Autumn 2008 Newsletter and Special Presidential Campaign Issue by Joseph Crane

Updates – Paul Newman (1925-2008) --  Sarah Palin and Leo Rising – John McCain , the other Republican candidate – Joe Biden: Midheaven and More – Latest Word on Barak Obama

Updates:

Dorian and Joseph are recently returned from the Blast Conference in Sedona, Arizona, where we both participated in a Hellenistic Astrology day and Dorian added an afternoon workshop on temperament. 

To our delight, copies of the latest issue of Culture and Cosmos arrived during the conference.  This double issue is based on presentations from a conference of astrologers and scholars held last year at the Warburg Institute in London. Dorian edited this issue, which contains articles on the Lots of Fortune and Spirit (Dorian) and Musical Theory and Aspects (Joseph), and other articles by Deb Houlding, Rob Hand and many others.  If you are interested in more information or to pick up a copy for yourself, here’s the website: http://www.cultureandcosmos.com/

What now and what’s next? 

Dorian has returned to the Warburg Institute where she is completing her PhD dissertation on the role of the daimon in ancient astrology and ancient culture in general..

Joseph has returned to his “writer’s desk” or, more accurately, his “desktop.”  Coming up are many “notable nativity” delineations, four of which are included here.  My next writing project is on the astrology and cosmology in Dante’s Commedia--which has been a literary love of mine for decades. 

For now I will limit formal group astrology classes to topics consonant with my current writing project – quite possibly on astrology relating to “astronomy” and geography and between cosmology and spirituality.  This leaves many possibilities.

I am always available for astrology tutorials, counseling, and, of course, for individual astrology sessions.  If you are interested in any of the above, please contact me at (401) 527-2035 or at josephcrane@verizon.net.  For more information about services, consult www.astrologyinstitute.com.

Now onto some delineation:  They may be more or less clear, depending on your prior knowledge of astrology. 

Paul Newman (1925-2008)

          Reading many accounts and reminiscences of Paul Newman’s life, I am struck by the adulation with which he is remembered.  From afar he was a star actor (80+ movies) and philanthropist, contributor to liberal political causes, and unlikely food industrialist; up close, he was congenial and intense but impossible to dislike – although he reputedly could take a practical joke too far.

          For all his personal appeal, he is best known for taking on the roles of very troubled and complicated characters – mostly people on the “outside” of their society and culture.

          With these facts in mind, let’s take a look at his chart.  As always, it is rendered in whole sign houses.  (Outer planets are included, of course, but never as rulers of particular signs.)

Beginning in a modern style, it’s hard not to notice the aspects that connect closely with his Capricorn Ascendant, Mercury, and Venus – Saturn, the lord of Capricorn, sextiles in the direction of the zodiac, and Pluto opposes these planets from Cancer.  Any characterization of Newman as easy-going would be falsified by this intense and dark aspect configuration. 

This is critical because of the strong first house emphasis in Newman’s chart, this house being tenanted by Jupiter, Mercury, and Venus.   These three planets would have much to do with Newman’s persona, his basic “energy.”  Here’s where traditional and Hellenistic viewpoints have much to say.

Jupiter may be the great benefic but is in fall in Capricorn; its natural beneficence is strongly held in check by Saturn in a dominating sextile.  Mercury is in joy in the First and is oriental and therefore strong.  In a night chart, however, Mercury is not in sect.  Venus, on the other hand, is in sect and could be considered a spear bearer for Sun, although Venus is not in a sign of essential dignity. 

The results?

 I would consider Jupiter strong but very dark – the influence of Saturn may point to his complete distaste for the trappings of Hollywood stardom and his desire to use his celebrity not for his own pleasure but to advance causes that were meaningful to him. Jupiter is also governing and in sextile to his Pisces Moon, allowing sensitivity and sympathy to have a meaningful outlet.

Mercury, with its own strength here, points to his flexibility as an actor and as a person with a gravitas that other Hollywood movie stars would only envy. 

Keeping close company with Mercury is Venus, which is also in charge of his (whole sign) tenth house of career.  Venus, also in sextile to his Moon, helps us understand his rugged good looks and his successful career as actor and entertainer – ruled by Venus.

Assisting these three first house planets is Mars: in sect, in dignity in Aries, and in an angular house.  Mars here gives an energy and dramatic outlet that is very different from the energy of Saturn in Scorpio.

