Thursday, January 27, 2011

King George VI and “The King’s Speech”

The King’s Speech, a movie based on the life of King George VI of England, premiered first on Sept. 4, 2010 in Telluride, CO. I used 8:00 pm as the time of the premier, but it could have been at any time during the day. The question of whether or not a person’s chart is activated after death has long fascinated astrologers, so when something like this comes along, it is interesting to test whether or not it is true. First, though, an examination of his chart is in order to give a little background.
The future king was born on December 14, 1895 at 3:05 am in Sandringham, England. He was baptized Albert Frederick Arthur George after his great grandmother, Queen Victoria’s, deceased husband, and his birth was on the anniversary of Albert’s death. His childhood was difficult due to knock knees that were corrected with painful braces, delicate health, forced to write with his right hand although being left handed, a stammer that invited ridicule, and seeing his older brother always favored. It was said of him that he was “easily frightened and prone to tears.”
His birth chart shows this childhood clearly. The fourth house (early home life) is ruled by Uranus which is in a stellium spanning the first and second houses of the physical body and self-worth. This stellium includes Saturn, Uranus, Moon and Mars, all in Scorpio except Mars, which is at 1:21 Sagittarius. Moon in Scorpio bestows deep reactions and emotional turmoil—especially when very close to Uranus, adding suddenness to reactions, hence “easily frightened.” Mars, less than seven degrees away, only exacerbates this. Saturn, when connected to Uranus, can indicate a feeling of hopelessness, lack of freedom, a feeling of “one must do what one must do.” And, of course, Saturn conjoining the Moon (which it does because of Uranus bridging the distance between them) is notorious for hyper sensitivity and depression, leading also to a feeling of loneliness.
Further, the chart ruler, Venus, is also in Scorpio and square Jupiter in Leo, which conjoins the MC. I am amazed that he didn’t have diabetes (maybe, though who knows?), but he did smoke to excess, which eventually led to his early demise. This square often indicates illnesses associated with over-indulgence or a lack of ability to process sugars. But, in this case, because Venus rules the ascendant, he would over-react to anything that attacked pride and ego (Jupiter in Leo). But, where you may ask, do we find the stammer?
Sun and Mercury are conjoined in the second house in Sagittarius. These are opposing Neptune conjunct Pluto in Gemini in the eighth. We would expect Gemini to be represented or the third house, but Neptune and Pluto would not qualify for a specific case like this because they are outer planets in a sign for many years. However, Mercury (speech, communication) opposing Pluto is difficult because the process of talking would be so intensely important, it could indicate excessive concentration of effort resulting in physical and psychological blockages. Neptune opposing both Mercury and the Sun further erodes self-esteem and amplifies imagination so that the owner of the chart can imagine or fear slights that may not even exist. The third house is ruled by Jupiter, and Jupiter is the dispositor of Mercury—therefore, it is of importance. Since it is in Leo and conjoins the MC, his ego and pride, even public image, is all bound up in his communicating abilities. Since it squares the ruler of the whole chart, Venus, and is the most angular planet, he has a deep conflict about this issue. Further, the south node in Virgo indicates a perfectionist, so he would be deeply aware of all his flaws and shortcomings.
Two Important Speeches
The last straw leading the future king to do something about his stammer was a speech he gave on December 31, 1925. It was so painful for him and the audience, he sought help the next year. The progressions for that day show the progressed Ascendant conjoining progressed Saturn—both at 17 Scorpio. Transiting Saturn, at 22 Scorpio was just passing his natal Uranus in the same degree (“I have to do what I have to do.”) Progressed Sun was sextile natal Uranus, progressed Mercury opposing the MC, transiting Mercury opposing Neptune, and most importantly, transiting Uranus squaring the natal Sun within two minutes!! That is famous for being a “declaration of independence” from whatever constraints are bothering anyone. For the past two years, progressed Mars had been conjoining the Sun, so he was frustrated and angry about the whole situation, and he had just had his Saturn return, a time of confronting whatever is haunting a person.
The second important speech was on May 9, 1927 in Canberra, Australia. He had been working with his therapist for about six or seven months, and this was the first speech in which he did not stammer. (note that this was about a decade before he was king) Solar arc Moon is only 18 minutes from trining the Descendant (public), the progressed Moon is just about to conjoin the progressed Sun—a brand new beginning, solar arc Ascendant is about to change signs—a new personality emerging, transiting Saturn is trining Jupiter and the MC—gaining control over one’s public image, transiting Jupiter is trine the Moon—joy, and transiting Uranus is trine Mars—unique abilities. There are other contacts for both these speeches, but these are the main indicators.
And Now the Movie:
This movie is going to give the public new insight about this quiet king who died way too early. Amazingly, the chart of the debut in Telluride, CO on September 4, 2010, and progressions/solar arcs for the date activated the King’s chart as vividly as the above events!! Immediately, we see that transiting Venus is conjoining the King’s birth chart Ascendant exactly (and would have been in range no matter what time the film aired). Progressed Venus at 22:53 Pisces is just about at the midpoint trining the natal Uranus-Sun conjunction. The progressed MC is just past Mars, but keep in mind the movie had been in production earlier, when the MC was right on the Mars—changing public perceptions. Solar arc Venus is square Mars exactly within one minute!! Since Venus rules the 12th and 1st, and Mars rules the 7th and 6th (Koch system), then this indicates the movie’s bringing into public awareness the private life of the King and his health issues.
The progressed Moon is opposing the natal Jupiter, and since the progressed Sun is quincunx progressed Saturn, we may see this film changing awareness about speech impediments more than anticipated. Progressed Mercury is conjoining progressed Hygeia, the asteroid regarding health matters, and both are approaching a trine to the MC and sextile (tightly) natal Juno. I’m sure this movie is making the Queen Mother (Juno—his wife) very, very happy. She had asked that any drama about the King’s personal speech problems not be made public in her lifetime. Progressed Juno is also in the last minute of Pisces, being transited by Uranus and both are trine the progressed Jupiter. All these energies are moving into a new expression. Solar arc Juno is opposing natal Mars. Even transiting Neptune is trine the ascendant. There may be more contacts, but this gives you the idea.
Why?
The movie is about this man’s life. Therefore, it is reasonable that the events unfolding pertaining to it would show up in the birth chart of the person in question. We’ve seen this in events connected to her life unfolding after Marilyn Monroe’s death. All is energy, so if one is “acting out” a person’s life, the event would tap into the energy of the person in question.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Is Our Zodiac Wrong?

