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All posts for the month September, 2008

Border Patrol: Working With Cusps

Posted by Ryhan Butler on September 28, 2008
Posted in: Conflict, Modern Astrology, Traditional Astrology. Tagged: , , . 3 comments

There is a very common misconception in astrology today concerning the usage of cusps in interpretational matters.  It seems there is a very popular myth running around that says that someone who is born on a “cusp” of a Sign can carry characteristics of both the Sign Sol is counted as being in or the one adjacent to it depending on the day.  Basically, it is assumed that someone born around August 21-24 is supposed to have characteristics of both the Signs Leo and Virgo based on the idea that Sol is too new into Virgo to have completely left behind the influences of Leo, so there are still some Leonine influences intermingled into the Virgo.  While this is a very incorrect idea, I can see some ways to explain the original misunderstanding; however, I do think the assumptions made about cusps are based on a certain degree of unforgivable ignorance.

First, I think it’s wise to take a moment and define a cusp because I feel it is obvious where the first mistake is being made concerning this grave assumption.  Deborah Houlding is an expert on classical astrology, so in times of need, I often turn to her writings, and I’ll do so here.  In her book The Houses: Temples of the Sky, Houlding defines a cusp as “the dividing line between one house (or sign) and the next.  Planets close to the house cusps are considered to have more powerful influences than those removed from the cusps.”  This definition perfectly illustrates what I believe is happening with this cusp influence myth.  As you can see, Houlding does define a cusp as “the dividing line between one house (or sign)…” so we do see an automatic similarity.  I believe what happens is people understand that a cusp is the same thing for a house and a Sign (the dividing lines between) and assume that the same rules apply to them.  However, the fact of the matter is that house cusps and Sign cusps are similar only in the manner of the duty they perform in dividing them from one another.  In this way, the cusps are as similar as apples and oranges, they are both fruit, but that’s about it.

In Houlding’s definition, she is sure to put a distinct difference between house cusps and Sign cusps when she says that planets close to the house cusps have a more powerful influence.  She says nothing about planets being close to Sign cusps being more or less of an influence in any Sign, so it would seem that there is no interpretational difference, only spatial.  Also, in William Lilly’s book on natal astrology, he offers no differences for planets near the beginning or ending of a Sign.  Ptolemy’s Tetrabiblos doesn’t even contain the word “cusp” and Robson’s treatise on electional astrology only speaks of cusps in relation to houses.  So, it seems that the idea of carried-over influences from one Sign to the next is not at all founded in astrological traditional history.

Now that the idea of cross-overs occurring across Sign cusps have been dispelled from the astrological tradition, I feel it’s necessary to explore a bit more in the area of “where does this come from”.  I can think of a couple situations in which a planet or cusp being near the end or beginning of a Sign has some special interpretational value.  However, it is necessary to specify that these rules and situations are only applicable to the fields of horary or electional astrology and are not translatable to the field of natal astrology which is the field where this argument is based.

The first situation in horary astrology is where the Ascendant is in an early (0°-2°) or late degree of a Sign (27°-29°).  In interpretation, the astrologer would judge this as saying the situation inquired about has not fully developed (if the Ascending degree is early), or that the person asking the question already knows the answer or has already made up their mind and the chart won’t change it.  Now, this has nothing to do with individual planets, and so I feel cannot entirely be used as evidence to support the Sign Characteristic Cross-Over myth as we are discussing house cusps in relation to Sign cusps, not planets in relation to Sign cusps.

The other situation is exactly what we’re looking for.  When a planet is near the end of a Sign about to enter another one, it shows that the state of the person signified by that planet is about to change.  For example, when Venus is in the last degrees of Leo, it means that whoever is signified by Venus’s state is going to worsen because Venus is going from a status of wandering to a status of essential depression in the following Sign of Virgo.  Now, this fall has not occurred yet, but it will occur in the near future.  Similarly, Venus in the first degrees of Libra signifies that the state of the person signified by Venus has recently greatly improved as Venus has moved from her depression in Virgo into her domicile of Libra.  Now, the basic interpretation does not change, Venus at 28° Leo would be interpreted the exact same as Venus in 15° Leo, the only difference is that there would be a disclaimer involved mentioning the fall in the near future.  This is the nearest actual instance of a planet near a Sign cusp being considered different than a planet in the middle of a Sign that I can think of that would possibly evolve into the Sign Characteristic Cross-Over myth, however I still cannot understand the great jump in assumption from saying that a planet’s dignity in the adjacent Sign is considered in interpretation to saying that someone born with Sol near a cusp exhibits both Sign characteristics.

