EARTHQUAKES , FIREWORKS & SEX - it's started.

Earthquakes, sex scandals, sabre rattling - okay it's started - the Scorpio planets are moving into position!

Sceptics of astrology are quick to criticise astrologers for making endless prognostications that rarely come true; Astrologers are quick to retort that we can only point out trends. When, however, a whole gamut of planets line up in one area of the sky it makes our job so much easier - it is analogous to illuminating certain locations, people and areas of life with a mega-wattage spotlight.

I have never been one for 'predictions' per se but I do like to indicate which way the wind is blowing. It seems I got it right this time, the Scorpio stellium (and their ruler, Pluto, conjoining the Galactic centre) is set to shake things up and indeed already is; a magnitude 6.6 earthquake has shaken Hawaii: I wrote on October 10th:

We can only watch and see if this latest nuclear test triggers geophysical reactions in the shape of earthquakes and other phenomena in days and months to come...............

The Sun/Mars conjunction in Scorpio takes place at 06.01 GMT on 23rd October and (geodetically) this places both planets rising through South Korea. The Presidential spokesman in Seoul said they would "sternly respond" to the reported nuclear test and the Defense Ministry has already raised the military alert level. Meanwhile the same planets are setting just off the East Coast of the USA and are on the midheaven above the Pacific ocean, near Hawaii.

I do not think it is any surprise that there has been an earthquake just days after a nuclear test but, where was it going to happen? Rather than this being seen as me 'blowing my own trumpet' I hope it stands as testament to the potential of astrology and astromaps to pinpoint trends and locations which are likely to hit the news. How is this possible? It's the one question that an astrologer is asked more than any other... "How does astrology work?" I have proffered an explanation on this subject on my sister site under the title 'The Law of Vibration'.

It seems that certain planets become synchronized to certain terrestrial events and locations due to a phenomenon known as entrainment. As the Sun closes into its conjunction with Mars (war, anger, strife, fire etc) and Pluto, (eruption and upheaval) closes in on the Galactic Centre, one of the ways to determine where the planets are resonating with is to raise astromaps and look where the planets are angular. In this case above Hawaii (geodetically). Returning to this map I also notice Pluto angular (IC) at Sri Lanka - a scene of carnage with yet more bombs exploding there today.

Although the precise conjunction of the 23rd is one week away, it is common astrological knowledge that planetary influence can manifest just either side of the aspect (usually before), hence, although no further planets have yet entered into Scorpio since my last posts, we are already hearing of a headline sex scandal. In Israel President Katsav faces potential charges of rape, sexual assault and fraud. I wrote:

one can expect to see the newspapers filled with headlines about vice* and financial scandals...

There are interesting days ahead! I have pinpointed general themes that are likely to emerge in the coming weeks in my previous few posts. Into the mix let's not forget that Jupiter is approaching it's exact -90- with Saturn on the 25th October at 17.27 GMT. This is a 'tipping point' in The Presidential Death Cycle (read more here) and also has resonance with Israel, nuclear issues and The Papacy. On the astromaps this highlights California and the Middle East- Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Yemen and Somalia.

A literal translation of this aspect might be International or widespread (Jupiter) grief or restrictions (Saturn) but it is also related to materialism. With an approaching Sun/Mars/Venus conjunction in Scorpio and the markets (FTSE) just having hit an all time high, my feeling is that this is a turning point and we are going to be hearing of financial regulations, as more people live beyond their means. More insolvency, fraud, identity theft (kidnapping- Scorpio) and international trading embargoes and restrictions will also come to light.

Finally, with so many planets in fixed signs, situations and people are going to be at their most immovable**. If you have a plan of action that requires iron will, steadfastness or for you to be resolute, then begin it after the 23rd. You can use this energy in a positive way if, for example, you plan to diet. It's a great time to finish and end things for good, to transform situations and purge yourself of bad habits. Be warned though, it's also (due to the law of polarity) a time when one can descend down through 'the gates of the underworld'. Steer clear of addictive substances, bad and illicit behavior or, the trends indicate, you may find yourself trapped there for longer than you had anticipated!

Notes: * By vice I specifically mean that we will see headlines concerning rape, prostitution, fetishes and other 'base' behaviour. Obsessive, compulsive and addictive behaviours i.e stalking are also indicated. The Venus, Mars conjunction points to love triangles.

