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‘A once in a lifetime event’.
“And God-the-Mind, being male and female both, as Light and Life subsisting, brought forth another Mind to give things form who, God as he was of Fire and Spirit, formed Seven Rulers who enclose the cosmos that the sense perceives. Men call their ruling Fate.”Corpus Hermeticum.
As the equinox was almost upon us (scheduled to occur at 7:20 AM AEST this morning - 23.9.09 - as stated in the ephemeris), the inhabitants of Sydney awoke to contemplate the strange and eerie scene around them and feel and smell the scent of dust in their nostrils. Doors had banged all night in the strong westerly winds. Outside the windows of our home we observed a thick pall of bright strawberry pink fog which also cast an eerie glow through the skylights (later in the day the television evening headlines announced that the spectacular red colour of the iron oxide dust had produced a really remarkable event). The sheen on the camellia leaves in the garden glowed with an unusual iridescent blue hue. I had seen nothing like it in my entire lifetime, and I was born in 1944 – what on earth could it be? My partner had the answer – a red dust storm. He had endured many of these during his year living and working as a pilot in Alice Springs back in the 1960s. But on going to bed last night after a spate of thunder and lightning it had been raining, albeit lightly, with reports of good rains out west and in the south, so what on earth was going on?
Listening to the ABC on radio we heard the announcer say, after referring to the dust storm, ‘It is the equinox. It occurred just 45 seconds ago – coincidence?’ It was 7:20 AM exactly. ‘Precisely my own query’, I thought, and the seeds of another article began to take shape in my mind.
We were due to leave at 7:30 to take my daughter to the airport to catch a 9:00 AM flight back to Brisbane, and having been assured that the airport was still open we set off as planned. En route we heard on the radio that at Broken Hill at 3:00 PM yesterday it had been as black as midnight in the worst dust storm the city had ever endured in its entire documented history. Shortly after arrival at the airport we received the not unexpected news that it had just been closed to all air traffic until further notice. So into the car to drive home again, en route receiving a call from my daughter’s father in law in Melbourne to say he had just heard that the dust had already reached Newcastle and was heading for Brisbane. On arrival back home my partner gave us the news he had just heard, namely that this was the worst dust storm to hit Sydney in 70 years. Later the evening news informed us that ‘it’s a first’ and that the last time Sydney had experienced a significant dust storm was in 1944 (the year of my birth, as I said), but that it had not been nearly as bad as this.
So, in fact, is it just a coincidence that this has occurred precisely at the equinox? Or is it fate – ‘as above, so below’? According to astrologer Liz Greene, the word ‘fate’ allegedly means ‘it is written’3. Was the picture written in the stars? Or the planets, as the case may be? So often in the past I have noticed the strange and unusual natural events occurring around the four important times of the year, astronomically and astrologically speaking, i.e. the two solstices and two equinoxes, and at times astrologically connected to these heavenly events by dint of earlier or later aspects made by transiting planets. I had often written articles about the phenomenon, two of which being ‘The Equinox Strikes Again’ about Cyclone Larry near Innisfail, Queensland, on 20.3.2006 at the time of the equinox, and another the previous year, ‘Kiss Me Kate, or the Taming of the Shrew’, about the triggering of the Cancer Ingress at the time of Hurricane Katrina at New Orleans on 29.8.2005. The charts for the moments of the four cardinal ingresses of the year appear to be a very important consideration.
So, therefore, I hastened to my computer to do the chart, and was actually intrigued to find that the Solar Fire program, contrary to the ephemeris, gave the moment of Ingress at Sydney as 7:07 AM rather than 7:20 AM. No doubt there is a reason for this but it escapes my mind at the present moment. The only problem is that the Solar Fire chart gives a late Libra Ascendant, whereas the chart based on the ephemeris time would give a Scorpio Ascendant, undoubtedly a significant difference for the purposes of interpretation, but never mind, there is still plenty else to go on.