The problem with this idea is that – frankly – it’s shallow astrology.  The idea is that Sol – thanks to the theosophists – has become the most important planet in astrology.  This runs contrary to the millennia of astrological tradition which holds Sol as just one planetary energy among seven.  If Sol is close to a Sign cusp, then he must exhibit qualities of both.  This is ridiculous as a planet is either in a Sign or it is not, there is no in between as there is with house cusps due to the fact that Sign cusps are not as permeable as house cusps because Sign cusps are permanent, unlike house cusps which change based on time and location.  Now, I’m sure there are people who relate more to a Sign that is not their Solar Sign, this can be explained three different ways.  The first is that if Sol is in Aquarius and someone feels they are more like a Pisces, they may be overlooking their Mercury and Venus placements which are bound by the position of Sol in the Zodiac.  Mercury cannot be more than 27° away from Sol and Venus cannot be more than 47° away.  So, Mercury and Venus may very well be in Pisces, making you feel more sympathetic to the Pisces qualities.  Secondly, the other six planets are not being taken into account, you may find that several of them are in this other Sign you feel you relate to more, or perhaps some of the planets you have are conjoined with stars that exhibit qualities and natures similar to Signs you feel you relate to.  Lastly, the Lord of Geniture is not being taken into account, and that will have a lot to do with it.  The Lord of Geniture is the strongest planet in your birth chart, and the planet and Sign that planet occupies may speak a lot about your nature and explain why it is you feel you relate more to another Sign (say you’re an Aquarius with Jupiter as your Lord of Geniture and you feel like you relate to Pisces more).

Sign Characteristic Cross-Over myth: debunked.

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Horary Question: “How Will Everyone Take It?”

Posted by Ryhan Butler on September 20, 2008
Posted in: Horary Astrology. 5 comments

This is a horary question that strikes a little bit close to home for me, and I thought it would be an excellent idea to share this most interesting chart.  Not only is the question interesting, but I also found the symbolism to be quite exquisite as well as the interpretation somewhat complicated, which made it a welcomed challenge

This question was asked by my boyfriend, who – only minutes before – came “out” to his mom’s friend, the first semi-family member to know of his sexuality.  I called him minutes afterwards just to see how his day was going, and I could tell there was something the matter by the way he sounded.  Upon expressing concern, he told me the story and followed it up by asking the question “How will everyone else take it?” I also decided that the question should be skewed to consider if his mother’s friend would tell his mother, as that was also his concern surrounding the issue.  The chart for that moment in time is below:

So, the first thing to consider is how you’re going to work it out.  I’ve found it’s always best to have a game-plan to work off of.  Since the question was concerning him and who and what he is, I thought it was best to base everything off of his significator and how the other planets relate to him as Jupiter.  Speaking of Jupiter, I feel it fits him quite nicely given their similar conditions.  Jupiter is depressed and retrograde, and so too is my boyfriend worried and anxious concerning the issue, the retrograde motion perhaps shows how he regretted the decision he made upon reflecting on the consequences afterwards.  Perhaps more correctly, though, it reflects a person who feels as if all they can do right now is hope for the best in their given situation.  His secondary significator, Luna in Leo, is also quite appropriate as a Luna resides in the Eighth house of fear and anguish, reflecting his emotional state.

Luna has an interesting position, but it is interesting also to note that she’s Void, and so early within Leo as well which did not catch my eye at first (being early in the Sign, I assumed she still had an aspect to make somewhere).  Writing about the Void of Course Luna, Lilly says:  “The matter goes hardly on”, so I took this as a sign of comfort, in that the friend of his mother would say nothing to his mother or anyone else in the family.  The story fails to continue and ends early, which is exactly what was being hoped for.

Now comes the interesting part, we have to go around the chart and assign planets to family members.  Obviously there are far too many members of a family to assign them in any all-inclusive way, so we have to tackle them in appropriate groups based on house rulerships.  His father is the Fourth house, his mother is the Tenth, and his general family members (siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents) are the Third house.  It can be argued to take the Sixth house as his father’s family and the Twelfth house as his mother’s family, but I feel this is unnecessary as we are taking his family away from him in a sense and applying it to him with a degree of separation through his parents.  This makes it more impersonal, so I feel is incorrect.

We’ll begin with his father: his father is signified by Jupiter as well, and so it led me to believe that his father would be able to sympathize with him.  Unfortunately, though, Uranus resides right next to the Fourth house cusp, and I found it rather disturbing.  Uranus often depicts someone who is acting rashly; it also shows division and separation.  I was worried that the news would have his father respond rashly, perhaps even violently just because of Uranus’s unsettling nature.  The issue may eventually cause a split between father and son.

