Mar 13, 2024

Happy 223rd Anniversary to Uranus!

Astro-Spotlight: Uranus Enters Aquarius 1912 and 1996

by Jude Cowell

Astronomer and musician William Herschel, born November 15, 1738 in Hanover, Germany, discovered planet Uranus the evening of March 13, 1781 in Bath, England (10:30 pm LMT) with Uranus @24Gem27:15, as history records.

With the planet's discovery occurring between them, Uranus is associated with both the American and the French Revolutions, and has become known as the erratic "sky god" planet related to revolts, uprisings, protests, separations, changes, crises, assaults, and disruptions on Planet Earth, along with lightening, electricity, and shocks in general. Radical reactionary politics and upsetting reforms in society are also within the province of game-changing Uranus but those topics are beyond the scope of this post.

Then another astrological association applies via the realms of eclipses and eclipse cycles for their intrusions disrupt events on Earth and are said to be "Uranian" circuit disruptors, aka, "wild cards of the Universe", or "cosmic blinks" from above.

Uranus in Mercury-ruled Gemini: Scientific Aspirations, Quick Comprehension, Futurism, Circumspection, Convincing Oration; Restlessness, and/or a Scattering Of Energies

Now lurching through Taurus, quirky Uranus will soon jut its way into Gemini once again (July 7, 2025) but not for a permanent stay, not just yet. However, its 84-year cycle is somewhat predictable, so if need be, drop by Cafe Astrology for a list of Uranus Through the Signs.

And if you wish, check out the Discovery of Uranus Horoscope at astro.com with its double water, broadly intellectual Sun Pisces-Moon Scorpio blend of conscious and unconscious energies most succinctly described as, "the agony and the ecstasy" (The Harveys).

Uranus in Aquarius: The Progressive Spirit, Collective and Cooperative Work, Knowledge of Human Nature, Manifold Aspirations, Rebellion, Exaggeration, Magnification

So for the sake of comparison, above, you see a dual image of the two horoscopes of transit Uranus at the very the moments it entered its modern sign of Aquarius on January 30, 1912 (lower left) and January 12, 1996 (upper right). A few astro-notes are penned on but only a partial few. Uranus is highlighted in blue, while Sun, Moon, and Eclipses are highlighted in orange. Naturally multiple events of 1912 (ex: Sinking of the Titanic) and 1996 (numerous crashes, quakes, storms, crises) resonate with the sudden, surprising, unpredicatable, disruptive qualities of astrological Uranus. Of course, events of 1911 and 1995 are informative as well as transit Uranus completed its erratic sojourn through the 30 degrees of Saturn-ruled Capricorn.

As for Uranian Futurism, transit Uranus will enter Aquarius three times all though year 2079 with form-ruler Saturn, its nemesis, acting as the sky god's traveling companion.

Their conjunction announces the planetary pair's association with concepts such as old order vs new order, potentials for the limitation of freedom for some folks, while for others, progressive ideas (Uranus) can be worked into the established order (Saturn) with an acceptable level of bother as their approximately 45-year cycle begins all over again.

Uranus in Gemini and Aquarius notes from The Combination of Stellar Influences, Reinhold Ebertin #ad.

Feb 16, 2024

8 Great Sigma Males in History | Sigmas Who Set New Standards

by Jude Cowell

Perhaps you've noticed the concept of "Sigma personalities" entering the public discourse of late or being featured online more than ever. Alpha, Beta, Delta - and Sigma may be described.

If so, then maybe you've looked up the position of Sigma in your natal chart. Are you a loner, an introvert who can become extrovert whenever it's needed? Can you lead but prefer to remain secluded if possible? Are you sometimes encumbered by original ideas? Are you bored by idle chit chat?

From these and other Sigma qualities, you may be a Sigma personality, male or female, and you may wish to check out this clip:

Well, for natal sleuthing, I'll get you started: my own natal Sigma is in mid-Virgo less than 3 degrees from natal Ascendant which may qualify as a mea culpa since I'm the one sharing the above video and writing this post.

