Eureka!

One of the worst transits to go through, Astrologers will no doubt agree, is a combination of Saturn to Pluto or Pluto to Saturn. In one word this transit is thought to bring a loss of some kind. I've got these two connected in my chart by a trine and in my life I have gone through a few Double Whammie Saturn-Pluto aspects and I have to say I agree with the usual interpretation. But it isn't the rule. There are no real rules because Nature and the Universe are a mystery. And here is proof (astrological proof for what it's worth): while looking up the disastrous financial situation that California is currently in -- a deadlock in the Government has frozen the money and the Franchise Tax Board is delaying sending out refunds and certain government agencies aren't working today because they can't pay their employees -- I found a really interesting & bizarre version of the Saturn-Pluto transit in California's History. But, this situation I really can't interpret with regards to loss. It would be interesting to look further in this particular person's biography to see what was really going on in his life.

The person I'm talking about is James Marshall. Marshall is the guy who discovered Gold. He is the Father of the Eureka Moment for which California is famous. California's economy is very dependent on Gold Rushes, whether for the actual item, the weather, or for the Real Estate, Hollywood or for the High Tech business. Now it turns out that we won't sink as far underwater during Global Warming. Gawd, I hope an earthquake happens soon, though, and scares off all the transplants -- so annoying and bullying.

James Marshall
b. Oct. 8, 1810 Hopewell, NJ

Sun 15 Libra; Moon Aquarius?; NN 6 Libra

Strike Gold
Jan. 24, 1848 Sutter's Mill, Coloma, CA in the Morning, I set chart for 9am but an Aquarius Rising sure would be appropriate

Sun 4 Aquarius; Moon 23 Virgo (at 9am); NN 3 Libra; 11 Pisces

First of all I need to look at the astrology of "the Eureka moment." There as some fun indicators here. I'm going to suppose that Uranus and Aquarius are the rulers of such a situation. On the day that Marshall had his great discovery, the Sun was conjunct Mercury in Aquarius and trining the transiting North Node. Uranus was 10 degrees away from Pluto in Aries in a very wide conjunction.

Marshall's natal chart hooks into this as he was having a Nodal Return (Fated Path) which trines his natal Sun. His progressed Mars was at 1 Libra in conjunction with his natal North Node and the transiting North Node. Transiting Uranus was also opposing Marshall's Sun to the degree (15 Aries to 15 Libra Sun).

Eureka!!!!! There's Gold in Them Thar Hills!

As California was accepted into the Union around this time California also has the Uranus-Pluto conjunction and I always suspected that this is the reason for all the Gold Rushes. Even more shocking than Uranus working alone is Uranus working with Mars (sign of Aries) and Pluto.

Where the Astrologers would no doubt have screwed Marshall up royally was in telling him about how awful transiting Saturn is to natal Pluto. Natally Marshall had Pluto in Pisces which is involved in a t-square opposing Mars 9 Virgo and squaring Saturn 12 Sagittarius. This t-square almost fans out into a Grand Square as Mars is squaring an opposition of Venus 2 Sagittarius to Jupiter 1 Gemini. On Jan. 24, 1848 when Marshall went down into the mine and made himself into a millionaire transiting Saturn was at 11 Pisces. It was even squaring natal Saturn! In Pisces. Natal Saturn is conjunct Neptune even. How depressing. How many Astrologers would have had him sobbing all over himself???

On the Eureka day there was a Kite Shape which is a good omen. Grand Trine of Saturn 11 Pisces to Chiron 11 Virgo trine Jupiter 14 Cancer. That's good. You know Jupiter had to have been hanging around. Chiron was opposite Mars. Mars likes to bring on a Rush.

Marshall was also going through his Venus Return in Sagittarius, or he was approaching Venus return, still too far out of orb. Venus is the dispositer of his Sun (rules Gold) and North Node so this is more important in Marshall's chart than in some of us poor schmucks. (Study of the Eclipses would probably be interesting).

Marshall also had a very prominent Mars in Virgo, sign of precision analysis. Mars rules picks and sharp tools, physical activity, rushing around, digging. Mars is a singleton in his chart and is involved in 2 t-squares so it's very active. My brother has a Virgo Mars and does construction. He can walk into a building and ram a pick into just the right spot in the structure to pull it apart perfectly. (My Mother also had Mars in Virgo. She was very good at knowing just how to pick on people so that they become completely unstrung. Okay, so I'm whining.) So, Marshall's eye or "sense" would have been a bit more particular than some of us. Marshall's progressed Mars was perfectly placed as well. I mentioned that it was conjunct his Nodal Axis both natally and by transit. It was also squaring his progressed Venus at 6 Capricorn.

This is how far this has to go. Check out this chart someday. It is truly Golden. Do not cram people full of fear. Ruthlessness applied to work can sometimes pay off. (in relationships it rarely works). Loss and Loneliness very often come long after one knows (deep down at any rate) that a thing or situation is dead.