This Site Is Being Discontinued

I am discontinuing this blog site.  Condsider it as a protest-of-sorts against WordPress.  They were very unhelpful when I attempted to regain my former site, The Ninthhouse.  I had run that site for almost ten years and had many useful archives there.  They would not, and still will not, give me my site back.  I have gotten tired of blogging here.  And, tired of WordPress.

Now we come to the most controversial event in Truman’s Presidency, the use of the Atomic bomb. This act, the dropping of two atomic bombs on Japan has been a discussion point on endless TV, radio, book, magazine and debate forums. It is not my intention to add to that debate. The extent of the war’s impact on the world’s people is so vast and varied that almost any argument for or against the use of this new weapon could be, and has been, made. My intent is just to view Truman’s charts for that period to see what astrological patterns were in play.

In this posting I will use Truman’s t/Moon to n/Sun Return of August 1st, 1945 and the Advanced chart of August 6th.

We can note n/Mars, t/Sun, t/Pluto and t/Part of Fortune at the MC of this Return chart.  Could there be a more telling grouping of planets in a chart for such a momentous event?  These factors speak of anger-in-action (Mars), intentions to dramatically change a situation (Sun, Pluto), and to express public policy (PoF).  Now, note n/Moon-Asc.; a highly emotional period for Truman, personally.

The placement of t/Moon-to-n/Sun in the 7th house, along with the n/Sun’s close proximity to n/Neptune is appropriate when one supposes that the 7th house is seen as the ‘enemy.’  How can one assess a mindset with n/Neptune conjunct the n/Sun being triggered by the t/Moon with the n/Moon on the Asc.?  Especially when we next note the grouping of n/Pluto-n/Mercury, t/Mars, n/Saturn in the 7th and on the cusp of the 8th house.  It is easy to say that Truman was fated to be in this position at this time to carry out the collective mind of the country.  This period of time had to be an intense experience for him as he was the focal point of the whole war machine.

His ‘Advanced’ chart for Aug. 6th, the day the first of two atomic bombs being utilized, is shown below.

In the few days since his Return chart, little seems to have changed.  n/Mars and t/Sun remain at the MC angle.  The t/PoF has moved ahead to the n/Asc.-n/N.Node positions in the 12th.  And, t/Moon conjoins n/MC-n/Jupiter in the 9th house.

So, the intention to wage war remains as Truman’s current goal (the MC).  t/PoF at the relocated n/Asc. points to change being a focal point for actions taken.  And, t/Moon-n/MC can be taken as ‘carrying out the public’s mind’ or ‘bringing about change that has long been an established goal.’  

My impression is that the power of the Return chart (Aug. 1st) is unleashed on this date, the Advanced chart acting as a trigger to the more powerful Return chart.  In some cases the Advanced chart is the one that brings all of the pieces together.

Comments?

Another View Of Becoming President The Hard Way

This 1948 portrait of Harry S. Truman at his White House office desk. (AP Photo)

We have reviewed Truman’s Solar Return prior to his becoming President and the Progressed Daily Angles chart for that fateful day.  In this post we will look at a t/Moon-opposite-n/Sun Return and Advanced chart for that same event.

Even though the Solar Return and Moon-Sun Return charts are based on differing concepts, the story still emerges.  The t/Moon-opposite-n/Sun Return of April 1, 1945, is oriented very differently (a Libra MC) from the 1944 Solar Return (Sag MC).  Let us now look at that Moon-Sun Return chart.

We find the t/Moon-10th house opposite n/Sun-4th house.  This position has a theme, in part, taken from my book Moon-to-Sun Returns 2; “. . . Work and home life merge or create conflicts in resources or efforts.  How to balance public life to suite one’s personal life.”  For a war-time President, life becomes work and a full-time focus.  There may be little time or space to find “balance” when one lives where one works — the White House.

The concept of a secretary having to manage a schedule for all those who need to see the President, and the President’s schedule for all those he wants to meet with seems impossible to imagine.

• n/Asc.-n/N.Node at the MC: “He will live the role of his career and status.” This is a personally consuming public role that he is involved in.
• n/Moon-10th opposes t/Mercury-t/Venus-4th;  His most personal planets are aligned on his vertical axis.  His personal resources and his public work become one.  
• t/Saturn-n/Venus-Desc.; a ‘tough love’ pattern.  Truman loved his country and was willing to accept the responsibility of serving as President.
• t/PoF-t/Pluto in the 7th; A fateful change in his overall relationships with others is indicated for this next two week period in his life.  This pairing squares the Moon-MC and Mercury-Venus-IC pattern, indicating that a BIG CHANGE WILL PESONALLY AFFECT HIS LIFE.

