Horoscopes: Jamestown Massacre and Its Solar Eclipse

 
Two Historical Horoscopes

My Genealogy studies in the last couple of years have inspired quite a few History investigations for the two studies seem to go hand in hand. In fat, it would be difficult to search one’s Genealogy and family ties without History pushing in!

Here is a dual image of both the Jamestown Massacre (aka, the Powhatan Uprising) of March 22, 1622 which left approximately 500 European settlers alive, and the attack’s Prenatal Solar Eclipse @21Sco26 in the 2 Old North Saros Series which manifested on November 13, 1621:

Please enlarge the image if you wish to read my notes and you’ll see that the Vertex @22Sco15 (VX = fated encounter; death) of the Massacre chart (set for the historically traditional “a few hours after sunrise”, or in this case, a little before noon when “5 Capricorn” was on the Partnership angle–“Indians Rowing a Canoe and Dancing a War Dance” in the Sabian Symbols) points toward the degree of the November 1621 Solar Eclipse with its influential themes of: ‘unfortunate news concerning friends and/or relations; separations or endings of unions; but fast action can bring positive results’ (paraphrasing Brady’s Predictive Astrology).

The ‘positive results’ represent to me the ‘fast action’ taken during the night by ‘ancient planter’ Richard Pace who was forewarned by an Indian lad living in his household and who paddled the James River in order to warn as many planters and settlers as he could of the imminent attack meant to wipe them out and thus saving hundreds of lives of his friends and relations.

And note that deceptive loss-bringer Neptune, planet of waters and oceans, is apex of a YOD pattern (crisis; turning point) and is positioned @16Libra with its Sabian Symbol of “A Boat Landing Washed Away.” To me this relates to boat landings on the James and other rivers, plus, the landings of ships in Chesapeake Bay (1607) upon which European settlers sailed in order to establish Jamestown Colony, a settlement which was indeed nearly ‘washed away’ by the March 22, 1622 Indian attack.

The Stars of Poet Francis Thompson: Ripper suspect

Alert! The following post is not for minors–please use caution. Here I will lay out my reasoning for why I believe poet Francis Thompson may be considered a legitimate suspect in the Jack the Ripper cases of Autumn 1888. Disagree as you wish!

In London England, in and nearby the Whitechapel district, Autumn 1888 was a season of brutal murders of ladies of the evening who lived in the area. One suspect has belatedly emerged from a long list of them and his name is Francis Thompson, a published poet. His most famous poem, The Hound of Heaven, blends his skill with words with the religious fervor of a wanna-be Catholic priest (he studied but did not practice.)

Yet thanks to modern forensics, we must note that one of the three primary suspects in 1888, Aaron Kosminski, has been identified as the murderer through DNA on a victim’s shawl. Kosminski was born on September 11, 1865 in Klodawa, Poland for those who’d like to have a look at his untimed natal horoscope. Said to have been a misogynist, auditory hallucinations were one of his psychotic problems, along with personal hygiene.

Actually at Wikipedia you can check out a long list of Ripper suspects though if Francis Thompson is among them I have yet to discover his name! Be that as it may, Thompson is the subject of today’s post and Poem Hunter provides Thompson’s biography and his poems as well if you wish to read them. As an astrologer I’d have to say my favorite is An Arab Love Song because of its cosmic imagery though I am not a fan of his morbid references in other poems.

So! What can we say about Francis Thompson as a suspect in the unsolved ‘Jack the Ripper’ cases? Can Astrology describe violent characteristics? The unsolved murders terrorized London from August 31, 1888 (first body found at 3:40 am GMT–Mary Ann Nichols who was last seen alive at 3:30 am) to the last murder of Mary Jane Kelly found “shortly after 10:45 am” on November 9, 1888 when her landlord’s assistant knocked on her door to collect her in-arrears rent? Obviously, there were other murders attributed to ‘the ripper’ at the time but but were discounted for one reason or another. The ‘canonical five’ (August 31–Nov 9, 1888) are considered to be his victims for certain though all together there were eleven murders from 1888 to 1891.

And yes, I have all five of the ‘body found’ horoscopes in my files (see Wikipedia link, below) along with a few charts set for ‘times of death’ as near as could be determined by the police. I also have a few of the victims’ natal charts (untimed so they’re set for their murder or ‘found’ hours) but today let’s focus on the natal horoscope of poet Francis Thompson to see if there are indications of relationship obsessions, complexes, and/or violent or psychotic tendencies in his character.

Dreamy Moon-Neptune: a Fantasy of the Ideal Woman

Without Thompson’s precise birth hour, I’ve experimented with speculative charts such as the moment that his Virgo Moon (in the sign of The Virgin for the 24-hour period of his birthdate) and natal Neptune–strong, fanatic, and perhaps paranoid in its own murky sign of Pisces–exactly oppose one another across the victim-savior axis of Virgo-Pisces. Naturally, Moon-Neptune denotes one for whom alcohol and other drugs (he used opiates) are very debilitating to the health and he spent years of Moon-Neptune homelessness on the streets before conditions improved for him (a lady took him in, fed him, etc.) At last, the publishing of his poetry must have been a godsend. ….