I have to comment on the recent hoopla in the media about the 13th sign and the precession of the equinoxes. We astrologers have long (and I mean LONG) known about that. I wrote an article about "the new sign" over ten years ago. It's as predictable as the sunrise that every dozen years or so, some scientist or skeptic will publish something like this thinking they are "enlightening" us and pointing out our ignorance. There are even some astrologers who prefer the Sidereal Zodiac upon which this is based. But within their circles, they are not even in agreement about exactly where the first degree of Aries falls in that constellation.

Two thousand years ago the Sun was aligned with the constellations that were used to "name" the signs. It did not mean that the constellations CAUSED anything. It was simply a reference point at the time for nomenclature. Over the years, we have refined the discipline. It is really based on our seasons and is pretty much contained in our solar system. There are some fixed stars that we use, but not ALL the constellations that fall on the Ecliptic! There are several others besides the one being touted right now.

Zero Aries each year is aligned with the Vernal Equinox (first day of spring) and then the signs along the ecliptic are calculated from there--30 degrees each. Having worked with these for forty years, and knowing the signs extremely well, I assure you, the system we use (called The Tropical Zodiac) is highly accurate. Relax. This is not important and will soon pass as it always has.

Gabrielle Giffords

The shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords on January 8, 2011 may go down in history as the event that made the difference. There is so MUCH being activated in the USA Sibley chart, it would be hard to believe it was just another massacre among many we have witnessed in recent years.

