The Astrology of April 2016

It will be a busy time this month. A host of celestial influences will spark action around the globe. Here are some highlights.

We have a New Moon/Supermoon on April 7^th at 18 Aries 04. As pioneered by Richard Nolle, the Supermoon is a heightened time for natural disasters and for mass events. A time to be wary. The window is open the first two weeks of April.

On April 9^th the Sun conjuncts Uranus, the planet of sudden surprises, freedom and awakening. Uranus acts by big calamities sometimes. It is also associated with winds and tornadoes. On April 11^th the Sun conjuncts the new planet Eris. We don’t know much about Eris yet—though she was named for the goddess of Discord. Uranus is moving towards a conjunction with Eris, which forms in June and September of this year and again once next year. The last time these planets were conjunct in Aries was in the early 16^th century, a time of major historical change which included the invention of the printing press and the Protestant Reformation. It didn’t all happen in a year then, and it will not happen in a year now. But major changes are coming for the planet.

April can be a difficult time in the US. During the current era there is a pattern of the fixed star Formallhaut rising and the fixed star Denebola setting which applies to the mid latitudes of the US—a swath that includes North Carolina, Virginia, Washington DC, most of West Virginia, all of Kentucky and Tennessee; carving out a region that extends to the Pacific Ocean and includes San Francisco, Las Vegas, Oklahoma City, St. Louis and other cities and portions of states. (This longitudinal swath extends at northern latitudes around the globe.) The open window is from April 9-29 every year in the current era. For more specifics on this phenomenon, see the work of Bernadette Brady.

Among the events facilitated by this opening in past years are these:

·         The assassination of President Abraham Lincoln on 4/15/1865

·         The sinking of the Steamboat Sultana with 1,800 deaths in Memphis, Tennessee, on 4/27/1865

·         The San Francisco Earthquake on 4/18/1906 which killed 3,000-6,000 (see painting above)

·         The Ludlow Massacre, a union-busting confrontation that killed 39 people in 4/20/1914

·         The Ohio Penitentiary Fire of 4/21/1930 which killed 332

·         The Texas City Industrial Disaster, a fire and explosion which killed 581 people, on 4/16/1947

·         The 1974 Super Tornado Outbreak of April 3^rd and 4^th 1974 which killed from 1,490 to 1,635 people (just before the range of dates)

·         The Waco-Branch Davidian Event in which 86 people died on 4/19/1993

·         The Oklahoma City domestic terrorism event on 4/19/1995 killing 168 people

·         The Columbine mass shooting, 4/20/1999, which resulted in 15 deaths

·         The Virginia Tech Massacre on 4/16/2007 which killed 38 people

·         The Tornado Outbreak of 4/25-26/2011 which killed 363

·         The West Fertilizer Company Explosion in West, Texas, which killed 15 on 4/17/2013

Multiple tornadoes occur at this time of year; only the two with the most damage are listed. Slightly out of geographic range, but in this timeline, were the sinking of the Titanic on 4/15/1912 with 1517 deaths, the Deepwater Horizon ecological disaster in the Gulf of Mexico on 4/22/2010 with 11 deaths at the site, and the psychologically devastating Boston Marathon Bombings on 4/15/2013.

         If you look closely at these events you will notice that a number of deaths are from human error or misbehavior. The ship sinkings, the industrial accidents, the union confrontation, the penitentiary fire, the Branch Davidian confrontation and more could have been avoided by more concern and compassion for others and greater attention to safety. What events in the future can be prevented by calm heads and thinking about how people can escape a fire? This is why it is important to look at potentials and consider alternatives before events are triggered.

We begin the month with the social planets Jupiter and Saturn retrograde. We end the month with five planets retrograde: Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, Mars and Pluto. Asteroid Juno, the indicator of partnerships, marriage, and treaties, is retrograde all month in the early degrees of Scorpio. What does all this retrograde mean? It means we are processing the nature of these planets and asteroids. We are internally dealing with old issues. For the social planets, Jupiter and Saturn, we are looking at religion, law, and our social contract with each other. With Mercury, we are advised to clean our own personal concerns up—paperwork, clutter, any backlogs. With Mars, which goes retrograde less often, we need to look at how we act. Mars retrograde is a time for handling old business, not starting new. Particularly, for Mars, no new love affairs, weddings, or elective surgery. Overall, the month, because of these retrogrades, shifts to a kind of nostalgic sentimentality. There is a strong desire to have things be simpler, like the old days. However, we will wake up when the planets move forward again to see that the old days had their problems and that we can do better.

