Solar Returns & Daily charts — #1

Solar Returns & Daily charts — #1:

The Solar Return chart:

Unfolding the MC-Solar Cycle

Solar Return charts mark a cycle that starts at birth and continues through our entire life. The MC progresses some 450 degrees per year (360 + 90 degrees) as shown by the 90 degree advance of the MC and three-house rotation of the Sun position in the successive Solar Returns.

I use precession-corrected Solar Returns.  While the small amount of slippage in any one year is not great, the accumulated difference between the uncorrected and the corrected Sun position is significant as we get into our adult years, causing the chart to be greatly different in orientation.

The Progressed Daily Angles charts:

The diagram above shows that the “450” degree chart rotation over a year’s time can be un-rolled visually.  For any event-date, we can take the interval days from the Solar Return date to te event date and divide it by 365.25 days—giving us a proportional factor.  Oct. 2nd is day #275.   We can divide this by 365.25 and get a factor of .7529.  We can then multiply the arc-distance between successive Solar Returns (4:34 Taurus for 2002, 2:13 Leo for 2003, equals 447:39 degrees which we can convert to 447.65 degrees) by the proportional factor (447.65 X .7529 = 337.03 degrees) we add this to the 2002 MC position and find that the MC moved/progressed 371 degrees.

Since this value is greater than 360 degrees, we subtract that figure and arrive at 11 degrees or Aries 11 degrees.  Our software offers an MC progressed to Aries 7 degrees, utilizing a more sophisticated formula (Equation of Time variations, for example).  Plus, I’ve done some rounding off of the figures used.  But, this provides the basis for understanding how these in-between daily charts are determined.

More detail and discussion:

In other posts I will discuss the other factors that go into the use of precession corrected charts, the significance of the MC-Solar Cycle and its sensitive points, why it is important to recognize when natal chart angles return to solar return or daily chart angles, the focus on planets that are contacted by these rapidly progressing angles, etc.  Again, if there are any comments or questions that need to be advanced, just post a comment here or contact me directly at my e-mail address:  dadsnook@charter.net       Dave

First D.C. Sniper Shooting

First D.C. Sniper Shooting

John Allen Muhammad and his teen-aged associate, Lee Boyd Malvo, initiated a shooting spree in the Washington, D.C. area on Oct. 2, 2002

This chart and its analysis has been updated due to a mistake made in the original chart posted.  Sorry about that.

The first shooting at 5:20pm broke a window but missed the intended target.  A second attempt at 6:04pm resulted in the death of a male victim. This chart is quite simple and straight forward for a daily chart.  I’ve been including asteroids in my charts lately.  Including Chiron (officially a comet, not an asteroid) and the four primary asteroids (although Ceres is now designated a dwarf planet like Pluto) this makes for a busy chart layout.  Most notable in this chart are the following factors:

Natal MC and transiting Sun at the IC angle: Whenever any natal angle is at an angle in a solar return chart or a progressed daily angles chart, something of significance is likely to happen if a planet is also angular.  One’s goals take on a new direction (MC at the IC), a willful choice (Sun) is made.  Also, the natal MC at an IC angle of another chart is always a “challenge” of some sort.

Natal Saturn at the Descendant: A sense of responsibility and of constraints are realized relative to another person (Malvo).  Saturn’s position in the natal first house carries with it a sense of caution and strategy.

Ceres transiting at the MC angle: A nurturing element is involved here, more of a teacher or guide (MC) role.  Given that the IC angle has recently passed over transiting Mercury (now about to turn direct), this instructional role was probably at the urging of his young associate, providing John Muhammad with a mentoring role to fill his need to be important.  His natal Moon was at the natal Descendant; a need to have a partner to reflect his ideals, leadership.

The above three notations are what this chart offers us.  Does it “say” that there is going to be a sniper-shooting spree?  No.  The situation that is defined is one of a challenge, a change of one’s direction in life, a realization that one is entering upon a fearful and cautious path, and a guiding of another.  The IC’s recent contact with Mercury suggests that the young associate asked that this shooting spree be entered into based on stories by John Muhammad.

My next postings will review the ideas and construction of these wonderful charts. Following that instructional posting we will pick up this story including the arrest, the trial and the ultimate fate of John Allen Muhammad.  As always, comments and questions are most welcome.  I can be reached at    dadsnook@charter.net    if one does not want to make a public comment here.  Dave

A Year of Crises

John Allen Muhammad; his year of crises

Precession-Corrected Solar Return for 2002

John Allen Muhammad was an angry man, an abusive husband, a wanderer. There were stories of expressed anger prior to his participation in the D.C. shootings, suspected killings —- if I remember the newspaper clippings of several years ago.

Born on the 31st day of December, the Solar Return for 2002 ocurred on Jan. 1st, 2002, ten months before the killing spree that started in early October of that year.  As Solar Return charts go, in terms of crises years, this chart is a bit mild.  Let us see what it tells us.

