When delineating the astrological chart, it is very important to recognize the symbolism and to check it against timing techniques. In that interest, I will note a few key symbolic factors in the chart of a well-known life, that of Adolf Hitler. The symbolism of these factors is checked against annual profections and solar returns.
I think it goes without saying that I don’t like this guy, but I’ll say it anyway. I’m analyzing this chart to illustrate astrological symbolism and its activation across time. This analysis is in no way intended to show any support, sympathy, or affection for Hitler. I detest Hitler’s beliefs, his actions, and racism in general.
Note About Principles and Techniques
Some readers may be unfamiliar with the principles or techniques used here. I rely upon traditional symbolism and techniques of Hellenistic astrology. In terms of the significations of planets, houses, lots, signs, and so forth, please see the series of lessons on the site. Also see links in this article to articles on specific techniques employed. I strive for consistency with traditional basic symbolism always.
I focus on just a couple of basic predictive techniques in this article, namely profections (annual profection of the Ascendant) and solar returns (the transits at the Sun’s return to its natal zodiacal position). These are two of the oldest and most important predictive techniques of horoscopic astrology, being found in texts that date back almost 2,000 years. I link to basic explanations of their use in the article. They continued to be popular techniques through the Middle Ages. Typically, I also bring in planetary years, primary directions, and an additional ancient techniques which give a fuller picture. Here I wanted to keep things simpler.
In terms of my philosophy of chart interpretation or what astrology is, it is an uncommon one. I take a symbolic approach to the chart, not one that depends on factors having any intrinsic indexical link to some underlying reality, psychological or occult. For more on this, please see the 8th lesson on the site.
Birth Data
Adolf Hitler’s was born on 4/20/1889 at 6:30 pm in Braunau, Austria per birth records (AA-rated source).
Rise to Power
In Hitler’s chart, one of the clearest indications of his rise to power is the Moon’s applying conjunction to Jupiter. The Moon signifies power by its light and its rulership of the 10th house (Cancer), as well as its separating trine from the Sun. Jupiter signifies fortune and opportunity, connecting it to the Moon and the 10th house. Jupiter is also the exalted ruler of the 10th house and both planets aspect it.
Adolf Hitler’s Natal Chart
Age 45: Seizes Power
Hitler seized dictatorial powers in Germany on 08/02/1934. He was 45 years old. Age 45 is an annual profection of his Ascendant to Cancer, the 10th house, ruled by the Moon. As noted, the Moon is conjunct Jupiter in the natal chart, with both pertinent to the 10th.
The solar return for the year had the return Moon in the 10th house. Therefore, the Moon, lord of the year, highlights here significations related to the 10th house, which pertains to leadership, authority, and actions. Additionally, return Jupiter was transiting in the 1st house of the self, in the Jupiter bound of Libra. The indications for the Moon-Jupiter conjunction with respect to matters of leadership become realized.
Hitler Solar Return Age 45 Around Natal Chart
Marriage and Death
In 1945, much of Germany was in ruins and it was clear they had lost the war. Hitler made his last public appearance on his 56th birthday. Eight days later he married his longtime companion Eva Braun. Two days after that they both committed suicide.
In Hitler’s natal chart, Venus rules the Ascendant by sign and bound and occupies the 8th house. This connects the symbolism of the self (1st house and Ascendant) with death (8th house) and love (Venus). The applying partile (same degree) conjunction between Venus and Mars puts passion and violence into the equation of both symbolic statements.
Mercury also connects to both themes in the natal chart as it rules the Lot of Love (Gemini) and is in the 7th house (partnership). It is on the descendant (setting/death) in the bound of Saturn (death) and ruled by Mars which is in the 8th conjunct Venus. Mercury also symbolizes death by rational decision (calculated suicide).
Hitler’s Chart with Lot of Love
Saturn’s Shadow
Saturn, the natural significator of death, squares the natal 8th house Venus-Mars configuration, reinforcing its relevance for death. As Venus is Hitler’s Ascendant lord, strong connections between it and significations of malice (Mars and Saturn) and death (8th and Saturn) go a long way toward characterizing his identity.
What is less obvious from the natal chart is that Saturn and Venus-Mars are antiscia each other almost exactly (within half a degree). Saturn’s shadow (antiscia) in the 8th conjunct Venus-Mars certainly brings out the configuration’s connection with death as well as other significations of Saturn.
Hitler’s Natal Chart with Antiscia Positions Around the Chart
Saturn’s Secret Spot
Saturn rules the Moon-Jupiter conjunction in the natal chart. That connects its themes of death and endings to it. This connection is much more apparent by the twelfth-part position of Saturn. Saturn’s twelfth-part is in Capricorn with the Moon-Jupiter conjunction, adding to the potential combination of their symbolism.
Hitler’s Natal Chart with Twelfth-Part Positions Around the Chart
The twelfth-parts of the chart are actually very revealing on many levels. For instance, Venus-Mars with their twelfth-parts in the 2nd, opposing their natal positions. Both are still in dark houses and the opposition symbolizes increased tension inherent in their symbolism and and with respect to the symbolism of Hitler’s father (Sun and Saturn; more on this below). There’s much more, but we’ll focus on Saturn for now.
The End: Age 56
As noted, age 56 quickly brought Hitler’s marriage and then death. Those were the two biggest events in that 10 day last year of his life.
