Snowden Meets With His Network of Reporters

On June 3, 2013 in a Hong Kong hotel, Edward Snowden met for the first time with the reporters of the Guardian newspaper whom he had followed and selected as those who would write about and disseminate his documents while parsing the operational details that could compromise the lives or careers of the people who were carrying out the ‘unlawful’ activities disclosed.  This meeting had been planned by Snowden for months.  All involved were taking a personal risk in the dissemination of this material that Snowden had gathered on the activities of the NSA and the policies enacted by the U.S., U.K., and by Canada, Australia and New Zealand to a lesser extent.

In this posting I will be using charts produced by the StarFisher software program for which instructions in its downloading and usage have been included in the menu above. In these be-wheel charts, transiting bodies are shown in the inner wheel, natal bodies are shown in the outer chart wheel.

In this t/Moon-opposite-n/Sun Return, 8th to 2nd houses, we have a theme, “The management of resources . . or a joint project.  Accounting for past practices and personal actions.  Changes in actions. . . A personal transition and/or crises.  Reflecting on one’s self-esteem.”  This, taken from chapter four in my book, nicely sums up the situation for Edward Snowden.  It was almost as if this ‘theme’ was written for him at this moment.

Note t/Mars-Asc.; taking strong, personal action of an aggressive nature.  Jumping over to natal Mars we find it conjoining n/N.Node, t/Mercury, t/Jupiter;  Acting (Mars) with others (N.Node) to bring forth a large (Jupiter) message (Mercury).  The interpretation is almost too simple.  Yet, in these Return charts, such basic interpretation approaches are all that is needed in order to reflect the basic actions in our daily lives.  Even the actions of Snowden in this revealing on national practices of spying.

The other angular-house planets include n/Venus-IC (basic values and efforts to even the playing field), and n/Jupiter-n/Uranus in the 7th (a significant and surprising revelation) also contribute to the story of what this two week period will entail for Snowden.  And that is all we would need to say as an astrologer if we were talking with Edward Snowden about what this next week or so would bring to him.  We would, at that point, move through each day’s charts with a click of the mouse.  We would be following his life day-by-day.  Let us now look at an Advanced chart for June 3, 2013, the day Snowden met with Greenwald, Poitras and (later) MacAskill.

As noted in the earlier posting, Greenwald and Poitras found Snowden in his hotel room. The shades were drawn, take-out food containers were everywhere, his several lap-top computers were present, and Snowden was dressed very casually.  They were excited after reviewing the documents they had on the long flight from New York, but their initial conversation was more about introductions and Snowden’s reasons for doing what he was doing.  It was important to him for them to know his motivation and plans.  Poitras proposed an interview, an audio-visual interview.  Snowden was surprised but readily agreed to it.  First, let us look at the Advanced chart for June 3, 2013.

t/Mars, due to its movement, remained close to the Ascendant; Snowden’s personal war was going to continue full-force.  t/Sun-n/Mercury signified his intent (Sun) to talk about his goals (Mercury).  t/Part-of-Fortune would contact the IC angle on this day, so changes would soon come in actually starting his efforts to disseminate his information.  Snowden was actually quite relaxed and comfortable, inspite of his nervousness at meeting the journalists for the first time.  We can take note of t/Venus-n/Sun.

As a background feature, we can note the square between t/Uranus and t/Pluto in cardinal signs.  Changes in institutions (Pluto-Capricorn) would be forced suddenly (square to Uranus) before the public (Moon-Uranus).  As it turned out, Snowden did not plan on trying to hide who he was.  He recognized that he would be hunted down as soon as this information became public.  He planned to escape safely to another location.  We will follow his actions over the next few days, as well as the actions of the Guardian staff in releasing the data, and the reactions of others in government positions as this story continued to break into the headlines.  This is what ‘day-by-day’ charting is all about.