** When we have a preponderance of planets in fixed signs, the tension that this induces often results in stress fractures of the body - or in the planet. If you think of a tree, it bends in the wind, if it was totally unyielding to an outside force it would simply snap. This is what happens on fault lines. The pressure builds up as one tectonic plates resists another until it becomes too great and an earthquake occurs.

NUCLEAR TEST & THE GALACTIC CENTRE + Scorpio Update

When Jonathan Cainer recently made mention of the Galactic Centre in his daily column it resulted in a sudden spike in the viewing figures on my post 'Pluto Conjunct The Galactic Centre'. You can find that article in the archives 19 Feb 2006 or by clicking here.

I am returning to this subject now, not only due to the obvious appetite for the topic as the conjunction approaches, but because of the news that emerged from North Korea this week; Communist dictator Kim Jong-il has provocatively defied the international community by carrying out an underground nuclear test. (10.35 local on October 9th).

The Galactic Centre is located at 26.56 degrees of Sagittarius and angular aspects (harmonic resonances) to this point in the Cosmos have been shown to coincide with events of a global nature. In my February post on the subject I wrote 'Issues surrounding nuclear weapons and environmental and economic concerns also seem to resonate strongly when a planet tenants this degree'.

In the past few months, as Pluto, ruler of Scorpio (currently in the sign of Sagittarius) edges towards its precise conjunction in December, we see global issues (Sag) coming to the fore concerned with death, decay and hidden, secretive and corrupt themes (Scorpio). We have recently been treated to the motion picture 'An Inconvenient Truth'. A perfect Pluto in Sag title. In this film Al Gore highlights the extent of the environmental problems that our planet is facing. This week, we once again come face to face with another danger that Man has unleashed on himself - that of splitting the atom to create Nuclear fusion and fission.

Like the planet to which it corresponds (Pluto), nuclear power can be a force for good or evil. The destructive powers of nuclear energy are well known. When Jupiter came to a 90 degree resonance with the Galactic Centre on August 06, 1945, a portion of the global population was annihilated in Hiroshima. As the Moon opposed the Galactic Centre on 26 December 2004 thousands of people were killed in a Tsunami (which some believe may have been triggered by underground nuclear tests).
Radioactive waste can survive for tens of thousands of years and its by-products used by terrorists for all kinds of weaponry.

On the other hand nuclear energy can be a safe and environmentally benign fuel source. On 20 Dec 1951 electricity was generated for the first time by a nuclear reactor as the Sun crossed the Galactic Centre. This form of energy can also provide heat without depleting natural resources such as coal and oil and it's a 'clean' fuel alleviating many of the pollution problems associated with the use of fossil fuels.

This tussle between good and evil is one that has existed throughout history. It is only in recent times however that the power to wipe out great swathes of the globe can be held in the hands of one individual and be wielded in the blink of an eye. This enormous power is something which is going to be addressed as Pluto aligns with the Galactic Centre. It could bring cataclysms or transformation depending on how it is used.

Our galaxy is a spiral galaxy and it's as if two opposing sides are spiraling towards a central meeting(or clashing) point - the Galactic Centre. On the one arm of the spiral we have the President of a Nation meeting resistance for his relentless march to destroy 'the axis of Evil' that he feels threatens his country. On the other arm we have a communist dictator who is trying desperately to command the same amount of power by defying the 'rules' of a President - who he also perceives as a dictator threatening his country. In the middle we have leaders and President's of other nations determined to protect their 'power' and not be 'dictated' to. Perhaps the Planet itself will intervene and shake them to their senses. We can only watch and see if this latest nuclear test triggers geophysical reactions in the shape of earthquakes and other phenomena in days and months to come.

SCORPIO STELLIUM
Events on Earth are mirrored in celestial alignments and the comparatively rare gathering of a plethora of planets in one sector of the solar system, Scorpio, is set to bring any misuse or corruption of power to the surface. Saturn making dissonant resonance from the sign of Leo points to leaders who will not be swayed from their course and who are partial to theatrical displays of power. Scorpio correlates to acts of defiance and self defeating behavior and there is little doubt that the international community will now impose heavy sanctions upon North Korea, but with what reaction remains to be seen. There are certainly difficult times ahead. Unfortunately the door has also been opened wide for other countries on the 'axis of evil' to defy international agreements if the sanctions are not harsh and enforced.

