We are following the astrological charts for Dylan Thomas, a Welsh poet and writer of the early-mid 1900s.  He was one of many who had a life-crises at age 39, the year when one’s Sidereal or precession-corrected Tropical Solar Return brings the natal angles back into alignment with the natal angles.  This signals a ‘rebirth’ — a possible redirection in one’s life.  This may be positive or negative, both the chart’s energies and the person’s context of life seem to point the way.  

Let us now look at his 1953 Solar Return chart, located for New York City.  These charts may be an ‘almost perfect’ example of the Age 39 Crises charts.

This Oct. 27th, 1953 precession-corrected Solar Return, his 39th such Return chart, finds the MC and the Asc. angles realigned.  This year will be a realignment year for him.  What direction might his life take him in?

The potential of the natal chart is again brought forward; will this be a negative or a positive direction for him to deal with?  We have to look at angular planets and aspects to gain a sense of which direction he may be led to follow.

The natal and Solar Return MC angles are realigned, as are the natal and Solar Return Ascendant angles.  This is the primary, and highly significant, aspect of this chart.  It tells us that a redirection in the subject’s life is highly possible in this year.

Note t/Moon-t/MC-n/MC-n/Saturn-n/Pluto; this suggests an emotional and almost habitual type of response to severe pressures to keep up with his public image and career demands.  The Ascendant degree (natal and transiting) is at the midpoint of t/Mars-t/Venus.  Normally this pattern might convey an aura of poise and public comfort — but this rising angle squares the severe MC pattern.  Perhaps too many forms of pressure and distraction will be present for him to deal with.  In the past he has dealt with various types of pressure and depression and responsibilities by drinking.

Working on the premise that the 39th year Solar Return typically indicates a crises, what will we look for in the daily charts as that crises emerges?  Any angular contact with Sun or Moon, or any angular planets in aspect to the Sun, angular planets whose natal version has strong connections to other planets.

With that said, let us return to his fourth, and last, visit to New York City.  The chart below is a Progressed Daily Angles chart set for Nov. 9, 1953.  Thomas had returned to New York City to prepare for a radio broadcast.  He ended up drunk, an often condition for him in this period.  He didn’t regain consciousness but died.  His ‘illness’ was related to his severe alcoholic condition.  The actor Richard Burton stepped in to do his broadcast.

In the twelve days since his Solar Return, the MC has advanced 15 degrees to 19:57 Capricorn.  15 degrees in 12 days equates to the average 1.25 degrees advance of the MC.  This is all based on the MC-Solar Cycle.

On this date we note t/Uranus at the MC angle.  A solar eclipse also occurred at this MC position a few months prior to his Solar Return and this date is when he succumbed to his life-long addiction to drink.  This eclipse position is just over a degree from the MC.  The nearby t/Uranus squares t/Neptune-t/Venus in the first house.  We could see this as a sudden indulgence (Uranus) in alcohol (Neptune) which he loved (Venus).  The t/Sun is also square to the earlier Solar Return at 16:45 Leo on the Aug. 9th, 1953 date.  This is one of those rare cases where two Solar Eclipses occur a month apart — and where both Eclipses trigger highly sensitive points.  The Sun represents his vitality and health.  The n/Sun is conjoined by t/Saturn.  How many more dire points does one have to find in a chart to suspect that this date will be highly challenging for him?  When Saturn is contacted we are faced with dealing with our fears or our limits.  If we do not face those fears or those limits, then we are bound to suffer all or many of Saturn’s negative connotations — one of which is death.

Those who like to find and examine every interesting morsel in a chart might take note of the earlier Solar Eclipse at 16:45 Leo.  This opposes the midpoint of natal Moon and Jupiter, a pairing that suggests a happy soul looking to express himself to the public.  Jumping over from natal Moon-Jupiter to transiting Moon-Jupiter, we find them broadly opposing each other.  All of a sudden the natal ‘happiness’ pair is in an unhappy pattern.

After this posting, I will leave this “Crises at Age 39” series for awhile, but I will return to it after or during the next series.  In the next series I will be examining on a day-by-day basis the life of a woman engaged in a fascinating journey of discovery. I will be using t/Moon-n/Sun Returns and Progressed Daily Angles charts because these charts so clearly show life on a daily basis as we experience it.  The sequence of charts will cover a month’s time in the life of this well-known woman.

I use the Riyal software for these Solar Return charts.  My Kepler software can produce a valid p.c.Solar Return but does not produce a daily chart with progressed angles combined with that day’s transits.  Instead, the “PSR” chart that is produced from the Solar Return is a progressed angles chart combined with a secondary progression of the S/R planets.  This is useless for the astrologer who practices with the Sidereal system or the precession corrected Tropical system.  If any of my readers use Kepler or or Sirius software and have discovered how to configure the system to do what I described above, I would love to hear from you.  I have not yet convinced David Cochrane of the correct practice and configuration for these Advanced Daily Angles charts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Age 39 Crises: Welsh Poet & Writer, Dylan Thomas

Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Dylan Thomas, Welsh poet and story writer and radio show producer captivated the public’s mind in the 1930’s through his death in 1953 and continuing onward.  Thomas was born on Oct. 27, 1914 in Swansea, Wales at 8:56 PM.  He took to writing at an early age, left school at the age of 16 to become a journalist.  He had a way with words that other writers envied and which the public loved.  Some of those early writings were published.  His initial claim to fame came with the publication of “Life breaks where no Sun shines” in 1934. 

