Author: PlanetaryDynamics

August 21st Total Eclipse & US Destiny – a Prognosis

- PlanetaryDynamics

A horoscope set up for the time of the inauguration of a nation will define its underlying potentials and characteristics. The Transits and Progressions to that chart track the ongoing developments of the psyche of the populous identified with that nation.

The chart of the leader of a country is also taken into account, with the Transits, Progressions and Eclipses pointing to the issues of current concern for the people. The leader or president of a country is the surrogate of the people and in that way the citizens of that country experience the benefits and challenges that are marked off in the leader’s horoscope and its dynamic aspects.

August 21st, 26th and 31st are game-changing dates astrologically for the United States because of Aspects coming to fruition in The US chart and that of the chart of its president, Donald Trump. The four to eight years an individual spends as a country’s leader work together with the intricacies of the nation’s chart. Aspects active in both the surrogate and the nation’s charts are powerful indicators of the challenges and developments the country must experience for its ongoing sustainability. There are several upcoming planetary influences to consider as agents of the molding of America.

The shadow of the Total Solar Eclipse of August 11, 1999 darkened a path through Europe and Asia and the effects for Europe was the adoption of the Euro to tie the countries together monetarily. The Euro that now links those previously independent countries has an ease of more than open borders, but with common currency as well. The coming August 21, 2017 Total Solar Eclipse will send a shadow across the United States from the Northern Pacific to the coast of South Carolina. The question is, what will be the effects on mainland USA? Unlike Europe, can we expect that the United States as we know it will break up into separate States, since it is already united? Actually, the country is already divided in political terms, as the two major parties are at extreme odds with each other. Will the Republicans and Democrats join forces and coalesce to support what now appears a shaky administration? Or will we continue down the partisan trail toward ultimate self-destruction? The eclipse of August 21 will force these issues to a point of recognition and resolution, because the eclipse traverses the entire mainland USA.

What does the eclipse have to offer its people through the chart of its surrogate leader Donald Trump?

The congressional and independent council investigations continue to probe into the facts surrounding Russia’s involvement in the 2016 US presidential election. There is the question of the validity of collusion with Russia and campaign associates to effect a favorable outcome for Trump, and although information is dripping steadily out for public consumption, there is still the Total Solar Eclipse waiting in the August wings to take the stage and reveal more truth.

A solar eclipse has its greatest effects on an individual or nation when it conjoins a sensitive point such as a planet, node or meridian of a horoscope. In the surrogate horoscope of Donald Trump, the total eclipse, exact at 28 Leo 50 on August 21, 2017, will be positioned directly on his Ascendant if using his chart time of 10:54 am. If that time is not correct, the eclipse still has a powerful Conjunct with Trump’s natal Mars. An eclipse has a 5 degree allowable orb.

The Ascendant is the indicator of one’s physical stamina, specifically the head and the heart when Mars is in Leo. It also points to one’s personal horizon or perspective on life with a selective view toward all issues in general. Trump is at ease when allowed to express himself without restraint, which is a Leo trait. There are no Squares or Oppositions to natal Mars, so he finds no inner conflict to his own Indomitable approach, and very little direct confrontation from others concerning it. Leo is the sign of Assurance, and that can manifest as self-confidence to a fault. Trump’s dominating attitude overpowers any assault from without, and the controversy he deals with comes from indirect innuendo or statements through intermediaries. A strong Mars on the Ascendant then, protects his personal opinions and solipsistic approach to issues. Buttressed by a Sextile of the Sun and a Trine from natal Moon, it is likely he will fare well under most challenges to any hypocrisy or aggression he may display.

A mere 10 days after the eclipse, August 31, 2017, Trump will experience a Mars Return at 26 Leo 47. Natal planets on one’s Ascendant become High Focus and this changes the keyword for Mars from INITIATIVE to INDOMITABLE. What normally would indicate a person intent on just pushing ahead, has escalated their action into an unstoppable force. This is well understood by those who attempt to influence Trump in regards to his sometimes controversial behavior, activities and policies. The Mars Return could set off some sparks in a personal way days before and after.

There are some Achilles heels in the horoscope however, and he cannot escape the often conflicting inner drives set off by the Sun/Moon Opposition which has no planet in Square to the two to create a Point Focus of a T-Cross that would lead to a way out of constant conflict and inner turmoil. And then there is the important Jupiter/Saturn Square creating a Sharp Destiny* which leaves him ever subject to the public’s stark scrutiny over any hint of the least wrongdoing.

Besides the powerful eclipse, there is Transiting Saturn, shown at the bottom of the chart circled in red, in Conjunction with Trump’s natal Moon, and the red line pointing to the Opposition Saturn will be making with his Sun at the same time. These Transit Aspects foretell great emotional stress. Trump and others often refer to there being a cloud over the White House, and indeed Saturn is associated with feelings of overshadowing gloom and doom and dark depression. Saturn will also Station at those planetary positions as well, amplifying the factors associated with the Transit. These are physical and emotional sensitive points that promise to bring a crescendo to the long developing controversies plaguing the Trump administration caused by his own doing.

While Trump, as the US surrogate, is experiencing a very active chart during the month of August, it is important to take note of the extremely powerful US Mercury Progressed Direct Station, and the US natal Pluto Return. These two factors prophesize a transformation in the policies and culture of the United States on an epic proportion. The Progressed Mercury Station is currently active and the natal Pluto Return will be ongoing through 2023.  Taking the US and Trump charts together, shows that this is an extremely important time in the history of the United States. It will be known as a transitional period and one that will teach the nation many lessons on governing.

Venus will be Transiting the US natal Mercury on the day of the eclipse. Venus rules money and Mercury in the US Progressions is in the midst of a Station going Direct.  The “critical regrasp” may be revelatory during the Venus Transit.

If Russia has been financing anyone or anything for any reason, and it pours over into US politics, it can be used against us in terms of blackmail, much like the concern Sally Yates posed about Michael Flynn’s clandestine involvements with Russia. We know that ultimately led to his firing/resignation in April 2017. And it does seems rather benign for Trump to ask that good relations develop with Russia so that we can fight terrorism together, but truth is the Russian government under Putin has proven to promote terrorist tactics itself. And the question is, why doesn’t the Trump administration recognize this fact? He need only look at the degradation in Syria and Russia’s part in it. And the recent protests in Russia by its citizens revolting over its leadership. And then there is the annexation of Crimea and the continuing border disputes over Lithuania.

