More thoughts on the Earthquake Transits and Japan’s Imperial Chart

~ The Face of Hope ~ A four months old baby girl rescued alive and well from the rubble ~

I want to discuss here how some important transits interacted with the Imperial Chart of Japan (February 11, 1889) at the time of the Japanese earthquake. I was unable to fit them in last night in my last post on the Japanese disaster, due to my own power shortage. I will discuss the same transits in relation to the Modern Chart of Japan (April 28 1952) in a future post.

The Japan earthquake of March 11 has been upgraded by US experts to a magnitude 9 instead than 8.9 (the effect of a single decimal point, in these types of measurement, being humongous). This makes this quake the fourth largest in the world since 1900.

Dire news were coming through my little transistor radio early this morning. Some of the children in the country school bus I board every weekday to come to work were talking about Japan, visibly worried by what they have seen in television. It is affecting a lot of people in a big way.

It seems too awful to contemplate that Japan may become victim of a nuclear disaster after being battered by such uncontrollable natural forces. In the worst-case scenario the core of the damaged reactor/s could reach melt down point, emitting large amounts of radioactivity into the atmosphere, a deadly cloud that could then be brought by winds’ currents hundreds of miles away from the nuclear plant, possibly affecting not just Japan but other countries as well.

We all feel a deep sense of compassion and sympathy for the plight of the Japanese people, and also a sense of dismay that economic imperatives are too often forcing us to adopt dangerous methods to produce power. There are better ways, we are just not clever or conscious enough to take them seriously on board.

I’m here looking further at the Synastry between the Earthquake Chart and the Imperial Japan’s Birth Chart. Here is this two-wheels Chart again.

Imperial Japan Birth Chart (1889) activated by the Earthquake’s Transits

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Here are some of the major transits between these two Charts as I observed them.

• The Ascendant of the moment the earthquake struck (17° 47′ of Leo) was conjunct Imperial Japan’s Saturn, on 16° 27′ Leo. Now this is a major transit because its timing is so close. The Mid-heaven, in any given place, moves an average of one degree every four minutes, while  the Ascendant moves more or less according to latitude and the season, some Signs taking longer to rise above the horizon than others (Long and Short ascension). Leo is a Sign of Long Ascension in the Northern Hemisphere, moving about one degree in five minutes, so that the Ascendant-Saturn’s conjunction would have been exact just at 2.39 pm, only seven minutes before the recorded earthquake’s time. Now this is quite a precise hit. Saturn in this Chart was in wide opposition to the Sun and in square to the Ascendant, at the time of the birth of Imperial Japan, difficult aspects, pointing at Imperial Japan’s authoritarian and disciplinarian leanings.  As I have found in Eclectic Astrology notes about Saturn’s role in a Mundane Charts ( Mundane Astrology part 2): ‘in a collective sense, the amount of freedom a society permits or denies itself‘‘. These Saturn’s aspects show then that many restrictions and rigid rules were meant to hamper personal freedom, with the aim to achieve an efficient system of government and social order in Imperial Japan. Saturn is found in the foundation sector in the Imperial Chart, signifying his importance at the core of Japanese psychology and family life. Saturn also rules the Tenth House’s Mid-Heaven in Capricorn and the Eleventh House’s cusp in Aquarius (traditionally also a Sign of Saturn). These connections link Saturn to Imperial Japan’s  public institutions, style of government, also the nation’s status in the eye of the world, Law and Order, national security and technology.We shouldn’t forget also that the transiting Saturn, at the time of the quake, was in the Sixth House of this Chart, sector which, in Mundane Astrology, represents public health, working conditions of the masses, employment etc. This area has certainly received a terrible blow here and the recovery could indeed take a very long time. Transiting Saturn, at present retrograde in the middle of Libra, will be transiting this sector of Japan’s Imperial Chart until October 2013.
• Of great significance is also a difficult aspect from transiting Pluto in Capricorn to Imperial Japan”s Sun in the Tenth House (semi-square), and the opposition of the same Pluto to Japan’s Chiron. Transits from Pluto always confront us with experiences of unavoidable loss, and the need to find inner resources to cope with difficult circumstances. The opposition to Chiron does not help to ease the difficulty of the contact Pluto-Sun, but rather makes it more painful and fated. Certainly the Japanese people have been tested to the core by this catastrophe and need to become even more resilient in order to psychologically survive and rebuild their lives. The Sun in a Mundane Chart represents the ruler of the country, President or King. The aspect from Pluto could challenge the authority figure of the country and bring political turmoil and power struggles in the wake of this disaster. A change in leadership may become necessary to start on a new course. Pluto, of course, is also astrologically connected with nuclear power and all things that are extreme and deadly, like poisons or weapons of mass destruction. Plutonium is after all an ingredient in the mixed oxide fuel (MOX) used in Fukushima Unit 3 reactor, one of the worst affected nuclear plants. This type of fuel has a lower melting point than other nuclear fuels and it is also much more toxic. We can only pray, for everyone sake, that the situation doesn’t get any worse.
• Imperial Japan’s Lunar Nodes, representing the axis of destiny for individuals or nations, are also activated in this Synastry, aspected by the transiting Sun on the day, while the transiting Lunar Nodes happen also to be in aspect to Imperial Japan’s Ascendant and Neptune. The Nodes are, first of all, links to recent eclipses, destiny makers for individuals and nations. In my previous post I highlighted some of the most obvious connections of the Earthquake Chart to the eclipses of December 2010 and January 2011. These further links show again the deep impact of these events on the lives and destinies of every Japanese individual and on Japan as a nation.
• There were also positive transits, the Saturn sextile Saturn, that I mentioned in my previous post, and, not exact on the day but still active, a contact Jupiter-Venus, welcome golden linings around the dark clouds. Transiting Jupiter in Aries was in fact separating from a conjunction to Imperial Japan’s Venus (exact on March 6). This is generally considered a fortunate aspect, hopefully helping to soften the blow and inspire the people with a strong desire to live and some optimism for the future. However the position of Venus and transiting Jupiter in the Twelfth House of Japan’s Chart, suggest a sense of fatalism and impotence too, when only a philosophical or religious  attitude can save the day. Venus is very important in the Imperial Japan’s Chart, because Taurus, Venus’ Sign, is on the Ascendant, making Venus the Ruling Planet of the whole Chart.

I leave the study of this interesting Synastry at that. In a next post I’ll discuss the same earthquake’s transits in relation to the 1952 Birth Chart of Modern Japan, another intriguing journey.

Look me up, it should be in in a day or two.

Can Astrology make sense of Japan’s earthquake, tsunami and nuclear menace?

First of all let’s examine the Chart of the earthquake itself.  The coordinates used were given by the International Seismological Center,  and are those of the epicenter.

Here it is.

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Celestial Bodies orbiting parallel to the Earth Equator, with Saturn holding the reins

One thing is immediately apparent, as it was in the Christchurch, NZ, recent quake: many celestial bodies are at the present time orbiting parallel to the Earth’s Equator, including the Sun, Mercury, Mars, Chiron in Pisces (Sign just South of the Equator), and also Jupiter, Uranus and Saturn respectively in Aries and Libra (both Equatorial Signs).

This alignment on the mid-drift of the Earth could by itself increase the possibility of severe seismic and volcanic activity. Another one is the grouping of  many celestial bodies on one side of the sky while only Saturn stands alone on the other side.  Here is an interesting article by Australian astrologer Ed Tamplin on the astrological factors often involved in earthquakes and in particular on the role of Saturn.

The Sabian symbol for the degree occupied by Saturn (16th of Libra) reads: ‘a boat landing washed away(!!!).

To make this symbolic connection even more significant Saturn will transit  this degree between March 5 and 20, two entire weeks, due to retrogradation.