While living in London he met the woman who would become his wife, Caitlin McNamara.  They married in 1937.  Life was hard for a writer in those days and the pair lived in a hand-to-mouth fashion much of the time.  Excessive drinking marked their time together along with much brawling.  While his writing did not provide the income needed to support them, Thomas found that reading tours and doing radio shows and voices for the BBC brought in much more income as well as recognition.  While these income sources were welcome, they were not steady.  We can view his natal chart for his birth in Wales.

We find his Sun early in Scorpio, the focus of a T-square with Uranus (8th) opposite Neptune (1st-2nd cusp).  This is a key pattern in his chart, linked to individuation-thru-fantasy, excitable and delusional forms of expression, outbursts during bouts of drinking among other forms of expression.  Chiron (not shown) graces the MC angle, giving him an insight into pain and turmoil seen in society as well as reflecting his own devils.  His self-expression (Sun) was always prone to unexpected and sudden revelations and actions. 

Mercury and Mars in the 8th, gave his words great power as the expressed the raw side of personal life and dilemmas.

If we take the time to examine some midpoints of both Mercury and Mars, we find the following almost exact midpoints among many:  Mercury = Moon/Mars 0d02m; quick to criticize, irritable, nervousness and restless, always thinking.  Mars = Moon/Jupiter 0d01m; strong romantic expression, lusty outlook, expressive, seeking recognition.  These attributes were easily seen in his writings.

A more regular employment situation came to Dylan Thomas in 1945 with the BBC, not only for readings and voice work but on various discussion shows where his views and expressions were popular.  Thomas was often referred to as being a Welsh poet, something he rejected.  “I can’t even read Welsh,” he once replied.  Many feel that his exposure to his native country area did give him a sense of Welsh tradition and colorful expression.

He made four trips to New York in the early 1950s.  He was busy writing and performing in this period.  It was on his third tour that he fell on a flight of stairs and broke his arm.  He was quite drunk at the time.  He returned home to finish a story, “Under Milk Wood.”  He was to read it in a broadcast in New York, but upon his return he became ill, that illness being connected with his life of heavy drinking. 

Dylan Thomas’ natal chart, when relocated to New York City, brought his Saturn/Pluto pairing to the IC of his chart.  New York brought him a lot of exposure and support, as well as a lot of challenges.  One critic noted that Thomas was a drunk on words as he was on whiskey.  He was one of those larger-than-life individuals who charged through life, banging his body and his body-of-work through the doors and walls of his daily moods.  One might think that his writings were taken from a daily diary of inspiration and missteps.

Dylan Thomas may or may not be known to a good portion of my readers.  After all, he was born in 1914 and died in 1953.  Although his fame lived on in literary circles up until this present time, our world is so full of words and information and entertainment that much that was, as is, of great value is simply lost in the deluge of written and spoken words.  I assure you, that Dylan Thomas’ Solar Return and death some 12 days later will provide some of the most powerful charts that astrologers are ever likely to come across.  Stick with this story.  It is well worth it.

Dave.

 

Charles: A Crises Changes Everything In Seconds.

Prince Charles loved skiing at Klosters, a famous ski resort in Switzerland.  In early March of 1988.  He would be joined by Princess Diana, a rarity as they mostly went separate ways at this point in their marriage.  Also, Fergie the Duchess of York, a friend of Fergie — Bruno Sprecher who was a mountain guide and instructor — Palmer-Tomkinsons, a Swiss policeman and his wife, Patty, and Major Hugh Lindsay — the former equerry to the Queen and a friend of Charles.

At this point let us review the chart for this fateful day.  t/Sun-t/N.Node conjoin at the IC angle;  In the context of a dangerous outing, skiing where avalanche postings were everywhere, we can see the Sun as representing Charle’s health, life-vitality, best interests, decisions.  At the IC, this can indicate a “either-or” condition in terms of one’s core being.  The t/N.Node shows he is in the company of other close associates.  t/Sun is closely squaring n/Mars in the first house of physical action and a dangerous environment.  Let us turn our attention from t/Sun to n/Sun which squares t/Mercury, the planet which indicates movement, travel, communication.  In the context of this day, this refers to the skillful sport of mountain skiing.  t/Mars conjoins t/Neptune and squares n/Neptune; danger and hurt from water and snow fits this occasion. 

As a side issue, which I will address  later, take note of t/Moon sesquiquadrate (135 degrees) to n/Moon.

In the Solar Return it was noted that Pluto might have a role to play in this year’s events.  For this chart, that seems not to be the case.  The prospect of an avalanche might evoke thoughts of Uranus.  In this chart the t/Uranus and n/Uranus are opposite each other.

I would like to interject a comment, actually an observation, at this point about when a transiting planet is in aspect to its natal self.  This applies to all of these cyclic charts.  By focusing upon the core meaning of that planet, in the context of the subject’s life, we need to carefully consider the natal-transiting versions as highlighting a dilemma or critical issue.  For instance:

• n/Sun aspecting t/Sun: Two males, two opinions.  Torn between two decisions.
• n/Moon aspecting t/Moon: Women disagreeing.  Unable to ‘connect’ with a woman’s thoughts or feelings.
• n/Mercury aspecting t/Mercury: Difference of opinion.  Conflicting information.
• n/Mars aspecting t/Mars: Taking action on two differing endeavors.  Fighting without a clear understanding.