Without going into too much of an in depth analysis of the chart in the manner of various other superior pundits in our midst here in Sydney, I would nevertheless hazard to offer a brief summing up. I note first that the 12th House Ingress Sun is in a partile (within a degree) square to Pluto in Capricorn in the Third House. Perhaps the cold dry earth sign could be seen to denote the dust, the third house the 1500 kilometre distance the dust was said to have travelled from its origin inland between Woomera and Lake Eyre in South Australia and the far west of this state, and the air sign the strong north westerly winds on which it travelled! Perhaps the 12th House is the unseen origin of the dust and the winds, hidden from our eyes and whipped up under cover of darkness, propelled in an easterly direction throughout the night towards the coast on a path of destruction, finally to wreak havoc on our heavily populated harbour city before moving out to sea, while a proportion had moved north towards another capital city, Brisbane.
I also note the First House Moon in fall in Scorpio while at the same time strengthened by its position in an angular house – a transformational time for the public, with a certain amount of difficulty involved? Also significant is the prominent Mars in fall in Cancer but strengthened by its position right on the Midheaven (the red dust and pink glow coming from the sky above us? I do see that Rex Bills gives Mars rulership of red sand, and no doubt the dust is just a finer version of that). Most telling of all however, would be to my mind the conjunction of Mercury Retrograde and Saturn at the exact degree of the previous 25° Virgo New Moon which was also partile conjunct Saturn, and which occurred only 5 days ago. Virgo, as I said, is known as a cold, dry, earth sign. (Rex Bills gives Saturn as ruler of sand generally, no doubt as being small particles of rock, and therefore presumably dust, which is also just pulverised rock)1. Besides Mercury being known as the winged god, he is recognised as a potent trigger of other more important astrological aspects and synodic cycles. In my observance of exceptional natural events I have often found Mercury to be stationary or retrograde. Transiting Saturn, about 50’ of arc applying to the lunation at the time it occurred, has today now moved half a degree closer to exactitude, whereas transiting Mercury retrograde is just 3’ of arc separating from the position of Saturn at the time of the lunation.
Of equal importance no doubt must be the continuing opposition between Saturn and Uranus, which was exact on 15th September just four days before the New Moon. This was its third hit of the present series, with the 4th and final one to come next April. The first two occurred in November of last year and February of this year. The two planets are just outside a one degree orb today of the exact opposition but Mercury is only 40’ from the exact opposition to Uranus in Pisces in the Sixth House, thus making sure that Saturn is still tied in and part of this picture. Interpreting these two houses in the usual way in a mundane sense, it appears that perhaps there might be issues to do with health and hospitals at this particular location due to the current difficult environmental conditions, and in particular problems for people with breathing difficulties. However, the situation could also perhaps be extrapolated to mean that Uranus, the sky god and planet of sudden and unexpected, not to mention unusual, occurrences, has played a part in whipping up the winds and the dust. Rex Bills gives Mercury as ruling winds, but Uranus as ruling strong winds. In the sign of Pisces perhaps Neptune’s influence is felt to be the dust’s insidious penetration into nooks and crannies, leaving nothing sacred from its onslaught.
So, to recap, basically what we have is a situation where we have recently seen the occurrence of the third hit of the Saturn-Uranus Opposition on 15.9.09, then the Virgo New Moon conjunct Saturn activated this four days later on 19.9.09, and finally transiting Mercury retrograde and Saturn activated this at the very time of the Libran Ingress (23.9.09) square to Pluto, all within an eight day period. In contemplating this astrological picture, surely it can be seen as a very potent formula for something remarkable to occur, and in the light of today’s events, I do not believe I am mistaken.
Indeed, this natural event has been a highly unusual and unexpected one at this location, involving a huge amount of disruption to daily life (Uranus) and restriction of movement affecting the general public, as flights and ferries were cancelled (Saturn-Mercury Retrograde). Neither did other parts of the country remain unaffected, witness the fact that the dust and winds also badly affected both the nation’s capital, Canberra as well as Brisbane, 1000 kilometres to the north, and with northern Tasmania was simultaneously experiencing strong winds and torrential rain, while snow was forecast on the Alps. No doubt it took the final trigger of the Libra Ingress, in particular with its exact square aspect to Pluto – perhaps ‘the final straw which broke the camel’s back’ - to bring about the highly unusual weather events of today.
Lisa Kimpton, Sydney.
