Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri

This kid has grown up to be every Mother's dream.  Al Qaeda's best bomb builder.

According to Rex Bills Rulership Book, Uranus rules bombs along with Mars as a sub-ruler.  Mars rules weaponry like guns and knives.  Bombs are more complicated and require an Outer Planet influence I guess.  Uranus rules all group activities, including getting killed with others I guess.  Mars rules ignitions and sparks and Uranus rules unexpected and shocking events along with innovative flair. So, put them together and you go kaboom.

Asiri's chart has a sextile between these planets with a 2 second orb.  That's pretty precise.  Sextiles show talent in a natal chart.  These two planets have no other major aspects to other planets so they work as an island influence in the chart.

Mars is at 4 Libra Rx and Uranus is at 4 Sagittarius Rx.  Those Rx's show that one needs to look at his progressions to watch for banner years in this dude's life.  When they come out of progression, o boy.  No, make that O "Little Boy."

To add to this insulated influence in al-Asiri's chart, the world's best bomb maker has an Aries Sun.  So al-asiri's Sun disposits to his Mars.  That's a lot of fire energy.  He was also born during a conjunction of Saturn to Pluto in Libra which shows an innate sense of what is real and what is not.  It's great for scientific creations.  It's a connection that is associated with Loss and feelings of ruthlessness which can branch out in ugly ways that are not fun to party with later in life.  Saturn-Pluto is extremely hard working and determined.  Both planets don't give up a fight easily and they are reserved so one may not always know what one is dealing with.  They like to make plans and carry them out.  They like to manage and advise others.  Mars is merely trigger happy.  Saturn and Pluto want to make you remember what they came here for.  Means business, figuratively and literally.

Ibrahim Hassan Al-Asiri
b. either Apr. 18 or 19, 1982  Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Sun 29 Aries, Moon either Aquarius or Pisces;  NN  18 Cancer Rx

24/06/1402  Hijri Calendar

This source is the list of current al-Qaeda members.  Would be interesting to study at a later date although I personally might not want to get involved.
http://www.un.org/sc/committees/1267/AQList.htm

Al-Asiri is born with Mars at 4 Libra Retrograde.  This means that Mars is in the sign of its Fall, Mars is in the sign which opposes it's natural rulership.  Mars strikes out, Venus strikes back, usually with a desire for Peace or at least non-violence. They rule both ends of the Relationship Pole in the chart. They both want to Act because they both rule Cardinal signs.  Cardinal Signs like to start things.  If you build bombs you can destroy things rather than finish them if they start to annoy you. The Mars Rx shows al-Asiri and everyone else born within a couple of months of his birthday have a special experience in trying to resolve Mars in Libra issues. That's some heavy need to balance what one wants rather than what others want. There are zillions of ways they can do this, don't have to become bomb builders.  They might have bad tempers or attract people who do.  The progressed Mars in the U.S. chart is in this same Retrograde position right now.

In al-Asiri's progressed chart, Mars Stationed Direct back in 2005-6 at 1 Libra.  That's not only an Aries Point but it has been getting hits from the recent big outer planet t-square between Saturn-Uranus-Pluto.He's also also just completed his first Saturn Return, that's a time for making major decisions about one's role in the world.  He become top bomb builder.  As I said his natal Saturn is Rx in Libra in conjunction with Pluto Rx in Libra and widely in a stellium with Jupiter in Scorpio.  All this opposes his natal Aries Sun.

His attitude changed greatly when his brother died from a suicide bombing in 2009.  This is a few years after his prog. Mars SD at 1 Libra (Aries Point, comes before public).  Natal Mercury (sibling) is 6 Taurus.  Prog. Mercury in 2009 was at 14 Gemini which is that weird Gemini-Sagittarius pole connected with Arab terrorism (placement of the Saturn-Pluto opposition during 9/11).  He possibly has a natal trine with Moon and Saturn in Aquarius and Libra.  Moon and Saturn represent Family connections, Homeland, patriotism, tradition.  Progressed Mercury would have filled in a Grand Trine figure which would perhaps make him feel more motivated.  I'm trying to figure out what will show motivation in a chart.  A Grand Trine can seal off an energy (my trans of what I think Noel Tyl says) and can be connected to feeling like one has found one's calling in life.  It might be like a Vortex influence which sucks one down eventually into fanaticism.  Al-Asiri's Natal North Node is in Cancer so this shows that he would be drawn in this direction.  Too bad he doesn't use his natural talents in directing energy to develop a water purification process instead which is what the world needs in order to get along right now.  Somebody send him a book about Viktor Schauberger or something.

His Aries Sun, which as I said disposits to Mars is strongly placed in his natal chart.  It is opposing Saturn 19 Libra Rx, Pluto 26 Libra Rx, and Jupiter 7 Scorpio Rx.  Oppositions show relationships and balancing acts and a person who will engage with others.  In this case, al-Asiri feels naturally connected to the politics of his time as shown through Sun opposing Jupiter and Saturn which represent political and social affairs.  Pluto opposite Sun will show power plays with others. 

By Solar Arc this opposition is hitting his natal Uranus in Sagittarius.  With the upcoming 2.5 year long mutual reception of Saturn and Pluto along with the transiting Uranus-Pluto square I hope we don't see al-Asiri's finest hour.  Currently he's having his Saturn Return which is opposing natal Sun and in conjunction with n.Saturn-Pluto-Jupiter.  His prog. Sun is at 29 Taurus and will be opposing natal Uranus 4 Sagittarius Rx over the next 5 or 6 years.

Tennis Player Lobs Ball At Crying Baby

Spanish tennis player David Ferrer just made news at a tennis match. While getting ready to 'lob a serve', a baby in the stands was balling his head off.

Aries Sun Ferrer tossed the ball up in the air and slammed it right over at the baby. I don't know where the ball landed, I guess that both Father and Baby are okay.

Of course, not all Aries will do this kind of thing. So, I wanted to look at the astrology to see what special planetary situation would be responsible for sending a guy over the edge. This guy is Spanish after all. They don't think twice about crying babies. It's not like the guy is Protestant German or something.

So, what is the astrology for an extreme reaction while performing one's job at a sporting event no that most of us would ever have to go through this ourselves due to lack of talent, discipline, ambition, and luck?

David Ferrer
b. Apr. 2, 1982 Alicante, Spain

Sun 13 Aries; Moon Cancer/Leo NN 19 Cancer

As I said, Ferrer is a natal Aries. This is heightened by the fact that his natal Sun is opposing the ruler of Aries which is n. Mars Rx placed at 10 Libra. Granted Mars is not happily placed in Libra, That's where the U.S. Mars is stuck in Rx right now which sort of puts a kink in our ability to be industrious.

Currently, Ferrer is approaching his Solar Return so this is all triggered. Mars rules Triggers. Aries is just impatient. And bringing out more firey impatience is t. Jupiter which is conjunct natal Sun almost exactly within a degree.

The Aries stuff goes on and on and I don't think that most people could ever match a set-up like this in our own natal charts. This is an exceptional case, after all. Ferrer's progressed Mars has been in retrograde ever since he was born. Right now, by progression, it has moved back to 2 Libra which is close to the Aries Point. Thatsa an Aries situation. Act, don't think. And so Actions, not Thinking is what came out and has brought this guy some fame, such as it is. And this p.Mars is also triggered heavily by opposition from a big conjunction of transiting Mars 29 Pisces, Lilith-Uranus 1 Aries. Mar and Uranus together make accidents. Put Lilith in on top and things get really weird.

And natal Sun opposes natal Saturn 20 Libra RX. And it's the poor guy's Saturn Return. Saturn rules Fathers, and this guy maybe doesn't have the best instincts for being a Father himself. Saturn brings discipline and concentration, though, and maybe a little problem with intolerance. Saturn is Rx so perhaps he overcompensates for what he didn't receive? Who knows?

We're supposed to be presented by some sort of big decision at our lives with regards to whatever level of maturity we've reached. And, what a drag, to be under the influence of so much flash reasoning that Sun, Mars and Jupiter present.

I can't tell what Ferrer's feelings about the situation might be. His natal Moon is in either Cancer or Leo. I'll leave that part out. Would be sort of funny if he has Cancer Moon and was just competing with the baby.

Bret Michaels' Health Problems

All I know about Rock Star Bret Michaels is that he chalks up his eyes with black eyeliner and wears a blue bandanna and had a miraculous recovery from a very serious blood clot in his brain. Now he is suing the Tony Awards for the aneurysm saying that he was hit on the head by a freak stage accident 6 months before which led to the brain clot. At the time it was taken as a funny accident, but supposedly his nose was broken so the injuries were serious.

Bret Michaels
b. Mar. .15, 1963 Butler, PA

Sun 25 Pisces; Moon Scorpio or Sagittarius; NN 27 Cancer

Don't have a birth time so I can't place the Moon and don't have a Ascendant for Michaels. This isn't the greatest situation for looking at the health of an individual, of course, as the Ascendant, H6 and H12 give so much information about a person's health.

Indicators for suffering an accident are shown by Mars and Uranus mainly and probably Saturn. There are other indicators I'm just trying to hone down to the most obvious elements.

Michaels is a strongly water type of person if his Moon is in Scorpio and in a Grand Water Trine with Sun 25 Pisces-Jupiter 26 Pisces and NN 27 Cancer Rx. This shows a person who is very receptive and sensitive and might hold a lot of his psychic energy inside. Of course it is a very artistic and creative element, but also can present some problems. Water is receptive and reflective. Grand Trines have a problem in that they contain the energy. There's no easy interaction within the rest of the chart which projects out into the life in some way. Water in particular likes to flow. Perhaps there is a physical stagnation.

There are two very strong elements in this chart, the Water element and the Mars element, can show a problem with sucking energy in and holding it in. There's going to be a need to be "lanced." If Michaels' Moon is in Sagittarius this will still hold only partly true and will present a firey outlet which is good but might also be accident prone. Can't say for sure without the correct placement so I shouldn't even be speculating here.

This chart Mars shows a pretty intense outlet through firey Mars as well. Mars is unaspected to other planets at 6 Leo. This is a very bold placement, great for a performer and rock star. Mars is lead planet of a locomotive chart so it in a sense leads the rest of the planets. This is a guy who gathers no moss under his feet. And this shows his incredible recuperative powers. Mars also rules the brain, at least in part, and the head. If this doesn't explain the brain hemorrhage, then it at least explains the Bandana which is such a big part of Michaels' image. If Moon is in Scorpio and not in Sagittarius, Mars further stands out as a singleton in Fire.

There's one additional element to Michaels' Mars to point out and that is that Mars stationed direct just hours after he was born. I have no idea how to interpret that, psychically it would probably require a Doctoral Dissertation to explain, but I wonder if there weren't some sort of trauma experienced soon after birth. Maybe exposure even to heat or surgery or head got squeezed by forceps.