The reader gets the idea here with these few examples.  The subjects internal behavior and response patterns seem to conflict with what the present situation requires.  This can play out as unusual behavior or by being projected onto another person as a “me versus them” situation.

After lunch, Fergie took a bad tumble.  She was four months pregnant and decided that the ski conditions were too harsh to deal with.  She went back to the hotel.  Diana also left the slopes.  She was more comfortable in the lodge talking by phone with her current boyfriend

The skiing party was aware of avalanche dangers, postings were everywhere.  They were all good skiers and felt that the choice of trails, awareness of the potential dangers, and their skills would enable them to meet the challenges.  The group went in two sections, Sprecher and Palmer-Tomkinsons followed the first group.  The first group stopped on a gentle slope between a ledge and a cliff.  The second group caught up with them there.

Hearing a deafening roar, they knew an avalanche was coming their way.  With only seconds to spare, Sprecher screamed “Jump.”  He pushed Charles onto a ledge next to a rock face.  The policeman also made it onto ledge which they flattened themselves against, letting the snow pass over and around them.  Sprecher, Charles and the policeman watched as the snow swept Hugh Lindsay and Patty over a four-hundred foot precipice.

Sprecher, who was a trained mountain guide, waited for the flood of snow and ice to pass and then skied behind the avalanche until his beacon detected a signal under the snow.  Digging with a shovel, he found Patty unconscious.  He pounded her chest and gave her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, reviving her.  Charles arrived and he and Sprecher dug to pull Lindsay out of the snow.  Their efforts led them after several minutes to Lindsay.  His skull was completely open.

Charles kept talking to Patty, trying to keep her conscious until a rescue helicopter arrived.

Charles was very distraught.  He was afraid that his friend Sprecher would be blamed.  He wrote out a careful and detailed account of what had happened, noting that Sprecher had acted with ‘incredible speed and total professionalism’ and was ‘instrumental in rescuing Patty.’

Sprecher’s actions, which saved Charles and Patty, created a close bond between them.  The following months found Charles still trying to cope with the tragedy at Klosters.  This added to his doubts about his future.  The Queen was a robust 62 year old.  It seemed that he would not be King, if ever, for a very long time.  His mannerisms were indecisive, he changed his mind often.  His marriage to Diana and affair with Camilla only added to the uncertainty of his life.

It is these last remarks that relate more to the Solar Return chart.  Charles was caught up in the trap of Royalty, having ceremonial duties and an image to maintain, while being relegated to a minor role as Price while the Queen’s views and programs dominated the flow of everyone’s life.  He had established a program, The Prince’s Trust, which provided seed-money to entrepreneurs to start their own business.  This had resulted in thousands of success stories and work for very many of his subjects.  He continued his athletic pursuits such as skiing and polo.  But, the strains of his marriage to Diana and here flirtations with others, his own affair with Camilla which would not develop into any recognized union at this period of his life, all were tensions that could be traced to the patterns in the Solar Return.

So, in this Progressed Daily Angles chart, the n/Sun in the 12th trine the t/Sun at the IC could portray the loss of his friend, Lindsay.  The badly aspected n/Moon-t/Moon would be the emotional impact of both Diana’s behavior and his feelings about Patty losing her husband in the avalanche.  The opposition of natal and transiting Uranus, along with the presence of Jupiter, reflects the suddenness of the avalanche and the protection provided by his friend, Sprecher, who acted so decisively at the moment of peril.  We have to note that t/Saturn was also very close to the n/Uranus position. 

There is so much present in this chart that sorting out what applies to one person and what applies to others is difficult.  What is important to recognize, that every action, every result had an impact on Charles this day.  While some things affected him personally and physically, other things also affected him personally in terms of his friendships, position and sense of responsibility.

This 39th year crises imperiled Charles’ life, but did not take it.  If one could take the long view of history, perhaps this event and this year provided a change in his perspective of what his life should become.  With the upcoming loss of Diana due to a car accident, and his focus on raising his two sons in a manner different from his own upbringing, the ultimate resolving of his relationship with Camilla, this period could be seen as a beginning for a new direction in his life.

 

 

Prince Charles; His 39th Year Crises

Prince Charles had a near-death crises in 1988 while skiing in Klosters, Switzerland,  This will be the focus of this series; examining his 1987 Solar Return at the age of 39, and his Progressed Daily Angles chart for March 10, 1988.  Below is his natal chart for London, England.  Switzerland.

Prince Charles natal chart

Charles’ Sun is located in the 4th house, square Pluto in the 1st.  Not shown is Ceres at 9Leo, also square the Sun.  Pluto-square-Sun suggests unrelenting pressures, while Ceres-square-Sun points to a need for motherly support and family life. given the context of his life, we can see how this played out for him.  His parents were frequently off on state business, leaving him with a variety of nannies.  As he got older he was sent to a sequence of suitable-for-royalty private schools, with little contact with his parents. His grandmother and other staff and friends-of-the-family all chipped int with time and effort to alleviate his obvious difficulties in school.  The bottom line is that he had to live a life of a short-term student here and there while grabbing what ever attention and support he could find to fill his needs.  Solitude and separation from others became the definition of his personal life while growing up. 