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Francis Thompson: speculative natal chart

The exact lunar timing (9:10:30 am GMT Dec 16, 1859 Preston, Lancashire, England) is here used to set up a symbolic natal horoscope especially when we consider that a Moon-Neptune opposition (whether exact or merely within orb) is an aspect of potentials such as creativity, imagination (poetry), projecting feelings onto others, irrational emotions, and psychic ability and interests. The fact that Moon and Neptune square his Sun (ego; adult personality) confused things with Sun-square-Neptune denoting mysticism and possibly a sense of being a “chosen vessel” (positively or in murder cases, negatively.) Some sources report that Thompson had occult interests and talents which may be true–1888 was still strongly under the influence of the 1881/82 Neptune-Pluto-conjunctions (7–9Gem) with its drugs, underworld crime, and occult-supernatural vibes. If so, this might add devilish motivations to an ‘evil murderer’ profile if indeed he has one. Freemasonry involvement is sometimes mentioned as well though I have no knowledge of such at this time.

So, as noted, for much of the day of his birth, the Moon-Neptune opposition squared natal Sun (a Mutable T-Square) which denotes delicacy in romantic relationships and much insight into other people (which supports his psychic abilities); self-delusion and delusions about others were prominent tendencies in his personality and must have helped derail his professional tracks such as the priesthood and medicine but would have expressed more positively via his poetry writing where fantasy could take more acceptable wings–even if some of them were dark. The Mutable T-Square, if his, lends restlessness, lack of commitment to others, a vacillating nature, and a seeking of stimulation since boredom is typically prominent.

Taurus-Scorpio and a Mars-Pluto Opposition

Another addition to such a profile is his strong Mars-Pluto opposition across the Taurus-Scorpio axis which identifies a brutal childhood, probably via the father (though he was a doctor, a surgeon, I suppose; Thompson is known to have had a difficult childhood.) A Moon-Neptune opposition chart has Saturn Rx @25Leo59 rising, a signature of hardship in childhood; ASC 27Leo33 brings up royal star Regulus, keywords: success if revenge is avoided; the Sun @24Sag26 is chart-ruler with only one applying aspect–a trine to Saturn which demands sincerity in relationships and bestows an ability to time things well (ex: silently escaping under cover of darkness after committing a crime).

Pluto Rx in Venus-Ruled Taurus

As you know, Taurus is the sign of the throat and the 5 ‘canonical’ murders attributed to Jack the Ripper were committed by slashing throats with horrible mutilation occurring after death. And the thing about a Mars-Pluto opposition is that if its difficult energies aren’t channeled in positive ways (such as studying for 6 years to be a surgeon) it will attract violence, or, the opposition can be a signature for committing violent acts of brutality. Of course, Mars rules knives and stealthy, creepy Pluto can act as the assassin, the saboteur, the rapist, and rules death and the Underworld (Hades). Plus, in Taurus, Pluto often tends toward intolerance which turns up elsewhere in Thompson’s natal chart.

Another factor that turns up in relation to our investigation is asteroid Lilith, an archetype that carries a lot of emotional and psychological baggage as the glamorous woman and seducer. Often considered by men to be a prostitute (whether she is or not), Lilith may in this case be found walking the streets with perhaps evil intent (abortion may be her object when necessary.)

We might expect that any loose morals of Lilith would be judged negatively by one such as Mr. Thompson who studied but failed to enter the priesthood with its Catholic issue of the ‘Madonna-Wh*re’ paradox while idolizing The Virgin Mary (Thompson’s natal Moon in Virgo describes his ‘reigning need’ as a virtuous woman–confused with loose Lilith! Venus in Capricorn can denote repressed sexuality, emotional coldness, and a feeling of superiority over ‘common’ women such as prostitutes. His natal Venus is not linked to other planets by aspect and so must express herself as-is. )

And yet for Lilith to apply here we must look for her to have a prominent position or emphasis in Thompson’s natal horoscope and there it is: Lilith conjunct natal Venus @14Capricorn, ruled by stern Saturn! As noted, Venus makes no other aspects in the chart which spotlights her conjunction (fusion) with Lilith so that Thompson’s Venus (anima) is Lilith. And perhaps all the ladies he’d known in his life beginning with mother were one and the same to him for wounded healer and blindspot Chiron in Aquarius indicates one for whom the past and the future are the same–a “time traveler” in fact (Nolle) and a dynamic eccentric for whom change is the only constant. Chiron @18Aquarius conjoins his stationary North Node of the Moon (encounters; destiny) in an implication against mother as one of the parents who wounded him in childhood–wounds he never outgrew or put behind him for the past is always with him.

Jupiter Trine Neptune: Mystery, Ceremony, Ritual

How did Francis Thompson relate to other people? We find this info via the sign of natal Jupiter (Rx) in Moon–ruled Cancer where Jupiter is exalted. A comfortable home materially is indicated, plus, morals and religious principles were instilled in him during childhood but we might expect these to have been overemphasized or perverted into dogmatic judgementalism. Good aspects to Jupiter can mitigate and only a separating (unconscious) trine from Neptune is there. Actually, Jupiter-trine-Neptune can see ‘good’ where others see evil which may have supported his obsession. The trine may even have given him the idea that he was correcting decay in the environment and creating order out of chaos as a “chosen vessel” from on-high by removing certain down-and-out members of society–if he committed the murders, that is.

