Tag Archives: Saturn

The Vividly Timed Car Accident of Kevin Hart

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Introduction

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

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

The Accident

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kevin Hart Car Accident Transits Around Natal Chart

Annual Profection: Capricorn, Saturn, and More Saturn

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

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

Solar Return: Saturn Opposite Sun, Mars-Mercury Conjunction

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

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

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

Kevin Hart Age 40 Solar Return as Transits

Distributions: Mercury Distributor Aspected by Mercury

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

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

Kevin Hart Distributors

Monthly Profection: Aquarius, 6th House, Saturn

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

Transits: Saturn, Mars, and Mercury

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

 

Kevin Hart Car Accident Transits Around Natal Chart

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

The Lunar Nodes

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

Conclusion

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

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

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

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

Bio Shorts | Karl Marx

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Remembering Karl Marx and his Ideas

I recently read a couple of books on Karl Marx. I came away itching to look at his chart. It is vividly reflective of his life.  In my own personal opinion, Marx was a great economist who helped to inspire important positive changes in labor conditions and business regulation. Drawing on Hegelian dialectics, while critiquing its spiritual aspects, his “dialectical materialism” helped to expose inherent contradictions in the competitive enterprise. He showed that competition itself can foster economies of scale and mechanisms of cohersion that result in anti-competitive monopolies. However, his analyses are often overshadowed by the abuses of tyrants who misused them (e.g. Stalin).

A Controversial and Paradoxical Character

Marx was often unsure of his own theoretical and pragmatic stances, very frequently reversing positions, sometimes paradoxically. Perhaps this is to be expected of someone whose philosophy was so strongly based in dialectics.  He was adamant about philosophy being used to transform the world rather than just to think about it. But for all his urgings to transformation, he was known to advocate revolution and then do an about-face and oppose revolutionary action. Similarly, he was an ardent critic of revolutionaries and “Marxists” in his own day.

He exhibited a rebellious zeal against capitalist powers but was from a wealthy bourgeois background. He recklessly spent his ample allowance given to him from his friend Engels (from Engel’s family industry) sometimes even speculating on the stock market. His wife retained her baroness title and they kept on a housekeeper. While he advocated ardently for the working class, he refused to stoop down to laborious work himself.

In many ways, he was irresponsible. Four of his seven children died in childhood. This was in part from very poor living conditions despite his receiving more than a typical clerk’s salary in regular money from Engels. He also possibly fathered a child with his housekeeper. Additionally, he constantly avoided paying his bills and rent.

All in all, I found him to be a good-humored somewhat selfish, impulsive, and irresponsible person, though one with a strong sense of social justice and a keen mind for abstract economic analysis.  His most mature work, taken up late in life, is the three-volume Capital. Capital is also known to be terse and prone to ambiguity.

The Natal Chart of Karl Marx

Let’s analyze Karl Marx’s natal chart. If you are not familiar with the techniques of ancient Hellenistic and Persian astrology, then please check out the free lessons before proceeding.

The Ascendant is the point most symbolic of the individual in the chart and it shifts by an entire zodiacal degree about every 4 minutes of regular clock time so the birth time must be accurate.  Thankfully, the birth time of Karl Marx is from his official birth record, so we have good reason to believe it is very accurate (given a Rodden Rating of AA for accuracy on AstroDatabank).

Karl Marx’s Natal Chart

The First House: Aquarius

He was born at night with 23 Aquarius rising.  Aquarius is the day house of Saturn, and is a fixed air sign. Fixed signs are known for tenacity/focus/steadfastness. Air signs are associated with the humanities and movement. Mercury, the planet of movement, rationality, and commerce, is the primary triplicity ruler of air signs by night (Marx was born at night).  The Ascendant is in the bound of Mars, the planet of aggression and inflammation.

The twelfth-part of the Ascendant is at 6 Scorpio, the night house of Mars. Scorpio is also fixed and a water sign. Water signs are ruled by Mars at night (first triplicity ruler) and that twelfth-part of the Ascendant is also in the bound of Mars. The twelfth-part Ascendant is in the 10th house of the chart, which is that of heights, achievement, authority, and rule.

Karl Marx’s Natal Chart with twelfth-part positions along outer wheel.

Character Analysis in Ancient Astrology

The rulers of the Ascendant and the 1st house inform us of the particular importance of Saturn, Mercury, and Mars in relation to studying Marx. However, the rulers of the 1st house are not the only factors of relevance to the self. Planets in the 1st and those aspecting or “regarding” the 1st, particularly in more influential ways are also very relevant. Additionally, Mercury is relevant because it signifies rationality. Prominent planets are also generally influential, including the Sun and Moon which are naturally prominent. One important distinction often made is that the 1st house has more relevance to the body/temperament, as does the Moon, while the ruler of the 1st house has more relevance to the mind/direction, as does Mercury.