When we discuss Saturn, we have conflicting judgments to take into consideration.  On one hand Saturn is the out-of-sect malefic and is therefore problematic.  We have also noted Saturn’s importance as ruler of Newman’s Ascendant and dispositor for his three first house planets. 

Yet Saturn has yet another role to play

We have not yet discussed Newman’s Sun in Aquarius.  According to modern sign-oriented astrology, we see Newman’s social consciousness and humanitarian leanings.  (We may not find this to be the case with our next natal chart example.)  Along with his planets in Capricorn, Saturn also governs Newman’s Sun in Aquarius, which is in a strong square relationship with Sun.  His Lot of Spirit is nearby the Sun in Aquarius.  For a nocturnal chart, take the distance from the Sun to the Moon and add that to the Ascendant: there are 25 degrees between his Sun and Moon, and therefore his Lot of Spirit is 25 degrees from the Ascendant, at 8° Aquarius.

As Saturn is in the tenth sign from the Lot of Spirit and is also the Lot’s dispositor, this gray planet becomes important for matters involving initiative, intention, and personal creativity.  It is interesting how well Newman would do in situations in which he was in charge – as a star actor, a movie director, even a food industrialist.  And, in true Aquarian fashion, he gave away far more than he ever kept.

There are many highlights in Newman’s life and I will leave it to another to bring various predictive techniques of astrology into his life.  I have two hints, however.  As a Saturnine person, the true beginning of his movie career was his starring in the awful “The Silver Chalice” in 1954, at the time of his Saturn return.  He began his second career as a food industrialist in 1982, the year of a progressed new moon. 

I have enjoyed learning about Newman’s chart and his life over the past week and especially reflecting how a Saturn placement that on the surface looks so difficult could also be the source of his greatness.

Now we move toward the historic (or is it hysteric?) 2008 presidential candidates, beginning with a move from one “Aquarian” to another.

Sarah Palin and Leo Rising

          There have been a different birth times given for Sarah Palin and I will use the one I’ve seen most frequently: 4:40 PM.  I will happily provide an update if a substantiated birth time replaces the one I am using here. It seems intuitive to me, however, that Palin would have Leo rising. 

          Here’s her chart for 4:40 PM:

The first thing we see is, of course, a lot of Aquarius.  (That would be the case regardless of birth time except that Moon, early in Aquarius, moves to Capricorn if she is born in the morning. I still opt for an Aquarius Moon for her) Aquarius is the seventh house from Leo rising makes all these planets angular to the Ascendant and Lot of Fortune and thus can be wielded to her advantage.

          A closer look at the planets in Aquarius reveals much more. Sun, governing her Ascendant, is in detriment in this sign.  Here’s a person who uses her personality and story and temperament (Leo rising) to forward her cause and indeed may become confused about what is about her and what is about her political viewpoint and sense of mission.

          On also notices the strong proximity of Mars and Saturn to Sun. To a modern astrologer, that’s an indication of using the energy of Mars and Saturn to her purposes (Sun). To a traditional astrologer, however, it’s a sign of trouble.  Whether considered “combust” or “in the Sun’s beams” there are deficiencies in these planets’ abilities to function properly and may result in an undisciplined Saturn (even in its own sign) and unrestrained or sudden Mars. Palin’s chart is that of a diurnal birth, and Mars (anger, rashness) can show itself more the cause of her difficulties than would Saturn.

          The situation changes for Mercury, which is visible ahead of the Sun, and in charge of her second house of personal finances and eighth house of the “good spirit.”     In spite of her mangled sentences and odd and excessively stylized pronunciation, Mercury shows her to be bright, clever, and opportunistic.  However, Palin’s Mercury governs her Lot of Spirit in Virgo and Mercury has no aspect to the Lot – she may not always think things through and her thinking and ideas can be erratic.

          Providing for charisma is Venus’ strong aspect to Mercury.  This is on full display when he has a podium to herself, as she did during the Republican Convention, and to some extent, during the recent debate with her Vice Presidential opponent Joe Biden.  Mercury and Venus, together with Mars, can bring about a “charm offensive.”

          Both Jupiter and Venus in Aries sextile (by sign) Palin’s many planets in Aquarius.  Importantly, Palin has no visible planets aside from those in Aries and Aquarius – both are masculine signs and neither is mutable. 