September Equinox, 23.9.09
It sounds a little like a film title and that would be very Neptunian as Neptune rules illusion, imagery and film. Around it’s discovery time Christian sects had predicted the return of the Messiah in what became known eventually as the Great Disappointment of the Millerites. But in April this year astrologers celebrated the first return of Neptune to its tropical discovery degree, something due to recur again in July and February of next year. However if we take precession into account this is not due until April 2010. Nevertheless get set for an increase in astronomical and astrological articles on Neptune and its relevance. Here’s a brief primer on the distant gas mysterium.
On December 28 1612 the father of modern science, Galileo Galelie , was viewing the heavens through his newly invented telescope when he unknowingly spied the planet Neptune. It lay just outside Jupiter and mixed close to Ganymede one of the four galileon Moons, that he discovered almost three years earlier on January 7 1610 in the first hour of the night. But shadowy Neptune, true to its covert planetary nature, was escaping even Galileo’s scrutiny – if not his observation. He mistook it for a fixed star. John Herschel, Englands foremost astronomer, and the discoverer of Uranus, did the same on the 14th of July 1830.
It was not until September the 23rd 1846 at Berlin Observatory that German astronomer Johann Gottfried Galle, ably assisted a quick thinking assistant Heinrich D'Arrest pinpointed the elusive Neptune and finally confirmed it as the eighth planet. It is the only planet conceived purely via mathematical formula, thanks to the celestial mechanics of French mathematician Urbain Le Verrier, credited as the discoverer. True to his painstaking scientific method Neptune was found lying beside the planet that has been statistically proven to indicate scientists – Saturn.
When a new planet is discovered there are three ways that an astrologer may assimilate its meaning. The first and obvious is to note the worldly trends that accompany the planets discovery. What is actually happening when it chooses to make its debut on our consciousness. The other, and perhaps equally obvious is to assume an inherent rightness in humanities naming of the planet and the relevant mythological roots. That has certain limitations culturally of course as all of the planets apart from Uranus are actually named after Roman gods. Nevertheless most astrologers also integrate the Greek Hellenistic myths, and the more eclectic incorporate the original Babylonian sources.
Such analogies provide a basic framework for interpretation, and become increasingly real when we merge with the mundane.
Neptune is the dreamtime planet and is therefore associated with that which may influence us subliminally. Medically it corresponds to allergies that may have a psychosomatic component. Around the discovery of Neptune the Scottish physician James Braid was experimenting with this and lecturing on the natural psychophysiological causes underlying other symptoms. He eventually became known as the father of ‘hypnotism’.
It is interesting to note Braid’s writings on his discoveries to the British medical journal Lancet in 1845, "I adopted the term "hypnotism" to prevent my being confounded with those who entertain those extreme notions…that clairvoyance and other "higher phenomena" are routinely manifested by those in the mesmeric state.” To the trained astrologer this all sound, very Neptunian, even if Braid was attempting to be less nebulous. Braid himself was born with a Sun/Mars conjunction in grand trine with Neptune and Pluto – certainly a fitting chart for a hypnotist.
Politically Neptune is aligned with socialism and The Communist Manifesto was first published on February 21, 1848. It’s author Karl Marx became one of the most influential thinkers of political history. His very introduction invokes the ethereal nature of Neptune as he writes. “A spectre is haunting Europe—the spectre of Communism. All the Powers of old Europe have entered into a holy alliance to exorcise this spectre: Pope and Czar, Metternich and Guizot, French Radicals and German police-spies.”
The “Communist Manifesto” was literally manifesting in Marx’s mind during Neptunes discovery and the Saturn/Neptune cycle (evident at the discovery point) marks pivotal times in the philosophies development. They include the formation of the British Labor Party, the Russian Revolution, Stalinism, and the fall of the Berlin Wall and eventual disintegration the USSR. Marx’s revolutionary ideas stemmed from one who lived centuries before and best exemplified Neptune - Sir Thomas More - born on the 15th of February 1478 with Neptune conjunct his Ascendant. Neptune was conjunct Uranus, which suggests he would project Neptune as a badge of his own ‘individuality’, and both squared his Sun. More is best remembered for writing Utopia – a mythic tale of an island on which personal possession did not exist and resources were shared for the benefit of the whole. It was published in 1516 with Neptune conjunct his Mercury. Utopia had a huge effect upon Renaissance thought.