Neptune-Venus at the IC are the only truly angular planets in the chart.  These two indicate a love of the romantic, fantasy, heroic tales, bonding, and nature.  Neptune also reflects the charm of the sea, and Charles would later follow training and serice with the British Navy. 

Mercury at 6 Scorpio was square the Ascendant degree and at the South Node of the Moon.  His ideas and perceptions became increasingly sharp and critical as he moved into adulthood.  Those who became his mentors at various stages of life had a great influence upon him.  Moon at the North Node of the Moon increased his sensitivity to what others provided him or denied him, increasing his social discrimination, and leading him to become very selective in his choices of companions. 

The Black Moon Lilith, the Moon’s apogee point was at 9 Pisces (not shown here), trine his Mercury and opposite Saturn.  With Mercury, his imagination was heightened.  Saturn applied the tests of rationality and delay and yet, due to the opposition of Black Moon Lility, could not fully influence him to plan and be cautious.  He was prone to making quick judgements.  As a child, Charles had to be seething to become his own person and take charge of his life.  The pre-natal eclipse near his Mercury would focus his perceptions and his individual view of the world as he experienced it.

We know that Charles was sent to one appropriate-for-Royalty school after another.  Writing, arts, history and nature were profoundly interesting to him.  Mathematics and the sciences were not as they required a lot of tedious attention and self-discipline to master.  So, in summary, we have here the chart (within the context of his home life and upbringing) of child who would seek alternative ‘parental’ guidance, take in many imaginative views of his mentors, and seek to counter the solitude of his overly-guided life in any way that was open to him.

Jumping ahead to his adult life, 1987-1988 find him married to Princess Diana.  Diana at this period was developing a like for the “glitz and glamour” of life according to the source book, Prince Charles, by Sally Bedell Smith, while Charles was cultivating sources to help him in his many charity projects.  Charles had set up his own charity called the Prince’s Trust which started out by providing seed money and help for those starting small businesses of their own.  This program turned out to have tremendous success, ultimately creating thousands of businesses. We know that, over time, Charles and Diana grew apart and spent much time pursuing their own interests.  Ocassionaly they would come together, often for Royal events.  Circumstances brought both Charles and Diana together for a trip to Klosters, Switzerland for skiing in early 1987.  Charles was an excellent skier, Diana was capable but not really up to the difficult trails of the local mountains.  She preferred the gentler lower slopes and marked trails.

The following chart is Charles’ 1987 precession corrected Tropical Solar Return, relocated to Klosters, Switzerland.  We will examine this chart prior to the next posting when we will both look at the events that comprised Charles’ age 39 crises and his Progressed Daily Angles chart for the crises date.

We can see that the natal angles are indeed aligned with the p.c. Solar Return, 1987 angles.  We note the prior Solar Eclipse on the t/S.Node of the Moon. Activating the nodal axis is akin to activating the Moon.  The n/Moon-n/MC-n/N.Node-t/MC ties into the t/N.Node and, in turn, ties into the t/Moon. 

The t/Moon-squares-t/Venus-t/Saturn-t/Mars in the 5th house.

We have a whole string of planets involved, making it difficult to put together a logical interpretive statement.  Moon equates to women, established routines and activities (like skiing).  The Nodes relate to associations and being with others.  Mars and the fifth house suggests creative, active, sports activity.  Saturn links to structured activities where skills are useful.

We have a conjoing of n/Mercury-t/Mercury (talking, doing things with friends, movement) being emphasized.  t/Pluto conjoins these two Mercurys and makes a wide square to n/Pluto-Asc.  Mercury-stuff is going to be linked to personal activities and exposure to massive external events that can re-shape one’s life.  While Uranus is linked to prsonal cognition and surprising changes, Pluto is more prone to represent wider-world upsets affecting many.

t/Mars-IC is closely angular, and opposes the n/MC-n/Moon-n/N.Node and t/Jupiter.  Big events are likely, events can have big impacts, whatever.

What other clues can we derive from this chart?  Well, the natal and transiting Suns are at 22 degrees of a fixed sign, Scorpio.  If we subtract 45 degrees (30 degrees or one sign, plus 15 degrees) from this 22 degrees of Scorpio we arrive at 7 degrees of Libra, a cardinal sign.  Any cardinal sign having a planet at/near 7 degrees will make a hard aspect (semi-square or square-and-a-half; 45 degrees or 135 degrees) to the Sun’s.  t/Neptune makes a semi-square to the Suns positions; water, snow, deceiving situations can play a role when/if triggered in a daily chart.

So, there we have it, a lot of possibilities.  As astrologers, how do we deal with all of this?

First, the congruence of the natal and Solar Return angles tell us that this can be a crises year of some sort.  This is Charles’ 39 year.  This frames all of the other considerations.

Second, closely angular t/Mars-IC suggests actions that can end or create a new life-situation.

Third, the n/Asc-n/Pluto-t/Asc.-t/Black Moon Lilith (BML) brings some distance or lack of attention to one’s personal efforts or activities.  This may exhibit as a form of seemingly ‘disregard’ for what one is engaging in.  With n/BML opposite Saturn and t/BML-Asc., we can suspect a lack of care being exercised. 