More about US Transits and Progressions: USA Natal Chart, its Retrograde Planets and Pluto Return


*From the Essentials of Astrological Analysis: “Jupiter and Saturn in a Square Aspect indicate an ordering of the life’s fundamental motives through which the native usually suffers immediate consequences of even the least neglect or abuse of his own potentials. He finds he must fight continually for the ideals in which he has come to take the most consistent interest, and also learns that his conscious well-being is wholly dependent on the moral struggles in which he becomes involved almost inevitably at every stage of his experience.” 

Example: Early 20th century news commentator Walter Winchell (an American newspaper and radio gossip commentator, famous for attempting to destroy the careers of people both private and public whom he disliked.) Marc Edmund Jones statement about Winchell’s Jupiter/Saturn Square:  “. . . . whose career has been marked from the beginning by endless controversy and bitter indictment of his personality.” 

 

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Why So Famous? Michael Jackson

- PlanetaryDynamics

Corresponding to the overdose of “medicines” to assist him to sleep, was the Jupiter/Neptune Conjunction from the 12th house of hidden procedures, in Transit Opposite Michael Jackson’s natal Retrograde Mercury, shown by the red lines in the chart. Also blurring his awareness is the natal Sun/Moon Opposition especially when the Moon is Conjunct the Ascendant. The moon on the Ascendant shows that his perspective is caught up in his own very limited scope of experience. The Moon needs to be further through the houses to show a sense of having had enough life involvement to make decisions based on previous consequences.

The Opposition of the Lights indicates inner conflict concerning being true to himself as opposed to his need to fulfill the public demands on him. The Sun is the self’s Purpose, which is its keyword and the Moon represents his Feelings toward others in general. The T-Cross to a High Focus Saturn on the midheaven gives testimony to the influence of the father in terms of his connection to the outside world and career and is virtually why he was catapulted into the public eye. Having a Conjunction of a planet with the Midheaven brings it into High Focus, and that planet being the Point Focus of a T-Cross as well is a striking astrological aspect leaning toward potential for fame.

The natal Sun Conjunct Pluto, shown circled in orange, is another indicator of his profound influence on others. A Sun/Pluto Conjunction is an expression of the King Complex, and in Michael’s case, he was literally the King of Pop. Elvis, the King of Rock n’ Roll, has the power of a Sun/Pluto Opposition and represents a variation of the King Complex and its power to influence generations. Added strength to the Complex is shown by Mercury and Venus also in Opposition, and Conjunct the Sun through its 17-degree orb of allowance.

There are multiple Conjunctions of planets around the wheel in Michael’s chart and some in Elvis’ chart also. This emphasizes the ultra-strength of combined planetary energies as directed outward to impress upon others the native’s potentials. In both cases, the performer’s influence penetrated deeply into the public’s psyche and on a global scale.

The Stellium of planets in the 6th house in Michael’s chart shows that there is more effort than usual needed to achieve his potential with continual adjustments in self required while finding his place in the background scheme of things. Planets in the 6th house require the native to carve out a place in life through plain and simple hard work. For Michael, the 6th also points to misfit idiosyncrasies and unusual illnesses and accidents that followed him throughout his climb to success, and this includes his failure to sustain the rigorous routine that led ultimately to his untimely end of medical negligence and drug dependence.

The Progressed Moon just leaving a two-month Square to natal Jupiter in the 8th house of ultimate transitions is the indicator of the inner stress and outer excess the singer endured in the months leading up to his death.

 

Hillary Reemerges – Code Conference 2017

- PlanetaryDynamics

Hillary Clinton emerged for the 2017 Code Conference in Palos Verdes, California to open up and speak about how she’s feeling six months after losing the US presidential campaign to Donald Trump. The chart shows the planetary Transits of the conference day and her Progressions as they affected her natal horoscope and brought her once again into the public arena.

Transiting Saturn (red arrow in chart) was exactly opposite Hillary’s natal Uranus on the day of the conference. The Sabian Symbol for Uranus at 26 degrees Gemini is, Winter frost in the woods. She made her unexpected (Uranus) appearance precisely when the time-keeper Saturn designated. Finally, her sense of integrity (Saturn) had an outlet for expression when the Opposition gave her the opportunity. It was her chance to express her views in direct contradiction to the radical and damaging accusations cast upon her during the campaign, shown by an unruly Natal Uranus in the 8th house of social acceptance. She has had time to reorient herself as the planet and Sabian Symbol’s positive point suggests (shown in blue). And as a result, she was able to materialize her perspective that is often projected into the world during times of polarizing, Transit Oppositions.

GEMINI 26  Winter frost in the woods  This is a symbol of the cosmic significance in any momentary cancellation of the more immediate interests and private concerns, and the em­phasis is on the supremacy of the needs and powers of nature over the aspirations and conveniences of man. Implicit in the static symbolism is the call for a reorientation in the individual’s point of view, and for some further discovery of the self’s potentials. Normal life is brought to a point of sharp suspension so that the larger magic may be manifest. The keyword is SPLENDOR. When positive, the degree is the creative transformation by which older cycles give way to newer ones, and when negative, a reduction of the useless to a total annihilation.

Also exact in Aspect (green arrow) is Hillary’s Progressed Moon making a supportive Sextile to her 9th house natal Saturn in the Sabian Symbol of A carrier pigeon. Here we see, in the symbol interpretation, the intelligence we know her to possess. But having no Natal Opposition potentials in her chart started her off in life with disabling mental blocks to the challenges she’d face throughout her career. She is doggedly going about following her intuition as the symbol below points out, but lacking an Opposition she’s missing the firm anchor in the outer world to stabilize her, and this weakens her ability to project and sustain her vision. This causes the negative of the symbol, highlighted in green below, to manifest a bit too often for her own good. Examples are the health care debacle of the 90’s, the issue of her vote to go to war in Iraq in 2002, and more recently in 2016, the controversy over sending classified information through her private email server.

