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What's Up: Welcome to the hot days of summer, the beginning of the so-called Dog Days. (And if you're in England or Texas, they may have been the wet days.) Summer is often a time when the normal achievements of life seem suspended, and I am no exception. However, there are always things to say. As of this moment, Astrological Roots: The Hellenistic Legacy'is going to the printer soon. (It might go out sooner if there weren't for itty-bitty last-minute alterations to make.)This book finally gives Hellenistic astrology a wide release and hopefully will stimulate the astrological world to discussion and further investigation of this important astrological tradition. Already there is considerable interest. Penelope Wilder -- a new fan of this stuff -- is going through the manuscript with an eye toward helping to develop an online/correspondence course that will allow people to go deeper into this material. You'll hear about it first. Below is an announcement about a horary workshop I will present at the end of August. This is a presentation similar to the one scheduled for the NCGR group from Fairfield Ct. I hope many of you can come to this. During the last week of September, I will be on a radio program on astrology hosted by Chris Flisher. Topic will be the chart and times of George W. Bush.On Saturday, September 22 in the afternoon there will be a special presentation at The Arlington Center on Mass Ave -- in Arlington, of course. Topic to be announced, and I would love to hear your ideas! Workshop: Practical Horary Astrology Horary astrology casts a chart of the moment through examining the chart for the time of asking a meaningful question, and interprets the chart to give an answer to question. Astrologers also use horary astrology to clarify personal or world events if there is a specific time at which the event has occurred. In this workshop we will. Explore the principles and procedures common to all horary work. Cost: $60 ($40 if you are already taking the summer program)
Venus Retrograde Period On the level of interpretation about Venus being retrograde -- I have found nothing inherently weak about the love life, creative life, or values of anybody who has Venus retrograde in his or her natal chart. Nor is there anything inherently weak about Venus retrograde periods for everybody, when they occur. However, I would note the positions in which Venus is stationary retrograde and stationary direct, for that may activate one's chart and one's life. Having written this, I also note that things often happen unpredictably or weirdly during Venus retrograde periods regarding matters Venusian. This is different from weak or unsatisfying in some way -- just strange or surprisingly potent. In my view, the Venus retrograde period begins when Venus, to the right of the Sun, begins to move less than a degree a day. This means that Venus in the sky begins to move closer to the Sun, on its way to turning retrograde.
As you can see, Venus is over 45 degrees behind the Sun, to its right, and at this time would be very bright in the western sky after the Sun goes down. Night after night Venus moves more close to the Sun. Venus will set sooner after sunset and will become more faint. Before Venus sinks into the Sun's beams entirely, when she is about 30 degrees from the Sun she goes retrograde. Below is the chart:
Note that Venus is going retrograde at two degrees of Virgo -- if you have natal positions at two degrees of Virgo or the other mutable signs (Gemini, Sagittarius,or Pisces), this event will aspect your chart directly.
Venus will then emerge on the other side of the Sun as a morning star, to the left side of the Sun, earlier in the zodiac. Then Venus goes direct -- here it is.
Once again, note any natal positions at 16 Leo or near that degree of other fixed signs (Taurus, Scorpio, Aquarius), to determine whether this event will influence your natal chart directly. This autumn we will go through the dynamics of Mars going retrograde -- expect something completely different!
Michael Moore: Rebel Without a Pause I assume that by now many readers here have seen the movie Sicko, which takes on the health care industry -- not to be confused with medicine. Although its release is limited, this movie seems to be on everybody's list to go see this summer, and will be far more influential than the latest Spiderman, Harry Potter, or whatever. Now seems to be a lovely time to present him and introduce his chart. It seems he has always been this way. When Michael Moore was a mere eighteen years old, he was elected to the school board in his hometown -- Flint, Michigan, or course -- and he sought to open up their previously closed-door meetings, and succeeded. He continued being active in local politics and journalism which branched into his unusual blend of comedy and political agitation -- increasingly on TV and the silver screen. Moore's national breakthrough occurred in 1989 when the film Roger and Me chronicled the abandonment of Flint by General Motors and the consequent decline of that once-prosperous town. This film raised quite a stir -- within the movie industry and politically. Over many years and many subsequent films, Moore has taken on the cause of ordinary people and has held up the political, cultural, financial establishment to ridicule and moral accusation. Before going further into his biography, much of which you may already know, here is his natal chart. Expect some surprises!