Mercury and Saturn on the Mind

With an air sign rising, Saturn and Mercury will be important by default. They are made even more important here by the fact that Saturn rules the house itself and Mercury, the primary triplicity ruler, is in his own house (Gemini), bound, and triplicity. There is significant reinforcement to Mercury which makes it more prominent. Saturn is lord of the Ascendant and one of its triplicity rulers, though it does not regard the Ascendant. Saturn is also one of the most prominent planets in the chart by advancement.

There are no planets in the 1st house. The Sun, Moon, Venus, and Mercury all regard the 1st house, they do so from an inferior position so I don’t consider the aspectual influence to be particularly pronounced.  The Sun and Moon, while prominent, are in the house of family and origins (the 4th), being particularly relevant in relation to the parents, and are in the bound of Mercury further signifying Mercury’s importance in the life.  Mercury is also in phasis (crossing under the beams of the Sun within 7 days of birth, another mark of planetary prominence).  Mars provides noteworthy indications for the self but these are more covert.

Therefore, an astrological analysis of Karl Marx’s life and character should focus upon Saturn, Mercury, and to a lesser extent Mars. This is in contrast to a focus on his Sun and Moon in Taurus as might be done in a modern analysis. This also fits his life. Saturn is the planet of doubt, loss, fear, constriction, critique, poverty, and imprisonment. Mercury is the planet of commerce, movement, theory, writing, and all forms of rational analysis.

Indications of Atheism

As was noted in my series on the charts of atheists, an identification with air, Saturn, and Mercury is characteristic of a rational worldview doubtful of religion. Marx was irreligious and critical but sympathetic to religion, seeing it as deluded but serving a function for the oppressed.  We see many of the typical marks of an atheist chart, with Jupiter weak and afflicted. Jupiter is in the 12th house, in fall, stationing retrograde, and opposed by the malefic Mars (with Mars in “domination” over the 9th).

Saturn Prominent in the House of Capital

Saturn, besides being a key point of identification for Marx, is also one of the “loudest” planets in the chart. It is the planet most advancing, being about 20 degrees from rising.  In this sense, Saturn has a sort of general prominence and persistence in the life, shedding something like a dark cloud over it with Saturn’s natural significations of doubt, negativity, death, loss, poverty, and stern cold authoritativeness.  Saturn is a complex planet in the chart.

Most noteworthy, Saturn is in the 2nd house of the chart which is that of money matters, directing Marx persistently into this sphere of life.  The 2nd house is directly impacted by its occupant Saturn. Some indications of this are poverty, loss of capital, obstructed capital, money worries, and criticism or challenges to wealth and possessions.  Marx identifies with being this Saturn in the house of money. He feels a need to consistently challenge and critique those with the means of production. This is one of the most persistent and certain of his identifications, even before his philosophical ideas were well-developed.

The 2nd house itself is buried deep in paradox, akin to his own monetary paradoxes in his life. He was from a wealthy background but chose to live in poverty, while at the same time constantly begging for money from his friend, receiving money in generous amounts, and eschewing his responsibilities with money.

Mutability and Back-and-Forth

The 2nd house is Pisces, a mutable water sign. The water element can connect it with emotional and familial ties. The mutability signifies fluctuations between two poles, such as multiple sources of income. For much of Marx’s life he was receiving income from Engels and from writing articles.

That both Saturn and Mercury are in mutable, or double-bodied, signs, would also signify a certain back-and-forth quality to his manner of thinking. This made him prone to reversals/flip-flops, and would likely be related to the great appeal that dialectical theories held for him.

The Jupiter-Saturn Exchange

The 2nd house, while mainly and most directly impacted by Saturn, is ruled by Jupiter. Saturn is also in the bound of Jupiter and Jupiter closely overcomes Saturn (aspecting within 3 degrees). Jupiter is in a bad place, the 12th house of the “bad spirit” pertaining to enemies and obstacles, and is itself ruled by Saturn. This creates a bit of a bounce back between Saturn (constriction, doubt, poverty) and Jupiter (expansion, wealth, faith). Saturn holds the upper-hand in this strong association and is also the planet Marx identifies with more strongly.