His mother is signified by Mercury in Virgo who is strong in its own Sign, but is in the detriment of Jupiter, so Mercury doesn’t like Jupiter as it is.  However, since Mercury is so close to the end of Virgo, it’s just about to slip into Libra which suggests his mother’s state is about to worsen in someway.  She’s strong and confident now, but I think the news will take her aback in such a way that it’ll disturb her deeply.  It’s interesting that Mercury is about to move from the Sign of Jupiter’s detriment to a Sign where Jupiter is peregrine, suggesting that Mercury hates Jupiter now, but will soon not care.  It applies nicely in that his mother often calls him up to “discuss” issues, I wonder if the news will cause these calls to stop and create distance between the two.

Finally, his general family members are all signified by Saturn, who Jupiter very much wants to like him as Jupiter loves Saturn.  However, Saturn doesn’t seem to be able to return the favor, as Saturn doesn’t like Jupiter at all being in Jupiter’s detriment.  There is some hope in that there is a Trine between the two, but the way it works out mechanically is strange.  Jupiter and Saturn are seeking to Trine one another, but Jupiter will stop and go direct before the Trine is complete, however, Jupiter will be so slow that Saturn will be able to perfect the Trine between them due to the speed difference.  In interpretation, I feel this is suggesting that he will attempt to make his family accept him, but then he’ll realize something and stop trying to be acceptable and start to distance himself, but after this, members of his family will start to reach back out to him.  Unfortunately, though, most of his family members will be unable to accept him as Saturn is combust of Sol.  Combustion is indicative of someone who is unable to act freely due to some powerful man or thing being over them.  So, what does Sol signify in this chart?  Well, it’s actually pretty interesting.  Sol is the lord of the Ninth house; the Ninth house is the house of philosophy and religion.  So, his family members will mostly be unable to accept him due to the power and presence of philosophy and religion, which I thought was just a beautiful symbolism of a very unfortunate incident.

I’ll keep this updated in the comments.

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Astrology: Who are you people? (Synastry with the reader)

Posted by wintersprite1 on September 19, 2008
Posted in: Modern Astrology, Natal Astrology, Relational Astrology. Tagged: , , . 2 comments

I have Pallas conjunct my Scorpio MC… she is extremely overactive when it comes to looking for patterns of any sort. So I watch closely the stats to the blog. I see where referrals come from, when a blog is directly linked to… how many clicks out on links, who is linking in, Google search criteria… lots of stuff, but I still am wondering, hey who is reading this stuff?

I am planning to write my next blog on how aspects seem to sometimes look hereditary, as in I have Mercury and Mars conjunct near exact and so does my 12 year old son… coincidence? I doubt it. There has been speculation before from other Astrologers that our own clients (in this case readers), share great synastry and similar aspects. Well we are getting near to 3000 views and that would be a lot of charts for me to sort though if you all sent that information in. So I am giving you guys my birth info and asking if you will run a synastry and composite chart and let me know if there is anything interesting…. at least drop in and say hello. I am hoping Ryoin will post his information in the first comment box, and do the same with his.

Theresa, born December 30, 1963 at 9:31AM in Zaragoza, Spain…. some programs will list the city as Saragossa instead.

You can send a list of what you see, or send me the chart or whatever to wintersprite1@gmail.com
Don’t forget to look for the Antiscons, contacts with the house cusps, lords of the houses, going back and forth between the composite and the synastry…. lots of fun stuff. If you are an asteroid person, include those. I do have a special request, if you can, include Asteroid 4666 (Dietz) it is a childhood nick name and I have found over and over it is prominent with conjunctions and placements with those I am close too.

We are very much looking forward to meeting you all!

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A Two For One Horary

Posted by wintersprite1 on September 15, 2008
Posted in: Horary Astrology. Tagged: , , . 3 comments

I lost my glasses the other day. Since I had no where to go, I didn’t think much about finding them until I realized I had to go to court the following day. I cast a horary chart about their whereabouts and actually had a delightful chart and events happen.

The date was September 2nd and the time, the magical 1:11 pm.

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The very first thing I noticed was the very early ascendant. A chart sometimes will be considered unreadable by the strictures applied to horary. Frawley instead believes all charts are readable, as the heavens are never void and null, how can the question be? I tend to agree with him and moved on with the reading.

I am represented by Jupiter rx and in fall in the 2nd house (the house of possessions) and I am definitely in a bad place if I can not find them. The glasses themselves would be the second house, again movable possessions. The significator for the quested is then Saturn. Saturn is found in the 9th house applying in trine to my significator Jupiter. This seemed a bit interesting, as the trine will perfect twice due to Jupiter moving direct again. The POF in the second does suggest they will be found. The Sun will conjunct Saturn next and then Jupiter in trine… The Sun can perfect the aspect by carrying Saturn’s light to Jupiter. (interesting that Jupiter is collecting light not only from the Sun and Saturn, but also the trio in Libra) There is little in receptions and dignities involving the significators.