Apparently Michael's suffered the onstage accident in June, 2009, then about 8 months later was rushed to the Hospital for an emergency appendectomy, then about 2 weeks later suffered the brain hemorrhage, then weeks after that was rushed back to the hospital for a hole that developed in his chart. This was while the Saturn-Uranus opposition was slowly passing over natal Sun-Jupiter in Pisces. Mars rules emergencies as well as the head. Appendectomies ruled by Uranus and possibly Moon and Mercury for digestive system/stomach problems. Heart is ruled by the sign that Michaels' Mars is in: Leo.

Michaels' was born in the 1960s during the conjunction of Uranus to Pluto at 3 and 11 degrees in that sign. The connection between these two slow moving outer planets in the sign of Virgo is a generation overall which is concerned with health issues and obsessive daily habits.

Michaels' chart is hooked into that on a personal level through an opposition from Mercury 11 Pisces conjunct Chiron 12 Pisces. Mercury is connected to brain function through fine motor coordination, Mars through gross motor function. Chiron represents a wounding that can't be healed but also ability to teach others through the wound.

Michaels' was diagnosed as Type 1 Diabetes when he was 6 years old which shows that he has led a life of always having to maintain his health. At 6 years old a child is going through his first Jupiter Opposition and moving in to his first Secondary Progressed Lunar Square. So I was amazed to find how prominently those transiting planets are perhaps placed in the natal chart within that Grand Water Trine. Jupiter is in close 1 degree conjunction with Sun in Pisces trining the North Node in Cancer and maybe trining the Scorpio Moon.

Illness can certainly guide a person to learn how to hold energy in reserve. A child who deals with a serious illness well develops special abilities. And, with that prominent Mars there would be a desire to develop psychic strength to make up for the physical lack as Mars in Leo is a rather proud placement which wants to show courage. With the strong water of the chart, I suspect there is a bit of a shamanic element to this man. Connected with that lucky Sun-Jupiter conjunction and the significant Mars placement in the chart one can perhaps understand the inherent physical vitality which can lead to such an amazing recovery.

It looks as if these significant planets are also emphasized over the month that Michaels was stricken. He was going through both a Mars Return and a Jupiter Return. The Moon hit Mars in Leo with the brain hemorrhage and a month later (Lunar Return) at the last problem with heart. And Jupiter was in conjunction with Uranus 29 Pisces opposing Saturn 30 Virgo. That explains the larger than life complications involved and also the extreme good luck with a recovery. I'm not sure if he still has any paralysis or weakness involved, that would be indicated by the Saturn opposition. (He has decided to sue just as Jupiter opposes Saturn from Aries to Libra.

I'd love to see how the entire chart someday.

Nearly decapitated on stage at Tony Awards, Full Moon:

June 7, 2009

Sun 18 Gemini; Moon Sagittarius; NN 3 Aquarius

Venus-Mars in Taurus square NN in Aquarius, Mars-Uranus = Accidents

Emergency appendectomy

Apr. 12, 2010, New Moon in Aries

Sun 23 Aries; Moon Aries NN 17 Capricorn

t.Venus once again in Taurus conjunct Mercury,
t.Moon has just passed over t.Saturn-Uranus opposition in effect end of Virgo-Pisces
(this would be tripping off natal Sun-Jupiter conjunction and maybe Grand Trine)

Brain Hemorrhage:

Apr. 21 or 22, 2010

Sun 1 Taurus; Moon Leo; NN 16 Capricorn Rx

Moon conjunct Mars Return in Leo. Yod involving Neptune-Chiron, Moon and Saturn.

Wonder if this guy has Taurus Rising.

Hemorrhaging, blood circulation is related to Uranus, probably in relation to the Jupiter which is related to uncontrollable growth, also Neptune.

Hole in Heart,

Sun 30 Taurus; Moon end of Leo; NN 15 Capricorn Rx

t-square with apex Sun squaring Moon-Mars opposing Neptune-Chiron 29 Aquarius-1 Pisces. Lunar Return (conjunct Mars Return) from original appendectomy) Wow, what a month.

Rest In Peace: Isabelle Caro

Isabelle Caro was a young french woman who posed nude for a photographer while at the peak of her struggle with Anorexia. Caro passed away on November 17, 2010 at the age of 28 from a respiratory illness.

At Age 28 Caro passed away very close to the time of both her 1st Secondary Progressed Lunar Return and also with in a few degrees of her approaching Saturn Return in Libra.

This is very significant to look at when reading her chart because her illness began at Age 13 which is one of the equivalent childhood transits of both of these planets. The 1st major transits of the Secondary Progressed Lunar Cycle and the transiting Saturn Return Cycle occur very close together in time in early life and represent major phases of development for children in the maturation process (Moon rules Infancy, Saturn rules Maturation/Old Age, both rule the parents and parenting).

When we look at Caro's biography we see how much her difficult childhood and relationship with her parents affected her so it's stunning to see how strongly reflected these needs are shown in her natal chart. It would actually be interesting to see if something very traumatic happened to her around the time of her first prog. Lunar square/Saturn square which occurs usually between the ages of 7 and 8 years old.

Caro passed away between two Total Eclipses. The Solar Eclipse this past Summer which occurred on July 12 hit her chart very strongly as that marked a Nodal Opposition transit over her natal Cancer/Capricorn Nodes. Her Moon, which can't be exactly placed without a birth time or place, is possibly in conjunction with her North Node in the sign of Cancer. This will show a life expression that is closely linked with Food, Women, Mother, Family, Emotional Reaction and Public Reaction. Many anorexics want to disappear and hide and live in a world of great secrecy hiding their disease.

Caro said that she was very close to her Mother early on and became anorexic because she didn't want to become a burden. Her Father wasn't around very much and left Isabelle alone to deal with her Mother who suffered from Depression and who was probably very needy herself. I imagine that a Capricorn South Node child would naturally try to take over the Father's role for an unhappy Mother. Of course, these are naturally indicated symbols of a Cancer/Capricorn Nodal Axis and of a Cancer Moon.

Isabelle was born during the Saturn-Pluto conjunction in Libra. Saturn and Pluto working together must be very self-reliant and contained, and this is sick but something that Anorexics will understand: Discipline and Control. If there is trauma in such individuals there will be no easy way to express the pain. These two planets deal with reality and "the bottom line." This is even further stressed by the fact that Isabelle's progressed Sun, symbol of health and vitality, is currently at middle degree Libra somewhere degrees of Libra in close to the same spot. Her Prog. Sun and prog. Venus were squaring her Nodal Axis/possibly Moon placement.

The Moon can represent "pop" culture as well as the more personal attributes. Caro had a natal Mars-Uranus conjunction over the Scorpio-Sagittarius cusp which opposed Chiron (wounded healer). Mars and Uranus working together will shock. It's no wonder that the shocking image of her emaciated body on Billboards posted over Italy was banned in France. Chiron seems to be a natural indicator to look for in anorexia because as a disease it is so difficult to cure.

Natally, Caro was a Virgo Sun. As already said, Sun rules the Health by showing the basic vitality. And there are zillions of Virgos in the world so this alone doesn't indicate anorexia, but Virgo is also the ruler of perfectionism, diet and hygiene, of course. It does make sense that Virgo and Cancer, both signs with deal with Nutrition would come up in the charts of Anorexics. Virgos can have obsessive disorders as this sign is related to enjoyment, for good or bad, of daily habits and rituals. Virgo is also related to wanting to be clean and pure which can be related to Anorexia which is often a disease related to not wanting to grow up. So, although Anorexics can come in all signs, one can see how a Virgo Sun could become a "Poster Child" for the disease. The Sun projects the qualities of the sign that it's in more than the other planets do.

Isabelle's natal Venus (expression of female love) is in this sign as well. A Virgo Venus person will want to be of service to those he/she loves. Isabelle became Anorexic at age 13 apparently because she didn't want to become a burden and she wanted to remain her Mother's little girl. Some anorexics may have other reasons for developing the disease but this is one of the more common reasons for the types who become anorexic just as Adolescence begins.

Of course, the Virgo Sun and Venus work ethic and desire to succeed in an industry which forces anorexia on its employees wouldn't help either. Capricorn SN will show a struggle to get away from difficult career choices and ambitions.

Caro has Jupiter in Scorpio which trines the Nodal Axis. This can show struggle to balance self-denial/aestheticism with abundance. She would want to belong to the "cool set."

I also noticed that Isabelle's progressed Sun had just shifted signs into Libra when her Anorexia began at Age 13. For Virgos this is a sensitive shifting of ego projection from looking for perfection in the world into looking for beauty, harmony and balance in the world. It can bring a crisis in understanding how to relate to other people on a one on one basis, and to not be stuck as mediator for other people's problems. And, at this point, so close to an Aries Point, it could manifest as a public issue.

By coincidence Isabelle's Progressed Mercury is currently right on this degree, 2 Libra, and is currently Stationing Direct after many years of moving in Retrograde motion. Mercury through Gemini rulership relates to health of parts of the respiratory organs. Doubling the effect of this particular and signicant progression, Caro's Progressed Sun is within 1 degree conjunction of her natal Mercury (as well as within orb of conjunction with natal Saturn) in Libra. So she was going through a Double Whammy Sun and Mercury connection. Perhaps Mercury rules her Ascendant, and thus her body. Already it is significant as dispositor of her natal Sun and Venus. Her disease would have begun in 1995 just as Pluto was passing in to the sign of Sagittarius. There seems to be a strong Jupiter connection with Anorexia which I can't really get a handle on. Isabelle has natal Jupiter in Scorpio which can be a problematic placement as Jupiter naturally wants to expand while Scorpio wants to contract.

Isabelle Caro
b. Sept. 12, 1982 (don't know birth place, used Marseilles, France?)

Sun 20 Virgo; Moon Cancer?; NN 10 Cancer

Sarah Palin's Backyard

Poor Sarah Palin.

Poor, Poor Sarah Palin.

I never thought I'd be able to say that and mean it but for the next 5 months I really do mean it. This is as far below the belt as one can lay a punch: A journalist-writer-guy, Joe McGinniss, has moved into the house next door to Palin's intending to write an unauthorized biography about her called Sarah Palin's Year of Living Dangerously. Don't know if Joe can see Russia, but, have seen the photos and Joe (not the plumber) literally has a view straight down into her backyard.

Isn't Summer mostly daylight up in Alaska? I mean, for 22 hours of the day that guy is going to have every type of spy-cam trained on to every inch of that house along with amplified microphones that will pick up every pin drop.

