Oprah, Revisited . . .

In our last post about Oprah Winfrey, I gave an interpretation from the B.I.D.E. System for each of her ten planets. If you're new to the blog, check out the red link in the right panel that says, Information Site, for guides and tips for using my System.

This post will take three planets from Oprah's chart and explore the aspects to them. The Information Site has the full set of aspect phrases that I'll be drawing my interpretations from.

I'm going to cover aspects that involve the three retrograde planets that are the only functions Oprah has above the horizon—the arena of objective, social action. Because they're all retrograde, Oprah found it very easy to "customize" those functions, use them in highly individualized ways, and make them talents that give her a profound influence in whatever social matrix she inhabits. In the last post about her, I called these three planets her BroadcastStation...

As explained on the Information Site, the B.I.D.E. System uses a full-cycle approach to aspects which makes any given aspect-type (except the conjunction and opposition) have two distinct manifestations: Waxing (0° to 180°) and Waning (180° to 0°). Also, aspects are always calculated from the slower planet to the faster planet. In addition, each of the interpretations below are only what I think fits Oprah's character and accomplishments. Each of those aspects has 511 other possible interpretations in the B.I.D.E. System...

If the interpretations of these planetary aspects of Oprah seem way too abstract or don't give you any interpretive satisfaction, I challenge you to construct a few Symbolic Sentences with the B.I.D.E. System of your own aspects and see just how powerfully it can reveal a vast amount of insightful information...

Since these aspects all involve Oprah's major social talents, interpreting them can give insight into why she's been called the world's most influential woman.

~~~~~~~~~
*Pluto's Aspects*

Pluto in Leo in the 11th House waxing Sextile Neptune in Libra in the 1st House
Regenerating Creative Response in order to Enlist the Aid of Her Social Network
Induces New Ways of Organizing the Situation by
Envisioning a Harmonizing Attitude in order to See Things Clearly.

Pluto in Leo in the 11th House waxing Square Mars in Scorpio in the 2nd House
Getting to the Depths of Dramatic Concern in order to Give Expression to Her Hopes
Induces Courage to Face Crises by
Asserting the Worth of Others in order to Ground Her Plans.

Pluto in Leo in the 11th House waxing QuadNovile Mercury in Aquarius in the 5th House
{If you're wondering why I'm not calling this an Opposition, mention it in the Comments}
Transcending [ordinary] Dramatic Concern in order to Activate Her Goals
Helps Perfect the Cultivation of Plans by
Investigating Humanitarian Considerations in order to Externalize Her Creativity.

*Uranus' Aspects*

Neptune in Libra in the 1st House waning Square Uranus in Cancer in the 10th House
Being Idealistic about Awareness of Others in order to See Things Clearly
Increases Dedication to Social Transformation by
Seeking the Truth of Character Development in order to Make the Situation as Objective as Possible.

Uranus in Cancer in the 10th House waxing TriDecile Saturn in Scorpio in the 2nd House
Breaking Obsolete Traditions of Emotional Security in order to Express Her Social Role
Helps Clarify Responsibilites by
Defining the Worth of Others in order to Be Aware of Her Worth.

Uranus in Cancer in the 10th House waxing BiQuintile Moon in Sagittarius in the 3rd House
Exploring Fresh Ideas about Nurturing Abilities in order to Make the Situation as Objective as Possible
Aids the Development of Required Resources by
Adapting a Broad Viewpoint in order to Be Aware of Her Immediate Environment.

Uranus in Cancer in the 10th House waning QuadNovile Sun in Aquarius in the 5th House
Seeking the Truth of Character Development in order to Be Who She Is In The World
Creates an Awareness of New Social Possiblities by
Vitalizing Humanitarian Considerations in order to Provide an Example.

Uranus in Cancer in the 10th House waning QuadNovile Venus in Aquarius in the 5th House
Breaking Obsolete Traditions of Character Development in order to Express Her Social Role
Helps Realize the Value of Unconditional Inclusiveness by
Valuing Group-Consciousness in order to Dramatize Her Concerns.

Uranus in Cancer in the 10th House waning Quincunx Mercury in Aquarius in the 5th House
Seeking the Truth of Emotional Security in order to Realize Her Highest Objective Goals
Aids Development of Group Experience by
Perceiving “Global” Awareness in order to Dramatize Her Concerns.

*Jupiter's Aspects*

Saturn in Scorpio in the 2nd House waning BiQuintile Jupiter in Gemini in the 9th House
Clarifying the Worth of Others in order to Focus on Her Resources
Aids Exploration of Underlying Social Forces by
Amplifying Intellectual Freedom in order to Bring the Situation to its Highest Expression.

Jupiter in Gemini in the 9th House waxing QuadNovile Moon in Sagittarius in the 3rd House
Being Optimistic about Intellectual Freedom in order to Realize the Ideal
Increases Awareness of the Actualization of Potential by
Nurturing a Broad Viewpoint in order to Make Connections.

Jupiter in Gemini in the 9th House waning Trine Sun in Aquarius in the 5th House
Expanding Diversity of Ideas in order to Bring the Situation to its Highest Expression
Induces Insight into the Needs of Society by
Focusing Humanitarian Considerations in order to Dramatize Her Concerns.

Jupiter in Gemini in the 9th House waning Trine Venus in Aquarius in the 5th House
Amplifying Intellectual Freedom in order to Realize the Ideal
Impels Understanding of the Attitudes of Others by
Attracting Radical Breakthroughs in order to Externalize Her Creativity.

Jupiter in Gemini in the 9th House waning Trine Mercury in Aquarius in the 5th House
Being Optimistic about Intellectual Freedom in order to Broadcast Expectations
Induces Insight into the Needs of Society by
Increasing Awareness of Humanitarian Considerations in order to Provide an Example.

Notes from A Newbie . . .

The evolution of this blog has been happening faster than I first anticipated. Due to a few people's responses (and some analysis of the visitor stats), I'm introducing the aspect phrases for the B.I.D.E. Interpretive System.

Just before we read from the notebook of a new student of the System and see how they're blending it with two other systems, I want to draw your attention to the red link in the right panel that says, Information Site. This is a companion site that holds a growing wealth of guides and tips for using the B.I.D.E. System. The latest addition is the > B.I.D.E. Full Aspect Cycle along with an > Example of Using the Aspect Phrases. I'll begin using the aspect phrases along with the Planet/Sign/House interpretations in the next post...

Now, follow along while a newbie experiences their first use of the B.I.D.E. System:
It might help you follow their thinking if you also open the Main Interpretive Page