In any case, Jupiter’s role in the 2nd place does add some indication of aid and luck connected with money matters. Jupiter also rules the 11th of friends connecting it with the 2nd place of money. However, the overall sentiment is the sense of wealth going sour. Saturn is out of sect, which tends to increase Saturn’s tendency toward malice. We expect Saturn to have dark significations, including those in relation to money; the doubt is deeper, the negative associations more intense, the difficult events connected with Saturn more painful. Jupiter’s activations provide the more beneficent connections with Saturn which abate the general state of difficulty.

Saturn’s Twelfth-Part in the 8th of Death

The twelfth-part of Saturn, is in the 8th house of death with the twelfth-part of the Moon. The Moon is a significator of physicality and mothering. Saturn’s position in the 8th with the twelfth-part of the Moon emphasizes Saturn’s association with actual deaths, which no doubt had a big impact on Marx.

Mercury Prominent and in the 5th of Works

Mercury in Marx’s chart is in the 5th house which is the place associated with pleasures, performance, and children.  Mercury’s connections with the 5th and the 1st pertain to writing, oration, or analysis as a pleasurable pursuit or “art”.  Mercury in its own sign, bound, and triplicity (an air sign). Marx has an identification with Mercury, indicating cleverness, intellectuality, and a bit of the trickster or even con man. Mercury’s quick and elusive nature is very much ramped up. You would expect a Mercury that will do anything to avoid being too narrowly defined or pinpointed.

Note that Mercury in Gemini was not considered good for the intellect by some ancient astrologers, as it is a wandering mind and prone to unpredictability and anger. It is true that Marx was a middling student, unpredictable, provocative, frequently in trouble, flip-flopping, and prone to misinterpretation.  However, the identification with Mercury and its prominence show an overall preoccupation with the world of thought, ideas, and communications.

Mercury and Children

The 5th house is also showing the prominence of children. Mercury indicates a playful relationship and one inspiring intellectualism.  Mercury is a duplicitous planet, and is here in a duplicitous sign, which can signify many children. It also pertains to the possible fathering of a child with his housekeeper (two women).  However, this is contrasted by the relationship indications in his chart show steadfast focus on one partner, with Venus, the 7th, the Moon, and all their rulers in fixed signs.  Mercury is rather neutral but the 5th house is also dominated by the out of sect Saturn. This is one of the important connections between children and death that is in the chart.

Fiery Mars in the House of Labor

Mars when identified with shows a certain domineering competitiveness and desire to get rowdy and stir up trouble.  Marx was an avid drinker and smoker from his teenage years. He was frequently in trouble with the law, to a notorious degree.  Additionally, the twelfth-part of his Mars is in the 2nd house. This can show a desire to irk those with money and to damage others’ property. He was known to do these things in this life.  Mars is in sect so some of its inflammatory tendencies are tempered and can be channeled productively.

Mars is located a bad place, the 6th house of illness and labor. This place is ruled by the Moon (physicality). So there is an indication of bothersome difficulties with accidents and disease, particularly of an inflammatory nature.  Its position in the 6th and his identification with it also pertains to his identification with labor. The 6th is traditionally a house of servants. Workers are the servants of the industrial infrastructure.  Its location in the bound of Jupiter and its domination (superior square) of the 9th house is another indication of dislike of religion.

 

Image attribution:

The featured image of Karl Marx is in the public domain.

Traditional Astrology of Death | Whitney Houston Revisited with Directions

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Introduction

In the last article on Whitney Houston’s death, I discussed some major astrological predictive factors.  A number of predictive techniques highlighted the importance of Saturn. From the activation of her natal Sun-Saturn opposition, to Saturn’s transit through her 8th house of death.  At the time of death we found the transiting Sun conjunct her natal Saturn while the transiting Moon was in her 8th with natal Mars and applying to that transiting Saturn.  Altogether, 8th house and Sun-Saturn themes abound in the predictive indications. In fact, though not noted in the other article, Houston also has her twelfth-part Saturn in Virgo, the sign activated by the monthly profection at the time of her death.

Primary Directions

Following the publication of that article, some commentary on it prompted me to explore primary directions in some depth. I followed that exploration with a series on pre-Renaissance traditional primary directions. That series explored the basic use of primary direction in ancient astrology and how they can be calculated with free software.  The first post on primary directions concerned the primacy of the Ascendant in early directions and the time lord technique of directing the Ascendant through the bounds. This later came to be known as the distribution. The bound lord is called the distributor, or jarbakhtar from Persian terminology.  I also explained how to calculate primary directions. Since that time an update of the Traditional Morinus version of the software has been released which improves the display when directing through bounds.  You can download the software here.