The profection at age 56 was to Gemini, ruled by Mercury. Gemini is the Place of Love (location of Lot of Love). I’ve noted how Mercury, ruler of the Lot of Love, conjunct the Descendant in the 7th house and the bound of Saturn readily signifies regarding death and marriage. The other thing to note about Gemini is that it is aspected by only two natal planets, Mercury and Saturn.
The solar return shows Mercury (lord of the year) in return in the 7th house with return Venus. Therefore, the connections with both marriage (Venus, 7th) and death (7th, 8th lord) are both reinforced.
Saturn Comes for the Moon
Perhaps even more strikingly reinforced is the symbolism of Saturn with respect to the natal Moon-Jupiter conjunction. The Moon-Jupiter conjunction was noted as pertaining to the rise to power (10th house). Its vulnerability to the symbolism of Saturn shown by Saturn’s rulership of it and the twelfth-part position of Saturn on the configuration. At the return, Saturn was at 5 Cancer, in the 10th house, opposing the natal Moon-Jupiter.
Similarly, the Moon in the return was in Leo, with natal Saturn. Therefore, the symbolism of a final end to the personal fortune signified by Saturn with the Moon-Jupiter is clear and dramatic. Another instance of it is return Saturn’s position in the same bound of Cancer as the natal Lot of Fortune itself.
Hitler’s Solar Return Age 56 Around Natal Chart
Death Transits
The transits at the time of death again reveal the importance of the symbolism thus discussed. The Mercury-Venus conjunction became partile at the time of death. Saturn’s opposition to the natal Moon was near exact (2′ of a degree), with death on a Moon day and Saturn hour. Interestingly, Hitler died as the transiting Sun (9TAU51) was in partile conjunction with his 8th house twelfth-part Sun (9TAU36). The fatal gunshot was heard at the setting of Mars and culmination of Saturn, at about 3:30 pm.
Event Chart: Reported Time of Death of Hitler in Berlin
Hitler’s Death Transits to Natal Chart
Early Years
We’ve seen the symbolism of some pivotal years in the personal rise and fall. Let’s look now at some pivotal early years of life.
Hitler moved to Germany when he was 3 (profection to 4th house Moon-Jupiter), but he and his family returned to Austria a couple years later.
Father
Both Saturn and the Sun connect to Hitler’s father, but particularly Saturn. This is because Saturn can both naturally signify the father and it rules the 4th house of fathers. Saturn also rules the Place of the Father by lot (Aquarius).
Hitler’s Chart with the Position of Select Lots
Hitler was often in conflict with his father (Saturn) over Hitler’s lack of discipline (Saturn) and skill or interest in farming (Saturn). The conflicts would often turn physically abusive (Venus in 8th conjunct Mars, squared by Saturn).
Hitler’s father died suddenly on 01/03/1903 when Hitler was only 13 years old. This represented an annual profection to the 2nd house, ruled by Mars. The solar return saw Saturn (death) in the 4th house (father) Capricorn (cardinal/sudden). It is sharply squared by return Mars (lord of the year) in Aries (cardinal/sudden; violent) within 2 degrees. Return Mars is in partile conjunction to natal Mercury and Descendant (setting/death).
Hitler’s Age 13 Solar Return Around Natal Chart
Mother
Hitler’s mother is most readily signified by the Moon in the chart. Not only can the Moon signify the mother naturally but she is here in the 4th place of home and origins. Venus can also naturally signify the mother and Mercury rules the Lot of the Mother.
Post-Father’s Death and Mother’s Death
After the death of his father, Hitler was more free to pursue his main passion which was art. Hitler’s self-identification with art is symbolized by the strong role played by the signs of Venus and Venus herself in the chart. Venus rules the 1st house of self and is in her domicile Taurus where she is with and rules the sect light. While his father conflicted with his artistic ambitions (Saturn square Venus), his mother was supportive (Moon trine Venus).
However, Hitler’s mother died on 12/21/1907 when Hitler was just 18. This left Hitler leading a Bohemian artist’s life of selling paintings to survive, catching musical performances for entertainment, while living in Vienna. It is thought that his racist ideas developed in Vienna or soon after.
Mother’s Death
The death of Hitler’s mother when he was 18 was a very important event in his life. He was very fond of his mother (Moon-Jupiter conjunction; Venus ruling 1st). As with his father’s death, it was marked by a year with Mars as lord of the year, actually the first profection to one of Mars’s domiciles since the death of his father. This time it was to the 7th house, Aries.
The solar return at age 18 is absolutely striking. Return Mars, the lord of the year is at 8 Capricorn, conjunct his natal Moon-Jupiter (partile to Jupiter). The return Moon (mother) was at 14 Leo conjunct natal Saturn (death) within a degree. Additionally, return Venus and return Saturn are conjunct each other within a degree in the 6th house of illness (death was from breast cancer).
Hitler’s Solar Return at Age 18 Around Natal Chart
Younger Brother’s Death
As might be expected from a chart with a strong focus on an 8th house cluster that is square to Saturn, this is a life defined by death. One of the more influential early deaths in his life was that of his younger brother Edmund on 02/02/1900 from measles. Hitler would’ve been age 10 (11th year), so the profection would have been to the 11th house ruled by the Sun and occupied by Saturn.