For eccentric Francis Thompson we shall take a look at quirky Uranus in the Mercury-ruled sign of Gemini (4:56 Rx), sign of the dark and light twins (stars Castor and Pollux)–and of the creative writer; duplicity is also a possibility wherever Gemini appears. Well, it turns out that Uranus ‘runs away’ with his chart for it is unaspected and therefore unfettered by the rest of his natal planets.

Uranus is an unpredictable catalyst on its own, an isolationist or even a genius, and an unaspected Uranus appears intense and laser-focused as it operates in an unconscious manner and/or in spurts of activity. With this Uranus he may have felt “plugged into cosmic power”, self-contained, and outside of all social influences and he must have considered himself unique and unmatched (Tierney) as Ripper letters taunting the police show (if ’twas Thompson, of course; some of the letters may have been of a ‘copycat’ nature.)

Creepy Pluto Calls Again as Neptune Slinks About

Now in Thompson’s natal chart–and not dependent on an exact birth hour–there is a power-infused midpoint picture to add to our consideration of the Poet as Ripper suspect. All, any, or none of the potentials that formed at his birth may never have been triggered though the combined energies are subject to activation via transits and progressions–and still are! And it may be significant that the picture remained in effect in Thompson’s progressions for 1888 and includes assassin planet, the sexy, the creepy, the invisible…Pluto of Hades:

Pluto-NN = Neptune: deception as a tool; the power of the half-truth; win at any cost (Tyl); attaining success by way of lies and fraud; disadvantages and losses (Ebertin); seeing that people are not always what they seem to be (Munkasey.)

Plus, there is another descriptive midpoint picture in force but not dependent on a birth hour:

Venus-Uranus = Neptune: seduction; a peculiar disposition in sex expression; sensitivity; a peculiar love relationship; the necessity to renounce love suddenly (Ebertin); off-the-norm sexual fantasies; relationship problems not easily defined (Tyl)–how about weird? And of course, we’ve seen natal Venus under stress–isolated in her out-of-bounds condition, in Saturn-ruled Capricorn, and conjunct harlot Lilith. Enalrge the chart image to see Vertex (fated encounters–if the chart’s timing is at all correct–Jupiter Rx conjunct Anti-Vertex so he may have ‘seen himself’ as Jupiter exalted in Cancer, sign of the mother and the womb with Vertex (VX) conjunct death-dealer Hades, usher to the doors of hell, plus, Black Moon Lilith as well @26Cap20. Ouch! Could satanism have been far away? Especially with task master Saturn in Leo rising with (or simply conjunct) asteroid Nemesis, bringer of divine retribution.

In addition, Venus appears in the ‘stars’ list below.

Perhaps Thompson’s Saturn-Neptune inconjunct is important considering the degrading conditions of his environment. Their inconjunct

Now a Word about His Solar Eclipse

Francis Thompson was born under the influence of the 5 New South Saros Series with its themes of peak experiences and joyous events (Brady) and we may be tempted to think of flowers and butterflies until we consider that asteroid Bacchus (religious or drug-infused delirium parallels his natal Sun in Sagittarius–and the fact that 5 New South, which last manifested in November 2003, is also the Pre-Natal Eclipse Series of the Jonestown Massacre. ‘Nuff said.

The Stars of Francis Thompson

Another chart factor that does not depend n a correct birth time is how his natal planets may be linked to fixed stars which tend to express on a larger scale with outer planets if at all. Perhaps we’ll find something descriptive here relating to Thompson’s possible inclusion on the Ripper suspects list:

1. Sun @24Sag rises with Scheat (Beta Pegasus), a malevolent star too faint to herald the dawn but related to our topic nonetheless. Scheat denotes such potentials as: murder, suicide (he tried at one point but failed), turbulence, extreme misfortune, drowning (Brady), and “malevolence of sublime scope” (A. Louis.)

2. Sun conjunct Aculeus (Scorpius), a nebula with its companion, Acumen. Both stars relate to blindness and to attacks but may also relate to occultism via inner vision and deep intuition; similar to Castor and Pollux, Aculeus and Acumen are associated with the light vs dark phenomena and when linked to a natal planet, either star can impact one’s sense of being (Brady.)

3. Venus @14Cap conjunct Vega (Alpha Lyra) bestows charisma and a magical or numinous quality. Given the AC-DC tendency of Astrology and the principle of attraction via Venus, I suspect his Venus-Lilith combo describes his fascination with ladies of the evening. If Thompson acted out his fantasies by becoming a murderer, we may expect his religious and sexual complexes along with surgical experience to have paved the way for whatever dark activities he may have engaged in, Ripper or not. Is Astrology describing a social crusader of sorts? What do you think so far?

4. Venus also conjoins star Rukbat (Alpha Sagittarius) = steadiness of an archer’s stance. And what does an archer intend? To pierce his target. Such steadiness can turn to stubbornness depending on how the star’s energies are used; physical and moral strength are also concepts of Rukbat. Perhaps he demanded more strength of a moral kind from his Venusian targets than they were able or inclined to give and thus his arrow flew.

5. Jupiter @23Cancer conjunct Procyon (Alpha Canis Minor), its concepts expanded by Jupiter’s presence. Procyon’s usual key phrase is short-lived opportunities but there’s more: violent actions, general misfortune, disasters, a hot temper, jealousy, pig-headedness, gains that do not last, a fall from grace after a quick rise to fame (Brady.) Procyon herlads the rising of the Egyptian goddess star and Venus-Isis stand-in, Sirius which is associated with ancient religions and with Freemasonry.