She can be strong-willed, in charge, and also emotionally insensitive.

          Jupiter and Venus are two benefics.  Jupiter is especially important because it’s in sect – in Palin’s diurnal chart – and is not in detriment, unlike Venus in Aries.  Jupiter’s placement is extremely positive for Palin and has allowed her a great deal of success in life.  Yet because Jupiter is occidental and cadent, this success turns out not to be as great as one might otherwise expect.

          I want to mention her transits and progressions.  It is interesting to me that her ascendancy to a national stage occurred while Neptune was transiting her Sun by conjunction!  This indicated the role of glamour – maybe illusion – but also the possibility that she may become victimized by her current status as VP nominee.  Neptune will continue to transit her Mars and then her Saturn.  Neptune, which often seems to be a transiting malefic, may indicate the major personal sacrifice that appears to accompany her sudden rise in fame and stardom.

          Here we move into ancient predictive style..

          I first look to her yearly profections, which advance one sign per year of life. Palin is currently 44 years old and so is in her 45th year.  Subtract the next lowest multiple of 12 from 45 (36) gives us 45-36=9, and so for this year, from birthday to birthday, all positions advance 9 signs.  In that way all her Aquarius positions move 9 signs, to Libra.  Although ordinarily one would look to Venus in Aries (with Jupiter) for an indication of her year, I would also pay close attention to Mars, which has been transiting Libra (and also opposing Venus and Jupiter) from August 19 until October 4, which helps account for her success so far as a self-designated pit bull with lipstick. (Here I am following guidelines that appear in Vettius Valens.)

I would not conclude, however, that Palin will renounce attack politics after October 4. To the contrary, once Mars moves into Scorpio, where it will stay through the campaign season, the fiery planet is angular in her chart and is in dominating square to all her planets in Aquarius.  Mars continues.

I would like to add the traditional planetary period called decennials.  In this system, a general planet will be in charge for a long period of time – ten years and nine months (of 360-day years).  Within these larger periods, specific planets will also govern for months that are equal to the smaller periods of the respective planets.  (I discuss decennials extensively in my recent book Astrological Roots: The Hellenistic Tradition.)

          For Palin’s daytime chart, her general time lord has been Jupiter since early in her time as governor; this will continue until the middle of February of 2009.  Because of Mercury’s good position in her chart, and the relationship between natal Mercury and Jupiter, this has been a good time for her worldly success as a politician.  When Moon takes over from Mercury in early 2009, indications are much more mixed for her.

          If the McCain/Palin ticket loses its quest for the White House, which is entirely possible, Ms. Palin will not go away quietly.  During the winter of 2009 she has a progressed Full Moon as well as transiting Jupiter going through all her Aquarius houses.  It is possible that she may get through 2009 as an important person in a diminished Republican party.  We shall see, soon enough.

John McCain – the other Republican Candidate

          I have commented extensively on John McCain’s chart in my recent book.  There I discussed his planetary significator of soul, Saturn, and the configurations of his planets with the Sun.  I will return to the second topic, and in particular his Mars placement, in this essay.

          Here is his chart:

I first note McCain’s Mercury, a significant planet for any politician.  It is in the strong first house and thus is quite strong there.  I think of McCain’s ready words and wit, strong repartee, and ability to entertain other politicians and even the press with talk for hours at a time.

The ruler of the first is Venus, which is in fall and in the more difficult twelfth house; this indicates, as we will see with the candidate depicted below, a person not always in good control of his intention and activity.   As he himself has said, he never won an award for “Mr. Congeniality”.

Moon in Capricorn may point to his family background that consists of a long lineage of military officers, where the emphasis would be on accomplishment rather than affection.  (Interestingly, Obama’s Saturn of 25° Capricorn is very close to McCain’s Moon.)

Particular focus goes to Mars, and once again traditional descriptions are very useful.  Mars is out of sect in McCain’s diurnal chart and would be problematic for him – more than Saturn, the other malefic but a diurnal planet.  Mars is also in a strong house (the eleventh) and is oriental.  Mars benefits from the positive testimony from Jupiter, that is in a close trine to Mars.  This may indicate aggression based on principles and self-confidence, but can also bring sanctimony to strong-willed assertiveness.  It is easy for McCain’s Mars to be less in his control, to be impulsive and unnecessarily aggressive.  It has been often noticed that McCain does best when he has a clear enemy to fight against.