The time for the Sun to conjunct and have Saturn in cazimi is just under one unit of time. I quickly glanced at the chart and thought… Jupiter and POF together in the 2nd and Saturn in the 9th… Moon in 11th, well that could only mean the bag of foreign coins sent to me by a female friend that are sitting on my desk next to a globe. And in under 1 minute I found….. my reading glasses. Haa haa, horary apparently has a sense of humor. I sat back and thought of the Sun again and maybe this was frustration or prohibition instead.

I got up a bit later to find some tools that I had left on the couch. I looked in the lego box and found my glasses. Saturn in Virgo… I did put them in there while I was cleaning. The legos are from another country as an import (my son and I had just discussed how they were imported), they were at knee (Saturn) level on the couch (2nd house item) that was given to me by a foreign female friend of mine (moon in the 11th and 9th house sig placement). The moon was past all the important applications, showing I carelessly misplaced them. The time was 5 minutes shy of an hour.

This brings up this whole destiny thing again. I spent the good part of that hour on the computer. Had I started looking for them again immediately, would I have not found them until the hour was close? Would I have found them at that time regardless if a Horary had been done? I know on forums I have suggested before that the time is set… don’t worry about it, when someone is frantic looking for something. Or must they then be frantic to rule out other places to be sure they are at the right place at the correct time?

Time fascinates me with horary, probably because I get them so wrong in relationship readings. So I will keep practicing with mundane horaries.

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Daughter of the Harvest: Virgo the Maiden

Posted by Ryhan Butler on September 8, 2008
Posted in: Traditional Astrology. Tagged: , , . 3 comments

Virgo the Maiden/Virgin is the sixth Sign of the Zodiac, we all knew this, so why is it necessary to dedicate an entire article to this Sign?  The very fact that this question is asked is in itself indicative of the necessity.

Virgo

Virgo

We know much about Virgo and the significations behind it, I’m sure, but what we do not know is where these significations came from.  We are all too busy accepting things about the Sign instead of exploring why these things were thought up.  Apparently in today’s astrology it is considered “good enough” for an astrologer to only know what things are and what they mean, but not pay attention to where they came from and why they mean these things.  Perhaps this can be seen as useless, but I find it necessary to complete understanding and it definitely helps in knowing what you’re doing and what you’re talking about, which has become a lost art in itself.  Across the internet, it seems easy to claim that the Zodiac was formed and the significations laid out in Greece or Rome, and that mentioning only those deities or figures is necessary to gain complete understanding.  Hopefully, this is obviously ridiculous, as astrology was forming long before its introduction to Greece.  To throw out the more ancient roots of the Signs of the Zodiac as they were in Babylon or Egypt is a waste.  In this article, we will discuss and uncover the beginnings of Virgo the Maiden/Virgin and the significations that stem from astronomy, mythology, and mysticism that cemented the meanings of this particular Zodiac Sign throughout history and culture.

 

Astronomy

Virgo is an interesting Sign to start off with, as it is the largest of the constellations along the ecliptic, measuring about 47°.  Virgo holds a number of noticeably bright stars; alpha, beta, gamma, delta, and epsilon Virginis, as well as quite a number of alien galaxies contained within the Virgo Cluster.  Interestingly enough, one of the first discovered extrasolar planetary systems was discovered around 70 Virginis.  Currently, the autumnal equinox point lies in this constellation.  This point should lie in the 0° point of Libra, but due to the processes of procession this point has traversed the constellation of Libra and has entered Virgo (currently ~27° [astrologically] of Virgo), it will stay in Virgo until around the year 2440.

Mythology

As the only human female member of the Zodiac, Virgo has had the privilege of being associated with just about every major goddess across all mythologies:  Ishtar of the Babylonians, Demeter to the Greeks, Astrea to the Romans, and even Mary to the Christians.  Unfortunately in today’s world we have become too wrapped up in the phrases and words that are connected with the Signs of the Zodiac to focus in on the visual symbolism and what that implies.  For instance, we think of Virgo as Virgo the Maiden/Virgin, and are content to go along and link words and phrases that are associated with that instead of taking a moment to reflect upon the picture in the sky.  This picture is of a winged maiden with a palm branch in her left hand and an ear of corn in her right.  These two objects she holds are symbols of seasonal celebrations (the palm leaf) and the harvest (the corn), both of which are intimately linked with Virgo’s significations.  It is believed that the original Virgo was an early Babylonian grain goddess Nidoba who was eventually absorbed into the worship of another more prominent god, Nabu.  Nabu, of course, eventually became associated with the planet Mercury, making an immediate connection between this planet and Virgo.