The middle degree of Libra is the starting point of the so called Via Combusta too, a section of the Zodiac, between the middle of Libra and the middle of Scorpio, that is considered unpredictable, unstable, even dangerous in the practice of  Horary Astrology.

Symbolically then Saturn seems to play an important part in this event.

The local Horizon-Meridian Axis in Fixed Signs

Not surprising to students of Astrology the four Fixed Signs were on the Horizon and Meridian of that time and place, Leo on the Ascendant, Aquarius on the Descendant, while Taurus and Scorpio are found on the Mid-Heaven and Lower-Heaven respectively. Because Leo was on the Ascendant the Sun is ruler of this Chart and is placed in the Eighth House of Death and Loss, together with Mars, Uranus and Mercury. Saturn is instead in the Second House, which in a Mundane Chart like this one represents the wealth of the nation, its financial institutions etc. Already in deep troubles before the event these were dealt a terrible blow by the enormity of this disaster.

It is a well known astrological tenet that Fixed Signs have greater propensity for earthquakes and all kinds of violent disasters, offering stronger resistance to all changes.

I cite here just a few recent examples I have personally observed:

• The Christchurch’s (New Zealand) earthquake of February 22, 2011: Ascendant in Taurus, Descendant in Scorpio, Mid-Heaven in Aquarius, Lower-Heaven in Leo.
• Category 5 Cyclone Yasi in North Queensland, on February 3, 2011: Ascendant in Scorpio, Descendant in Taurus, Mid-Heaven in Leo, Lower-Heaven in Aquarius.
• New Moon on the day cyclone Yasi struck Queensland coast: Ascendant in Taurus, Descendant in Scorpio, Mid-Heaven in Aquarius, Lower-Heaven in Leo.
• The Tibetan Earthquake of April 14 2010, which killed nearly 3.000 people : Ascendant in Taurus, Descendant in Scorpio, Mid-Heaven in Capricorn, Lower-Heaven in Cancer.
• The massive Haiti earthquake of January 12 2010 that killed more than 200.000 people . This event was preceded by two Eclipses, a Lunar on December 31 2009 and a Solar on January 15 2010. At the times of both these Eclipses in Haiti the Horizon and Meridian were also in Fixed Signs. During the Moon Eclipse: Ascendant in Taurus, Descendant in Scorpio, Mid-Heaven in Aquarius, Lower-Heaven in Leo. And during the Sun Eclipse: Ascendant in Scorpio, Descendant in Taurus, Mid-Heaven in Leo, Lower-Heaven in Aquarius.

These would be  indeed very strange coincidences if Astrology could not explain them as it does!

The relevant articles on these events can be found via these links: New Zealand’s February Quake ~ Cyclone Yasi in North Queensland ~ Tibetan Earthquake of April 14 2010 ~ Haiti Earthquake of January 12 2010 ~

Parallels and Counter-Parallels

Studying the Earthquake Chart, apart from many traditional aspects, I have observed a number of Parallel and Counter-Parallels of Declination. These aspects are special because they are not measured in longitudinal distance but rather in declination, North or South of the Ecliptic (Earth’s orbit). Celestial Bodies occupying the same degree of declination North or South are said to be in Parallel, while those on the same degree of declination but in different hemisphere are said to be in Counter-Parallel.

These aspects are important, the Parallel acting in a similar way to conjunctions and the Counter-Parallels to oppositions.

I have found that the Sun, ruler of the Earthquake Chart, was in Parallel to Saturn (similar to a conjunction to Saturn, considered traditionally unfortunate) and Counter-Parallel to Jupiter (similar to an opposition to Jupiter, also traditionally inauspicious),  while Jupiter and Saturn were in Counter-Parallel to each other (similar to an opposition). The actual opposition between Jupiter and Saturn not that far away, becoming exact on March 31. The Counter-Parallel anticipating the opposition’s effect.

Furthermore Mercury was in Counter-parallel to Uranus (similar to an opposition), another significant connection between these two.

The Ingress of Uranus in Aries

Astrologers are rightly having a field day with the ingress of Uranus in Aries coinciding so closely to this massive earthquake and its aftermath. It is nearly too perfect to be true, especially now that we are all anxiously waiting for news of those damaged nuclear reactors, that actually contain radioactive Uranium which is dangerously heating up (Aries Fire)!

Due to the present nuclear dread in Fukushima and others nuclear plants in Japan, Uranium stocks are falling on the stock market in Australia, country that produces more than 30% of the economically exploitable Uranium in the world. This seems to be in accord with the general planetary trends pointing to another downturn period for the global economy.

In my previous post on the Japanese event I stressed the importance of Mercury as a medium for the Uranian energy, entering Aries only two days before. But there are many other angles from which we can look at this Uranus astrologically, to try to understand why, of all days in a year when huge transits occur, this one day brought about such catastrophe.

To penetrate the mystery we need to look at other aspects Uranus was forming on the day, as well as at the link with other cosmic events, like the two Eclipses that have preceded the earthquake (Lunar on December 21 2010 and Solar on January 4 2011). And also we need to place these transits in the context of Japan’s Birth Charts (1889 and 1952).

On the day of the earthquake and tsunami Uranus, on the 29th degree of Pisces, was still forming a semi-sextile to Neptune on the 29th degree of Aquarius, transit that had been exact in mid-January. Due to the slowness of these two planets the angle was separating  by less than a degree (49 minutes of arc), still very close.  Mercury in early Aries was forming the same aspect (semi-sextile) with Chiron in early Pisces. Considering the nature of this event, sudden and violent (Uranus on the cusp Pisces-Aries) and beginning under the sea (Neptune) the transit fits the bill perfectly, also considering that this was the very last day these two planets would have been in Mutual Reception (one in the Sign of the other and viceversa), relationship that began when Uranus entered Pisces in 2003. At the same time there is another active Mutual Reception between Mars in Pisces (Sign ruled by Jupiter-Neptune) and Jupiter in Aries (Sign ruled by Mars). This relationship Mars-Jupiter, between Water and Fire Signs, is also very appropriate to the nature of the event, expressing itself violently and from a sea location (Mars in Pisces), and with great and expanding power (Jupiter in Aries magnifying the fiery nature of  Mars in the watery realm of Pisces). I feel all this to be remarkable.

Of great interest is also the fact that all the Full Moons since September 2010 have been on the 29th degree of the Signs, so that the degrees of both Uranus and Neptune have been activated by these Lunations, including the Total Eclipse of the Moon of December 21 2010, the day of the Capricorn Solstice. During this lunar eclipse the Sun and Moon were on the 29th degree of Sagittarius and Gemini therefore forming a square with the transiting Uranus and a sextile and trine with the transiting Neptune, aspects that became more exact by the time of the Japanese earthquake. Even the Lunar Nodes, eclipses’ signposts,  that were, at the time of the lunar eclipse, in early Capricorn and Cancer, reached the 28th degree of Sagittarius and Gemini at the time of the earthquake in Japan! We can definitely connect this powerful eclipse with the recent events in Japan. Mars exalted, strong in Capricorn, was separating from a conjunction to Pluto and approaching a square to Saturn in Libra at the time of the eclipse, showing the inherent dangers for the weeks and months ahead, eclipses always having an extended effect in time.

Jupiter was also close to conjunct Uranus for the last time before entering Aries in January, so Jupiter was augmenting the power of Uranus as well. At the time of the Solar Eclipse of January 4 2011 the last conjunction became exact, the solar eclipse making this transit truly powerful and far reaching, as this massive earthquake has demonstrated.

At present Jupiter, obviously another major actor in these events, is also separating from a 90 degrees angle to Pluto in Capricorn, that became exact on February 26, a potentially very destructive and deeply transforming angle, Jupiter enhancing also the power of the Underworld God. 