Sabian Symbols are a way to dig down into the meaning of each of the 360 degrees of the Zodiac. Here, as is commonly done, the degree and minutes are rounded up. Degree areas highlighted this month include:

·         19 Aries, the New Moon: A magic carpet hovers over the depressing reality of everyday life in an industrial area.

·         21 Aries, Uranus all month: A boxer is entering the ring.

·         23 Aries, Eris all month: A woman in pastel colors carrying a heavy and valuable but veiled load.

·         Mars, being nearly stationary all month, only occupies two degrees, 8 and 9 Sagittarius:

o   Sag 8: Deep within the depths of the earth, new elements are being formed.

o   Sag 9: A mother leads her small child step by step up the stairs.

·         Saturn, which moves slowly, only occupies two degrees, 16 and 17 Sagittarius:

o   Sag 16: Sea gulls fly around a ship looking for food.

o   Sag 17: An Easter sunrise service draws a large crowd.

·         Pluto is at 18 Capricorn all month: A Union Jack flies from a new British warship.

·         Neptune is at 11 and 12 degrees of Pisces:

o   11 Pisces: Men traveling a narrow path, seeking illumination.

o   12 Pisces: An examination of initiates in the sanctuary of an occult brotherhood.

·         Chiron occupies only two degrees this month as well, 23 and 24 degrees of Pisces:

o   23 Pisces: A materializing medium giving a séance.

o   24 Pisces: A tiny island seems lost in the broad ocean, but its happy inhabitants have created a world all their own.

So how can we put this information about the Sabian Symbols together? The New Moon and Uranus positions seem to refer to the public mood in the US, and perhaps other places, and the US presidential campaign. The Mars degrees seem to refer to volcano activity and going to safe places. Saturn with the sea gulls brings up the migrant crisis in the Mediterranean. The Easter sunrise service could indicate the Pope’s efforts to bring compassion to this situation. The degrees of Neptune and of Chiron all seem to refer to the migrant crisis, including the Greek island of Lesbos where the Pope and the Eastern Orthodox Patriarch will meet soon. These degrees certainly call upon us to be compassionate and lend whatever aid we can to these displaced people. Omitting Eris’s degree for now, this leaves Pluto’s degree of the Union Jack. It may refer to the Panama Paper scandal, which includes information about accounts held by the family of British PM David Cameron—and world leaders and others around the globe. This Panama Papers scandal will directly confront the privileged 1% whose day of power may be ending.

We can also look at the highlighted degrees in our personal charts to see what they mean. In what house is Uranus transiting, where “A boxer is entering the ring?” Wherever that degree lies in your chart, you are being urged to step forward and take a stand. Similarly, where is your lost island at 24° Pisces? What are you materializing at 23° Pisces? Where are you seeking illumination at 11 Pisces? Where are you forming new elements at 8 Sagittarius?

Finally, let’s look at 23 Aries, where Eris spends all month: “A woman in pastel colors carrying a heavy and valuable but veiled load.” What can this mean to you personally and for our world? A woman in pastel colors implies that her gift or burden is something nice; she is dressed to please others. The item is heavy and valuable, but veiled, concealed. It may be a physical object, but more likely it is a heavy spiritual object. Where is a gift of the spirit coming to you? Where does 23° Aries lie in your horoscope?

Some astrologers (and other intuitives) like to see only the positive in situations. This denies reality. When hard aspects are predominate, someone in the collective will act them out. It only takes a very few people to wreck mass havoc as we’ve seen in some of the examples given above. You, as an individual, can choose to use these energies for the positive. I urge you to do so. But to assume that all 7 billion people on the planet will do so is foolish. We are not so evolved that some among us will avoid giving in to the lowest expression of the hard transits of the times. Do what you can to be your highest self. Do what you can to encourage the same for others. That is the best possible in today’s world.

