’s a post on software calculation).

Elizabeth Taylor’s Distributors

Taylor died on March 23, 2011. The table of distributors are below. The distributor of the Ascendant was Jupiter, while that of the sect light (the Moon) was Mars. You may recall that for Donna Summer also, at the time of death the distributor of the sect light, the Moon, was Mars.

Distributors of the Ascendant and Sect Light

Now let’s look to see if there are any aspectual co-rulers of the distribution. At the time of death 5° Aries directed over the Ascendant. There was not an aspectual co-distributor for the directed Ascendant. However, 28° Capricorn passed over the Moon. Saturn at 1 Aquarius, was applying within 3 degrees. Saturn may be thought of as a co-distributor of the Moon but the aspect is out of sign, so I don’t strongly consider it.

Liz Taylor’s Natal Chart with Twelfth-Parts

Notes on Distributors

In conclusion, the sect light had Mars as distributor. In this we see the important activation of the Moon-Mars relationship.

The Ascendant had directed into a new sign (Aries), one ruled by Mars, but it had Jupiter as the distributor. It was noted that there is a Jupiter-Saturn relationship of interest in the natal chart. Jupiter, lord of the Ascendant, figures prominently in some significations at the time of death also, as we’ll see.

Profection of the Ascendant

The final annual profection is very interesting. She turned 79 less than a month prior to her death. At age 79, the profection is to the 8th house (72=1st, 73=2nd, 74=3rd, 75=4th, 76=5th, 77=6th, 78=7th, 79=8th). The 8th house, which is also known as the Place of Death, is the sign Cancer in her chart, ruled by the Moon. Therefore, the Moon is the lord of the year. This is a particularly important planet to look at in regards to the most significant events of the year.

Liz Taylor’s Natal Chart with Twelfth-Parts

Moon as Lord of the Year and Month

You’ll recall that the Moon, herself, is located in Scorpio, the 12th house, one of the most difficult houses of the chart. Additionally, in her chart Scorpio is the Place of Affliction and Injury (by lot) and the 8th Place from Fortune (another place of death). We had established that she is one of the key significators of death in the natal chart.

In monthly profections, the first month after the solar return (i.e. “birthday”) goes to the sign of the annual profection. As the death occurred less than a month after the solar return, the monthly profection matches the annual profection. Again, it is Cancer. Therefore, the Moon was lord of the year and the month. This is strong reinforcement of the highlighting of the 8th house (Cancer) and the Moon in Scorpio by planetary years, zodiacal releasing, and the primary direction of the Moon.

Planetary Days

For planetary days, one starts with the lord of the year and proceeds through the planets in the order in which they appear in the chart (via zodiacal order). The Moon gets 70 5/6 planetary days. As the death occurred less than a month after the solar return, the Moon was the ruler of days at the time of Taylor’s death.

You will also recall above from the discussion of zodiacal releasing that highlighted Cancer for L3 and L4. The Moon became the most important time lord pertaining to physical health matters (by L3 and L4) just a couple days before Taylor died. Clearly, in terms of profections, day lords, and releasing for health, the spotlight is on the Moon at the time of Taylor’s death.

Valens-Style Profections

I discussed Valens-Style profections in a past article. As noted, one can profect any point in the chart, but the profection of the sect light was particularly common, while the Moon was significant for matters of the body. In Elizabeth Taylor’s chart the Moon is the sect light.

Moon Transmits to Mercury

In Taylor’s case, the Moon profects to Gemini, the 7th House, which is empty, so it is a case of the Moon transmitting to Mercury. The 7th itself carries some significance for matters of death (place of setting). Mercury is in the 4th, which also carries such significations (place of anti-culmination, endings, and the earth). Mercury is cazimi the Sun and is with Mars. While overall, the emphasis has been on the Moon, we see that Mercury may also have some special significance in terms of matters of the body. Mercury rules the Lot of Death and the prenatal syzygy, both of which are in Virgo.

Fortune Transmits to the Moon

It should be noted that all the profections are to the 8th place from their position. As the Moon is in the 8th from Fortune, Fortune itself transmits to the Moon. This additional emphasis on the Moon is significant as Fortune’s profections were used to judge overall material circumstance.

Solar Return

Liz Taylor’s final solar return is shown below.

Liz Taylor’s 2011 Solar Return (tropical)

We had determined that the main planet to watch is the Moon and that Mercury may be of some lesser importance. Also, because of the distribution, we may want to take a look at the malefics and Jupiter.

Liz Taylor’s 2011 Solar Return as transits along outer wheel of natal chart

The 1st House Moon Between Malefics

The Moon in the return is in Sagittarius, which is the 1st house of the natal chart, pertaining to the body and self. Its position in the 1st is particularly significant for the body, as the Moon herself naturally signifies the body (repeat signification). The Moon is in the house of Jupiter, bound of Saturn. She is separating from Saturn and applying to Mars. Therefore, the Moon moves from malefic to malefic.