Read more on the December 21 Lunar Eclipse HERE. And the January 4 Solar Eclipse HERE.

Here is are two double wheel Charts. The top one has the Japan Earthquake Chart in the inner wheel and the Lunar Eclipse Chart on the outer wheel. The bottom one has the Japan Earthquake in the inner wheel and the Solar Eclipse in the outer wheel.  All Charts are calculated for the coordinates of Hoshu.

Please note the position of the Moon, transiting the Sign of Gemini during both the earthquake and lunar eclipse, the end of Gemini during the eclipse, and the beginning of Gemini at the time of the earthquake. More about the Moon in Gemini later.

The Earthquake Chart and the Total Lunar Eclipse of December 21 2010

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The Earthquake Chart and the Solar Eclipse of January 4 2011

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The earthquake’s transits become even more remarkable when we look at them over the backdrop of the two Birth Charts of Japan.

Here I consider some of the connections between these transits and the Imperial Chart of 1889.

Imperial Japan Birth Chart (1889) activated by the Earthquake’s Transits

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The Moon in Gemini

If the entrance of Uranus in Aries, plus the Sun and three planets in the Eighth House of Death weren’t enough, the transiting Moon, at the time of the quake, had just entered Gemini, a significant placement for Japan, because the Moon happened also to transit Gemini in Japan’s Imperial Chart of 1889 as well as the Modern Japan’s Chart of 1952.

Strange enough the Moon happened also to transit Gemini at the time of the magnitude 9.1 Sumatra’s earthquake and tsunami of December 26 2004, and the more recent Indonesian tsunami of October 25, 2010. As well as at the time of the first salvos on Krakatoa, on August 26 1883, and when the three big blasts of the same eruption occurred, on August 27 1883.

All this seems to show a different face of the airy and light Gemini Moon of astrological lore!

The Moon was also involved in significant transits with some of this event’s major actors, on the day disaster struck. The Moon was in fact in aspect to Mercury, catalyst of the Uranian energy; Saturn, the planet modern astrologers call the Lord of Karma and the ancients recognized as the root-cause of earth tremors, ruling as it does the Earth plane; Chiron, planet of collective suffering and healing; Uranus, planet of sudden and unexpected events; Neptune, God of the Oceans and all that happens therein; and the Lunar Nodes, the axis of destiny, connected with recent eclipses. As I will explain a bit later the Moon’s aspects to Mercury and Saturn seem particularly relevant here, due to the role of these planets in the event when compared to the Birth Charts of Japan.

Naught degree of Gemini is also the middle of the Pleiades Star Cluster in the constellation of Taurus. These stars were considered by some writers to have an evil influence, causing bereavement, mourning, sorrows and tragedies, and also abundant rains and floods, their name meaning ‘The Rainy Stars’. The Star Alcyone, most brilliant amongst the Seven Sisters, was perfectly conjunct the transiting Moon at the time. All the Pleiades were known in antiquity as the Sailor’s Stars.

According to Arab astrologers when the Moon was transiting the Mansion connected with these stars (Al Thurayya, the Many Little Ones) one could plant and sow but do not marry or travel by water.

Other amazing connections between Japan’s Imperial Birth Chart and the earthquake’s transits

• The transiting Moon is conjunct Imperial Japan’s Neptune and Pluto. Now this is something!  Being born with a conjunction Neptune-Pluto the nation of Japan was destined to experience destructive upheavals and profound transformations involving the sea (Neptune) and the depths of the Earth (Pluto). It also shows Imperial Japan’s fascination and delusional aspirations (Neptune) for power and war (Pluto); heroic ideals that were utterly defeated in the Second World War. Hiroshima and Nagasaki come to mind, as well as the constant fear of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions with which the Japanese people have learnt to live. The fact that now Japan is also facing the prospect of melt down in some of its nuclear power plants shows the connection Moon-Pluto in action. This, together with the transits of Uranus, is proving indeed disastrous. And there is more, because the transiting Moon was also at right angle to Imperial Japan’s Mercury in early Pisces, while the transiting Neptune and Chiron are both conjunct the same Mercury and at right angle with the transiting Moon as well as Japan’s Neptune and Pluto! The Moon, in this type of Chart, is said to represent the people. So meaningfully connected with these destiny makers (conjunction Neptune-Pluto, square transiting Neptune-Chiron etc.) the Moon is a symbol here of the great loss of human lives.
  

• The significant role of Mercury is confirmed by the fact that transiting Mercury (major activator of Uranus on the cups of Aries) was also approaching a sesqui-square (135 degrees) to Japan’s Saturn in Leo, while, at the same time, transiting Saturn in Libra was sesqui-square Japan’s Mercury in Pisces. This is what astrologers like to call a ‘double whammy’, the repeat of the same aspect, putting a strong accent on the power of these planets in the unfolding of this particular event. The double aspect was possible because the two Saturn (the transiting one and Japan’s) are close to a sextile aspect (60 degrees), a positive aspect, showing perhaps how early warning, strict building regulations and many other cautionary measures have saved many in the circumstances, the positive aspects of Saturn indicating caution and forethought.

Please check my next posts for more on the astrological signature of the Japan event. There are in fact many more meaningful aspects to be considered, in particular the connection with the 1952 Birth Chart of Modern Japan.

The Astrology of the New Zealand Earthquake, February 22, 2011

Another natural disaster, not so far from home. Christchurch, second largest city in New Zealand, was hit by a deadly earthquake on Tuesday, February 22, 12.51 pm (local New Zealand’s Summer time, 13 hours East of Greenwich).

Christchurch’s region lays on the so called Pacific Ring of Fire, stretching from the South Pacific through Papua New Guinea, South-East Asia, all the way to the North and South-West coast of the American continent.

Along the 40.000 km rim are found 453 active volcanoes. Tectonic plates collide on a regular basis along this rim.

New Zealand is hit by earth tremors whenever the adjoining Pacific and Australian plates collide, which happens often, not always with such devastating results (pictures compliment of abc.net.au and History.com).

This quake wasn’t as powerful (6.3 magnitude) as  the one that occurred in the same place, on September 4, 2010 (7.1 magnitude), but it was shallow, 5 km deep, and the epicenter only 10 km south of the town.

Seventy five bodies have been recovered so far, but many more people are still listed as missing, so the death toll is likely to rise.

Even Christchurch 19th century cathedral, together with many modern buildings, now lay in ruins.

Here is the Chart of the moment the deadly 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck.

We are looking here at the earthquake as a moment in time. This Chart has been cast with the coordinates of Lyttelton, the quake’s epicenter.

Christchurch/Lyttelton’s Earthquake, February 22, 2011, 12, 51 pm

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I immediately recognized similarities between this Horoscope and that of Yasi, the category 5 cyclone that hit North Queensland on February 3 2011. Here is my Cyclone Yasi post, if interested.

In both instances the Fixed Signs were on the Four Angles when disaster struck (Ascendant, Descendant, Mid-Heaven and Lower Heaven); with the so called Violent Signs of Taurus and Scorpio on the Horizon: Taurus on the Ascendant in Christchurch, and Scorpio, its complementary opposite Sign, on the Ascendant in Tully. Taurus was on the Ascendant in Tully too, by the way, at the time of the Aquarius New Moon, at midday on the same day as the cyclone.

As I stated on the post on Yasi, Taurus and Scorpio, and the Fixed Signs in general, are traditionally linked to violent events, such as quakes, volcanic eruptions, extreme weather, accidents and conflicts. These Signs in fact offer more resistance to change than other Signs, therefore the impact of whatever happens becomes more obvious when they are involved in any configuration.