~~~~~~~~~

I'll gladly share the details of what I did.... it's a bit tentative.
Much of how I brought it together was intuitive.... it just strung itself together and went with the flow of it....to me it makes sense...hope it does to you too!!LOL!
It's the basic transcription from my own note book.

So using the interpretive layout that Bernadette Brady offers in her book, I started:
Uranus conjoins Venus opposes Pluto
                    Natal house position
      11                               5                            11

                    Natal House transited
            ---- 5 ------------------ 5 ------

                    House ruled by planet
                    
      5                              1/8                         2/7           (area impacted)

So, using your formula: Breaking Obsolete traditions (Uranus) liberates (conj) my values ( Venus) in order to externalize my creativity (secure my identity) (5H) in the way I express my self (1st) and how emotionally/soul secure I feel. But it opposes/challenges the transformation of Service attitude (Pluto in Virgo) in order to ground my plans (2H) to refresh a relationship (7H)

For the New Moon (June 23) and it's aspects;
New Moon in Taurus in 8th - New energy/cycle of Individual worth (Taurus) in order to Deepen relationship and/or promote/awaken emotional/soul security ( 8th- this being Arroyo's way of defining Houses)

~~Trine AC Libra, ruled by Venus in 5H -triggers rapid development (Trine) of Awareness (Brady's key principle for AC) of Harmonizing attitude in order to value expression of self.

~~Inconjunct Neptune (r) in 2nd H - releasing negative(?) (r) Idealisation (Neptune) of self worth(rather the lack thereof!)

~~Sextile Mars 6th H, ruling the 2&7- thus encountering a chance/opportunity (sext) to act/take action (mars) in order to improve myself impacting the awareness of my worth and refresh a relationship.

~~Trine Mercury 4th H, ruling 12&9- rapid development of communication of/about emotional/soul action (4th), transforming (8th being where the energy comes from)12-how I utilize the resources of my Unconscious Mind and 9 -realize the ideal and learning about my true identity/highest expression

>>I would go to Arroyo's House key word system or to Brady's key words for aspects when the one's provided did not fit the sentence or context....again, it was done intuitively. <<

The previous New Moon was also in my 8th H, and just for fun, I'll interpret it here:
~New Moon in Gemini, 8th - New energy/cycle of Communication ( or intelectual freedom) emotional/soul security

Opposes/challenges

~~Neptune in Scorpio 2nd H/ ruling the 6th- established(natal) idealisation(Neptune) of the desire (need?) to bond deeply (Scorpio) in order to be aware of my worth

Squares/forces adaptation of

~~Mercury in Aquarius,4H, ruling the 12/9 - perception (mercury) of group consciousness in order to ground myself emotionally (4H) ultimately altering how I utilize the Resources of my unconscious Mind (12H) and 9 -realize the ideal and learning about my true identity/highest expression

Background story, very briefly: For the last five years I have been focusing almost exclusively on my spiritual development and evolution. At that time, I had separated from my partner of twelve years as our paths seemed to go in different directions. We remained friendly but there were no intentions of ever getting back together, until last year when it became clear to me ( due to much self analysis, growth and better understanding of my own, and his, emotional limitations) that our relationship could (still) provide me (us) with a firm foundation from which to "evolve". I broached the subject with him at the time but there were many distractions, obstacles and delays. Still he was receptive, more so than ever before in our relating history, and he asked I hang on to the idea.

I did, with much concerns about being used and humiliation at the idea of "going back"...plus other insecurities.

During the winter, all the obstacles that stood in our way somewhat miraculously vanished, giving us a fresh, new context to start a relationship. In the spring, he contacted me and arranged for us to spend time together and see "where it goes".

He unconsciously picked the day after the May New Moon, and I agreed to join him on that day.

I was beset for the whole cycle- until the full moon- with much insecurity and welcomed the revelation about my "established idealisation of the desire to bond deeply" in order to feel valuable (to him). I was forced to adapt my communications with him, being aware that my insecurities played a big role in our "group consciousness". I was very conscious of the unconscious impulses and moderated those heavily, thus learning about higher expression, and approaching the situation from a soul's point view (for growth). I left him behind to return home a few days after the full moon and he scheduled our next encounter for the 22 June! [Ed. note: the date of the next New Moon]

He's not into astrology and has no idea about moon cycles.

