Nuclear Radiation

This is another one of my hair-brained connections, but while browsing through the current Newsweek article about the Nuclear Power planet disaster in Japan (Mar. 28/Apr. 4 issue) I noticed that the "shelf life" for 2 out of the 3 different types of radiation correspond to a Saturn Return. That is, they last for 29 years.

Strontium 90 can be inhaled or ingested through contaminated food or water. It is similar to calcium by chemical make-up so goes straight for the bones. Bones are ruled by Saturn! Exposure increases the risk of bone cancer and leukemia.

Cesium 137 is the dealiest radiation. It sticks to dust, can be inhaled or ingested, can even be picked up while walking on soil, (and lasts for 29 years!) Its gamma radiation penetrates into the body causing cancer everywhere.

The least toxic Radiation is from Iodine 129 & 131. This has a shelf life of only 8 days. It settles into the grass, is ingested by cows and ends up in concentrated form in milk. It goes into the thyroid gland and causes thyroid cancer. I forgot to look up thyroid gland, that's in the neck, isn't it? That would be Venus/Taurus rulership maybe. There's a Sun/Venus cycle which takes 8 years.

Would it be possible to try to "guess" who would be most affected by these different types of radiation by looking at placement of Saturn in their charts? Are people who are going through a difficult Saturn transit right now more vulnerable? I wouldn't have thought to look at Saturn for radiation poisoning so I'm only placing a guess right now.

Hydrogen, ruled by Neptune according to Bills, was the first thing that the nuclear reactors began to leak right after the tsunami (also ruled by Neptune).

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.

What A Difference A Saturn Return Makes

A Study in Minnesota has been following the effects of Diet on Rhesus Monkeys. The effects are remarkable as shown in a photo of the 2 monkeys sitting side by side.

The one on the right, Owen, looks totally thrashed. Obviously he's born under intense Moon-Jupiter-Neptune set up. The one on the left, Canto, is remarkably well preserved. He's obviously got some heavy Virgo-Libra stuff going on. Dude was obviously born on a day when Pluto was taking a Holiday.

What the commentary leaves out is there is 2 year age difference between the Monkeys. Owen really is older. Why can't Scientists be Scientific? I hate it when they compete with Astrologers for lack of logic. And not only is Owen older, but he's 29 years old which means that he's probably just past his Saturn Return. And that is a Hallmark transit known to show off the aging process in all its gorey Glory.


The other transit, or set of transits, that I've noticed really ages a person physically is the Uranus Opposition-Neptune square that occurs in the early 40s. You just have to forgive people who are going through that one for a couple of years as they add that rubber tire around their stomachs. Life has gotten kinda boring at that point and people don't look good after they've supplemented it with extracurricular sugars and amphetamines.

How appropriate, though, that we find out that we have to eat 1/3 less calories in order to live longer just as Pluto moves into Capricorn. The 2 planets combined equals "Less is More."

http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/slideshow/photo//090709/480/ebbd7c583fba45de86b64a88d932a556/

Pluto in Capricorn and Melanoma; that's a Double Negative

Just read that an Australian Immunologist is developing a Skin Cancer Vaccine which is due to go into human trials next year. I've been wondering if there would be advances in Medicine regarding things Capricornian like Skin and Bones. Either that or a surge of problems with diseases in those areas. Professor Ian Frazer is the Immunologist who has also been responsible for developing the Cervical Cancer vaccine which was recently put on the market. I'm a bit leary of vaccinations myself and strongly believe in using them only sparingly. I perpetually read the obituaries and have noticed what seems like a lot of premature deaths of people born between 1960 and 1961, or round abouts that time, and have read that there was some sort of super Vaccine which was injected into babies that was loaded with multiple vaccinations all at once. But I also live in California and have known my share of people in their 20s with huge chunks of skin hacked out of their bodies so a Skin Vaccine sounds like a good thing overall. Well, maybe they were given the Vaccines...

Article:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gq4t6R-QhHgUsus_JHp0iAV74n6A

I looked up Professor Ian Frazer's birthdate and noticed that he's born during the Saturn-Neptune conjunction in Libra in 1953. That's only a month after the magical date of Dec. 2, 1952 on which both Carolyn Myss and Karen Hamaker-Zondag share a birthday. Frazer is a traditionalist Capricorn so it makes sense that he went into straight forward Medicine while the two Sagittarians went for the Woo-Woo. In the end they are all extremely special Healers.

Dr. Ian Frazer
b. Jan. 6, 1953 Glasgow, Scotland

Sun 16 Capricorn; Moon Virgo or Libra; NN 13 Aquarius

Frazer has Sun conjunct Chiron 17 Capricorn which opposes Uranus in Cancer Rx and trines Jupiter 11 Taurus. That shows Healing Abilities in Academia and Innovation. Jupiter also squares his Nodal Axis and with Aquarius North Node this reinforces the relation to Uranus that these two share with the Sun and Chiron. Also, Frazier is going through a couple of Jupiter transits right now which shows Success in his life. First off, squaring the Jupiter, he's going through a Nodal Return (which includes conjunction of NN to Chiron and Neptune). And transiting Jupiter is passing over his natal Sun. He's also in between his 2d Progressed Lunar Return and his 2d Saturn Return. His life's work is coming to a peak.

Natal Mercury at 30 Sagittarius is very prominently placed on the Aries Point. It is also Out-of-bounds. Mercury rules Gemini and Virgo and is related to Public Health related side of Disease so it's interesting that Frazer's is so prominent. Right now, of course, transiting Pluto is right on top of natal Mercury. Pluto rules Research, especially Medical Research, and is probably a strong ruler of Vaccinations. Mercury in Frazer's chart is centered in a long line of sextile aspects. Depending on what orbs one uses (I reduce 75 percent on astrodienst) there is a string of sextiles in Frazer's chart that runs from Jupiter 11 Taurus sextile Venus-Mars 2-6 Pisces sextile Mercury 30 Sagittarius sextile Saturn-Neptune 27-24 Libra sextile Pluto 23 Leo. These planets aren't all in aspect to each other but this is still a pretty nice set-up showing incredible amounts of talent and ability to harmonize many different qualities.

Patti LuPone's Excellent Saturn Returns

Patti LuPone won her Second Tony Award at last night's Ceremony for her acting in Gypsy. She won her First Tony Award for her portrayal of Evita back in 1980. Last night, as she was giving her acceptance speech the band started to play and she told them to stop, "I only get to do this every 29 years!"