Return of Mercury and Mars

At the time of the 2011 solar return, Mercury and Mars are strongly in their planetary returns. Each one is only about a degree from its natal position. We see the

Liz Taylor’s 2011 Solar Return as transits along outer wheel of natal chart

Other Factors

Jupiter is the lord of the natal Ascendant, bound lord of the directed Ascendant, and ruler of the solar return Moon. Therefore, it’s a planet to watch. Return Jupiter is opposing return Saturn, echoing the natal Jupiter-Saturn opposition. This was one of the natal factors noted as particularly significant for death. Solar return Saturn is on the natal Midheaven and strongly opposes natal Venus (sect benefic).

We’ll see that all of these factors are important at the time of death.

Transits at Time of Death

The time of death was given in a news report as 1:28 am on March 23, 2011, in Los Angeles, California. The chart of the time of death is below. Rarely are the daily transits of lots examined. However, with the exact time of death, we can actually examine the exact timing of transiting lots, confirming their importance. Therefore, there are some choice lots included on the chart of the transits at time of death.

Elizabeth Taylor Death Transits

Solar Return Moon Rises

We are fortunate to have the exact time of death, as there are many striking features about this specific time. For one, it is 22° Sagittarius rising. Sagittarius is Taylor’s rising sign. More significantly, 22° Sagittarius is also the very degree held by the Moon at the solar return. Therefore, at the moment of death, the degree held by the solar return Moon was rising. Recall the natal and predictive emphasis on the Moon for matters of death. The solar return chart is shown again below.

Liz Taylor’s 2011 Solar Return

Death on a Lunar Return

Liz Taylor’s Natal Chart with Twelfth-Parts

Recall that the natal Moon is at 15° Scorpio. At the time of death, the transiting Moon was at 22° Scorpio. In other words, Taylor died on her lunar return. Actually, her death was on the very day of her lunar return as astrological days are sunrise to sunrise. Additionally, the transiting Moon at 22° Scorpio was in partile aspect to its transiting ruler Mars at 22° Pisces.

Elizabeth Taylor Death Transits

Therefore, the natal Moon-Mars relationship is popping at the time of death also. In fact, the death even occurs on a Mars day and at a Moon hour (see article on planetary days and hours). As noted, an astrological day starts at sunrise, which is why it’s still a Mars day (Tuesday). Transiting Mars is at 22° Pisces, square to the solar return Moon and the transiting Ascendant to the degree (both were at 22° Sagittarius).

Transiting Lots

Lots, like the Ascendant, make a complete revolution around the zodiac each day, so their locations in transit are rather ephemeral. However, like the Ascendant their transits can pertain to timing very specific moments.

The Lot of Boldness (noted as “COLD” on the chart) pertains to actions without feeling. At the moment of death it transited right at the degree of Taylor’s natal Moon (15° Scorpio).

The Lot of Death was transiting at 22 Taurus, exactly opposite the transiting Moon!

Therefore, even when it comes to the transiting Lot of Death we see a spotlight on the Moon and its importance for signifying death.

Elizabeth Taylor Death Transits

Transiting Jupiter-Saturn Opposition

There was a strongly applying Jupiter-Saturn opposition by transit (within 2 degrees) at the time of death. Saturn is culminating at 14° Libra (the natal MC degree) opposed to Jupiter anti-culminating at 13° Aries. In addition to transiting Jupiter, the transiting Sun and Mercury are also in Aries, in opposition to transiting Saturn. Saturn, the natural significator of death, is the most strongly advancing planet at the time of death.

Elizabeth Taylor Death Transits (outer) to Natal (inner)

Conclusion

While sudden deaths are often more dramatic in their symbolism, we can learn a lot about astrology from examining the time of any death. As in all types of natal timing, the work starts with a thorough understanding of the relevant symbolism in the natal chart. We then proceed to look at the big period activation patterns. From there we can employ annual techniques to assess the most important themes. Finally, we can examine smaller time period lords and transits to examine timing.

Recap

The timing of Taylor’s death is fascinating particularly for its emphasis on the Moon in Scorpio, given the Moon’s symbolism for death and illness. The Moon is the ruler of the 8th, the ruler of the Lot of Affliction, and the occupant of the 8th from Fortune (Scorpio). The Moon-Mars relationship was highlighted for the period by planetary years, the transmission of Mars to the Moon by zodiacal releasing (Aries L2 to Cancer L3), and Mars as distributor of the Moon by primary directions.

Turning to annual methods we found the annual profection and monthly profection to Cancer (8th house) with the Moon as lord of the year and month. The solar return saw the Moon transiting in the natal 1st house and applying to Mars which had returned to its own natal position. Elizabeth Taylor died on her lunar return in Scorpio, with the Moon as the lord of the year and month by annual profections, ruler of days, and ruler of the L3 and L4 of zodiacal releasing. She died during the lunar hour of a Mars day with the exact degree of her prior solar return Moon rising and when the transiting Lot of Death opposed the transiting Moon.

There were some other factors that were relevant as well but these themes surrounding the 12th house Moon in Scorpio are by far the most mind-blowing.

Featured image is in the public domain.

Update 2/26/2019:

The article was significantly edited for clarity. Passages pertaining to the Lot of Death and an overall conclusion were added.