Of course, there's more to the story than that, but for brevity's sake and to stay close to the aspects looked at here....

Alex, this is how I did it. I hope this is helpful. It was to me!

This is as far as I have worked with this, but it has already proven itself to be an effective method, I can't wait to put it to further use and perfect the method!!
Oh! and your input and comments are welcomed!!
~~~ C.

~~~~~~~~~

My comments? Well, I applaud you for taking aspects of my System and working to blend them with two other systems!!

What you've done obviously helps your understanding of a sensitive and powerful set of circumstances; and, while your method isn't my method, I'm the first person to encourage folks to use the B.I.D.E. System in whatever way works for them...

Looking forward to more examples and bold creativity from you!!!

I think you'll like the pages about aspects that I just added:
> B.I.D.E. Full Aspect Cycle
and
> Example of Using the Aspect Phrases

Very Special Closing Note:
I received the above example after someone else had suggested I open the blog to readers' experiences with the System. These two people don't know each other and I just Love the Synchronicity of it all!!!

So...

Here's your Invitation to submit Your experiences with the B.I.D.E. Interpretive System so I can consider their use as a blog post...

Oprah Winfrey

"She is..., according to some assessments, the most influential woman in the world."

Before we look at Oprah's chart with the B.I.D.E. Interpretive System, I want to remind you to check out the Information Site for this blog (also accessible with the red link in the right panel). You'll find guides there to help you follow along with interpretations in the blog as well as begin to use the System with your own chart...

After looking at Oprah's Chart, it became obvious to me that, unlike all the other charts we've looked at so far, I needed to create a Symbolic Sentence from the System for all of her planets.

Overall, her chart shows the dynamics of the "Locomotive" pattern as well as "Asymmetric" qualities. I'll be adding a guide to the Information Site that covers the major chart patterns but for now you can reference the not-so-bad tutorial at AstroTheme.

I begin with the Sun/Venus/Mercury group (which I'll call her "PowerStation"), then the Neptune/Saturn/Mars/Moon group (which I'll call her "PrimeTalents"), and, finally, the elevated and retrograde group, Pluto/Uranus/Jupiter (which I'll call her "BroadcastStation"). I feel these organic groupings show her basic character structure clearly, if considered in the order I'm using.

Admittedly, the following Symbolic Sentences are the choices I'm making from the 64 possibilities for each planetary position. Hopefully, you'll access the Information Site's guides and work out your own Sentences for Oprah; and, hopefully, post them in the Comments!

Oprah's PowerStation

Sun in Aquarius in the 5th House
Vitalizing Radical Breakthroughs in order to Externalize Her Creativity.

Venus in Aquarius in the 5th House
Evaluating Humanitarian Considerations in order to Dramatize Her Concerns.

Mercury in Aquarius in the 5th House
Investigating Group-Consciousness in order to Externalize Her Creativity.

~~~~~~~~~

Oprah's PrimeTalents

Neptune in Libra in the 1st House
(Since this planet is retrograde, Oprah uses it in extremely unique ways...)
Envisioning a Harmonizing Attitude in order to Truly Be Who She Is.

Saturn in Scorpio in the 2nd House
Clarifying an Analytical Attitude in order to Ground Her Plans.

Mars in Scorpio in the 2nd House
Being Driven by the Desire to Bond Deeply in order to Be Aware of Her Worth.

Moon in Sagittarius in the 3rd House
Nourishing an Idealistic Awareness in order to Study What’s Important.

~~~~~~~~~

Oprah's BroadcastStation
(All these planets are retrograde and are used in highly individualistic ways...)

Pluto in Leo in the 11th House
Getting to the Depths of Dramatic Concern in order to Give Expression to Her Hopes.

Uranus in Cancer in the 10th House
Transforming Active Feelings in order to Express Her Social Role.

Jupiter in Gemini in the 9th House
Amplifying a Diversity of Ideas in order to Realize the Ideal.

How would You use the B.I.D.E. Interpretive System to explore Oprah's chart?

p.s. I didn't forget her Ascendant or Midheaven, or the other angles; I purposely left those factors of interpretation up to you. Since the angles have no planetary component, just insert the generic "Using" in front of the Sign phrases...

Walt Disney

Walt Disney's chart has a similarity to Barack Obama's—a "Bucket" pattern (most planets in half the chart and two planets as a "handle" or Focal Release). In Obama's chart the handles were in relatively close conjunction; in Disney's chart they are distinct, giving two separate yet allied Focal Releases for Walt's Major Talents.

First I want to encourage you to get the free download of my book or the simplified guide to my interpretive system, so you can follow along and, hopefully, create your own interpretations (and, also, hopefully, post them in the Comments...).

We'll first look at Disney's Sun—his Major Life Purpose:

Sun in Sagittarius in the 3rd House
Vitalizing an Idealistic Awareness in order to Make Connections.

My system gives abstract and affirmative interpretations. The Symbolic Sentences you create are still Symbols and need further interpretation to take them into the realms of the Social, Personal, and Practical.

"Make Connections" in that interpretation may sound utterly abstract until it's remembered that he was a Producer and Showman. Without a major focus on Connections, those jobs just don't fly...