If you will permit me to editorialize a bit, conventional astrological practices based on the use of a natal chart, a progressed chart, and a transit chart just are not ideal tools for being able to to track someone’s life day by day.  The natal chart is often read as ‘potential’ by new and early studies students.  It is not ‘potential’ when one is an adult — it is hard and fast adopted forms of expression based on the person’s life experience up until that point and their assumed attitudes and circumstances in life.  The progressed chart is not a good ‘up close and personal right-now-at-this-moment’ delineation tool as it is better suited to identifying trends and overall developments during this year of life.  And the transits don’t always help much because they are just transits and have no supportive format to show how and if they may impact the person at that time.

Compare that charting approach to t/Moon-to-n/Sun Returns.  The natal chart is used, but is used as a ‘this is who I am’ chart.  The context of the subject’s life is taken into account in the use of the natal chart.  In other words, the chart’s symbols are highly ‘personalized.’  The transiting part of the chart is not just a transit chart, but it is cast within a cyclic relationship between the t/Moon and the n/Sun position.  This is a “change affecting one’s life” relationship.  The t/Moon is the change, the n/Sun is one’s lifestyle and intentions.   Change affects the persons flow of daily life.  The Moon-Sun Return and daily charts show the changes and the means of rectifying change so that a ‘balance’ of some sort can be maintained.  Life has to go on. 

I urge each reader to consider this form of astrological practice for following their own life and the life of family and friends.  This method is so much cleaner and effective than trying to apply planetary hours, detriments, aspects between planets, and all of the complexities that are thrown at us by the astrological magazines and blog sites.  Astrology can be fun, rewarding, and simpler than one has been led to believe.  Within a few days my book, Personal Moon-to-Sun Returns, will be on Amazon with a “look inside the book” feature that will allow you to see for yourself just how this amazing astrological approach to life can be utilized by yourself.  This is the most effective and gratifying astrological predictive tool I have come across in over forty years.  Dave.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Snowden: A Secret Meeting in Hong Kong

Greenwald & Poitras go to Hong Kong To Meet Snowden.

Greenwald (photo at the left) and Poitras were to meet in New York city with the US Guardian staff to discuss a meeting with Snowden.

On May 31, 2013 Glenn Greenwald flew to New York City where he met with the staff of the Guardian.  The Guardian was a digital media subsidiary of the Guardian newspaper in London, UK.  The U.S. office could deal with material such as Snowden was offering with more flexibility than the UK office which was subject to very restrictive laws under the UK Secrecy Act.  Greenwald met with the Editor, Gibson and Deputy Editor Stuar Millar.  All knew that NSA, FBI, CIA, the White House and the State Department would all be very upset at any disclosures of Snowden.

Snowden wanted to meet in Hong Kong.  The veteran Washington correspondent Ewen MacAskill would have to accompany Greenwald and Poitras because of his experience in political matters.  Poitras was worried about including MacAskill because Snowden had not contacted him and knew of only her and Greenwald.  She was afraid Snowden would panic if other people were brought into the interview and release of information.

The trio left on flight CX831, a Cathay Pacific flight.  While on the flight, Poitras shared a thumb-drive of data sent to her by Snowden containing over 3000 documents.  The contents, as they were reviewed, were dramatic in their insights into government policy and activities related to collecting and using world-wide intelligence.  This was to be the ‘scoop’ of all scoops (breaking news of great importance).

On June 3, 2013, MacAskill waited at a Hong Kong hotel while Greenwald and Poitras went off to find Snowden.  The charts below are for Glenn Greenwald relocated to Hong Kong,

Greenwald’s chart is based on a natal chart with a “noon” birth time.  This assures that a Return chart’s MC will be, on average, within 7 degrees of a ‘known’ birth time’s position. This is due to the ratio of daily motion between the Moon and Sun.

Remarkable is the presence of n/Pluto-n/Uranus on the Asc; a personal revelation and total renewal of his views on the world.    t/Moon-n/Sun is in the 6th house, close to the 7th angle; both work and his skills will have an impact on others.  His t/Jupiter connects with the chart’s MC; a big career opportunity is at hand.  Note the t/Part of Fortune also being conjunct t/Jupiter; significant changes are likely during this cyclic period.

Let us now advance this chart to June 3, 2013, the day that Greenwald and Poitras met Edward Snowden in his hotel room.