6. Pluto conjunct Schedir or Schedar (Alpha Cassiopeia), ‘the Queen’ denoting female sovereignty. With Pluto conjoining we find some dark and deep message here about commanding respect (harlots don’t get or give much, do they?) blended with concepts of mysticism and loss of dignity. The very basic concepts of maternalism and feminine intuition vs male logic and strong paternalism are at stake here along with demonic power made more evil by the presence of creepy Pluto. It was the the weak vs the strong–but ‘the strong’ had the element of surprise in his quiver, and a knife in his pocket.

Miscellaneous notes: when the first victim, Mary Ann Nichols, was found (August 31, 1888 at 3:40 am GMT with 21Leo12 rising with Thompson’s natal Saturn Rx), transit Mercury was stationary @1Sco55 and conjunct Midheaven (MC, the most visible point in a horoscope and The Goal–she became visible) which conjoined his natal Mars, the slasher, @2Scorpio. Mercury to his Mars denotes putting ideas into physical action–and surgical procedures. Asteroid Pandora of social ills fame was also @2Scoprio; Sun @17Scorpio spotlighted fixed star Zuben Elschemali (negative social reform for gaining personal power.)

As for planets we expect to see at the angles of a death horoscope, Mary Ann Nichols (‘Polly’) was found with her natal Saturn opposed by transiting Saturn–both angular across the ASC-DESC axis (Self vs Other); she has a Jupiter-Saturn square so her Jupiter in Taurus conjoins MC and her natal PE @14Taurus (9 South = Mars-Pluto content); her natal Mars Rx-Neptune Rx conjunction in Aquarius sets and thus is angular as well. Let’s also note a midpoint picture on that early morning of August 31, 1888 of Uranus-NN = Sun: inclination to violence even at the slightest cause (Ebertin.)

To close, let’s consider the Solar Eclipse under which all five ‘canonical’ murders were committed. Manifesting @15Leo (the lion point), the solar eclipse arose just as victim 1, Mary Ann Nichols, was found and falls within the 17 New North Saros Series with its themes providing a background of hectic, impulsive energy, socializing, and motivations involving financial projects and relationship issues (Brady.)

But above all, perhaps the eclipse filled the atmosphere with its most descriptive vibe of all–deep passion, both positively and, as we well know of Autumn 1888, negatively. Passion for union, for purification, for alcohol, and for the opportunity to deliver divine retribution to those who don’t measure up to fanatical fantasies.

~:~

For more info and documentaries you may wish to visit Jack the Ripper.org and for Forensic Astrology try Astrology in Crime by Mountain Misst.

Update Nov 28, 2015: have just purchased the Kindle Fire version of Richard Patterson’s Francis Thompson and the Ripper Paradox and can’t wait to read it! Richard has put 20 years’ worth of research into the theory of Thompson as Ripper suspect including masonic info and other intriguing details I haven’t read elsewhere. jc

Update Nov 30, 2015 9:22 pm est

Update Dec 5, 2015: this seems to be a rectified birth time for Francis Thompson with Sagittarius rising! Odd that the link didn’t turn up when I searched for his natal chart before – but here it is.

Sleepy Hollow’s Washington Irving (horoscope)

Sleepless in Sleepy Hollow?

by Jude Cowell

Last evening, FOX TV premiered Sleepy Hollow based on Washington Irving’s classic tale of the headless horseman and Ichabod Crane. The TV series melds General George Washington and the American Revolution along with an assortment of decapitated characters. The program is not meant for children, I presume, or at least as a mom, I would recommend they skip it and read the story as I did from the classics list at school.

(School kids do still read classic literature, right?)

Well, since Sleepy Hollow was a favorite of mine, I thought a view of Washington Irving’s natal horoscope might be of interest along with last evening’s planetary transits as they affect his natal planets but my internet connection had other ideas: 3 hours of composing and typing were wiped out in a flash the moment I clicked Publish. So here is a brief version of what disappeared–perhaps this circumstance fits the mysterious tale now revamped for TV.

Actually, it was of interest to me that the George Washington character advised Ichabod Crane that the contest they were fighting was a battle for the future of the world and not just for American independence. Hmm.

And in the show, the ‘headless horseman’ is apparently acting as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalyse mentioned in the Book of Revelation. That’s when I checked Irving’s natal chart and found that he was born during a manifestation of the 1 North Saros Series, the same as the August 11, 1999 Solar Eclipse of Nostradamus fame (‘King of Alarm’ or, ‘Terror’–aka, the ‘Mother of All Eclipses’) which also falls into the 1N Series. You may remember that the eclipse’s Fixed Grand Cross has planets on or near the mid-degrees of Taurus the Ox, Leo the Lion, Scorpio the Eagle, and Aquarius the Angel which are mentioned in…the Book of Revelation.

Okay, well. Somebody was aware of this, perhaps including author Washington Irving. Below is an image of his natal chart which has a Rodden Rating of AA for ‘quoted from BC/BR’.

Born April 3, 1783 at 8:30 pm LMT in New York, New York, Mr. Irving was America’s first international literary celebrity but unfortunately, I haven’t time now to add all the stuff about him and his planets that I had here before they were snuffed out. For all I know, this post too will be disappeared before it publishes so let’s embed the chart before Neptune-Pluto supernatural conditions take over!