Centuries later, other myths connect this constellation with the Roman justice goddess Astrea.  She ruled the world with sage-like wisdom and was the last of the divine beings to leave the earth due to the wars and callousness of men.  She is depicted with the wings that gave her the ability to leave the earth for the heavens, and her constellation lies near to her precious scales (the constellation Libra) that she used as symbols of equality and power of judgment.

Traditional Associations

Throughout the centuries, Virgo has been assigned some astrological jargon.  Just what this jargon means and how it can be applied into the modern age to get some real interpretive value is something that not everyone has the chance of understanding for one reason or another.  Oftentimes, it seems the traditional words linked to Signs of the Zodiac are laughed at by the contemporary astrologers, I would say this is mostly linked to ignorance, not understanding how such a short list of words like “cold, feminine, dry, earthy, barren, etc” can even begin to make a Sign make sense and how to apply those words to interpretation.  They seem to prefer their own brand of listing for Virgo: clean, clever, analytical, methodical, perfectionist, etc.

In Lilly’s snippet concerning Virgo in Christian Astrology, he says “It’s an earthly, cold, melancholy, barren, feminine, nocturnal, southern Sign”.   In previous pages, Lilly groups Virgo under other titles as bicorporeal, common/mutable, and humane.   So, what is Lilly talking about here and how does this list of assimilated words help us out in the 21st century understand and interpret Virgo?

To begin with Virgo’s list here, we’ll start with the feminine and nocturnal qualities.  Simply put, these two associations are very similar in that Virgo being a feminine Sign is automatically assigned to the nocturnal sect.  In interpretation, this is seen as Virgo being a more introverted Sign than her masculine counterparts, we see this very often in Virgo’s ability to shy away from the spotlight and seek a more realistic and comfortable role behind the scenes.  Virgo may not be the main actor, but she’s more than fine being the stage manager and making sure everything is in order for the actors and audience.  It’s not that Virgo is lacking in any sort of skill or ability to make something noticeable of herself – though she may find her own ability unimpressive due to the earthy quality of modesty – it’s just that Virgo is more comfortable out of the way.  Virgos are excellent in managerial positions, so it’s not that they lack the flair for leadership either, she just prefers to have a set order of rules and other people to refer to.

Virgo is called a melancholic or earthy Sign, these both mean that Virgo is of the qualities coldness and dryness, to be even more specific, Virgo is cooling and drying as opposed to dry and cool, suggesting that she is in the process of attaining a level of pure dryness and pure coldness.  Dryness inhibits emotional receptivity, this is typified in Virgo by her impassionate responses to situations and her level-headed responses to such circumstances that other Signs may have a hard time trying not to “fly off the handle”.  Some texts have claimed this as a flaw in the Virgoan character, but it is difficult to be both emotional and objective.  It is with this estrangement from emotion that Virgo is able to use her discriminating intellect in emotional situations and respond with a clear reasoning and applying this clear reasoning practically in day-to-day life.  Virgo is able to analyze efficiently and precisely because she is a dry Sign and is able to break away from the emotional clutter while still following her gut.  Due to her ruler, Mercury, Virgo is less troubled by the humoural quality of coldness which bestows fixidity onto her as well as an ample amount of passivity.  Mostly we see this cold and dry mixture as we would with the other two Earth Signs, and this earthy quality makes Virgo a realist who has little interest in theories with little or no application.

Virgo is a barren Sign for two reasons.  The first is that maidens don’t bare children since they are not sexually active.  The second is when Sol reaches his transit in Virgo, the growing season has already ended and it is now time to collect what has been grown.  There is no fertility involved in harvest which is associated with a form of death where we reap what we’ve sown.  It is through this association with the harvest time that Virgo has obtained her significations of analysis and planning.  The harvest is when we take stock, weigh, and measure what we have grown and collected and plan on how best to use it in the cold winter months ahead.  We’ve got to make the food we’ve harvested last a long time, after all and we can’t make it last if we fail to give efficient forethought into rationing.  The barren signification comes into play in a similar way.  Virgo is more interested in keeping stock and planning with what we have now rather than taking into consideration of any possible future increase.  This can be seen as pessimistic to some as they mistake Virgo’s prudence for lack of faith or hope, but the truth of the matter is that after the fruit of the fields have been gathered and measured, there is nothing more to be gained that year, and what may be gained next year will not assist us getting through the harsh winter.  Again, the earthy realism of Virgo is displayed.