Sarah's a double Aquarius but her Sun and Moon are in her 4th House of Home. She's got Capricorn on the IC. I guess that means that homelife just tends to get straight under her skin. Either way, if you want to attack her then the thing that will upset her the most is going after her family and homelife. Maybe her Aquarius will take over and she'll just make friends with the guy and ask him to move in.

According to Wikipedia Joe was born on:

Dec. 9, 1942 New York City? or Massachusetts.

Hey, isn't that Pearl Harbor Day? Sort of seems like it might be. Ah, heck no, Pearl Harbor Day was on Dec. 7, not Dec. 9 and in 1941, not 1942. Guess the planets didn't rotate too much that whole year cause this guy is sort of stuck in attack mode.

Joe McGinniss, according to Wikipedia

Sun 17 Sagittarius; Moon probably in Capricorn (shit), maybe Sadge but I don't think so; NN 29 Leo

Can you imagine having a creepy Capricorn Moon move in next door knowing that he's watching your every move? Didn't Alfred Hitchcock already make this movie? Maybe McGinniss sort of thinks of himself as a dead Jimmy Stewart.

Seriously, on the surface Joe is just a silly Sun-Mercury-Venus conjunction in Sagittarius. A fun guy. That's a perfect combination for having strong opinions about all things of surface value. Joe was given this opportunity by his publisher, probably dreamt it up while he was drunk, and now he's going to run with it. Maybe he can even pull it off. Maybe a bear will eat him.

So, with all that Sadge, Joe's got all kinds of opinions about stuff that doesn't matter and he writes about them. Honest to God, he doesn't have a clue how he could stoop so low, because at one time, long long ago, like all the rest of us who went to College, Joe once had ambitions to be a serious journalist. At this point, though, probably even Rush Limbaugh is blushing in embarrassment over Joe's contorted ambitions. Joe's Sadge stellium trines his Leo North Node which is in conjunction with Chiron. He maybe has sort of just relaxed into settling for being a half-assed writer. Obviously it pays the bills.

The 3d house rules neighbors and it turns out that Joe's Sadge Sun-Mercury-Venus is in Sarah Palin's 3d house of neighbors. They were just meant to roast up some weenies in the backyard together on those fun Saturday afternoons -- just that Joe will be up in the 2d story window, drinking a beer, talking on his cell to New York, and filming Sarah and her kids the whole time. I bet he even blasts the stereo all night long. Has probably had special woofers and tweeters installed. The Gitmo attitude just plain old sucks. These creeps are out there. That's for certain.

The good neighbor bonding thing between the two charts goes even deeper. Sarah Palin's 3d house, my o my, the gift that keeps on giving. Sagittarius rules Sarah Palin's 3d House cusp and ruler, Jupiter, is closely conjunct her Descendant in Aries (within a degree). That ties her house of open enemies in with her neighbor situation. And, of course, it ties her in with the Sagittarians. And they are quite territorial people. And Aries is the God of War, no further explanation needed. But Sarah likes having Sagittarius types of neighbors. They are hunters. Just it's not real fun being the hunted. The Bears are more civilized, after all. Or, at least, it's legal to aim one's bazooka at a bear who's staring into your back yard. Sagittarius also rules Lawyers so I bet there will be a few of those attending the cook outs as well.

Sarah Palin
b. Feb. 11, 1964 9:43 pm Sandpoint, ID

Sun 23 Aquarius; Moon 7 Aquarius; ASC 16 Libra; MC 19 Cancer; NN 10 Cancer Rx

I already said that Palin's got Sun and Moon in her 4th house. Pretty interesting to notice that the July 11 Total Solar Eclipse will be right over her IC/MC axis which rules home, family and career. Looks like it's already taking effect. The transiting Nodes just passed over this same axis within the last couple of weeks and its very widely conjunct Pluto (power trips).

Hey Sarah, I hear that Joe's house in Massachusetts is empty this Summer... Maybe you could move in there. Sagittarians are anal retentive so it's actually not too difficult to mess with their heads.

Either way, for anyone who reads this please send Joe a valentine or something. The guy is seriously desperate for attention:

Joe Mcginniss (413) 230-306X 7 Pine Tree Cir, Pelham, MA 0X002-9765

Women Cellists with Multiple Sclerosis

This is sort of an unusual coincidence which makes astrology look awesome.

Most people are familiar with Jacqueline Du Pre, the famous cellist whose career was cut short by onset of Multiple Sclerosis. Well, about a week ago I heard a program on NPR which interviewed the cellist from the Kronos Quartet, Joan Jeanrenaud. Jeanrenaud had to give up her career with the Quartet about 11 years ago. I knew she was no longer in the group and had no idea why. Turns out that she also was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. From the interview it sounds as if this cellist, Joan Jeanrenaud is dealing with her illness very well and is finding ways through recording to continue with her musical career.

(in case my link is no good, I recommend listening to the program here: http://www.kqed.org/arts/music/article.jsp?essid=26944)

While listening to the interview I made a note to look at Joan's chart to see if it is at all like Jacqueline Du Pre's. It turns out the two charts have stunning similarities. For one, these two women are born a day apart under the sun sign Aquarius, January 25 & 26. Aquarius is a mental sign. Many successful women are born under it because it offers the ability to not only be highly intelligent but to distance one's self from life events, to take a long range view and to see the bigger picture. Aquarius women are very strong. Unfortunately it also can affect a person's all over nervous system. The Sun rules a person's vitality and overall health, and Uranus rules the nervous system.

There is also the chance that both women share the same Moon Sign Moon in Cancer. This sign works in pretty much the opposite way that an Aquarius Sun does. Cancer is the sign of feelings and great sensitivity, great receptivity. These signs relate to each other in a quincunx type of way and quincunxes are said to often develop into health issues because they try to bring together two energies which really don't relate to each other. It is a way of relating which always requires making "adjustments" because things don't seem to mesh. What both of these signs do have in common is a hyperactive psychic/intuitive ability. People with this combination may have to mentally try not to become overstimulated by their perceptions and senses. (I can't say much more about the Cancer Moon because Joan Jeanrenaud may actually have a Gemini Moon.)

I don't claim to understand much at all about medical astrology so my observations are probably very silly for those who do. But here goes.

Right off the bat, though, I see that Du Pre's chart offers a couple of insights into her disease. Her Cancer Moon is in conjunction with her Cancer North Node. On the opposite end of the Nodal Axis, she had a conjunction to the degree of Mercury and Mars in Capricorn which is in conjunction with her South Node. Interesting that these two planets together rule motor coordination. Mars would rule the gross motor coordination of the body. Mercury would rule the small motor coordination related to the hands and manual dexterity. At any rate, Du Pre's motor coordination would have been highlighted within her life in some way, in a way which affects her destiny (Nodal Axis).

(As an aside just because I find it interesting, In Du Pre's chart this big opposition is placed in angular houses crossing the 4th and 10th houses. Tiger Woods has a Mars-Moon opposition over this spot as well, perhaps this shows early drive and success in life as Moon and Mars both represent childhood and youth.)

Unfortunately, planets bound together by oppositions, especially when placed over the Nodal Access and IC/MC axis (strong angular emphasis), will not happily blend with each other. They constantly play a balancing act with each other, and will oppose each other. Doesn't help that Du Pre's Ascendant is Aries which is ruled by Mars. This rules her physical body so her physical body is ruled by the planet which rules her motor coordination and brain activity.

As I said earlier Du Pre's Sun (Vitality) is in the sign of Aquarius, which rules the nervous system. Interesting that she had a "Mental" Air Grand Trine between Sun, Uranus in Gemini (H2), and a conjunction of Jupiter-Chiron-Neptune in Libra. This latter conjunction is placed in the 6th House of Health.

This Jupiter-Chiron-Neptune conjunction mirrors the current conjunction of these last 3 planets in Aquarius which has currently been in the sky. Can only imagine what kinds of musical geniuses have been born over this past Summer/Fall.

I don't have a birth time for Joan Jeanrenand's chart. Her Aquarius Sun is conjunct Chiron and Mercury in her chart and they are opposing Uranus. This shows high intelligence, of course, with a strong interest in anything new and innovative, like the avante garde music which she became famous for. It can also show a high strung nervous system, especially since Chiron is involved and adds the idea of a wounding that can't be healed which could show up, of course, as a chronic illness.

Also coincidental, both women have Venus in Pisces. Know that this shows musical abilities. Don't have any idea if it is also related to Multiple Sclerosis. Pisces and its ruler, Neptune, naturally rule the 12th house in Astrology in general and can be related to chronic illness and anything that is debilitating and difficult to understand.

Since both women are Aquarians, their progressed Suns were passing through Pisces when they became ill. This gets pretty interesting actually when comparing their charts.

The Progressed Sun was very close to the same degree of Pisces when both women were diagnosed (6 degrees for Du Pres, and 8 degrees for Jeanrenaud). Jeanrenaud's progressed Sun was conjunct her natal Venus within a degree at that point. Du Pre's progressed Sun hit her natal Venus the year that she passed away. I don't understand people who say that this progression is a time of great happiness, usually for weddings, etc. I've almost always seen it manifest as a fairly dark period in a person's life.

It's also strange that Jacqueline Du Pres passed on Oct. 19, 1987 and Joan Jeanrenaud was diagnosed the next year in 1988. It's almost as if there was some demon flying from the body of one cellist to the next. Actually, now that I think about it this is probably true. Both women had progressed Sun conjunct their natal Venus' during this two year time span in the sign of psychic Pisces. There probably was a real transfer of energy!

Du Pre would have been around Age 28 when she was diagnosed in Oct. 1973. This is the time of the progressed Lunar Return/Saturn Return. Both of these planets are placed in the Sign of Cancer in her natal chart. And remember that the Moon is in conjunction with the North Node.

Jeanrenaud would have been around Age 43 when she was diagnosed in 1988. This is just after her Uranus Opposition/Neptune square. She has these two planets in a square aspect (to the degree) in her natal chart. They are actually in a t-square with the Sun-Chiron conjunction which hooks them into health/vitality.

Sorry, I can't provide any great insights in multiple sclerosis but I suspect that these charts can provide some great keys for those who know more. These charts mostly show musical talent to me.

Jacqueline Du Pre
b. Jan. 26, 1945 11:30 am Oxford, England

Sun 7 Aquarius; Moon 15 Cancer; NN 16 Cancer; MC 11 Capricorn; ASC 28 Aries

Joan Jeanrenand
b. Jan. 25, 1956 Memphis, Tenn.

Sun 5 Aquarius; Moon Gemini/Cancer; NN 15 Sagittarius

edited 1/14/11 misspelled Du Pre's last name as per commenter

Weird Coincidence on New Years

So, I just hammered down an entire bottle of Welch's Grape Juice, a $4.99 bottle from Trader Joe's which was recommended by a red-faced lady who was buying up practically an entire case' worth tonight (said that for 5 bucks it's an unbelievable deal).

