Getting Started With Bunny Berigan

Cardinal Signs are the ignition points of the horoscope wheel.  They represent the Solstice and Equinox Points which show beginnings of the Seasons on planet earth.Cardinal Signs represent beginnings and starting points.

So this reminded me of one of my favorite songs.

I Can't Get Started.

Trumpet and Vocals are by Bunny Berigan.

I sort of wondered if Bunny had Cardinal Sign issues in his chart.  He did.  He had a Cardinal t-square with apex Mars 15 Libra squaring Uranus 14 Capricorn opposing Neptune 18 Cancer Rx.  He was also born with Libra Rising which is a Cardinal Sign.

Bunny Berigan
b. Nov. 2, 1908  5:30 am (Astrotheme)

Sun 10 Scorpio;  Moon 22 Aquarius;   ASC 28 Libra;  MC 4 Leo;  NN 28 Gemini

Berigan had that big natal a Cardinal Sign t-square in his natal chart.  And he lived through the Great Depression which was the last time that Saturn-Uranus and Pluto were in a big Cardinal Sign t-square configuration with each other.

And in 1937 when Berigan performed "I Can't Get Started" there was a Jupiter-Pluto opposition over his natal Uranus-Neptune.

Berrigan was a Scorpio Sun with Libra Rising.  I think it's interesting to notice that Mars, the Great Ignition of the Zodiac was in Retrograde for half of 1937 between Libra and Scorpio which means that Mars spent half that year pretty much standing over his Ascendant between his natal Mars in Libra (H12), his Ascendant-Mercury Retrograde conjunction and his 1st House Sun.  That's a lot of fire on the starting point of one's chart.

So, if you are currently spinning your wheels in a ditch somewhere because the Cardinal Sign stuff is just too overwhelming, it just means that it's time to do a little dance.

Berigan died in 1942 at age 33.  The Doctor told him that he would die if he didn't stop drinking and didn't stop playing trumpet.  He said he could do neither. One can see the stubbornness of a Fixed Sun and Moon here.  Age 33 is the year that one's Solar Return Chart puts one's planets pretty much back in the houses where they were when one was born. 

Oh yeah, and I can't talk about a musician without discussing Venus.  Venus in this chart is conjunct Lilith at the end of Virgo (H11).  It opposes Saturn in Aries (fall) and squares Pluto-NN at end of Gemini.  That can also sort of explain the tragic short life.

Gabrielle Giffords Shooting

Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords of Tucson, Arizona was shot by a 22-year old man in front of a grocery store yesterday while meeting with her constituents. 19 people were injured and 6 have died as a result of the shooting. A 9-year old girl was killed as well as a well respected Judge. Giffords is alive and Doctors say she is giving good signs for recovery.

I wish Congresswoman Giffords a complete recovery and send my condolences to all the families and friends who have been victimized by this senseless act.

It's basically too early to give much of a reading, but I got curious anyway. If the birth dates I have are correct for Giffords and the shooter, Jared Lee Loughner, their basic charts show some really eerie connections.

Their Sun Signs square each other by a degree. Giffords is a Gemini Sun and Loughner is a Virgo Sun. Squares are considered challenging aspects but without the rest of the chart one can't say whether this is a bad challenge or a good one. Squares will add a lot of energy to the relation between how these two people project their Sun Energy which can mean Ego Projection, Search for spotlight, creativity. Giffords, as a Gemini Sun working in Politics is considered a moderate Democrat. Gemini's are known not to commit to one predictable path, so Giffords' sided with both gun rights law and pro-choice law. She walked two sides of the fence. I'm not sure what Loughner's problem with Giffords is exactly, but as a Virgo one can expect him to project a hyper critical stance of anyone who he feels has errors of thinking. Virgo is known for attention to detail, rather than looking at larger pictures. Both Sun Signs are ruled by the same planet, Mercury. Mercury rules aspects of cognition. In very simple terms, Gemini rules verbal communication and fine motor coordination while Virgo rules analysis of details. Both are related to the nervous system.