All of that certainly fits the context of his life.  Let us now look at the day he became the President of the United States.

 

• The Advancing MC has contacted the n/Moon position; he will be in the public view on this day.
• t/Moon-t/Sun-3rd oppose n/Asc.-n/N.Node; an actual new-moon on his natal Desc. and natal Nodal axis highlights the t/N.Node-Desc.-opp-t/PoF-Asc. pattern.  This focus on the 7th angle and house seems significant.  How do we view this house of the “other?”  If we view this house of the “other” as the nation, as the enemy, then it provides a good context for understanding the chart.  Truman had, in one day, gone from being the watch-dog over waste and fraud associated with war-time spending to being the chief of everything.  No wonder he adopted the desk-plaque that said, “The Buck Stops Here.”
• I can’t help noting his n/Mars-square-n/Sun-n/Neptune pattern.  Rising to the challenge of working hard to meet an ideal.

Now that we have reviewed both the Solar Return and Progressed Daily Angles charts and the Moon-to-Sun Return and Advanced charts, it may be appropriate to again stop to consider their different concepts.

The Solar Return focuses upon our character, decision making, and willingness-to-act characteristics.  Progressing the SR angles and combining them with a transit chart lets us view the events that we face and the decisions and actions we take.

The Moon-to-Sun Return charts shows the changes that come into our life, the upsets to our routines and the manner in which we respond to those upsetting changes.  It offers a ‘balance’ view of the chart — where we become upset, where we marshal resources to counter upsets and seek re-balance.

In these Moon-to-Sun Returns, the ‘re-balance’ is shown, in part, by the horizontal axis.   Working with other people and associates (the nodal axis), facing the burdens of the office (Saturn) and dealing with changes (Part of Fortune) would be accomplished with the already-in-place vast team of professional that surrounded the office of the President.  He was the focal point of a team effort.

And Then The Fit Hit The Shan!

After only four months as VP,  Truman found himself taking over the top job.  It was April 12th, 1945.  FDR had died.  As President of the United States, he was in charge of the war effort.  It was a massive challenge for a man who had only played a peripheral role during the previous few months.  He had a great team already in place, already involved in the planning and day-to-day details.  Yet, it had to be a sobering experience.

For this posting I will be using a precession corrected Solar Return and a “PSR” chart for the day he assumed the Presidency.  As we will see, not all Solar Returns point out the drama that will come our way in the coming year.  Solar Returns are “cyclic” in that they repeat specific characteristics each annual cycle:

• The MC position advances some 90 degrees from the previous year’s MC position in that year’s Solar Return.
• The Sun’s chart position advances some three houses each year from the prior Solar Return chart’s position.
• Every 39 years, if one hasn’t moved from near their birth location, the MC and the Asc. angles realign with the natal angles.  This 39th year is a crucial one as some die, others completely change their life focus, only a few go on as if nothing had happened.  This 39th year marks an inflection point in life.

Truman’s 1944 p.c. Solar Return (Tropical zodiac).

The t/Moon (inner wheel) near the MC is the primary “angular” planet in the 1944 p.c. Solar Return for Harry Truman.  It opposes n/Saturn in the 3rd.  To fit the context of his life, we would say, “he gains public recognition (Moon-MC) due to taking on responsibilities.”  Of course we could say other things relative to this pattern.   When one planet, natal or transiting is involved in a pattern, we always look for its transiting or natal counter-part.  In this case, t/Saturn is in the 4t house, not in a close opposition to that elevated Moon.  This emphasizes the taking on of new responsibilities.

We might also look at natal Moon.  n/Moon opposes t/Venus (a death indicator in cyclic charts, believe it or not), and squares t/Pluto in the 6th (big changes in his work environment is one way to view this pattern).

And that is it.  Nothing else to say about this Solar Return.  So let us look at a chart that is “advanced” from the Solar Return to the fateful April 12, 1945 date.  The advancement is done using Cyril Fagan’s “Progressed Sidereal Solar Return” or PSSR method.  He combined the Secondary Progression chart (a day for a year) with the added 1/4 day or orbital time it takes — after 365 days of orbiting the Sun — for the Earth to reach its actual position in space when the Solar Return point is reached.  This yields a 450 degree progression of the chart’s MC position (360 plus 90 equals 450 degrees).  We use the resulting proportionalized advancement of the angles combined with that day’s transits to present a PSR or advanced chart.