Both the Sun and Saturn have connections to death in the chart. The Sun is in 8th and rules Saturn. Saturn naturally signifies death, squares the 8th cluster, and rules the Lot of Death. Younger brothers are typically shown by Mercury though. Also, in Hitler’s chart Jupiter rules the Lot of Siblings (Pisces) and the 3rd house (house of siblings).
Jupiter and Death
It is worth noting that Place of Death is also in the house of siblings (Lot of Death is at 6SAG54). Both Jupiter and the Lot of Death are pertinent for the house of siblings. Jupiter as there were 6 children in total from his parents (his dad had more from a previous marriage. The Lot of Death as the three before Hitler died in infancy and the one after him (Edmund) at age 5. Only his young sister, Paula, lived a long life.
Age 10
As noted, the profection at age 10 put a focus on the Leo 11th house, ruled by the Sun and occupied by Saturn. As the Sun is the lord of the year and is in return, we will be particularly concerned with return transits to the Sun, through Leo, as well as those involving Saturn (Leo’s occupant).
Hitler’s Solar Return at Age 10 Around Natal Chart
What we find in the return is Mars, the natal out of sect malefic (harm), at 2 Leo, in the house of the profection with natal Saturn (death), sharply square the 8th house Sun (within 2 degrees). Return Saturn (retrograde at 23 Sagittarius) is in the 3rd house of siblings, which is also the Place of Death, and it is square to the Lot of Siblings (20 Pisces). The return Moon, Venus, and Jupiter are all in dark places of the natal chart.
Conclusion
It is my hope that this is a useful exercise in pertinent symbolism and its activation. Any planet in a natal chart will symbolize across a number of different domains. Different significations emerge in these different domains and over time. It is not knowing whether a signification is “good” or “bad” that is important but in what ways it can signify good and bad and which signifies are reinforced. A full palate of traditional Hellenistic factors, including lots, antiscia, twelfth-parts, and more get us closer to a sophisticated understanding of the symbolism.
Profections and solar returns are two of the most ancient and most important timing techniques we have in astrology. The profection shows where the highlighter goes. It tells us the factors to focus on. The solar return provides an opportunity for the symbolic signatures in the natal chart to be reinforced, whether they are obvious or subtle. Even with just these two basic techniques, applied in a very basic way against a few pivotal years in a life, we see strong evidence of the symbolic relevance of astrology.
Modern Factors
On a final note, I’d like to add that the symbolism of the traditional factors serves as a great framework for making sense of new modern factors as well, if you use them. For instance, when you understand many of the significations of the 8th house Sun in this chart and its rulership of Saturn in Leo, then the partile conjunction between the Sun and asteroid Phaethon takes on deeper significance. Midpoints, asteroids, and other such modern factors can help to further add nuance and depth to the traditional symbolism.
Some such modern factors can complement rather than compete with traditional interpretation. Given the tendency of the ancients to employ as many additional symbolic factors as possible, from bounds and decans, to twelfth-parts, antiscia, and monomoria, I would hardly expect that they wouldn’t have been exploring midpoints and asteroids too if those had been available to them.
Don’t take the deeply traditional focus of this site as implying that modern factors have no place in traditional astrology. Rather, the implication is that the traditional symbolism and techniques are sufficient to structure the interpretation and provide for rich information. Where you go from there is up to you.
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)
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.
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.
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.
Like so many people around the world, I was saddened to hear of Donna Summer’s recent passing. Summer died on Thursday, May 17th after a battle with lung cancer. Donna Summer is a dearly missed musical icon.
I missed out on the heyday of disco in the mid-’70’s. However, I fondly remember as a child in the early ’80’s dancing to songs by Donna Summer, Michael Jackson, and similar artists of the era.
Longevity in Traditional Astrology
I don’t believe there is a single method out there, such as a hyleg/alcochoden technique, that on its own allows one to make accurate predictions about the length of someone’s life. In this regard I may be in the minority of traditional astrologers. Rather, I thank that if you throw a lot of techniques together, then there should be clear repeat indications of death. Predicting death in advance, particularly one’s own, is another matter. Looking at it in hindsight is always easier, and that’s largely what this series is about.
I’d like to look at some of the “signs” around the time of Donna Summers death and how they relate to death. Death is one of the key events in every life. By exploring the connection between death and natal predictive techniques, we sharpen our ability to recognize the astrological language of death.
Donna Summer
Donna Summer was born on New Year’s Eve, 1948 (12/31/48) at 9 pm in Boston, MA (source: AstroDatabank). For the reader unfamiliar with her life and work, a good source for a quick brief is the Wikipedia article on her. Her chart with twelfth-parts is shown below.
Donna Summer’s Natal Chart with Twelfth-Parts (outside wheel)
Profession
It is hard to imagine a chart more oriented toward artistic performance. First, Venus is the significator of profession. This is so as Venus is in a stake of the chart (the 4th) and strongly advancing, while having triplicity at the Ascendant and possibly bound. She also receives the next application of the Moon and is with the twelfth-part of the sect light (the Moon is the sect light as she was born at night). Secondly, there is a whopping 5 planets, including the Sun and Moon, as well as the ruler of the 1st (in the bound of Venus), in Capricorn, the 5th House, which is the Joy of Venus and is oriented toward the fruits of creation and to representation. Finally, the ruler of the 5th is on the Ascendant and thus is extremely prominent.