On December 21, 2010 there was an eclipse at 29 degrees of Gemini. That triggers a sensitive four-point pattern including 29 degrees of Gemini, Sagittarius, Virgo and Pisces. The 29th degree of any sign is considered a “fated” degree and sometimes denotes the qualities of a martyr. Many times when a person is born with a personal planet in this degree, there is a sacrificial quality to some part of the life—usually related to where the planet is located and what it rules—especially in Pisces. In the case of the USA natal chart, there is nothing at that degree exactly, but the MC is only a couple degrees from squaring it, and therefore is in range of being included as a signal of potential events of a significant and sacrificial nature. The MC has already been highly sensitive due to most of the outer planets recently forming challenging aspects to it, and since it represents the leader of the country, we are seeing that played out vividly in the difficulty the president has been having. In addition, Uranus and Jupiter are now very close to 29 Pisces—just a couple degrees away—one of the things denoting the suddenness of this event.

As most of you know, I am a big user of solar arc, having written a book about it. Transits and eclipses DO trigger solar arc positions. On January 8, the USA solar arc Moon’s nodes were positioned at 29 Pisces/Virgo!! And the USA chart’s progressed Moon was only 10 minutes from being 29 Virgo. This is yet another bit of evidence to verify the 5:10 pm time of “birth” for the USA. Otherwise, the progressed Moon would be in a very different place. As a side note, even transiting Juno, the asteroid representing marriage and particularly the married woman, was at 29 Virgo at the time of the shooting.

There were several things at 29 degrees in the USA chart other than these. First, the secondary progressed Ascendant was at 29:26 Leo, about to change signs in about six to seven months. It stays in a sign roughly 30 years, and a change of sign of this angle means a changed persona. It is going from ostentatious, sometimes arrogant, and unapologetically high-living Leo into humble, hard-working, service-oriented and analytical Virgo. That is probably a very good thing. The progressed Moon will change signs in about a month into Libra, and progressed Pluto is at 29:12 of Capricorn, but it has always been in that sign and not changing until 2050, therefore, it is not a big concern right now. Solar arc Jupiter is at 28:50 Aquarius and in a year and two months will go into kind and benevolent (or delusional and deceptive—however we choose to use it) Pisces, where it will stay for thirty years. It is the chart ruler, so is very powerful. It was exactly to the minute quincunx the progressed Moon at the time of the shooting. Usually, it is not kosher to mix solar arcs with secondary progressions, but sometimes I wonder. If this IS active, then it would mean that much of the country as a whole would detach from taking responsibility for this massacre. We’re seeing it already on Fox news and elsewhere as those who have spewed hate rhetoric are distancing themselves from it.
The time the shooter opened fire was 10:10 a.m. in Tucson, AZ. At that time the chart of the shooting had 7:06 Pisces rising, and the Moon was exactly at 7:06 Pisces!! First, that is less than a degree from the progressed USA Sun at 6:13 Pisces. That, alone, is amazing. They both opposed USA natal Astraea and were square natal Uranus (just about at the midpoint between them)—again an indication of the sudden unexpectedness and shock of this event. They also were square solar arc Saturn at 7 Gemini. (transits trigger solar arcs) Since the progressed Sun will go on to square the progressed Uranus in about nine to ten months and then the natal Uranus in two years and roughly eight months, we can expect some more shocks ahead if we learn nothing accurately from this event.

I’ve found that when I’m about to need some information, it seems I get it prior to the time I’ll need it, not realizing that I will. Just recently I’d been researching Astraea for no apparent reason. It represents the place of tenacity in any chart—where there is a very difficult time changing direction. In the USA horoscope, it’s located where we look to find information about our laws, lawmakers, masse consciousness and also, attitude about foreign countries—or how they perceive us—ninth house. Uranus squares it. In terms of our “personality” it would show excessive independence and even rebellion—holding on tenaciously to autocratic behavior.

Pluto, as other authors have noted, is a big player here. It was exactly opposing the USA Jupiter at the time of the shooting, and of course, as many know by now, activating Mrs. Giffords’ Mars-Uranus square. This can mean many things, but the main thing is justice. Jupiter is associated with the ninth house and Sagittarius, both having to do with laws and justice. Pluto is transformation and a thorough rebirthing process. Since Jupiter rules the whole chart, it can mean an in-depth soul search in this country about how we treat our mentally ill, our projected image to foreign countries, what we do with our resources—after all, one has to ask how we are able to pour billions of dollars into attacking other countries, murdering hundreds of thousands of their people and destroying their infrastructure but just CANNOT afford to care for our most vulnerable and helpless people. People are going to be very angry about this since transiting Mars was opposing the USA Mercury at the time of the shooting, which is minor, but still a factor in our reactions.