In the eleven months since his last birthday on May 8, 1944 (and his Solar Return), the MC has advanced past the former 18 degrees of Sag and reached 8 Aquarius.  t/Pluto is on the IC angle and n/Pluto is on the Asc. angle.  A ‘doubled up’ pattern of angular Plutos.  Transformation, irrevocable change — however you want to describe it.  

Note also, n/Mercury with n/Pluto at the Ascendant, plus t/Part of Fortune.  News of death, a totally changed personal environment is presented to Truman on this date.

With the elevated Moon of the S/R chart being so emphasized, and n/Mercury being at the Ascendant in this chart, we should note t/Moon-t/Mercury opposing the n/Asc. in this chart — we need to note this angular situation.  The angles tell the story in Return charts.

This ‘daily’ chart clearly reflects the personal situation for Harry Truman on this date.  The chart is very clear to read within the context of his life.  In the next posting I will examine his t/Moon-n/Sun Return charts for this same event.  Dave.

Truman Becomes Vice President

As a Senator, Harry Truman quickly made a name for himself by finding instances of fraud, over-runs, and waste on the many government projects that were part of a wartime government.  So efficient was he that the current President, FDR, chose him to be his new Vice President.  Harry Truman, shown above meeting with the President, was sworn in as VP on Jan. 20, 1945.

Truman’s t/Moon-opposite-n/Sun Return prior to his being sworn in was on Jan 9, 1945, eleven days earlier.  The chart is shown below.

Truman knew of his selection as the new Vice President prior to the swearing in ceremony, of course.  Yet, this day had to be very important and impressive for him.  In a short time he had moved from a county clerk in the deep south to the Vice President of the United States while the country was at war around the world.

We take note of the t/Moon-Asc. opposite n/Sun-Desc-n/Neptune, this being square to n/Mars in the 9th house.  This is a “horizontal axis” focused chart.  This period would be a heady experience for him. 

As those of us who are old enough to actually remember him, his natal Sun-Neptune combination was never exhibited as him having a dreamy nature or acting in dramatic or strange ways.  He was always smiling and genial, but most of all, highly practical and no-nonsense.  n/Mars being in square to n/Neptune could be interpreted as ‘fighting against fraud.’  This would be one positive form of expression for this pairing.   If we check a bit further we will note the t/Mars squares t/Neptune, mirroring the natal pattern and representing the very reasons for him being selected as V.P.

Social conflict for Truman, may be seen in the squaring of the natal Moon’s Nodes with the transiting Moon’s Nodes.  There we many who wanted to be VP, but FDR was not a man to have fools and political hacks for support.  He had years of war experience and knew how to lead — a competent team was needed if he was to lead the country out of war.

Let’s advance the Moon-Sun Return chart eleven days to Jan. 20, 1945, the day he was sworn in as VP.

On his swearing-in date we see t/Sun opposite t/N.Node-n/MC0-n/Jupiter; a nice pattern to have going for you.  The link to the natal MC angle makes the t/Sun-in-the-3rd-house ‘angular’ for interpretation purposes.  Note n/Neptune-n/Pluto straddling the Desc. angle; we can use Pluto-Neptune to mean uprooting fraud as one appropriate meaning for this chart and this new job.

Should we pay attention to t/Moon-opposite-n/N.Node-n/Asc.?  While t/Moon is not itself angular, it is linked to ‘angularity’ through its opposition to n/Asc.  Perhaps this represents the public attention he received at this time.  Other than that . . .?

In the following series of charts, in future blogs, we will see an exciting series of charts and events — all tied to the building pressures of fate as the world war moved to its end-point.  Dave.

Valerie Plame Wants To Return To Washington

I am interrupting the current series to bring you an interesting set of charts. When an event occurs at the end of one cycle and at the start of another cycle, which chart should you use?

Valerie Plame came to the public’s attention first on July 14, 2003 when the news media revealed that she was an undercover CIA operative.  This revelation put several covert operatives in jeopardy around the world.  They had to be extradited and several ongoing programs were cancelled.  On May 10, 2019 she announced that she was running for a Congressional seat for the 3rd district in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  May 10th was the last day of a t/Moon-opposite-n/Sun Return cycle of April 27th.  A new t/Moon-n/Sun Return cycle began on May 11th, 2019.  When an astrologer runs into this situation the first reaction is “panic.”  We will look at three charts; 1) t/Moon-opp-n/Sun Return of April 27th, 2019, 2) the advanced chart for May 10th when she announced her candidacy, and 3) the t/Moon-to-n/Sun Return of May 11th — the day after her announcement.