Virgo is also categorized as a double-bodied Sign in that she is represented by a woman with wings, or half-woman, half-bird.  The symbolism involved here is a woman with her feet on the ground with the ability to soar beyond that, touching again on Virgo’s realistic worldview and perhaps even the feminine/nocturnal qualities of not wanting to be a “high flyer”.  Though, the dualism implied is idealism vs. realism and how these two can be reconciled.  Instead of having to choose between one or the other, it is Virgo’s wish to figure out how she can get there, to make something of herself without risking it all or to soar without falling.  Virgo is also considered a common or mutable Sign, being that Sol’s transit through this Sign marks the cooling period where Summer is fading into Autumn, this expresses itself as Virgo’s adaptability to circumstances.  Finally, Virgo’s title as a humane Sign shows that she has impressive social graces and is a “people person”, carrying an air of charm and grace as well as a well-mannered individual.  It also shows an inclination to intellectual pursuits, which is echoed from the Mercurial rulership.

Virgo also has other things associated with her, including places, parts of the anatomy, and illnesses.  William Lilly’s list is as follows:  Virgo is significant of a study where books are, closets, storehouses, granaries, malt-houses, all storage facilities, and cornfields.  As an Earth Sign she is indicative of places low or near to the floor.  Of the body she has significance from the belly to the anus, this covers the large and small intestines, the gut, diaphragm, and spleen.  As for illnesses, Virgo is concerned with any and all afflictions to those areas of the body in which she governs, specifically; internal parasites, flatulence, gastric distress, constipation and retention, stomach aches, ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, and dysentery.

Stars

Though often forgotten, the fixed stars in a constellation generally have an influence over the signification of the Sign.  Ptolemy wrote that the stars in the head of the maiden were of the nature of Mercury and to a lesser degree of Mars, those stars in the wings and girdle of the maiden of Mercury and Venus, and those in her feet to be of Mercury and Mars as well.  Ptolemy differentiates only Vindemiatrix in the northern wing of the figure to be of the nature of Saturn and Mercury and Spica in the girdle to be of Venus and Mars.  Below you can see the division of the nature of the stars in the actual constellation and in an artistic representation of the Sign.

Division of the Stars by Nature

Division of the Stars by Nature

Division of the Stars by Nature -- Illustrated

Division of the Stars by Nature — Illustrated

There are nine stars worth mentioning in the constellation of Virgo.  We’ll begin with the brightest and most notable star in Virgo; Spica.  Ptolemy likens this star to the nature of Venus and Mars, setting it apart from the rest of the stars in the girdle of the maiden who are under the nature of other planets.  Spica shines with a white light and is noticeably bright for being in an area of the sky that is poorly lit.  Being a solitary light in a dark area, this part of the sky is not known as one well inclined for marriage and relationships, this is something that shows up a few times in electional astrological technique.  Both lunar mansions that encompass this Sign have a neutral or a negative effect on marriage, and the Moon in Virgo in a wedding chart is considered unfortunate as the husband is said to die early.  Since Spica represents the Virgin’s Spike or the ear of corn in the maiden’s hand, it is said to be indicative of service (as the chief star of the constellation, this is also why the Sign of Virgo is linked with service) and those of a sweet disposition and diligent in attaining arts and sciences according to Lilly, also since it represents an article of food, it is considered a fortunate star significant of wealth and plenty.  The second brightest star in Virgo is Porrima, which marks the waist of the maiden.  It is said to offer a courteous, refined, and loveable character.  Vindemiatrix – The Grape Gatherer – is the third brightest star in Virgo and since the rising of this star in the morning announced the appropriate time to pick grapes from their vines.  Since its nature is mainly that of Saturn, it has an unfortunate influence and is generally associated with a pessimistic and skeptical nature, but is said to increase mental concentration.

The stars Heze and Auva are both relatively fortunate and relate to voyages, freedom, harvests, and gain.  Zavijava – The Correct Weighing – it has an influence that allows “benefice, force of character, strength, combative movements, and destructiveness” according to Robson.  Zaniah – an angel – is related to congeniality, refinement, honor, and a loveable nature.  Syrma – The Train of the Dress – is related to occult sciences and secret wisdoms as it is also referred to as “The Covering”.  Finally, Khambalia – The Crooked Claw – is associated also with deep wisdom and secrets, more specifically relating to those who uncover and delve into those secrets and uncover that wisdom.  Robson notes that the star grants those born under it with swift violence and unreliability.

The current Zodiacal positions for these fixed stars are: Spica 23° Libra, Porrima 10° Libra, Vindemiatrix 9° Libra, Heze 21° Libra, Auva 11° Libra, Zavijava 27° Virgo, Zaniah 4° Libra, Syrma 3° Scorpio, and Khambalia at 6° Scorpio.