Another similarity is the prominent position of the largest Asteroid Ceres, conjunct the Sun and Moon at the time of the cyclone, and most elevated of all celestial bodies at the time of the NZ earthquake.

Ceres was known to the Greeks as Demeter, ancient Goddess of Fertility, one of Goddesses representative of Mother Earth. She was venerated as the Goddess of the Harvest and also of Mourning, because of her connection with the Persephone myth. Persephone, once known simply as Kore, the Maiden, was in fact Demeter’s daughter, the same who was kidnapped by Hades (the Roman Pluto), God of the underworld; the same for whom the mother mourned during the barren winter months, until she was returned to her in the spring time. Ceres’ prominent position in this particular Horoscope doesn’t seem a positive sign as far as the quake’s final death toll is concerned.

In the earthquake Chart what really sticks out is the cluster of celestial bodies between the end of Aquarius and the beginning of Pisces, all in the prominent Tenth House or very close to it: Mars and Neptune are conjunct on the 28th and 29th degrees of Aquarius, while Mercury, Chiron and the Sun are conjunct on the first degrees of Pisces.

The conjunction of the Sun and Mercury to Chiron and the approaching one of Mars to Chiron are strengthening the notion that Chiron relates to collective suffering and the need to accept unavoidable pains in this far from perfect world.

The conjunction Mars-Neptune is the most interesting aspect, being very close to the Mid-Heaven at the time, with Ceres most elevated of all planets, and also because they are connected by aspect to Uranus, on the 29th degree of Pisces, and the Lunar Nodes on the 29th degree of Sagittarius and Gemini. This means, of course, that Uranus is in perfect 90 degrees angle (square) to the Nodes, just as he prepares to enter Aries for good (March 12).

Uranus is the King of the Unexpected and the Sudden, those events, in life and within our human psyche, which seem to happen without a warning, out of the blue, with often destructive results, forcing, as it were, major adjustments, through shocks and abrupt u-turns that can leave us shaken and changed in profound ways.The fact that Uranus is now on the cusp of the most active and impulsive Sign of the Zodiac is not help, but rather enhance the violent character of some of the events connected with it.More of this type of events can be expected during Uranus’ 7 years transit through Aries, in particular perhaps from June 2011 when Jupiter will enter the earthquake Sign of Taurus.

We shouldn’t forget also that, while Mars, Neptune and Ceres are on the Mid-Heaven, Uranus actually rules, together with Saturn, the Sign of Aquarius on the cusp of the Mid-heaven, symbolically deciding the nature of the outcome or the outward manifestation of that particular moment.

Not only Uranus is here at right angle to the Nodes, symbolizing the collective destiny of the time, but the Nodes happen to be in the VIII House of Death and Loss, together with Pluto, God of the underworld. To add to this, Mars, a well known catalyst, whose role is often to precipitate events, is connected to the same Uranus (semi-sextile) and Lunar Nodes (sextile and trine), but also to Pluto, via a minor aspect known as a Septile (51.4 degrees distance, based on the division of the circle by 7), an aspect indicative of transcendental influences at work.

I would like to explore a little the importance of the Nodes in this Chart. As you know the Lunar Nodes are connected to Eclipses, their positions showing where Eclipses occur at any given times. The fact that Uranus and Mars are here linked by aspect to the Nodes means then that there is a relation between the earthquake and recent Eclipses too, in particular the Total Lunar Eclipse that occurred on December 21, 2010, the day of the Capricorn Solstice (important date often used to forecast events in the year ahead). That Eclipse happened on the 29th degree of the Signs Gemini (Moon) and Sagittarius (Sun).

Obviously both Mars and Uranus are very much linked with this all important Eclipse event, because same degrees along the zodiacal wheel are always connected by aspect and meaning. In this case Uranus is linked to the Lunar Eclipse by square and Mars by trine and sextile. We can say then that, at the moment of the quake, the time was ripe for what had been already promised by the Eclipse.

The correlation between Uranus (sudden -destructive events), the Lunar Nodes (collective destiny), and Mars (cosmic catalyst) appears even more significant when we look at the December Eclipse Chart relocated to Christchurch. Here is this amazing Chart.

Total Lunar Eclipse of December 21, 2010, in Christchurch, New Zealand

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The Lunar Eclipse was right on the horizon of Christchurch, with the Full Moon rising on the East, just as the Eclipse began, while the Sun was setting in the West! Both Sun and Moon were, at the time, at right angle (squares) to the conjunction Jupiter Uranus on the Mid-Heaven, while Mars was then separating from a conjunction to Pluto in Capricorn!

Another aspect of this configuration, which I feel is important, is the nature of the degrees we are considering, being the last degrees of  some of the Signs involved, cusps between Signs, degrees of change and transformation. These Cusp degrees are sometimes called Critical Degrees, indicating moment of crisis and change for the function of the planet/s placed there. We have seen many of these last or Cusp Degrees activated recently, with all the Full Moons, since September 2010, happening on a Cusp between Signs, the last, few days before the earthquake, on February 18, with the Moon on the 29th degree of Leo, Cusp Virgo, and the Sun on the 29th degree of Aquarius, Cusp Pisces. This last Full Moon was also closely involved with Mars and Neptune, as they were both conjunct the Sun.

These considerations seem to indicate that the conjunction Mars-Neptune was very significant for this event (as well as the recent conjunction of Sun and Mercury also to Neptune, and their passage into the Water Sign of Pisces). A literal reading of such a conjunction could be ‘accidents at sea’. Now Lyttelton, the quake’s epicenter, is a coastal village, and New Zealand is made up of two major islands, a place surrounded by sea.

Another observation that also seem to put the Critical or Cusp Degrees to the fore of this event is the fact that in the Birth Chart of New Zealand (January 17, 1853, midnight, Wellington) Pluto was on the 29th degree of Aries, and Mars on the 28th degree of Capricorn (conjunct the Sun), respectively in semi-sextile and sextile with transiting Uranus, and, of course, also connected with the recent Lunar Eclipse.

Below it is a two-wheels Chart, with New Zealand Constitution Chart in the inner wheel and the earthquake’s Chart in the outer wheel.

Christchurch/Lyttelton’s Earthquake and the Birth Chart of New Zealand

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Many more observations can be made about this event from an astrological viewpoint: what about the fact that the Moon and Saturn were in the VI House of Work and Daily Routine. at the time of the quake? Compare this position with the Moon and Sun position in the Yasi event, in the IV House of Home. Most people (represented by the Moon in a Mundane Chart like this one) were busy at work or study the moment the quake hit, the building taking the more direct hit being office buildings, where rescue personnel are now looking for survivors.

Saturn was heavily aspected on the day too, 135 degrees (sesqui-square) to Chiron, the Sun and Mercury, in trine to the Mid-Heaven (and ruling it, with Uranus), still in square and Mutual reception to Venus in Capricorn, apart, of course, from his all important conjunction to the Moon.

The transiting Moon was also just separating from a conjunction to Saturn, Lord of karma, and from a 90 degrees angle to Venus in Capricorn (the latter still in orb of square to Saturn), all aspects that can manifest in sadness, pessimism and emotional hurt, especially as they activate the XII House in the New Zealand’s Birth Chart, a place where things need to be accepted because they cannot be changed, being beyond anyone’s control. Both the Moon and Saturn were transiting the so called Via Combusta (literally the burning path or road), the zodiacal area spanning from the middle of Libra to the middle of Scorpio. This area was considered unfortunate, having an effect similar to the negative effects of some Eclipses. This notion was probably derived from the presence of difficult Fixed Stars in this area of the Sidereal Zodiac (the Zodiac of the Constellations).

Out of pure Mercury in Gemini’s curiosity I looked up also the Birth Chart of the Anglican 19th century cathedral that was nearly completely destroyed by the quake.