Death and Directions

In this article, I won’t be discussing all the ancient special techniques for longevity and death.  I will hit on some of them in some future posts in this series. However, note that in those techniques there is an emphasis on the direction of a malefic significator (planet, star, lot, or point) of harm to a significator of the health and the body (typically a Light or the Ascendant). For instance, the Descendant is symbolic of death (point of setting) so a direction of the Sun to the Descendant could signify death. While conjunctions, squares, and oppositions are typically the most important types of aspects, for primary directions we consider all classical aspects. This is because primary directions take so long to occur. Often a planet will only aspect another planet or point a few different times over an entire lifetime.

Whitney’s Chart

Whitney Houston Natal Chart (AA-Rodden-Rating)

Directing Through the Bounds

As I detailed in my introductory article on primary directions, the bound lord of the directed Ascendant was typically considered a very powerful time lord, setting the tone for the period. For this reason, I advise that one should always look at the direction of the Ascendant through the bounds, The bound lord, an important time lord, is known as the distributor or in Perso-Arabic astrology as the jarbakhtar.  A table can be generated in Morinus as discussed in the article I referred to earlier. The following table of jarbakhtars is for Whitney Houston, with the period active at her death highlighted.

Whitney Houston – Distributors of the Ascendant for 100 Years After Birth

Saturn as Distributor

As we can see from the table above, Saturn is the main time lord of the period (day of death was Feb. 11, 2012). We find that this technique, as with many of the others, strikingly highlights the role of the natal 12th house Saturn in characterizing the period.

Other Distributors

While the distributor of the Ascendant is typically the most important, and is the one used by Abu Ma’shar, some authors, including Masha’allah, use the technique for other life-signifying points as well. Typically, it is one of the Lights or the Lot of Fortune that are also considered. While I consider the distributors of the Ascendant to be much more important, I’ve included below a table of the distributors of the Lights and Lot of Fortune as well. It is interesting that the Sun and Lot of Fortune also (like the Ascendant) have malefic distributors, in this case Mars.

Houston Distributors of Lights and Fortune Age 25-50

Algol to Ascendant

One of the most striking primary directions at the time of death is that of the fixed star Algol to the Ascendant. Algol is considered to be one of the most malefic fixed stars. It is in the constellation of Perseus, which images the hero Perseus grasping the head of the Gorgon, Medusa. Algol is the eye of Medusa in the constellation. The star has separately been associated with demons, evil, death, decapitation, horror, tragedy, and such in many different cultures.  For those unfamiliar, you can get a quick briefing on Algol on Wikipedia and especially on Constellation of Words.

A table showing all the directions of fixed stars to the Ascendant from Age 25 to 50 is below.  The table says the direction was exact on February 15th, which in primary directions is still “exact” even on February 10th, because even seconds of inaccuracy in recording the birth time equates to days of difference in timing by primary directions.

Directions of Fixed Stars to Whitney Houston’s Ascendant (direction of Algol to Ascendant in February 2012)

Saturn transiting over the Directed Sun

Whitney Houston’s Natal Chart

One of the more interesting directions at the time of death concerns the Sun. As seen above (2nd table up), the distributor of the directed Sun was in the Mars bound of Libra.  This bound is 2 degrees in length starting at 28° Libra and ending at 0° Scorpio.  Interestingly, Libra is Whitney Houston’s 8th House and the Mars bound of Libra is the bound Saturn transited at death.  In fact, look below at the chart of the primary directions zodiacal positions at the time of death. We find the directed Sun at about 29°14′ Libra. Transiting Saturn was conjunct it in the same degree at the time of death.

PDs in Chart for Death of Houston

In my opinion, this was one of the more striking repeat Sun-Saturn significations. Consider this together with over-arching Sun-Saturn planetary years manifestation, Saturn as the main distributor, and the transit of the Sun over natal Saturn.

Whitney Houston – Transits at Time of Death

Conclusion

If you’re new to primary directions, I hope this has whet your appetite for this very valuable technique. Please check out the other articles on primary directions to start working with them yourself. They are really not hard to work with when there is great free software available for the calculations. Until next time, give someone you love a big hug, and let them know how much you care. Continue having fun exploring traditional predictive astrology.

The featured image is Medusa by Caravaggio.

Astrology of Profession or Calling | 2. Trent Reznor

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The Astrology of Profession

In the first post of this series, I explained an ancient technique for finding the significator of the profession in the birth chart. I will apply the technique in this series of articles, so please first get acquainted with it by reading the initial article.  Now, let’s explore the astrology of profession in the chart of Trent Reznor, and how it relates to the music of Nine Inch Nails.

Trent Reznor

Trent Reznor is a musician, primarily involved with vocals and electronic composition.  Lately, he has been involved with major film soundtracks, including that for “The Social Network” and the “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”.