And, so, like I said I was wondering.

You know Bernie Madoff, who "madoff" with everyone's money (heard that use of his last name from David what's his name, funny comedian, on the Tonight show I think). Anyway, Madoff has a list of 14,000 victims at last count. People and charities who he screwed out of zillions. Boy, and some of those charities, Capricorn Moon that I am, I just don't see it happening, but some of these other guys, they just go ahead and take.

Anyway, I started thinking about Madoff's list. And the idea of "list" sunk in and I thought of "Schindler's List." about Oskar Schindler. And so look at these guys' charts. They really line up. Born within a day of each other, same Mars sign (Gemini), same Saturn Sign (Aries). Maybe they even had the same Moon Sign (Aries) .

You can see how hard it is to read a person, let alone an astrological chart. Can't you? (probably not)

It all swings one way, or then it swings the opposite way. Good and bad. Both men are Taurus Suns concerned with business and greed. Either way, we can see how a Taurus Sun is concerned with finances and accumulations of said funds. When progressed Sun hits natal Mars in Gemini, dude gets overly clever and confident, does his own thing for good or bad.

Taurus rules the alphabet. Gemini rules categories and lists. So, I suppose that's the connection with lists. And with money.

But look at the Nodes. That shows the person's destiny/fate/whateverthehell you call it. Schindler has NN in Cancer conjunct Neptune opposing Uranus and squaring Saturn, maybe Moon. That's some real outer planet awareness of others. He had to have to think about doing good for humanity at some point.

Madoff had NN in Scorpio with Venus-Mars conjunct South Node, all squared by Jupiter in Aquarius. He just thought of the opportunity, the ability to finess, his personal magnetism.

Actually, well, both had Venus-Mars conjunctions, different signs, so they both even had that connection with each other. It helps to have charm. Schindler's NN was in Gemini, so his secretary was literally important to his personal path in life. He deferred much to Ben Kingley's character, if you know what I mean. Madoff's NN was in Scorpio so at some point he was going to deal with revenge.

Anyway, I don't have the answers. I'm just yapping away here with hopes that only intelligent people will read this and not mis-interpret it.

Happy New Year! Remember, what you think you know, maybe it's not true. Maybe a kernel of it is true and all the rest is silliness. Maybe all of it is true but there is nothing you can do about it (unless you're highly educated and well credentialed, so please go to school).

Please doubt yourself (Saturn), for the sake of humanity (Uranus). Please express yourself (Sun, Mars) for the sake of humanity (Uranus) as well. Use discernment to do the right thing (Virgo, Scorpio, Sagittarius).

We're all in this together.

Bless you.

Oskar Schindler
b. April 28, 1908 Zwittau, Czecholslovakia

Sun 8 Taurus, Moon 10 Aries (noon); NN 7 Cancer

Bernard Madoff
b. Apr. 29, 1939 New York, NY

Sun 9 Taurus; Moon 2 Taurus (noon); NN 29 Scorpio

The Moon-Mars Conjunction and Celebrity Anger

As Mars has been in Cancer there have been several bizarre and crazy public outbursts which fit the nature of this volatile combination of planet and sign. Mars represents aggression and anger and the Moon ruled sign of Cancer represents emotions and literally "lunacy." At least those are the simplest interpretations. When these two get together there can be highly volatile emotional outbursts.

On Sunday there were two highly public situations which concern celebrities.

In the evening at the MTV awards, Kanye West hopped onto the stage at the MTV awards as Taylor Swift was accepting an award. West grabbed the microphone from Swift and announced that Beyonce deserved the award. This is unbelievably hostile, of course, and obnoxious. During all the media brouhaha trying to analyze why West would have done such a thing there has been discussion of difficult events in West's personal life (no discussion about cross-racist behavior). On Oct. 23, 2002 West was in a near fatal car crash. On Nov. 10, 2007 his Mother unexpectedly passed away after complications during surgery.

Because this act has to have something to do with the Mars-Moon contact in Cancer I sort of figured I'd check the transits to see if there was some return action going on. Didn't find a connection with the car crash which seems related to some bad Pluto transits. However, it turns out that this is the first return of Mars to the spot where it was when West's Mother passed away. This past week's Return of that event included the Moon (which literally represents the Mother in the natal chart). West's progressed Sun is also within conjunction of this spot in Cancer, slightly past at 19 Cancer.

The Moon represents not only "Mother" but Feelings and Family. It also represents Infantile Behavior and Subconscious Acts especially when set off by toddler terrorist Mars. I'm sorry I'm not up on West's music but if he's an old time rapper then his job is to rage against white people. He probably feels that the music world is his family and he subconsciously chose the stage to go on auto-pilot with his rage.

In another completely unrelated event, Tennis Star Serena Williams had a fit during a game which led to her disqualification from that game. I'm not completely sure what the real story is but on Sunday night I read that a judge had mistakenly fouled her for doing something that she hadn't done. As Serena was in the middle of a game and not performing well at that particular moment, this extra bit of insanity just set her off.

So I looked up Serena's chart. Her Sun is at 4 Libra which doesn't place it in a square aspect to the Moon-Mars aspect however much of the rest of her chart is being affected. Serena has a huge stellium of Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto in Libra which was being squared by the Moon-Mars conjunction. Libra rules Justice and everything that's fair and balanced in the world. Saturn rules Judges and Jupiter rules Opinions. Serena reacted (Moon) to the misjudgement of the judge. The situation really doesn't sound fair. But apparently threatened to kill the judge. I personally probably would have thrown a racket so the judge is actually pretty lucky.

Serena's natal Moon in Virgo which shows her own emotional nature is also under heavy aspects as it is being hit by the Saturn-Uranus opposition. So she's really going through a double whammy set of transits. And, as a matter of fact, Kanye West may also be in the same situation as his Moon is in Pisces. Without a birth time I can't say where it is placed exactly but it may also be getting hit by the Saturn-Uranus opposition.

Since the Saturn-Uranus opposition from the opposite ends of Virgo-Pisces that occurred in the 1960s was so connected with the civil rights movement I sort of wonder if these extreme emotional outbursts by Black Celebrities aren't also connected with the racist treatment that President Obama is receiving.

As a weird aside, on Sunday evening while I was out walking I suddenly began to wonder about women named Serena. And specifically I was wondering what it would be like to be named Serena if I weren't a very Serene person. After the walk I logged on to the computer and read about Serena's tantrum. No kidding. Isn't that weird? The Moon and Mars together tend to have interesting psychic tendencies that Astrologers don't often discuss.

Another case of an outburst came from a Carolina congressman Joe Wilson earlier in the week. That's a political problem which I'll hope to add later.

Kanye West
b. June 8, 1977 Atlanta, GA

Sun 18 Gemini; Moon Pisces; NN 22 Libra

Serena Williams
b. Sept. 26, 1981 8:28 pm Saginaw, MI

Sun 4 Libra; ASC 4 Taurus; Moon 21 Virgo; MC 18 Capricorn; NN 29 Cancer

Stage Dads - Mr. Jackson, Mr. Mozart, Mr. Beethoven

Since Michael Jackson's death, his Father, Joe, has increasingly become the butt of reporter's jokes so I'm starting to become curiouser and curioser to look at his chart. Years ago Jackson publicly denounced his Father and admitted that he had been beaten and abused as a child. Joe was written out of Michael Jackson's will and it turns out he has been separated from Jackson's Mom for a long time. He is granted interviews just so that people can confirm before their very eyes that he was as abusive as Michael said he was. Well, he's got natal Mercury in Leo which has just gone Retrograde by Progression so that's not going to be hard to do. It's to the point where I'm feeling a little sorry for the guy. His son never would have made it to icon status without his Father pushing him the way he did. (Yes, I'm aware that it's probably not worth it, but then again I'm not a big follower of pop musicians).

As "Classical Music Major" I'm aware of Stage Moms and Dads. At one of my recitals an old dinosaur walked in wearing ruffles and really bright red lipstick and her eyes were way too sparkly and my Virgo Older Brother shuddered under his breath "Now that's definitely someone's Mom." I used to play harp and when you play harp you get to see the best of the visionary parents in full regalia.

I know through music history class that Beethoven's Father was highly abusive and pulled his son out of bed in the middle of the night to practice. And Mozart's Father pushed his son way beyond what the current labor laws would allow and Mozart grew up to be a little squirley because of it. So I went overboard with this project and began to look at all three, or all six charts. (I hope that I've got all the information straight but can't promise anything as I can't work the store feature right now on my Astrology program.)

All three of these Dads produced child prodigies and all three would perhaps be considered child abusers for having done that in modern times at any rate. I suppose the big story regarding Stage Moms and daughters comes from the life of stripper Gypsy Rose Lee. That's good for another study.

Just happened to find an interesting coincidence in that both Beethoven and Mozart's Fathers shared the same birth date, November 14. That sort of explains a little right there. Scorpio works with other people's resources. It is also an extremely ambitious sign and very focused and also capable of extreme behaviors. Scorpio is also a selfish sign and can also suffer from resenting the success of those it nurtures and of wanting to undermine their success through underhanded jealousies.

First, Michael's Dad. What's going on with him? Joe Jackson is not a Scorpio, he's a Leo, but Pluto is conjunct his natal Mercury and the two are unaspected to other planets so they create a strong presence in the chart. I could see how this could lead to very cutting verbal abuse.

As a Leo Joe would have the natural instinct to show off and be flamboyant and unencumbered by self consciousness. He may not have understood that he wasn't the one who was up on stage when his sons were practicing and performing.

With Mars in Virgo he would have a highly critical and perfectionist personality. Mars is one of the indicators in a person's chart showing his children, especially his Sons. Joe's Starchild Michael was born a Virgo.

Michael was born on August 29, 1958 with the Sun at 6 Virgo conjunct Pluto at 3 Virgo. Father Joe Jackson's progressed Sun and Neptune were both in conjunction with t. Pluto so these two were stuck in what Noel Tyl calls an "Ego Wipeout" bond forever. This is a good example of the great positive and negative extremes of how Sun-Neptune-Pluto type of synastry plays out between parent and child, that's for sure.

In addition to that, Joe Jackson was going through both a Mars Return (Son) and his first Saturn Return (Father).

And, another interesting detail to note that comes up with both Beethoven and Mozart's Father's charts and relationships is the combination of Mars with Chiron. Chiron is the great teacher/healer who could pass on all kinds of incredible information but couldn't use it to fix his own wounds. In combination with Mars, Chiron possibly shows a connection of some sort with one's Son. Joe Jackson has these very widely in conjunction with each other in Taurus (sign that rules the voice and arts, interesting that it also rules the Number 5 - Jackson 5 - through Venus' Sun conjunction cycle). Both Beethoven's father had a natal square and Mozart's Father had a natal conjunction, both aspects in connection with strong points in their sons' charts.