Now, let's consider the two planets that border Disney's major concentration of Talents—the Moon and Venus {true, the Moon is quite unique in its placement in this pattern and could use more intrepretation then I'll give right now. [I do expect to be coming back to the charts in this early phase of the blog and You might just bring the Moon into further discussion in the Comments...]}

Venus in Capricorn in the 5th House
Valuing Structural Innovations in order to Externalize His Creativity.

Moon in Libra in the 1st House
Nourishing Awareness of Others in order to Truly Be Who He Was.

Those two functions defined the scope of Walt's Major Talents (all the other planets in the lower half of his chart). Now, to interpret the two Focal Release functions—the planets that put his Talents into the world (both of these functions were retrograde in his chart and demand a unique perspective when considering the interpretations—they were used by him in extremely individualized ways...):

Pluto in Gemini in the 9th House
Regenerating Conceptual Versatility in order to Realize the Ideal.

Neptune in Cancer in the 10th House
Envisioning Active Feelings in order to Express His Social Role.

Those five planets give a broad and deep sketch of Walt Disney's life potential.

Did they "explain" things about him for You?

Can you create your own interpretations with the system to help us see even more about Disney's basic character?

Questions?

Feedback?

Comments?

A Positive Interpretation of Hitler's Chart ?

Click Image To Enlarge

Overheard at the Café:

Susan: "Well, of course he was evil. His Venus was retrograde in the 7th House. And, his Moon and Jupiter were both in Capricorn—cold man..."

John: "Yes, and Neptune and Pluto in the 8th, my God what a bad position!"

Andy: "Then there's his will-to-power with Mars in Taurus and Saturn in Leo in the 10th..."

Really? Is everyone with Venus retrograde in the 7th and Moon and Jupiter in Capricorn cold?

Know anyone with Neptune and Pluto in the 8th? You do!? Hm... Trick question: they were conjunct back in the late 1800s and won't be again till the 2060s... Do you think they thought or will think that was or will be a bad position?

Mars in Taurus and Saturn in Leo in the 10th... Let's kill 'em all before they breed!

Far too many astrologers are working their craft backwards. They learn a bunch of good/bad "indications" and use them like a bludgeon—beating people with good clubs or bad clubs so they'll fit into the mold—the predetermined "meaning" of the chart factors. No room, it seems, for free will; no time for grace; no patience with positivity...

I've known people to attend a class on positive thinking, leave with malice in their hearts, then claim the methods didn't work.

I've also known people who had all the "bad" aspects and all the "afflicted" positions in their charts who turned out pretty well. In fact, if you look at my chart, you'll understand the utter unfairness of a student of mine, asked to analyze the chart (not knowing it was mine) and tell me who they thought it was. They said, "Charles Manson"...

Naturally, trying to guess who belongs to a chart is a hapless profession but I did the experiment to prove a point—back-reading a laundry-list of "indications" into a chart is exactly the wrong way to do astrology.

Certainly, if someone, due to their own free-will or the oppression of another's free-will, becomes evil, astrology can see the factors that were warped. Try reading this biography of Hitler while keeping in mind what those folks in the Café were saying and you can see some of the places in Hitler's chart where the wrong external or internal pressure was applied. This still does not justify reading a chart and attributing negatives automatically...

It's my very carefully considered opinion, after forty years of study and counseling, that astrology must be used to help foster the positive development and/or help heal the negative experiences of fellow members of our human family.

That's why I took 20 years to create a system of interpretation that was as honestly positive as I could make it—a system that gives people the best possible chance to use the blueprint of their chart to help them develop their latent potential toward constructive and affirmative ends.

This system is available in The Instructions of my free-to-download book, Astrological Repair Manual. In fact, I'm going to use the system to reinterpret those claims made by my imaginary Susan, John, and Andy. 

Since each combination of Planet, Sign, and House can have 64 interpretations in the system, I'm purposely going to choose the ones that emphasize Adolf's challenges. Even though the symbolic sentences produced by the system are positive, I think you'll see where he needed more encouragement at a young age, more positive nurturing, more constructive use of his free-will, more support for the soul inside that was abused and frightened...

Venus retrograde in Taurus in the 7th: (retrogradation demands that the factor be interpreted as highly unique and internalized, capable of development in ways that challenge the norm.)
Valuing Individual Worth in order to Be Aware of the Other Person’s Perspective.
He was not given enough support for his individual worth...

Moon conjunct Jupiter in Capricorn in the 3rd:
Nourishing and Expanding an Objective Attitude in order to Be Aware of his Immediate Environment.
His immediate environment was ill-equipped to help him be objective...

Neptune conjunct Pluto in Gemini in the 8th:
Being Idealistic about and Regenerating Intellectual Freedom in order to Merge With Others.
He got the intellectual freedom part but was impeded in his efforts to merge with others... (the activity in the 8th is a consequence of the activity in the 7th—see Venus and Mars)

Mars in Taurus in the 7th:
Being Driven by Individual Worth in order to Find a Compensating Viewpoint.
The close conjunction with Venus here, and not having had enough support for his individual worth, made the compensation come from his unconscious—the shaky and defensive soul that he didn't feel he could unburden...

Saturn in Leo in the 10th:
Organizing Dramatic Concern in order to Express his Social Role.
He had the drama and could definitely organize it yet his other challenges and his lack of self-worth warped his sense of his social role...

O.K., now it's your turn; to add some feedback or argument in the comments. Or, at least go away from this post considering how you can help support the development of another member of our human family...

Plasma Love

image credit
Well, we've finally gotten to the Sun in the journey from my Free-To-Download book, Astrological Repair Manual.