A brief biography for Trent Reznor can be found on Wikipedia. His chart is given a Rodden Rating of A on Astro-Databank (note: Astrodatabank’s biography of him has some factual inaccuracies).  His chart is pictured below (CTRL-Click to open an expanded version in a new tab).

Reznor’s Natal Chart

Thinking in Terms of Planets

As an artist, we can expect Venus to play a major role in matters of profession.  Vocals, as well as composition, are areas of music particularly pertinent to Mercury due to Mercury’s associations to verbalizing and intellectualism, respectively. Mercury also pertains to technology which plays a strong role in his music. His particular style is characteristically dark, with strong themes of pain, oppression, death, and control – things typical of the domain of Saturn. The style is also aggressive and industrial, things associated with Mars.

Finding the Professional Indicators

Before analyzing the profesional indicators, let’s briefly review the technique. The technique involves finding planets with more pertinence or “testimony” regarding “actions”, which involves the Mars, Venus, Mercury, the 10th place, and the Lights. We also look at general indications of planetary strength. The factors and basics are from Hellenistic and Persian astrology.

Relevance to Actions

  1. Places:

    No planets in the 10th or its “stakes”.  In terms of the 2nd and 6th, Venus and Jupiter are most pertinent, as they’re in the 6th.  Mercury and the Sun are relevant by this factor because they are in the 5th. Therefore, of the three planets of action, we look to Venus and Mercury.

  2. Rulership:

    The ruler of the 10th place is Venus, which is also a triplicity ruler of the Ascendant. The only planet with a stronger relationship to both the 1st and 10th is Saturn. Jupiter is the bound ruler of the Ascendant (and Mars is the bound ruler of the MC).  Mercury does not have rulership at the Ascendant but is the first triplicity lord of the 10th. Therefore, between Venus and Mercury, Venus has more important forms of rulership at the 10th place and the Ascendant.

  3. Phasis and the Lights:

    No planets are in phasis. Venus is nearly so, as she is moving out from the beams. Mars is the bound ruler of the sect light.

Relevance Conclusion

Venus has the most relevance to actions. Mercury is also significant. Note that Venus is in the place of the Lot of Fortune and Mercury rules the place, providing lesser indications. Jupiter, the Sun, and Saturn may also relate to the profession, though they are not among the three planets of actions.

Reznor’s Natal Chart

Prominence

  1. Advancing/Retreating:

    Mercury is conjunct an angle within 3*, so I consider it advancing in the strongest sense. All of the planets, aside from the Moon, are advancing, but the Sun is the next most advancing behind Mercury.

  2. Relationships to Lights:

    There are no planets in phasis. The Moon is applying to Mercury and had separated from Saturn. Mercury is assembled with the Sun. Saturn and Mars are the only planets regarded by both Lights. Therefore, Mercury has the strongest relationship with the lights.

  3. Stationing:

    There are no stations.

Prominence Conclusion

Mercury is by far the most prominent planet.  The Sun and Saturn also have prominence. Therefore, we expect Mercurial significations to crop up strongly in all areas of life. Mercury signifies rationality, intellect. technology, complexity, vocalization, language, and all forms of exchange.

Synthesizing Venus and Mercury

Venus is the planet with the most testimony regarding this matter but Mercury is the strongest planet of the chart and has some testimony with regards to actions.  Therefore, we take both Mercury and Venus.  Venus is viewed more in terms of the types of actions the native would like to be involved in as a calling due to her greater overall relevance. However, Mercury is the type of skill development that tends to dominate and get the most attention due to his generally powerful and pervasive influence in the life.  We expect a desire for artistic work with a strong intellectual, technological, and/or verbal component (in this case, all three).

That Venus is in a house of Mercury (Gemini) and Mercury in a house of Venus (Taurus) further stresses the mutuality of both, rather than them being totally separate skill sets.  In fact, Mercury is in the term of Venus also, and is in the 5th house, the Joy of Venus. The 5th house pertains to children as well as other forms of creative output (performance, works).  It is as if these planets keep evoking each other and looking for new ways to serve each other.

Venus in Depth

Further delineation of Venus finds that she is in the domicile of Mercury.  She is naturally fortunate as she’s a benefic and she’s in sect. Her fortune is enhanced by her assembly with Jupiter, location in Jupiter’s term, and the regard of the sect light, the Moon.  However, she is also in the 6th, dominated by Saturn and square to Mars, so she is strongly connected with malefic themes.