Mercury also crops up as important for the profession as Mercury rules the 1st and 10th signs and the bounds of the Asc and MC. It also has its twelfth-part in the Ascendant. Therefore, Venus and Mercury as co-significators of the profession. Venus is the more dominant of the two. Together they combine artistry and beauty (Venus) with vocalization (Mercury). A fairly common combination for singers.
Death
Donna Summers died of lung cancer at age 63. She was not a smoker. Donna believed that her lung cancer may have been caused from inhaling dust and smoke from the Sept. 11 attacks, possibly containing asbestos. However, she also had a family history of cancer and played hundreds of shows over the years in smoke-filled clubs.
Unlike the other deaths we’ve examined so far (Whitney Houston and Marvin Gaye), Summer’s death was not sudden. She was diagnosed with cancer the year prior to her death. Therefore, the exact timing of death might be thought of as less important than the overall characterization of that period of her life.
Key Factors
In analyzing the timing of death, we are most interested in the more potentially difficult elements of the chart. In my opinion, one of such difficult configurations is the conjunction of the Ascendant (significant for the body and self) with the out of sect malefic, Saturn (significant for death, loss, struggle, isolation). Another is the close (but separating) conjunction of the Moon and Mars (lord of the 8th of death, Aries) in the bound of Mars within 3 degrees of each other, with both ruled by Saturn.
Donna Summer’s Natal Chart with Twelfth-Parts (outside wheel)
Mars is particularly important. Mars not only rules the 8th house (Aries) but also rules the Lot of Affliction or Chronic Illness (also in Aries) and the Lot of Death (Moon to 8th sign, proj. from Saturn, day or night; in Scorpio). It also has its twelfth-part with those of Saturn and the Ascendant in Scorpio (Lot of Death). Additionally, Mercury, which can signify the lungs (as well as the self and body here as Lord of the 1st), is applying to Mars (conjunction).
Summer’s Natal Chart with Select Lots
Planetary Years
For an introduction to planetary years, please see the introductory post on them. Donna Summer was in her 64th year, and 63 years old, at the time of death. Therefore we are particularly interested in combinations of planetary years that add to 63 or 64. This may involve multiples, as there are not two distinct planetary minor years that sum to more than 55.
Possibilities
There are only two combinations of three planets’ minor years that work without any multiples. They are Saturn-Mars-Sun (30+15+19=64) and Saturn-Venus-Moon (30+8+25=63).
Possibilities involving multiples with one and two planets are below:
One Planet: Venus (64)
Two Planets: Venus-Mercury (24+40=64), Mars-Sun (45+19=64), Jupiter-Mercury (24+40=64), Sun-Moon (38+25=63).
Of these, I regard some as less important because the planets in the relationship are not all configured together with each other by either rulership or aspects. For instance, Saturn-Venus-Moon is less significant to me. This is because Venus and the Moon are in aversion, and Venus is not ruled by Saturn. Similarly, Venus and Mercury are in aversion, so that two planet combination is not as important.
The Most Important Activation: Saturn-Mars-Sun
There are four possibly significant activations by planetary years. They are Saturn-Mars-Sun (Mars and the Sun are together and ruled by Saturn), as well as Mars-Sun (they are together), Sun-Moon (the Sun and Moon are also together), and Venus. The most significant is Saturn-Mars-Sun. Not only is this an activation of 3 planets without multiples, but Mars and the Sun are together in Capricorn, ruled by Saturn. Additionally, the activation of Mars-Sun reinforces this activation. The activation of Sun-Moon also somewhat reinforces it, again stressing the stellium in Capricorn.
This Saturn-Mars-Sun activation is also the most significant activation for the matter of death. The activation includes both malefics. Each of the malefics directly afflict significators of the body in the chart (Mars with Sun and Moon; Saturn on Ascendant). The Sun is symbolic of vital power.
Donna Summer’s Natal Chart with Twelfth-Parts
A Peak at Transits: Saturn-Mars-Sun
The importance of the Saturn-Mars-Sun activation is confirmed by transits on the morning of the death. Mars transited with natal Saturn in the 1st house and applied to the natal Sun within a degree (superior trine). The transiting Sun also applied to natal Mars within a degree (trine) while closely opposed to the natal twelfth-part Mars (25 Scorpio). We will return to these transits after looking at some of the big-picture indications.
Transits to Natal – Morning of 5/17/12 in Naples, FL
Primary Directions – Distributors
Distributors are time lords which tend to rule over more than a one year period and can be very significant for health matters. The distributor is typically the bound lord of the directed Ascendant. Traditionally, for about the first 1,500 years, primary directions were done by zodiacal semi-arc without latitude, using the Ptolemaic-key (see my article on primary directions). While the Ascendant was typically preferred, some later Persian astrologers used the sect light as well as, or instead of, the Ascendant. The sect light was seen as an alternative to the Ascendant in some Hellenistic techniques as well.
The distributor is a time lord, but a planet actually applying an aspect to the directed angle or sect light (presumably either within 3 degrees or within the same bound) could take over or share the rulership of the distribution. The obsession with direct hits by primary direction, rather than the use of it for time lords, was a later post-Hellenistic development. I touch on some of these issues in my introductory article on primary directions. There’s also an article on the software calculation of primary directions.