After the next post (the last chapter in the book), I'll be free-forming it in this blog—going where most astrologer's fear to go—exploring a new form of astrology that puts You in the driver's seat. I'm hoping for many more comments and feedback. This blog is about you telling me what you think so I can incorporate those perspectives in the expansion of the existing single volume into 10 modular volumes that can make anyone their own astrologer...

I'll let the book speak now:

"The Sun. Our Star.

"Source of Light and Life.

"Mystery to this day!

"Scientists are having a horrible time making sense of how the Sun works. Astrologers miss many of the most important aspects of the cycle of this Function.

"Many people feel that this function is the only part of astrology. (Except, of course, for those twelve Signs of the Zodiac that are popularly given costumes and asked to play parts they’ve never read the script for...)

"You might think that, this being the next to the last chapter of the book, I’d want to calmly summarize and draw all the other chapters’ information to some grand conclusion. The thing is, I don’t intend to actually 'conclude' this book. I want you to enter The Instructions (in the Free-To-Download book) with Wings! I want you to soar through the Realms of Astrological Meaning!! I want you to Really Live!!!

“'Calm down, Alex. These people may not realize what treasure lies at their feet. They may still think this astrology-thingie is a fancy parlor game that makes for witty conversation. They may not understand it when you throw out concepts that aren’t accepted by most reasonable people.'

"Hmmm...

"Well...

"All I can say is that this very close Star, this fantastically beautiful beacon of Purpose has me all fired up! So...

"Start to get used to the idea that our solar system is not what you may have heard it was in high school. The planets may not have always been where they are right now...

"The Sun and its orbiting progeny may not be floating in some lonely backwater of the galaxy, like many astronomers would like you to believe...

"The Sun has been said to hold the planets in orbit with its gravity. This is not capable of being true, which is born out by the latest interdisciplinary scientific studies...

"There are many aspects of the planets, individually and collectively, that want to tell a very different story.

"For instance, the ancients talked about a 'sun' but its characteristics don’t match the one that gives us a tan. They do match the planet Saturn. Also, Venus was thought to have been much closer to Earth in the past and so was Mars. As a matter of fact, there was a time when people saw Venus in front of Saturn, Mars in front of Venus, Jupiter hidden behind Saturn and the whole party steadily revolving at our north pole. There was also a time when this configuration broke up, and there were shudderingly graphic 'wars of the gods' in the heavens which rained debris, electromagnetic bolts, and terror on our ancestors.

“'Oh, my! Poor Alex has gone off the deep end and doesn’t even have a
spaceship’s lifeboat to crawl into. He’s Sun-drunk and his little brain is melted.'

"Hmmm...

"I’m putting some information in the references at the end of this book that will help you find sources that confirm everything I just said. At this point, I’m going to say that this magnificent Star, our Sun, is the Center of our solar system, and it’s also the Center, the Focus of any interpretation you dare make with astrology.

"Focusing, Centering, Life-Giving, Light-Bringing, Purpose-Revealing Sun.

"One extremely important fact of astronomy that every person using it should know is that ninety-nine percent of the universe is plasma. You surely remember your solids, liquids, and gases, right? Plasma is the next state of matter, the most rarified form of substance, yet capable of organizing, moving, and creating new organizations of the other three forms of matter.

"Our Sun is floating in a Sea of Plasma, electrified Plasma, powerful Plasma...

"If you’ve seen neon signs or arc-welders, you’ve seen small versions of the process that lights our Sun and every other of the billions upon billions of stars. The regularity of the orbits of our planetary system (as well as the previous orderings and the transitioning chaotic states) are maintained by the streams of plasma and the power contained in this almost 'spiritual' form of matter. Even the weather on our Earth (as well as the weather on the other planets) is influenced and driven by the power of this all-pervasive Plasma.

"It's much more the case that the planets are ordered by a form of Cosmic Love—a force that transcends mere gravity and material forces—a power and vitality that centers all our concerns...

"If 'Love' holds it all together, it certainly must be a Plasma Love...

"And, if love is the power that binds it all together, we could say that:

Pluto is the Regeneration of Love.

Neptune is the Vision of Love.

Uranus is the Transformative Power of Love.

Saturn is the Clarity of Love.

Jupiter is the Expansiveness of Love.

Mars is the Externalizing of Love.

Venus is the Valuing of Love.

Mercury is the Perceptiveness of Love.

And, our ol’ familiar Moon is the Style of Love’s expression.

The Sun is the Center of it All...

"To make sure this chapter goes out with a sense of the ineffable—the truth that defies rigid expression—here’s a poem by Emily Dickinson:

Love reckons by itself — alone —
"As large as I" — relate the Sun
To One who never felt it blaze —
Itself is all the like it has —

Messenger of the Gods

We just left Venus and were nearing Mercury in the voyage from the Free-to-Download book, Astrological Repair Manual. This is Chapter 12 and includes just a bit about retrogradation...

"It’s getting pretty warm now, so close to the Sun. Things are heating up as far as cycles go, too. We’re at Mercury, dealing with a function that may seem very cut-and- dried, but certainly is not.

"Mercury: Intelligence, Concrete Thought, Perception, Communication. All these things can seem so normal that they hardly need comment. But comment I must since they’re all ripe for illusion and disarray!