And yes, Irving’s natal Neptune-Pluto trine, though separating, is an obvious sign of his interests in the occult, the supernatural, and life after death issues. And the ‘headless horseman’ (and in FOX’s Sleepy Hollow, Ichabod Crane as well who turns up in modern day America to star in a TV show) are well described by the contact between the two transpersonal planets since they both make connections to Irving’s personal planets:

Hour of Jupiter; Sun 14Ari09 (conjunct Fixed Star, Hamal:
‘to follow one’s own path’); Moon 9Tau40 conjunct mystical Chiron and the Descendant; the writer’s planet, Mercury, is in cosmic, creative Pisces; Scorpio, an occult sign, is rising; prominent is the 3rd house trio of Mars, Jupiter, and Pluto with Saturn strong in its own sign of Capricorn; Astrology’s modern-day planet, Uranus, is posited in the occult 8th house of Death and Transformation.

Last evening’s planetary links to his natal planets at 9:00 pm edt (NYC) include:

(Tr = current transits)

Tr NN (public contact) and Saturn conjunct (conj) natal ASC 9Sco12; tr MC (the world stage) @25Cap10 conj natal Mars; tr Moon @22AQ13 has just crossed natal IC (endings); tr Uranus @11Ari11 Rx (’11:11′!) is within orb of natal Sun @14Ari09; tr ASC shows natal Chiron, the Priest and Mystic, rising at 9:00 pm with natal Moon (fame) in tow; tr Mercury has recently conjoined natal Neptune, planet of fantasy and imagination; tr Mars has just crossed natal MC (action on the world stage once again) and tr Jupiter, planet of luck, good fortune, and broadcasting @16Can32 will in the near future conjoin natal MC @17Leo17.

Looks like FOX TV may have a supernatural winner! Plus, tr Pluto @8Cap59 Rx will eventually conjoin natal Saturn, a time when the past becomes important to the present and one’s work may be significantly altered or transformed by current circumstances.

Additionally, you’ll find a few basic details penned upon the chart. Let me know if you wish to discuss the horoscope or the TV series by leaving a Comment here…

Here’s a link to Washington Irving’s natal data if you’re curious: http://www.astro.com/astro-databank/Irving,_Washington

A rectified natal horoscope for Dracula

And Dracula’s Vampire Legend Continues

by Jude Cowell

Have you checked out the excerpted Dracula article at Neptune Cafe? You’ll see the horoscope of Bram Stoker’s first public reading of his novel Dracula in London on May 18, 1897 at 10:15 am UT. Victorians thrilled to the dark psycho-sexual tale as many readers and film goers do today.

Curiously, the chart shows the Moon (the public; publicity) conjunct Count Vlad Dracula’s natal Sun @23Sag32, and Dracula’s natal Ascendant (2Sco22) conjunct the reading’s IC (Foundation; The Drain–here, of blood) which places Dracula’s natal Descendant @2Tau22 conjunct the reading’s MC (Midheaven = The Goal.)

There are other links between the horoscopes as you may see by glancing at the reading’s horoscope and the rectified natal horoscope of Vlad Dracula, below. Rectifying horoscopes by the dates of known life events (when a birth time is unknown) involves many hours of concentrated research and the chart I publish here is the version rectified by master astrologer Noel Tyl.

Prince Vlad Dracula (born Vlad Tepes–tsep-pesh) on December 7, 1431 @3:18 am LMT Sighisoara, Romania; ASC 2Sco22; 2nd house Sun 23Sag32; 3rd house Moon 18Cap19; MC 10Leo53:

It’s an Hour of Saturn which squares Uranus from its own sign of Capricorn (sign of law and government); Neptune in royal Leo, sign of the natural ruler, is atop the chart affecting his Aspirations and Goals; the Scorpio Ascendant is ruled by impaling Mars, sub-ruled by powerful Pluto, planet of death, decay, and ruthlessness. And it’s life-and-death matters for Scorpio, as you know.

Chart-ruler Mars makes one Ptolemaic (major) aspect, an opposition to Neptune @18Leo21 Rx (3A48) in 10th house of Public Status, and wherever Neptune is located, things are ‘other than they appear.’ Plus, Neptune is associated with glamor, films, and acting and I’m certain that you, dear reader, have seen one or more ‘Dracula’ films in your day!

His high-profile Neptune (10th h) may also pertain to centuries of legends and myths relating to Dracula which were greatly promoted early on in the West by Bram Stoker’s novel even though in Romania, Dracula is seen as a protector and ruthless warrior on behalf of his people. Impaling was his preferred method of execution, yes, a Sagittarian note (the Sag arrow impales) in his psyche, and according to Noel Tyl’s *reading of his chart, Dracula was apparently sexually impotent which may certainly cause obsessive violent behavior in strong-willed men who live in the brutal times and places that he did.

Historically, I refer to the era of the Fall of Constantinople, the Crusades, and other religion-infused (or infested?) battles and challenges with other entities such as the Catholic Church engaging in just as heinous, cruel, and sadistic methods of torture and death as did Dracula.