In the intervening two days since the Return chart, the angles have advanced such that the Ascendant now conjoins n/Uranus; a day of surprises awaits Glenn.  Most notable is the t/Moon’s position conjoining t/Uranus and n/Venus.  Can we say that Greenwald was totally thrilled at meeting Snowden?  Of course we can.

Note that the chart shows t/PoF square n/PoF.  With a known birth time, which produces an accurate n/PoF, this would indicate a surprise that was not what he expected.  But, since we are working with a ‘noon’ natal chart, we cannot use the n/PoF or n/MC-n/Asc.  However, t/PoF-n/Jupiter does amplify the role of t/Jupiter at the chart’s MC; this will be an exciting and mentally expanding day relating to Greenwald’s career.

More interesting is n/Chiron-Desc. and t/Chiron-n/Sun-n/Mercury.  All kinds of adjustments are required to frame the nature of meeting Snowden (n/Chiron-Desc.) and evaluating his agenda and methods (t/Chiron-n/Sun-n/Mercury).

Greenwald and Poitras found Snowden to be “plausible, if ridiculously young.”  Snowden was dressed casually in a darkened hotel room.  The cramped quarters were filled with ‘take out’ food cartons, his several computers.  Snowden agreed to meet MacAskill.  They all returned to room 1014 at the MIra Hotel where Snowden was staying the next morning.  From the room’s window could be seen Kowloon Park and the parents and children enjoying its open spaces.  Snowden had been reading a book given to him by Poitras the day before, a book telling of VP Cheney’s programs called Stellar Wind which was an early effort to collect intelligence immediately after the 9/11 attacks.  Snowden knew much more than what was in the book, but had been avidly reading it.

When MacAskill took out his cell phone during the meeting, Snowden reacted strongly.  “I might as well have invited the NSA into his bedroom,” MacAskill said.  Snowden then explained how the NSA was able to use a cell phone as a tracking and recording device.  The phone was then dumped outside of the hotel.  Snowden, they learned, has developed a number of precautions against being tracked or monitored, or the passwords for his encrypted computers being stolen visually or electronically.   The Guardian staff realized that his seemingly paranoid precautions were extremely necessary if Snowden and they were to remain unfettered in their plans to release this secret information.

Snowden would feel vulnerable until his documentation was passed to Greenwald and Poitras and the first wave of information was released to the public.  They learned more about Snowden in these meetings.  His total pay was some $200,000 annually before taking his position with Booz Allen Hamilton as a contractor.  He actually took a pay cut in order to have that position where he could have greater access to documentation.  He knew that his taking and release of this material would lead to a no-good position for himself.

Snowden spent hours going through the documents and briefing slides contained in the material he gave them.  For instance, PRISM was the program that defined the collaboration between the government and the giant internet corporations who shared data.  STELLAR WIND was the program that initiated the collection of phone records and meta-data on all personal, corporate and government calls within the U.S.  As time passed, many such programs would be uncovered in the documents provided by Snowden.

Noted:  References and quotes on this story’s characters are taken from a book titled “The Snowden Files” by Luke Harding.  This book was used as the basis for a current major motion picture about Snowden.

Dave

 

Part 4: Snowden Gathers A Network

Now you see me, now you don’t.  When Edward Snowden vanished from his regular environments, he had travelled to Hong Kong, taking up residence in a hotel. The phase of collecting highly secret docu-ments had ended.  The phase of building a network to make those documents public had already been started.  Months earlier Snowden had started sending e-mails to Glenn Greenwald, a journalist who worked with the Guardian newspaper.  The Guardian in the UK was known for its release of sensational stories.  Survival in London’s crowded news market demanded sensational stories.  The Guardian also had a digital news media operation in New York City.

Greenwald and another writer, Laura Poitras, had been observed by Snowden relative to their investigations into the world of US and UK intelligence operations.  For years prior to 2013 they had reported on and conjectured on the bits and pieces of the intelligence pie that emerged from time to time.   Greenwald was contacted first, receiving an e-mail that told him that the (unnamed) sender had information to share.  That e-mail was ignored. Then, another e-mail asking if he used encryption and would he send a ‘key’ so that the sender could communicate with him?  Ignored.  Finally, a package arrived with two thumb drives containing a ‘do it yourself encryption kit.’  This was followed by e-mails asking if he had installed the encryption software.  Greenwald’s press of business had prompted him to not comply with the growing insistence of the e-mail demands.