To wrap up, April 2016 is a busy, eventful month. When people are compassionate and work together, time will pass quickly and much will be accomplished. When people choose to be divisive, to pick fights, to abandon compassion, then the results will be quickly felt and not pleasant. Much of the potential difficulties of this eventful period can be alieved by acts of love and charity toward others. So may it be.

I'm putting a couple of links here to my recent articles combining astrology and tarot.

First some of the positives of using tarot. http://www.atatarot.com/reflections/04-05-16/an-astrologer-looks-at-the.html

Next a technique of combining astrology and tarot for diviniation.

http://www.atatarot.com/reflections/04-05-16/tarot-scopes.html

All the best to you in this changeable month of April 2016.

Lalia

The Retrograde Stations of Venus and Uranus in the Summer of 2015

This weekend, July 25^th and 26^th, marks a concerted station retrograde of two planets, Venus and Uranus.  When planets station going direct or retrograde, it marks a period of instability as all that is ruled by those planets has to readjust.  When we have a near-simultaneous set of retrogrades, this intensifies the process.  Here both planets are going retrograde.  They are moving backwards.  They are retracing an old road. They are finishing up old business.

Venus rules love, attraction, money, peace and peace treaties.  On a mundane level, the world’s perspective, we have a new peace treaty between Iran and the major powers.  Expect close examination of that treaty and possible tweaks to it.  Venus’s retrograde lasts until September 6^th, just about the 60 days congress demanded to review the treaty.  On a personal level, Venus retrograde is a time to avoid risks in Venus endeavors: any dramatic change to your appearance, cosmetic surgery (unless it is a re-do), major fashion purchases, major investments especially if they hinge on complex financials which my look different by September. Also to be avoided during Venus retrograde is making emotional commitments to a lover or spouse, as these things change when Venus goes direct.

Venus goes retrograde in the sign Virgo, the sign of practicality and everyman.  In fashion, Venus in Virgo is pragmatic and goes towards clothes that are simple in line, subtle in color and blend in.  But Venus quickly goes back to Leo, the most showy sign of the zodiac: loud colors, especially gold, and lots of bling.  Purchases that follow the Leo trend will not be to your liking by the middle of fall.

Uranus rules freedom, invention, science, electricity, lightening, wind.  During the Uranus retrograde, from July 26^th until Christmas Day, is not the time to market new inventions. The downside of Uranus is its association with extreme political beliefs such as the people who don’t believe in paying taxes or any of the government structures.  Expect to see some action by these crazies during this time.

Uranus goes retrograde in Aries, the sign it has occupied for the last couple of years.  Uranus in Aries is about being first in science.  The recent NASA stories about a duplicate earth, and the fly-by of Pluto, are about the upside of Uranus in Aries.  What will a retrograde Uranus in Aries mean?  Probably that we will need to cooperate more, at least temporarily.  Look for stories about cooperating in scientific endeavors this fall.

The degrees of each station also lend their part to the interpretation. Books and resources I prefer are: Lynda Hill's 360 Degrees of Wisdom: the Sabian Oracle; Blaine Bovee's The Sabian Symbols & Astrological Analysis; Martin Goldsmith's The Zodiac by Degrees: 360 New Symbols; and the Janduz degree symbols available at the French website www.astrotheme.com. These symbols all attribute unique properties to all 360 degrees of the zodiac. Hill and Bovee directly improve upon the original Sabian Symbols channeled by Elsie Wheeler for Marc Edmund Jones.  Goldsmith goes further and reinterprets some of the degrees.  The Janduz degrees are a completely separate system, sometimes even more evocative than the others.