The Sun/Mars conjunction in Scorpio takes place at 06.01 GMT on 23rd October and (geodetically) this places both planets rising through South Korea. The presidential spokesman in Seoul said they would "sternly respond" to the reported nuclear test and the Defense Ministry has already raised the military alert level. Meanwhile the same planets are setting just off the East Coast of the USA and are on the midheaven above the Pacific ocean, near Hawaii.

Russia, who once occupied North Korea until its independence (10 Sep 1948) is also heavily impacted by the forthcoming alignment. We have already seen diplomatic tensions emerge over the assassination of anti-Kremlin reporter Anna Politkovskaya - the 12th journalist to die in a contract style killing since President Putin came to power. It is well known that the levels of corruption in Russia are spiraling out of control. This is likely to become more of an issue with planets in Scorpio. On the astromap for Russia the Sun/Mars conjunction passes through the Nadir - they need to get their 'house' in order.

In this post I have focused on how Pluto conjunct the Galactic Centre could bring more 'Scorpionic' consequences across the globe in coming weeks. However all the cycles interweave and I will continue to highlight the effects of the Scorpio stellium (and Saturn/Neptune opposition) in subsequent posts. In particular the Sun/Venus/Mars Scorpio conjunction and parallels. These point to a focus on financial (and female) issues and one can expect to see the newspapers filled with headlines about vice and financial scandals, the birth or death of prominent females, marriage counseling, dating agencies and corporate restructuring. The issue of prisoners of war is also likely to be back to the fore.

Notes:
I have noticed that people who gain worldwide fame or notoriety repeatedly have natal planets aspecting the Galactic centre - usually exactly i.e. at 26 degrees Sag/Gemini or to resonances of +/- 3 degrees, so 23 - 29 Sag/Gem/Virgo/Pis
I chose to look at the Sun/Mars astro map (although it is not an outer planet conjunction) as it is reinforced by the Sun/Mars parallel.
On the day of the nuclear test Mercury was -45- Pluto, Venus -150- Uranus. Mercury Parallel Jupiter and Pluto

THE POWERFUL PARALLELS

In the complex interweaving of the planets in their cycles, astrologers pay particular attention to the exact moment when two, or more, of the outer planets i.e. Jupiter thru Pluto (now classified as a dwarf planet) conjoin. This moment is the time when planets conjoin in zodiacal longitude and is taken as the birth moment of the new cycle. Some cycles - like the Uranus/Pluto synod - can take 127 years from conjunction to conjunction, so it is obviously a noteworthy occurrence. Others cycles like that of Jupiter and Pluto take approximately 12 years to complete.

By studying this 'Major Conjunction' chart and modulating it through the charts of nations, leaders and historic events, one is able to interpret in which areas the planetary 'promise' is likely to unfold. For example if the conjunction occurs on the midheaven or ascendant of a particular locality the influence is likely to be felt keenly at this location (and nowadays we can use ACG maps to assist us in this regard). Likewise in the chart of individuals, leaders and Monarchs.

There is however, another technique which is not so commonly known or utilised by astrologers except in the area of astro-economics (i.e.using astrology to forecast economic conditions). The technique is also known as 'Cycle Charts' This is a traditional Mundane Astrology technique which looks at each planet individually and assesses the birth moment as being the time when a planet moves from South declination to North declination, at a given locality (note: not vice versa).

All ten planets are used in this method with one caveat; the cycle for the Moon is erected when the Moon is in conjunction with the Sun (every New Moon). Each planet therefore has its own Cycle Chart which governs those matters that the planet rules. Venus for money etc., Mars for violence etc., etc. The planet for which the cycle is erected will then move into aspectual relationship with the planets in the original Cycle Chart. These aspects indicate the time and nature of the events that will unfold.

For clarification purposes I will just add that declination is the measurement North or South of the Celestial Equator (not the ecliptic). For the Sun and Moon to be in conjunction they must be close together, either in north or south declination. For a Solar eclipse to occur they must also be near to the lunar node. This is the point where the Moon's path intersects the ecliptic.