This brings me back to McCain’s Mercury: both Mars and Jupiter aspect Mercury by sign.  Jupiter can give greater benefit, especially by being in its own sign Sagittarius and a planet in sect in his diurnal chart.  Mars, on the other hand, has a stronger influence, based on the direction of the aspect (forward in the signs) and also in the strong eleventh house of good spirit.  (McCain’s Jupiter, however, is in the relatively weak cadent third house.)

As stated above, Saturn is the planet that indicates McCain’s psyche, according to Ptolemy.  Saturn has the most hegemony over McCain’s Moon and Mercury placements – and you can throw in his Ascendant for complete certainty.  Here we see McCain at his best and at his worst: Saturn signifies a good conservative: not easily fooled, skeptical, a defender of tradition and its values.  On the other hand, Saturn can also be oppressive, cynical, and self-serving.  Over the course of a long career in public, we have seen manifestations of both features of Saturn.

What do his predictive indicators tell us?  Profections tell us little; since McCain is in his 73rd year, all positions revert to their natal placements.  This may amplify the influence of transiting Mars in Libra, as it will impact his Mercury and Ascendant in Libra.  Thus far his campaign has been hindered by responses his opponents have labeled “erratic.”

McCain’s current decennials are somewhat grim – Mars-Saturn!  This has been the case since May of this year, well after being assured of the Republican nomination.  A traditional astrologer on McCain’s campaign team might council him to bring more gravitas and wisdom to the campaign, to play the high road, for the low road will lead to misery and failure. Does this advice sound sufficiently Saturnine?

McCain’s secondary progressions are much more positive for him.  It is difficult to know whether they point to him winning a national election or just the strong activity of being in one.  Here is his progressed chart for Election Day.

You will notice the closeness of progressed planets to progressed angles: Moon at the Midheaven certainly denotes somebody who dominates headlines and responds to changing circumstances in a very public way.  Jupiter on his Ascendant shows dominance of vision and peak of public fame and the ability to impress.  One feels that the campaign will end heroically for him regardless of outcome.

Joe Biden: Mercury and Midheaven

          Like his senatorial comrade John McCain, Joe Biden also has Sun in the twelfth house – and more.  Here is his chart.

Let’s begin with the astrology:

Of the seven visible planets, Biden has four in the twelfth house, yet he has been quite successful – and seemingly happy – in his life.  Considering the dismal opinion astrologers have always had of the twelfth, what are some mitigating factors? 

          One is that these four planets, including Mars, are all in the sign Scorpio, governed by Mars.  Mars is also stronger by being oriental and rising from the Sun.  Before Sunrise, Mars has just become visible; for the next several months, Mars will rise in the east successively earlier than the Sun and will be brighter in the sky. 

          Another mitigating factor is the positive testimony of Jupiter, exalted in Cancer and lord of the Ascendant. (Being in the eighth, Jupiter has its own problems: it is not connected to the Ascendant.) The trine in the order of the signs does bode well for his Scorpio planets.

          The third factor has to do with Biden’s Lot of Fortune in Taurus, conjunct the Moon.  (In a diurnal chart, when the Sun is close to the Ascendant, the Lot will always be near the Moon.)  Because the Moon is in Taurus, all planets in Scorpio, opposite Taurus, will be angular to the Lot.  All these planets, but especially Venus in Scorpio, can contribute directly to the good fortune of the native.

          Now we can take a moment and ponder Biden’s verbal behavior.  You may have learned that Biden had a stutter when he was young, and trained himself out of this using the way of Demosthenes – he practiced speaking with pebbles in his mouth.  His articulation improved and he hasn’t stopped talking since; he is known as quite windy and gaffe-prone, even for a US Senator.

          To me it is clear that Biden’s verbosity was not from a lack of discipline but too great an intensity – he called it “passion” during last week’s debate.  The strong connection of Mercury with his Mars can manifest as an over-charged Mercury – we have also seen this in McCain’s chart with its sextile from Mars to Mercury.  That Biden’s Mercury is also within the Sun’s beams cannot be helpful.