Venus turns retrograde at 1° Virgo (the degrees are rounded up).  Here are highlights from these symbols for this degree: [from Hill] “In a Portrait, the Best of a Man’s Traits and Character are Idealized.” Projection of beauty. Drawings, paintings, photographs. Art, cosmetics, beauty salons. Hairstyles. Elevated thoughts or memories. Visual senses and clues. Recognition. Caricatures of people. Highlighting features. “Identikit” drawings. Visual prototypes. Profiles. Face reading. [From Bovee] “A man’s head” Virgo. “A public market” Pisces. The distinguishing marks of public and private character.  Leaving one’s mark on the market.  Gathering together for trade. Establishing market value.  Traders, painters, photographers.  Taking a snapshot.  [From Goldsmith] “An idealized portrait in a fancy frame.” Being true to oneself and one’s viewpoints. The public self versus the private self. [From Janduz] The owners of the manor have put on their most beautiful attire to attend a party they offer to all the villagers." Sociable, pleasant and orderly character. Life unfolds in happiness and simplicity. An overwhelming desire for luxury, and a superficial lifestyle with overdeveloped concern for appearances and sensual pleasures. Over-eating and over-drinking bring about ill-health.

Uranus turns retrograde at 21° Aries.  Here are the highlights of those symbols: {Hill] “A boxer is entering the ring.” Physical or psychological self-assertion and determination. Fighting for emotional, psychological or physical space. Being seen as a person of strength. Throwing punches. Stepping up to the plate.  [Bovee] A pugilist entering the ring. Aries. A crowd upon the beach. Libra. Contest between individuality and social organization/ the natural inclination to define one’s space; the range of one’s power, the impact of one’s punch.  Pugnacity or agoraphobia; combativeness or fear of public spaces.  Fighting for room, taking a public bashing.  [Goldsmith] Cutting edge thinker outlines his views from the podium, calmly ignoring the jeers from the audience.  [Janduz} "On a raft lost in the middle of the ocean, a man in great distress, but combative, waves a white cloth for help." This degree portends loneliness, extreme poverty, and perhaps, exile or imprisonment abroad. In difficult circumstances, friends are unwilling or unable to help. Trips to foreign countries are strongly advised against. Be aware of the dangers of drowning, in both the literal and the figurative sense, which are associated with this degree.

All these symbols are being acted out right now in the world around us.  The man on a raft image suggests the situation of the refugees crossing the Mediterranean Sea. The travel restrictions suggest more combat abroad, as do the images for 21° Aries as a boxer. The Venus images suggest a long summer of luxury which will be followed by a reality check by the middle of September. 

Best wishes for your successful weathering of these retrogrades!

Lalia Wilson

The Eclipses of October & November 2013

The General and Specific Interpretation of Eclipses

Each year has from 3-7 eclipses. They appear in patterns of Solar and Lunar eclipses being two weeks apart, corresponding to the new and full moons.

Astrologers have many different ways of interpreting eclipse influences in the charts of individuals. However on a societal level, eclipses usually are straightforward, and indicate some big event. In ancient times, the visible solar eclipse meant “the fall (death) of the king.” It heralded a time of instability.

Generally, today, the succession of solar/lunar eclipses in two week increments is called “eclipse season.” We are currently experiencing an eclipse season from Oct 18 to Nov 3 of 2013. Thus, the period is one of instability—particularly if these eclipses hit personal planets or points in your horoscope. (This year this is accentuated due to Mercury’s retrograde period from Oct 21 to Nov 10!)

Let’s start with looking at the Houses in a horoscope hit by the eclipses. Since the Lunar Eclipse is an opposition, it will activate opposing houses in your chart. Briefly, if it is 1/7, then issues of personal autonomy and relationships are up for examination and change. If it is 2/8, issues of money, values, and possible inheritances are on plate. If it is 3/9, the issues have to do with travel, education, relatives, and philosophy. If it is 4/10 then the issues are about home and career. For 5/11, it is children, friends, creativity and associations. Finally for 6/12, it is issues of personal hygiene and physical and mental health, possibly issues of spirituality or, if you take the low side, incarceration.

The Solar Eclipse, being a new moon, will only activate one house. Usually this is the one of the two houses activated by the accompanying lunar eclipse(s).

If the eclipse is not hitting a natal point or personal planet (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars) within a 3° conjunction, this is usually just a matter of activating a house of your horoscope. Some astrologers will consider a wider orb of conjunction, or will consider a square or opposition. You can watch the eclipses in your chart and let me know what you think!