Then if you happen to use SolarFire software as I do, look under 'Extra Bodies' for your natal Sigma position. The sign and house placements will provide clues as to the condition of your Sigma along with any aspects from your natal planets to your Sigma (separative Uranus in particular). Additionally, the planetary ruler of Sigma's sign is important. And actually, any aspects to Sigma's ruling planet may be involved as well if you wish to dive in as deeply as possible.

But perhaps the most notable clue and the simplist to consider is your natal Sigma's house placement since that's the area of life where you may behave in the most independent way - and where you can stand out from the crowd!

If you want to stand out, that is.

Jan 21, 2024

Astro-Notes: The Murder of Manly P. Hall

by Jude Cowell

The following post is meant as a tribute to Manly P. Hall and his decades of work although his favored topics are not my personal cup of tea as a Saturnian astrologer. However, I realize that many folks are interested in esoteric subjects along with their astrological studies and hold Manly Hall's extensive collection of works in high regard, including his many lectures - for which he charged only one dollar!

Now here's a photo of the magnetically attractive fellow as a young man:

Manly P. Hall; Atlas Obscura, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Astro-Notes: The Life and Death of Manly P. Hall

One of the most famous of past astrologers, esoteric authors, philosophers, and mystics is the legendary Manly P. Hall. According to his wife Marie Schweikert Bauer Hall, her husband was murdered by his caretakers on the evening of August 28, 1990 although Hall's Wikipedia page, linked above, and other sources give his death date as August 29, 1990 speculatively for 11:00 pm. This is the timing I shall use, along with Will Dotson's 6:02 am birth time. Adjust dates and hours as you prefer - this is only a speculative study.

Second wife, Marie Bauer Hall, who passed away on April 21, 2005, had stated that she'd been maneuvered into leaving the scene and her husband, and driving to her daughter's home several miles away from the vacation area at or near Santa Barbara, California. Apparently, it was later on that Marie realized she'd been manipulated, and said that the couple had trusted the men for three years prior to the catastrophic ending of Manly Hall's life in August 1990.

Born in Canada on March 18, 1901, there are multiple versions of Manly P. Hall's natal chart; notably one set for 5:00 pm, the other for 6:02 pm according to Hall's longtime associate, Will Dotson. Such discrepancies naturally make such a task more complex so the data chosen to be used in this post will be speculative. Therefore, you may wish to experiment with other charts and timings yourself, if you haven't already.

So for your consideration, here is a bi-wheel showing Manly P. Hall's natal horoscope (inner) using 6:02 am EST Toronto, Canada with mystical Pisces rising along with lovely Venus = an attractive young fellow, surrounded by a speculatively timed Death Horoscope set for August 29, 1990 11:00 pm PDT:

Note that a view of his 5:00 am natal chart is available along with explanations of a variety of birth times and rectifications.

Then for background concerning his work, a 4m50s video tells The Story Behind Manly P. Hall's 'The Secret Teaching of All Ages'.. And if you have 42 minutes to spare, try Manly P. Hall - Biography and How He Was Murdered, a lecture given about 6 years ago.

However he passed away, my hope is that Manly Palmer Hall may R.I.P.

Jan 7, 2024

Cold Case Astrology: The Lord Lucan Murder

Viewing a Cold Case via Forensic Astrology

by Jude Cowell

The Guardian's headline of September 27, 2017 re-stirred public interest in a famous 1974 murder mystery with the news that Lady Lucan found dead at London home. Perhaps you remember the disappearance of her husband, Richard John Bingham, 7th Earl of Lucan, and the night of the murder in a dark basement kitchen on the evening of November 7, 1974.

The family's nanny for their three children, Sandra Eleanor Rivett, age 29, had the misfortune to descend the stairs of the Bingham home at 9:00 pm with a mission to make a cup of tea for the Lady of the house, Veronica, wife of Lord Lucan, the apparent culprit. Later saying that she recognized her husband's voice, Lady Lucan was cracked on the head with a wrapped lead pipe as was the victimized nanny who perished from the vicious attack. An altercation ensued between husband and wife with Lady Lucan then pretending to "help" her husband, but soon managing to escape onto the street of their Belgrave neighborhood, run to the Plumber's Arms and soon find safety and help.