I chose as the birth time the day the cathedral was consecrated, on November 1, 1881. Because I don’t know the time of the official event I have cast a Chart for sunrise on that day.

Here it is.

Christchurch Cathedral Consecration date, November 1, 1881, sunrise

Click to enlarge

This Chart is also very interesting, in the light of the recent events. The Sun was in Scorpio that day and in opposition to Saturn in Taurus (a difficult aspect for a building, Saturn signifying the structure of the same and its durability). We can observe even here the influence of the Fixed, Earthquake Signs of Scorpio and Taurus. The cathedral was damaged by an earthquake only one month after the consecration ceremony and, more severely, on occasion of the September 1, 1888 earthquake, and other earth tremors following.

Please note the position of the Moon, on the 28th degree of Aquarius, conjunct the transiting Neptune, Mars and Mid-Heaven of the recent quake’s Chart. That’s something!

I’m sure this chart could reveal more about the fate of this building, but I’m running out of time, and i can’t go there now.

One last important transit that I want to include in this reading is the powerful Jupiter square Pluto, that will be exact on Saturday, February 26, but has been close for days. This aspect definitely spells earthquake, as well as war and mayhem, all events that resonate well with this fateful week. Jupiter, as we know, tends to magnify the effects of all planets he comes in contact with, in this case Pluto, the symbolic ruler of the underworld, presiding over experiences of death, loss and transformation.

A positive outcome of this transit would be a strong stimulus toward radical reforms, including the toppling of people who abuse their power, or even organized crimes leaders, as it is has happened in Egypt, and now in Libya and many other countries in the Middle East. This transit also shows the possibility of a strong resistance from these same individual and the possibility of war and bloodshed.

But that’s another story, hopefully my next post.

THE ARIES NEW MOON AND FEW NATURAL AND UNNATURAL DISASTERS…

I left this post half-finished in a cyber drawer of my site for nearly a month. I became somehow overwhelmed by the number of natural and unnatural disasters that are happening at the moment. I feared to become a messenger of gloom and doom for my potential readers. I feel compelled however to publish this post now because other events have followed this disaster and they seem to be linked to a similar planetary pattern, all happening within one particular Moon cycle, the one that began with the New Moon in Aries on April 14 2010, the same day as the Tibetan quake.

Watching  the drama unfolding in North West China, after the powerful earthquake of April 14, and encouraged by Eclectic Astrology’s EH (see Recent Comments) I got inspired to explore further the astrological implications of this event (see first post).

Below are the Horoscopes to which you may like to refer to when reading this post.

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CHINA EARTHQUAKE, APRIL 14, 7.49 am, local time, epicentre’s coordinates.

TRANSITS TWO-WHEELS HOROSCOPE:

• THE BIRTH HOROSCOPE OF THE COMMUNIST REPUBLIC OF CHINA {21 September 1949, Peking (modern Beijing), calculated for midday, because the actual time wasn’t recorded. Alternative Charts for the birth of Communist China are: October 1, 8 am and October 1, 5.57 am, sunrise}.

• THE APRIL 14 EARTHQUAKE, 7.49 am.
  

I concentrate now on the last two wheels’ Chart.

First thing we notice is the very close conjunction of transiting Saturn to China’s natal Sun in Virgo on the Solar Mid-Heaven as well as the opposition of Uranus in late Pisces to China’s Sun. As far as Saturn is concerned, this is the second as well as the third pass of this transit, whose first pass occurred in October 2009. What’s happening is that Saturn will reach the exact aspect in early June 2010, becoming Stationary Direct just on China’s Sun. The station of a Planet over the natal position of another is a powerful image, especially if the Sun is involved. In Mundane (Political) Astrology the Sun symbolises a nation’s sense of identity and its outward standing in the world, through the persons of its Prime Minister or King/Queen. So it looks like it is crunch time for the Chinese authorities, Saturn putting them through very serious tests for the duration of this transit (October 2009 to July 2010). Saturn is an extremely important planet in China’s Birth Chart, being very close to the Moon in early Virgo. Its Transits therefore are always likely to affect the general population, because in Mundane Astrology the Moon represents the common people. Life is hard for those in communist China; Saturn so close to the Moon testify to it. On the positive side this conjunction shows also the Chinese to be very hard-working and practical people, ready to make sacrifices for the benefit of their community (Virgo) but also ambitious and working hard not just to survive but to achieve high goals and a place of authority in the international community (Saturn).

Of course, at this moment in history, if Saturn is in the picture so is Uranus, diametrically opposed to it in the Solar Wheel. Uranus in fact is closer to its opposition to China’s natal Sun than Saturn is to the conjunction. The very first pass of this opposition occurred on April 8, six days before the Tibetan earthquake. The same transit will remain powerful until, at least the end of May, when Uranus will make his first ingress in Aries, and then again in October 2010 and January 2011.

We shouldn’t forget also that both Saturn and Pluto have recently become retrograde, portending repetition of past experiences with the necessity to explore and the potential to solve unfinished business or tie loose ends, as the saying goes. For China there are certainly lots of loose ends to tie with the Tibetan people who live in this ravaged region, a world in between modern Communist China and traditional Buddhist and Bong communities, inhabiting the rooftop of the world.

Furthermore, on the day of the quake, transiting Mars happened to be exactly on China’s natal Mars, so China was having a Mars’ Return, a two yearly event, portending potential unrest, accidents, violence, the activities Mars excels in.

I have found also a significant correlation between the transiting Lunar Nodes in Capricorn and Cancer and the Lunar Nodes in Aries and Libra of China’s Natal Chart: at the time of the disaster they were very close (just over one degree distance) to a 90 degrees, challenging angle with each other, marking an important moment in the history and destiny of this country. To make this connection even more significant the Moon, at the time of the earthquake, was transiting on top of China Natal North Node and opposed to its South Node, thus connecting the ephemeral position of the Moon on that fateful day with the Eclipses that were around when Communist China was born. As astrologers know Eclipses close to the time of an individual’s birth are focal points in their Charts, points that will become activated during a lifetime by many transits and progressions and bring about important realizations and events. The transiting Moon in Aries was also separating from an opposition to China’s Neptune and applying to an opposition to China’s Mercury, both planets being conjunct China’s South Node.

To conclude the list of transits on the day: the transiting Moon had reached a 120 degrees angle, trine, with China’s Pluto, the Lord of Death, while the transiting Pluto was in opposition with China’s Uranus, transit that will remain active, on and off, for the whole of 2010, becoming exact again in October 2010 and January 2011. The latter transit is a very important one. If we were discussing the effect of such a transit on an individual we could describe it as a life-changing influence, both planets representing the need to embrace radical changes and accept the unavoidable. The same is true for a nation’s Chart.

Finally I would like to share another fact that I discovered about this event. The New Moon of April 14 was an important date for many people in Asia, corresponding with the beginning of the New Year, in accordance to different ancient traditions. The New Year was celebrated that day in Thailand, Punjab, Nepal, Assam, Bangladesh, Orissa, Tamilnadu, Kerala and other places. The time before the festivities begin (just when the disaster struck) is dedicated in these countries to cleansing ceremonies, enacted by house spring-cleaning, the throwing of water in the streets and to each other, the washing of Buddha’s statues, the freeing of birds form cages and fish form bowls. All in order to begin the year with renewed energy and purified of the sins of the past.

I couldn’t help thinking of all the dead people in Tibet being symbolically freed from their physical shackles and liberated in the new life of the Spirit on that very important yearly New Moon in Aries, the first of the year in the first of the Signs. The image of those Tibetan monks who came to help their fallen brothers and the population of this remote parts, whose help was rejected by unyielding Chinese authorities, is a fit image, I feel, of the ‘spiritual’ dimension of this disaster, because it happened in one place in the world that we can all consider sacred, around the highest mountains the Gods used to inhabit and from where they still shine like super-natural beacons for us.