Ascendant->Venus and Mars; Sect Light->Mars
Distributors of Ascendant and Sect Light for Donna Summer
Donna Summer died on 05/17/2012, so we are interested in the periods containing that date. From the table of distributors we can see that the distributor of the Ascendant was Venus. The distributor of the sect light (the Moon) was Mars. What about any aspectual co-rulers of the distributions?
One of the very useful features of the primary directions module in Morinus is that one can pull up the actual primary directed chart for a given day. For the day of Summer’s death that chart is below.
Chart of Summer’s PD Positions on 5/17/12
What the chart tells us is that 25 Libra was passing over the Ascendant at the time of death. Similarly, we see 23 Pisces passing over the natal Moon’s position (relative to birth location) at birth. Let’s return to the natal chart to see if these represent applying aspects.
Donna Summer’s Natal Chart with Twelfth-Parts
The zodiacal position of Mars was 27 Capricorn, so the Ascendant (significator) at 25 Libra has the square of Mars (promissor) directed at it within 2 degrees. The 23 Pisces position directing over the natal Moon does not involve any applying aspects within 3 degrees, so there is no co-ruler in that case.
A Focus on Mars
In conclusion, Mars is the distributor of the sect light. Mars also became the co-distributor of the Ascendant, starting about a year prior to death, due to applying aspect.
These time lords by primary direction are extremely important for matters of health and general circumstance. Here we see an emphasis placed upon Mars in the natal chart. As noted, Mars is the ruler of the 8th house of death (and illness/affliction by lot) and the Lot of Death (Scorpio). Mars is in the 5th afflicting the Moon, Sun, and Ascendant lord (Mercury).
Primary Directions – Aspects
There is also one very close aspectual primary direction within about a month of the death that is very symbolic of death. It is the direction of Saturn (promissor) to oppose the prenatal syzygy (significator). The prenatal syzygy is the New Moon or Full Moon directly preceding the birth. It is one of five points that are particularly important for symbolizing the health in the chart, the five hylegical points. These include the Sun, Moon, Ascendant, Fortune, and the prenatal syzygy.
The syzygy is particularly important for Donna Summer as she was born just the day after the New Moon (syzygy) in early Capricorn. In fact, the Moon was still in the same house as the Sun at the time of her birth (Capricorn). This opposition is from the prenatal syzygy’s ruler, Saturn, so it appears to be an important direction in symbolizing the death.
The time of diagnosis at age 62 corresponded to a profection to Summer’s 3rd house, Scorpio. Scorpio is the place of death by lot (Lot of Death). It is ruled by Mars and is occupied by the twelfth-parts of Mars, Saturn, and the Ascendant.
At age 63 the Ascendant profects to the 4th house, which in Summer’s case is Sagittarius, ruled by Jupiter, which is cazimi the Sun, in the 5th with Mars, and ruled by Saturn. Being the lord of the year, Jupiter is a particularly important planet to examine in the solar return.
Valens Profections: Mars and the 8th
It is also worth noting that by Valens-style profections, both lights (Moon and Sun), the Ascendant lord (Mercury), Mars, and Jupiter (lord of the year), all profect to Aries. Aries, the 8th house of death, is also the place of illness/afflication (by lot), and is ruled by Mars. The profection of the sect light (and the Moon generally) was particularly important to Valens for health and overall circumstance. As Aries is empty, it is the case that the sect light (and all the planets in the 5th) transmit to Mars, the ruler of Aries.
Donna Summer’s Natal Chart with Twelfth-Parts
Again, this places emphasis on themes of death (the 8th, malefic ruler) and affliction of the body (Mars-Moon conjunction, Moon ruled by Mars, Aries as Lot of Affliction). The solar return transit of the Moon through Aries (the 8th) is also a repetition of this theme (see return chart). Additionally, the profection of the Lot of Fortune was used for health by Valens and it profects to Scorpio, the other house of Mars and the other place of death (by lot).
Donna Summer’s Last Solar Return as Transit (outer) to Natal (inner)
Profections repeat every 12 years, so the real value here is in seeing which themes and planets we should watch. We again find Mars to be a particularly important planet to watch in the solar return and by transit.
Jupiter in the Return
Jupiter is in separating opposition to Saturn in the return (within 3°). Saturn is the out of sect malefic, and Jupiter relates to the vitality through the Sun (cazimi the Sun). This is a suggestive configuration. However, as an out of sign aspect and pertaining chiefly to the return itself, it is not particularly compelling. However, there is much more to this return than just the position of Jupiter.
Donna Summer’s Last Solar Return
Analyzing the Final Solar Return
As I explained in my article on analyzing solar returns, there were some particular red flags identified by Dorotheus. The 3rd, 4th, and 5th rules mentioned in that article are particularly important. The third rule is to watch squares and opposition from malefics, especially superior squares (domination). The fourth rule is that planets transiting in dark places of the natal chart can be more malefic. The fifth rule is that there will be a focus on the solar return Moon and its house, especially for health. The sixth rule is that there is a focus on the place highlighted by the annual profection and its ruler.
Donna Summer’s Last Solar Return
Mars in the Return
At the return, Mars was transiting in the 1st house, that of the body and self. We’ve seen how Mars is the primary significator of death in the chart. It rules the places of death by house and lot, and the Lot of Affliction. It is also activated by planetary years, distributions, profections of the sect light and Fortune, and the profection of the entire Capricorn stellium to the 8th house. Now we see Mars as chiefly pertaining to the self and body for the year.