29 years? Saturn Return? Patti LuPone gets to win a Tony during her Saturn Returns. That must be some nicely placed planet.

Patti LuPone
b. Apr. 21, 1949 Long Island, NY

Sun 2 Taurus; Moon Aquarius; NN 29 Aries

Lupone's natal Saturn is placed at 30 Leo in her chart. Leo is the sign of the actress so her Saturn likes her chosen profession.

Lupone's also got a really amazing stellium at the end of Aries and beginning of Taurus that trines her Saturn. This includes all of her personal planets except the Moon which are clumped around her North Node in Aries and Taurus Sun. This is a very special set-up because both Venus and Mars are in their own signs and they rule her Nodal Axis. Uranus is also apex of a small triangle to Saturn trine Venus. So, when she goes through her Saturn Return as she just did last year and as when she did during her performance of Evita, she really rocks at all things Leo. Transiting Jupiter was right at the spot where Saturn is now back in 1980.

I was sort of interested to try to understand if there was some kind of indicator that she would win for portraying strong female types. It would be great to check her Lilith placements but I didn't get around to that. What I did notice is that LuPone has natal out-of-bounds Pluto at 15 Leo in a square with Venus and possibly opposing her Moon. Transiting Saturn would hit that right around the time that she would be selected for these parts. And a Saturn-Pluto-Venus-possibly Moon t-square is a very strong aspect for a woman to have. It's also a stressful aspect so it's nice to see that super fortunate Saturn trine following up right after.

It's useful to understand that the way the chart unfolds is as important to interpret as the single placements themselves. A stressful aspect that's followed up by another stressful aspect makes for a much more difficult life than a stressful aspect that comes before a very rewarding aspect.
I'll have to look for more of these examples. Anyway, thanks Patti LuPone for working so hard and sharing your incredible talents.

Man, next life, I'm going to have a Venus in Taurus too. I've got a Venus in Virgo squaring Gemini Rising. I croak like a frog. Okay, Gemini Rising, I sing like 2 out of tune, hypercritical frogs. I can babble here, nobody's reading this shitty blog, I've been sick all week. Hope Patti LuPone doesn't Google herself. She can't understand what I just wrote anyway. Maybe I'd rather be a tap dancer in my next life anyway.

Saturn in Virgo / Prince Philip and Prince Charles

Have been struck dumb by the photos that are on the Internet of Princess Diana's last moments. I came across some of them accidentally and have to say I'm impressed by what Vultures these photographers are. And now I am lamely following the Inquest into the car crash that caused the Princess's death. It's taking place at the relentless 10 year request of Dodi Fayed's Father who is blaming Prince Philip for organizing the crash. Father blaming Father sounds a lot like some Saturn issues. I had to take a look.

Saturn rules the Father, Authority and Government. Both Men have strong Sun-Saturn connections, Philip has a square and Mr. Fayed has the conjunction.

And Saturn is very strong by transit here. It has recently passed into Virgo and both Prince Philip and Prince Charles have Saturn in Virgo natally. So, they are going through their Saturn Returns. Even if these Gentlemen had nothing to do with Princess Diana's death, they are forever in Karmic Debt to her unhappiness in the Public Eye.

Virgo is an interesting sign. It rules day to Day matters, realism and usually comes out squeaky clean in public on matters of dishonesty or sabotage or worse. But, what the Virgos don't want anyone to know is that they're never really that far away from flipping over into the Piscean side of things when under stress. At the drop of a hat, they complain about being martyrs, and then blame everyone around them. Virgo's know exactly what they can get away with at any given moment and then they move on without giving it a second thought. They are forever the Innocent Virgin. (And usually they really are innocent, well sort of... I have Virgo siblings).

Prince Charles is going through his 2d Saturn Return right now. The Day of Diana's crash, the Sun was conjunct his Saturn so it's very interesting that he is under the gun now after 10 years. This Return is extra heavy transit as t.Saturn is conjunct the t.South Node. That puts Fate (Nodes) and Karma (Saturn) together into one big happy package for him. Talk about the past coming up and biting you in the ass. On the plus side, Prince Charles has a well-aspected Saturn natally. It's in a Grand Trine to Moon- NN in Taurus and Jupiter at 30 Sagittarius (Aries Point). I suppose if he's involved he'll glide through this with nary a scratch.

On the other hand, in about a year from now, Prince Philip will go through his 3d Saturn Return. His 19 Virgo Saturn is afflicted, conjunct his NN at 20 Virgo. This Saturn-Node conjunction is squaring his Sun-Mercury conjunction meaning that he has managerial skills but he may suffer from cold-heartedness and cruelty at times. Managerial skills are great talents to have but, remember bin Laden and al-Zarqawi had similar squares.

At any rate, I wouldn't want to be the subject of an Inquest at any time let alone during a Saturn Return. Look what happened to Martha Stewart during her last Saturn Return.

So then, for curiosity's sake, one looks at Dodi Fayed's Saturn. Why not? This is conjunct his Descendant in Scorpio. It disposes to and squares 4th House Pluto. This can be an indicator of being born into a family where power games are very prominent. 4th house rules beginning and end of life and Pluto rules death, power games and also Fame. He did after all become famous after his death. His Father has struggled in grief and terror (Saturn square Pluto) for 10 years to set things right. He should have taught his Son to use a seat belt, Saturn afflicted can't get away with not using a seat belt.

And now we look at Dodi's Father's Saturn. Mohamed Abdel Moneim Fayed is an Aquarius. This puts his Sun at 8 Aquarius conjunct Saturn to the degree. This conjunction is unaspected by Ptolomaic aspects so it is a very prominent influence in his chart. It combines Vitality/ego and Determination. This is what is needed to spend 10 years of fighting the British Government to find the truth out about his Son's death. His Sun-Saturn conjunction is pitted against Philip's Sun-Saturn square. Mr. Fayed's conjunction does have a Sesquiquadrate (keywords: ill-omened, choice, readjustment, resolve) aspect to Mars-Jupiter in Virgo. Mars aspecting Jupiter is sort of a Racehorse aspect. It took 10 years but he's taking this Inquest to the Finish Line in order to get Unbiased (Aquarius) facts (Virgo).