April 27, 2019.  The most striking feature of this chart is t/Part of Fortune (t/PoF) at the MC angle.  Career surprises!  Her goals will change in this period.  Now, note t/Mars and n/Moon both in the 7th house, 6 degrees apart.  The Moon becomes a focus of public awareness and response.  Mars signifies attempts at relationship building.  n/Mars conjoins n/PoF; she is a natural risk taker to the extent that we can use the n/PoF in an untimed natal chart.  Also note that t/PoF opposes t/Neptune which squares t/Mars — she will have to fight to win this dream.

Now let us turn our attention to the last day of this Return cycle, May 10th and the Advanced chart for that date, shown below.

Wow!  We have a realignment of the natal angles with the Advanced chart’s angles. This is a bit rare and very significant.  It is like a mini-birth chart, an inflection point, and a chance to be “born again” in some manner.  Valerie couldn’t have picked a better day for her announcement. 

Note that t/Mars is now on the 7th house cusp, the Descendant.  She will indeed be reaching out to others, projecting herself to the public.   t/Jupiter is on the Ascendant angle; she will make a big splash.  n/Jupiter is in the 4th house; she will find support for her cause.  With t/Venus nearby, she will find that people like her and will contribute.

Let us now look at her May 11th (the next day) t/Moon-to-n/Sun Return, the first chart that I looked at 20 minutes ago when I decided to write this post.

First, note t/Moon-to-n/Sun right on the MC.  My first thought was “perhaps she announced her political plans a day too early.”  t/PoF at the IC along with n/Saturn. And, t/Sun at the Desc. angle.  This looked like a good chart.  Not great, but a good chart.  It was only when I ran the earlier Return and Advanced chart that I breathed easier.  

I wanted to share these charts because they are good examples of how cyclic charts, Return and Advanced charts, can change our view of life on a day-by-day basis.  When we work with Solar Return charts the daily charts advance smoothly day after day and from one year into the next.  Not so when the Moon is involved.  Every new Moon-to-Sun or Moon-opposite-Sun Return starts a whole new cycle.  The cycles are “discontinuous” in nature.  Of course if one was to use just a t/Moon-to-n/Sun Return chart and run it for the full 28-29 days, the cycle would be ‘continuous’ for that entire period.  But, the Moon has exhibited, for thousands of years of recorded history, its changeable nature at New Moon and Full Moon.  Hence, my use of two cycles of some two weeks each.  Dave

Truman’s Election To The Senate Via His t/Moon-to-n/Sun Return and Advanced Chart

In the most recent posting Truman’s election to the Senate was reviewed through the use of his Solar Return and PSR (acvanced) chart for Nov. 5, 1934.  This posting will utilize his t/Moon-to-n/Sun Return, a different cycle-Return type of chart.

Solar Returns reflect the subject’s views, intend, decisions and likely actions.

Moon-to-Sun Return reflect the changes that enter our life, our reaction to change, and the manner in which we can correct the flow of daily life.

Let us immediately go the viewing the t/Moon-to-n/Sun Return of Oct. 23, 1934.  The chart is shown below.

• t/Moon-to-n/Sun occurs in the 11th house of community and public service, a fitting placement.  t/Moon-n/Sun opposes t/Mercury and squares n/Mars, which is opposite t/Saturn.  Saturn-8th house reflects the responsibilities related to other people — his constituents.   Mercury relates to his speech and thoughts on matters important to the electorate.  n/Mars, as part of this grand cross, points to his strong and outspoken manner in defending his opinions. 
• Most important is n/MC at the Ascendant; Truman will need to address his firm beliefs and goals, the public image and what he offers to the public.  We can see this as his “why you should vote for me” speech..
• t/Pluto joins n/MC and n/Jupiter at the Asc. angle; this patter has long been associated with success.  

This is a strong Return chart.  Let us now look at the Advanced chart.

On election day we find t/Moon-n/Moon-n/Asc.-n/N.Node at the IC angle, opposite t/Uranus-MC.  Talk about hearing the sound of trumpets from a chart, WOW!  It just doesn’t get any clearer for an astrological chart and an election event than this.  We might also note the t/Nodal Axis across the Asc.-Desc. axis.  A “strong reaching out” indication.  

Not angular, the t/Part of Fortune will conjoin the t/PoF on this date, along with the n/MC-n/Jupiter.  What a nice way to wrap up an election.

Comparing the Moon-to-Sun ADVANCED chart with the Solar Return’s PSR chart for the date of Nov. 5, 1934 we find the Solar cycle pushing his vision, vigorously (see the t/Mars-t/Neptune at the Desc. angle)  The Lunar Cycle chart emphasized the public moons (natal and transiting) at the “a new start” area of the chart (the IC) combined with the surprising t/Uranus-MC (wake up, here I am with my goals for you.).  