Mars dominates the place of the annual profection of the Ascendnat. It is even in a partile superior square to the Ascendant lord Mercury, transiting in that place. Mars is also in a close aspect to natal Mercury by superior trine. Therefore, not only is Mars oriented to the body by being in the 1st, but it connects directly with the lord of the 1st (Mercury) by aspect in the return and natal. This echoes the bodily application of Mercury to Mars in the natal chart.
Twelfth-Parts and Mars
There are many things of interest when it comes to the solar return Mars and the twelfth-parts. First, the natal twelfth-part of Mercury is at the end of 17° Virgo in the 1st house. Mars was conjunct this within 3 degrees in the solar return. Yet an additional connection between Mars and the 1st house and its lord.
Donna Summer’s Natal Chart with Twelfth-Parts
Donna Summer’s Last Solar Return
In the return, Mars was at 20°12′ Virgo and Jupiter (lord of the year) was at 0°26′ Taurus. This puts the twelfth-part of Mars at 2° Taurus and that of Jupiter at 5° Taurus. Therefore, the twelfth-part of return Mars was conjunct return Jupiter (lord of the year) and its twelfth-part, both within 3 degrees. The solar return Ascendant is also interesting as it was at 27° Scorpio. It is not only ruled by Mars and the place of death by lot (Lot of Death) but it is also conjunct the twelfth-part of Mars (25° Scorpio) within 3 degrees.
Donna Summer’s Last Solar Return
Saturn and the Return Moon
Return Saturn is at 28 Libra, in dominating close square to the natal Mars-Moon conjunction at 27 and 29 Capricorn. Echoing the domination of the Moon by return Saturn is the opposition between the return Moon and return Saturn. The return Moon is the natal sect light and is in the 8th house, a dark house, putting a focus on its themes of death for the year, particularly in relation to health. Saturn is the out of sect malefic and in the return is also in a dark place. The opposition of the Moon to Saturn echoes the theme of loss.
Donna Summer’s Last Solar Return on Outside of Natal Chart
Return Venus
Natal Venus is in the sign of the profection so should also be looked at. In the natal chart, Venus is dominated by Saturn. Return Mars also dominates natal Venus. Return Venus is placed in Aquarius, the 6th house, which is a weak house pertaining to illness and ruled by Saturn.
Monthly Profection to the 8th House-Aries-Mars
As noted, the return Moon transits through the 8th of death (Aries), under rulership of Mars. This echoes the natal Mars-Moon conjunction and the profection of the Moon to Aries. The monthly profection of the Ascendant at the time of death was also to Aries, the 8th house, ruled by Mars. The monthly profection is indicating the month when the themes marked out by the 8th house and Mars by the time lords and annual methods will come into focus.
Ruler of Days
Some Hellenistic astrologers used daily profections, but it is not my preferred technique for daily time lords. I discuss an additional technique for small period time lords at the end of this article (levels 3 and 4 of zodiacal releasing). Personally, I also like another time lord technique for periods of days. This ruler of days technique was discussed by Julius Firmicus Maternus. In this technique we start with the lord of the year, and assign days to the planets according to their planetary days according to their zodiacal order in the natal chart. This divides up rulership of the year to each of the 7 planets. The lord of the year is Jupiter for Donna Summer.
Planetary days and their natal order:
Jupiter – 34
Mercury – 56 2/3
Mars – 42 1/2
Moon – 70 5/6
Saturn – 85
Venus – 22 2/3
Sun – 53 5/6
Moon as Ruler of Days
Using a date calculator, we find that Donna Summer died in about the 138th day following her solar return. The Moon took over days about 133 days after the return. Therefore, the Moon was ruler of days at the time of death. I find the ruler of days to be particularly important in timing events by transit. Also, note that the Moon was transiting in the 8th house opposite return Saturn in the solar return.
Day of Death
Recap
Finally, let’s return to the transits at the day of death. To recap, we’ve established that there is substantial importance placed on the malefics and the lights in the time lord techniques. Recall that Saturn-Mars-Sun and Mars-Sun are active configurations by planetary years. Mars, the ruler of the 8th house, Lot of Affliction, and Lot of Death, was particularly highlighted. For instance, it is a distributor or co-distributor of the directed Ascendant and sect light. It was also highlighted by the profection of the sect light and lord of the year to Aries (8th house ruled by Mars). Additionally, there were the many 1st house/Mercury connections with Mars in the return. Finally, we determined that the monthly profection is to the 8th, Aries, which was occupied by the Moon in the return and the Moon is ruler of days. Now let’s look at transits.
The chart for the morning of May 17, 2012 is below. Summer died some time in the morning on this day. The time of Summer’s passing is not known, so please disregard the houses in the chart. In the next section, I’ll show the chart as a set of transits against the natal chart. For now, note how closely the chart mirrors the solar return, from Mars in Virgo (natal 1st) to the Moon in Aries opposing Saturn in Libra.