Transiting Saturn is aspecting Mr. Fayed's (Father) chart strongly as well. It is conjunct his n. Neptune-South Node conjunction in Virgo at 10 and 8 degrees respectively. So it makes sense that he would feel victimized by Philip and Charles and their Saturns. After analyzing the facts (Virgo) he will finally be able to grieve his Son.

Then, of course, Diana's Virgo planets hook into Charles' Saturn. She has a stellium of Uranus-NN in Leo with Mars-Pluto in Virgo. T.Saturn is now conjunct her angry, willful Mars-Pluto conjunction which is conjunct Charles' Saturn. What awful synastry. On top of this, the Car Crash happened on a day when the Sun was conjunct their Saturn Pluto conjunction (and the rest of Di's planets). Saturn & Pluto together, the Marriage that just keeps on taking. Last year's endless Saturn-Neptune opposition was stationing on Diana's Lilith in Leo which provided the kick-off for the inquest. Lilith was the original screwed over ex-wife in mythology.

Another thing: both Prince Philip and Prince Charles share an opposition of Jupiter to Uranus. Although not afflicted by deep dark motivations these two planets working together could indicate a problem with needing Freedom and Independence at any cost. Prince Charles' opposition is on the very public Aries Points: Jupiter 30 Sagittarius opposite Uranus 30 Gemini. At this point, his Prog. Venus and t. Pluto are close to conjunction with his natal Jupiter. Hopefully, he's innocent and will be vindicated. Either that, or he will kill Camilla too. A very emotional time for him either way.

Prince Philip's opposition is: Uranus 10 Pisces opposite Jupiter 11 Virgo. It's pronounced in his chart as these planets are the boundary planets to a bowl shape that expands out into a "Boat Shape" (where the two planets are linked by a series of sextiles on one side of the chart). This opposition is pronounced by current transits as the transiting Nodes are layered on top and Saturn's fast approaching. Also, Prince Philip's progressed Sun is at 12 Virgo on top of Jupiter.

And that's not all. Philip just had his Uranus Return last year over at the other end of the opposition. And there have been a series of Eclipses hammering on him. What a year. There have been Eclipses on or near these Pisces/Virgo points for everyone involved.

According to Rex Bills, Murder is ruled by Pluto, Mars (H12). Conspiracies are ruled by 12, Neptune, Pisces (Uranus, Pluto).

When Diana died in 1997, Philip's progressed Sun and Mercury had just entered Virgo on the spot where Saturn-SN are right now. So, he's being help responsible for what happened then. Transiting Pluto was squaring them in Sagittarius. His Progressed Mars was conjunct his Natal Neptune which is maybe conjunct his n.Moon in Leo. That does look a little conspiratorial. This Moon-Neptune conjunction is in Charles' First House very close to his Ascendant. I don't have a birth time for Prince Philip so don't know his Ascendant or exact Moon placement.

Diana's death has been discussed. The Sun conjunct her Pluto-Mars plus multiple other aspects on different levels.

Prince Philip
b. June 10, 1921

Prince Charles
b. Nov. 14, 1948 9:14pm London, England

Dodi Fayed
b. April 15, 1955, Alexandria, Egypt

Mohamed Abdel Moneim Fayed
b. Jan. 27, 1933 Alexandria, Egypt

Alex the African Gray Parrot and His Person

While web surfing today I once again saw the now famous last words of Alex the African Gray Parrot who recently passed.

"You be good. See you tomorrow. I Love You."

Alex was a Research Bird who had phenomenal abilities to communicate. His ability to distinguish colors and numbers and to crack one-liners made him world renowned. He had a vocabulary of 100 words, that's better than I can brag about, for sure. The woman who worked with him, Dr. Irene Pepperberg, bought Alex in a Pet Store in Chicago back in June, 1977. Alex was 1 year old at the time. He was 31 years old when he died of unknown causes on Sept. 6, 2007 at Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts.

Alex
b. 1976
d. Sept. 6, 2007, Waltham, Massachusetts

Dr. Irene Pepperberg
b. Apr. 1, 1949 Brooklyn, NY

Sun 12 Aries; Moon Taurus; NN 26 Aries

Rex Bills is in the car, but I'm just going to assume from looking at Irene Pepperberg's chart that Mercury and Virgo rule Parrots. She has a tight inconjunct of Mercury at 1 Aries to Saturn at 1 Virgo. Mercury-Saturn aspects can show a sharp mind, sharp verbal skills, great analytical skills. Why shouldn't it indicate Parrots? The inconjunct, being an aspect that links two signs that have no common basic characteristics, seems appropriate for trying to break through a communication barrier between species.

Also in her chart, Dr. Pepperberg's Sun is opposite her Neptune. This can show an ability to relate to others at a psychic level. In her case this aspect is very strongly emphasized. Her Sun is in Aries ruled by Mars and Neptune is in Libra ruled by Venus. Rulers of these signs, Mars and Venus are both conjunct her Sun. Mars and Venus also rule the signs which her Nodes are in. And Aries and Libra rule the relationship axis.

In addition, Dr. Pepperberg's Sun is in a Grand Trine with Pluto in Leo and Chiron in in Sagittarius. Along with the opposition to Neptune it almost makes a Kite Pattern, the sextile between Neptune and Chiron is a little wide. But this shows that the opposition works to focus the easy flow of the Grand Trine. Sun-Mars, Pluto (Fame, Research, Secrets), Neptune (knowing the unknown, No boundaries) and Chiron (Teacher, Wounding), that's a strong focus on working with the life force in some way, especially connected with Sun c. Mars in Aries.

The numbers involved indicated strong Saturn Returns influence. Alex and Pepperberg worked together for 30 years. She was 28 when she bought him and is 58 now...
She wasn't yet having her Saturn Return when she found Alex. Saturn had to pass over Pluto in Leo before getting to her Saturn at 1 Virgo. It was conjunct Pluto when she found Alex and they began a long term research, working relationship together. Not only that but Neptune was conjunct her Chiron so two points of the Grand Trine were experiencing major slow aspects.