The themes which Venus connects with are the most prominent themes of Nine Inch Nail’s music. The strong associations of Venus with Mercury pertain to lyrics, vocals, programming, and a rational orientation. Venus is in an air and human sign, Gemini, so music (air art) and technology are fitting. The duality of the sign indicates an orientation toward playing two roles (singer, programmer/instrumentalist). The themes of the music relate strongly to her place and aspects, from her location in the 6th place, a bad place associated with slaves, accidents, and disease, to her associations with dark Saturn and violent Mars.

Saturn and the Self

Venus is colored by Saturn, lord of death, darkness, loss, and oppression, and Saturn has a strong association with the character and identity of Reznor. Saturn rules Capricorn, the 1st place of the self, so the planet of doubt, dread, death, and darkness makes its mark on Trent’s appearance and self-identification. An out of sect Saturn is particularly malefic. Venus is dominated by Saturn (right-side square) so themes of constriction, abuse, and bondage connected with sex and beauty are symbolized.

While an aside, it is interesting that Saturn is in the third place of siblings. When Reznor’s parents divorced he went to live with his grandparents and was separated from his sister who lived with their mother. The Moon (mother) in the 12th house of oppression dominates Saturn and the third house of siblings. Much more could be said about Saturn and the self but the focus of this article is on professional matters.

Mars in the House of God

Saturn, the ruler of the self, is strongly opposed by Mars in the 9th house of God, and both are in the stakes of Venus. The symbolism is of a violent God (Mars in the 9th) oppressing one who is despairing, doubtful, and downtrodden (Saturn as lord of the 1st). However, there is also a strong identification with Mars, as Mars is the exalted ruler of Capricorn and a triplicity ruler. The Saturn-Mars configuration connects strongly with the self and with Venus, so we see its autobiographical role in the art. The struggle with truth, doubt, and the trespasses of religion are frequent themes in the music of Nine Inch Nails.

Mercury in Depth

Mercury is in the domicile, term, triplicity, and Joy of Venus. Therefore, Mercury (communication, intellect, reason) is strongly directed to the arts (Venus). Matters associated with a Mercury have a strong and pervasive effect on the life. Mercury is determined most directly to creative works (5th place, Joy of Venus). Saturn overcomes Mercury by sextile and is assembled with the Sun, so there is both a sense of strong duty and discipline associated with Mercury and of publicity and achievement. The 9th place of God is ruled by Mercury, so there is a rational and utilitarian outlook on higher truth.

Birth of Nine Inch Nails

Pretty Hate Machine was released in October 1989 and was Reznor’s first album as Nine Inch Nails. Reznor was 24 years old. Therefore, in terms of annual profections, the album was released during a 1st house year, with Capricorn, and its ruler Saturn active. It was a pivotal year in terms of defining his identity as Nine Inch Nails.

As the cycle of Jupiter is 12 years and that of Venus is 8 years, both Jupiter and Venus are activated at 24 years (see planetary years). Additionally, both were undergoing their returns at his solar return for the year. In fact, the solar return for 1989 had Venus, Jupiter, and Mercury all together in Gemini. This highlighted the year as one in which their combined significations would come together. Additionally, Saturn was transiting through Capricorn, the first house, further highlighting the year as key to the Saturnine aspect of the identity. There was even a Mars-Saturn opposition at the time, mirroring that theme in his chart.

1989 Solar Return Transits (outer) to Birth Chart (inner)

1987-1992: Nine Inch Nails is Born

The primary directions of the Ascendant are very interesting for the period. We see his musical path become more defined in later 1987 and early 1988 when Venus aspects the directed Ascendant. The first Nine Inch Nails album is recorded in 1988, and re-recorded in 1989, and released in 1989. Broken is also recorded in early 1992. For the recording of both of these pivotal albums, the directed Ascendant was in the bound of Venus in Aquarius. In other words, the distributor, the planet that is most strongly activated in terms of life events, is Venus, his primary lord of actions.

Reznor Primary Directions of the Ascendant 1987-1997

Late 1992-1997: Peak Success

Interestingly, the peak success in his career came from late 1992 to 1997, with release of Broken (1992) and the Downward Spiral (1994). This was a period in which Jupiter was the distributor. Jupiter is conjunct Venus in his natal chart signifying fortunate circumstances related to Venus.

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed this brief look at the professional indicators in the chart of Trent Reznor. In future articles in this series, we will continue to explore matters of profession in the astrological chart.

Note: This article was significantly expanded and revised in April 2018.

Image Attribution

Featured image of Trent Reznor (cropped) by Rob Sheridan (Trent Reznor, February, 2008 (Press Photo)) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Astrology of Religion, Atheism, and Belief | 7. Arthur Schopenhauer

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Introduction

The ingredients and recipes for this type of analysis can be found in the first article of the series. The basics were reviewed with additional comments in the article on Madalyn Murray O’Hair.