Neptune can also signify sacrifice and More paid for his own beliefs with his life when he opposed the divorce of Henry VIII and was subsequently beheaded. In 1980 Sir Thomas More was made a saint. You get these kinds of Neptune magical moments in astrology. It’s the planet that we can’t see with a magnitude of 7.8, and yet it seeps telepathically through human consciousness like electricity through a wire. I’ll be talking a lot more about Neptune this June when we examine the “Keys To Mundane” at the Drummoyne Community Centre, and I hope you can join me there.
© Ed Tamplin 2009
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On Monday 19th March, 2007, a Partial new Moon/Solar Eclipse occurred at 28o07’ Pisces, with the following Full Moon at 13o35’ Libra occurring a fortnight later on Tuesday, 3rd April. The prior Total Lunar Eclipse at 13o00’ Virgo had taken place on 4th March.
I feel it is worth noting that not only did the Solar Eclipse occur just 2 days prior to the Equinox and Aries Ingress, and only 2o from the all important degree of 0o Aries or ‘Aries Point’, but that it was conjunct the Fixed Star Scheat, (currently situated at 29o25’ Pisces), considered to be one of the most malefic start in the sky. A sampling of various expert opinions about this Fixed Star include the following: “Extreme misfortune…drowning., suffering through water…catastrophes, especially water catastrophes, such as FLOODS, TIDAL WAVES, shipwreck, violent death” (Rosenberg); “ …floods, shipwreck…When the severe Alaskan earthquake occurred on 27/28 3/1964, Scheat was conjunct Mars, Square the MC and Opposite the Ascendant” (Ebertin-Hoffman). They also give the example of many disasters occurring around the time of the Total Solar Eclipse in Virgo on 22/9/1968, which fell opposite Scheat, including heavy storms and floods. “…extreme misfortune…drowning…With the Sun, danger through water…drowning…” (Robson); and “With the Sun, ...potentially dangerous situations could prove disastrous.” (Rigor).
As if these dynamics weren’t enough, in addition to the foregoing the Solar Eclipse took place within 48’ of an exact Square aspect to Transiting Pluto at the time. One might even include one more noteworthy point and that is that the Annular Solar Eclipse which fell right on last September’s Equinox, occurred at 29o20’ Virgo, almost exactly opposite the recent Pisces Solar Eclipse, thus has been reactivated as well. No doubt all these added considerations had a strengthening effect, despite the fact that this Eclipse was only Partial.
At 7:40 AM LMT, on Monday, 2nd April, within 24 hours preceding the Full Moon at 12o35‘Libra (4:00 AM LMT, 3rd April), there occurred a massive undersea earthquake off the coast of the Solomon Islands registering 8.1 on the Richter Scale, with its epicentre just 45kms from the island of Gizo, capital of the Western Province of the Solomon Islands. This was followed an hour later (8:40 AM LMT) by a devastating tsunami, that ravaged surrounding islands. At midday there occurred a second huge wave. Headlines in the Sydney Morning Herald announced, ‘Pacific Tsunami Panic’ and continued, ‘Rescuers fear a dramatic rise in the death toll after a tsunami flattened villages, submerged islands, tossed boats as if they were corks onto roads, and left thousands missing in remote parts of the Solomon Islands yesterday…” The wave was up to 10 metres high in some villages. Some villages have been entirely swept away.”’.1
Some of us may be aware that the well-known early 20thc. English astrologer Alan Leo wrote that, “It has been ascertained that earthquakes are caused by the action of eclipses…Earthquakes generally follow hard on the heels of eclipses’2 , but it took the added trigger of the next Full Moon to activate that Eclipse. Others may remember that the great Indonesian Boxing Day earthquake and tsunami of 26th December 2004, in which approximately 230,000 people lost their lives, also took place within 24 hours preceding a Full Moon, and there have been many other examples over the years of the synchronous interaction of Lunations and geophysical events here on earth.
Surely this cannot be mere coincidence. As the old saying goes, ‘The New Moon promises what the Full Moon delivers’! As the years roll on it is of great interest to myself to note the various phenomena which transpire.