LEO 22  A carrier pigeon This is a symbol of the unlimited service of life at large to the special requirements of an individual’s intelligence or understanding. Implicit in the symbolism is the extraordinary extent to which man may Count on learning whatever he may need to know whenever he faces any unfamiliar or critical issue. Here is a universal sensitiveness of mind which in a sense commands all-knowledge, and receives messages of immediate pertinence through sheer intuition whenever its rational capacity has been developed. The keyword is ENLIGHTENMENT. When positive, the degree is a complete mastery of all things through the normal processes of thought, and when negative, a lack of simple good sense.

To comment on Hillary’s Natal chart, we can easily see that her Temperament Type* is a SPLAY. There are the three distinct and required segments, with the Moon set off by itself becoming the High Focus Reins planet in the 4th house of overall inner consolidation. The Moon’s Sabian Symbol is 23 Pisces.

PISCES 23  Spiritist phenomena This is a symbol of the organic integrity of the world at large, evident here in man’s facility for actual and conscious co-operation with the potentials of an immortal reality. Implicit in the symbolism is the fact that the individual will be conditioned increasingly by the caprice of his ideas and the mishaps of his experience unless he gives continual attention to the realms of reality he has thought to make particularly his own. He achieves as he holds a clear picture of the end results he desires. The keyword is SENSITIVITY. When positive, the degree is exceptional ability in shaping every immediate aspect of life to a personal convenience, and when negative, instability and confused perspective.

There is no Grand Trine to create a grove in activity for the momentum needed to easily arrive at the ultimate position she’s longed for over the years. And there are no planets in the 10th house of professional standing, which again leaves her at a disadvantage and stumbling. Also lacking are other chart features that would otherwise help to reach the place in life she covets. Although a courageous public servant, Hillary’s highest points in her career were virtually given to her first by her husband’s powers of administration while president of the US, and second through the appointment as Secretary of State by Barak Obama. By her own efforts she was voted a Senator for New York State, but not until after proving her abilities from previous assisted accomplishments. The Splay can produce a complex and inwardly stable potential, and Hillary’s physical and emotional stamina certainly owes much to this particular Temperament Type. But the negative of the Moon’s symbol shown in blue, is an ever-challenging threat to the Splay’s stabilizing potentials. Another challenge comes from the sometimes self-sabotaging feature of a Sun in the constraining 12th house, which is also the clue to her dependence on the initiative of others for support and direction.

By the end of 2018, we’ll see Transit Uranus make an Opposition to Hillary’s Natal Sun. This will undoubtedly propel her once again into the arena of public service in perhaps a more unique manner than usual.

*Read more about Temperament Types + Graphs

 

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Trump & Comey, a Failed Bromance

- PlanetaryDynamics

Seems the bromance has ended before the exact Transit aspects can take hold August 2017 that “promise” more intense events. On May 9, 2017, Trump fired FBI Director, James Comey, and thus set the stage for an even broader probe into the interference of Russia in the 2016 US elections. It looks a bit suspicious that the firing of the Director came at a time when subpoenas were being issued for records relating to Michael Flynn, the former national security adviser. Is Trump, in a transparent way, trying to obstruct justice?

Here is a quote from The New York Times, May 9 edition:

“In a sign of the F.B.I.’s intense interest in Mr. Trump’s advisers, a grand jury in Virginia issued subpoenas in recent weeks for records related to the former White House national security adviser, Michael T. Flynn, according to an American official familiar with the case. Mr. Flynn is under investigation for his financial ties to Russia and Turkey. Grand jury subpoenas are a routine part of federal investigations and are not a sign that charges are imminent. It was not clear that the subpoenas, which were first reported by CNN, were related to Mr. Comey’s firing.“

Chart 1 shows Trump’s Natal horoscope in the inner wheel with Comey’s Progressions for May in the outer wheel. Shown with the purple arrow is an aspect that “follows the money.” We can see that Comey’s Progressed Venus is in the 8th house of joint financial dealings, directly opposite Trump’s Natal Neptune in the 2nd house of personal finances. Neptune in Trump’s 2nd house points to the smokescreen he nurtures to obscure his unfulfilled promise to reveal his tax returns, and his unwillingness to discuss the reality of his business connections with Russia. It is important to point out that political officials, including the president of the United States, engaging in personal and financial connections with Russia puts the entire country at a security risk. Their clandestine involvements and investments makes them vulnerable to pressure or blackmail. This is precisely why General Michael Flynn was fired. It’s counterproductive, not to mention that the US and Russia are adversaries.

Astrologically, Comey’s focus on Trump’s 2nd house circumstances is obvious, and his Progressed Venus shows that the inquiry into Trump’s business transactions is/was already well underway. This is clear by noting that Progressed Venus is passed the exact aspect. Oppositions are penetrating and polarizing, and Comey’s Progressed Venus in Trump’s 8th house of other people’s resources corresponds to the dogged probe to uncover the truth, and exacerbates the conflict between the two men. Trump’s Neptunian sense may very well have intuitively alerted him that Comey was hot on his trail, albeit in the smooth manner with which Venus expresses itself even when confronted by a challenge. Venus takes approximately a year to move in and out of a Progressed aspect.

There are also Oppositions between Comey’s Progressed Jupiter and Saturn to Trump’s Natal Saturn and Venus shown by the red arrows. Oppositions with Saturn are highly sensitive, and it looks like the two have been deeply concerned and entangled in a “love”/hate dynamic for awhile. Ending the FBI director’s career on May 9th was Trump’s way of breaking the tie in the hopes that the investigation would go away. But the interaction between the two is not over, as there is more to come in August 2017 when astrological factors increase, for Trump, Comey and the country as a whole. The Aspects include the Total Solar Eclipse across the face of the United States on August 21, and the Station of Saturn Conjunct Trump’s Moon and Opposite his Sun on August 26.

Chart 2 shows very strong Aspects with planets that have an even more powerful effect on the situation then the planets that were active during the time of Comey’s firing.