On May 20, 2013, Snowden sent Greenwald, living and working in Brazil, a package of 20 documents.  Geenwald had been expecting this delivery as a co-worker had told him that an information packet was coming.  Due to Greenwald’s slowness in replying and complying with Snowden’s requests, Snowden had successfully established contact with another Guardian writer, Laura Poitras.  She was astounded by the nature of the information she had received and had contacted Greenwald.  Encouraged by his fellow writer, Greenwald took a look at his package.  The following chart is for May 19, 2013, a Moon-opposite-Sun Return.

Notable is t/Venus-MC; something valuable affecting his public image and career.  t/Venus square t/Chiron-n/Sun from the 7th; his value-set will be adjusted along with his attitude by what he received.  Note also t/Neptune-Descendant; an unreal event caused by another.

Now you see me, now you don’t.  When Edward Snowden vanished from his regular environments, he had travelled to Hong Kong, taking up residence in a hotel. The phase of collecting highly secret documents had ended.  The phase of building a network to make those documents public had already been started.  Months earlier Snowden had started sending e-mails to Glenn Greenwald, a journalist who worked with the Guardian newspaper.  The Guardian in the UK was known for its release of sensational stories.  Survival in London’s crowded news market demanded sensational stories.  The Guardian also had a digital news media operation in New York City.

Greenwald and another writer, Laura Poitras, had been observed by Snowden relative to their investigations into the world of US and UK intelligence operations.  For years prior to 2013 they had reported on and conjectured on the bits and pieces of the intelligence pie that emerged from time to time.   Greenwald was contacted first, receiving an e-mail that told him that the (unnamed) sender had information to share.  That e-mail was ignored. Then, another e-mail asking if he used encryption and would he send a ‘key’ so that the sender could communicate with him?  Ignored.  Finally, a package arrived with two thumb drives containing a ‘do it yourself encryption kit.’  This was followed by e-mails asking if he had installed the encryption software.  Greenwald’s press of business had prompted him to not comply with the growing insistence of the e-mail demands.

On May 20, 2013, Snowden sent Greenwald, living and working in Brazil, a package of 20 documents.  Geenwald had been expecting this delivery.  Due to his slowness in replying and complying with Snowden’s requests, Snowden had successfully established contact with another Guardian writer, Laura Poitras.  She was astounded at the nature of the information she had received and had contacted Greenwald.  Encouraged by his fellow writer, Greenwald took a look at his package.  The following chart is for May 19, 2013, a Moon-opposite-Sun Return.

t/Venus-MC; something valuable affecting his public image and career, is a pattern that will remain in force for the following two weeks because Venus’ motion is close to that of the diurnally-advancing MC angle.   t/Venus continues to square t/Chiron-n/Sun, maintaining the impact of that pattern.  Note also t/Neptune-Descendant; an unreal event caused by another.  This squares t/Mercury on the 9th house side of the MC; the news comes from a distance (unknown) place.  Further angular house activity involves t/Moon-n/Pluto-n/Uranus in the first; reacting to unique revelations is one simple interpretation.  Then we notice t/Part-of-Fortune (t/PoF) opposing t/Jupiter from the 4th; an awareness of large opportunities becomes apparent.   These few notations are all that are needed to evaluate this Return chart.

We have to consider t/Mars-opp-t/N.Node at the Solar Return position in the 9th house of distant affairs and knowledge.  n/PoF signifies Greenwald’s receptivity to taking chances or seeking change.  t/Mars is closer to the Solar Return point, signifying an impetus to take strong action.  So, we can say that this upcoming two week period will find him involved in a introduction to information which will shake his world, offering him an opportunity which he will strongly respond to.  Others will be affected by what he does.