"As I’ve affirmed before, none of these astrological functions stands alone; they all work together. If we use our free will to hide, subvert or bury any of them, we open the floodgates to problematic living. That being true, our intelligence and our different ways of communicating certainly shouldn’t operate in a vacuum. The first function that will help Mercury's functioning is the planet we just left—Venus. Feelings and values are the perfect complement for intelligence and communication.

"Wonder why they seem to be at odds so often? Check your culture; look closely at the social environment these functions develop within. From where I’m sitting in the United States, I must admit that this country’s culture has been very unkind to a smooth marriage of these two functions for far too many years. I’m sure that the situation is similar in most cultures around the world. It hasn't always been this way. I know that there were times and social situations when it was different, families and groups within which it is different, and I predict that the whole world will get it right eventually. Since the two planets are physically close, and since their cycles are similar in duration, one could wonder deeply at the rank perversions heaped upon using them together.

"To cut our feeling from our thinking is a crime. Yet one of the most valuable uses for astrology is to hold our various functions and their proper relationships up to us in a symbolic mirror. We can See what should be and, most often, find the best way to iron out persistently irritating wrinkles—those warps of function induced by family, culture and the press of living in a world changing faster than it ever has before.

"I mentioned the phenomenon of 'retrogradation' before—the apparent backwards flow of a planet’s function. I pointed out that I hate that word 'retrograde', but I haven’t come up with a suitable alternative yet... I also pointed out that, when a planet is doing 'that', it’s a time to focus on the function's meaning in an internal way, to ponder the depth of the function in our lives, to let the function dive into our unconscious. Then we can return with fresh energy for the journey.

"Mercury does this internal journeying about every three months; it lasts for about three weeks. This Mercury Retrograde period has gotten some of the worst astrological coverage! What’s been said has had a quality of 'negative truth'—an inappropriate reporting of only the undesirable aspects. The real problem is that this 'negative truth' is touted as the Whole truth. Just because many people suffer from erratic thinking during these periods, just because they are forgetful or can’t concentrate on what they think is important—these things are no reason to blame the planet Mercury or to make a baldfaced assumption that Mercury Retrograde is somehow automatically a bad time, to be merely suffered through.

"Think about this: People are told that they have an opportunity, every three months, to use their perceptive qualities to find fresh and highly individualistic solutions to things that may have been causing some bafflement in their lives. These people believe what they're told, at least enough to give it a try. So, they schedule time during this period, time apart, to reconsider a few things, to look at things from other angles, to Let some new thinking happen.

"I can hear someone saying, 'Naw... I really don’t have the time to slow down and rethink anything. My spouse and my boss wouldn’t understand. Do you have any idea how hard it is already, just trying to keep up?'

"Actually, I do understand. I pity this person’s inability to understand that continuing to barge ahead when their natural cycles demand internal action might be the cause of the problem.

"I just love to talk to the people I’ve met who have Mercury Retrograde in their birth charts. They usually have a lifelong ability to do this 'backward' thinking. And they just happen to be some of the most creative, original people I know!

"Being this close to the Sun is starting to get to me. Its' ferociously brilliant splendor is acting like a plasma magnet. I’m being pulled toward its' awesomely prodigious, life-giving waves of light...

"Come on! You don’t want to miss the fun, do you?"

Till the next post.........

Acid Love

We're moving on to Chapter 11 in my Free-To-Download book, Astrological Repair Manual, and a discussion of Values plus a peek at Venus in the Houses:

"It’s been said by some astrologers that the Moon we just left behind has much to do with feelings. If it does, it’s only in the sense of being the style of expression of the feelings. The Feelings themselves and the Values behind them belong to Venus.

"We're approaching the planet that’s been called Earth’s sister, mostly because it’s near enough to have a somewhat similar cycle around the Sun and it’s just about the same size. If Earth and Venus are sisters, Venus is the 'nasty' one. If the atmospheric pressure doesn’t collapse your lungs, the acid in the air will eat your skin away, and the insufferable heat will fry your brains. If you somehow protect yourself from those dangers, you still have to contend with an extremely long day—243 Earth-days—and the disorienting way the Sun has of rising in the West! Yes, Venus rotates the other direction from Earth, and it takes a long time to do it. Also, this is the planet whose cycle has been associated with Love...

"Notwithstanding its mythology, I wouldn't necessarily call Venus the planet of love. If there were ever proof that the physical characteristics of the planets don't give them the meanings we should use in astrology, Venus is it. Certainly, there can be nasty things within the bounds of what we call a love-relationship. However, those less than nice things are not love.

"Venus’ cycle relates to how we Evaluate our experience. Whether we love something or not comes from the way we invest it with our values. We can’t have love without values, but we can have values without love. Love itself is an expression of at least four of the planets’ functions operating together—Venus, Moon, Sun and Mercury. Venus is the value, the Moon is the style of expressing it, the Sun is the purpose or reason for the evaluation, and Mercury is the rational side of the situation (if that’s being used in the equation...).

"Many of our 'higher' functions, like love, are expressions of more than one planet’s cycle. Motherhood, for instance, isn’t just the provenance of the Moon. Thinking isn’t just the job of Mercury. Action isn’t done only by Mars. What you can learn from the system of interpretation in The Instructions (in the Free-To-Download book) is what you might call the basic vocabulary and grammar of astrology. Being able to converse fluently will take more than this book. It will take much time and effort. Still, if you were in France (actually, you might be...) and had to go to the bathroom, being able to utter a simple, basic phrase is just fine! Much meaning can be transmitted with simple, basic words. So, using the system at the end of this book (while referring back, every so often, to these more lyric chapters on the basic perceptions we need) will get you far, yet there’s always more. Some folks don’t like unending potential; I love it!