Arthur Schopenhauer

Schopenhauer’s beliefs were quite complex. Belief played a major role in his life.  While he was an atheist, he was also heavily influenced by Eastern religious thought. You can check out his biography on Wikipedia by clicking here.  His natal chart is below, and has been given a Rodden Rating of AA.

Schopenhauer’s Birth Chart

Schopenhauer’s Chart Analyzed in Brief

Jupiter:

Very weak

Jupiter is retreating and cadent, so it is very weak.

Mixed, somewhat benefic

Jupiter is naturally benefic. Here it is in sect and overcome by Venus by sextile, so Jupiter has positive significations. However, Jupiter is in a bad place (the 12th) and is dominated by Saturn (right-side square) so there are negative significations with Jupiter as well.

Notes on Jupiter

Jupiter is the weakest planet in the chart. There is not a pervasive influence of spiritual expansion and positivity in Schopenhauer’s life.  However, there is some identification with Jupiter as it is the exalted ruler of the Ascendant. Jupiter overall signifies fortunate matters in the life, but it is not a prominent influence and has many negative associations. Additionally, Jupiter is dominated by the planet of doubt. 

9th Place:

Very strong and Saturnine, Solar, Mercurial, and Jupiterian

The 9th, Pisces, is ruled by Jupiter.  However, planets in the place will have a more direct effect on the place’s dealings. The presence of a Light, the Sun, in the 9th (the Joy of the Sun) is enough to make the 9th very strong. One signification of the Sun in the 9th can be in terms of honors and achievement related to matters of belief (religion, philosophy, science).  Saturn and Mercury are also in the 9th, characterizing it as a place of much doubt, skepticism, and intellectualism.  Jupiter rules the 9th, so there is a sense of religion and spirituality influencing the 9th in more of an overall sense. Therefore, the 9th is very prominent and very complex.

Benefic

While Saturn is in the 9th, it’s in sect, in a good place.  Having the sect light (the Sun) in the 9th, Jupiter ruling the 9th, and both Jupiter and the Moon in stakes of the 9th, makes this place a place of very positive significations in this life.

Notes on the 9th Place

The 9th is a very complex and prominent place in this life. Overall it signifies very fortunate circumstances that arise in the life. Doubt (Saturn), Achievement/heroism (Sun), and Intellectualism (Mercury) very directly impact matters of belief in Schpenhauer’s life, but there is an overall influence of religion and spirituality (Jupiter) upon these matters.

Saturn:

Strong 

Saturn is very strong, despite being combust and in a cadent place. It is strong because it is not only Strongly Advancing but actually conjunct the MC within 2 degrees.

Somewhat benefic

Saturn is naturally a mafefic so will indeed have some negative significations, but Saturn is in sect and in a good place, the 9th. Therefore, Saturn signified some fortunate matters in Schopenhauer’s life.

Notes on Saturn

Saturn is a very prominent and pervasive influence in Schopenhauer’s life. It is particularly strong in relation to belief.  Saturn is made somewhat benefic, so is not necessarily inclined to connect a lot of destructiveness and fear with matters of belief. However, Saturn will add considerable skepticism and critical thinking (more common among scientific seekers of truth than religious seekers).  The strength of the 9th and its beneficence shows considerable comfort with matters of belief and attainment of wisdom.

Mercury:

Strong

Mercury is strongly advancing, so while combust and in a cadent place, it still is strong overall.

Mixed, somewhat malefic

Mercury is somewhat malefic due to being out of sect and assembled with Saturn, but Mercury is in a good place and is naturally neutral, so Mercury’s capacity to signify unfortunate matters is limited.

Notes on Mercury

Interestingly there is not a strong identification with Mercury, the planet of intellectualism, though Mercury does have a strong influence upon affairs in the life.  There may even be some degree of negative association with intellectualism due to Mercury’s capacity to signify unpleasant or unfortunate states of affairs.

Conclusion

Schopenhauer is considered to have been an atheist. He was critical of religion and objected to the notion that a god or gods created this world.  However, he was not an outspoken atheist in the sense of actively speaking out against religion and all things supernatural.  Rather, Schopenhauer was strongly influenced by the Upanishads and Buddhism, and strongly advocated compassion. The Full Moon in its Joy in the 3rd, also reflects a component of the belief connected with powerful vivid subjective experience.