That thousands died at his hand is historical fact. The natal chart emphasis on Scorpio-Sagittarius denotes power, personal conviction, and a defensiveness that rationalized his actions via religion. The Venus-Neptune opposition (Mars conjunct Venus brings Venus, planet of vengeance, into Neptune’s rationalizing net of illusions and deceit) indicates a dangerous imagination, and his Mars-Neptune opposition shows that his motives, even if genuine, always seemed suspicious to others. Besides a tendency toward self-delusion, a lack of honesty is also shown here, and the Saturn-Uranus square signifies political (be strong at home to be feared abroad was his motto) and occult activities which supports the prominent Neptune and his Mars-Pluto Scorpio Ascendant.

Of note as well is a Fire Grand Trine between Sun, Uranus, and Neptune which gave him the defensiveness this closed circuit of energies tends to give, plus, an innate self-sufficiency as a ‘law unto himself’ that allowed him to do just as he pleased while obsessed with commanding respect from others.

One awful story is told of his obsession with ‘cleansing his realm’ when he gathered beggars, the infirm, and ill people of the streets into a banquet hall, fed them lavishly, then burned down the barricaded building ‘to improve the health of his State’.

(If this cruelty reminds you of how the austerian vampires of Washington DC are behaving on a grand scale with their cuts to Meals on Wheels, Food Stamps, and other social programs for America’s needy, I’m in full agreement with you.)

Dracula’s father and Dracula himself were initiated into the Order of the Dragon (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Dragon) (‘Drac’ = dragon) of European elitists and as such considered themselves to be noble knights protecting Christianity and the Cross (he converted to Catholicism later in life but it’s said that this was to impress the King and pave the way for his regaining the throne of Romania–see? Always suspicious of his motives!)

In fact, the peasant class of his day gravitated toward the occult implications of his membership in the Order of the Dragon (dragon = devil) so this attributed, pre-Stoker, to the historic view of Dracula as demon and monster. Not that he wasn’t!

So if you click to enlarge the horoscope, perhaps you can read a few basic notes I penned on including an out-of-bounds Moon (OOBs) which denotes that from birth, the mother-son relationship was faulty-to-non-existent (plus, the Moon-Saturn conjunction in strict Capricorn.) Would having a loving, affectionate mother around in his character-building years have made Vlad a warm and cuddly adult?

Well, what do you think?

~:~

More reading? Live Science reports that a vampire grave site has been uncovered in Poland (video).

*Astrology of the Famed, Noel Tyl

Einstein quote on Astrology a hoax!

Well, this explains a lot. I have always wondered if Albert Einstein thought Astrology was so useful why didn’t his opinions and use of it surface with more substance than a wispy quote or two?

Turns out that one of Einstein’s more cited quotes concerning the ancient system of analysis is a hoax and is actually from someone else.

Here’s Einstein’s birth data and bio and if you click Natal Chart Placidus, you may view an image of his natal horoscope which shows his Sun Pisces-Moon Sagittarius personality blend, a steamy Water-Fire combo. (Well, he was popular with the ladies!)

Sun Pis-Moon Sag has a double Jupiterian influence and denotes a philosopher-mystic who is friendly, generous, and possesses a far-seeing imagination. And yes, he was religious yet avoided religion of the organized variety.

Humility mixes with nobility here and there is an endearing childlike quality (which made women want to console and cuddle him) yet a strong need for contemplative withdrawal is obviously felt. A sense of humor is notable (‘jolly’ Jupiter!) as is a restless discontent, a sense of grandiosity (he knew he was bound for glory as he toiled in the patent office), and a struggle to resolve tensions between his beliefs and political ideologies was a destiny that could not be avoided.

Now here are a few words of advice that Albert Einstein actually did say:

“The important thing is not to stop questioning.”

Another word of advice: question the validity of all you read on the Internet including this post!

~:~

For more info see: Sun Sign-Moon Sign by Charles & Suzi Harvey.

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s natal chart w Zelda’s natal planets

The Natal Chart of F. Scott Fitzgerald and the Roaring Twenties

by Jude Cowell

My friend Julie Demboski’s analysis of today’s entry of Venus into Mercury-ruled Gemini Talkity Talkity Talk fills us in on what and where we may expect this social energy to express.

And of course, one of the signs related to writing, Gemini, is the sign of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s natal Pluto (13:43 Rx) and his imbibing Mars-Neptune conjunction (20:38 and 20:18 Rx, respectively.) As you probably know, Fitzgerald ruined his health by years of drinking alcohol (and possibly taking other drugs–I don’t know) with Mars signifying energy and action and Neptune ruling all forms of negative escapism.

Another ‘writing’ indicator is his Mercury-Venus conjunction in arty Libra @24:48 and 23:12, respectively. Between this conjunction and natal Sun @2Lib18 in the 8th house of Debt and Death lurks asteroid Bacchus and ‘bacchanalia’ is one way to describe the lifestyle and drunken parties of Scott and wife Zelda (born Zelda Sayre July 24, 1900 Montgomery, AL.)

This post will end with a view of a horoscope of the ‘Roaring Twenties’ Solar Eclipse of 1923 (16 North Saros Series = ‘inspiration; creativity; illumination’ and it repeats on November 3, 2013!); click chart to read a few basic details. The Eclipse fell into Scott’s 7th house of Partnerships and Marriage and I imagine the drinking and dancing became even wilder for it! Its material-released-from-the-unconscious influence must have inspired his writing as well.