What catches your eye? We could begin with Mercury, the planet of communication and discourse. To nobody's surprise, it's in Aries, is oriental, in sect and therefore quite strong, and it has a strong square from Uranus -- of course. All this qualifies him as a fighter in the realm of thoughts and ideas, and the iconoclastic ones, too. This configuration describes well his stalking the CEO of GM in Roger and Me, and his many subsequent adventures -- flotilla to Cuba and all. Governing his Mercury in Aries is Mars, which is exalted in Capricorn and in the tenth house from Mercury itself, and is thus placed strongly over Mercury. Unlike many of his political persuasion, he seems to have conducted his crusades patiently and has never given into simply being angry. (Strident and edgy, yes -- full of rage, no.) To this we can attribute his Mars and Moon in trine to a Taurus Sun. Moore seems content with wearing down his enemies over a long time. His successful career in film is indicated by Venus in Taurus governing and placed in the Tenth. That Pluto in the First squares Venus does bring intensity to his career path. A vocation in modeling or music -- also indicated by his Venus -- just wouldn't do. What were his transits in 1989, when Roger and Me brought him a national audience? Not much -- merely Uranus conjunct Mars and Moon, Jupiter conjunct itself and then opposing his Moon and Mars! By solar arc, Uranus was conjunct Venus, the ruler of the Tenth. I look briefly at the Hellenistic predictive methods. Using the method of decennials, this period was governed by Saturn and Mars. Before thinking that this should presage doom and gloom, please note that Mars and Saturn exchange dignities (called "mutual reception" in modern parlance), and that Mars is rather powerful in his natal chart, in its configurations with both Sun and Mercury. (The specific lord is more important than the general lord for indicating the nature of a certain period of time.) Progressing the Midheaven by ascensions -- this is called "circumambulation" -- 1988 featured a sextile to Mercury: Mr. Moore finally found his voice and a national audience. Not that he was uncontroversially admired for his endeavor. What's going on now for him, astrologically? Mars is currently transiting his Tenth for the next few days. When did Mars enter Taurus and his Tenth? This happened on June 24, within days of the release of Sicko. Building up to that have been by solar arc Jupiter conjunct his Ascendant and the Sun conjunct Jupiter. This certainly expands his reach. Speaking of expanding -- Saturn transiting his First, recently conjunct Pluto, has -- along with the commentary of a skeptical public -- finally brought him to lose some weight. Hopefully this will last past Saturn's entry into Virgo in a few weeks. His profections this year advance all positions six signs from their natal position. In that way, his Ascendant profects to Capricorn, wherein lie Moon and Mars. This has helped bring his causes to the public (Mars) and has also helped him lose weight (Moon). Moon and Mars themselves profect to Gemini, where we have Jupiter. This is to his advantage. Not to his advantage, however, has been Saturn profecting to Mercury and Jupiter profecting to Saturn. This is interesting in light of Saturn transiting his First House at this time. I do not know what these could mean on a personal level for him. On the level of national politics, however, I have this surmise: Moore has decided to take on health care when it has become a potent political issue, and he has become involved in a large national discussion. The fact remains, however, that Moore is not an economist or medical policy wonk but a film maker: these limitations have also been fully manifest. Once again, the task ahead for Moore is to remain patient if a bit edgy and provocative. He remains not a leader but the gadfly of America's would-be leaders. In the long run, this is perhaps the job he is best suited for. Hilary Rodham Clinton -- 8 AM or 8 PM? No, I will not give an answer or even venture a guess at this early time. As an astrologer with more than a passing interest in the current American political situation, the confusion about Hilary Clinton's eight o'clock birth time is indeed frustrating. According to the Astrodatabank data base, people quote her saying she was born in the morning and in the evening. The newspaper that noted her birth said that she was born in the morning. The way to proceed is usually to note the "accidents of the native" -- to quote Lilly -- and see how the major events of her life line up with the birth times in question. Below is her chart AM and her chart PM. I have rendered both using whole sign houses, which changes her AM chart from emphasizing the Twelfth House to emphasizing the First, which may make more sense. The PM chart has 29 Gemini rising and we should contemplate moving here Ascendant to Cancer -- using whole sign houses, that would change every house placement. There are many things to contemplate! However, for the moment I simply present the charts for your inspection. In future newsletters I will try to clarify matters as best as I can. In the meantime, which chart gets your nod? I would like to know. Considering that at this time she stands an even chance of being the next US President, it seems important to figure this one out.
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