Not very easy for Comey, is Transit Pluto coming to rest on his natal Saturn in August (shown in the purple circle at the bottom right of the chart). The Squares from these natal and Transit planets put pressure on and activates Trump’s natal Jupiter in the 2nd house. Curiously, Jupiter’s Sabian Symbol degree of 18 Libra is, Two men placed under arrest. It is most likely that Comey’s irritation at being so gruffly handled sets the Squares to work trying to reveal incriminating evidence and bring criminal charges against this president. The Squares act in covert fashion, as opposed to direct confrontation characteristic of Oppositions.

It is also important to remember in regards to the activation of Trump’s Jupiter that it is in Square to its planetary pair Saturn and reveals a SHARP DESTINY.*

The eastern angel of the chart shows Comey’s natal Uranus “rubbing up against” and irritating Trump’s natal Mars – suggesting Trump’s vulnerability to anger through this interaction of cross-planets. An activation of this shared potential is due in late August when there is a Mars Return for the president. Out of the darkness of the hidden 12th house activity, may arise the information that Comey so radically desires to reveal.

At the top of the chart is shown a very stressful Opposition taking place between Trump’s Progressed Uranus and Comey’s Natal Sun at 21 Gemini 18. This brings to the fore and electrifies the head-butting and ultra-challenging Opposition of their Natal Suns. This is a direct conflict and confrontation of Wills, even though the Suns are in compatible elements. This type of Aspect, although magnetically drawing the two individuals together, also gives a keen and sharp awareness of each other’s PURPOSE, which in this case is diametrically opposed in their objectives. As well as being such a profound player in the aspect between the two individuals and their goals, the Progressed Uranus is also directly Conjunct Trump’s own Natal Sun, giving him that bigger-than-life, radical, iconoclastic and sometimes bombastic manner and approach to his presidency. Trump’s Progressed Uranus will be Conjunct his Natal Sun for the duration of his term in office as president of the United States. If he has only one 4 year term or is impeached for any reason, the Progression will follow him into his private life. Freedom is an attribute of Uranus. How long will he be in office?

Now that James Comey is no longer at the helm of the FBI, there is a candidate, Joe Lieberman, waiting in the wings to possibly take that now empty position. And Trump is attracted to Lieberman as a substitute for Comey, because he is aware of the gracious connection between Lieberman and his former national security adviser, Michael Flynn. We know this because Lieberman wrote a thoughtful and supportive testimonial for the first page of Flynn’s book, The Field of Fight, published in 2016. The two men obviously know each other and this acquaintance just might make for a more amiable interaction between the head of the FBI and the former security adviser who is now about to be “called on the carpet” because of recent subpoenas.

UPDATE: Because of controversial issues, Lieberman is no longer a candidate for the directorship of the FBI.

It’s possible that the big changes in Comey’s life are related to the Progressed Stations of Neptune and Mercury coming in the near future for the now unemployed civil servant. The blue highlight in the graph shows Comey at age 57 corresponding to year 2017. Neptune is already in the throes of a great turnaround, ultimately due in 2019. Neptune has such a slow orbit that there is no doubt that this is one of the factors carrying out transformation in Comey’s daily life even though 2 years away from absolute standstill before turning Retrograde.

Comey’s Progressed Mercury will go Retrograde in 2021 and will undoubtedly mark the time of a consciousness turning inward with the result of a more comprehensive understanding of life at the time he was so high profile. These important Stations, as well as the Transits in the offing, indicate a still very involved and lively career in store for the honorable, but sometimes dubious and very emotional ex-FBI Director. His Leading and emotionally charged High Focus Mars, in the already emotional sign of Cancer, reveals its intensity through his speech and mannerisms which can easily be witnessed through his testimonies at several Senate hearings shown on YouTube.   

* “Jupiter and Saturn in square aspect indicate an ordering of life’s fundamental motives through which the native usually suffers very immediate consequences of even the least neglect or abuse of his own potentials. He finds he must fight continuously for the ideals in which he has come to take the most consistent interest, and also learns that his conscious well-being is wholly dependent on the moral struggles in which he becomes involved almost inevitably at every stage of his experience. . . . . Personal existence under this configuration can become either a great opportunity or else a gradual disintegration of the soul in the very core of itself.” (page 124, Essentials of Astrological Analysis)

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Toshiro Mifune, the face of Akira Kurosawa’s Stories

- PlanetaryDynamics

Actor Toshiro Mifune and director Akira Kurosawa had a collaborative destiny in film par excellence. Both were superb in the expression of their individual talents but it is to Toshiro Mifune that we will focus our attention. We’ll look to see what it is in the heavenly bodies that reflect what took place during his career as an actor in Kurosawa’s films.

Toshiro Mifune was born in China to Japanese parents and followed in the footsteps of his father’s career in the arts, albeit in motion pictures as opposed to still photography. His first presence on film was when he was a baby and his father used him as a subject for an advertisement project. Later, as an adult, Mifune was catapulted into stardom as an actor thanks to his good looks and larger-than-life prowess on the big screen. His dominating presence and acting style have been compared with that of Marlon Brando, and like John Ford who featured John Wayne in many of his films, Kurosawa repeatedly placed Mifune in the leading roles in his.

The world recognition of this Japanese team’s contribution to cinema came about through accolades that were given to western, blockbuster remakes of these Asian prototypes. Kurosawa’s 1954 epic Seven Samurai, starring Toshiro Mifune, was the inspiration for The Magnificent Seven released in 1960, and again in 2016 with yet another all-star cast. George Lucas’ Star Wars, released in 1977, was inspired by Kurosawa’s 1958 forerunner The Hidden Fortress where Mifune became the archetype for Obi-Wan Kenobi. The Japanese team’s 1961 Yojimbo was used as the concept for the 1967 spaghetti western, A Fist Full of Dollars which made Clint Eastwood into an international star, and there are many more remake examples of this creative team’s repertoire too numerous to list here.

Interestingly, Kurosawa considered his precursor John Ford, the famed Hollywood director, to be his idol. He admired and used Ford’s techniques in lighting and cinematography to lay the foundation for his own early films, including the 1950 film Rashomon, which received worldwide acclaim for its camera angles and style. Here again the lead was played by Mifune, who was chosen for the role because his emotional power was riveting which is just what the part required.