Donna Summer Day of Passing
Transiting Moon
Shockingly, the Moon was transiting through Aries, the 8th house, at the time of death. This echoes both the solar return and the Valens-style profection of the Moon. It is also in the house of the monthly profection. The transiting Moon was applying an opposition to transiting Saturn at the time of death. The transiting Moon also applied a close square to natal Mercury, the Ascendant lord. Transiting Venus and Saturn were partilely aspecting each other, while receiving the application of the transiting Moon, at the time of death.
Transits to Natal – Morning of 5/17/12 in Naples, FL – Day of Passing
Transiting Mars
Mars was transiting at 9 Virgo through the 1st house. This is over 5 months after Summer’s solar return, and Mars is still transiting in the 1st house. In fact, Mars had been transiting in her 1st house all year (see ephemeris)! About a month prior to death, Mars had stationed direct at 3 Virgo, in adherence to Donna Summer’s Ascendant (6 Virgo). Transiting Mars was applying to the natal Sun-Jupiter conjunction within a degree at the time of death.
Transiting Jupiter
As Jupiter is the lord of the year, its transits should also be looked at. The transiting Sun and Jupiter (in late Taurus) were applying to natal Mars within 3 degrees at the time of death. Transiting Jupiter (and Sun) were also opposing the natal twelfth-part of Mars (25 Scorpio) within 3 degrees. The transiting Sun-Jupiter conjunction by degree itself also echoes the natal Sun-Jupiter conjunction.
Zodiacal Releasing
Before concluding I’d like to explore another Hellenistic time lord technique which I think can be valuable. Zodiacal releasing is the modern name given to a technique which survives only in the text of Vettius Valens. I’ve placed this exploration of the technique at the end of this article as it can be confusing. Zodiacal releasing is traditionally from the Lot of Spirit or the Lot of Fortune. For matters of bodily health and material circumstances, Fortune (the Lot of the Moon) is used (glyph looks like an X in a circle). Spirit (Lot of the Sun) was used for professional and mental matters.
Moving Signs by Planetary Years
Zodiacal releasing was discussed by Valens in Book IV of his Anthology (download it here). One stars with the sign of Fortune, giving the ruler of the sign the first period. This period is the length of the ruler’s minor years (the only exception being that we use 27 for Capricorn rather than 30). It transitions to the next sign in succession activating that sign and its ruler for the number of planetary years of the ruler. We continue moving from sign to sign after each period.
There are also minor periods that are 1/12 the length, and some additional nuances. One key “nuance” is that the periods involve “years” of 360 days. Therefore, I recommend using software to calculate them (such as the free Valens program). I recommend getting the technique from the horse’s mouth (i.e. download and read Book IV of Valens). The interested reader can also get a thorough education on the technique through Chris Brennan’s Hellenistic course, or his module on Zodiacal Releasing. As of this update, there is also a good explanation of the technique in a podcast by Chris Brennan and on Anthony Louis’s website.
Levels
The two highest level periods are particularly important in zodiacal releasing. I give four levels below:
Sagittarius (Jupiter): The sign is occupied by Venus and the twelfth-part of the Moon, ruler is cazimi the Sun in 5th, Capricorn. This is about a 12 year period beginning in 2010.
Capricorn (Saturn) – The sign is occupied by 5 planets, including Sun and Mars, with ruler in 1st, Virgo. This is a nearly 2 year period beginning in February of 2011.
Scorpio (Mars) – The sign is occupied by the twelfth-parts of the Ascendant, Saturn, and Mars, with ruler in 5th, Capricorn. This is about a 5 week period beginning on May 9th, 2012.
Capricorn (Saturn) – See #2. This is a nearly 5 day period beginning on May 15th, 2012.
Donna Summer’s ZR Periods
Interpretation
Before getting into the finer points of the interpretation of zodiacal releasing, I want to note the repeat Saturn-Mars activation. Saturn and Mars rule all but the largest of the time periods (the Sagittarius period of about 12 years). The signs activated are also very significant. Capricorn holds the natal stellium, including the Sun and Mars ruled by Saturn, but also the close Moon-Mars conjunction, and Jupiter (ruler of Level 1). Scorpio is the sign holding the twelfth-parts of both malefics (Saturn and Mars) and the twelfth-part of the Ascendant. In terms of the umbrella period of Level 1, Sagittarius, its ruler is Jupiter, which is cazimi the Sun in Capricorn, so it is closely associated with the Sun’s significations there.
Judging by Angular Strength
As mentioned, in interpreting the releasing of Fortune, Valens paid special attention to the first two levels. One interpretive principle commonly used is that the Lot or its ruler in an angle of the chart (1st, 10th, 7th, or 4th place) shows strength. By strength, we are referring to a stability and achievement in what is signified. In this case, material fortune and health (Fortune). On the other hand, if cadent from an angle (12th, 9th, 6th, or 3rd place) it will show weakness. This rule can get difficult to use in practice, as Valens also suggests that we can use the angles of the Lot of Fortune. Using both the angles of the chart and those of Fortune, with both the Lot and its ruler, there are simply too many points and strong places in the chart to enable us to separate the wheat from the chaff.
Places from Fortune
Some people sidestep this dilemma by considering only the angles and cadents from Fortune, rather than from the Ascendant. Using that approach, the Capricorn periods would be vulnerable. Fortune would be in the 6th from Fortune (a cadent place). Periods ruled by a planet that is in Capricorn could be similarly vulnerable for the same reason. However, note that 5 planets are in Capricorn, which would cause most periods to have weak rulers.