As a separate issue, we have to note that Greenwald’s reluctance in earlier weeks to set up his computer for encrypted messaging had greatly frustrated Edward Snowden.  He had contacted Laura Poitras, who was working in Germany.  He had shared the fact that he would be able to supply to her President Obama’s October 2012 “Presidential Policy Directive 20,” a top secret eighteen page document defining a number of overseas targets for US cyber intelligence.  The NSA was tapping into fiber-optic cables, telephone conversations and doing bugging on a global scale.  Poitras did not want to discuss this via messaging, fearing interception by a government agency.  So, she suggested that they meet at the New York offices of the Guardian later in the month of May, 2013.

Finally Snowden and Greenwald were communicating.  What Greenwald held in his hands were documents showing that the NSA had lied to Congress about domestic spying.  NSA programs for accomplishing this spying were documented.

Greenwald immediately afterwards picked up the phone and called his editor at the Guardian in New York City.  He was asked to come New York where he would meet with Poitras and other Guardian staff members and editors.

The prior Moon-Sun Return has been both relocated to New York city and Advanced to May 31, 2013 for this chart and for Greenwald’s visit to the New York offices of the Guardian.  Note that t/Neptune-Desc. and n/Neptune-IC dominate the angles.  We have to reassess our interpretation models for Neptune.  Clearly we might say that a great ‘deception’ about values (IC angle) was being discussed (Desc. angle).  By virtue of its place at the chart’s MC, t/PoF has to be added to the interpretive mix; the scope of the revealed deception (indicated by the documents) was causing a professional upheaval.  How would this situation be managed?  How would the government react to its disclosure?  The role of Mercury is revealed by t/Mercury-n/Asc in the 11th; how would the future days work out in finding out more information, how would the staff deal with that information?  This t/Mercury squares n/Saturn, the rules of journalism in dealing with these issues had to be carefully observed.  Note n/Mercury being contacted by the group of t/Neptune-t/Moon-t/Chiron.  The natal MC, given that this is a noon natal chart, has to be ignored.  The magnitude of what was involved contributed to the lack of clarity about how this story would be managed.

In following posts, Glenn Greeenwald, Laura Poitras and Edward Snowden’s charts will be covered to show the interplay between people and events.

We can clearly see how these Return and Advanced charts portray day-by-day activities of the subject involved.  The fact that I am using a ‘noon’ chart for Glenn Greenwald makes little difference to this process.  It has been demonstrated that a ‘noon’ chart, due to the ratio of the Moon’s daily motion to the Sun’s daily motion is such that the noon MC is likely to be within 7 degrees, on average, of its true position had the actual birth time been known.  This is close enough for practical applications in terms of constructing a Return chart.  The n/Asc. and n/MC are not used interpretively as a rule.

We have to consider t/Mars-opp-t/N.Node at the Solar Return position in the 9th house of distant affairs and knowledge.  n/PoF signifies Greenwald’s receptivity to taking chances or seeking change.  t/Mars is closer to the Solar Return point, signifying an impetus to take strong action.  So, we can say that this upcoming two week period will find him involved in a introduction to information which will shake his world, offering him an opportunity which he will strongly respond to.  Others will be affected by what he does.

As a separate issue, we have to note that Greenwald’s reluctance in earlier weeks to set up his computer for encrypted messaging had greatly frustrated Edward Snowden.  He had contacted Laura Poitras, who was working in Germany.  He had shared the fact that he would be able to supply to her President Obama’s October 2012 “Presidential Policy Directive 20,” a top secret eighteen page document defining a number of overseas targets for US cyber intelligence.  The NSA was tapping into fiber-optic cables, telephone conversations and doing bugging on a global scale.  Poitras did not want to discuss this via messaging, fearing interception by a government agency.  So, she suggested that they meet at the New York offices of the Guardian later in the month of May, 2013.

 

 

 

This is a very complex story considering the timing of events among the various parties.  Not all of the dates for important events are sourced, so some text will be without charts. Where dates are known, charts for the date and for the people involved will be given.  Dave

 

 

 

 

Day-by-Day Astrology: Snowden Vanishes From Work. Part 3

Prior to his transfer from Hawaii back to the US mainland, Snowden had been working for Booz Allen Hamilton, an Advisory, Financial, Consulting firm who, in this case, had a contract with the government. Snowden had left his contract job with Dell just so he could be better positioned to snoop through NSA’s files.  Following additional training, and working as a System Administrator with the ability to access any government computer at any location, Snowden was able to continue his search and acquisition of many documents and data.  