Below is a view of The Great Gatsby author’s natal horoscope around which I’ve penned Zelda’s natal planets for noon since her birth time is unknown. During the 24-hour period of her day of birth, natal Moon in Cancer ranged from 3:35 to 16:24 making Zelda a Sun Leo-Moon Cancer personality blend of Fire-Water…steamy!

F. Scott Fitzgerald natal chart w Zelda’s planets

September 24, 1896 3:30 pm +6:12:22 Saint Paul, Minnesota; Hour of the Sun; final dispositor Venus (23Lib12 conjunct intellectual Spica and ‘different approach’ Arcturus); Full Moon +212 degrees 9 minutes = objective, clear-headed (but for the alcohol), revelation, illumination, fulfillment; potential for separation/divorce from partner–or, from reality. (Rudhyar); Air-Earth = rational, efficient, innovative, social, communicating–plans before acting; can lose touch with feelings; finds steamy Fire-Water types like Zelda fascinating.

With this Friday’s premiere of Baz Luhrman’s The Great Gatsby, we see that transiting Jupiter (good fortune; increase) has been traveling amongst F. Scott’s trio of planets in Gemini–Pluto, Neptune, and Mars when success, illusion (film), and luxury are spotlighted–in this case, for those in the movie industry who have associated themselves with his novel, the Jazz Age, and those glamorous and giddy Roaring Twenties.

As you may be able to see, Zelda has a Gemini line-up of the same planets in different order and both were born soon after the Great Conjunction/s of Neptune and Pluto, a pair of generational planets signifying the supernatural, mystics, peculiar people, occultists, and psychics. Also, the pair is linked to: a craving for alcohol, nicotine and other substances, the pursuit of fantastic ideas, self-torment, manias, obsession, confusion, a lack of incentive to maintain health, and grievous loss (Ebertin.)

F. Scott Fitzgerald collapsed and died of heart attack after ill health and alcohol had weakened him in Hollywood, California on December 21, 1940. Transiting Uranus (sudden attacks) was in opposition to his natal Uranus in Scorpio (his mid-life crisis period), Jupiter conjoined his natal Moon in early Taurus after tr Saturn @8Tau13 Rx had been restricting it (deprivation, depression, ill health–Moon = emotions and physical body) and was heading back toward his Moon. This was also a Saturn-opposing-natal-Saturn transit, a time of little if any progress, regrets about the past, and other negative conditions possibly relating to work.

Nebulous Neptune @27Vir40 approached natal Sun thus weakening vitality and denoting unrealistic or misguided notions or goals, a lack of solid purpose, and much confusion; yet Neptune may also bring the highest creative inspiration though bolstering the ego (Sun) with alcohol (Neptune) has very negative effects at this time.

Well, there are many more things to discover in the natal horoscope of F. Scott Fitzgerald but I don’t want to ruin all your fun!

~:~

Image below: Roaring Twenties Solar Eclipse @17Vir06 (a critical degree) conjunct art-lover and pleasure-seeker Venus 17Vir12; Hour of Jupiter in Scorpio which conjoins the Midheaven (The Goal) so the optimistic pursuit of happiness, jolliness, and wealth infuse the air; there’s a Water Grand Trine of creativity which is part of a Kite pattern (success) with quirky, progressive Uranus as the tail, conjunct South Node @11Pis31, seeks freedom from the past but also denotes deception and illusion. Plus, the sign of Uranus indicates behavior of a generation, and Pisces, ruler of feet, does love to dance and imbibe!

The wild parties of the Jazz Age are supported here by Neptune in entertaining Leo with Saturn and Neptune in a sextile aspect of eating, drinking, and smoking (oral fixation) and showing a tendency to use negative escapism to cover up and ignore problems rather than deal with Saturn’s harsh realities and responsibilities.

‘Roaring Twenties’ Solar Eclipse 1923

F. Scott’s birth data of *3:30 pm on September 24, 1896 in Saint Paul, MN has a Rodden Rating of B, if you care to check it out.

*In his book The Sabian Symbols in Astrology, Marc Edmund Jones gives the same birth data for Scott.

Uranus/Pluto square brings a song to Norway!

Astrologer Mary Plumb’s TMA blog has published a wonderful post on what Norweigians sang together on April 26, 2012 (video included) in spite of the ongoing energies of the Uranus/Pluto square now affecting the globe with its rebelliousness and unrest until 2015 or so.

Mary includes the natal horoscopes of the Nation of Norway and compares it with the natal chart of the song’s composer–someone whose name we know quite well here in the US. Check out the uprising of inspiration by the Norweigian people!

*Norway June 7, 1905 11:00:00 am CET Oslo, Norway (Campion’s Book of World Horoscopes.) Happy early Birthday Norway! And thank you for the song. The June 5/6, 2012 Venus Transit in mid-Gemini will occur at your national Sun’s degree in your 10th house of Public Status! jc

Astrology of the Titanic

Just when I think astrologer John Townley can’t impress me very much more he publishes an excellent article concerning the three outer planets and the Astrology of the sinking of the Titanic.

Hold onto your necklace and check out Titanic Skies: http://www.astrococktail.com/Titanicskies.html

Charles Dickens: natal Sun AQ/Moon Sag

With today being the 200th anniversary of the birth of one of my favorite authors, Charles Dickens, I wish my tech equipment failure was already resolved so that I could show you his natal and death horoscopes. *It is not.