CHILE’S EARTHQUAKE, post 2

Sophie Anderson 1823-1903

In this second post about Chile’s earthquake I would like to study the chart of the event itself, calculated with the coordinates of the epicentre (35 S 50 – 72 W 43). Below is the Chart, for February 27, 3.34 am (Chile Day Light Saving Time), the time the massive earthquake struck:

Click to enlarge

As I pointed out in my previous post, the Nodes of the Moon are aligned here to the horizon at the time and place of the earthquake (the North Node in Capricorn on the Ascendant and the South Node in Cancer on the Descendant). In the recent big event in Haiti the Nodes were also aligned to the local horizon, but in the reverse order (South Node on Ascendant, North Node on Descendant).

The Lunar Nodes represent the axis of destiny in every Chart (person or event). When they are highlighted in transit they trigger important events that influence the destiny of a person, or, as in the case of a mundane Chart like this one, of many individuals.

The South Node (Cauda Draconis, the Dragon’s Tail) is traditionally considered more difficult, dealing with what of the past we need to move away from, in order to grow. The North Node (Caput Draconis, Dragon’s Head) is less difficult, dealing with the future and growth of consciousness. Certainly this last event in Chile, horrible as it has been, is not comparable to the devastation that occurred in Haiti, where the dead toll has risen to about 220.000. In this case then the Nodes have confirmed the nature traditionally ascribed to them.

There are many scientific and social reasons for the more confined effect of the Chilean earthquake, despite the fact that it has been estimated to be 500 times stronger than the Haiti’s one: the quake in Chile occurred 34 km underground, while the Haiti’s earthquake was much closer to the earth’s surface, a mere 13 km. Also in Haiti the epicenter was very close to the very populated city of Port-au-Prince, while the closest city to the Chilean epicenter was Concepcion, 115 km away. And Chile is a much more prosperous country than Haiti and also much better prepared for earthquakes, because in Chile these events are more frequent.

The transiting Moon in Leo, at the time of Chile’s quake, was in the local Eight House, the sector in every horoscope that deals with death and loss. And, in an Event Chart such as this, the Moon represents the common people, going about their everyday business. The Moon is also applying widely to an opposition to the three Planets conjunct in Aquarius, Mercury, Neptune and Chiron. Mercury has in fact reached the conjunction to Neptune and Chiron just on the day of the quake. The event happened under the sea’s floor (Neptune rules our Planet’s oceans) and caused a wide spread tsunami alert for countries as far away as Japan and Australia.

So it seems that Mercury, messenger of the Gods, acted as a catalyst for the release of the Neptunian and Chironic energies. The conjunction Neptune Chiron, still very close to exactness and remaining active until early next year, is one with great potential for healing, but also for unwarranted pain and suffering, on a massive scale. I did found also interesting that these three planets are all on the 26th degree of Aquarius, 90 degrees away (square or difficult angle) to Algol, the star depicted as the head of Medusa, the same that had such a connection with the Haiti’s event (post on Medusa and the Haiti’s earthquake).

To return to the transiting Moon in Leo, our Lady of the Night is also the apex of a Yod, a well known astrological configuration, called by some the Finger of God, with Venus and the Ascendant at the other angles (both 150 degrees, a quincunx aspect, away from the Moon) and in sextile aspect (60 degrees) to each other. Yods are said to represent crisis of self-awareness, when we need to repeat certain experiences in order to gather their spiritual essence. To me this configuration seems mainly positive and could be a symbol of the fact that the devastation could have been a lot worse if the people hadn’t been prepared by previous experiences and well equipped to deal with such emergencies.To be noted too is the fact that Venus is in positive aspect to the transiting Nodes (trine and sextile), another positive testimony. The Moon and the Eight House in Leo are ruled by the Sun (Ruler of Leo) in Pisces, enhancing the importance of the Eight House’s affairs in this Horoscope (for House tutorial, click here).

Another powerful and obvious influence in this Chart is the culmination of Saturn, here the most elevated planet of the lot, and ruling the whole Chart because Capricorn, Saturn’s own Sign, is on the Ascendant. Life is not easy when Saturn occupies this powerful angle. The limitations and restrictions imposed by the Lord of Karma come to the fore when Saturn happens to dominate the Horoscope in this way. Also the giant ringed planet exerts a more powerful pull while crossing any place’s meridian, as it has been proved by this event. Furthermore the Moon in the House of Death and Loss is in semi-square (45 degrees away from) to Saturn and the Mid-heaven to which Saturn is conjunct. And we shouldn’t forget that the square Saturn-Pluto, exact earlier this year, is still fairly active (only 2 degrees away from exactness) and due to become exact again this year (see my 2010 Forecasts articles). This is one of the most difficult transit of the whole year. Pluto, in the Chile’s earthquake Chart, is transiting the Twelfth House of Fate and Self-undoing, indicating hopelessness in the face of events more powerful than any individual or group. Acceptance of fate, building resilience and character are the hard-earned benefits of the close contact of these two difficult planetary energies.

Last, but certainly not least, the Sun is applying to a conjunction to transiting Jupiter, a yearly event, just on the day of the earthquake! Despite many controversies surrounding the subject, giant Jupiter is considered by many to have an extremely powerful effect on seismic and volcanic activities on our planet. The close conjunction (alignment in longitude along the earth’s ecliptic or orbit) seems to confirm the ancient astrological lore about Jupiter.

EARTHQUAKE IN CHILE, AN ASTROLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

Chile’s Earthquake, February 27, 2010, 03.34 am, calculated for the epicentre’s coordinates

click to enlarge*****

The Chilean earthquake occurred the day before the Full Moon (at around 3.34 am, local Day Light Saving Time, on February 27, while the Moon became Full at 1.37 pm, the next day, February 28, 2010).

The death toll has risen, at the time of writing (Monday morning, Eastern Australian Time) to over 700, but many more people remain unaccounted for. It will take years to repair the widespread destruction of buildings and infrastructures.

This earthquake seems to confirm one of our ancient astrological tenets: that the phases of the Moon are linked to many phenomena on our blue planet, including the inception of powerful earth tremors. Many authors dispute in fact that it is not just Eclipses (always occurring either at New or Full Moon) that seem to trigger earthquakes (as in the case of the Haiti’s disaster), but also the common phases often bear the signatures of natural disasters, if other transits occurring around the time of the phase, concur with this possibility.This is the case for Chile, due to the planetary alignments (conjunctions) that happened on the same day: Mercury-Neptune-Chiron in Aquarius, and the Sun-Jupiter in Pisces.

All these Planets and the Sun were positioned in the midnight House of Chile’s Birth Chart, exerting a powerful pull on Chile from under the earth and sea, the Midnight or Fourth House indicating all that is below the earth and hidden from view. The approaching Full Moon has augmented even more the power of the planetary alignment during this 8.8 magnitude event, one of the most powerful ever recorded.

Below is the Earthquake’s Chart super-imposed on Chile’s Birth Chart (Independence from Spain, September 18, 1810, 09.26 am, Santiago).

click to enlarge

Notice how Pluto, at 05 degrees Capricorn, is forming a 90 degrees right angle with Chile Birth Chart’s Lunar Nodes, the axis of destiny in every chart. Pluto is often the harbinger of upheavals of all sorts, and sometimes mass deaths. And also how the transiting Moon in Leo has just past the Upper Meridian of the earthquake’s zone, the most elevated point at that latitude, this time of the year. The Moon then becomes very powerful, waxing near full, and the most elevated body in Chile’s Horoscope. The Moon rules Cancer that, in Chile’s Birth Chart, occupies the Eighth House of loss and death, the sector corresponding to Scorpio and Pluto.