We will first look at his May 13, 2013 Moon-to-Sun Return chart for this period.

This is a t/Moon-to-n/Sun Return in the 2nd house. The ‘theme’ for this placement is typically related to money and cash flow, acquired possessions and dress accessories.  Some-times this house relates mostly to self-esteem and pride.

Note the Solar Eclipse just ahead of the Asc. position. This is likely to be activated as the angle advances over the next six days (19 degrees minus 13 degrees for the Ascendant). The Part of Fortune activates the n/Mars-n/N.Node (actions that involve others).  We can jump over from natal Mars to transiting Mars; t/Mars-Asc. opp t/N.Node.  This doubles up Mars and the N.Node which greatly dramatizes these symbols of how Snowden will act (Mars-Asc.) relative to others (N.Node relates to associations with others).  This is Snowden’s private, secret war.

n/Moon-Desc. indicates the past is somehow linked emotionally to how he is treating others (OTHERS IN AN ABSTRACT FASHION).  Perhaps this is linked to his mother’s divorce when he was a small child, a lack of one-on-one attention, a feeling that some form of justice was denied to him.  With n/Venus-opp-n/MC, perhaps he is always looking for a new proof of being valued.  So, this chart sets the theme for the next few weeks.  His life provides the context for which we have to judge this and his advanced charts over the next several days.

This is Snowden’s Return chart ADVANCED several days to May 20, 2013.  On this day, Snowden vanished.  He had taken a leave from his work. This was the last anyone saw him in the U.S. in terms of his work associates.

What has changed in the past several days? The progessing Ascendant has contacted the Solar Eclipse point and is now conjunct t/Mars.  He will act on this date, starting a series of events that will shake the world.  t/Sun conjoins n/Asc-opposite n/Jupiter; Snowden has a large agenda involving others.

This large agenda is magnified by t/Jupiter-n/Mars-n/N.Node.  Isn’t it amazing how, for important events, the chart speaks so clearly, repeatedly, so as to make its point?  The t/PoF-t/Moon squares the t/Jupiter-n/Mars-n/N.Node and the n/Neptune.  His vision for what he is striving for is becoming real.

In the big picture, Snowden has had his first Saturn Return.  He is at that point where he has assessed his life and has decided that he needs to leave his mark upon the world.

During the next several days, Snowden will be busy completing his plans and positioning himself such that he can enact those plans.  His story now gets very complex in terms of how others are brought into his game.  Up until now he had been busy procuring data and documents from government files without being caught by the most sophisticated agencies who created, stored and used that data.  That was an extraordinary lone-wolf type of operation.  Yet, that was simple compared to what would happen next.

I will be returning from a few days vacation on Friday the 14th.  The next posting will likely be that following weekend.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Snowden’s Story Day-by-Day: Part 2

 

Edward Snowden Before He Became An International News Subject & Revealer of Government Secrets.

In his early adult life Snowden had been an active computer user who used the on-line community to help him get started in using tools that most of us never explore.  He had also joined the US Army but was discharged because of poor eyesight.  These two circumstances permitted him to acquire a job as a junior-level security analyst. From there he was able to work his way up the ladder, applying his curiosity and intellectual skills to becoming a highly skilled computer analyst.  We pick up Snowden’s story months before he became ‘famous.’

Edward Snowden was working in Hawaii for an international company, Booz-Allen Hamilton, a financial and advisory firm who also did contract work for the US intelligence agencies.  Snowden had previously left Dell in order to position himself where he could have greater access to government intelligence.  Yes, at this time Snowden had already set out on a path to collect government secrets!  This was not a casual quick decision.  It had been brewing within his mind for a long time.  He had already developed procedures for hiding his investigations into various networks.  He had developed ways to extract and collect that information without leaving traces back to himself.