That doesn't necessarily indicate Kismet, but this does: Pluto and the NN were close to conjunction with Dr. Pepperberg's Neptune. The transiting South Node would have been conjunct her Sun-Mars-Venus. I've experienced something close to that aspect on my ASC-DESC line. Fish were literally having stare out contests with me (I had eye witnesses, ok?). I dropped everything in my life to spend as much time as I could with my old cat. Pluto-Neptune conjunctions are true magic in relationship with everything in the world except people who are simply too inferior to relate on that level. On a practical, earthy level they are often not so hot.

Pepperberg had her first Saturn Return right after she started working with Alex. Saturn at 1 Virgo inconjunct Mercury a 1 Aries. Virgo represents hard work and clinical settings. Saturn returned to that point this month.

I was curious about the surprise demise of Alex; supposedly he wasn't sick and nobody knows what caused his death. I can't find his birth info so we can't even guess. Seems that Uranus must be figuring strongly. It's interesting that Dr. Pepperberg's Solar Return for this year has an exact conjunction of Mercury-Uranus and the North Node at 16 Pisces. Natally she's got a Mercury-Uranus square. I have no idea what to do with this information, just thought I'd mention it.

So, Alex, Thanks for Blessing Us with your Wonderful Self. Rest in Peace, Beautiful Bird.

Dee-Moore Murder, 1964

One heinous crime relating to the Civil Rights Movement received a small bit of Justice on August 24 as a Ku Klux Klan member was sent to jail for 3 consecutive life sentences for the murders of two 19 year old boys. The murders happened 43 years ago.

After such a long time, the crime was brought back to light. Such a boomerang effect could only be Uranus' doing. I'll use this blog to maybe show how through this case, one can see the "Reawakening" or Boomerang effect of Uranus which symbolizes Society and Collective Conscious. I'll also look at the Karmic Payback effects of the Saturn Return in this case of the Perpetrator. And I'll also look at the Nodal Return as indicator for Individual Justice for the victims. I don't have much Birth Information to go on but I'm pretty excited by how such simple return charts tell the story (in retrospect at least).

Charles Eddie Moore and Henry Hezekiah Dee, both 19, were murdered on the evening of May 2, 1964 in Meadville, Mississippi. One of their torsos was found floating in a lake by a fisherman a few days later and the rest of their body parts were slowly retrieved by authorities days later. Two Ku Klux Klan members eventually confessed to the murders, were fined $5000 with a slap on the wrist and sent home. The case was eclipsed in the media by another multiple murder of Civil Rights Activists in the area at the time and the community, family and friends were left to grieve in quiet terror for more than 40 years.

Astrologically, the mid-60s were going through a major outer planet transit as Uranus and Pluto were both transiting through Virgo and opposed by Saturn in Pisces. This aspect is now mirrored by Uranus' transit through Pisces and magnified through its conjunction with the transiting Nodes in Pisces and Virgo. The 1964 conjunction-opposition was a tough transit (Saturn and Pluto) but it is thought to be responsible for the rebellion and fight for freedom (Uranus) of the Civil Rights Movement (Uranus, Virgo-Pisces axis) at the time.

The man convicted is James Seale. Seale was born in 1936, we know not where, we care not why. But we can at least tell through the year that he has Saturn in Pisces in his natal chart. At Age 29, he would have been going through or close to going through his first Saturn Return in Pisces. What we do during our Saturn Return, the decisions we make, will often be difficult ones for us. If we make the wrong choice we will be forced to pay the piper down the road. That's the idea behind the Saturn Return, at any rate.

It's interesting that the man who committed the crime with Seale, Myron Wayne, testified against Seale in exchange for immunity. The Feds called this "Making a Pact With the Devil." This means that one perpetrator has been brought to Justice and one is running around loose. Mr. Wayne was 31 in 1964, time of the murders, and was probably not going through any major Return transits. Kind of makes me wonder if this is somehow connected to the fact that the phrase "What goes around comes around?" doesn't always apply. It also makes me think that it's better to have Saturn in Aquarius than Saturn in Pisces, natally, but it's just plain bad astrology to judge the signs so simply.

Seale and his Ku Klux Klan friends picked up two hitchhikers, Charles Eddie Moore and Henry Hezekiah Dee, tied them to a tree and beat them and then dumped them in a body of water called "The Devil's Punchbowl." (I'm just gonna keep repeating this story). They suspected that Dee was working for the Civil Rights Movement and killed Moore just for the Hell of it. The local police dropped the case in 1965 as did the Federal Investigators in 1966.

As was said before, Saturn was in Pisces both when Seale was born and when he committed the murders. Thomas Moore, brother of one of the victims, Charles Eddie Moore, began to once again investigate the case in November 1998. Saturn was at the end of Aries. That's too far past Seale's 2d Saturn Return but perhaps something else happened in the 2 years before when Saturn was in Pisces to bring up the case once again. I think there may have been a book published or something during those years which maybe brought the murders back to the public attention.

The Feds officially reopened the case in 2000 when Uranus and Neptune were both in Aquarius opposite the Murder event chart's Sun. Remember Uranus was conjunct Pluto and opposite Saturn at the time of the murder? Seale was convicted back in June of this year and as of today's sentencing, August 24, 2007, Uranus and the North Node are in Pisces at 18 and 12 degrees respectively. They are opposite the Uranus-Pluto conjunction of the crime chart. One wonders how closely Uranus and North Node are aspecting Seale's Saturn in Pisces.

The two victims were 19 when they were murdered. That means they were close to going through their Nodal Returns (in Cancer). According to an article on the Internet (link is somewhere below, article written by his brother), Charles Eddie Moore was born Aug. 10, 1944 (place?) and had a North Node of 28 Cancer so he was past his Nodal Return. I've only found a birth year of 1945 for Henry Hezekiah Dee. That means he was younger than Moore and that his birthday must have been between January and May 2, 1945 and his North Node would have been at an earlier degree in Cancer. Moore's Brother, Thomas Moore, says in his essay "I Want Justice" (www.csindy.com/csindy/2005-08-04/cover.html) that his interest in seeking Justice resurged in November, 1998. The case was officially reopened for investigation in 2000 and magically, the North Node moved into Cancer that year. It was exact to Charles Moore's North Node in April and May.

(There are a lot of other aspects to look at with regards to Moore's chart. Moore was a Leo Sun with Taurus Moon and it seems his case began to find resolve during the grand conjunction in Taurus of Saturn and Jupiter in 2000. Saturn and Jupiter working together bring change through Government. There was also a Grand Square Eclipse on his Sun in August, 1999. Moore natally had a square between Saturn and Neptune and this trial finally occurred while the Saturn-Neptune opposition was transiting very slowly over his Sun.)