Transiting Mercury is at the CD. The CD point (Co-Descendant) is one end of an arc to the MC that equals the arc from the MC to the Ascendant.  The Ascednat represents “us”, our views and attitudes, our direct experience, health, will, intent.  The Descendant is where/how we project ourselves out to others; how we want them to see us.  The CD point is where others come into our life, uninvited, demanding, intrusive.  These two points, the Ascendant and the CD are mediated by the MC — in effect, the MC (decisions and goals that we have) has to make decisions working with what we want versus what others want.  This is called reality.  Mercury at the CD represents one who seeks information, asks questions.  Another way of looking at this is to use Ebertin’s Combination of Stellar Influences (the most popular astrological book of all time) which notes that MC = Asc./Mercury indicates one’s attitudes towards others, criticism of others, negotiations, opinions.

John Allen Muhammad had picked up a teen-aged associate, Lee Boyd Malvo.  The older man’s tales of past events and situations would have made an impression on a young man.  One has to wonder if the tales told led to demands to “do them again, with me” from the younger partner.

Natal Neptune is at the IC angle.  We typically associate hysteria, illusions, deceit, large crowds, unreal expectations with this planet-symbol.  Here, we might say that a fundamental situation of dreams was created.  The balance of this chart offers MC square transiting Moon (reputation and goals are stressed by emotions and the past), Ascendant opposes (loosly) Pallas which brings a need for approval from another, transiting Neptune at the Descendant amplifies the “unreal” nature of John Muhammad.  Dual Neptunes, both angular, represents a key element in the chart.  Knowing now that this pair hid in the trunk of a car and fired a rifle to kill their victims, we can see the “hidden” symbolism of Neptune that would be expressed.

There is a lot in this chart that we can comment on, and visitors are welcome to add their comments.  The nature of the precession-corrected Solar Return is to layout the main themes that we can/will encounter in the following year.   When natal planets and angles are also found in the Solar Return, our attention is drawn to those shared symbols as a focal point.  The natal chart had Mercury at the Ascendant angle—-transiting Mercury is at the CD point, Moon is just below the Descendant —- transiting Moon is just above the Ascendant, Mars is on the natal Descendant—-but plays no angular role in the solar return.   So, we focus on these symbols in the Solar Return and look for them to show up in the daily charts such that we can see (or predict if we are looking ahead in time) how they relate to our life at any given time.

Questions should be posed.  I’ll be happy to answer any questions on these astrological practices.  Dave

D. C. Sniper — payback

D.C. Sniper — payback time has arrived

John Allen Muhammad born with Sun conjunct Mercury

John Allen Muhammad, aka D.C. Sniper

On November 10th, 2009, John Allen Muhammad is to die by lethal injection for his D.C. Sniper role.

Before following his 2002 shooting spree we will need to review his natal chart,  shown at the right. His chart fits with the Sun- Mercury cycle charts that have been presented in the past few days.  His Sun-Mercury conjunction is close to the Ascendant; one who is always alert and thinking about his environment — in his case, we might say he was “street smart”.   Jupiter-Saturn, also in the first house, points to his involvement with the business of life (as he sees it).  Mars is at the Descendant; he pushes his relationship to comply with his needs.  These are the key factors in this chart, all being angular.

Of course, we can’t stop at this point.  North Node and Pluto trine the Sun-Mercury pairing near the Ascendant; the use of profound and intense associations that support his manipulation of his environment.   Saturn-Juno, both at 19 Capricorn, brings in “fatherhood” issues that are tied into his view of conducting his business-of-life.  As we know from the newspaper accounts linked to the D.C. Sniper shootings, his association with teen-aged Lee Boyd Malvo was a distorted father-son relationship.  I’m not versed enough in asteroid interpretation to finese this pattern more deeply, but those that are should offer their comments here.

As we explore other charts relating to both the shooting spree, arrest and execution we will find opportunities to come back to this chart.  For now, those who follow these explorations should feel free to comment.

In particular, I wish to draw your attention to Mercury (direct motion) at three degrees behind the Sun — a Sun-Mercury conjunction firming up quickly.  Given the recent postings about the Nov. 5th Sun-Mercury conjunction and the fact that his execution occurs just five days following the Sun-Mercury conjunction, we might expect some interesting factors to be uncovered in the next couple of weeks as we explore these charts.

QUESTIONS:  With the Fort Hood shooting on the day of the Sun-Mercury conjunction, the natal Sun-Mercury conjunction in John Allen Muhammad’s natal chart, the denials for clemency by the Supreme Court and the Governor of Virginia, and the execution date all having this Sun-Mercury conjunction–what is it about this astronomical/astrological pattern that relates to hard decisions, fixed views?

Dave