The Bull of Heaven II

The Classical Astrologer

I make no pretense of being an expert in Egyptology, but there are some fundamental elements of that culture which allow us to see Taurus in a different way, in part by the relationship of the Bull of Heaven to Osiris

The region of the heavens occupied by the constellation Taurus is home to several powerful fixed stars from Algol (above left) the Pleiades, the Hyades and Aldebaran, the red eye of the bull – Watcher of the East and one of the Royal Stars of Persia. Babylonian astrologers would also be very interested in the stars associated with the horns – unsurprisingly they tend to be of the nature of Mars.  However, as an entity we can see the essential nature of Taurus is Lunar and Venusian.

The cultural interpretation of a constellation surely says something about the culture itself. The ravaging bull in eternal conflict with Orion the Hunter…

View original post 898 more words

July 2015 transits to Harper Lee’s natal chart

Author Harper Lee will have a second novel published in July 2015, her first since To Kill a Mockingbird in 1960.

Click the link for a brief bio and a link to her natal chart.

Born on April 28, 1926 in Monroeville, Alabama (5:25 pm CST according to her quoted BC/BR, an ‘AA” Rodden Rating), Ms. Lee has a Sun Taurus-Moon Scorpio/Earth-Water personality blend of practicality, domesticity, and innate wisdom–a creative introvert who has for the most part lived her life out of the limelight for decades. Perhaps this blend’s independent spirit partially accounts for it even though an intense dramatic talent is there as well.

A highly perceptive Sun Taurus-Moon Scorpio personality possesses ‘staying power’ as we find from ‘Mockingbird’ retaining much popular appeal through the decades, and both material and emotional comfort are desired. Lee’s personal magnetism and self-confidence have helped make her and her work very attractive to others yet she may have been called ‘bossy’ once or twice in her life!

Actually, for the sake of balance and to gain what may be a fuller picture of the author, let’s list a few negative potentials for the Sun Taurus-Moon Scorpio combo with its rigid Fixed nature: tremendous stubbornness, strongly subjective views, fixed prejudices, a difficult temper, and a ruthless desire for power! (Sun Sign-Moon Sign, Charles and Suzi Harvey.)

Difficult to live with? Perhaps, but authors do need to stick to their ambitions if their books are to be accepted by publishers, and generous servings of Scorpio obsession and firmly held convictions help to complete the difficult task as well. Even her natal Mercury in Aries, planet of writers, being posited in a different sign from her Taurus Sun gives her an ability to see things from the perspective of others, a valuable ability for any author who wishes to ‘inhabit the skin’ of her characters. Plus, Mercury is in her 6th house of Work, Service, Daily Tasks, and Health so her thinking has been easily directed into these life departments.

That Mercury rules natal 9th house of Publishing is a plus along with natal Pluto @12Can47 conjunct North Node (powerful, even transformative contact with the public) in 9th house as well so encounters with publishers and other wealthy people was apparently ‘meant to be’ for the Alabama native as she followed her life path. Chart contacts with Fixed Stars indicate a ‘fated’ of karmic ties sort of life (ancestry?) and a few notable 9th h links are obvious: Pluto conjunct Sirius (the mundane becomes sacred; ‘The Scorcher’–did she feel ‘scorched’ by success? see her quote, below); NN conjoins Castor, one of the Twins Stars associated with creativity– especially writing; the other Twin Star, Pollux, rises with NN while genius planet Uranus rises with Scheat, a star of literary talent, intellect, and fantasy (Brady’s Book of Fixed Stars.)

Okay, now let’s consider a few of July’s transiting planets contacting Harper Lee’s natal chart. Other astrological factors are in play, of course, such as Progressions, Solar Returns, and Returns but this is meant as a simple overview on such a singularly stellar occasion! And since I don’t yet know an exact publication date for her ‘new’ novel (written prior to ‘Mockingbird’), I shall use the Full Moon horoscope of July 1, 2015 @9Cap55 as a symbolic stand-in for the entire month of July.

Plus, Full Moons typically relate to any endeavor dependent upon publicity and fortunate public reaction so if her publisher is astrologically in tune, the book will appear a few hours prior to a Full Moon for maximum impact. However, July 2015 (reportedly the month for publishing) contains two Full Moons: one on July 1 (9:19:33 pm CDT Monroeville, AL) and one on July 31 in Aquarius.

Publication Transits to Harper Lee’s Natal Chart

July 1, 2015 is shown in the following list as ‘2015’; n = natal placements; conj = conjunct or conjoined; oppo = opposed; h = house:

Natal 9th h: 2015 Sun @9Can55 approaches natal Pluto 12:47 (a formidable time when use of power is highlighted) conj NN (public contact) and Sirius; 2015 Mars @5Can03 soon conjs n Pluto (finding a new use for old things, rejuvenation, karmic links); the n Pluto-NN conj (the ‘tiger by the tail’ combo) shows where n Fixed Stars are being powerfully activated; 2015 Pluto @14Cap22 Rx oppo n Pluto, an ‘advanced age’ period of societal power struggles that have little or no affect on one’s personal life but I mention because of Pluto’s connection to publishing, promotion, and life-death issues such as found in To ‘Kill’ a Mockingbird).

Natal 10th h of Career and Public Status: 2015 Jupiter @21Leo46 conj n Neptune @21Leo59 Rx describes a time of inspired ideas, enhanced creativity, promotion campaigns, illusion, and perhaps less contact with reality than previously–or, more need for an elusive lifestyle. ‘Grand plans’ and good fortune are obviously on the table now; spiritual development may also be indicated; generous Jupiter–also associated with publishing–passes its shadow Rx degree around July 7 or 8, about one week before the New Moon of July 15 @23Cancer which falls between her n Pluto-NN and n MC…a new start; 2015 Venus conj n Neptune in dramatic, showy Leo, denoting profitable results from creative endeavors and flattering photographs, if any are taken.

Natal 1st h: 2015 Full Moon MC (Goals; Aspirations) conj n Moon @19Sco33 supports the public contact and publicity already indicated along with spiritual unions as the public meets Harper Lee’s next published novel; the nearness of n Saturn @23Sco54 Rx shows her past work brought forth to be revealed upon the world stage (2015 MC @19Sco49 which is also conjoined by her Progressed Saturn @19Sco25!) and the work is of an intense nature (Scorpio); n Venus @21Pis57 in 5th h of Creative Pursuits and her chart-ruler (n ASC 25Lib47) is now catalyzed by 2015 Chiron Rx @21Pis31 hinting that this is a time when Harper Lee’s creative self-expression is once again given an outlet that will may well bring wholeness and healing within relationships and provide her with a sense of fusion with the Universe.

Yes, there are several other chart factors of note (exs: the March 20, 2015 Solar Eclipse conj Aries Point of world fame, rewards, recognition–near her n Uranus in creative Pisces 27:44), her recent October 2014 Saturn Return, etc) yet I’m confident you shall discover and appreciate them! But for now, let’s end with a few famous words from the lady herself given in reply to the question, why had she never written another book?

“When you have a hit like that, you can’t go anywhere but down.”

Well, decades have passed since 1960 and times have changed, and my suspicion based on the July 2015 transits listed above, her enduring popularity, and other factors, is that Harper Lee’s newly published book–written years ago–will not have the problem of going ‘down’.