The most powerful effect is the aforementioned conjunction to a personal planet or point of your horoscope. When that is the case, major life changes usually are coming. The changes have to do with the nature of the planet or point being activated. For example the Nov 3 Solar Eclipse is at 11+° of Scorpio. If your Sun is there this could indicate a matter of your ego, your male relative (especially for women), your creativity… If your Moon is at 11° Scorpio, this could indicate your emotions, your female relatives… And so forth. If it is your Ascendant, it has to do with your body, appearance, or role. These changes are positive or negative, sometimes both. Say you opted for cosmetic surgery as the eclipse was activating your Ascendant, this could give you some discomfort for a while, but likely will improve your appearance, a positive.

It’s useful to consider the time period the eclipse will deliver results. For solar eclipses, think of one month before the eclipse until five months after, unless another solar eclipse occurs earlier. Thus, for the Nov 3 eclipse this year, the period of activation is from about October 3, 2013, until April 3, 2014. Lunar eclipses are considered less important, less powerful, and less enduring in their effects. However, lunar eclipses, by their nature, indicate something being revealed, brought to light. So they can have strong effects in matters of secrets and scandals.

Other ways to look at eclipses include looking at the aspects within the eclipse chart itself. For the Nov 2013 solar eclipse, the most important aspect is the conjunction of Sun/Moon to Saturn. Saturn is the planet of boundaries and limitations. It’s known as the greater malefic. It’s the planet of reality and sometimes bad news. Thus this eclipse is more likely than most to indicate major problems for those whose charts are hit.
Eclipses can be looked at as to which Saros Series they belong. This information is available from astrologer Bernadette Brady, online and in her books. This solar eclipse is part of the Saros Series 16 North, which started on Feb 15, 1599, and is described by Brady as “a gentle family of eclipses which brings a sense of inspiration or illumination of ideas.” This sounds like good news for November 2013.

Another approach to eclipses is to examine the degree symbols, the most well-known being the Sabian Symbols. The most important symbols would be those occupied by the luminaries. But you may also want to look more deeply at various degree symbols for the horoscope of the eclipse. My personal favorite degree symbolist is Lynda Hill of Australia, who has books and blogs and a facebook presence for those who want to investigate further. Her discussion of 12° Scorpio (you round the degree up in her system) is, “‘A Brilliant Assembly of Dignitaries’ is shown at an ‘Official Embassy Ball’. Everyone is expected to be dressed-up, have good manners and follow certain established codes of behavior. As it is a ‘Brilliant Assembly of Dignitaries’, we can be sure that some of the people have worked long and hard at getting themselves into a position of power and prestige. They must really be “someone” in order to be invited. If they weren’t special in some way – powerful, political, influential or somehow well connected, they probably wouldn’t be at the ‘Ball’.” This is especially interesting considering the startling news at the UN this week. Saudi Arabia was elected to the Security Council and declined. I don’t think this has ever happened in the history of the UN. But it sure ties in with the Embassy Ball theme of this eclipse.
You can look at eclipses as they conjunct the Fixed Stars. There are two fixed stars near this eclipse, Acrux and ALPHECCA (sometimes written Elpheia). Alphecca is said to have the nature of Venus and Mercury, another indication of the benign nature of this particular eclipse.
Finally, you can always go back 19 years, to when there were last eclipses at or near these degrees. What were you doing in October and November of 1994? Are you facing similar issues now? How can you better respond to what life asks of you?
May you always find the courage and strength to take the higher road.
Lalia Wilson

A Change of Luck

On June 25th, 2013, Jupiter changes signs at 9:40 PM EDT.  Jupiter is the planet of Luck.  For the last year Jupiter has been going through the sign Gemini, but now it moves into the sign Cancer, the sign of Jupiter's exaltation.  (An exaltation means the planet is especially capable/blessed/well-functioning in that sign; for example the Sun is exalted in the sign Aries.)

When Jupiter changes signs, "Luck" changes.  If the Gemini transit was doing good things for you, then life will seem to turn less wonderful.  One example of the heights to which one can soar with Jupiter is whistleblower Edward Snowden.

Snowden recently made international news headlines by breaking the story of some US national secrets.  Snowden was employed by a contractor to the National Security Agency and through his work as a computer specialist he became informed about many NSA programs.  For reasons he sees as conscience, he decided to leave the US and reveal these secrets to the world.  But this story intersects the story of Jupiter transiting in late Gemini and this story will change when Jupiter enters Cancer!