When you have multiple cycles going for you, you just about have everything you might need.  Dave

 

 

The Man From Missouri; Part One Of The Harry Truman Story

Let me tell you a story — of a man who wanted to run for his state’s Senaate seat even though the political party bosses were against it. Harry S. Truman (who later served as our 33^rd President) was determined to rise above his former County Judge position. Two party regulars contested Truman in the Democratic Primary election, effectively canceling each other out and giving Truman the nomination. In the Nov. 5, 1934 national election, Truman won over his Republican opponent by 20% of the vote.

 

Below is Truman’s natal chart, relocated to Washington, D.C. where all of the charts following his election as Senator will be located. At first glance one might think that his Sun-Neptune pairing would indicate a diffused personality, idealistic in some ways, accomodating in other ways. Then we would note the Sun squared by Mars in the 10^th, providing a ‘fiestiness’ to his demeanor. Then we might note that Venus was at the mid-point of his Sun-Mars square, adding a softer and harmonizing factor. Now, add the Moon’s N.Node at the Ascendant and we find a man who enjoys his interactions with others. We have a ‘polititian’ here. The Moon in the first house just adds to this view as it trines Venus. A nice natal chart.

 

The AstroStory Blog is dedicated to presenting the mechanics of charting Return and Cyclic astrologtical charts and illustrating interpretive tools that enable us to follow, astrologicaly, the flow of daily life.

In this posting I will be utilizing the Solar Return chart and an ‘advanced-to-the-event’ chart which is called a Progressed Solar Return (PSR) chart. The chart will be precession-corrected, making it essentially a Tropical format version of a Sidereal chart. Since most astrologers in North America and Europe, Australia, and South America use the Tropical zodiac, thise charts should be easy to work with. Two issues need to be highlighted.

 First, the precession-corrected Solar Return has a calculation time that is different from a regular Tropical Solar Return. This small amount, 1/72 of a degree per year, of the Tropical Aries Point regressing along the Earth orbit builds up each year, resulting in half of a degree of displacement around age 36. It takes the Earth extra time to travel that accumulated distance, resulting in a chart that has a very different orientation from a regular Tropical Solar Return.

 Second, an examination of any two successive annual Solar Return charts will show that the MC shifts forward some 90 degrees each year. The ‘progression’ or advancement of a Solar Return to an event date ocurring in the following annual period is not this 90 degrees. Based on a Secondary Progression method, the annual ‘progression’ is 360 degrees (one day for the year) plus the 90 degrees (the quarter day that we apply to ‘leap year’ correction every four years). This yields some 450 degrees that the MC will proportionately cover over the year — about 1.25 degrees per day.

Let us briefly look at Harry S. Truman’s natal chart. He was born on May 8, 1884 at 4:00 PM, in Lamar, Missouri. We will focus on planets that are angular in the Return chart and also any that are angular in the natal chart.

 

His Solar Return Sun and natal Sun are at 19 Taurus. (It is conventional practice to show the natal Sun position (18 Taurus, rounded off) and transiting Sun position (adjusted for precession-correction and rounded off to the 19 Taurus), indicating a difference in position where there is none. Changing the natal Sun’s position would require that we change all natal planet positions. The Solar Sun is in the 10^th house, near the chart’s MC; a most auspicious indication of achieving one’s goals.

The natal grouping of Sun, Neptune, Pluto, Mercury is matched by the natal positioning of Mars, Mercury, Sun — all in the 10^th and near the MC angle.

Note n/Mars-Asc.-t/S.Node and t/Mars-t/Mercury-t/Sun at the MC and in the 10^th house. Mars has been ‘doubled up.’ Being at two angles requires that we ‘emphasize’ the planet and its meanings. Truman will have a ‘fight’ on his hands in this calandar year.

· t/N.Node-Desc. indicates a ‘reaching out to others’ pattern will be a major ‘theme’ for this coming year. That is essentially what an election is.

· Although not angular, note the t/Part of Fortune (t/PoF) conjoining the n/MC position. “Chance and change” is a goot set of key words to use for the PoF. Being near his natal MC, we might assume that his public stature, personal goals and status, will change during this annual period.

We might choose to view the n/Moon (5 degrees behind the chart’s IC angle) as being an angular factor. If so, then we might see this as meaning, “the public view of Truman will change this year.”

 That is what this chart tells us. We could choose to evaluate many other patterns in the chart, but these few ‘angular’ positions are enough for us to consider.

