Saturn Returns - William James

While studying William Bates' chart I thought I remembered that William James, the great philosopher-psychologist, had experienced blindness as a young man which he was able to recover from. Couldn't find that information this time. I guess he suffered from all kinds of physical complaints and was considered a "neurasthenic," hypersensitive to everything. You look at his chart and you know why: he had 6 planets in Capricorn, 3 of them placed in his 1st house of physical body, the rest in H2 of "touch" and "sensation".

Capricorn is the sign of physical perception, sometimes it makes the senses too acute, sometimes it gives remarkable control over them, sometimes if you stress a Capricorn out they develop a whole new reality, kind of schiz out. I'm thinking of Cezanne, whose paintings recreated a whole new perception of space.

Anyway, Capricorn is also a Cardinal Sign so it tends to start new things. James was a pioneer in his fields. He said that "the first lecture of psychology I ever heard (was) the first I ever gave." That's just so "Cardinal Signy". (It also sounds kind of Cowboy, you can tell he's American). James added the concept of "Functionalism" to psychology and the concept of "Pragmatism" to philosophy. I have no idea what either means except that the words are just so "Capricorny". They also seem to have been spawned from the revelation that James had during his Saturn Return which brings us back to the reason for this babble. Astrologers like to put the fear of God into young people by telling them that their lives will fall apart at around age 29 when Saturn returns to its natal spot in their chart. Then they don't explain what this means. They just get really round eyed and let you know it will just be "really intense" for a couple of years. It has something to do with Aging and making Decisions, more "Capricorny" types of issues. Nothing lets the air out of a 27-year-old's jets quite like hearing this shit.

Anyway, James with 6 planets in Capricorn, both Sun and Moon among them and 3, Saturn itself among them, in the 1st house and in its own sign. He was bound to have the Mother of all Saturn Returns. I suppose I should say "Father" of all Saturn Returns, more "Capricorny." His Saturn Return was so significant in his life, involved a severe depression, supplied the direction for the rest of his life, even involved his Father, another "Capricorny" issue. Capricorns would hate that word, "Capricorny," too corny, by the way.

So.

William James
b. Jan. 11, 1842 4:30am New York, NY

Sun 21 Capricorn; ASC 10 Sagitttarius; Moon 18 Capricorn; MC 28 Virgo

The 1st house planets: Jupiter 6 Capricorn; Saturn 8 Capricorn; Venus 8 Capricorn
The 2d house planets: Mercury 18 Cap; Moon 18 Cap; Sun 21 Cap; North Node Aquarius; Neptune Aquarius.

Capricorn is the sign of the old man. James was born old and sickly, probably the type of kid who was afraid to hang upside down from the jungle gym without a spotter. He struggled with physical ailments and mental depressions during his whole younger years but snapped out of it during a revelation right between the time between his Saturn Return and his prog. Moon return. Then he invented the 20th Century mindset for all to behold.

Born into a wealthy family that spent much of his childhood in Europe as ex patriots. His brother Henry is a famous writer who told stories about neurotic Victorians through the use of incredibly long sentences. His sister did something else, can't remember what. William's Father was a Theologian who suffered all kinds of psychological misery which he tried to cure through Religious fervor. This anxiety passed on to the son who thought that (according to Wiki article) "he was biologically bound to repeat his Father's problems." James went through Medical School and managed to write and publish highly regarded papers but he was always sick with all kinds of Capricorn ailments (eyes, back, stomach, skin, depression, suicide). He totally crashed psychologically in 1870. Then, one day in April, 1870, probably while sitting on a plush velvet pillow on a carved mahogany window bench, pale, pulse faintly beating, a single wren chirping outside:

"He recorded in his journal that, after reading an essay by Charles Renouvier, he had come to believe that free will was no illusion and that he could use his will to alter his mental state. He need not be a slave to a presumed biological destiny. "My first act of free will," he wrote, "shall be to believe in free will." (www.des.emory.edu/mfp/jphotos.html)

He didn't have to be like Daddy!

Here are the transits and progressions for April, 1870:

T. Saturn 29 Sagittarius approaching n. Jupiter and then Saturn at 6 and 8 Capricorn. Sagittarius represents Free Will and Belief Systems, Capricorn represents disciplined control of the emotional and Authority over self and others. Strong here because Sagittarius rules the Chart and 1st house emphasis on presentation of self to others.

Progressed Mars at 26 Pisces c. natal IC at 27 Pisces. Aggressive urge to break free from Genetic traits, what one is born to. Described in the Wikipedia article as a "Psychological fever break."

Prog.Moon 30 Capricorn c. natal NN 30 Capricorn (merging of emotions with problem solving). Major life transition.

T. NN 25 Cancer opposing t. SN 25 Capricorn c. Sun 21 Capricorn (confusion) trined by Pluto at 25 Taurus, easing of intense emotional pain, feelings of gaining control over emotions.

T. Neptune 20 Aries c. n. Pluto 19 Aries c. Solar Arc Uranus 19 Aries squaring natal Mercury-Moon-Sun. Aspect of deep spiritual confusion just beginning to separate. The SA Uranus adds the suddeness to the revelation. (James didn't get his first real job for another 2 years after all). Natally James has Neptune as a singleton in both Air and Fixed signs. Pluto is also a Singleton in Fire.

Progressed Sun 20 Aquarius, prog. Venus 14 Aquaruis, conjunct natal Neptune 16 Aquarius. Don't know what this really means, just a feeling of good old fashioned Victorian euphoria about how ideally beautiful the World is.

Most of James' planets are on the Left Side of his chart, also accounting for his innate sense of having Free Will. It would be interesting to see his Father's chart.

So, like all the rest of the astrologer's I can't really conclude anything about Saturn Returns. William James suffered through his but through that suffering developed his life work. Sounds "Capricorny" enough.