"Our Values and Feelings give our lives much of its meaning. Meaning is what astrology can predict, and it's a basic indicator of the Venus cycle—about 225 Earth-days long. Notice how close the Venus day and year are? In fact, the day is longer than the year. This durational quality of Venus (just imagine waking up, going through a day, and realizing a year’s also slipped by) is central to the kind of meaning I mean. Oh, the tricks words play... I just checked Google and it actually has an entry for 'the meaning of meaning'!

"To clear the air just a bit: Astrology defines many meanings, many functions of life. Venus is what we use, as a specific function, to give value to all those meanings. Hang in there, o.k.? Once you’ve done a little checking with the interpretive system in The Instructions, you’ll begin to separate these meanings with ease. In fact, astrology’s ability to contain and reveal so much meaning is its chief value...

"Another important part of why Venus helps us see our values and the important meanings in our lives is that it is the first of the 'Inner' planets. When we were way out with Pluto, Neptune, and Uranus, we were talking about deep unconscious functions shared by everyone and useful in gauging large social trends. Saturn and Jupiter cycles were also fairly social in their functions but due to the cyclic lengths involved—30 and 12 years—they’re more personal-social functions—we have more personal control over how we use them. Mars is the first planet outside the Earth’s orbit but is relatively near. It came to symbolize our personal reaching out to the social realm. Then there is the Moon and Earth—the Place we live.

"Now, we enter the very personal realm of functions, those which we 'own' sooner and more fully. With the first of these inner functions, I want to introduce you to one way of seeing a Planet’s Function operating in the various Houses' Fields of Activity. We’ll start at the traditional beginning, the First House and see what having Venus in each of them could mean.

Venus operating in the First House:
With this placement, a person has their evaluating function operating through activities that focus on their own individual perception of reality. Their frame-of-reference for life will include a strong dose of personal values. They’ll use their feelings about situations as their first line of approach.

Venus operating in the Second House:
Having the function of valuing in the activity of finding your personal resources makes for a rather focused placement. These people put their feelings to work finding what they most value in themselves and their personal history.

Venus operating in the Third House:
Values applied toward communicating with the 'local' environment. Evaluation as the primary tool for learning. Evaluation used primarily for connecting with others.

Venus operating in the Fourth House:
This person’s feelings are grounded in what can anchor them. Evaluations are used to make situations more stable.

Venus operating in the Fifth House:
Feelings become projected, and evaluation is used to gauge the effect of personal choices on others.

Venus operating in the Sixth House:
Here is where values and feelings are put to the task of improving things and people. Self-evaluation could be the strongest suit.

"Those were all extremely personal uses for this inner function. Now we’ll look at this personal function working itself out in the social realm.

Venus operating in the Seventh House:
Here is a placement of evaluation right at the spot where a person is most aware of others. Feeling is used as the primary function for bonding with people.

Venus operating in the Eighth House:
This is where Venus’ function of valuing is taken deeper to bring relationships to a stable state based on mutual feelings.

Venus operating in the Ninth House:
This area of activity gives Venus’ function of evaluation a lot of room to soar. Feelings broaden out and encompass more 'territory'.

Venus operating in the Tenth House:
Here is where evaluation becomes the prime determinant in the affairs of society. Feelings are used in career and business environments.

Venus operating in the Eleventh House:
Values operating in this activity field are used to bring bonding to social groups. Appreciations grow toward consensus.

Venus operating in the Twelfth House:
Evaluation blends with contemplation. Values are used to plumb the depths of all matters.

So, there’s a brief look at Venus in the Houses. The Instructions will give you a chance to add the Sign to an interpretation. This is certainly nowhere near what could be said about Venus. But I think you’ve noticed by now:

"I’m giving you just a taste of what the Functions of the Planets’ cycles can mean, along with other basic astrological information. This is all aiming toward the end of the book where you’ll receive a method that will let you be your own astrologer—distill your own Meanings from your own chart (or, others...).

"I don’t think we should get too attached to hanging out around Venus ;-) so, let’s get much closer to the Sun and go visit Mercury."

See ya next post

What's Your Point-of-View ?

Last post we checked out the Moon as the fastest and most intimate Function in astrology. Now, we'll look at the Earth's cycle in the second half of Chapter 10 from my Free-to-Download book, Astrological Repair Manual:

"If I said the Moon cycle shows the Style of living, then the Earth shows the actual Central Focus of a life. The Earth is going around the Sun, right? In astrology, the Sun is referred to as the Central Focus of life. It's easy to see why, since without it, we’d be dead! So why am I confusing things and calling Earth the Central Focus? It’s because the Sun’s cycle is the reflection of a moving Earth, and astrology is all about our point-ofview from the Earth. I needed to remind you that the Earth is moving ‘cause it’s so easy to forget...

"So, we’ll pair the Earth-Sun year-long cycle of Central Life Purpose with the month-long Moon cycle of Style of Living that Purpose, and we’ll have the most important Couple of all the astrological Relationships. So important that, with just Sun- Sign and Moon-sign and an understanding of how to blend their meanings into one 'chord', you can impress and astound anyone by explaining the Core of their psychology.