As you can see the natal (Birth Chart) Moon of Chile was conjunct Jupiter. I find it very interesting that both the Moon and Jupiter were very active in transit at the time of the earthquake, as if their effect combined were part of the destiny of Chile. Jupiter is, after all, the Ruling Planet of Chile’s Birth Chart, with its Ascendant in Sagittarius. The Moon conjunct Jupiter becomes therefore a sort of co-ruler. Their combined power is a destiny maker for Chile.

The closest aspect (0 degree orb) is a trine between the transiting Jupiter in Pisces and Chiles’ Birth Venus in Scorpio (conjunct Uranus in the XII House), showing how there is no difference really between the traditionally positive and negative aspects, an angle with Jupiter always representing a tendency to expand and make everything bigger, for good or ill. The position of Venus and Uranus in the House of self-undoing (in Chile’s Birth Chart) indicates the tendency to be driven by events over which we have no conscious control. It is a very fated position and Jupiter acted like a trigger to activated it, in a sudden and explosive way (Uranus is also in the picture here in a big way, even if the aspect with Jupiter is not exact yet, because Venus works as a go-between them). Jupiter is also in square aspect to Chile’s Saturn in Sagittarius, a powerful applying aspect, between Angular Houses, the most active in any Horoscope. The importance of Saturn (the Earth Planet par excellence) is also undeniable in Chile’s Chart because is rising close to the Ascendant, covering even more ground because of its conjunction to Neptune (the Sea Planet).

There are many more close hits:

Transiting Uranus in Pisces was only 35 minutes in longitude past the opposition with Chile Birth Chart’s Sun in Virgo, an aspect that can occur only once in 84 years! Uranus is well-known for its destructive streak and the tendency to bring changes into our lives, to the willing and the unwilling alike. Applied to a National Chart this transit could bring about a revolution of some kind and the end of a stagnant and unproductive period.

The transiting Nodes are in semi-square and sesqui-square respectively to Chile’s Ascendant in Sagittarius and Mercury in Libra; these transits too are quite exact at the time of the earthquake, another signature for a destiny making moment for this nation.

Transiting Mars sextile (60 degrees distance) to Chile’s Jupiter and sesqui-square Chile’s Pluto; while Mercury was opposing Mars, on Chile’s Meridian axis!

One thing that impressed me in the Earthquake Chart itself is the fact that the Capricorn North Node of the Moon (squared by the transiting Pluto) is rising near the horizon at the time of the tremor, while the Cancer South Node is setting, the reversed picture of what occurred at the recent Haiti’s earthquake, when the South Node was rising just below the Ascendant, and the North Node was setting! If interested, below are links to the four posts I wrote for Haiti:

https://livingmoonastrology.wordpress.com/2010/01/15/haiti-cosmic-picture-of-an-earthquake/

https://livingmoonastrology.wordpress.com/2010/01/18/earthquake-in-haiti-post-2/

https://livingmoonastrology.wordpress.com/2010/01/19/haiti-eclipses-and-the-big-earthquake-post-3/

https://livingmoonastrology.wordpress.com/2010/01/25/medusa-and-the-haitis-earthquake-post-4/

More about the Chile’s Earthquake Chart in my next post.

HAITI, ECLIPSES and the BIG EARTHQUAKE, post 3

There are many meaningful connections between these January 2010 Eclipses, the January 12 earthquake and Haiti’s Birth Chart of January  1804.

Arranging the four wheels together their many similarities become immediately apparent, while there are many more that unravel slowly as we really ‘look’.

In the picture below Haiti Birth Chart is the inner wheel, the Lunar Eclipse (December 31 2009) the second wheel from the centre, the Earthquake’s Chart the third wheel, and the Solar Eclipse (January 15) the outer wheel, in time sequence. All four Charts have been calculated with the coordinates and local time of Haiti.

 

Click picture to enlarge

While the similarity between the two Eclipses Charts and the Earthquake has to be expected, due to their closeness in time (just a couple of weeks, half a Moon’s cycle away from each other), it is indeed a strange coincidence that the Haiti’s Birth Chart (1804) should also show such a connection to these present events. The destiny of Haiti has been activated by these Eclipses, big time.

At the time of the Lunar Eclipse, symbolically opening the new year, the transiting Sun and Haiti’s own Sun were conjunct, meaning that Haiti was celebrating its birthday the day of the Eclipse, all birthday representing a new beginning. Because the Haiti’s Horoscope is cast for midnight, the Sun and the birthday transiting Sun are also conjunct the Lower Heaven, matrix of consciousness, from which emerges the umbilical cord of all existence and where fate is created. In the same position we have found Saturn at the moment the earthquake struck (see first post) and Jupiter during the Solar Eclipse of January 15. This is remarkable because the Lower-Heaven changes rapidly during the day and was in these positions only for a short time in each occasion. Also all these grouping around the Midnight point, the one below the horizon and under the Earth in all Horoscopes, conjure pictures of burial and underground places.

Between the Haiti’s Birth Charts and these Transits Charts a great number of celestial bodies are passing through Capricorn, confirming the ancient astrological tenets that Earth Signs are more likely to produce earth tremors than other Elements Signs, and that alignments in particular can disturb the balance in the gravitational field of the Earth, causing a great deal of pressure.

The celestial bodies involved in these multiple conjunctions, amongst all Charts considered, are: Pluto, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Chiron, the Sun, the Moon and the North Node.

A number of Planets transiting the Sign following Capricorn (the conjunction of Jupiter, Chiron and Neptune in Aquarius, and Uranus in Pisces)  also add to the weight of the Earth alignment.

Let’s consider for instance  the outstanding example of transiting Pluto, conjunct Mars and Chiron in Haiti’s Birth Chart, Venus in the Lunar Eclipse Chart, Mercury and the Moon (wide orb) in the Earthquake’s Chart and still Mercury in the Solar Eclipse Chart, plus, of course, squaring the transiting Saturn as well as the Natal Saturn of Haiti. We can safely say that Pluto was prominent in transit on all three occasions. The transits of Pluto happen to transform things and people, to change things in a radical, sometimes violent way. This is the God of the Underworld demanding his share of the realm of life, eager to be acknowledged.

Looking a the transits from Saturn’s view point we notice the Lord of karma not only returned to Haiti’s birth position, but was also in square with Pluto, Mars-Chiron, Venus and Mercury between the three Transits Charts, apart from being conjunct Haiti’s Ascendant and square Haiti’s Meridian Axis (Mid-Heaven and Lower-heaven). So Saturn too was definitely prominent in transit on all three occasions. Saturn, in this instance wearing the ugly mask of the Grim Ripper he used to don in the Middle Ages, defines a karmic moment for Haiti, a grand scale reality check and  traumatic coming of age. While Saturn is conjunct the Ascendant of Haiti, thus manifesting in the sad face Haiti is now presenting to the world, is actually still transiting the Twelfth House, that sector in the Horoscope where unconscious forces beyond our control seem always ready to swallow us up. This is the place where the Ego-Egos of this world are not anymore in charge, but we found ourselves on a rudderless boat, guided by the wind of fate, if you believe in it, or by pure chance and cruel acts of Nature, if you don’t.