I discussed in a blog long ago the interesting coincidence of Father-Sun progressed Sun to natal Sun in the signs of men in the President Bush family a long time ago. It certainly seems that there is some kind of power connection when this happens in a family. As I said, Joe Jackson's p.Sun was within 4 degrees of conjunction with his Son's natal Sun. Ludwig Beethoven was born when his Father was 30 years old and in the next Sun Sign over so he has this relationship with his Father as well: Father Johann's p. Sun was at 27 Sagittarius, 2 degrees past his Son's natal Sun.

Both Mozart and Beethoven Senior had very long conjunctions of personal planets to their natal Saturns which may be of significance in understanding the karmic gifts which they passed on to their children. Due to the retrograde in the progressions, both men would have been experiencing this unchanging stressor on their Saturns. This could explain their own frustrated ambitions, along with their extreme behaviors as Fathers.

As a matter of fact, this p.Sun to n.Natal synastry will happen between the charts of any Father and Son when the Father's natal Sun is roughly 30 degrees before the Son's natal Sun. There is a double whammy effect because the child will born during the Father's Saturn Return which happens roughly at one's 29th year. It does seem to be a strong formula for insuring that success and ambition are passed down from generation to generation. That would require a lot more study to confirm. And it certainly doesn't look like a happy inheritance to be gifted. I'm discussing more connections with Saturn down below. These men have Saturn very strongly aspected in relation with their sons, that's for sure.

Both Fathers (Mozart's and Beethoven's) had progressed Venus in Scorpio when their sons were born. P. Venus conjunct natal Saturn in one chart and conjunct natal Pluto in the other chart. I suppose this shows great ambitions through the arts and no doubt an ability to "psychically channel" huge amounts of cosmic knowledge.

Joe Jackson
b. July 26, 1928 Fountain Hill, Arkansas

Sun 4 Leo; Moon Scorpio or Sagittarius; NN 7 Gemini

So then

Johann Beethoven, Beethoven's Father
b. Nov. 14, 1740 Bonn, Germany

Sun 23 Scorpio; Moon Virgo or Libra; NN 7 Cancer

He was 30 years old when Beethoven was born. Going through Saturn Return when his Son was born. And his Progressed Sun was conjunct his Son's natal Sun (and widely his Moon). This point was opposing natal Mars and squaring natal Chiron.

Something interesting that I've noticed in Father B. and Mozarts' Dad's charts as well is an interesting conjunction to natal Saturn from progressed Planets. Father B's Mars is conjunct his natal Saturn in his natal chart in the sign of Leo. Both planets had gone Retrograde by Progression so that they were still in conjunction when Beethoven was born (and Rx, difficult). His progressed Venus, meanwhile, was conjunct to the degree with his Pluto. He was to have a very intense relationship with this child regarding ambitions, will and the arts.

Father Leopold Mozart has a similar thing going on. Natally he has a conjunction of Venus to Saturn-Mercury-Sun in Scorpio (same spot as p.Venus-Pluto in Beethoven's Dad's chart, remember what I said about Scorpio). Venus in Leopold's chart is Retrograde when he is born. And so his progressed Venus has come out of Rx by the time his son is born and has returned to close to the same spot where it was when he was born.

These retrogrades make it look as if the Father's were reliving parts of themselves through their Sons. Both Saturn and Pluto/Scorpio are related to Karmic lessons and reliving problems. They are both very ambitious planets. In a sense, through their sons, these men were using twice the lifetime's worth of knowledge to get their sons to succeed in the world. (Sorry, that probably doesn't make sense).

Leopold Mozart
b. Nov. 14, 1719 Augsburg, Germany

Sun 22 Scorpio; Moon Sagittarius or Capricorn; NN 24 Leo

These are only a couple of the connections in these charts. I'll stop here.

Sandra Cantu's Suspected Killer in Jail

Yesterday I looked as closely as I could to charts relating to slain 8 year old Sandra Cantu. Sandra is a little girl who was last seen around 4pm on Friday, Mar. 27, 2009 in the trailer park where she lived with her Mother and Grandparents in Tracy, California. As it was understood that she was playing at a friend's house in the park she wasn't reported as missing until 8:15pm that night. The search for Cantu was nowhere until Apr. 7 when her body was found crammed into a suitcase in a ditch. On April 6 some farmworkers had drained an irrigation ditch into which the suitcase with Cantu in it had been tossed.

Yesterday when I was looking at the charts with all this information I assumed that some old guy had molested Cantu and had killed her. Perhaps even her Father who has never been in her life reappeared. As Saturn was in the 1st House of the event chart after Sandra was last seen and it was opposing Mars, another masculine planet, I assumed that her disappearance was related to another predator man.

The chart, otherwise, wasn't making a whole lot of sense and I put off making any decisions. Venus was a very prominent part of the whole story as was the Moon. This indicates women and was completely throwing me off. No matter how much I tell myself I won't pre-judge a situation and stick to keywords I just can't seem to do it. But, the situation is complicated because "The Moon" in Astrology indicates the Mother and I wasn't going to accuse the Mother of having killed her daughter in this case. It just wasn't possible. What was possible is that another Mother is now suspected. Her best friend's Mother, is now in custody for the murder. I'm going to study the chart just to analyze all the stuff in hindsight. Everything that was confusing me yesterday is now clear with this extra knowledge.

Beth Turnage at AstrologyExplored comes up with some very good insights very early on in the case here: http://www.astrologyexplored.com/the-astrology-of-missing-persons-sandra-cantu/.

Sandra Cantu
b. Mar. 8, 2001, place unknown

Sun 19 Pisces; Moon Leo or Virgo; NN 13 Cancer

Sandra's Disappearance
Mar. 27, 2009 4:15 pm Tracy, California

Sun 8 Aries; Moon 24 Aries; NN 7 Aquarius

Venus is very strong in these charts. I've been following the ages of children when trauma happens to them as a key entrance into interpretation of their charts. As the Sun and Venus follow an 8 year conjunction cycle I was immediately planning on looking at that since Sandra was 8 years old. In the transit, the Sun was conjunct Venus Rx to the degree on the day of Sandra's disappearance. Sun-Venus is squaring Pluto which amplifies emotionality, resentments, jealousies, and perhaps difficulties in dealings with women.

Sandra's chart repeats a Venus theme. Venus is a singleton in Cardinal which shows that things represented by Venus (Money, Women, Love, Peace, Balance, etc.) would somehow be high-lighted over all else in her life. Venus in Sandra's chart is in Aries and trines a natal Mars-Pluto conjunction in Sagittarius. The Mars-Pluto conjunction in Sandra's chart is conjunct to the degree at 11 Sagittarius. This is a very firey combination which echoes the transiting Venus Rx in Aries squaring Pluto. She would naturally have had to learn to be cautious in dealing with the feelings of others as she would have had great magnetism and the ability to draw out very deep feelings in people which might be considered taboo. Mars/Pluto is very violent. Because of how women are raised this energy can often internalize and attract the violence through a willfulness or other extreme energy.

Sandra was having a long Venus Return transit as Venus was at 8 Aries on the day that she was apparently murdered. As she had just celebrated her 8th Birthday she had just had a Solar Return. Venus had gone Rx the day before her Birthday at 16 Aries which is 2 degrees away from an exact Venus Return. The whole time it has been setting off the natal Mars-Pluto conjunction.

The Solar Return also shows the Sun in conjunction to Uranus opposition Saturn which would indicate some outer planet, things happening beyond one's control type of activity. Problems with Authority.

At 4:15, Leo was Rising at 28 degrees in the chart set for Tracy, California so the Sun was ruling the chart at that time. Saturn was in the 1st House and opposing Mars in the 7th. This really looked like a male influence. Perhaps a rebellion against authority or an argument about boundaries (walls). If Sandra were killed around this time or within 2 hours after it would appear that a man was involved.

The New Moon was just separating in Aries. This can show a strong tendency to be impulsive and rash which is normal for Springtime, but also can be dangerous. The Sun was in the 8th House and the Moon was about to follow and the house was otherwise loaded with Mercury (neighbors), Venus (women) and Uranus(Friends). 8th House rules Murder, among other things.

It's interesting that Venus rules the 3d House (neighbors) and the 10th House (parents). Since the 11th house rules friends and Sandra was perhaps killed by her friend's parent I looked at the 11th House also. It is empty and has Gemini on the cusp. As already noted, Mercury and Uranus were both in the 8th House of Murder. This is echoed in Sandra's natal chart by her natal conjunction of Mercury to Uranus which squares Saturn. She would have been highly intelligent and interested in the truth, but perhaps could be a bit cruel with words. She may have set something off in her friend's Mom. Of course, little kids do this all the time.

Also interesting is that the transiting Moon was passing over Sandra's Venus at the moment of her disappearance.

And also her natal Moon would have been close to have been passing over the Ascendant between the signs of Leo and Virgo the last time she was seen. Yesterday I assumed that just meant that this was the last time her Mother saw her.

AT 5:00 pm 9 Virgo ASC, Saturn (H1), DESC conjunct Mars 11 Pisces, Uranus 24 Pisces unaspected (H7), Pluto (H4). This could have been closer to the moment of the murder as it shows unbridled rage and sudden, shocking behaviors.

6pm: 22 Virgo ASC. Saturn H12 but still conjunct ASC, Pluto H4

7pm: 4 Libra ASC involved in a Grand Square with MC to Pluto/IC both at 4 Capricorn SQUARING Descendant/Mercury/Venus/Sun. Pluto and IC and Suitcases go together. Sandra's Nodal Axis would have been squaring the ASC/DESC axis around 7:45-8:00pm.

8:15pm: 19 Libra ASC sort of opposing the Sun-Moon midpoint. This is when the police were called.

Source:

According to: http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=82126

Sandra was born Mar. 8, 2001, I'm not sure where.

Thich Nhat Hanh has a Birthday

Relief! One of the two Birth Dates that I've always wanted to know but couldn't find were that of Vietnamese Buddhist Monk Thich Nhat Hanh and Permaculture's Bill Mollison. Still don't have Mollison's birth date but Astrotheme is now providing a date for Thich Nhat Hanh. When asked about the circumstances of Hanh's birth the only information I could ever find was a comment he said about his birthplace. In the West people of my generation only know Vietnam as either Northern or Southern. Hanh said that he was born in Central Vietnam. He may have been speaking literally, but I remember at the time commenting that he must be a Libra ... and ....