In the 181 days interval between the Solar Return date and the Nov. 5^th election date we would expect the MC to move, using our rule of thumb, some 226 degrees (181 days multiplied by 1.25 degrees per day equals 226 degrees). Equating the Solar Return MC of Taurus as being 40 degrees, and adding 226 degrees, we might expect the election day MC to be near266 degrees — or Sag 26 degrees. The computer calculates the MC as being at Sag. 17 degrees, the difference due to adjustments for the Equation of Time, primarily. The Sun appears to move faster or slower at various points of the year. The Earth being closer to the Sun in December, although tilted away from the Sun, moves faster and rotates slightly faster, accounting for the difference.

 

This “PSR” chart has t/Mars tightly angular (Desc. angle) with t/Neptune nearby. This angular Mars recalls the doubled-up Mars positions at the S/R’s MC and Asc. angles. We might choose to view t/Mars-t/Neptune-Desc. as “fighting for an ideal or a vision on behalf of others.”

Note that n/Mars-squares-n/Sun; Harry was a natural fighter, aggressive in his nature. These characteristics carry into the transiting angular Mars. Note also that n/Neptune conjoins n/Sun, a mirror of t/Neptune with t/Mars. Throw in the t/Mars-Neptune square to n/Saturn and you have some persistance added to the mix — Truman would never give up.

Finally, we can take the arc angle from the MC to the Ascendant and extend that arc towards the Descendant area of the chart where it would be located near 27 degrees of Virgo. I call this the CD or Co-Descendant. It makes the MC into the midpoint between the Ascendant and the CD. Any planet, in this case n/Uranus, at the CD point affects how one acts, pressuring the MC to adjust its goals. We might say that Asc.-Uranus will require the MC (Truman’s goals and public image) to be more exciting and surprising, showing his streak of independance.

That is the message of this chart. It is based on the angular planets and the ‘natal effect’ that they carry with them.

For those new to this type of Return and cyclic charting it might seem strange to only focus on angular planets and to somewhat ignore the remainder of the chart.  We do not need a robust chart reading such as would be done by a natal chart.  We have here, in these methods, a means of looking at each day of life’s flow.  Knowing the context of the person’s life, we need only focus on those changes-for-the-day coming into one’s life to be able to forecast events.  One or two symbols will often tell that story.  At other times we may find many symbols (angular planets) to tell the story.  Dave

Columbine: Some Charts Work, Some Charts Don’t Work

Again, this posting published early.  It was to be released on May 1st.  Along with the last post, which published earlier than desired, there will be no further postings before the end of next week, around May 3rd or 5th as I will be on vacation.

Dylan Kiebold was an “all-in” partner of Eric Harris in the Columbine school shootings. Eric’s charts reflected his views, attitudes and actions. Some of Dylan’s charts did not. Why is this?

A cross for each person killed at Columbine is a terrible reminder of that fateful day.

These questions have always perplexed astrologers. During my early explorations of astrology, I became disappointed when one methodology or another didn’t work out in a chart. Luckily I had enough patience to realize that most of the time I lacked the skills to properly read the chart. And then, over time, I realized that some forms of charting were better than others. Some forms of interpretations were better. In time I developed a personal 90% rule; if it didn’t work most of the time, stop using it! Later, it became a 95% rule. Then, just a more finely tuned sense of discrimination.

What did I keep?

• Natal charts; emphasizing aspects and houses, downplaying signs.
• Mid-point charting, using Ebertins theories. These were highly accurate.
• Solar Arc directions, along with mid-points.
• Return charts; Solar, Moon-to-Sun, Moon-to-Planet, and to a lesser extent, Lunars.
• Planetary Containments (similar to mid-points but without the math).
• Planetary phases based on the Lunar Cycle promulgated by Rudhyar and Robinson.

 

What did I throw out or just plain forgot about?

• Rulerships.
• Declinations.
• Classical and medieval charting
• Most forms of Progressions (except for occasional use of Secondary).
• Psychology-focused natal chart readings.
• “Signs” as a primary interpretive tool except somewhat useful in natal charts.

 So, upon constructing Dylan Kiebold’s Solar Return and Progressed Daily Angles chart for the Columbine shooting I discovered that his Solar Return chart was significant, but that the chart for the date of the shooting had no closely angular planets. In fact I had to put together a chain of somewhat relative linkages between various planets. It was a disappointing exercise. So,why isn’t a highly significant date properly reflected in one’s chart? After all, it was the last day of his life, the last day of many other lives.

 Let us go back to their natal charts.