Fourth, the prior Solar Eclipse at the Moon’s t/S.Node activates the Suns (natal and transiting) and the Nodes (natal and transiting).  The Sun represents decisions, one’s best interests.  The Nodes represent associations, being among other people.  Clearly the crises, if it is triggered, will involve a group of people and a risky action that can affect one’s own best interests.

This is what the astrologer will look for in daily charts for the coming months; that and events involving other people and risky activities.  Having the Prince’s social calendar will help nair down any dates that fit this criteria.

 

 

 

Stonewall Jackson Meets His Most Personal Crises In Life

In the days following the loss of his left arm, Stonewall Jackson was confined to his bed. The pain and healing process of the amputation was joined by the effects of pneumonia and exhaustion.  Each day he became weaker.  Lee sent a message to him, stating that for the good of their cause he would rather that he, Lee, was suffering his hurts instead of Jackson.  Such was the admiration of General Lee for General Jackson.  Jackson died on May 10, 1863.  Just before his passing he stated, “It is the Loard’s Day, my wish is fulfilled.  I have always desired to die on Sunday.”  A few more words in his delirium were uttered and then he passed on.

We can examine his Progressed Daily Angles chart for this day.  The t/Mercury joined the MC and t/S.Node; Jackson was conscious and aware (t/Mercury-MC) and achieving his long held goal (t/S.Node) and intention to die on a Sunday.  Dying is something that most military men think about.  If we play astrological hopscotch (hopscotch is a child’s jumping game) and jump to n/Mercury we find it square to t/Sun and n/Saturn.  We might see this as meaning, within the context of his dire situation, as “a struggle (square) to breath (Mercury given the restrictions (Saturn) in his lungs (Mercury) affecting his strength and vitality (Sun).”  Sun in the 6th house and sign of Aquarius is not strongly placed.  The n/Sun is also inconjunct t/Mars which, in turn, opposes n/Neptune.  All these planets contribute to attacks, weaknesses, struggles.  In a supportive sense, t/Neptune squares n/Neptune and t/Mars; fever, fluids, weakness.  Within the context of his wounds, all of the many chart components seem to have gathered together for this final moment.

We need to remain aware of the overall annual patterns in the Solar Return, especially those related to the MC angle.  The 1863 Solar Return chart is repeated below for easy reference.  t-n/Sun-MC pointed to his career and public image.  The n/Moon and n/Lilith (Moon’s apogee point) conjoined at the MC as well.  Culturally, this n/Lilith-n/MC-n/Moon gave him a distance and austerity that kept him from many close friendships.  It was his achievements (MC) that brought him professional recognition and respect.  The n/Sun-n/MC combination was always a driving force for him to excel in his chosen efforts.  When we fold in the transits of that Solar Return we find t/Neptune at the n/Pluto position (drama, legend, intensity, death are all appropriate).  We had noted the pairing of t/Mars-t/Pluto squaring the MC patterns of the Solar Return and noted that this was a brutal combination.

Sometimes, although it initially doesn’t seem to make sense, we can chase strings of associations around the chart.  Here we have t/Mars-t/Pluto and n/Pluto-t/Neptune and then n/Neptune-n/Jupiter-n/Mars which squares n/Neptune.  We can also take note of n/Lilth-n/Moon and t/Moon-t/Lilith which is ‘doubling up’ pattern of emphasis.  How we choose to put words to any of these patterns is a matter of choice, but we do have to wonder how we should astrologically explain and understand the linked patterns.

I recently came across a FaceBook posting asking about what the signs or symbols for death were.  I have found in my astrological studies that death is a ‘personal’ event or experience and that no singular pattern signifies death.  None that I have ever recognized.  However, there are common but ‘not 100%’ patterns that are often seen.  I have noted n/Venus on the IC angle of Return or Advanced charts on the day of death.  Often the Sun is stressed by aspect from the outer planets — natal or transiting Sun.  Angular activity in a cyclic chart can strongly contribute to an indication of death.  Where used, a doubled up Part of Fortune is tough to live through when one is very ill.  And, of course, the realignment of natal angles with chart angles often signifies a major change point in life.

Stonewall Jackson; A Momentous Day In His Life.

Our quest in this blog series is to explore what I call the “Age 39 Crises” which is based on the observation of Solar Returns which have angles and chart orientation matching the birth chart.  Our subject, Lt. General Stonewall Jackson, exhibited a challenging 39th year Solar Return in that the Return and Natal angles were aligned, the natal and annual Sun were at the MC, and the MC-grouping in that chart was square a Mars-Pluto conjunction — a brutal pairing.  Let us now look forward in time from that Solar Return date of Jan. 30th to May 2nd, 1863.

The Confederate Army of Northern Virginia was facing a large Union Army led by General Hooker near Chancellorsville, VA.  General Lee decided to split his forces in two, sending Stonewall Jackson around to Hooker’s right flank to probe for weaknesses.  The scouts found the Union army in an open area, resting and not paying attention to any possible danger in their area. Jackson was taken to observe this at-rest and vulnerable army.  Jackson and his commanders quietly took their forces to within a few hundred feet of the oblivious enemy forces and then charged ahead.  The battle was short-lived, many of the Union forces were captured before being able to fire their guns.  The assault ended with the approach of darkness.