I would like to comment of the chart of James Seale, convicted June 14, 2007, but can't find his birth information. He's a cagey one, that old bird. When the Federal Investigators initially tried to ask him for his birth information back in 1966, he wouldn't even give it to them so how would an Astrologer fare? Hope the boys in Jail know what to do with him. If you want to read his stupid comments verbatim the transcript is online; go here: http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/comments.php?id=12508_0_9_0_C.

This links to a Memorial of those murdered in the Civil Rights movement: http://library.thinkquest.org/CRO215688/Memorial%20page.html.

Al Green

It's Hotter than Hell today. Only sane thing to do is to put on the Al Green CD and try to avoid getting arrested for dancing in public places. I'm currently obsessed with my Al Green CD called "Here I Am." Here's the lyrics to the title song. Guess his sign. Then you'll understand why he's so hot.

"Here I Am"

I can't believe that it's real,
the way that you make me feel.
A burning deep down inside,
a love that I cannot hide.
Our love is you and me baby,
that makes the world go round.
And if you've been doin' lovin' with me,
layin' all my troubles down,
here I am, baby,
come and take me.
Here I am, baby,
come and take me,
take me by the hand.
Show me,
here I am, baby.

It always ends up this way,
me begging you every day.
A love that I cannot have,
you broke my heart into half.
Our love is you and me baby,
that make's the world go round.
And if you've been doin' lovin' with me,
layin' all my troubles down,
here I am, baby,
come and take me,
Here I am, baby,
come and take me,
take me by the hand.
Show me,
here I am, baby.

When I'm down I can always call you,
for a helpin' hand.
I know you'll do the best you can.
But it don't take much from me,
just my cup of joe.
Oh there's love inside me,
I believe there's one to be explodin',
It's tough for me, oh baby,
I can do worry,
tell me all your troubles.
You won't ever have to worry now,
Just one more thing, ask everybody,
everybody you see,
you'll find yourself lost and alone on a darkened street,
here I am, baby,
come and take me.
Here I am, baby,
come and take me,
take me by the hand.
Show me,
here I am, baby...

Al Green
b. Apr. 13, 1946 Forrest City, Arkansas

Sun 24 Aries; Moon in either Virgo or Libra; NN 23 Gemini

Al Green is one of the most talented singers alive. First of all I need to repeat this part of the lyrics because it's so ingrained in my head the way that Al sings it:

here I am, baby,
come and take me.
Here I am, baby,
come and take me,
take me by the hand.
Show me,
here I am, baby.

Whew, feel better. Al's got Venus in Taurus, perfect placement for a singer as Taurus rules the voice. His Venus is squaring Pluto in Leo showing a very deep, passionate talent. A stand-out in his chart is a big t-square with Sun opposite Jupiter (playfulness, joy, religion) which is squared by a conjunction of Mars and Saturn in Cancer. Emotionally that's a very difficult placement as both Mars and Saturn are easily placed in Cancer, but it will offer its native great musical talent and rhythm (Mozart and Brahms both had Mars in Cancer I believe).

Al Green 's singing career took off in 1967. I don't where his Moon is located exactly but it sort of looks like the Uranus-Pluto and then Jupiter conjunction may have been on it in Virgo at that point. He became one of the top R&B artists of all time. Then on Oct. 18, 1974, a girlfriend got mad that he wouldn't marry her and threw a boiling pot of grits on him. She committed suicide and Green suffered serious burns on his body. His life changed and he turned to religion, becoming a Minister. His R&B sales slipped and he began to sing mostly Gospel.

The planets on Oct. 18, 1974 really hit Green's chart hard. Here's a list of the really obvious ones:

First, the transiting Libra Sun was still opposing his natal Aries Sun, those signs rule the relationship axis. T.Chiron (wounding) was conjunct his natal Sun.

This was Green's Saturn Return to the degree. And remember his Saturn is very harshly aspected. He may have been a little cold to this woman and her feelings and Saturn, Mr. Karma doesn't let you get away with much.

Prog. Venus 16 Gemini c. n. Uranus in Gemini. Uranus is unaspected in his chart except for a trine to Chiron. This shows a surprise from a female. The Transiting South Node was passing over this conjunction and t. Neptune was conjunct the North Node in the opposite Sign of Sagittarius. He would have been utterly magnetic and irresistable under this transit but with Venus, Neptune and Uranus working together in Mutable signs (oh yeah, Jupiter was squaring from Pisces) there would have been problems with delusion, unattainability, and seriousness. One can see how he would have switched to Religion to find Love at a Higher level.

That's not all. Green's progressed Mars conjunct n. Pluto and squaring Venus, a classic indicator of violence and destruction.

This was also the moment when t. Pluto was conjunct his Neptune in Libra within a degree. This is the aspect that has sent most of Hollywood's Bad Girls to jail as it passes through Sagittarius. It's one of those Dark Night of the Soul aspects.

Anyway, I just ordered his "Green is Blues" album. Hope it arrives quickly.

Herman Melville

In College I had a well respected professor who asked the class "What is the one true meaning behind Moby Dick?" I had never read it so I was exempt from answering, but someone cutely said, "It's a Whale Hunt." The Teacher sneered. He could have coached us along by saying that it was an allegory full of symbolism and then asked us what the symbolism was, but he didn't, this was the 70's when students were expected to teach themselves. We were trembling, feeling stupider and stupider by the second. I think that some bold student eventually piped up with "It's about obsessive people going after their goals." The teacher this time winced and said, "That's just the appetizers." He scoffed to let us know of our ignorance and dropped the subject as it was a Renaissance Lit class, totally unrelated. Teaching through sneering as never done much for me so I remember just drifting off and waiting for the class to be over. But, it always bugged me. What is Moby Dick about? I read the first 100 pages at least three times and couldn't go on. I carried the damn book around with me on the bus once for about 3 months while I lived in San Francisco and do remember telling a friend on the elevator at work that Melville was obviously Gay and Moby Dick should be embraced as a Gay Manifesto. He got really excited and carried the book around with him for maybe a couple of days. But, I never made it past the first 100 pages, don't even think I was properly introduced to Ahab. Finally thousands of years later, while meandering through a book store, I picked up a Remainder called something like "How to Read Books." Miraculously, it opened right to a page where the professor/writer clearly and succinctly explained that Moby Dick works on several layers of symbolism, the main theme being that "Man can never really know God." Wow. Totally awesome. If only they had told me years ago I would have been curious enough to get through the 50 page chapter on how to shop for harpooning equipment. Or at least I would have known it was worth skipping.