Let's look at Snowden's natal chart.  He was born in North Carolina, and his birth time, date and place are from his birth certificate: 21 June 1983, 4:42 AM EDT, Elizabeth City, NC.

Notice that Snowden has Mercury, his chart ruler, Ascendant, Mars, North Node and Sun all in Gemini.  Not only that, but Mars, Node and Sun are at the last degrees of Gemini!  Mars, Node and Sun closely trine a Pluto-Saturn conjunction in Libra and form a Grand Air Trine with Ceres in Aquarius.  Neptune, the planet of deception, makes this a Kite-Grand Air Trine.  Neptune opposes the Mars-Node-Sun Gemini planets, puncturing Snowden's balloon. (This could indicate a reporter or significant contact making promises that did not come true.)  But let's dig deeper before putting this story together.  Mercury, the chart ruler, is perfectly trine Lilith in Aquarius; Lilith is in the sign of public service, Aquarius, and is in the 9th House of foreign countries.  (Snowden sees foreign countries, 9th House, as platforms for him to declare his autonomy and freedom from the oppression he saw in the US NSA establishment.)

One other note about Gemini, Snowden's rising sign, it is the sign of youth.  People with Gemini rising usually peak early in life, before age 30.  If they do right in life, Gemini rising gives them a youthful charm and appearance all their lives.  But Gemini is also prone to lack of moral understanding, its opposite sign, Sagittarius, is the sign of ethics. 

Snowden certainly peaked early.  He left high school, then left a community college program to get his high school diploma, finally testing to get his GED.  It is unclear if he completed any further degrees, but at one point he was enrolled in an on-line Masters degree program.  Snowden bragged that he was making $200,000 a year, and took a pay cut to $130,000 when he went to work as a sub-contractor for NSA.  All this before he turned 30 a few days ago.  Yes, that is peaking early.

But let's talk about Jupiter.  For the last year Jupiter has been transiting Gemini.  In January 2013, when Snowden first contacted a documentary filmmaker regarding a NSA leak, Jupiter was stationary, about to turn direct, at 6-7° Gemini.  This is in Snowden's natal 12th House and closely opposed to Snowden's natal Uranus, the planet of rebellion.  It is also more widely opposed to Snowden's natal Jupiter, and widely conjunct Snowden's Mercury and Ascendant.  So, his mood was one of little patience or tolerance.  He wanted changes and he wanted them to happen right away!

Snowden contacted the press in May, May 16th, when Jupiter was at 20° Gemini.  Then in quick order, Snowden flew to Hong Kong (5/20), the first leak was reported (6/5), and Snowden's identity was revealed on 6/9.  Today, 6/23, Snowden flew to Moscow.  Jupiter is at 29+° Gemini.

Jupiter enlarges things.  In Gemini, Jupiter enlarges ideas.  Snowden thought he was the smartest guy on the scene.  He was "sure of himself," a handy phrase that usually means too much Jupiter is happening. He was "sure he was right," another sign of Jupiter overload.  But Gemini is the sign least able to make moral distinctions.  Snowden is about to find out that the world is more complex than he thought and that his views are not as informed as he thought.  This will happen very soon.  Jupiter enters the sign of Cancer: home, hearth, family and the United States, Tuesday evening, 6/25, EDT. 

Snowden's luck will change. 

Everyone's luck will change.  May Jupiter in Cancer bring you blessings!

Lalia

Pluto on the Natal Ascendant

I was asked recently about Pluto conjunct the Ascendant. Pluto has a number of meanings and all apparently can be applied when Pluto lies natally on a person’s Ascendant. Let’s start by looking at some examples. I looked at well-known individuals, who would have enough public information about them so that you could look them up and see how this really works. I also chose individuals for whom there is an accurate public time of birth. This left very few people…

The orb I used is 3°. Each day the earth rotates so that Pluto is conjunct the Ascendant for several minutes. It works out that about 2 people in a 100 will have a tight (± 3°) conjunction of Pluto and the Ascendant.