Another Planet very prominent in Transit is Neptune, who has reached the square to its own position in Haiti’s Birth Chart, a significant aspect, entailing the need for this country to find a new spiritual dimension and fresh ideals. Due to the fact that the Natal Sun of Haiti was in semi-square to Natal Neptune, the transiting Neptune is now in semi-square with Haiti’s Sun too. This means that the Natal Sun (as well as the Sun during the Lunar Eclipse) is now mid-point between the Natal and Transiting Neptune, another remarkable coincidence, reinforced by the fact that the Transiting Eclipsed Moon (January 1) was also in aspect to Haiti’s Natal Neptune (sesqui-square or 135 degrees); the transiting Eclipsed Sun (January 15) was in sextile aspect with the same; the transiting Neptune was in sesqui-square to Haiti Natal Ascendant; the Ascendant of the Lunar Eclipse’s Chart and the Mid-heaven at the time of the earthquake were in opposition to Natal Neptune (more about this in my next post when I’ll discuss the role of the Star Algol, Medusa’s head, in these amazing events)! Too many to mention them all really.

Neptune was the God of Oceans and Rivers to the ancient Greeks. He was often referred to as ‘the Earth’s Shaker’, acknowledging the power of this God (Planet) in unleashing earthquakes, especially those that originated underwater, near the coast or on islands. Neptune in the Haiti’s Midnight Chart is found in the Second House, affecting therefore the country’s sense of security and financial standing. These Transits then could awaken both the positive and negative sides of this Natal position of Neptune. Positively the world may wake up to the need of Haiti for help on all fronts, and not only in the face of this disaster. Negatively these Transits may exacerbate the tendency Haiti has always displayed to base its financial security on shaky, unreliable, unrealistic, if not down right unlawful grounds (slavery comes to mind, as well as the corruption of the many dictatorships that have governed the country since independence).

I would like to add here the role of the Mid-heaven in some of these Charts. In the Earthquake’s Chart the Transiting Mid-Heaven is in square to the Natal Mid-Heaven of Haiti and opposed its Natal Ascendant; while the Mid-Heaven of the Solar Eclipse is conjunct Haiti’s Natal Moon in Leo.

Mars is also remarkable during these recent Transits for Haiti, retrograding over the country’s Natal South Node (past karma), semi-square Saturn, in both its Natal and transiting incarnations, exactly sextile Uranus during the earthquake and, of course, as remarked before, also activated in its Natal position by both Pluto (conjunction) and Saturn (square).

Jupiter, a Planet which is often connected to earthquakes on Earth, due to its gigantic size and gravitational pull, can be seen in this Four-Wheels Chart as applying to the opposition to Haiti’s Natal Moon at the Lunar Eclipse, being exactly opposite the same during the earthquake, from under the Earth (Midnight point) and just separating from it at the Solar Eclipse, before entering Pisces. One could write a book on these Transits and Haiti!

In my next post on Haiti I’ll explore the connection of the January’s Eclipses to Haiti via their Saros number, the number given to each teclipse to identify the group they belong to (Lunar or Solar occurring around the same degree of the Zodiac). This link to ancient eclipses and to the Constellations of the Sidereal Zodiac  makes an intriguing and somewhat eerie astrological tale.

EARTHQUAKE in HAITI, post 2

 William Blake’s The great red dragon and the woman clothed with the sun

While the crisis in Haiti deepens, in this second post I would like to look further into the Astrology of this earthquake, the worst natural disaster in Haiti for the last 240 years.

1) First I’ll plot the Earthquake Horoscope over the Birth Chart of Haiti (January 1, 1804, Independence Day).

2) Secondly I’ll plot the January 2010 Lunar and Solar Eclipses on the Haiti’s Birth Chart, because they certainly have a lot to do with the January 12 earthquake.

3) Thirdly, I will consider the nature of these Eclipses, as it is revealed by their Saros series’ numbers which link them to past Eclipses, throwing an uncanny light on the event they have manifested in our time.

THE EARTHQUAKE AND HAITI’S BIRTH CHART

The Birth Chart that most astrologers adopt for Haiti is the one coinciding with the Republic’s independence from French colonization, in 1804.

Haiti was declared an independent Republic on the First of January 1804. The Time chosen is symbolical and it doesn’t coincide with a specific event, like a ceremony, an official opening or declaration, or even a speech. This Midnight Chart works really well with the Transits I have considered, as other astrologers have also found out.

Below is Haiti’s Midnight Horoscope.

Here is the Earthquake’s Chart (January 12, 2010, 4.53 pm), cast for the coordinates of Haiti.

And here is the Synastry of the two Charts.

 

 

When we compare the Horoscope of the moment the quake struck on January 12 with the Birth Chart of Haiti a clearer picture of the event seems to emerge. The are many signs that this is an important period in the growth of Haiti as an independent nation. The most obvious is the fact that Saturn, powerful in its retro station (that period when the planet slows down to a stand still, before starting to move backward in apparent motion) is actually sitting on top of Haiti’s own Saturn. So the earthquake was a sort of coming of age for Haiti, a proper Saturn’s Return! And, considering the position and aspect of Saturn in Haiti’s Birth Chart this is not a cruisy Saturn’s Return, but a rather difficult one (Saturn conjunct the Midnight point at birth, and in square, difficult angle, with both Mars and Chiron in the Birth Chart and also Pluto, Mercury, the Sun and MidHeaven in the Transits Charts). The 90 degrees angle with Chiron, the Planet of accidental wounding, was in fact absolutely exact on the day of the disaster.

A Return of Saturn occurs only once every thirty years, so a simple coincidence can be safely ruled out. Also Saturn is a very significant force in Haiti’s Chart and in the Earthquake Chart because it rules Capricorn where Sun and four Planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Chiron) were aligned at Haiti’s birth and where another great alignment is happening now (Mercury, Venus, Pluto, North Node and also the Moon the day of the Solar Eclipse, January 15). Amazing stuff!

Once we remember also that Saturn is lodged on the Midnight point in Haiti’s Birth Chart and in the Twelfth House in the Transits Chart, we can better visualize the powerful fate entailed in these cosmic events. The fact that this is just the second pass of the Saturn’s Return for Haiti (the first pass occurred in December 2009 and the second will be exact only at the end of August 2010) we can also see the repercussions of the present events on the country’s future. Other Transits indicating that the present situation is but the beginning of an ongoing process are those of Mars, because this Planet has also recently become retrograde and will re-form the same difficult Transits, on-off, until June 2010.

What is also very impressive in the Synastry between Haiti and the Earthquake’s Charts is the sheer number of nearly precise (partile) aspects happening on the day. I just list some of those again, in order of closeness, the closest one first:

Tr. Mars sextile Natal Uranus.

Tr. Saturn square Natal Chiron.

Tr. Midheaven square Natal Midheaven.

Tr. Neptune square natal Neptune.

Tr. Midheaven opposition Natal Ascendant.

Tr. Pluto square Natal Saturn.

Tr. Neptune semi-square Natal Sun.

Tr. Mercury sextile Natal Pluto.

Tr. North Node semi-square Natal Pluto, while Tr. South Node is sesqui-square the same.

Tr. Pluto conjunct Natal Mars.

Tr. MidHeaven square Natal Sun.

Tr. Jupiter opposition Natal Moon.

Tr. Chiron semi-square Natal Sun.

Tr. Neptune sesqui-square Natal Ascendant.

Tr. Pluto conjunct Natal Chiron.

Tr. Saturn conjunct Natal Saturn (Return).

Tr.Mars conjunct Natal South Node

(rising in the Earthquake’s Chart).

Tr. Ascendant square Natal Uranus.

 HAITI’S BIRTH CHART

AND THE JANUARY 2010 ECLIPSES

The meaningful connections become even more overwhelming when we study the interaction of the first Lunar and Solar Eclipses of 2010 with the Birth Chart of Haiti. Arranging the three wheels together their uncanny similarities becomes immediately apparent.

In the picture below Haiti Birth Chart is the inner wheel, the Lunar Eclipse (January 1, 2010) is the second wheel, the Earthquake is the third wheel, and the Solar Eclipse (January 15) the outer wheel. For an in-depth reading of these, please check my next post.