Astrological support for Mifune’s impressive character renditions was provided by the energy-charged Pluto, Mars, and Uranus trio of planets that are the components of a coveted Grand Trine in water signs. This Focal Determinator is a configuration that passes one planet’s energy to the others in turn in circular fashion, building character and personality along the way. The circulating energies promote a pyramiding effect that taps the inner talents with which the native was born, for the purpose of furthering its ongoing development. In contrast, opposition aspects facilitate one’s outreach into the objective world. The two very different types of aspects work together to manifest outwardly what the Grand Trine generates from within.

Akira Kurosawa

The 120-degree aspect was and still is considered a blessed feature to have in a horoscope, however, the Grand Trine was thought to be a hindrance by ancient astrologers because of its tendency to create habitual grooves of activity whether for good or ill. It also indicates an inclination to pamper or protect oneself within the confines of its own subjective reality and this can often interfere with the native’s ability to take advantage of normal opportunities that oppositions offer. Mifune’s dependence on alcohol was his way of avoiding direct interaction with challenges to his will. However, the Grand Trine still endowed him with the ability to reach a pinnacle of success at least in the world of Japanese cinema and foreign audiences up to the task of tackling subtitles.

If a negative pattern of activity is set in motion by a native and supported by the grooving propensity of a Grand Trine, as with Mifune’s periodic alcoholic binges, there is the possibility to break from this downward spiral through the activation of a planet in square with any of the three planets in the balanced triangle. A planet in a 90-degree aspect to the Grand Trine can disrupt a destructive momentum by creating an inner struggle that allows the native to withdraw, however difficult it may be, from negative habit patterns. The opportunity for such interruptions of conditioning is when there are significant transits or progressions activating the planet in square to the Grand Trine, especially by conjunction or opposition. The withdrawal from the ongoing repetitious act offers a reset in attitude and encourages new and more constructive patterns to be established. Going forward, the Grand Trine will then support a new groove of experience the same as it did for the negative cycle needing to be discarded.

Mifune’s chart configurations show that he has the capacity to break from repetitive, negative behaviors, thanks to the conjunction of Jupiter and Neptune in square with Mars that takes part in the Grand Trine. In the creative sign of Scorpio, Mars bestowed upon the native a magnetic, sexual panache. This made the actor highly desirable to audiences and that resulted in high box office revenue for the filmmakers.

The Jupiter-Neptune exact conjunction is the source of the magnitude of the actor’s big screen presence. Neptune relates to conscious imagery, with movies being the extension and projection of man’s imagination. Jupiter in tight conjunction with Neptune expands the illusory and phantasmal influence of which Neptune is characteristic.

Unique Chart Features

There are five retrograde planets in Mifune’s natal chart that encourage the highly introspective nature of the native and this emphasizes the already internalization of the Grand Trine. The sympathy and compassion for his fellow actors and the tender side he revealed to some are traits related to the three planets in Pisces. Uranus is the Cutting planet of his powerful Locomotive Temperament Type, with the pattern being fairly ideal since the chart includes the desired Grand Trine with a Core Opposition formed by Uranus applying to the moon separating from the aspect. The keyword for Uranus is Independence, However, in High Focus its keyword becomes Experimentative. With a strong sense of freedom to act as he was intuitively inspired, Mifune was given Uranian free rein in the interpretation of the characters he portrayed in Kurosawa’s films. The Locomotive temperament imbues a driving force of personality, and the momentum of the Grand Trine furthers the projection of the native’s personality onto others. Men could easily identify with the forceful, masculinity he projected, and women could melt under his fiery influence.

There is no exact time of birth documented for the actor, so one can only assume several birth hour possibilities. When supposing that Mifune’s birth was in the earliest hours of April 1, 1920, his Sun’s Sabian symbol would be The president of the country. What is fascinating about the description of this symbol is the several references to playing a role among his fellows and the impact that position would have in bringing the native notoriety.

ARIES 11 The president of the country This is a symbol of high ego on the impersonal side, evident in the complete and naïve dedication of the individual to some part he chooses to play among his fellows. Implicit here is the selection of such a role as will have a maximum breadth of recognition, so that the player may be established in a reality which he would be quite unable to sustain by himself. There is a subordination of all other considerations to one primary act of individual assurance. The keyword is IDEALIZATION. When positive, the degree is the self-sacrifice required of anybody who would be­come the creative representative of eternal value, and when negative, an often well-meaning but usually destructive assertiveness or vain pretense.

As the day progressed, however, the Sun moved to the following degree and image. Had Mifune been born just before noon or thereafter the symbol would have been A flock of wild geese. This symbol’s detailed description could also reflect the native’s actual role in life. However, it is best to avoid giving too much credence to the Sun’s Sabian image until the true time of birth emerges, which in this case is highly improbable. For comparison’s sake, the alternative symbol follows:

ARIES 12 A flock of wild geese This is a symbol of the irresistible aspiration and indomitable desire for freedom which represent the real core of personality, and which in everyday affairs are often the sole manifestation of an individual’s immortal potential. Here there are vagaries of immediate caprice to the point of irresponsibility, but through them is the undeviating course characteristic of the migratory fowl and so a promise of obligations to be met and ideals to be realized. The keyword is INSOUCIANCE. When positive, the degree is a completely naïve independence or an ever-immediate capacity for rising above any given involvement in experience, and when negative, thoughtless disinterest in anything of real value to the self.

The powerful impact on audiences of Mifune’s screen persona is provided by the Locomotive temperament that is buttressed in the chart by the multiple conjunctions of planets around the wheel. Planets that “join forces” through 0 to 10 degrees orb arrangement, amplify their potential to impress their energies onto others. This can be seen by the actor’s influence over the director when having his way continuously in terms of acting style and presentation. Spontaneous contributions were encouraged, and this can be seen astrologically by the exact opposition from the native’s Sun to Kurosawa’s Jupiter. Mifune’s ego complimented the director’s enthusiasm with each offering the other a vehicle of personal self-expression and gratification.

Mifune’s Moon-Saturn conjunction shows he was calculating and possibly passive rather than spontaneous in his acting methods, and he was known for preparing the nuances of his characters’ nature and mannerisms far in advance of his performances. The trine to the Sun from the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction is all the planetary influence he needed for the smooth interpretation of the compelling characters he played.