• Harris had Pluto opposing Mars, Sun, Venus from the 12^th Kiebold had his Sun square Neptune and opposing the PoF. Harris’ will and intentions were due to a stronger Sun.
• Harris’ Moon squared Jupiter-Saturn and Mercury. Kiebold’s Moon had no major hard aspects. Harris’ personal needs were more fully understood and applied to a plan. Kiebold’s needs were just random-emotional and more easily steered up other’s emotions. He was a follower.
• Harris’ Mars was conjoining his Sun; he was forceful by nature, a ‘do-er.’ Kiebold’s Mars was near his N.Node; he gravitated to associations with strong willed people.

Upon checking out Kiebold’s t/Moon-opposite-n/Sun Return and Advanced chart for the date of the shooting, a much stronger set of chart’s emerged. Moon-to-Sun Returns reflect changes in one’s environment and how one reacts and adapts to those changes and how one’s decisions and interntions help to mitigate or direct corrective action. Let us look at Kiebolds Moon-to-Sun Return charts.

 

t/Moon-MC-n/PoF opposes n/Sun-IC; this period of time will see Kiebold’s emotional state linked to his established goals and subject to changes which will prompt action at any point in time.

t/Sun opposes n/Asc.-n/Pluto-n/Venus; His inner sense of admiring power and disruption is given a chance to react in this period of time.

t/PoF-t/Venus; This pattern relates to natal Asc.-Pluto-Venus because the PoF substitutes for the Ascendant when no planets are close to the Ascendant — the case here. So, by extension we have PoF-Venus and Asc.(PoF)-Venus along with Pluto. A love of adventure.

Without spending more time on that chart, let us turn our attention to the Advanced Daily Angles chart for April 20, 1999.

t/Moon tucked right up against the Ascendant; ‘Going with the flow’ is the daily game.

n/Sun-IC-t/PoF opposing n/PoF-MC; What better pattern suggesting excitement and change could one come up with?

Since the t/Sun is always important to consider in these charts, lets note that t/Sun-t/Saturn opposes t/Mars even though not angular. Note also t/Mars-square-n/Mars; that day’s events might have been carried out with less enthusiasm on Kiebold’s part. Yet, he was fully involved.

Comments 

We have to consider the idea that going into this shooting spree meant that they understood that there was ‘no way out’ for them in terms of survival or a life that existed outside of prison or a mental hospital. Did Kiebold’s natal Sun opposite natal Part-of-Fortune always condem him to situations where his well-being and purpose was always subject to being changed by another (the opposition of PoF to the Sun suggests ‘another.’ ). Did Mars’ 135 degree aspect ( a square and a half aspect ) to Neptune in his natal chart highly sensitize him to the transit of Neptune to his natal Mars? Did his action fantasies become all to real for him at this time of his life?

I can’t begin to clarify for myself or for my readers the real reaons why two bright teen-agers chose to make such a brutal statement that ended the lives of classmates and of themselves. Anger and fantasy, when linked together is a powerful force. Several years of un-challenged hate and anger directed against others must have been a powerful motivator. Did nobody care about what they were doing in terms of building bombs and spewing hate?

Dave

 

Columbine Revisited; The Day That Has Never Ended For Those Left Behind.

This posting was intended to be released April 28, 2019.

Harris and Kiebold preparing their weapons for the pre-planned massacre.

The date of April 20, 1999 will never be forgotten at Columbine High School. Eric Harris had another date that was very important for him: April 10, 1999. This was the date he had his annual Solar Return, one calendar day after his ‘birthday’ date. Let us immediately review that chart.

 

t/Mercury-MC; His precession-corrected 1999 Solar Return chart had t/Mercury on the MC angle and n/Mercury six degrees away in the 10^th house. Clearly, he had a message, a statement of what his life goals were about

n/Saturn-n/Jupiter at the IC angle; his “business of life” pair is emphasized in this chart. He had been promulgating an angry stance against society, mocking athority, encouraging others to revolt in their own way, using the Internet to encourage bomb-making. Certainly not an admirable “business of life.” The opposition from t/Mercury and n/Mercury at the top of the chart projects their message loud and clear.

n/Part-of-Fortune at the Desc. angle. Desiring changes in others. Let us play astrological hop-scotch and jump over to t/PoF conjoining t/Saturn. The wished-for changes in others is tied to a plan, a harsh viewpoint to be projected through agression — note the opposition to t/Mars-n/Asc. Note that we have gone from 1) n/PoF-Desc. to 2) t/PoF-t/Saturn to 3) the opposition by t/Mars and 4) the link to the natal Ascendant. This is an astrological link between his actions and the actions he wants others to understand and participate in.