The place of the Lot was thought to show the start of things and the ruler the development. So Level 1 in Sagittarius would start out not particularly strong or weak (as it is not an angle nor a cadent) but in the development of the period weaknesses could result (as the ruler is in the 6th from Fortune). Level 2 in Capricorn would start out weak, and would not develop much towards strength or weakness (as the ruler is not in an angle or cadent). The 3rd Level would start strong but end weak (Lot in angle, ruler in cadent). Level 4, like Level 2, would be weak without much improvement. Therefore, the overall stress of all 4 periods is on Capricorn. Capricorn is cadent from Fortune showing vulnerability when it comes to material circumstances.
Judging by Transmission
Valens discussed other principles of interpreting releasing from Fortune which I feel are a bit easier to delineate. One thing that he does is to view the 1st two levels as if the ruler of Level 1 is transmitting or passing off to the ruler of Level 2. It is like the ruler of Level 1 is running into some type of thing signified by the 2nd level ruler. For instance, a benefic transmitting to a malefic, as in the case here with Jupiter transmitting to Saturn, shows success liable to overturn. Additionally, the transmission of the Sun or Moon to Saturn is particularly dangerous for health, while Saturn to the Sun or Moon indicate the opposite, vigor.
… the sun and moon when transmitting to Saturn are indicative of setbacks and anxieties, and they bring hostility […] as well as bodily disorders and dangers, shipwrecks, sudden collapses, and very many crises … (Valens, Anthologies, Book IV, Ch. 5, Riley trans., 2010, p. 73)
Jupiter Cazimi to Saturn
According to Robert Schmidt of Project Hindsight, the original meaning of a cazimi planet is that it takes over signification for the Sun. Jupiter is cazimi the Sun in Summer’s chart and so acts akin to the Sun, another indicator of the vital spirit. The transmission of Jupiter to Saturn can be viewed as similar to a transmission of the Sun to Saturn, an indication of material danger.
Malefic to Malefic
If we were to consider the other levels in this type of consideration then we have Saturn transmitting to Mars (Level 2 to 3) and Mars transmitting to Saturn (Level 3 to 4). Valens regarded transmission from a malefic to a malefic (Saturn to Mars and vice-versa) as particularly dangerous, much like a situation that goes from bad to worse.
ZR Conclusion
Interestingly, in the zodiacal releasing method for health we find a repeated emphasis on Capricorn, Scorpio, and Mars. There is repeat activation of the 5th house. For Valens, the places from Fortune were even more important than the natal places for the purposes of this technique. Interestingly, Valens considered the 6th place from Fortune to pertain particularly to health crises. The 6th from Fortune is none other than Capricorn, the sign we see so strongly emphasized by the releasing from Fortune.
In addition, after finding the Place which has been assigned to Fortune, examine the points square with it and the other aspects, just as with the angles in the natal chart. The Lot itself will be equivalent to the Ascendant and will mean “Life;” the tenth place from it will be equivalent to MC and will mean “Rank;” the seventh will be the Descendant; the fourth IC. The other places will have the same effects as the <original> XII Places. Some astrologers have mystically hypothesized that the astronomical Ascendant and the points square with it are the Cosmic Angles, while the Lot and the points square with it are the Natal Angles […] (Valens, Anthology, Book II, Ch. 18, Riley trans., p. 34)
Conclusion
Donna Summer’s death was by the slow wasting illness of cancer. It did not involve dramatic sudden events like those of Whitney Houston and Marvin Gaye. We find Mars to be the most important planet for the topic of death and serious illness in her natal chart. Mars rules and dominates the 8th house of death and place of affliction by lot, and rules the place of death by lot while occupying it by twelfth-part. Summer’s Mars is fairly well-placed, being in sect, in a sign of its sect, in a benefic place (5th house), and exalted (Capricorn) with a trine from its 1st house ruler.
The timing of death coincided with about a dozen repeat activations of natal themes pertaining to Mars and death. The period ones involved Mars as a distributor of the sect light and co-distributor of the Ascendant, second level zodiacal releasing to Capricorn occupied by Mars, planetary years highlighting the Saturn-Mars-Sun configuration, profection of the Capricorn stellium (including Mars and sect light) to Aries, and profection of Fortune to Scorpio.
The solar return, with its Scorpio rising, Mars in the natal 1st, and the Moon in Aries (natal 8th) opposed to return Saturn certainly reinforced these themes. There was also that prolonged transit of Mars through the natal 1st house, passing back-and-forth over the Ascendant. That transit was not only in the January 1st solar return but spanned the entire first half of 2012, including at the time of her death in May. Finally, we saw Donna pass during an Aries, 8th house, monthly profection. The Moon timed the death with its transit through Aries on that day, in fitting application to transiting Saturn and Venus (death and artistry).
In late February of 2019, this article was significantly edited and revised. There were some significant changes. I revised the wording of many sections for greater clarity. For instance, the analysis of profections and solar returns was re-written to explore the important Valens-style profections and the rules for returns which I noted in another article. Additionally, the section on zodiacal releasing was moved to the end due to the learning curve involved. There are now some great free explanations of zodiacal releasing out there, so I’ve linked to those. Also, the Lot of Death and Lot of Affliction were not touched on in the original article but were added due to their great significance.