Dignities and Degree Influences

Virgo is the domicile of Mercury, being that Mercury is an asexual planet and can live happily in the Sign next to the house of the solely-masculine Sol (Leo).  Also, as Mercury is neither a benefic or a malefic, instead reflecting the nature of the planet it is connected to by aspectual relationships, the only thing that holds Mercury to the houses of the luminaries is a semi-sextile which is a mildly beneficial aspect.  This set up also reinforces the astrological law that Mercury cannot be more than a 27° away from Sol, so Mercury’s houses are bound by Sol’s houses.  Virgo also serves as the exaltation of Mercury, as the time of year when Sol is in Virgo is marked by its cooling and drying nature as Summer cools off and fades into Autumn.  So too is Mercury of the humour of cooling and drying, so one amplifies the nature of the other.  Virgo is also a part of the Earth Trigon made up of the other two Earthy Signs as well who are ruled by Venus during the day and Luna during the night.  Jupiter is in detriment in this Sign, and Venus in her depression here.  Below is a list of the degree influences as written by Lilly and Ptolemy.

0° Virgo – Face of Sol, Term of Mercury, Feminine

1° Virgo – Face of Sol, Term of Mercury, Feminine

2° Virgo – Face of Sol, Term of Mercury, Feminine, Increasing Fortune

3° Virgo – Face of Sol, Term of Mercury, Femininie

4° Virgo – Face of Sol, Term of Mercury, Dark, Feminine

5° Virgo – Face of Sol, Term of Mercury, Feminine

6° Virgo – Face of Sol, Term of Mercury, Feminine

7° Virgo – Face of Sol, Term of Venus, Feminine, Light, Deep

8° Virgo – Face of Sol, Term of Venus, Masculine

9° Virgo – Face of Sol, Term of Venus, Masculine, Void

10° Virgo – Face of Venus, Term of Venus, Masculine

11° Virgo – Face of Venus, Term of Venus, Masculine, Deep

12° Virgo – Face of Venus, Term of Venus, Feminine

13° Virgo – Face of Venus, Term of Venus, Feminine, Increasing Fortune

14° Virgo – Face of Venus, Term of Venus, Feminine

15° Virgo – Face of Venus, Term of Venus, Light, Feminine, Deep

16° Virgo – Face of Venus, Term of Venus, Feminine

17° Virgo – Face of Venus, Term of Jupiter, Feminine

18° Virgo – Face of Venus, Term of Jupiter, Feminine

19° Virgo – Face of Venus, Term of Jupiter, Feminine, Increasing Fortune

20° Virgo – Face of Mercury, Term of Jupiter, Masculine, Deep

21° Virgo – Face of Mercury, Term of Mars, Masculine, Smoky, Deep

22° Virgo – Face of Mercury, Term of Mars, Masculine

23° Virgo – Face of Mercury, Term of Mars, Masculine

24° Virgo – Face of Mercury, Term of Mars, Masculine

25° Virgo – Face of Mercury, Term of Mars, Masculine

26° Virgo – Face of Mercury, Term of Mars, Masculine, Void

27° Virgo – Face of Mercury, Term of Mars, Masculine

28° Virgo – Face of Mercury, Term of Saturn, Masculine

29° Virgo – Face of Mercury, Term of Saturn, Masculine, Dark

Houlding, Deborah. Starlore of the Constellations – Virgo the Maiden.. 27 Aug. 2008 <http://www.skyscript.co.uk/virgo_myth.html&gt;.

Houlding, Deborah. Virgo the Maiden. Aug. 2004. 27 Aug. 2008 <http://www.skyscript.co.uk/virgo.html&gt;.

Lilly, William. Christian Astrology. : Astrology Classics, 2004.

Ptolemy, Cladius. Tetrabiblos. : Astrology Classics, 2005.

Robson, Vivian. Electional Astrology. : Astrology Classics, 2005.

Wikipedia. Virgo (Constellation). 5 Aug. 2008. 27 Aug. 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgo_(constellation)&gt;.

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Astrology: The Sweet Dreams of the 8th House

Posted by wintersprite1 on September 6, 2008
Posted in: Natal Astrology. Tagged: , , , , . 8 comments

I have been researching through the web trying to find what in the Zodiac rules over dreams and nightmares. I found what I expected, reference to the 12th house and 4th house, and the Moon and Neptune pointed at also. Notice that 2 houses that are represented by water signs are mentioned, but what about the other one… DUM DUM DUM … the dreaded 8th house. The 4th is or current subconscious mind, the 12th the bigger psychological primordial collective subconscious house. The 8th house? The psychological sewer system. This is the icky stuff that collects and causes clogs that we have to deal with or be flooded with all those backed up issues. Reoccurring dreams and nightmares are the the representation of the nasty clog in the drain…. those disowned shadows that refuse to be washed away.