On January 4th of this year, there was an eclipse at 13 Capricorn, closely opposing the USA Sun at 13 Cancer and squaring Saturn at 14 Libra, and transiting Saturn was in close proximity to its natal position. When two eclipses are so closely in aspect to components of a natal chart—especially those involving a Saturn return, you can be sure the next six months to a year will be eventful and important.

Other things to note: Transiting Sun at 18 Capricorn was square the USA’s secondary progressed Mars at 18 Libra—violence. This will happen on some day close in range every year, but the days that it does will have more violence than usual.
Chiron is worth mentioning. It is where in a chart we see the hard-to-heal wound an entity comes in with. We have a collective wound about being “first,” being self-referencing (if we don’t experience it, we don’t understand it), head-strong and aggressive—even childish and too subjective. Our Chiron is in Aries. The wound is probably about having been impotent in our collective past lives and not having our individuality recognized. Perhaps now we are over-compensating. However, it’s in the fourth house (Koch system), so we are also healing a longing for home, family and security, therefore producing fierce patriotism. Isn’t it interesting that we attempt to “feed” the rest of the world (fourth house is nurturance), but we do it “our” way (Aries)? Right now solar arc Chiron is just past our ascendant—only 41 minutes of a degree, if our ascendant is really 12:21 Sagittarius. And progressed Venus is conjoining natal Chiron. Even Vesta is on the eclipse degree at 12:39 Capricorn and opposing the Sun.

Last, but by no means least, is the ongoing transit of Neptune to the USA natal Moon. This is the background noise of the last couple years that is at the base of everything. The Moon is the grassroots population, it’s housing and security as well as the emotional health of the nation. It rules the eighth house, which represents other people’s power, the power of BIG money because the 8th is banking, insurance, debt, etc. Neptune rules the intercepted third (again, the Koch system), and so we are definitely being deceived. There is no doubt about it. As a result, we’re confused and do not have enough information to be really informed about anything. It also represents willingness to sacrifice as well as the sacrifices we’ve already been making through our dead and maimed young men who’ve been sent off to a devastating war for no reason other than greed.

Gabrielle Giffords’ chart

Congresswoman Giffords was shot on January 8, 2011 at 10:10 a.m. in Tucson, AZ. She was born on June 8, 1970, but we don’t have the time of birth yet. In Mrs. Giffords’ untimed chart (I used noon), two things, even without a time of birth, stand out. One, Pluto was still in range of opposing her natal Mars squaring her natal Uranus. This is the most violent of all aspects with Uranus injecting the element of surprise. She had already been the target of violent action over the previous couple of years, one being a recent break-in of her Tucson office. It is possible, if she were born much later in the day, that solar arc Mars could be conjoining her Moon right now, as well, but that is speculation.
The second contact is that her solar arc Saturn is still in range of squaring her natal Pluto. Progressions and directions of any kind stay in effect for a very long time—up to almost two years in the case of Solar Arc—and therefore it is still able to be triggered. The trigger was Mars, the planet we associate with war and violence (Martial arts, martial law, etc. all come from the root, Mars). Mars at the time was located at 24:21 Capricorn, in a tight trine to her natal Pluto. This may be why it was a wound instead of death. Even though the solar arc contact was a square, a trine can trigger it, and it will activate the SQUARE, not act as a trine.