So, as Melville was a Leo and the Sun is in Leo, I thought I would try to see what it takes for the Stars to come up with such an unfathomable work. And someday, I do hope to read the thing. And Thank God for Wikipedia, now this information is much easier to get hold of.

Herman Melville
b. Aug. 1, 1819 11:30 PM New York, NY

Sun 9 Leo; ASC AS 22 Taurus; Moon 14 Sagittarius; MC 1 Aquarius; NN 15 Aries Rx

It makes sense that with Sagittarius Moon Melville would publish great novels about his exotic travels to far-off places. With Sun and North Node also in Fire, he was an inspired visionary, but also very adventurous and restless. According to his Wiki bio, Melville was born into a wealthy family but insisted on making it in the world on his own. After teaching for a few years, he took off sailing on a Whaling Ship which is where he got the subject matter for most of his most successful novels. He left port at Fairhaven, Mass on Jan. 1, 1841, sailed around Cape Horn for 18 months and then left the ship in the Marquesa Islands and spent a few weeks living with the Islanders. It's interesting to look at his astrocartography chart. After passing through the Cape he would have had to pass through a crossing of his Saturn-Pluto-Chiron lines. The Marquesas were probably the first stop after this and this is where he jumped ship. He probably got a little claustrophic on that ship...

Melville returned to Boston in October, 1944 and started to write about his adventures in fictional form. In 1846 he became an overnight success with his novel Typee. (Prog. Sun c. natal Mercury (writing); T. Uranus c. n.Aries NN (overnight success); Prog.Lunar Return conjunct n.Uranus-Neptune; t. Saturn c. MC; t. Jupiter c. n.Chiron-Saturn. He enjoyed 4 years of success with more novels after this, got married, and moved out to a farm in Massachusetts near Nathanial Hawthorne where he lived for the next 13 years. This is where he wrote Moby Dick. Moby Dick which was published Oct. 18, 1851. Moby Dick was not a success and his life sort of fell apart. (Guess lots of people got stuck on the first 100 pages.) Melville's fame slowly passed away. One of his sons commited suicide in 1867, his marriage suffered, and he worked as a Customs Inspector for the last 19 years of his life. In the 1920s there was a revival of interest in his writings.

Like Emil Nolde's life, the Leo I talked about yesterday, Melville's shared a strong Saturn-Pluto aspect with a conjunction of Pluto 28 Pisces-Chiron Rx 29 Pisces- Saturn 1 Aries placed in his 11th house. It's interesting that he also achieved Success early and lost it.

Melville's Saturn is right on the Aries Point meaning that career will bring him before the public. Even the Customs Inspector job he held was considered a good accomplishment so he was never really a "failure." Saturn connected with Pluto and Chiron means that he will be brought before the public in a way connected with their energies which can be quite an intense combination of crash and burn around desire and ambition.

I think that a whaling ship manned by a guy obsessed with catching a demon whale is perfect imagery. So is his Aries North Node and Aries on his 12th house cusp (hunting big sea mammals). In fact, when Moby Dick was published, Melville had just had his Saturn Return two years before so that he had been writing the work as a Saturn Return expression and with his complicated natal Saturn he was due to produce a "Behemoth". At time of publication, Saturn was once again conjunct Pluto along with Uranus in Taurus in Melville's 12th House. A deep allegory, unfathomable (12th house), a work that pretty much destroyed Melville's success (12th house). On the more spiritual side, this is totally awesome for imagery of a whaling trip, especially one that is symbolic on many layers for "obsession, religion, idealism v. pragmatism, revenge, racism, hierarchical relationships, politics." These descriptors are a direct quote from the Wikipedia article on "Moby Dick:" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moby_Dick.

Opposing this huge 12th house conjunction transit, t.Jupiter in Scorpio was opposing from his 6th house. This novel was published within a year of Nathaniel Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter and Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin, both works that look closely at the evils within society, so you can see that it was a banner work for publishing very deep and questioning works of Literature about right and wrong and alienation. I can't think of a greater aspect for publishing a work that uses as one of its main themes "It is impossible to ever truly know God."

Why It's Good To Be Alive: Beethoven

There's a recent reissue out of a brilliant recording of Beethoven's Late String Quartets performed by The Yale Quartet. I've been wanting this for a hundred thousand years and finally got it (only sets you back 12 bucks at Amazon. If you get it listen to the Grosse Fuge first). This isn't an advertisement. An friend of long ago turned me on to this quartet in its incarnation as The Fine Arts Quartet, or some such name, it was a long time ago.

Ludwig van Beethoven
b. Dec. 16, 1770 3:40 am Bonn, Germany

Sun 25 Sagittarius; ASC 6 Scorpio; Moon 14 Sagittarius; MC 18 Leo; NN 24 Scorpio

Beethoven is really "in" right now astro-wise. The current trines between Saturn in Leo and Jupiter and Pluto in Sagittarius are layered over his Sun-Moon-Mercury in late Sagittarius and Saturn conjunct MC in Leo. He just celebrated a Saturn Return last year.

On the mellow, serious side, you can feel his natal Jupiter and Pluto in Capricorn which will be all the rage next year.

And for those larger questions you can literally listen to the Earth grow through the Grand Trine he's got between the 3 outermost planets: Pluto in Capricorn-Uranus in Virgo-Neptune in Taurus. I wonder who else was born with this trine.

The Cavatina from Opus 130 of these Quartets was one of the pieces that was sent out into space by Carl Sagan et al. on the Voyager Missions back in 1977.

Methuselah Gives Birth

Here's a weird story on the theme of Sun in Gemini and Saturn in Leo: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2007-05/25/content_880344.htm. A New Jersey woman gave birth to twin boys. What's unusual is that at age 60 she's the oldest woman to ever do so. What's even weirder is that she gave birth a year to the day after the now 2d oldest woman to ever give birth to twins popped out her own set last year. What can I say? Sun at 2 Gemini both times.