Now as you can imagine, any amount of Googling will provide multiple links concerning this disturbing event including the Wikipedia page of Lord Lucan with more details, if you're curious. There are videos available as well, such as a True Crime Documentary (39m28s) detailing the brutal murder of Sandra Eleanor Rivett and the mysterious disappearance of Lord Lucan soon afterwards.

Clues bwo Astrology

So with a definite hour known for the perpetration of the crime (November 7, 1974 9:00 pm GMT London), here is a bi-wheel showing the tragic event in the center surrounded by a speculatively timed natal horoscope for Richard John Bingham, 7th Earl of Lucan, aka, Lord Lucan, or "Lucky Lucan" due to his serious gambling habit; planetary contacts are circled, some relating to the Criminal Underworld (Pluto-Saturn), to danger (Pluto-Mars), and to romance (Sun-Venus in Scorpio with his natal Jupiter), plus, a sprinkling of my study notes are penned on:

One theory concerning a possible motive for the murder which makes sense to me is that an assassin may have been hired to kill his wife by a distraught Lord Lucan, but it was nanny Sandra Rivett who unfortunately descended the stairs into the dark kitchen that evening to meet a tragic fate. This theory may be supported by Lucan's behavior afterwards when he bashed Veronica's head, then encouraged his wife to take barbituates. Who knows what he planned then--all for the sake of getting rid of wife Veronica so that he could have full custody of the children and not have to pay her. Such malicious schemes have been perpetrated before!

So what do you think?

Nov 2, 2023

The Owl of Minerva and goddess Pallas Athena

A Drawing: Owl of Minerva; pencil on paper by Jude Cowell Art:

Sometimes the Owl of Minerva is known as the Owl of Athena and since yours truly was born in Athens, Georgia, the myth and the goddess have long attracted me. Not that years ago I knew why this was so, but years later my study of Astrology spotlighted the asteroids Minerva and Pallas in my natal chart and otherwise. My natal Minerva's position? 22Sag48, and natal Pallas @25Tau58 Rx. And although I didn't check their progressed positions for today before I was compelled to write this post spotlighting Minerva and Pallas, their progressed positions are now prominent: Minerva in Capricorn conjunct natal Mercury and conjunct my progressed Jupiter - and conjoined by transit Pluto. Plus, progressed Pallas now sits atop my natal Midheaven in mid-Gemini where the Belt Stars of Orion twinkled on the frosty night I was born!

Meanwhile, we've actually discussed such topics at least twice on this very blog:

Minerva: the Goddess and the Asteroid which contains mention of both the positive side (wisdom; being accomplished) and the darker side of the goddess and her Owl as ritual symbol, worshiped at Bohemian Grove gatherings each summer, and where else I know not.

Then in 2018, we discussed my then-current Pallas Return. Since then my now-current Pallas Return perfected on June 26, 2022 - just as transit Minerva conjoined my natal Mercury. Well, I'm thinking synchronicity, how about you?

And you know that it's often the Greek Pallas Athena cited within these mythological areas of life and, as noted previously, as a native of Athens, Georgia, naturally I identify with the Pallas archetype, too. Perhaps somewhere online you may have run across my drawing, Ceres and Pallas, aka, Mother and Daughter:

So! If this post inspires you, dear reader, to check out Minerva and Pallas in your own natal horoscope - if you've not previously done so - then for this evening, my work here is done!

Oct 23, 2023

Sleuthing my Haplogroup!

Here's a map of the places in southwestern Asia from whence Haplogroup H folks are thought to have originated. No expert on DNA here, but I want to plop this map somewhere since H is my group and this is my blog!

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Haplogrupo_H_(ADN-Y).PNG

Sep 1, 2023

Jul 20, 2023

July 1799: The Rosetta Stone is found

The Rosetta Stone; photograph © Hans Hillewaert; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rosetta_Stone.JPG

224 years ago on July 19, 1799, history was made by Napoleon Bonaparte's troops when the Rosetta Stone was found. Rightfully so, Egypt wants its antiquity back, and This Day In History tells us all about it.

But you know, the Rosetta Stone, which made possible the translation of cuneiform writing, has turned up on JCAstro previously along with a few notes concerning the intriguing Rosetta pattern in Astrology.

For more details, try The Rosetta Stone and Astrology's Rosetta Pattern, video included.