"Certainly, there are other important considerations, like two or three of the other planets close to each other or the Sun or Moon very near another planet, but Everything else in a chart depends on this 'battery' of Sun/Moon. Nothing else would happen without it.

"While we’re here where astrology actually lives, it’s time to get into a little more detail about what the Signs and Houses of astrology mean. We’ll start with the Houses, since these are the Space within which everything else happens.

"There you are, a newly born babe, taking your first breath (the most accurate moment to use in a birth chart). The space that surrounds you has Meaning. Your unconscious mind is already working overtime, though the conscious ego will take years to catch up, if it ever really does... The unconscious is noting the directions and the various cyclic energies that are ranged around you. Powerful connections are being made between your deep psychological state and the actual space that surrounds you. The imprint of this moment of birth is so profound that an astrologer can look at a chart’s meanings and sometimes actually deduce some of the physical happenings at that moment. Certainly, the moment is powerful enough that it becomes, in the full detail of a complete birth chart, the 'blueprint' for the rest of your life.

"To the East, where the path of the planets rises, is what has been called the 'Ascendant' or the beginning of the First House. At the highest point of the planets' path is the 'Midheaven' or the beginning of the 10th house. These two positions define the circle of the Houses. There are actually twelve of them, and their meanings will be given in detail in The Instructions. For now, let’s look at these two defining positions' meanings.

"The Ascendant is the position of your most individualized perspective on life— your 'mask', in the old meaning of that word—what the medicine man wore to let a part of his unconscious come out, certainly not something put on to hide behind. If you don’t know your time of birth accurately and you can’t find it in the records, you need to locate a well-seasoned and rigorously honest astrologer to do what’s called 'rectification'. This is a complex method of working 'backwards' to deduce a time of birth. Much can be told from a chart that’s approximately correct, but it will be significantly general information, true for many people born at or around the time of your birth.

"The Sign that was rising on the Ascendant when you were born is the energy you characteristically use to individually perceive the world. Any planets that are near the Ascendant will blend their functions with your perceptions and become some of your very best 'tools' in life.

"The Midheaven is the position of your characteristic way of Growing into the world. It shows the way you can best be 'objective' about life and, with its accompanying Sign is often used to guide people toward a profession. (Again, I must stress that the chart doesn’t 'say' which specific profession. What’s indicated is the meaning that the profession has in your life. Rather than saying 'doctor' or 'nurse' or 'counselor', for instance, you might see the meaning of 'helping others', although this is a very simplistic way of telling you what a good astrologer could say about your Midheaven and its relationship to other factors in your chart.)

"All the other Houses in your chart derive their meanings from these two—your individualized way of perceiving life and your unique way of growing into it. The Houses can be thought of as the Activities of your life while the Signs are the Energies you use in those Activities and the Planets are the Functions that channel those Energies in those Activities. Another way to say this is that the Function 'uses' the Energy to 'perform' the Activity. You’ll get a lot of practice with this basic astrological formula in The Instructions (in the Free-to Download book) when you begin interpreting your own chart!

"So, the Houses are determined by where and when you were born and define your Space of Activity. The Signs are determined by the motion of the Earth around the Sun and define the Energies that are used in that space.

"There is a moment in the Earth’s journey around the Sun that we call Spring— when day and night are equal and day is beginning to be longer than night. This moment and the place the Sun is in at that time is what we call the beginning of the Sign Aries. In a very important way, saying what Spring means is saying what Aries means. There is another time in the Earth’s journey around the Sun that happens when night is longest and day is shortest and day is just beginning to increase again. This time and the place the Sun is in then is called Capricorn and (without using any of the negative meanings) saying Capricorn is the same as saying Winter. These two Signs and times determine all the other Sign’s meanings, similarly to the Ascendant and Midheaven giving meaning to all the other Houses. I’ll direct your attention to the web site link in The Instructions that goes to Khaldea where you’ll find more than enough information to go as deeply as you desire into the lush fields of Sign and House meanings...

"Earlier in this book I said something to the effect that nothing in astrology has meaning without everything else—kind of like your head means nothing without your neck... Even things like the Ascendant or the first House, which give meaning to other factors, don’t have meaning by themselves. It’s our position on the Earth and it’s relationship to the rest of the solar system that give meaning to Ascendant and first House.

"When we get to the last chapter, you’ll get a feeling for how even this solar system gets its meaning from the rest of space...

"Most of my time on this Earth has been spent learning to find the core meanings of the various factors of astrology. The journey has been wild with discovery and, at times, perilous with risk. I mentioned two languages earlier—the one that astrology has crystallized into traditional words and meanings—and the one that holds the truth. Even though you’ll be able to interpret your own chart (in a basic way) by the time you finish reading this book, you won’t have reached the end of that interpretation until you die. The reason I've stuck with astrology for so many years is that its deepest meanings are the 'seeds' that give meaning to everything else. The structure of astrology is, at root, the structure of our psyche.

"Bold statement, that! Hard-won truth, too. Back behind all the lunacies of popular astrology, far deeper than anything I can say about the subject, is the ocean of our unconscious mind. Our mind, because, at that level, it is a collective mind—heir to the full history of humanity and parent to any individual ego consciousness. There is a man, someone I’ve called the Einstein of psychology—Carl Jung. If you want to delve into this magnificent arena of the origin of consciousness, read Jung...

"And what about our feelings? Ah! We must travel to Venus to begin to unravel the mysteries of feeling..."

We'll also be exploring Venus in the Houses in the next post...