Both Mothers apparently have Saturn in Leo and are celebrating their Saturn Returns.

This week's record breaker is a Psychologist and her Husband is a Lawyer. They haven't named the babies yet. Maybe they forgot due to Alzheimer's:

"Baby A" May 22, 2007 12:44 pm Trenton, NJ (Hackensack University Medical Center)
"Baby B" May 22, 2007 12:45 pm Trenton, NJ

The babies have a 6 1/2 year old son, 29 year old daughter, and 33 year old son. Used to be that your Grandmother raised you because Mom was messing around at too young an age. You grew up thinking that your Mom was your sister. Now it looks like the Daughter will be raising the Mom's kids. What a heavy to have dumped on you at your Saturn Return. At any rate, Mom was not making Whoopee with Dad, she was impregnated via in vitro fertilization in Cape Town, South Africa. She says this is all about "empowerment."

So, born one minute apart, the babies both have early Virgo Rising (same degree) with Sun in Gemini conjunct Taurus Midheaven. Both Mercury and Jupiter are in their own signs of Gemini and Sagittarius respectively and opposing each other from H10 to H4. Pluto rules and is also in the 4th house indicating crazy psychological power trips. The Moon is in Leo conjunct Saturn in the 12th house and opposing Neptune in Aquarius in the 6th house. Uranus-NN in H4 trined by Venus in Cancer, H11. Anything goes relationship-wise with these little boys.

Last year's babies were born to another New Jersey woman, 59 years, in New York on May 22, 2006 at at New York Presbyterian Church/Columbia. These babies were a girl, Giselle, and a boy, Gregory. The woman's name is Lauren Cohen, she turned 60 on August 11, 2006 so I guess that makes her birthdate: August 11, 1946. She is also a Lawyer.

Both Moms look remarkably well preserved for their age.

Saturn Returns - William James

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

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

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

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

So.

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

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

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

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

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

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

He didn't have to be like Daddy!

Here are the transits and progressions for April, 1870:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Progressions as Signatures for Changes in Mental Status

The inexplicable reasons why a person does what he does when he does, can often be foretold in the birthchart by looking very simply at just the Progressed Sun and the transiting Nodes. (The Nodes, of course, show a basically subconscious drive to pull a person through life.) I was beginning to wonder about this when I heard Michael Lutin restate it in a lecture. He has just published a book that works with this concept called Sunshines. I don't like what he wrote about my own combination but that doesn't mean that it's not true.

Anyway, I like to look at the progressions of the Inner Planets, and especially their retrogrades, to try to figure out how this affects a person. They seem to provide unconscious motivations and directions. The outer planet transits seem to like to dump all kinds of stuff that you struggle to cope with, but often a person sails through these times without too much of a deal. I think if the progressed inner planets are doing something funky, dealing with the outer turmoil becomes much more complicated. Not necessarily worse, but complicated. There is a turning inward through the progressions which for an artist or a writer could be a blessing.

I've noticed something to match this theory in the charts of Ernest Hemingway and Hart Crane. I'm using them because they were born on the same day, were brilliant and famous writers and both suffered severe depression and killed themselves. They both were born with difficult birth charts, lots of red squares between difficult planets. For that reason, though, the charts are easy to read for these qualities (after the fact at any rate) and I wanted to see if the progressions indicated anything that might have signaled beforehand that they would act on the difficulties of their charts.

Ernest Hemingway
b. July 21, 1899 8:00 Oak Park, IL

Sun 29 Cancer; ASC 8 Virgo; Moon 10 Capricorn; MC 4 Gemini; NN 28Rx Sagittarius

Hart Crane
b. July 21, 1899 20 h. 50 Garretsville, OH

Sun 30 Cancer; ASC 15 Pisces Moon 18 Capricorn; MC 22 Sagittarius; NN 28 Rx Sagittarius

Both men were born with a t-square of Saturn in Saggitarius opposite Pluto and Neptune in Gemini and squared by apex Mars in Virgo. Their Nodal Axes were loosely involved as Neptune conjuncts their South Nodes. The Saggitarius-Gemini-Virgo shows the writing/publishing theme along with travel and restless lifestyles. Mars-Saturn-Pluto in hard aspect together shows an aggressive streak which can play out through enormous creative talents or through violence and hard living. There's a deep sense of isolation and on the other hand the life force just wants to ruthlessly grab it all. Their Mercury's are well placed with sextiles and trines. In Leo, Mercury wants to roar and this would have come quite easily due to the easy aspects. This is quite a poet's combination and Mercury sort of seems like an oasis to run to in an otherwise chaotic and violent existence. The tensions from the rest of the chart seem to have driven them to express through their Mercuries. Plus, both men had Sun in Cancer which for men can be quite challenging as it is very sensitive and receptive and also very self-protective and hard shelled. Cancer men will often project as very Macho. Sylvester Stallone is also a Cancer Sun.

I see progressed Mercury for Hemingway's mental demise and progressed Sun and transiting Neptune for Hart Crane's. Also, their Saturn Returns were strong indicators. Crane jumped off a steamboat a couple of years after his 1st Saturn Return and Hemingway shot himself right after his 2d Saturn Return (His father committed Suicide during his 1st Saturn Return). Both killed themselves for Saturnian reasons, they felt like failures and couldn't work. Their standards were too high for themselves. Saturn rules Capricorn and this also would have set off the emotional challenges that are typical of their Capricorn Moons, namely only being lovable for ability to known in the world.

Hemingway's Progressed Mercury is very prominent in his psychological progression. First of all, Mercury rules both his Virgo ASC and his Gemini MC so it will affect his health and well-being and career. Natally it's at 26 Leo, but it progressed into Virgo when he was a child. In 1914 it stationed at 4 Virgo and retrograded back toward the cusp. When it passed back over the Leo-Virgo cusp in 1923 he had been working as a journalist. In 1925 he published his first book of stories. From then on Hemingway enjoyed much creative success. It seems he expressed the Leo ideal of the game-hunter, hard-living, big hearted guy and needed Mercury to be in Leo in order to create. Mercury hit its natal spot sometime around 1927 along with progressed Sun and transiting Neptune. Both writers were in fat city as writers at this point. Mercury turned direct by progression in 1937-38, passed over itself in 1946 and went into Virgo in 1949. He published his last great work The Old Man and the Sea in 1952 soon after. Hemingway had so much physical pain from accidents and health problems due to drinking that his creativity stopped. When his progressed Mercury hit his Natal Mars (remember apex of t-square to Pluto-Neptune opposite Saturn) he shot himself. Mars, of course, equals guns and it's heavily afflicted in his chart. He had been given electro shock treatments (Pluto) for depression (Pluto-Saturn-Neptune) and had lost his Memory (Neptune, probably Nodes too).