The Kurosawa-Mifune collaboration consisted of 16 films, with Mifune’s career spanning from 1948 to 1965. In all, the actor appeared in 150 feature films. Although it is hard to think of him appearing in any films as great as those made with Kurosawa, a possible contender might be the 1954 Samurai Trilogy directed by Hiroshi Inagaki in which he portrayed with gusto, the renowned and undefeated swordsman, Miyamoto Musashi.

 

Planetary Aspects, the Electrical Connections of Intelligence

- PlanetaryDynamics

Ancient civilizations observed the night skies with awe and wonder on a nightly basis. They had no distractions from the starry vault by televisions, cell phones, computers and other digital devices. They dedicated their time to a comprehensive understanding of the movements of the stars, planets and other heavenly phenomena. Observatories were common in their cultural centers with remnants of them remaining as a physical record of their highly sophisticated celestial calculations.

El Caracol, the crumbling observatory tower at Chichen’ Itza’ in Mexico reaches far above the Yucatan jungle and was the means by which ancient Maya astronomers viewed the sky to track solstices, equinoxes and eclipses and specifically the orbit of Venus. The Maya recorded their findings in books, although most were destroyed during the European conquest in the first millennia. One of the surviving three ancient texts called Codices tells of the 26,000-year cycle using the long-count calendar. There is no doubt that sky observation dominated the minds of the Maya during their classical period.

The priests and noble classes of past cultures used astronomical activity as a means of dominance over the lives of the masses they ruled. The predictable synchronicity between activities on Earth as they correspond to celestial conditions and planetary cycles gave the astronomer/astrologer priests a preview of coming events. This foreknowledge was used to prove to their subjects the powers they held in the scheme of daily life. They assigned the planets godlike attributes based on their longtime observations of its effects on nature and humanity. Since astrology developed over a vast period of time it became known as an empirical science.

The astrological name for the interrelationship of energies between planets in the solar system and their potential to affect human experience is called an aspect. Astrological aspects are defined by the mathematical configurations of the ten planets (Sun and Moon included) as they communicate with each other in their cyclical orbits. The planets are viewed from a geodesic perspective because our experience is Earth-centered. The five primary geometric aspect relationships are called major aspects. They are a separation of their orbits in terms of the Conjunction at 0 degrees, the Sextile at 60 degrees, the Square at 90, the Trine at 120, and the Opposition at 180 degrees. apart.

There is a 10-degree allowance of orb for the planets, 12.5 for the Moon and a 17-degree allowance for the Sun. A Sextile for example can be active when planets are 70 degrees apart. There are also a myriad of minor aspects that become pertinent when a chart reading necessitates an examination of more subtle personal capacities.

The chart of physicist Wal Thornhill, the founder of The Thunderbolts Project is shown with lines connecting planets in major aspect. The mathematical division of the circle defines the way the core planetary spheres and their electromagnetic fields interconnect. These geometric relationships describe the unique characteristics of an individual or group entity. It is not numbers or math that endow the planets with power to influence our lives, it is their electrical activity that penetrates the Solar System as a whole. The planetary forces exert their objectives as they activate the potentials of the horoscope through temporary transits and developmental progressions.

In Symbols of an Alien Sky, at 52:10 of the YouTube video, Wal Thornhill states,

In an electric solar system, if two planets or moons approach each other from regions of different potential, an electric discharge will occur producing plasma formations stretching between the approaching bodies.

At 34:32 in the YouTube Video, An Electric Cosmology for the 21st Century, Wal Thornhill states,

The Solar System has currents flowing through it, and there are currents flowing between planets at certain times. In this case Venus.

The diagram below shows Venus in an inferior conjunction alignment with the Sun and Earth. There is a visual energy trail from Venus caused by the Sun. This effect was photographed by the SOHO spacecraft.

Innate within these plasma formations is the intelligent spark of life and consciousness. Circled in green are two planets in Thornhill’s horoscope that were in extremely close contact at the hour of his birth. Although Thornhill’s exact time of birth is not known to this astrologer, there is no doubt that the slowly orbiting planets, Saturn and Uranus, were making this very tight conjunction aspect on May 2, 1942. This is an extraordinary connection between these two planets as they are within 3 minutes of exact conjunction. It is also in a special zodiacal position in the heavens known as the Pleiades. (1) It is a group of stars also known as the Weeping Sisters or the Seven Sisters. This group of stars is known to be in one of the nearest constellations to Earth and many cults from ancient times to the present have developed a belief in its profound and sometimes ominous effects on humankind.

On the other hand, the star group is believed to bring great wisdom and knowledge to anyone born under its influence, and it is also believed to be the source of knowledge channeled from several “non-corporal” entities. Regardless of myths and cults associated with 29 degrees Taurus, the conjunction aspect in Thornhill’s chart endows him with a potential for deep Saturnian wisdom coupled with Uranian higher consciousness.

Often these two planets are seen to be diametrically opposed in their characteristic and meaning. Saturn is conscience. Its sensitiveness gives rise to moral considerations and socially acceptable behavior. The planet’s transits and progressions give opportunities for the native to conform to common customs. If guilt is felt for wrongdoing, a subsequent period of regret and a change of heart is required to assuage conscience. It is the opposite in regard to the trailblazer Uranus. Known as the Promethean impulse, it has the capacity to break free of the common restraints and boundaries for which Saturn is known. It paves new ground and feels justified and responsible for creating new paradigms.

These differing energies in Thornhill’s chart seem to work well together in a blend of tradition and innovation. What might have been a youthful internal ambivalence becomes in maturity a Saturn steadying of focus on the Uranian iconoclastic approach Thornhill developed. His challenge to generations of scientists bogged down in outdated cosmologies helps promote his hypothesis of the more realistic Electric Universe.

The birthright and potentials of the Saturn/Uranus conjunction include a generation of individuals born during the same year as Thornhill. The slow-moving duo lasted throughout the entire year of 1942 and what makes this conjunction so significant for Thornhill is its exactitude and relationship with several other supporting planets at the time.