The two astrological aspects we use in declination work are parallels and contra- parallels. Parallels occur when two planets fall in the same degree, either both North or both planets South. Contra-parallels happen when two planets are in the same degree of declination, but on opposite sides of the plane of the celestial equator i.e. one is North and the other is South. These are shown as (+) for N, and S (-). The usual orb of influence for a declination aspect is 1º. However, as Charles Jayne pointed out the closer a planet is to the Celestial Equator, the faster it moves, so a larger orb could be considered. After a planet passes 19 to 20º of declination, North or South, the daily motion slows down, and a tighter orb can be applied.

So, after Major Conjunctions and Cycle Charts, the final technique that we can employ is to look at when planets are in parallel declinations with one or more planets. If they are in parallel at 0 degrees declination or 23 degrees (equinox and solstice points) this is thought to add strength. If a planet goes higher than 23.27 then it is considered to be Out of Bounds as it has exceeded the natural limits of the Sun's declination. Out of Bounds planets (OOB) are said to act in an unstable, erratic and volatile way.

If there is close conjunction in zodiacal longitude and the planets are also in parallel this would be significant, bringing an extra prominence and intensity to the aspect.

Although contra parallels were not mentioned in astrological literature until the 1950's parallels of declination have been recorded by the ancient astrologers such as Ptolemy. According to Charles Jayne, they were in common use from the 1600's onwards and in The Text Book of Astrology in 1890, W.J. Simmonite wrote "parallel is of more importance than any other aspect and more powerful than a conjunction." I personally came to the use of parallels through the works of C.C. Zain from The Church of Light, who is a major authority on the subject of Mundane astrology.

One of the first things that I noticed was the plethora of parallels that occurred in the chart of the USA. Incredibly the Sun,Venus,Mars and Jupiter all form an exact parallel in north declination.

As The Rosicrucians, (an order stemming from The Brotherhood of the Rose-Croix, and inextricably linked to Freemasonary*) use declinations in their astrological work, it would not be too big a leap to suggest that it may be no coincidence that some of the founding Fathers of America signed the Declaration on 4th July 1776 when such an auspicious omen was occurring in the celestial realm.

I have still to conduct more research into the upcoming unusual stellium in Scorpio and its likely manifestations before writing further on it. I will just point out though that Scorpio is associated with debts, taxes, insurance and pensions and many of these topics are hitting the headlines as Mercury has now entered Scorpio. Scorpio also relates to the Cabinet of a President or Prime Minister and chief appointees of a leader. According to William Lilly, Washington DC falls under the rulership of the sign Scorpio. Using the techniques I outline above and utilising ACG charts I will take a further look into the possible manifestations of the stellium in my next posts. Please check back to read more.

Thank you

Notes:
* Reference Manly P. Hall
George W.Bush has a natal chart whose Sun and Pluto are in parallel and Pluto is technically out of bounds at 23.42
Condoleeza Rice has Sun sq Mars natally and Sun parallel Mars
Dick Cheney has Jupiter conjunct Pluto natally but these two are joined by Mars in parallel declination.
Mars was OOB at 26.48 on Sep 11th 2001. It was also OOB at 26.26 on Feb 23, 1993 when a bomb exploded at the WTC
Astrologyweekly has an interesting feature on parallels and OOB planets

For a fabulous site on the astronomy of astrology with great graphics please see Dwight Ennis

SCORPIO STELLIUM - SIX PLANETS IN SCORPIO

On October 24th 2006, Planet Earth is going to bear witness to a comparatively rare alignment of planets in the Solar System. This alignment is known as a planetary cluster and occurs when 5 or more planets align in the same area of the ecliptic (apparent path of the Sun). On this occasion the planets will occupy the portion of the ecliptic in the region of 210 - 240 degrees longitude i.e., the area we designate as belonging to the sign of Scorpio.

The cluster begins on 24th October at 10.48am BST when Venus enters Scorpio, joining the Sun and Mars in a triple conjunction and Mercury, Jupiter and the Moon in a second triple conjunction. The stellium itself begins when all 5 planets (the moon will have moved on) conjoin, within 20 degrees of arc, on 30 October at 18.52 GMT.

This planetary stellium will then last for an amazing 16 days, 22 minutes and 17 seconds ending on November 16th at 17.09 GMT. The average amount of time for a cluster to persist is 1-2 days. The last time there was a cluster of 5 planets which lasted anywhere near as long was May 5th, 2000. That alignment lasted for 13 days.