Thich Nhat Hanh
October 11, 1926 Tha Tien, Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam

Sun 18 Libra; Moon Scorpio or Sagittarius; NN 12 Cancer

Hanh was a major spokesman in the West about the Vietnam War. He proceeded to help his countrymen as only a Monk, and a Libra, can do. One can see the mark of having to live "In Interesting Times" in Hanh's chart in his natal Sun square to Cancer North-Pluto conjunction. A Cancer North Node would indicate a destiny linked to "Homeland." Pluto tends to bring Crises and also hopefully Determination to overcome Crises. The Diplomatic and Peace Loving Libra Sun is strongly engaged with these two through a square aspect. Hanh's Libra character is further emphasized by wide conjunction to Venus in Libra which she rules.

I am sort of finding (and would like to hear back from anyone else who happens to notice this or knows where I can research more about it) that people with Sun-Venus conjunctions tend to do very significant things during the times that they have their first Sun-Venus returns at Ages 8 and 16 which continue to influence the rest of their lives. Hanh became a Monk when he was 16. I suppose that's not an odd age for becoming a Monk but this is such an apppriate occupation for a Sun-Venus in Libra square Nodes person to do which might account for his extra talents.

Hanh has only recently been allowed to return to Vietnam in 2005. Transiting Saturn was in Cancer at that point passing over his natal NN-Pluto. This was squared by transiting NN in Aries. The Nodal Axis was squaring his natal Nodal Axis that year and was in conjunction/opposition with natal Sun-Venus.

Mars in Hanh's chart is in the other sign that's ruled by Venus at 19 Taurus. It was Retrograde when he was born. It changed out of Rx during 1983-4. Would be interesting to see if significant changes occurred for him at this point.

I suspect with his great talents to communicate with people from all cultures that Hanh has a Sagittarius Moon but have certainly been surprised to find that I'm wrong about Moon signs before. Currently he is going through both a Jupiter in Aquarius Return and a Uranus in Pisces Return. The Outer Planets in his chart are in strong aspect with each other which I think would show great humanitarianism as well as organizational ability and depth of soul. Jupiter 18 Aquarius is opposing Neptune in Leo. This is a very uplifting combination but is tied into useful purposes in a wide t-square with Saturn 24 Scorpio as apex. This Saturn is trining Uranus in Pisces at one side and Pluto in Cancer at the other side (Uranus and Pluto are too far out of orb to be a trine). It is also opposing Mars Rx. Mars-Saturn aspects always seems to show up in charts these days in people who feel instinctively that they must psychically deal with breaking through Walls in their lives.

If you've ever listened to Hanh you know that he has a very calm serene voice and speaks with great clarity. This, of course, is something which I attribute to the Libra influence and was interested to find that his Mercury is at 2 Scorpio in aspect to Neptune (sextile) and Uranus (Quintile thingee).

Passing of Natasha Richardson

Actress Natasha Richardson shockingly passed away today due to injuries caused by a fall during a skiing lesson. She was only 45 years old. She is survived by her husband, actor Liam Neeson, and two sons and famous family including mother Vanessa Redgrave and sister Joely Richardson.

This chart is really eerie to read, after the fact. The progressions and solar arcs confirm the transits and I'll only mention the transits.

Natasha Richardson
b. May 11, 1963 5 pm London, England

Sun 21 Taurus; ASC 14 Libra; Moon 23 Sagittarius; MC 18 Cancer; NN 24 Cancer

Death is said to show up in one's chart through the 8th House and through the 12th and 4th Houses which show endings in one way or another. The 1st House or Ascendant rules the Physical Body.

Accidents are ruled by a combination of Mars and Uranus due to Mars' tendency to act rashly and Uranus' tendency to create sudden, shocking events. Transiting Mars, Jupiter, Chiron, Neptune are all in opposition aspect of some sort to Richardson's natal Mars 20 Leo-Uranus 1 Virgo. This past week-end transiting Mars was passing over the Aquarius-Pisces cusp in close opposition to her natal Uranus (Accidents).

Natally, Richardson had an out of sign opposition of Saturn in Aquarius to Uranus which is mirrored by the current Saturn-Uranus opposition that is occurring by transit and is layered very closely over her 6th/12th house cusps showing some sort of extra stress having to do with Health. Saturn rules Richardson's 4th House and is conjunct her 12th House cusp. Emotionally she may have feeling a little lost.

(I said I wouldn't mention it but her Solar Arcs show a double whammy of Uranus to Angles: SA Uranus conjunct natal Ascendant and AS MC conjunct natal Uranus. )

This week-end, transiting Mars was passing over the Leo-Virgo cusp which can create a vulnerability to accidents. Mars, in particular, indicates accidents to the head and brain which I think was where Richardson's damage was.

An Accident alone doesn't indicate Death. In Richardson's case I think that the current Venus Retrograde in mid degrees of Aries really exaggerated the problem for her. For one, Venus disposits to Mars. For two, Venus is transiting over her Descendant, a major angle which opposes her Ascendant (ruler of Physical Body). And for three, Venus rules Richardson's Ascendant (Libra) and 8th House Cusp (Taurus). This is a triple whammy aspect which would have happened almost every two years, the amount of time it takes for Venus to pass through all the signs. The difference here is that Venus is moving in Retrograde which is a very long transit.

Her Sun, which represents Vitality, is also in her 8th House along with Mercury. This can mean many things, including accounting for her many charms as an actress. In this case both Sun and Mercury disposit to that nasty Venus Rx which in turn disposit to Mars which is opposing itself by transit. Again, Solar Arc Jupiter is in Richardson's 8th House and in conjunction to her natal Sun. I believe that Lois Rodden said that she would rather go out on a beneficial Jupiter aspect of some kind. I guess this is when the parties are better in Heaven.

I can't help it but I'll add some significant Progressions because they are so significant. Richardson's Progressed Moon was at 8 Virgo conjunct natal Pluto 10 Virgo and also widely conjunct natal Uranus. In her Progressed Chart Uranus and Neptune are both within a degree of conjunction with the MC and ASC respectively. As they don't rule anything in her chart having to do with Death I wouldn't have been able to read them as such but would notice that they indicate a big change of some sort. I have found that both planets can throw off one's sense of balance on many planes of existence at once.

Shootings and Venus Retrograde?

As Venus has gone Retrograde in Aries there have been at least 3 public shootings. Venus rules one's ability to love and when she goes Retrograde complications can occur in this area. In the sign of Aries she perhaps brings out an impulsive, aggressive side that people are trying to repress.

According to the birth dates I have for two of the shooters and one of the victims there seems to be a common bond with Nodal Axes involved along the signs of Cancer/Capricorn. This means that the Venus Retrograde is squaring these people's Nodal Axes. The Nodes are considered related to one's Destiny in some way. The 2 Shooters had Sun in square aspect to their Nodal Axes so their Suns were also under stress. The Victim, a Pastor in a church, had natal Venus conjunct his South Node. His Sun, on the other hand, was not relating to his Nodal Axis.

Venus Retrograde may not mean anything other than that from the earth's point of view Venus seems to stand still in the sky for an extra long time. And in Aries this may provoke a lot of frustration. Aries likes Action.

On March 8, 2009 (8:15 am) a man who may have Lyme Disease walked into a Baptist Church in Maryville, Illinois and shot and killed the Pastor who was giving his Sermon. The man was 27 year old Terry Sedlacek. I don't have his birthdate. If he was born in 1982 then he may have a Cancer North Node. This would mean that he shares the same Nodal Axis as his Victim the Minister (whose name I won't use here out of respect for his family who probably hates Astrology). I have found a birthdate for the Minister on the Internet which gives him a philosophical and religious Sun in Sagittarius. His Moon may be in either Cancer or Leo depending on what time of day he was born. And his North Node is at 13 Cancer. As I said before his Venus was at 6 Capricorn within conjunction of his South Node. It is about 7 degrees away from natal Mars at the end of Sagittarius and this means that transiting Pluto was conjunct both Planets.

On Mar. 10, 2009 a man named Michael McLendon went on a shooting spree in the towns of Geneva and Samson, Alabama. McLendon killed most of his family, the family dogs, then went on to shoot randomly at strangers. He then killed himself. 11 deaths total (that may not be accurate).

McLendon was an Aries Sun which was afflicted by opposition to Saturn 19 Libra and Pluto 18 Cancer. His natal Mars was 7 Libra and was Retrograde. So he had a strong aspect in his chart which was lit up by this current Venus Retrograde. On top of that he had natal North Node at 18 Cancer squaring the Sun to Saturn and Pluto oppositions.

Michael McLendon
b. Apr. 11, 1982 (place?)

Sun 22 Aries; Moon Scorpio or Sagittarius; NN 18 Cancer

On Mar. 11, 2009 in Germany a student went on a shooting spree at his school (9:30 am CET, Winnenden, Germany, source: Noel Tyl's forum). This student was Tim Kretschner. Kretschner's chart shows stress aspects to outer planets in Cardinal Signs just like McLendon's do. He was a Scorpio Sun possibly with Moon also in Scorpio. His Sun was conjunct Mars and Pluto which is considered a very difficult aspect to deal with from an emotional basis. In short, it seems to show up a lot in these shooters' charts.

Both shooters have Sun (represents Will and Ego) in signs that are ruled by Mars and Pluto which are both the same energy but on different octaves of vibration. The Scorpio Planets in Kretschner's chart would have been under difficult transit from the square from all the Aquarius planets.

Kretschner's North Node was in heavy aspect to two outer planets. Uranus and Neptune were both conjunct natal North Node at 13 Capricorn (Uranus 11 Capricorn and Neptune 15 Capricorn). These planets were all getting tipped off by transiting Venus Rx in Aries.

Tim Kretschner
b. Nov. 6, 1991 Wendlingen, Germany (info from Noel Tyl's forum)

Sun 14 Scorpio; Moon Scorpio; NN 13 Capricorn

The Venus Rx, of course, isn't the only transit happening in these charts. I just want to point out these coincidental correspondences of both Murderers and Victims especially in regards to the Nodal Axes (Plural of Axis?)

I send my regrets and condolences to all the friends and families of everyone involved in these events.

Hammered in Space

This is just so "Lost in Spacey." Another Girl Astronaut Story. I swear, it's tough enough trying to shop at the Home Despot without every Girl Astronaut who walks down the plank losing her tool bag out in space. On the other hand, it's kinda cool to think that an alien might find it. Or it might come flying back into orbit and hit someone on the head 5,000 years from now. It's a $100,000 NASA toolbag. Just try to match that, Gucci. Maybe Paris Hilton will be cryogenically preserved just so she can be around to catch the thing.