Further, her progressed Sun at 26:17 Cancer was square her natal Jupiter at 26:23 Libra. Even though it is a square, it is sometimes a very lucky indicator. A saving grace may be Uranus and Jupiter transiting trine her natal Neptune, although they were between that and an opposition to natal Pluto. The eclipse of December 21, 2010 was in range of opposing her natal Pluto. When we find her time of birth, it may be that the eclipse of January 4th may have been prominent, as well.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

January 4th Eclipse

We start the New Year with an important eclipse on January 4th at 4:03:16 a.m. in Washington DC. If you live outside the United States, you’d have it occur at a different time (for your zone), and the chart for your country (calculated for the capital city) and its concerns would be different, as well.
This eclipse is very significant for our country because it is within minutes of opposing the USA Sun. And, since the US is also having a Saturn return this year, it is significant because in the eclipse chart Saturn is two degrees from its birth position and also activated by the eclipse. There are other contacts, as well.
One of the most pressing problems we have today is the growing inequality between the rich and poor. For an assessment of why this is a major social problem, see http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/02/opinion/02kristof.html?_r=1. (You’ll have to copy and paste this into your browser, more than likely.) Those who feel we should not have to help the less fortunate through social programs may realize later, if their policies are implemented, that it actually costs them more eventually than if they just tried to work for more equality. This eclipse chart points to financial issues being the most important over the next year. Not only does the eclipse fall in the second house of the eclipse chart drawn for the USA, but also the second house of the USA chart, as well. With Saturn squaring the eclipse and Pluto not being far away from it either—eight degrees—our economy is in dire straits. The mind-set of the average citizen is very fearful and anxious.
On the surface, however, we’ll collectively appear to be OK; Venus is rising. But Venus is exactly square Neptune within one minute of orb, so underneath that façade is confusion and lack of focus—a feeling of helplessness and sacrifice. Since Venus rules the seventh house, which has to do with treaties and alliances with foreign countries, among other things, we can expect to be kept in the dark or deceived about those issues, Wikileaks notwithstanding. Neptune rules the fourth, so at our core, security is dissolving. Property values continue to be elusive. Even if they appear to rise, it will not be solid. Since Venus rules the sixth (jobs, civil services, etc.), those things, too, continue to erode.
The good thing is that in the fourth, Jupiter and Uranus are tightly conjoined, also one minute of orb, and within ten and eleven minutes of exactly being trine Venus. This shows that the public is waking up, getting impatient and may do something unexpectedly and in greater measure than we anticipated. It would have a very positive impact, and the masses’ insight and judgment about what is happening is relatively accurate, despite that Venus-Neptune influence.

What can we do?

In hard times, it might be a good idea to meditate on why we are here in this life in the first place. I believe we are here to become ONE, consciously, so that we may return to the Father. A Course in Miracles (and the Bible as well) teaches that what we do to our fellow human beings, we are doing to Jesus and to ourselves because we really ARE one, whether we realize it yet or not. (“Ask not for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.”)
The key is to ask ourselves if what we do and say is divisive or unifying. It is obvious that we are on the wrong track when we point a finger and say, “It is THEIR fault! THEY need to change.” That is why I think Glenn Beck and Ms. Coulter are so dangerous. When we start labeling groups of people as “wrong” or “bad,” especially without knowing what we are talking about, it is divisive. It creates fear. A Course in Miracles says there are only two things that are real: love and fear. When you are living in one state, you cannot be in the other.
This morning the guest minister at our church mentioned that the early church in the first century stood out as “weird” because they went against the social norm and were kind and good to people. They took food to the sick, helped widows and orphans, and visited prisoners. Times were hard then, and society had become hard and selfish out of fear of not having enough. What the Christians were doing was unheard of! They did no street corner proselytizing, no strong tactics for converts…they just went about their daily lives caring about and helping other people as though they were their own family. The early church grew and prospered from this activity. But, what is happening now? Christians are actually supporting war out of fear of their brothers.
So, in conclusion, when we get into the demonstration and rebellion phase of the coming Uranus square Pluto era for the next several years, ask yourself if what you propose and believe furthers the energy of love becoming more prevalent or do you prefer more fear? To paraphrase Martin Luther King, Jr., Love begets more love and war begets more war. You can’t kill a man’s children and expect him to thank you.

END NOTE: The lecture about 2011 that I’ve been giving away became so much in demand, it was taking too much time to send it out individually. I had to finally just post it on my website as an instant download. You can go to www.devineadvantage.com, and it is immediately apparent. It will be there indefinitely as a gift. Happy New Year!!