As typical of those who are skeptically inclined and averse to uncritical and/or jubilant spirituality, he had a very strong Saturn and a Jupiter that was not prominent (actually, quite weak).  Additionally, his 9th place  and Jupiter were both under the strong influence of Saturn.  Mercury was also quite strong.  However, what made Schopenhauer so complicated on these grounds is that the prominence of the 9th place with all of its pessimism, intellectualism, and achievement, appeared to nevertheless evoke a spiritual purpose and sense of goodness. This is shown in part through Jupiter’s rulership of the 9th house. Additionally, Schopenhauer probably identified more with this Jupiter truth-seeking than with doubt or intellectualism.

Astrology of Religion, Atheism, and Belief | 3. Percy Shelley

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An Astrology of Religion and Atheism

In this series, the charts of notable skeptics and religious folk are analyzed. Consistently applying some basic principles of Hellenistic astrology, we find that atheism and faith shows up in the birth chart.

The basic rules of the game were spelled out in the initial post of the series which you can find here.

Percy Shelley

Once again we are going to be looking at the chart of an atheist. This time it is the brilliant poet, Percy Shelley.  He led a short life filled with romance, as well as controversy. Notable for our purposes, Shelley was expelled from Oxford for writing a pamphlet, “The Necessity of Atheism”. Shelley is one of the few notable atheists of past centuries whose birth time is said to be accurate, with an A Rodden Rating.

Percy Shelley’s Natal Chart

Percy Shelley’s Chart Analyzed in Brief

Jupiter

Weak 

Jupiter is weak, as it is retreating and cadent.

Malefic

Jupiter is naturally benefic, but here it is out of sect, in a bad place (the 6th), and assembled with (actually in partile conjunction with) Mars.  Jupiter is regarded by Venus from the right side, but overall Jupiter is strongly associated with unpleasant things.

Note on Jupiter

Jupiter is weak and malefic, so we don’t expect expansive spirituality and religion to be a prominent influence in the life. We expect there to be a lot of negative associations with religion and faith.

9th Place

Strong and Saturnine

Just as in the chart of James Randi, we see the 9th empty but ruled by an extremely strong Saturn.  Saturn is in the 1st of the self, so there is a strong personal identification with Saturn. Saturn connects the self with matters of religion and belief very strongly, but in a Saturnine way filled with doubt, fear, and darkness.

Malefic

The 9th, is ruled by the out of sect malefic, Saturn, and so is connected with negative circumstances, particularly concerning fear, control, doubt, and so forth.  Mars is also square to the 9th place from the right side, adding to the contentiousness of this place.

Notes on the 9th Place

The influence of Saturn, planet of doubt, over the 9th place of God is very strong. There is an identification with the 9th place and a prominence in the life, but it is in a destructive sense. The 9th place is associated strongly with fear and suffering (Saturn) as well as fighting and contentions (Mars dominating the place and its exalted ruler). Therefore, there is a strong pull to repudiate religion. Also, matters of spirituality and higher truth have a dark coloring to them.

Saturn

Very strong

Saturn is strongly advancing and in the 1st place (strongest place), in fact, conjunct the Ascendant (Saturn was rising at birth).  The influence of Saturn in the life is extremely strong and pervasive.  The lord of darkness, death, doubt, and dread should make its mark all over the life in a major way.

Quite malefic

Saturn is naturally malefic, and as the out of sect malefic, entails malefic significations.  Saturn is in a good place (the 1st) but overall Saturn signifies for some of the worst things that happen in the life.

Notes on Saturn

As with Randi, Shelley was someone in constant touch with a powerful force of doubt, skepticism, and hardship of an often harsh sort, even identifying with such.

Mercury

Somewhat strong

Mercury is advancing and is in its own sign and bound, without any other major strength/weakness considerations.  Mercury is therefore somewhat strong.

Mostly benefic

Mercury is in sect and in a good place (the 5th of creativity and procreation) but is also regarded by Saturn by trine on the right side.  Overall, Mercury will be more benefic, but the influence of Saturn likely had it signify some negative matters or dark influence in the life at certain points.

Notes on Mercury

Percy identified quite strongly with Saturn, which occupies the Ascendant, and Venus, which rules it. Mercury is not a planet that was strongly identified with but it is prominent due to advancing in its own sign and bound.

Parting Notes

In conclusion, in Percy Shelley’s chart we see configurations typical of deep skepticism and atheism. Notably, Saturn is prominent, Jupiter is weak, and Jupiter and the 9th are associated with with malefic planets and tendencies. These indications are often accompanied by a strong Mercury or a strong identification with Mercury and/or Saturn.

 

Image attribution:

Featured image (Mary and Percy Shelley Engraving by George Stodart after monument by Henry Weekes) is in the public domain.