Jackson returned to his camp.  He and his detachment were mistaken for Union cavalry by their own picket-line.  Shots were fired.  Stonewall Jackson was hit three times, two in his left arm and one in his right hand.  It took some time to retreat and get to nearby friendly plantation where he could be treated.  In addition to his wounds he was developing pneumonia.  Because of the serious wounds to his left arm, an amputation had to be performed.

Let us look at Jackson’s Progressed Daily Angles chart — this being the Tropical equivalent of the Cyril Fagan ‘Progressed Sidereal Solar Return’ chart.

Most notable in this May 2nd chart is the presence of the n/Ascendant and t/Mercury at the MC angle.  The book, Personal Prediction, on page 76 notes in part the following for this n/Asc-MC combination, “How you typically view life and deal with it has now to be . . . changed (due) to some form of conflict with new or changed circumstances . . .”  Jackson dismissed his own comfort and loss of his arm.  There were decisions to be made, actions to be taken.  His own health and comfort was not so important. 

No other angular factors are present, so the main thrust of this day’s chart is to reflect on his dismissal of his own personal comfort and needs (the n/Asc.) and the need to assess the battle situation and communicate the appropriate orders (t/Mercury) needed for that day (MC).

We can now take note of secondary factors in the chart.  t/Sun-t/Pluto conjoin in the 9th house and square n/Pluto-n/Sun-n/Mercury in the 6th house.  This doubling up of Sun-Pluto-Mercury-MC symbolism strongly emphasizes the momentous nature of this day’s chart.  The Solar Return of three months earlier had t/Mars-t/Pluto square the S/R MC planets.  Now, although the planets had taken up new positions, the same strong Pluto-Sun-MC pattern the was being re-framed now.

There is one important configuration which does not show up in this chart.  My absence from frequent use of Solar Returns finds me a bit rusty in my practice.  In my book, Personal Prediction, I had introduced the concept of the CD — The Co-Descendant.  If we take the arc-distance from the Asc. to the MC in a chart, and then project that angular distance from the MC towards the Descendant angle we come up with the “Co-Descendant.”  In this case the CD will be found at 24 Aquarius, in the 6th house.  The CD and Asc. being equally distant from the MC defines the MC as a midpoint of the Asc. and CD.  Any ‘planet’ at the CD or Asc. angle will have an impact on the MC.  Any ‘planet’ at the MC will have an impact on the Asc. and CD point. 

Now, noting the t/Sun and t/Moon positions (11 Taurus, 0 Scorpio) we can determine the chart’s Part of Fortune position.  The Moon to Sun arc-angle is an opposition (180 degrees) minus 11 degrees — or 169 degrees.  Moving from this distance from the chart’s Ascendant, we arrive at 23 Aquarius — one degree from the CD point.  The CD point marks an “Intrusion Point’ where disruptions come into our life, unwanted or not.  Intrusions appear.  Here, the Part of Fortune represents ‘chance and change.’  This is a ‘risky’ date for Stonewall Jackson.

Summary.

In this daily Progressed Angles chart we have found the following points of interest.

• The natal Ascendant is at the MC angle; How he normally acts and deals with daily events needs to change on this date. Circumstances are different and his actions need to be different.  Since the Ascendant is involved, his personal health and situation takes on great importance.
• With t/Sun-t/Pluto conjoining, we need to also recognize n/Pluto-n/MC-n/Sun as a similar pattern. This sensitizes him to the Sun-Pluto conjuncton AND it emphasizes the Solar Return chart patterns.
• We have learned about the CD point and its significance as a point of ‘intrusion.’ With the Part of Fortune there, chance and change make this a serious concern.  Since the MC becomes a midpoint between the chart’s Asc. and CD, the presence of the n/Asc. at the MC emphasizes the personal health and focus needed on this date.  This is something that Stonewall Jackson dismissed as secondary to the task-at-hand of managing the Army.

 

 

Crises At Age 39; Stonewall Jackson

Introduction.

With this posting I will be leaving t/Moon-to-n/Sun Returns and taking up the usage of precession corrected (tropical) Solar Returns and Progressed Daily Angles charting.  These charts are cast using RIYAL for Windows, an astrological program developed by Juan Rivera of Costa Rica.  This blog site used Solar Returns and daily charts for several years when it was initiated.

For those not familiar with Solar Returns, I recommend the following essays in the menu selection “Chart Calc’n.”

• RIYAL, parts 1 thru 5.

From menu choice, “Essay Index.”

• Precession Correction, Part 2
• Precession, technical stuff, Part 3
• Why use precession correction, Part 1
• The MC-Solar Cycle
• The Co-Descendant

Crises At Age 39

The usage of p.c. Solar Returns presents a unique phenomena: every 39 years the Solar Return chart repeats the angular alignment of that earlier date.  The birth chart angles return in the 39th Solar Return to the original sign-degree position.  At age 40, the Solar Return charts angles return to the angular positions of the year one Solar Return, etc.  One can postulate that this represents a mini-rebirth, a new potential for life to follow in the future.  If this is, indeed, a birth-death signification, then we should be able to see it exhibited in Solar Charts for any 39th year anniversary — and, we can!