I believe that the reason for my particular interest in these dynamics is that I feel that the more solid and convincing is seen to be the evidence in support of a theory of a demonstrable connection between the soli-lunar cycles, planetary triggers, and geophysical events on earth, the more the general public, and, dare I say it?, science, are likely to accept the reality and truth of the art and science of astrology., a science which deals predominantly in the planetary cycles of our solar system.
I recently heard an environmental scientist give the opinion that, ‘There is no truth in science. Science is about discovery, and we need an open debate going on all the time…’3
Let us hope that research and discovery and open debate will come to be the order of the day.
Lisa Kimpton (formerly Stephens).
Sydney. April 4th, 2007.
Footnote: Just for the record, the writer’s Natal Sun is located at 28o55’ Pisces, and Scheat was at 28o36’ Pisces at the time of her birth on 20/3/1944. There have been 4 or 5 near drowning incidents in the life of the native. At the time of the Solar Eclipse on 19th March at 28o07’ Pisces, the day before her birthday and Solar Return, Transiting Pluto at 28o55’ Sagittarius, was exactly, to the minute of arc, squaring her Natal 3rd House Sun.
1. Reports in recent editions of the Sydney Morning Herald.
2. Leo, Alan: ‘Mundane Astrology’. Sagar Publications. New Delhi. This edition 1st published 1973.
3. Gourlay, Dr. Robert, B.Sc., M.Sc.: Transcript of an illustrated talk given to the N.S.W. Dowsers Association on 25/3/2007.
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Scorpio and Mars were happily married for thousands of years and rubbed along very nicely. But then Scorpio's head was turned in 1930, when a dark suave mysterious stranger from America came along and started wooing her. "Watch out", we all said. "He may look handsome, but he has a dark side. I wouldn't trust that one - he'll woo you, steal you from Mars and then dump you."
Much gnashing of teeth and worried looks took place as Scorpio rushed headlong into the arms of this dark stranger, heedless of the warnings. "He's highly eccentric", we all said. "Not good news for a fixed sign like you". "Ah, but I'm intrigued by his unusual inclination", said Scorpio, too much in love to think clearly, "and let's face it, I've always been drawn to the dark side a little." But slowly the truth began to leak out. Far from being the dark loner that everyone thought, it turned out that Pluto had been hanging out with his hard-core drinking buddies behind Scorpio's back. He wasn't a loner at all - he spent his time mixing with a most unsavory bunch of centaurs, who'd kept themselves well hidden from the authorities. OK, the first guy, Chiron, seemed a nice enough sort of dude and we turned a blind eye. However, eventually they caught up with the others - and a whole series of "Wanted" posters appeared for these dodgy characters, known to the authorities simply as "KBOs".
Chaotic dealer and drunkard Pholus was the first to be apprehended in 1992; then self-harmer Hylonome and violent rapist Nessus were hauled in. Pluto was desperately trying to distance himself from these characters, claiming that he was "different", and besides was now happily married to a nice respectable zodiac sign (despite the fact that had been unpleasant rumours about the true nature of his relationship with his twin Charon). It didn't sound convincing, though. They checked out his story, and it just didn't wash. Eccentric orbit, small rocky body, inclined orbit - our smooth operator had all the hallmarks of a KBO, and he was finally brought to book. Sorry, Scorpio - I know you're heartbroken but don't say we didn't warn you. Put it down to experience and life's rich tapestry. Yeah, Mars was furious at the time, but you got to love a guy like Mars with a short fuse but a short memory to go with it. All is forgiven, and he's glad to have you back!
Chris Mitchell
For those of us who still believe in the Tooth Fairy
Human nature propels us towards relationships, I guess because most of us believe true happiness lies in relating to, and being with someone you love and truly care about, someone you can communicate with on both an emotional and intellectual level, and let's not forget the special ingredient that "turns you on" the chemistry factor.
Astrologically speaking, as a young Leo Sun conjunct Jupiter, sextile Neptune in Libra, love found me on a regular basis. My head, as my grandmother very succinctly put it was "always in the clouds". I imagined being swept off by the proverbial White Knight and every new guy I met was "the one". But here we are, some f**ty (plus) years later and guess what? Still hanging in there, waiting for that White Knight to appear so much for the romantic illusions (Neptune) of the young. The reality for most of us is very different from the dreams of youth. The one we end up marrying often turns into "Rasputin" somewhere down the track and you become the Wicked Witch of the West, but generally we stick it out until the kids go their own merry way.