This is his personal set of goals for this annual period. Of course it is also showing his personal view of his world during his birthday period, a time when most of us briefly reflect on where we are in life and where we are going next. We have seen that Eric Harris had been developing a angry persona. promoting bomb making and voicing social rebellion for the past few years. His prior breaking and entering into a van and stealing had resulted in a mild rebuke (from his point of view), and had not deterred his anger in any way. We can look at this chart as a validation for him that his life-direction was the right one for him to pursue.

Advancing the Solar Return to any date within the following annual period.

Let us now advance this Solar Return chart to the day of the Columbine shooting. The manner in which a Solar Return is ‘advanced’ is different from how we advance a Moon-to-Sun Return. When we closely examine a series of annual Solar Return charts we see that the MC position in any one chart is approximately 90 degrees advanced from the prior Solar Return chart MC. This tells us that a ‘cycle’ is in existance. Do we proportionately advance the chart 90 degrees over some 365 days? That sounds valid but doesn’t seem to work well in practice. Cyril Fagan was an Irish astrologer who lived and practiced in the 1900s. His interest in history and archeology led him to rediscover-for-astrology the Sidereal zodiac. His inclination was to apply secondary progression techniques to the Solar Return. Yet, there was that added 90 degrees to account for. He then tried to progress (advance) the chart by a day-for-a-year (360 degrees) plus the quarter-day (90 degrees) that is applied to our leap year of 366 days every fourth year.

The result was that 360 degrees plus 90 degrees equaled 450 degrees, and this value could be easily proportioned over 365.25 calendar days. Accordingly, the Solar Return chart angles would advance some 1.25 degrees per day over the annual period. In practice, this worked well.

What didn’t work as well was the very small movement of the daily motion of the planets when spread over a year’s time. Only the Moon, moving at some 1 degree-or-so per month, showed any possibility of ‘change’ within the chart. This problem was resolved by using the progressed chart angles and substituting the progressed planets with the advanced dates transiting planets. All of a sudden the advanced chart sparkled with life! As a result, a biwheel chart resulted with the following attributes:

1. A natal chart which showed one’s primary life imprint.

2. A transit chart which showed the target dates temporary influences.

3. A re-oriented zodiac reference scale that placed natal and transiting planets within a fresh environmental ‘house structure’ which provided Angular Power Zones. These major angles and ‘cardinal’ houses emphasized the planets that were most expressive on the target date.

 Without getting into the mechanics of calculating these charts at this time, let us now look at an advanced chart (called a Progressed Solar Return) for ten days later — April 20, 1999 — when Harris and Kiebold took their guns and bombs to school. Note, this is a Tropical chart, not a Sidereal chart.

 

In the 10 day interval since the Solar Return date, the chart’s MC has advanced from 24 Pisces to 7 Aries, 13 degrees. This is similar to the expected 1.25 degrees per day I noted earlier.

 t/Mercury-conjoins-n/Mercury just 4 degrees behind the MC angle; the message of hate is due to be delivered. These doubled-up Mercurys are opposite the n/Saturn-n/Jupiter pairing and will also be opposed within hours by the t/PoF as it hits the IC angle. Change and confusion will be unleased. ‘Chance’ will determine who lives, who dies.

 t/Sun is approaching the opposition to t/Mars and n/Asc. from the angular 10^th house. His intention (Sun) is to personally (n/Asc.) project force and anger (t/Mars). Since t/Mars is strongly placed (via its oppossition to t/Sun) we need to check out n/Mars. We find n/Mars conjoining n/Sun-n/Venus in the 10^th house, broadly conjoining t/Jupiter. What is attempted on this date will be greatly expanded (t/Jupiter).

t/Moon is always important in any chart, even a Solar Return chart. Note that t/Moon here conjoins n/Moon in the 12^th house. This complets a T-square between the MC and IC planet groupings, bringing an emotional intenssity to Harris’ actions. These actions were just what he had been living for up until this point in his life.

 We might also note his n/MC being positioned in the first house; he was acting on his goals.

 Reading these charts is relatively easy. Angular planets form the start of our interpretive efforts. The counterparts, either natal or transiting, of angular planets are included to add depth to our understanding of what is happening. When we relate angular planets to other planets which may not be angular, those house placements are considered in our interpretation. Doubled-up planets, such as t/Mercury and n/Mercury in this chart, provide an emphasis for us to consider. When our astrological hopscotch of deliniation ties the natal and transiting versions of the same planet into our interpretation, then that planet becomes ‘doubled-up’ in its emphasis.

 I will likely post an essay in the menu of this blog post explaining the mechanics of calculating this approach to Solar Returns.