I don't know how Hart Crane's Mercury fared because he passed so much earlier. Mercury went retrograde in 1914 and his parents divorced in 1916. He dropped out of high school sometime around that time. When he killed himself he was struggling with some bad reviews about his poetry and was struggling with his homosexuality. Saturn opposite Pluto is pretty conservative, Hemingway was a blatant homophobe.

In Crane's case, I think the progressed Sun and Transiting Neptune were more to blame for his death than Mercury. Neptune rules his Ascendant. And Neptune rules the Sea where he died. His progressed Sun had just switched from Leo to Virgo the year before and transiting Neptune was still within conjunction with it when he jumped on April 27, 1932. The progression of the Sun from one sign to another is generally very strongly felt by a person. It can either be a very empowering experience or a total let-down. I personally experienced the let-down variety when my Sun progressed from Leo to Virgo. Leo is such an expansive, creative, foolhardy sign. The critical, discerning nature of Virgo that one needs to purify one's self in is not always a welcome adjustment. (I think Arnold Schwarzenegger shows a positive transition of Leo to Virgo through his progressions but he is natally a Leo Sun so maybe can keep some of that sunshine with him always).

Jupiter is in Scorpio in both men's charts, but it is conjunct Crane's 8th House cusp of Death and it rules his MC. (Scorpio being a water sign it also signifies Death at sea.) Also, he had the Mars-Saturn-Pluto-Neptune t-square right on the angles opposite his ASC which made their influence even more intense. Saturn had just passed over his natal Saturn-MC conjunction and the drive to make something of himself and to be something impressive in front of the world was just too much.

The Lilith Fair

Yesterday we had the first Total Lunar Eclipse in three years. By coincidence I had signed up to attend an All Girls Writing Conference. Moon rules Women so I thought that this would be a very interesting way to spend the day, with women. But Moon also rules emotions and it turned out to be a very emotional day. I have a difficult Moon placement and am completely afraid of women and women who gather together without men tend to be very strong personalities. Where they proudly flaunt their overweight bodies calling themselves Rubenesques I see nothing but fodder for Diabetes meds and Heart Surgeons. Anyway, what I really needed was information on how to edit your blog when you suffer from ADD, maybe also how to add images so you can add charts. What the Fair offered was probing after probing of why women should never ever feel guilt over anything that they do much less ever apologize. Actually, those Liliths are excellent teachers, extremely talented and generous with their knowledge and the workshops were extremely useful. I just personally think that there's a whole new breed that needs to be spawned that actually looks at female guilt instead of trying to deny it should exist at all.

Besides that, they wear too much purple. OK: (from Rex Bills) Purple: Jupiter, Sagg; Light Purple: (Mercury), Royal or Deep Purple (Sun, Pluto); Violet: Jupiter, Mercury, Gemini, Virgo (Venus, Aquarius); Lavender: Neptune (Mercury); Red-Violet (Pisces); Blue-Violet (Saturn). No Mars Actions I guess but that God Damned Color takes up almost the entire horoscope! Rex doesn't give a Rulership for Battleaxes. Battalions are ruled by Mars. Amazons also not mentioned.

But, truth is, these are wonderful and strong people who are forging new roads for younger generations. God knows, that's just not my gig.

One Wonderful and Strong Woman self-published her confessions and handed out flyers where she gave her birth information. Whoopee! A Wonder Woman for me to concentrate on. Her story truly is Wonderful and Strong and Inspiring. I won't give her birth info or name but she is a Sagittarius, probably with Aries Moon and North Node in Pisces. So, she's a fireball, intuitive and enthusiastic and optimistic. She was born with the Astrological Software to burn through life's obstacles.

Not only is the Eclipse happening on her Nodes, but she is having a Nodal Return. Uranus is conjunct her North Node and Jupiter is conjunct her n.Venus which is squaring her Nodes. So, that's very strong for publishing and educational pursuits and Women's fairs. Her chart is interesting because so many of the outer planets are so close to the cusps, wonder if this means that she handles change and transition very well. Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Pluto, Chiron included. That's all the outer planets.

She lists her major life events on the flyer and has now written a book about coming to terms with secrets and unfinished business from the past. If you can wade through the technical lingo the transits-progressions are pretty amazing to compare with the life events.

1987: Age 16, Dropped out of High School.

T. Uranus c. n.Sun. P. Sun c. n. Mercury Prog. Mars c. n.North Node. T. Saturn right between conjunction with n.Venus and n. Sun. t. Jupiter c. n. Chiron and opposite n.Pluto. The t. North Node may have been conjunct her n.Moon.

1981: Age 18, Pregnant, Boyfriend, went on Welfare

T. Neptune c. n. Sun, t. Uranus c. n. Neptune; t. Jupiter-Saturn exactly c. n.Uranus, just past conjunction with n. Pluto. t. Pluto c. n. Jupiter

1998: Accepted Christianity into Life and gained emotional strength.

Saturn Return. Neptune sextile n.Neptune. Uranus trine n. Uranus. Jupiter trine n.Jupiter and c. n. Mars. There may have been a couple of aspects between Moon and Saturn. Progressed Sun-Mercury-Venus conjunct within 2 degrees in Capricorn and trining natal Saturn-transiting Saturn.

2003: Return to School for her High School Diploma.

P.Sun on last degree of Capricorn, moving into Aquarius. t. Uranus c. n.Mars, t.Pluto just past c. n.Venus (squaring Nodes). t. Saturn opposite n.Sun.

Has a Husband of 22 years, 4 daughters, publishing book of her writings. She wants her writing to speak to those who need to get over the secrets and shame of their past. It's interesting that her chart is the shape between a Bowl shape and a Locomotive shape. Saturn and Pluto are the boundary planets so almost half of her chart is empty. She turned to religion just at her Saturn Return and as Saturn was just starting to venture out into this new space. Perhaps the intensity of the conjunctions subsided enough to let her concentrate on these new ventures.