Thomas Jonathan Jackson, known as Lt. General Stonewall Jackson was born on January 21, 1824 in Virginia.  In his young adult years he attended the West Point Military Academy and went on to become a Lieutenant and Major for the U.S. Army, fighting in the Mexican-American war.  Later he became a teacher at the Virginia Military Institute, but he was not well-liked by the students.  After the attack on Fort Sumter he joined the Confederate Army and became one of their best known and most effective commanders, holding the rank of Lt. General.

We will start with examining his 1863 Solar Return.

The Solar Return, 1863, MC is at 7:08 Aquarius, near the natal MC of 6:16 Aquarius, a 52 minute of arc difference.  And, of course, the Ascendant is also very near its natal position.  As we can see, the natal Sun conjoins the MC position within 3 degrees, an indicator that he will be noticed in life due to his position, choices and career.  There are many typical “every-day” people who do not achieve fame or who gain notoriety in more limited arenas than the national stage.  But, that is what birth ‘potential’ is all about.

Jackson was born hours before a new moon, he would grow into his potential.  Note the Black Moon Lilith at 4 Aquarius.  I do not ascribe to the mythical interpretations of this point, but I do recognize that it is at/near the Moon’s orbital apogee point–the furthest point of the Moon’s orbit about the Earth.  What might this mean?

Black Moon Lilith in the 10th and near the MC indicates one who seeks power, can be perceived as cold and distant.  Note that the Dark Moon, Moon, and MC define Jackson’s public persona, and that they square transiting Mars-Pluto in this year’s Solar Return.  Mars-Pluto is a brutal combination in many cases, related to attack, hurt and disruption of one’s life style.

There are no other angular planets or planets/grouping square to the angular MC grouping.  The whole theme of this Solar Return can be summed up as Jackson being distant and authoritarian in his actions and career while all the while achieving success on the battle field.   That success will often be accompanied by brutality and death.  This was the case in several of his battles wherein he lost many troops but yet managed to win the conflict through strategy and tactics.  General Lee called Jackson “his right arm.”   

To be continued.

I have not used, on this site, Solar Return charting in quite awhile.  This posting has been kept brief so that my readers can take the time to refer to the essays I had posted earlier about the technical facets of Solar Return charting.  I hope to do a series similar to this, although it may be prudent to interject other topics and people’s charts once in awhile to keep things fresh and interesting to all.

Nilsen’s Secrets Discovered

Following the arrest of Dennis Nilsen on the evening of Feb. 9th, the police spent the next day inspecting his apartment and removing the body-parts to the morgue for examination.  It was on Feb. 11, 1983 that they began questioning Nilsen in an organized manner.  The chart shown here is diurnally advanced to that date.

 

t/Venus and t/Mars remains near the advancing IC angle, indicating a degree of comfort on Nilsen’s part.  The questioning began just before 11 AM, and would continue for some 30 hours over the span of a few days.  Nilsen exhibited an unusual degree of cooperation, offering details and descriptions of his techniques.  Indeed, he was so talkative that the police felt themselves to be swamped with information faster than they could ask or have time to fully comprehend.  We should note the t/Moon-t/Mercury combination at the cusp of the 3rd house (communication) and the semi-square of Mercury to t/Part-of-Fortune and t/Uranus-t/Jupiter.  “Gushing” might be an appropriate word to describe this pattern.

During all of this interaction with the police, Nilsen made no requests for understanding nor did he exhibit any remorse for any of his victims.  Both “self-pity” and “remorse” are characterized by Saturn.  Not only is n/Saturn near the n/MC, but the chart’s MC is close to the midpoint of both natal and transiting Saturn; harshness, hardening, retreat of his personal identification with his life’s goals is stunted.  We might also take note of n/Sun trine to the midpoint of n/Mars and n/Saturn; an acceptance of having a hard road through life.

At the start of the interview on Feb. 11th, Nilsen gave the police the name of the young man he had last met and murdered.  With the name of Stephen Sinclair, a drug addict and social outcast, the police could start the process of formally identifying body parts and bringing charges against Nilsen.

Later on Feb. 11th, Nilsen went with the police to 195 Melrose Ave in Cricklewood.  He had lived there from 1976 to 1981.  Twelve men had been killed at this location.  At 5:40 PM, Nilsen was formally charged with the murder of Stephen Sinclair.  We can advance the time of this daily chart to the time of Nilsen being formally charged.  I term this a “Double Diurnal” chart.

Note:  The Moon-Sun Return chart occurs every two weeks or so.  The daily ‘Advanced’ charts move the Return chart forward one day at a time using a “diurnal” process.  Diurnal is another word for daily. The Sun’s daily rate of advance, noon-to-noon, is on average about 57 minutes of one degree.  In these advancing charts, only the date changes.  The ‘time’ of the chart remains the same.  This causes the angles to shift, the planets to take up their changed positions, and the Sun-Moon-PoF to advance appropriately.  As the advancing chart’s angles move forward, the natal planets drop backwards as they keep their zodiac positions but take up altered positions in the circle of houses.

This ‘double diurnal’ chart set for 5:40 PM brings t/Chiron to the MC angle.  This is the only tightly angular planet!

Chiron, for astrologers, often represents past hurts, burdens and struggle that have not yet been dealt with.  This “past’ connotation may be a past life or earlier in the present life of the individual.  I have found in these cyclic charts that Chiron can often be associated with the word “adjustment.”  Here, I would state that this day of answering inquiries by the police signifies Nilsen making ‘adjustments’ relative to his life’s image and career or way of life.