That's when the wake up calls commence and you start wondering what happened to the romantic, loving, communicative man/woman you married, or was that just another one of those Neptunian illusions of youth. At some point you may begin to question if you even like each other at all? Now, if you are an astrologer you go look at your synastry charts, the transits and the progressed synastry and then you might begin to understand what is happening here. If you aren't an astrologer and going through this I suggest you locate one who does relationship astrology.
As we grow older, life takes on a momentum of its own, and suddenly we arrive at the ripe old age of 55 "out there" again looking for love. We've been hurt, we've grieved the loss of a loved one or we've simply decided there's got to be "more to life than this", there's got to be "something better" or "I'd rather live alone than put up with a seemingly lifeless body, snoring in front of the telly every night" or "I need to get a life for myself". So, we leave the relative security, stability and comfort (difficult if you're a Taurus Rising) of the relationship to be "free of these frustrations" and there you are back on that old treadmill attempting to bring happiness into your life.
For a couple of years it's fantastic - you please yourself what you do, when you do it, what time you come home and with whom, and best of all you don't need anyone's permission to go anywhere - in other words you have all the "freedom" you want. In fact, you now have so much freedom it's difficult to decide what to do with it all. (You should probably bottle it, seal it and lock it away until the next time you have these cravings). As a consequence, a few years down the track what are you doing? Looking for another relationship, that's what!! Why, you might well ask, would you want to give up that "freedom" to find someone else who probably goes to sleep in front of the telly anyway, and please let's not forget that "domestic blindness and deafness" (a malady suffered by most men to varying degrees - Aries appear to be the worst - sorry guys).
Realistically speaking ladies, toy boys are only available if you have aged well with the assistance of a myriad of skin replenisher's, have good makeup techniques, "know of" a good plastic surgeon or happen to look like "Cher" (even on a bad day this is good). And so, we begin a new journey in search of our holy grail "the soul mate" (Oh Please!). Some of us might be brave enough to go for a slightly younger man, if you happen to have Uranus conjunct your Ascendant, but he would need to show definite signs of maturity and responsibility with Saturn in the first house. You would find him more attractive if he was intelligent, able to throw enough words together to make a sentence and hold Certificates in Swedish, Remedial and Shiatsu Massage techniques (he has a Taurus Moon).
But, and here's the thing, how do you know if he's your soul mate? Well, you begin by using feminine wiles to obtain the necessary tools (date - time - place of birth) so you can race home and calculate his birth chart and compare it to yours (if you are an astrologer, if not find one quickly). You just can't wait to look at the Synastry - can you? Got any idea how many disappointments are in store doing that? On the other hand - you might just be lucky enough to strike one that's an "almost" perfect match. Or, you could do what lots of people do and make it fit somehow by finding some rather obscure connections.
Some Astrologers say the Nodes and Saturn show Karmic connections and I certainly don't dispute this logic, in fact I use it myself in Relationship Charts. Aspects to the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, the Ascendant, the Midheaven, Pluto and Chiron are also strongly considered. To add the necessary spice to a Relationship Chart look at connections between the Asteroids Eros and Psyche. I also look at the Vertex, which I once heard referred to in a lecture by prominent Australian Astrologer Alia Ryder, as "the jerk you work with" (6th house), "the jerk you marry" (7th house) and "the jerk you sleep with" (8th house). I personally believe the Vertex to be a Karmic point in the chart. It's not an easy association and can pinpoint an area of some discomfort, however, it's a relationship you are meant to encounter and need to learn from.
I leave you with those thoughts and head off on my own voyage to the land of "soul mates". Should I be lucky enough to find such a being on this planet, I will immediately throw our charts up on Solar Fire, and I kid you not, I will check out every little aspect I find, all those nuances in the charts and if I find "him" you will hear me shout "hallelujah" from the mountains to the ocean, that is from Windsor to Palm Beach.
© Cecily Bazak
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