The Sun and three other planets occupied the sign of Scorpio at the time of my birth and Scorpio was rising over the horizon at my place of birth. Therefore the month of Oct 24th thru Nov 22nd (when the Sun leaves Scorpio) will obviously be of major importance to me and anyone born under the sign, or with planets in all degrees of the other fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Aquarius). Much will be written about the personal impact of this stellium by other bloggers and I will also comment on the personal effects after the event. For now though my particular interest lies in the mundane (worldly) impact of this alignment.

What has particularly caught my eye is that, just prior to the planets entering Scorpio, the Sun will not only be forming a longitudinal conjunction to Mars (and Venus) but it will be at the same declination as Mars. This means that the two planets will be at the same distance below the celestial equator and forming what we call a parallel of declination.This is a very powerful meeting of the Sun and Mars - traditionally significators of powerful men, aggression, surgeons, fires and war.

Taking place as it does at the end of one sign just prior to this historic stellium is symbolic of something happening which will plunge us all into a very 'Scorpionic' phase.

As most people know, Scorpio, and this phase of the yearly cycle, is associated with endings. In nature it is the dying out period of anything that is not capable of surviving - or the tenacity and endurance of that which will. Scorpio is co-ruled by Mars and Pluto both significators of Iron, Steel, Plutonium, Military action, Fanaticism and Force and Sexual extremes (rape, prostitution, pornography etc).

It is the sign of death and rebirth, endings and beginnings and is often symbolised by the Volcano, where all that has been hidden erupts to the surface. Another symbol is the Phoenix who rises from the ashes of the fire in an act of transmutation and regeneration. As such Scorpio is also said to be the sign of wisdom; for the fire which it controls is capable of illuminating, as well as consuming. Hence, initiation into the Great Mysteries was said by Pagans to only take place under the sign of Scorpio, and this contributes to the signs enduring association with secret societies, alchemy and all forms of occult practices.

I think it would be easy to fall into 'apocalyptic' mode because of the popular, negative associations with this sign in the mundane sphere. However, the possibilities for turning things around, ridding ourselves of the outworn and 'decaying' and the emergence of the new must not be overlooked. Overall whatever ensues will be of a transformative nature - that is , it will lead, long- term to something much needed and welcomed.

Accordingly Scorpio has further correlations to higher wisdom in the symbol of the Dove. The Scorpio/Dove is seen to have transcended all personal and egocentric desires. He seeks to absorb pain and sorrow from others and replace them with Universal love. The Scorpio chooses constantly between rising high into the light of love or falling into the darkness of oblivion and the underworld.

We also have to take note of other planetary aspects which are forming at this time. The whole stellium is linking into Saturn the sign of authority. Due to the fact that Saturn is in the regal sign of Leo, I am again reminded of the Monarchy. Prince Charles is a Scorpio whilst The Queen is Taurean. This entire stellium takes place over the midheaven of Prince Williams chart and starts with a triple conjunction to his Jupiter - planet of Kings. The Saturn/Neptune cycle which has historic correlations to The British Royal Family is still at its opposition phase.

The USA is undoubtedly affected in a major way by the alignment but it is difficult to determine the exact birthtime of America to know if we can use the Moon in our assessment. If we use the common 11.00 am chart then Saturn in this upcoming stellium will have reached the opposition of the USA Moon. A sign of public depression. The stellium falls mainly in the 2nd house and Scorpio is concerned with loans, taxes, debts and loss, so economic depression could also be forecast. Whatever the chart timing, the 24 October alignment begins in conjunction to the USA Mars/Uranus midpoint. This denotes the unexpected and a sudden adjustment to new circumstances .

Over the next few weeks I will look far more closely into the likely manifestations of this planetary cluster, utilising tools such as Astromaps and planetary cycle phases to try and determine other global hotspots. Just like the weather forecaster or stock market analyst; using past trends and cycle tracking, one is then able to say with reasonable accuracy, when and where this alignment is likely to divulge its 'promise'.

Thanks for reading.

Image from Adam McLean www.levity.com

ERIS - GODDESS OF DISCORD

I can't let this week pass without comment on the naming of dwarf planet 2003 UB313 (nicknamed, Xena). The powers that be at the IAU have officially named the planet Eris. Eris, as you may have been reading, is the mythological goddess of discord and disorder.