          In Biden’s case, we are also looking at many planets unconnected to the Ascendant and therefore difficult to harmonize.  In his case the trine from Jupiter is helpful but, because Jupiter is also unconnected to the Ascendant, its usefulness has limits.  (Jupiter is even in a cadent house to the Lot of Fortune.)

          Saturn might cool down and help Biden be disciplined. The “greater malefic” has some strength in Biden’s chart, as Saturn is diurnal like Biden’s chart, is angular in the seventh house, and is in its own triplicity.  However, Saturn is connected only to the Ascendant – it does not influence any of his other planets.  It seems that Biden could certainly use the steadying influence of Saturn.  In his seventh, Saturn probably manifests as his strong and enduring marriage.

          Biden’s transits during this time are remarkable and worthy of detailed study. 

Below is a graphic ephemeris for the second half of 2008, taken from the Io Edition software program.  The vertical hatch-marks represent degrees, from 0° of all the cardinal signs, then fixed, then mutable.  In this way, a connection between a moving line – a transiting position – and a straight horizontal line – a natal position – is a transiting conjunction, square, or opposition.

A little more than halfway down the diagram you will find the dark straight line that represents Mercury’s position; you will notice that the moving blue line that represents Neptune is crossing Mercury’s line.  This indicates that Neptune (in Aquarius) is transiting Mercury (in Scorpio).

He has had a few gaffes during this Presidential campaign – particularly reminding an audience of FDR’s fireside chat on TV right after the 1929 stock market crash – but was remarkably disciplined during last week’s debate.  The transit from Neptune is exact from about now through mid-December; in spite of heroic work by his “handlers,” one can expect the verbally unexpected from Biden during this autumn.

Now for the most remarkable transit of any of the four candidates: the upcoming opposition between Saturn in Virgo and Uranus in Pisces, exact on election day, is very close to Biden’s Midheaven degree.  The MC position is the furthest natal position depicted on his graphic ephemeris, and it falls in the twentieth degree of mutable Virgo. Uranus is moving retrograde and crossed the MC line in early October; Saturn swoops down and meets with his Midheaven during the first week of November.  You can find the exact opposition just above his Midheaven degree and it happens to occur on November 4: election day.

What does one make of this?  If Joe Biden were running for president, I would expect something like what happened to Al Gore in November 2000. It is possible that transiting Saturn on the Midheaven be politically successful – to run a country during a war or depression.  Uranus opposite the Midheaven degree makes me think of some kind of upheaval from his personal life – maybe family or health concerns.  It is hard to predict what Uranus would do.

Latest Word on Barack Obama – for the moment

I will say less about Obama because I’ve covered his chart – with the correct birth time – in the previous newsletter.  Here is his chart once again.

Previously I have noted so much Leo and his strong Jupiter in the first house. Is it all about him or his vision for the country?  Both, I feel.

The ruler of his Ascendant, however, is Saturn who is dignified but in a difficult cadent house, the twelfth. Saturn seems to get more toughness from the applying trine from Mars. Obama’s oratorical abilities seem indicated by his Mercury, which is moving toward rising from the Sun, is angular, and takes a close aspect from Jupiter. Obama’s sharp Mercurial nature is aided by Moon in Gemini, ruled by Mercury. 

This question may come up for you – is Obama going to be elected US President?  There are indications that he might – aside from his recent (10/6) poll numbers -- the strong connection between his natal chart and the US Inauguration chart of Jan. 20, 2009.  Below is the Inauguration chart on the inside wheel and his natal chart on the outside; in that way it is easier to see the Inauguration chart as its own event.

The tenth house in the Inauguration chart is the sign Aquarius, which contains Jupiter.  This reflects that Jupiter enters Obama’s natal first house early in January 2009.  You may also see the strong connections between Mercury-Sun-Jupiter of the Inauguration chart, all in Aquarius, connected to Obama’s natal opposition between natal Jupiter and Mercury.  If Obama is elected President, expect a tremendous speech on Inauguration Day..

What is confirming, however, are the connections involving the Midheaven of the Inauguration and the Midheaven of Obama’s natal chart.  Any President next year is going to encounter a large line-up of thorny problems: this may be indicated in the MC of the event is the same degree as his natal Saturn.  It is also significant that the Moon of the event, that would signify “the people”, is conjunct his natal Midheaven.

This gives me the sensation that Obama will be inaugurated in January 2010 and that he may even be equal to the very difficult nature of the problems the next President will face.