However Pluto moves very slowly, taking about 250 years to go through the twelve signs. Thus, these examples all are in six signs, Taurus through Libra. Pluto has gone through Scorpio, Sagittarius and is now in Capricorn, but individuals with this aspect are so young that they have not got public reputations. And their Pluto-twins from 250 years previous are not well represented in my files.

Pluto was in Taurus and conjunct the Ascendant of Diamond Jim Brady who was born in 1856. Brady was a bon vivant in New York City, spending big, owning jewelry, making bets and large financial transactions that today would be against the law. He was one of the ideals of the Gilded Age of prosperity before WWI. In short, Brady exemplified the man of the era, a self-made multi-millionaire who lived large in the largest center of finance and culture in the US. Taurus is the sign of sensuality and physical appetite, after all.

With Pluto in Gemini, and conjunct the Ascendant we have more individuals and more meanings of Pluto: Clyde Barrow, Wernher von Braun, Joan Grant and Knute Rockne. Gemini is an intellectual sign, of thinkers, writers and thieves. Gemini moves quickly and is clever. Clyde Barrow is the famous Depression-Era bank robber who was killed along with his paramour Bonnie Parker, note that Gemini is a sign of a sibling or sibling-like relationship. Wernher von Braun is the Nazi rocket scientist who made a deal with the Allies and came to American to build our space program; he demonstrates the “clever” part of Pluto in Gemini. Joan Grant is the reincarnation-themed author, whose haunting stories seem to reflect actual glimpses of previous lives. Grant shows another meaning of Pluto which is in-depth, in biological cells, inherited, and innately human—the connection to a biological or spiritual part of ourselves that lived before us. Knute Rockne was a Norwegian-American football player and later coach at Notre Dame. He is considered the greatest, or among the greatest college football coaches of all time.

Pluto conjunct a Cancer Ascendant is a whole different kind of person. Pluto rules Scorpio, and Cancer is another water sign. Both are emotional and given to indirect (some would say manipulative) action in the world. Among individuals with this aspect are: former Mexican president Miguel de la Madrid, leader of the PLO Yassir Arafat, entertainer Desi Arnaz, newscaster David Brinkley, jazz musician David Brubeck, Black Power leader Eldridge Cleaver, guru Ram Dass, and singer Judy Garland. Yassir Arafat probably best exemplifies the dark side of this Pluto conjunct Cancer Ascendant. Wikipedia points out that “Arafat remains a highly controversial figure whose legacy has been widely disputed. He was ‘revered by many Arabs,’ and most Palestinians, regardless of political ideology or faction, viewing him as a freedom fighter who symbolized their national aspirations. However, he was also reviled, especially by many Israelis, who viewed him as a terrorist responsible for hundreds of bombings and deaths. Critics have accused Arafat of mass corruption, secretly amassing a personal wealth estimated to be USD $1.3 billion by 2002 despite the degrading economic conditions of the Palestinians.”

Pluto conjunct a Leo Ascendant is a sunnier person, but no less desirous of power. Among those with this placement are entrepreneur Richard Branson, rocker Lindsay Buckingham, actress Glenn Close, counselor and astrologer Donna Cunningham, Judge Lance Ito and actor Steven Seagal. Both Donna Cunningham and Seagal are healers, who use their Pluto insight and heritage and depth to work for the physical and mental health of others. Cunningham, a LCSW, has written a book specifically about Pluto, “Healing Pluto Problems.” Seagal has mastered martial arts and starred in many movies, tweaking the plot to include some of the healing philosophy behind Asian martial arts.

When Pluto is in Virgo and conjunct the Ascendant, we have another change. Virgo is far less dramatic than Leo, and operates at a smaller scale. But Pluto still seeks intense connection with others. Thus we have one of the world’s most famous lovers, Giacomo Casanova, who was an Italian adventurer and author from the Republic of Venice. His autobiography, Histoire de ma vie (Story of My Life), is regarded as one of the most authentic sources of the customs and norms of European social life during the 18th century. Casanova was so famous for his often complicated and elaborate affairs with women that his name is now synonymous with "womanizer." During Pluto’s 20th century transit of Virgo, we have the following individuals with Pluto on their Ascendant: heavy-metal-suicide Kurt Cobain, actress Shannon Doherty, actor Will Ferrell, singer k. d. lang, actress Lucy Liu, actor Keanu Reeves, survivalist-bomber Eric Rudolph, actress Sharon Stone. Stone was the star of the “erotic thriller” Basic Instinct. Even before its release, Basic Instinct generated heated controversy due to its overt sexuality and graphic depiction of violence. It was strongly opposed by gay rights activists, who criticized the film's depiction of homosexual relationships and the portrayal of a bisexual woman as a murderous sociopath. Despite initial critical negativity and public protest, Basic Instinct became one of the most financially successful films of the 1990s; grossing $352 million worldwide, which shows just how popular “basic instincts” are!