We can check out some secondary features (non angular placements) of the chart to see what extra light might be shed on Nilsen’s state of mind.  t/Part-of-Fortune in the 12th house opposes t/Moon and conjoins n/Pluto.  Both Moon and Pluto are associated with the ‘past’ so we might see this as the past being unearthed.  This opposition pattern also squares t/Saturn indicating him having to struggle with the hard facts of life.  t/Sun square t/Chiron shows his intentions and best-interests are being challenged by the hurts of the past.  As we had seen earlier, all of his childhood, his lost father and mentors, his difficult army life and awkward attempts to make relationships with other men had all caused much inner hurt.  This was all being revealed now.

Nilsen; Dear Diary #6, Feb. 9, 1983

After cleaning out the sewer around midnight, I ran into one of the tenants as I came back inside.  I told him that I went out to relieve myself as the toilets were unusable.  I’m not sure he believed me.  I got up early and left the flat just before nine AM.  I heard later that the plumber and his supervisor arrived shortly afterward and were surprised to find all of the glop in the sewer was no longer there.  They claimed that none of that stuff that was there yesterday could disappear without lots of rain to wash it out.  There had been no rain.  The plumber had climbed down into the sewer and removed material and bones from the pipe leading into the sewer.  Later I heard that the neighbors told of hearing steps going down the stairs and that I was seen returning to the house in the middle of the night.  The police had been called.  If only these busybodies could have minded their own business. 

While at work I thought about how things were shaping up.  It was likely that I would be arrested and questioned.  There was little sense in running.  Who would look after my dog, Bleep?  I couldn’t have dumped all the bagged remains in my apartment last night.  The number of bags to carry on repeated trips, and the time to get to some place of disposal would have taken the whole night to accomplish and the busybodies would have just stood by and watched me come and go.  I’ll just go home from work and see what happens when I get there.

Astrologers notes.  Again, this chart is similar to yesterday’s chart, and that is similar to the day before.  In these daily charts our first attentions are paid to the advancing angles and what they may contact, the t/Sun, t/Moon and t/Part of Fortune.  Today we find the IC angle within 3 degrees of t/Venus with the slightly more distant t/Mars being folded into the day’s interpretations.  With this, the t/PoF and t/Moon will join up, squaring n/Neptune in the 11th.  How might this play out?  Nilsen’s offhanded casualness, when he talks with me, represents his expression of “poise” (Venus and Mars at the IC).  This is likely to end today for some reason.  The PoF and Moon, both square n/Neptune, tell me that confusion, chaos and change will occur.  The presence of Neptune in the 11th points to uncertainty among his neighbors.  PoF and Moon in the 2nd points to a lack of confidence and self-assurance.  How this is linked is hard to say as Nilsen offers so little insight into his daily life.  It leaves me guessing, which I don’t like, but billing him helps me to make my living.

 

Dave’s comments.  Cattran the Plumber was surprised by the lack of material at the bottom of the Sewer.  There was no logical reason for it having disappeared.  One of the tenants had also seen the glop at the bottom and had confirmed it to the supervisor.  The plumber did climb down into the sewer and he removed material from the pipe that led into the sewer.  The same yellowish-whitish material and some small bone fragments.  The smell was terrible.   Another tenant came over and told of her hearing footsteps up and down the stairs.  She was scared.  It was decided that the police had to be called.

Detective Chief Inspector Peter Jay arrived around 11 AM.  He viewed the materal, had it bagged and took it to the mortuary and then to Charring Cross Hospital.  At 3:30 in the afternoon, the material was declared to be human tissue from the region of the neck and bones were from a man’s hand.  They returned to 23 Cranley Gardens and awaited Dennis Nilsen’s return.

Nilsen at first expressed surprise that the toilet problem would be of interest to the police.  Jay took a very direct approach to Nilsen. “Don’t mess around.  Where is the rest of the body?”  Nilsen answered just as directly.  “In two bags.  I’ll show you.” 

The police did not open the wardrobe chest in Nilsen’s apartment at first as the smell was so overpowering.  “Is there anything else?” Nilsen was asked.  “It’s a long story,” Nilsen replied.  The end of the murdering was at hand.  The story was about to be revealed.  The police were not prepared for the revelations that were to follow.  One of the policemen asked, “Are we talking about one body or two?”  Nilsen replied, “Fifteen or sixteen, since 1978.  I’ll tell you everything.  It’s a relief to be able to get it all off my mind.”  To say that the police were shocked was an understatement. 

We can re-visit the chart to see what may have prompted Nilsen’s cooperative nature in answering the inquiries of the police.  I take note of Mercury (speaking) being semi-square (45 degrees) to Jupiter-Uranus (clarity, recognition of some form of inner truth, honesty with oneself).   Also, the proximity of natal and transiting Venus to the IC and Ascendant angles emphasizes the need to find balance and harmony in one’s life.  And, t/PoF-Neptune opposite both transiting and natal North Node could be an “ill-at-ease with uncertainty (t/PoF-Neptune) about one’s past actions (South Node, transiting and natal).  Only within the context of Nilsen’s current situation might we choose to interpret these factors in this way.