The more he learned about what was being done that was outside of the legal bounds that had been established for spying and data collection, the more he was outraged.  The move to his new company game him system administrator access to every NSA computer, and others, in the world wide network.

On March 15, 2013 he and his girlfriend, Lindsay Mills, received word that they would have to leave their appartment in Hawaii and transfer to the U.S. mainland.  Snowden would be receiving advanced training at his company’s facilities near Fort Meade.  They would be leaving on March 30th.  Below is Snowden’s March 19, 2013 t/Moon-to-n/Sun Return.

 

This is a 2nd house Return. The theme is (taken from the book), “In-flow or outflow of money.  A focus on resources or increasing one’s personal satisfaction, security or comfort.  Pay increases . . . the feeling of pride or self-esteem.”  Snowden’s pay would be $122,000 yearly.  Since his n/Sun conjoins his n/PoF, every Return chart is likely to indicate some level of change into his life.  With t/PoF in the 4th house, opposite the n/Asc and later that day contacting n/Venus, this was a good period to look forward to. Another natal pattern to observe is n/Sun-n/PoF opposite n/Neptune and square t/Sun-t/Venus.  Wow!  What a doubling-up of natal and transiting Sun and Venus and the PoF.  A favorable Return in spite of t/Saturn-Desc.-n/Moon squared by t/PoF.  Favorable changes helping Snowden’s plan to gain greater access to intelligence computers.

This Advanced chart is for the day of their leaving Hawaii.  Note t/N.Node-t/Moon-n/MC-Desc.  This would mark the start of new associations and connections that would help his career plans — his personal career plans.  With this t/Moon so important (being angular) we should note the n/Moon is being approached by t/Saturn.  n/Saturn-n/Pluto will be activated, in turn linking to t/Pluto at the 9th house cusp of distant training, education.  Those who feel that Scorpio, the sign on the Descendant, is ruled-influenced by Pluto will like this linkage.  t/PoF is about to contact t/Pluto, giving it more importance in indicating the growing power of Snowden’s personal efforts at exposing secrets and hidden agendas in the US intelligence community.

We can see in these examples that Snowden’s life can be tracked on a day-by-day basis using this charting methodology.  Part of our efforts in this series of postings will be to highlight the interpretive process or steps typically taken to understand these charts.  

Eons ago, astrology was ‘observational’ and required the use of fewer planets and many special relationships between  planet-signs-houses-rulerships-aspects-and-patterns to make prediction or to understand an event.  Aphorisms (specific patterns having specific meanings) were common.  The natal chart could be defined by that day’s observations.  The natal chart could be progressed on a day-for-a-year basis through further observation of the sky in the following days.  And transits could be determined through observation.  Over time, the use of tables (planet positions for a given date) were available in some cultures at some times.  This permitted the astrologer to recreate a natal chart when no observational records were kept.  However, very few could take advantage of having a day-by-day forecast made for themselves.  Such an effort would take hours and days to construct.

Today, computers help us to easily and quickly create these types of charts within minutes of time.  Yet, most astrologers still work with the tools of astrologers who worked 2000 years ago.  Those tools are cumbersome for today’s modern world!  

Consider this situation.  A client makes an appointment for a reading.  The astrologers sets up a natal chart, a progressed chart, a transit-to-progressed-to-natal chart.  These charts are then studied and notes made.  Perhaps an hour, perhaps two or more hours go into this effort.  The client arrives, the reading starts.  Then the client introduces new issues and questions into the reading–the prepared charts and notes do not address these.  Can the astrologer well-serve the client at this point?

On the other hand, a natal chart is the basis for a keystroke and clicks to present a Return and/or an Advanced chart in seconds.  The simple and clear-cut method of reading these charts permits the astrologer to immediately address the client’s needs as they are brought up for discussion.  Lengthy preparation is avoided — it is not needed.  Both the astrologer and the client are productive and satisfied.  As the client participates, their appreciation of astrology and the astrologer are heightened.   Dave.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day-by-Day Astrology

The face and name of Edward Snowden burst across the TV’s and Newspapers of the U.S. and the world in early June, 2013.  His public story spanned a few intense months before he went from a daily story to an occasional public story. Because of this, Snowden provides us with a very unique opportunity to better appreciate just what Moon-to-Sun Returns are — they are an enabler of “Day-by-Day Astrology.”   We need to better define the uniqueness of this “Day by Day Astrology.”  Astrology, as practiced by many (if not most) of the mainstream astrologers on the ‘western’ school, is largely based on the natal-progressed-transit charting model.  