I only had one example of Pluto in Libra and conjunct the Ascendant, the unfortunate Laci Peterson, who was murdered by her husband at Christmas time when she was 7 months pregnant with their first child. It turns out that I had used the wrong time for her chart. Her corrected chart, though, has Pluto conjunct the Descendant, the opposing degree to the Ascendant and signifying her husband. Pluto is intense, and Libra is partnership. Both applied to the relationship between Laci and her husband Scott Lee Peterson who is now in prison.

Good luck with those individuals in your life who have the unforgettable Pluto/Ascendant combination!

Lalia

Why Astrologers Use Celebrity Charts as Illustrations

As a student of astrology, which we all are, you may have wondered about why your chart is never featured in an astrologer’s article about chart features. Well, there are a bunch of reasons. Here are some of them.


First, consulting astrologers have codes of ethics that forbid publishing charts for their clients or revealing any information shared by their clients, UNLESS the client expressly gives them permission to publish. However, even if given permission, most astrologers will avoid using client charts as illustrations for some of the following reasons and because it may make future clients hesitate to consult that astrologer. Even if it is operating on an unconscious level, future clients may hesitate to consult with an astrologer whose client charts keep being published.

However, this distinction does not directly apply when a person is a public celebrity. True, if he or she is a client, their information is confidential, and I would keep their chart confidential as well. But if this person is not my client, and is a public person, then I see no problem with looking at their chart or commenting on it. My only knowledge of the person is through mass media and the birth chart. I am not revealing anything that is not public already. However, some saucier aspects of a chart I may refrain from commenting on for people who are alive, out of respect for them and their families. Or I may make my comments very general in ways I might approach a similar configuration in a client’s chart.

Celebrity charts tend to be more extreme, in good and bad ways, than actual clients most of us encounter. We see more celebrity charts with clear themes and obvious career indicators. While actual clients tend to have more muddled charts, part of why they are consulting us in the first place. So celebrity charts are usually better examples of specific aspects or chart configurations, as they may not have opposite factors that confuse the interpretation.

Because celebrities are public figures, if you see their chart and wonder about something you see in the chart, you can easily consult public news media or encyclopedias or other information sources to find out exactly how the aspect has worked in that person’s life. This is not true for private charts. The astrologer posting the chart may tell you what happened, but there is no independent way for you to confirm the information.

A drawback to celebrity charts is that usually they are of older people. This is for several reasons. One is that a person needs a certain track record, period of fame, before his or her chart attracts the news media and the biographer and the astrologer. Also, the older a person is, the more likely some astrologer has discovered the correct birth data and posted it where other astrologers can retrieve it. (Thanks to those who do!)

So if you are wondering about how that Sun-Mars conjunction in the first house actually works in a chart, you won’t learn much from private files, even if you can find them. It is celebrity charts that will show that aspect and others splashed over the news!

It’s much easier to see that Sun-Mars in the chart of Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Jr., than in the chart of someone who lives on your block. Earnhardt is a third generation stock car racer. How apt a way to express a Sun-Mars conjunction!


Lalia Wilson sees astrology as a way to understand one’s own life, one’s relationships and current patterns. Astrology is not deterministic, but rather has patterns of symbolic meaning which will be expressed in some fashion as the pattern unfolds. Contact Lalia at Lalia W /at/ aol dot com. Astrology consultations require a person’s name, birth date, time and place. All astrology consultations and Kofutu Healings are pre-paid. Consultations are by telephone to US clients, or by e-mail anywhere.