If one does a Google search for 'Eris', the top entry is E.R.I.S., a provider of Electoral Reform assistance. An organisation whose intention it is to bring order to 'disorderly' electional processes by imparting practices for transparency and credibility. Is it coincidence that the initial letters of 'Electoral Reform International Services' make up the letters of Eris? Did someone sit down, chose Eris as the acronym and then make the aim of the organisation fit? I don't think so. To astrologers this was a classic case of the synchronicity we have come to expect whenever things happen in the heavens. One only has to look at news headlines in the week of the official naming of the planet Eris. Hungary's Prime Minister admitted to lying in order to gain votes in elections - and what a lot of discord that caused. E.R.I.S has its work cut out across the globe.

Is the above example chance or meaningful coincidence? I believe it's meaningful, in the sense that it alerts us to the indivisibility between celestial and terrestrial.

We are witnessing what is commonly referred to as synchronicity - the merging in time (Chronos) of Man, Mind and Space. Just as each of us is formed out the same material that the Universe is fashioned out of (you’ll need to read up on quantum physics if you are not with me on this one), so each of us is wholly connected at some level, to each other. Indeed, not just to each other but also to the planets and every animate and inanimate object in our midst. This is perfectly expressed in the following ancient text:

What is below, is like what is above, and what is above is like that which is below – Hermes Trismegistus

If something is happening within us it is surely happening somewhere outside of us to many others, animate or non-animate, at the same time. If we all form a collective consciousness, then the possibility exists that our thoughts are not something self generated within our head but a product of our ability to tap into the collective, retrieve information and pull it into our head. This would certainly explain why people in different locations throughout the World seem to come up with new ideas at the same time. Take today's edition of The Daily Mail Newspaper. On page 46, Jonathan Cainer talks about the planet Eris and its association with discord. Meanwhile on page 56, there is a features article, completely unrelated to Eris, entitled 'Lessons in Discord'.

Most of us have had direct experience of generating thoughts which are coincident, prescient, or ahead of time. For example, we think of someone and they call. We tend to automatically view time as existing on a linear scale but if everything is in (Eris like) disorder, within a greater order (remember here the law of opposites and polarity - if disorder exists so does the opposite, order) then all that has happened and will ever happen exists in balanced synchrony. When we 'think' we garner thoughts from, what has been termed, 'The Field'. Often this results in the acquisition of knowledge which contradicts our present paradigm of 'reality'. Examples of this would be remote viewing or psychic ability.

There is a much more commonplace manifestation of this ability to tap into 'the field' too. This occurs when we make decisions which seem to have no consequence at the time but later appear inspired. Back in 1981, The Eris Society formed in Aspen, Colorado. The name was chosen because of the mythology of Eris. On their information page it states :

'In the spirit of Eris, we maintain a discordant, non-mainstream bent in our talks'.

The organisation adopts the view that a broad spectrum of free thinkers should unite to share their viewpoints. The group has no order (hierarchy or laws/rules). This group meets once a year to discuss the arts and sciences, philosophy and theology and any other subject which may lead them to the world of ideas beyond their workday lives. The person who established the group, Doug Casey, was well ahead of his time, for this type of eclectic gathering with an unusual structure was certainly not the norm in the early '80's, yet today, 26 years later his group could well form a blueprint for organisations in the Eris (and Pluto in Capricorn) generation. They must certainly be welcoming the publicity which Doug's seemingly random choice of name is bringing them now.

In conclusion, it is my belief that we are the Universe. All that exists, all knowledge of all that ever has been, or ever will be, is accessible to us. It is this accelerated awakening to the nature of our reality and interconnectedness that is driving an inexorable leap in consciousness. As we become more and more interconnected to one another 'coincidences' will speed up, synchronicities will become commonplace and the apparent randomness of the choices of a group of men; Mike Brown (Caltech), Chad Trujillo (Gemini Observatory), and David Rabinowitz (Yale University) in naming a Planet Eris, will be seen for what it truly is - a linking, not of individual minds, but to the Universal mind.

* * * * * *

Note: Eris was Michelle Pfeiffer's character in the film Sinbad -The Legend of the Seven Seas in the year that Eris was first discovered - 2003