However, you may view Mr. Dickens’ chart and natal planetary positions at astrodatabank where his data has a Rodden Rating of A since Dickens apparently gave an astrologer his birth details.

Charles Dickens February 7, 1812 7:50 pm LMT Portsmouth, England; died of a massive stroke suffered during dinner the evening prior to June 9, 1870 6:10 pm UT (Rodden) at his home at Gad’s Hill, UK.

Transiting Chiron (the wound) @ 7Ari18 conjoined natal Mars 7:33 (energy, action, initiative) near 8th cusp of Death 11Ari25, tr Uranus and NN in Cancer were in opposition to his natal Mercury 22Cap10 (SN conj Mercury, Uranus opposing Mercury = mental or brain disturbances), and tr Sun 19Gem38 and Mercury 11:15 snugged around his natal MC, a chart Angle, with tr Jupiter 7Gem18 approaching MC. Jupiter didn’t actually conjoin MC to the degree (15Gem27) until mid-July 1870 which may describe the broadcasting (Jupiter) of the news of his passing, and a re-appreciation of his achievements and worldwide fame.

One of the prevalent factors in Death Charts is an Angular Moon and/or Jupiter though other planetary factors and actors are at play as well such as inflammtory Mars and restrictive, calcium-ruling planet of bones, teeth, and deposits, Saturn.

Of course, Pluto may play a destructive role in such critical matters of life and death, and here Pluto had squared (blocked) Dickens’ natal Sun 17AQ58–today conjoined by today’s Leo Full Moon of Publicity!–a few days before on May 31, 1870, then a second time on November 9, 1870, months after his demise.

Pluto SQ Sun periods are difficult and indicate blockages (Sun = the heart, spine), and ego pursuits so 9 days prior to his stroke, explosive Pluto had caused problems which may have led to heightened blood pressure, toxic conditions, or other health problems.

For Mr. Dickens we must credit Jupiter Angular and Pluto SQ natal Sun (‘stroke’), his vitality impaired, and his hyper-sensitive Moon/Neptune conjunction (‘paralysed blood circulation; over-accumulation of water in tissues; osmotic function deficiency’–Ebertin) at IC (End of Life) in Jupiter-ruled Sagittarius denoting his potential for physical debilitation and weakening through the over-consumption of addictive substances such as alcohol and/or other drugs, and overly rich food.

Plus, Uranus disrupting natal Mercury added Uranian suddenness to the attack (stroke.)

And in the Death Chart itself, another planet of ‘attack’, Mars 28Tau54, is Angular (setting); his Solar Arc Jupiter 24Leo43 conjoins natal 12th cusp so a liver condition may have been part of the picture with natal IC ruled by Jupiter.

Okay, here are the “Images for Integration” for Charles Dickens’ natal Sun AQ/Moon Sag, and for his death combination of luminaries (Sun Gem/Moon Lib) as well, just for a sort of book-end comparison of his life and career.

Natal Sun AQ/Moon Sag (Air-Fire = a ‘live wire’ full of exciting ideas and plans) gave the socially concerned author a philosophical mind, a broadened view, an independent streak, and verbosity. A wide ‘conjunction’ of Mercury and Saturn 4Cap22 is the signature of the professional writer (Tyl.)

“Images for Integration: Alice in Wonderland…Indiana Jones founds a university in the heart of the jungle…A distinguished sociology professor throws a fancy dress party for her best friends.”

On June 9, 1870: Sun Gem/Moon Lib (Air-Air = never at a loss for words; civilized, elegant) gave Dickens’ day of death the aura of a ‘wandering spirit’ which comes in handy for that last journey!

“Image for Integration: Elgar’s Enigma Variations: ‘to my friends depicted within.”

Sounds rather like Mr. Dickens’ use of friends, family, and acquaintances as characters in his novels full of villainy and redemption!

(Sun Sign-Moon Sign, Charles & Suzi Harvey.)
~:~

*Blog Note: if you subscribe here or there please be advised that a major relocation is now underway, my end, and tech upgrades and more will be revving up my blogging once March 2012 gets underway–stay tuned for more Political Astrology with my compliments, if you may!

Jingling Bells of a Medieval Christmas

Jingle Jingle and a Merry Christmas to All!

by Jude Cowell

Today’s Winter Solstice got me curious about an article in the History Today archive concerning the blend that created what millions of people now celebrate in America and across the globe as “Christmas” though “Christ’s Mass” is closer to the truth.

Through the centuries, nearly all Protestant churches have fallen in line with the Vatican over this pagan-Christian mixture of ancient rites, symbols, and cults such as Rome’s Mithraism, and modern man has turned the holiday into Big Business today by commercial interests, as our bank accounts annually attest.

Writer Alexander Murray’s Medieval Christmas puts a modern bow on an old topic which is on almost everyone’s minds this week, and btw–my favorite color is purple, in case you’re already making your gift list for next year!

Related posts include Winter Solstice 2011 showing the horoscope set for Washington DC, my overview of the Nov-Dec 2011 Solar and Lunar Eclipses, and a speculative natal chart for Jesus of Nazareth, timed by a Moon/Jupiter occultation!