The Saturn/Uranus Conjunction potential is further understood through an examination of their keyword definitions. Saturn’s keyword is Sensitiveness and Uranus has the keyword Independence. Thornhill broke away from established academia because of an overriding sensitiveness and dedication to the facts he was able to uncover in his pioneering search. Uranus’ keyword when it is prominent in a horoscope takes on a different and more fascinating keyword, Experimentative. Thornhill relies on laboratory experimentation to explain and validate imagery and observations of outer space.

Mercury conjunct Saturn and Uranus bring added meaning with its keyword Inquisitive. This points to Thornhill’s probing Mentality (another Mercury keyword). The Sun too is conjunct in this grouping in Taurus and creates a Stellium in Sign. The four together amplify the meaning of Taurus which is an earth sign and element and is representative of the physical properties of the cosmos. The Sun’s keyword is Purpose and its position is exactly 17 degrees apart from Saturn/Uranus. It makes a conjunction with the two at the widest separation allowable. The Stellium, a Focal Determinator in the chart, points to an important feature of the natal chart. It would be interesting to know the exact placement of the Moon and how it might enter into the chart dynamics but that is only possible when the exact time of birth is known.

The Green lines pointing from Venus to the triple Conjunction of Mercury, Saturn and Uranus reveal the multiple sextiles at birth. The sextile aspect is a derivation of the triangle which denotes in astrology an ease in connecting with people and receiving their assistance. Venus’ benefic effects then add Appreciation to the already stacked potentials for rewarding and supportive experience via the multiple sextiles. The chart’s challenging stresses come from the opposition of Venus to Neptune shown with a red line connecting them. However, this polarization gives rise to another Focal Determinator of importance. It is Jupiter in a symmetrical 90-degree aspect to both Neptune and Venus. This 90-degree angle to the 180-degree opposition is shown with the red and purple lines is called a T-Cross. The configuration forms the letter T, whether it is right side up, on its side or upside down. The planet that creates the stem of the T is considered in Point Focus. This planet becomes the release and outlet for the more static opposition. It stems from and is the point through which the energy intelligence flows and has its potential expression. It becomes a powerful force by being sparked and energized by the electrical charges it receives from the planets in the polarizing opposition. Jupiter, the Point Focus of the T-Cross takes on the keyword Paternal with Jupiter revealing the guiding propensity in the native’s character. Thornhill wishes to spread the truth of the Electrical Universe and with the help of Point Focus Jupiter, he does so by “adopting” those underlings he deems worthy of his enlightened message.

The Pleiades are to the solar system the source of electrical energy and, just as our sun is the embodiment of the heart

or love aspect of the Logos . . . . , so the Pleiades are the feminine opposite of Brahma.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 A Treatise on Cosmic Fire by Alice Bailey

 

From the American Federation of Astrologers:
The Babylonians are generally credited with the birth of astrology. Their astrological charts enabled them to predict the recurrence of seasons and certain celestial events. So in the beginning and for more than 2,000 years, astrology and astronomy were the same science.
Babylonian astrology was introduced to the Greeks early in the 4th century B.C. and, through the studies of Plato, Aristotle, and others, astrology came to be highly regarded as a science. It was soon embraced by the Romans (the Roman names for the zodiacal signs are still used today) and the Arabs and later spread throughout the entire world.
While earliest astrology was used to bring a sense of order out of apparent chaos, it was soon utilized to predict weather patterns, primarily for agricultural purposes. It was eventually broadened to include forecasts of natural disasters and war and other events in the course of human affairs. Amassing successes in these fields, it was a natural progression for astrology to be used as counsel for kings and emperors and, in time, for all of us.
*From A Treatise on Cosmic Fire by Alice Bailey

The Pleiades are to the solar system the source of electrical energy and, just as our sun is the embodiment of the heart or love aspect of the Logos . . . . , so the Pleiades are the feminine opposite of Brahma. (The third aspect. Page 156.)


The repetition of the symbolic harvest time theme in the chart is notable. There is the reference to a harvest dance in Jupiter’s original symbol of 22 degrees Gemini, as well as with Venus’ 27 degree symbol, A harvest Moon.

**GEMINI 22 A barn dance This is a symbol of complete self-fulfillment through the established or normal activities of the community at large, and of a consummation of self by the broadest possible participation in the divisions of labor which constitute a human society. Richness of living comes from an uninhibited sharing of everyday potentialities, together with a maximum of happy give-and-take between any one indivi­dual and any other. The keyword is GREGARIOUSNESS. When positive, the degree is an ability to plunge into major and re­warding experiences without the least self-reservation, and when negative, a dependence on superficialities for self-satis­faction and on petty indulgences for self-assurance.

***PISCES 27 A harvest moon This is a symbol of life’s mo­ments of culmination as the threshold of new achievement rather than as any canceling out of experience in the given aspect, and it emphasizes the fact that nature in her immeas­urable prodigality is forever showering man with the products of her untiring creativeness. She is saying to him that his productivity is as rich as hers, and that the highly concentrated resources of the world are at the immediate service of anyone who will put them to use and so facilitate their replacement. The keyword is BENEDICTION. When positive, the degree is self-consummation which is successful beyond any possibility of measure, and when negative, loss of self in a welter of op­portunity.

 

Bill O’Reilly On Fire and Deposed

- PlanetaryDynamics

The recent self-induced calamity in the life of Bill O’Reilly is a fall of catastrophic proportions and an extremely embarrassing one in terms of his lost footing as a television host on Fox News Channel. He is also an author, journalist, syndicated columnist, and political commentator with leanings to the far Right. Throughout his career there has been controversy over his racist remarks on the air as well as allegations of sexual harassment behind the scenes. His untoward behavior with woman has risen from rumor to public exposure. The result is satisfaction given to self-respecting women and supporters of fairness and respect in the workplace. There are at least five women who have received in total 13 million dollars to be appeased and to keep quiet about their uncomfortable ordeals and lost opportunities because of his misuse of power.