Anyway, a glue gun exploded yesterday while Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper was doing maintenance on the Space Station and as she was wiping the goo off she lost a grip on her $100,000 tool bag and it wafted away. Hope they got it on video and post it on YouTube. This is just way cool. Much better story than how Ford, GM and Chrysler can't get it together to make a car that people want to buy so they're asking the Taxpayers to Bail them out too. Keep losing your NASA Gucci's, Heidemarie. (Why's your name so damn Long?) How many more days is Pluto going to be in Sagittarius? Gotta grab these stories while they still show up.

Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper
b. Feb. 7, 1963 St. Paul, MN

Sun 19 Aquarius; Moon in Scorpio?; NN 30 Cancer

So Heidemarie has a big t-square in her chart that's all to blame. Tsk, tsk, tsk. Her Aquarius Sun is conjunct Saturn and is opposing Mars in Leo Rx. This is squared by apex Neptune in Scorpio. Since Mars is Rx she was born during one of those Mars Synodic Cycles that's so much fun to think about but virtually impossible to interpret due to lack of data. At any rate, natal Mars might even be in conjunction with natal Moon. I wonder if Mars-Moon aspects indicate exloding handbags?

Right now, transiting Neptune is at 22 Aquarius, t Chiron is at 17 Aquarius, and the North Node is at 13 Aquarius aspecting this t-square. That's as ooopsey daisy an aspect as they get. Plus, transiting Jupiter is 3 degrees approaching her natal Mercury at 24 Capricorn. Mercury probably rules tool bags; it rules all things having to do with manual dexterity at any rate. Mars probably rules tools. Natal Mercury is unaspected in her chart so any transit to it is going to be exceptional. Jupiter is eternally clumsy, but almost always lands on its feet.

Once Heidemarie returns to earth she'll be having a Nodal opposition so she'll be feeling a little confused for a short while longer.

Wish Marilyn Were Here to Sing Happy Birthday for this One

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is 100 years old today. According to Wikipedia it was created in order to fight a Prostitute Slave Ring on July 26, 1908. Pretty interesting that it has a 5 Cancer North Node that's conjunct Venus on the same degree. The Cancer as White Knight image (then he locks the Maiden up in the Kitchen bound up in an apron). The Moon and Neptune, also feminine, are also in Cancer. There is also a conjunction of Mars to Jupiter in Leo. Very noble, very valiant.

Somehow I get the feeling that the following date is wrong but it turns out that the Central Intelligence Agency was also started on the same day 39 years later. That's just past a Nodal Return. This chart, July 26, 1947 (Langley, Virginia) was also just past the Mercury and Venus return in Cancer as well. They are conjunct the FBI's Neptune. Don't know how that would work for maintaining smooth communications.

The CIA has a 1 Gemini North Node instead of a Cancer North Node which fits its more Mental and Communicative needs.

The two agency's have a Neptune Square. That could allow for some misperceptions. CIA's Neptune in Libra squares the FBI's Cancer Neptune-Uranus in Capricorn opposition. That's great for remote spying.

Other comparisons are interesting and show a strong policing vibe that works in agreement.

The CIA Mars-Uranus conjunction is conjunct the FBI's natal Pluto in Gemini.

And, Best of Best, The Saturn's of the FBI trine each other. And the Saturn-Pluto conjunction of 1947 was conjunct the FBI's Mars in Leo. To Protect and to Serve and to Control, Control, Control. Mars in Leo can have a strong sense of honor. It would be interesting to compare these dates historically with how the FBI began to treat people, especially during the McCarthy era.

The Birdman of Alcatraz

I love it when I start obsessing over a person and then discover that their charts reflect some current transits in the sky. Yesterday something tripped off my memory and I was thinking about one of my favorite movies when I was a kid, Birdman of Alcatraz. Scary child. I think my sense of what true Justice is aged about 9,000 years after watching that movie. And, you have to admit the acting was great.

As I write this "the Birdman" would be celebrating his Saturn Return in Virgo and would be due to celebrate his Jupiter Return in Capricorn this year as well. Pluto is passing back and forth over his South Node. I haven't got a clue how to interpret this, but I can go off in my imagination here. I have no idea whether reincarnation happens but this would certainly seem like a portal opening in time for the same kind of soul to re-enter.

Robert Stroud, Birdman of Alcatraz
b. Jan 28, 1890 Seattle, Washington (time from Astrotheme 10:00 pm)

Sun 10 Aquarius; ASC 5 Libra; Moon 26 Taurus; MC 6 Cancer; NN 2 Cancer

The Birdman, Robert Franklin Stroud, was a murderer. Just as he was approaching his first Nodal Return (t.Pluto c. n. North Node too) he killed a guy who had abused his girlfriend. Apparently he was hanging out with the wrong crowd and considering his natal chart had a Mars in Scorpio - Moon in Taurus opposition, it was only a matter of time when his temper would be tested beyond what it could handle.

After entering into jail, Stroud couldn't handle the abuse from the guards and was attacking them as well. Eventually he ended up on Death Row for killing a guard. And, Lucky Guy, his Mother and others were on the outside fighting to get him off. His Mother actually contacted the President, can't remember which one. He was born during the Pluto-Neptune conjunction in Gemini of the 1880s and this conjunction was featured prominentally in Stroud's natal chart. If the Astrotheme birth time is correct, it was conjunct his Sun and involved in a Grand Trine with a Libra Ascendant and a conjunction of Sun-Venus-Mercury Rx in Aquarius. At the time of the murder, his progressed Sun and Venus were conjunct at 29 Aquarius and squaring his natal Moon-Pluto. They then would have passed over into Pisces, sign which rules Imprisonment.

Birdman was sentenced to 12 years for committing his first crime and then had a few problems with guards in jail. He attacked the first one, then killed the second one and was moved around and eventually put into Solitary confinement on Death Row where his only contact with life was with birds that hung out in the barred window of his cell. He made cages for the birds and learned so much about them he wrote books on them. His Mother kept fighting on his behalf to keep him off of death row. Hollywood found him and made a movie about him.

The story is really really strange. The Astrology makes sense when you think of the strangeness because Stroud was an Aquarian. Whether or not he actually did have a Libra Rising in trine with his other planets, a Grand Air Trine for a guy who understands Birds really well just makes a whole lot of sense. The self-containment of the Grand Trine aspect actually found a constructive outlet in jail. It also brought the good luck connected with having constant attention for his incarceration. The whole Neptune-Pluto in Gemini generation certainly would understand the story of a guy who writes books while isolated in a jail.

Stroud murdered his Girlfriend's abuser, Jan. 18, 1909 in Cordova, Alaska. The Astrolocality lines show an interesting set-up as his Moon-Neptune-Pluto MC lines run through Alaska where he committed his first murder. The island of Alcatraz, where he found his connection with birds and eventually his Fame was closest to his Nodal Axis MC line. And surprisingly, his Nodal Axis is located in his natal chart at 2 Cancer-Capricorn and his Midheaven-IC Axis (assuming chart time is correct) at 6 Cancer-Capricorn. He became famous on this line at any rate in part for the place (IC, Cancer) where he lived. The circumstances were unusual, but as I said, he was Sun-Venus-Mercury in Aquarius. He also may have had a 1st house Uranus which strengthens the tendency for unusual circumstances.

One major anger management problem indicated in Stroud's chart is his Moon - Mars in Scorpio opposition. Mars squares his natal Sun-Mercury in Aquarius. That all makes for a flash temper. If he has a Libra Rising his story seems classic for the problems of that Rising Sign. He was trying to help his lover and instead buried himself into one catastrophic interaction after another until it finally finds redemption in going inward. I've just looked at a study of U.S. Presidents who have a predominance of Libra Risings. One can certainly see this same kind of struggle in taking on that job. Just remember back to Bill Clinton's days.

There are a lot of unbelievable interesting transits that connect to Stroud's natal chart, namely through Neptune, Chiron and Mars. It's interesting that the first murder was committed while Neptune was conjunct his natal Chiron-Lilith conjunction in Cancer. How about going to jail (Neptune) while defending your prostitute (Lilith) girlfriend's (Lilith, Cancer) problems? Of course, the progressed Sun-Venus conjunction squaring natal Moon-Pluto-Neptune didn't help. Nor did the Pluto-North Node conjunction (within orb of his Nodal Return). This murder would have held extra relevance for Stroud as it happened on Jan. 18, 1909 and so probably was linked into his Solar Return chart for the year.

The Birdman movie debuted July 3, 1962. This is an interesting Solar Return year for Stroud as there was a huge line-up of planets in Aquarius on his Sun that year. T. Pluto was just approaching his 12th House cusp opposing Jupiter-Chiron on his 6th House cusp (assuming Astrotheme chart time is correct). Jupiter-Pluto aspects are known to bring fame when working together in a chart. What better way to become famous than as being some kind of Francis of Assisi of the Federal Jail System in a Major Motion Picture? That's so many Neptunian/Pisces themes it makes my head spin.

Stroud died in 1963. Pluto was exactly conjunct the 12th house cusp of the Astrotheme chart.

Pablo Casals on His Conception Chart

In his famous book Anatomy of an Illness, Cousins describes a visit he made to Pablo Casals while the Maestro was in his 80s. For his book, Cousins is studying the role of creativity in healing in the lives of old, creative people. So they are talking and Cousins asks Casals what his favorite piece of music is. Great Question. Casals says his favorite piece of music is the Brahms Quartet in B-Flat. And then he shows Cousins the original manuscript for the Quartet which was given to him years earlier. When given the manuscript Casals learned another interesting fact about this particular work which Cousins tells in his book:

"...Brahms began to write the Quartet just nine months before I was born. It took him nine months to complete it. We both came into the world on exactly the same day, the same month, the same year." -- Anatomy of an Illness (p. 77-78)

This certainly seems like a good argument for using Conception Charts, if only they were available, along with reading a person's natal chart.

Pablo Casals
b. Dec. 29, 1876 8pm El Vendrell, Catalonia, Spain

Sun 9 Capricorn; ASC 20 Leo; Moon 24 Gemini; MC 12 Taurus; NN 13 Pisces

Johannes Brahms
b. May 7, 1833 3:30 Hambourg, Germany

Sun 17 Taurus; ASC 19 Aries; Moon 25 Sagittarius; MC 7 Capricorn; NN 17 Cancer

I understand that there are all kinds of pre-birth and Conception Charts. I don't know how to read those. But I am amazed by how the synastry between these two birth charts relate to each other.

First off, Casals' Gemini Moon is opposing Brahms' Sagittarius Moon within a Degree. The Moon's relationship to conception is very important so it's nice to know that they are relating here.