Another interesting connection is that both assailer and assailant share the same Nodal Axis with North Node in Pisces and South Node in Virgo. The Nodal Axis will describe Life Path and Destiny. Giffords' North Node was conjunct the ASC-Moon-Neptune-Chiron at the time of the shooting. Neptune is the Ruler of Pisces, and as such is the ruler of the entire chart and the North Nodes of both people.

The Nodal Axis is often seen (but, not always) in conjunction with the angles at the time of a significant event. Pisces is related to feelings of great empathy and sacrifice. It is also related to "losers" and "addicts." One can see how both sides of this sign which is the chart ruler is shown in this event. Loehner posted apologies asking for forgiveness before the event. That's typical of how Neptune manipulates. There's a feeling that one has to give up to chaos, and usually a projection of being a martyr of a higher purpose.

Giffords at age 40 is going through her first Neptune Square. Natal Neptune is at 30 Scorpio Rx so it is up at the top of the chart of the shooting squaring the ASC-Moon-Chiron-Neptune. As Neptune is changing signs in a few months and moving into the sign which it rules which is connected with feeling lost and hopeless and boundariless, I hope this doesn't foreshadow similar events in the future.

Loughner's Nodal Axis plays a huge role in his chart as he was born on the same day as an Annular Solar Eclipse and has both Sun and Moon conjunct his South Node. It would be interesting to see how the recent Eclipses affected these charts. Loughner has a natal conjunction of Saturn-Uranus in Sagittarius conjunct Neptune in Capricorn. This has been getting hit hard by the conjunction of Mercury-Pluto-NN and the recent Eclipse set (total Lunar on Dec. 21, something solar on Jan. 4). Loughner also has a conjunction of Lilith to the South Node.

A really interesting connection between these two are their Mars-Chiron squares which overlay each other. Giffords has natal Mars in the sign of Cancer, which is in its Fall. This is a difficult placement for Mars which is the planet that in its positive aspects gives one initiative to begin new projects. Cancer is the homebody planet which often doesn't express itself through direct behavior so there can be a problem when these two connect. Since Cancer is a receptive/reactive sign, often the initiative that one puts out will attract anger in others through indirect and emotional "vibes." (Well, i said it's problematic). On the other hand, Loehner's natal Mars is in its own sign of Aries which can give too much initiative, not enough thought to one's actions and impulse/anger control. With both in squares to their natal Chiron there can be an uncontrollable element to how the aspect plays out and together with the square aspect this can be difficult.

Loughner's Chiron 7 Cancer is conjunct Giffords' n. Mars at 5 Cancer. And, Loughner's natal Mars at 10 Aries is conjunct her Chiron at 10 Aries. Mars is connected with violence and war and impulse and rage. Loughner's natal Mars is placed very strongly in headstrong Aries. Giffords was shot in the Head (Mars/Aries) at point blank range. Chiron is an asteroid which brings in the myth of the Teacher/Healer who could fix everything except his own wounds.

The media coverage was sort of hysterical and cruel. While the shooter was aiming at Giffords other people were killed and wounded but the coverage neglected these poeple in order to force its own agenda. Immediately turned to the political climate of Arizona and concluded that illegal immigration was the main motive behind the shooting. It turns out that Loehner has big gripes against the Government overall in addition to mental disorders and addictions. The transiting chart shows Mercury in Sagittarius (communication of opinions, media) conjunct the North Node and Pluto (power) in the 10th House (Government) squares the Jupiter-Uranus in Pisces conjunction in the 1st House. This shows the inflamed and exaggerated coverage by the media and also brings up the discussion of how the hysteria created by media can affect people who are emotionally and mentally vulnerable.

"Assasination" attempt and shooting in front of a Safeway
Jan. 8 , 2011 10:00 am Tucson, AZ

ASC 4 Pisces; Sun 19 Capricorn (H11); Moon 8 Pisces (H1); MC 14 Sagittarius; NN 2 Capricorn (H10)

Gabrielle Giffords
b. June 8, 1970 Tucson, AZ

Sun 18 Gemini; Moon Aquarius or Pisces; NN 7 Pisces

Jared Lee Loughner
b. Sept. 10, 1988 (Place unknown, I used Tucson)

Sun 19 Virgo; Moon Virgo; NN 14 Pisces