In today’s media transparency it is almost impossible to shield oneself from reaping the justified backlash coming from unorthodox acts even if you throw big money at people. And why is this one not getting away with his backstage antics? Here in a brief analysis of O’Reilly’s Natal chart with Transits and Progressions, we’ll track the development of a conscience now needing to repent at best, and at worst continue his uninhibited, disrespectful advances toward random women, albeit now in the shadows of life outside Fox News.

Being born with Saturn Conjunct the Sun can be challenging and sometimes painful, but it also can indicate a very focused and purposeful life. The higher road takes you to prominence and personal responsibility, which is true in O’Reilly’s case. But one can fall from the heights if the higher way is not chosen because of vulnerability to the id. It is Saturn’s task to create awareness through self-reflection or by social pressures. The planet’s Transits and Progressions open the door for acknowledging and correcting failures brought to light, and the process is accomplished through the function of good conscience. Saturn is in fact the Solar System’s counterpart and indicator of personal growth. Bill O’Reilly is in the middle of some very serious Transits and Progressions, and the planetary pair of Saturn and Jupiter are major players, as well as aspects with the Significant planets Uranus, Neptune and Pluto foretelling of big change.

At this time, Progressed Saturn is only a slight 13 minutes passed exact Conjunction of O’Reilly’s Natal Sun. This is conscience or Karma coming home to roost, and the aspect can be seen by the short red line at the top of the chart leading from Progressed Saturn in the middle ring to the Natal Sun in 17Virgo36.

There are no Squares or Oppositions to the Sun in this chart to suggest that the soul will take the hint and transform its unacceptable behavior. Most likely the discomfort of the Saturn Transit will last the length of the aspect and if not curbed in other ways and by outside forces, the tendency will be to take the charges lightly, leading to a continuation of the career as a writer.

Transit Jupiter in the outer ring shows a temporary Conjunction with O’Reilly’s Neptune in the sign of balance in relationships. A Neptunian desire to cloud the reason with alcohol and/or drugs may be considered at this time. But the policeman characteristics of Jupiter may very well arrest Neptune’s tendency to deviate from normal boundaries of respect when in the company of women and people of color. In other words, this may be the perfect time and opportunity to curb his perpetual problems and extreme points of view by getting professional advice.

Transit Uranus Opposes Natal Venus which signals the sudden and unexpected downfall at the hands of a few good woman. And if the time of birth is close to noon, the moon Opposite Venus may be the Natal “tell” of potentially disruptive interactions with the opposite sex.

Finally, a look at the powerful Station of Transit Pluto Conjunct Natal Jupiter in the degree of Two awards for bravery in war.  This Retrograde Station of Pluto, shown at the bottom left of the chart, is exact on April 21 – a mere one day after the announcement of O’Reilly’s dismissal from Fox News Channel. Apparently, The awards in this case are going to the women who have stood up to this traumatizing and demeaning episode in their lives.

Pluto brings out the truth in circumstances, and a transformation of consciousness is often part of the opportunity. And it is not only for the perpetrator in this instance, but it is a call to transformation of other victimizers worldwide, thanks to the public nature of this scandal that brought justice in the end. The fact that O’Reilly walked away with an additional $25 million is his reward, not so much for a brave and righteous attitude in the situation however. Indeed the negative of the Sabian Symbol is: strutting self-exploitation. There is a record of this type of behavior recorded in his news broadcast through the years, as well as through testimony of those who recently came forward to receive their well-deserved awards for bravery.

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Jane & Lily = Grace & Frankie

- PlanetaryDynamics

Actresses Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin are revolutionizing the paradigm of longtime acting. Their successful Netflix series, Grace and Frankie, sends a message to all those who are 70 + years, that there is life after “old age” and plenty of it. A delightful banter is what keeps the show interesting for best friend buddies who were previously at odds in their way of life and perspective. Now forced to live together in their mutually owned beach house, after the husbands have come out and proclaimed their gay intent to marry, they are co-dependent and loving it.

Jane was fascinated by Lily years ago and offered a part to her in the comedy Nine to Five. The concept of men verses women in the work place was a hit then, and the longtime friendship produced another great premise and example, in Grace and Frankie, of the power of women to survive in a man’s harsh world.

Now for a look at the overall comparison of two special planetary groups in partnership analysis. They are Mars, Venus, Mercury and Sun, Moon, Ascendant.

The connection  between planets in the charts of the two ladies is striking. There are few compatibilities in terms of same planet to planet comparison in the category of Efficiency; Mars, Venus and Mercury. None of the three indicators are in compatible elements. This reveals their ability to play on each other’s vast differences.

The ideal situation is when there are two harmonies and one not between the three factors in each category. Taking the Sun, Moon and Ascendant, the ladies’ Moons and Ascendants are compatible in Triplicity, and that points to what is called One Point Inharmony of Suns in the category of Vitality. A focus of disharmonious Suns equals incompatible Wills. They may differ greatly in temperament and perspective on life, but it is their “willingness to work in harness”* that facilitates the ability to manifest a message greater than each could accomplish alone. The combo of the two idiosyncratic personalities is the crux of what makes Grace and Frankie so unique in the world of girlfriend relationships. This astrological contrast and conflict of Wills fits so conveniently into their characters’ portrayal of antagonistic screen personalities.

Aspect interaction:

The planetary aspect interaction of the two charts shows that Lily’s Mercury is within one degree of Conjunction with Jane’s Moon. When there is a Conjunction or Opposition of planets between charts within one degree of arc, there is a real bonding and sharing of potentials. The quick and hilarious mind (Mercury) of Lily Tomlin buttresses harmoniously Fonda’s intense (Moon) acting style.

Progressed Contacts and Potentials:

The Tri-wheel dramatically shows, with an update of Progressed factors, the astrological reason for the present and mutual activity in the lives of the two actresses. The middle ring shows Fonda’s Natal Saturn being pleasantly activated by her own Progressed Venus. And Tomlin’s Progressed Jupiter joins the configuration to add expanded dimension and enthusiasm to their unique performing partnership.

Stimulated Saturn in Fonda’s Natal chart reveals, that the rewards (Venus) of hard work and maturity (Saturn) is so much a part of the fascinating possibilities of her late-life adventures.

*Marc Edmund Jones’ Essentials of Astrological Analysis page 331, Comparison of Horoscopes.

 

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