My 8th house has Uranus on the cusp and conjuncts Pluto in about 3 degrees. The reoccurring dreams have gone on for decades always a pivotal times of change in my life. The obvious Uranian one is a dream where I find myself in an airport. No airport in particular, and usually I find myself looking at the floor plan directory and layout of the airport while in the background there is a voice on the intercom announcing flights that are now boarding. There is always a sense of urgency and a profound sadness I feel when I awake from the dream… Usually it is the intercom voice that is so loud and clear that it startles me awake. Another thing that I have done since being a young child is that when I am aware that I am dreaming, I will quit the dream and focus on that I can fly.. and through very concentrated thoughts ( I can feel the brain stretching) I find that I can soar to and fro, and no where in particular, just the joy of flying.

Another Uranian and Pluto theme dream that I have had a few times a year is the tornado dreams. The sky is black and there is an outburst of multiple tornadoes. I am always in Denver in this dream (I lived there from 18 to 34 years of age) The dreams involve warning sirens, a beautiful view of the dark skies, and looking for shelter…. the dream always ends before a twister strikes near me.

Another Plutonian type dream that I have had. This one started in my early 20′s and was nightly for months on end until I was about 30. It would frighten me so badly that I wouldn’t want to go to sleep at nights, knowing it would be there lurking waiting to be replayed over and over and over. An unknown man with very vacant eyes and a shotgun would randomly decide to “hunt” me down. I would be running from building to building, hiding in other peoples houses or dorm rooms in universities…. he was always just there mere moments away from finding me. The dreams all had different endings, either I would wake up with my heart racing and out of breath, feeling I had just escaped and dreading going back to sleep because I knew there would be another round, or I would wake up as I was being shot… the anticipatory fears were greater than the fear of death. The suspense was the terror. Those particular dreams would be graphic also… like being able to pull on tendons in my arm after a wound was inflicted exposing them.

The final reoccurring nightmare of mine is the one that bothers me the most. I dream I walk into a boarded up place of business. The place is in shambles and I notice there rows and rows of dirty, broken, and moss and mold covered aquariums. I feel such an overwhelming sense of hopelessness and sadness. Then in a moment of shock comes the realization that I owned this business and I had neglected it to the point of decay. I am absolutely horrified, until I notice that in the tanks the fish not only survived… they thrived and multiplied. Well that one smacks of Pluto and the 8th house…. life cycles, decay, neglect… I think it really bothers me because I know in the dream that I am responsible for what has happened. It is so much easier to point a finger at someone else.

I could find a way to tie these to the 12th house and my Neptune and Moon…. but the obsessive recurrence and themes play so nicely through the 8th, I am inclined to believe that is where the expression is found. I look forward to hearing from others what their nightmare experiences have been and if they see a tie into their own 8th.

Test of the Astrologer

Posted by wintersprite1 on September 2, 2008
Posted in: Horary Astrology. Tagged: , , , . Leave a Comment

When do you know you are an Astrologer or have the makings for one? Well there are lots of different ways I suppose. Some will say it is in the chart… and I would have to agree with that. Others will say it is after taking x amount of courses and getting a certificate, and I would agree that is a good way to also define an Astrologer. I believe the real test comes with real life and how we deal with it as an Astrologer.

I had my own demons to face when coming out of the Astrological “closet” and telling the world, here I am…. Me, an Astrologer. I don’t know when others feel that magical moment. I was lucky to have a friend that insisted I was. A fellow Astrologer that changed my life with his discussions of Alan Leo’s 27 degree interpretations. I decided to cut away the rest of my very public light occupation and pursue the calling. I could not be happier about that decision.

Ryoin and I spend lots of hours together on messenger… sometimes running in the background with just a hello, hug, and goodbye… other times debating Astrological theory. I learned Horary this way. I would ask a question about my pathetic love life and he would help me interpret it… and I would try to twist things, and turn charts, and make deals… and he would give me the traditional meanings (and somberness that comes with that) with out any sugar coating. And we would wait… I would obsess and try to find more meanings, he would stick to his guns… and we would wait even longer. It became evident that the traditional meaning held true… sometimes not quite the answer, but always very close or spot on. It never bothered him to deliver the bad news (and he did delight in the occasional I told you so) and I would feel frustrated… not only because it wasn’t what I wanted to hear, but more so because I was misunderstanding my first love, Astrology. The disappointments in my lovelife were eclipsed by my disappointments in my Horary skills.

I had a friend tell me that their boyfriend demanded to know if Astrology would be given up for him if he asked. My friend said “yes” then told me, with a grin, it was the first lie in their relationship.

The real test is to come. When a friend asks for help…. Astrological help. And you know what they want you to say, but you do not see it in the chart. What then? An Astrologer will point out the truth as they see it…. and that is hard, cause a friend supports their friend no matter how crack potted the situation is and then offers a hand to clean up the mess later and help them back on their feet. I fear I lost a special friend this very way, but I passed the test, I am an Astrologer.