• The natal chart presents us with the character and nature of the subject, their potential in generic terms.  I say ‘generic’ because each of us grows and takes on variable expressions of the planet-symbolism due to our environment and cultural experiences in life.
• The progressed chart or the directed chart provides the astrologer with a view of the subject’s developmental trends over time.  Symbolic time is used, where in a short period of time (a day) is used to represent a longer period of time (a year).  There are many technical variants of the ratio approach.  
• The transiting planets are studied relative to the natal and the progressed charts to determine which influences are most likely to be expressed on a specific day.

This chart grouping, and the inclusion of other ‘refining’ chart views such as midpoints, eclipses, parts, asteroids, etc. is studied so as to provide insights and guidance to the person who comes to the astrologer.  It takes time to construct and study the charts.  And, the subject often reveals previously un-said questions and issues which may be outside of the astrologer’s preparations or not well-covered by the prepared charts.

On the other hand, readers of this blog site should know by now that t/Moon-to-n/Sun Returns and Advanced charts seem to be simple and quick to prepare, flexible, and very adaptable to whatever comes up.  This quick and easy process, along with the inherent design of this charting method, provides an ability to follow a subject’s life on a “day by day” basis.

Let us start by looking at some charts for Edward Snowden, the man who would reveal many of the major workings of the United States, UK, Canadian, Australia and New Zealand governments — but primarily the U.S. and U.K. — in terms of their spying on the world’s Internet usage and phone messaging activities.  Much of these activities are very much illegal, all were very clandestine and not publicly known.

Edward Snowden’s natal chart is shown at the left.  We might first note Chiron-Ascendant  opposed broadly to Jupiter and Uranus in the 7th house.  Chiron indicate the need to make adjustments relative to things that bother or have hurt oneself.  Jupiter-Uranus suggest an attraction to unique opportunities.  We can follow this later.  Sun in Cancer, 2nd house, suggests one who has personal values and standards relative to what expects of others (Sun conjunct N.Node). Link this with Moon in Scorpio in the 6th house. An attraction to the past, to the driving forces that underlie human actions and feelings and how they affect relationships and the application of one’s skills, is one possible interpretation.

When I view a natal chart, the likely patterns that will be activated by the angles in a Return chart are always of interest to me.  Here, the oppositions of first house and seventh house planets are most likely to be associated with events defined in Return charts.  With the planets on the western side of the chart being contained within a sextile aspect (26 Libra to 27 Sag.) and the eastern planets all bunched together in a 30 degree arc except for Venus, we can expect conjunctions and oppositions of the natal planets to appear from time to time in Return chart’s angles.  These are stress aspects.  The transiting planets will have to provide other patterns to consider.

How will Mars conjunct N.Node be expressed in any natal chart?  Will one fight with one’s friends, aggressively seek out friends and associates, try to adapt to new skills and types of relationships?  Does this fit well with Venus squaring the Moon?  Will Snowden be an awkward lover, find difficulty in expressing and valuing the emotional needs of others, be frustrated by making hasty choices that result in his reactions not providing the values he is seeking?  The Mars opposition to Neptune points to chasing ghosts, having a plan of attack but not having a clear target to shoot at.  How will his actions be received?  And what about that Part of Fortune?  Other than a sextile to Venus, it seems to be devoid of an inherent support system for dealing with changes in one’s life.

Snowden’s story is explosive, many of the events occur within a short period of time.  Yes, the story has dragged out for over three years by now, but we will be focusing on a series of events that involved Snowden, the Guardian newspaper of the UK and its US digital branch, the President of the United States, the Prime Minister of Britain, a US Senator.  This will be a major series that will show us how the flow of life can be viewed and tracked on a day-by-day basis.