Then both men have Sun conjunct each other's Midheavens and squaring each other's Ascendants. Casals' Sun is conjunct Brahms' Nodal Axis as well which is configured very strongly in his (Brahms) chart. Brahms' has a conjunction to the degree of Mars-NN in his 4th House and it squares Brahms' natal ASC which is conjunct Pluto-Jupiter & Mercury. It is opposing Casal's Sun.

Another interesting tidbit. There was an Eclipse 9 months before Casals was born on Mar. 25, 1876 9:05pm (London time). (Sun and Moon at 6 Aries.) This Eclipse had a conjunction of Venus-Mars-Pluto (18-23 Taurus) on the cusp of the 8th House. This would have been conjunct Brahms' Sun and Casals' Midheaven. 8th House rules the Occult and re-Birth. Such planets combined on the 8th house cusp also indicates that Casals was probably the product of some pretty good Sex which could account for his great musical abilities and also his incredible political statements in defense of world peace.

This isn't all.

Casals goes on to say that the piece of music that he would most like to hear while he was dying was Mozart's Clarinet Quintet (written 1789).

Wolfgang Mozart
b. Jan. 27, 1756 8:00 pm Salzburg, Austria

Sun 8 Aquarius; ASC 13 Virgo; Moon 18 Sagittarius; MC 9 Gemini; NN 12 Virgo

Once again the Synastry is amazing.

Like Brahms, Mozart also has a Sagittarius Moon that opposes Casals' Moon. Here it is conjunct Pluto to the degree (planet of death).

The Men share the same Nodal Axis within a degree but with Nodes switched. This Axis is layered over Mozart's Ascendant/Descendant axis. And it is layered over Casal's 8th/2d house Axis! The Axis that rules Death.

And Casals said that the reason that he wanted to hear this particular piece (the 2d movement) because it was so light and clear. Mozart's Uranus was conjunct his South Node-DESC (all between 12-14 Pisces) right on Casal's 8th House Cusp. I don't know what Casals actually listened to when he died but do know that Uranus does show Lightness and Clarity and also what one Wishes for.

Crazy Pills

Really interesting article on the History of Psychiatry in the United States that separates the phases that the Industry has gone through into 3 distinct epochs. The industry is barely 100 years old. (from the Wilson Quarterly: http://www.wilsoncenter.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=wq.essay&essay_id=400008.)

Psychiatry is an industry that deals with extremes of human behavior so I suppose one shouldn't be shocked at the extreme behaviors that are used to treat it. Thorazine took over from the Shock Treatments and Lobotomies of the mid 20th century. It was invented in France and accepted for use on Dec. 11, 1950. (Sun-Chiron-Venus in Sagittarius squaring the Pisces NN-Virgo SN). Created originally for some other completely unrelated ill (I think it was considered an antihistimine) the Doctors began to notice that it made a person not care about a damn thing. How else can you deal with that entire huge generation who suffered from Pluto in Cancer? Thorazine, baby. No more caring. This is also the generation that created all the Divorces. Thorazine accepted by the FDA in 1957. Pluto at the very last degrees of Leo just chompin at the bit to get into Virgo where it could take over the World with Magic Bullets.

Next biggee was Valium. Valium created by a Polish Doctor, Dr. Leo Sternbach in 1956 as Librium. He manipulated it into a pill that was 2 1/2 times stronger and named it Valium. Approved by the U.S. in May, 1963. Between 1969 and 1982 Valium became the top selling pharmaceutical. Sales peaked in 1978. Pluto was just about finished with its passage through Libra so the Pluto in Cancer people were just about all finished up with their Pluto squares. Pluto passed into Scorpio in 1983-84 just as Valium sales sank.

The Rolling Stones wrote a song about Valium called "Mother's Little Helper." It's really fun to look at the astrology, especially the Cancer Mommy influence, in mind.

The Frankenstein:

Dr. Leo Sternbach
b. May 7, 1908 Opatija, Croatia

Sun 17 Taurus; Moon Cancer or Leo; NN 7 Cancer

Sternbach's Sun is both conjunct his Mercury in Taurus and parallel it. These two trine his Uranus 17 Capricorn to the degree as well. Very sharp mind. Sun-Mercury-Pluto are all in parallel here.

The rest of his chart shows how he used his brilliance. North Node in Cancer conjunct Neptune (drugs) in Cancer on one side. And conjunct a wide conjunction/stellium over the Gemini-Cancer Cusp of Venus in Cancer-Pluto & Mars in Gemini. The Dude handled all the compulsions and boredoms of the most Anxious (Gemini) Mommies (Cancer) in the World.

When Valium hit the market in May, 1963 Sternbach was close to a Nodal Return in Cancer. I can only find that the Drug came out in May, which means that he would have been having his Solar Return at this time. Best stuff is his progressions. 5 planets and the North Node all bundled up in the sign of Cancer. Both his progressed Mercury and prog. Venus were Retrograde which seems to indicate that his effect on all things Cancerian might come with complications. His progressed Moon may have been going through its return in Cancer as well (can't tell for sure what sign as don't have birth time).

Most interesting, of course, is that Sternbach's progressed Sun was conjunct his Neptune-NN conjunction in Cancer. And transiting Neptune was in Scorpio opposite his natal Sun-Mercury. This is one of the few people I've studied who benefitted from a double, let alone single, whammy transit aspect of Sun to Neptune. Most of us just wake up 3 years later and wonder what just happened. Neptune's tendency to bring on addiction is really too much. The Good Doc literally projected those nasty transits onto an entire generation of parents (Nodal Axis: Cancer-Capricorn). This generation was already competing with the Pluto in Gemini's who still hadn't recovered from prohibition, like they really needed to chase the pills down with their cocktails.

As far as the transits go, Uranus had just moved into Virgo (anxiety) and was in wide conjunction with Pluto in Virgo (anxiety). Saturn (depression) was still not quite in Pisces (drugs, addiction, escapism) yet, but ... the Show will soon begin.

The Rolling Stones wrote their song about the drug in 1965 and recorded it in the studio between Dec. 5-8, 1965, London (?). This is right as the Saturn-Chiron in Pisces opposite Uranus-Pluto in Virgo opposition was within degrees of being exact. On Dec. 5, the Sun was in Sagittarius, the Moon was at the beginning of Taurus where it stayed during most of the recording. On Dec. 8 it passed over the North Node in Gemini and became the Full Moon. The Sun-Moon and Nodal Axes were squaring the Saturn-Chiron to Uranus-Pluto axes!

Here are the 5 different types of Psych Drugs, one would assume that there would be more. I guess most were discovered when developed to treat other problems. Somebody really needs to force the psych people to read some French novels so they can learn more about human nature. This is kind of a limiting selection.

anxiolytics, anti-anxiety
anti-depressants
stimulants, depression
anti-psychotics
mood stabilizers

History of the best sellers of the industry. http://www.wired.com/medtech/drugs/magazine/15-10/st_infoporn

1st put out by Bayer: Luminal, 1912 for anxiety (Pluto in Gemini)

The first Anti-depressant, Benzedrine, came onto the Market during the, yes, Great Depression in 1936.

Thorazine, an anti-psychotic, took the paddles away from the ElectroShock and InsulinShock Docs. Dec. 11, 1950, France. Marketed starting in 1957.

Valium, May 1963, Uranus moves into Virgo. Top selling med 1969-1982, peaked in 1978.

Lithium - for all the Mommy's who took too much Valium mid 1970s

1987 Prozac - Ended Talk Therapy, Pluto in Scorpio, Grand conjunction of Saturn-Uranus-Neptune in Capricorn.

1991 Zoloft - Best Selling anti-D in 2002

1997 Seroquel - Best-selling anti-P

2002 Lexapro - current Best- selling anti-D. Benefited from intense marketing probably associated with the Saturn-Pluto opposition in Gemini-Sagg.

Mike the Headless Chicken

Happy Easter! Here's a story to think about as you bite the heads off all those PEEPS that landed in your Easter Basket! It's also an incredible Miracle Story.

Mike was a Chicken who was born in Fruita, Colorado in April, 1945. On Sept. 10, 1945, Mike was supposed to be dinner for his Family but when the farmer knocked off his head with the axe he missed Mike's brain stem and jugular vein so Mike didn't die. The Farmer found him the next morning sleeping with what was left of his neck tucked under his wing. The Farmer figured it was a Miracle and continued to feed Mike straight through the hole in his neck. Mike lived for 18 more months.

As it is said that he was 5 1/2 months old at the time of his beheading I assume Mike was born close to the beginning of April. This puts the Sun in Aries, the sign which rules the Head so it is quite an interesting coincidence that Mike's story is all about his head.

Also very interesting are the placements of Mercury and Venus. They were in conjunction for the entire beginning of April, 1945 and Retrograde in Aries for most of that time. Venus actually started out at the beginning of the month in Taurus, sign of the Neck, and moved back into Aries by April 8. Mercury was in Aries the whole time and went Retrograde on April 3. So, Mike lost his Voice, but somehow found a bigger audience. Medical Experts and Audiences paid a lot of money (Venus) to see the bird with no head.

The Mercury-Venus conjunction is also really interesting because Mike's story is connected with so many colloquial turns of phrase, something I might associate with Mercury-Venus. "Going for the Jugular," for example. And, of course, "Running around like a Chicken with its Head cut off."

When Mike's unfortunate experience occurred, on Sept. 10, 1945, there were many indicators in the Stars that something would go wrong with Dinner. Mars, sign of the Axe, was in Cancer, sign of Food, and in conjunction with the North node in Cancer (Destiny with Dinner). Saturn was also in Cancer, unaspected. That's a sure sign of Starvation, along with the Moon in Scorpio which would rather diet anyway. The true clinker here is the Jupiter-Neptune-Chiron conjunction in Libra that was squaring the Mars-NN. I always associate Libra and Pisces with vegetarianism. They just can't think to eat another living being. And apparently the farmer couldn't think to do Mike in once he saw what a will Mike had to live. If the bird can live without his head then maybe best to let the Miracle live. It's also interesting to think of the sign Libra here. Mike immediately became the Farmer's friend and partner in business. One wonders if the Farmer was a Libra.

Mike and the Farmer were on the Road when Mike died 18 months later. Now this really was tragic. Mike choked in a Motel Room in Phoenix and the Farmer had forgotten to bring the syringes he used to clear Mike's throat. 18 Months of living without a head. That's seems like a Sun-Venus cycle but I can't find the astrology.

Mike,

May you Eternally Rest in Peace,

You Miracle Bird.

I found out about Mike's story at http://www.christophercoppola.com/.
Mar 14 Pt. 1, "The Other Side of CRC: The Mean One"
and Mar. 15, 2008 "Mike the Headless Chicken."

In the first video filmmaker Christopher Coppola satirizes a pretentious movie star who's hired to do a documentary about Mike.