Merriman’s New Article

There is a letter in the new (June/July) issue of TMA from a reader requesting more articles with an in-depth analysis of planetary cycles and financial information. Ray Merriman’s article, Is It Camelot or an Economic Armageddon?, in the new issue, (which subscribers will have any day, if it’s not there yet) addresses that request in his article.

Merriman coined the term “Cardinal Climax” in 1999, and much has been written on Saturn, Uranus and Pluto all entering cardinal signs in hard aspect to each other. Pluto in Capricorn is the harbinger, followed by Saturn moving into Libra this fall, and Uranus into Aries in May 2010. The impact of the Cardinal Climax is from 2008-2015.

This configuration is currently joined by the rare (i.e., in 3,000 years it has occurred only once – in 1843) mutual reception between Uranus in Pisces and Jupiter and Neptune in Aquarius. Merriman relates the 1843 mutual reception to events surrounding Andrew Jackson’s abolishing the Second U.S. National Bank and what is happening now with our current private bank, the Federal Reserve.

The charts of the current key players are discussed in the article – the U.S. national chart, Obama, the Federal Reserve, Robert Gates, Timothy Geithner and Ben Bernanke (all with planets in early degrees of cardinal signs).

For readers who may not be familiar with Ray Merriman, he is a financial astrologer with a keen understanding of long-term cycles. Even if you’re one of the lucky ones and financial matters are not of interest to you, Ray’s descriptions of the psychological implications of these transits are invaluable.

A brilliant point he elaborates on, for example: Once Saturn is past its last opposition to Uranus (in July 2010), that planet will be in waning phase with all the outer planets. Saturn is fearful, and the last square is fretful. He writes: “With the waning square, the light is on the decrease: The future seems more and more uncertain.” However, the longer cycles of the outer planets (i.e., Uranus, Neptune and Pluto) are in waxing squares to one another, implying a time of growth. ”In the waxing square, the light is still on the increase: The future is brighter.”

I thought Ray’s article was a riveting overview of the great issues that are keeping some awake at night. (Lest this sounds like TMA bragging, I personally had nothing to do with the editing, etc. I read the article along with many of you as it arrived in my mailbox.)

This blog is merely a hint of what he’s written about. Once you’ve read it, come back and let’s talk about it.

Rachel Corrie

Rachel Corrie was an American activist who died in Gaza in the Palestinian Territories in March 2003. She was a member of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM). Corrie was acting as a human shield to protect the home of a Palestinian family when she was killed by a bulldozer operated by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

Although the events surrounding her death are in dispute  — her actions are seen as heroic by some, and as reckless and provocative by others — she has gained admiration in many quarters for the bravery of her actions, as well as for her eloquent writings.

There has been extensive international media coverage of her story, “in part because she was an American, and in part because of the highly politicized nature of the conflict itself.” (1)

Her journals and e-mails have been made public and her views on the situation in Gaza have been noted for the compassion with which she viewed the Palestinian’s plight.

Since I don’t have a birth time for Rachel Corrie, I am herein looking at a sunrise chart. I will only mention those things that were in place for the entire day and not speculate on the Ascendant or Moon sign (it did change from Virgo to Libra on the afternoon she was born).

Rachel  was born on a Tuesday (Mars’s day) with the Sun, Mars and Juno in Aries, the sign of the warrior. The Sun is in exaltation and Mars is in rulership in Aries. Juno is sensitive to those who are powerless; in Aries she will act bravely (or heedlessly?) for balance of power.

She also had Mercury, Venus and the South Node in Pisces, a signature of her ability to empathize deeply with, and write sensitively about, the conditions in Gaza. The Pisces fish swim in many directions. She has both “been praised as a heroic martyr and denounced as a misguided, ill-informed naïf.” (2)

Rachel was born with the Sun in Aries opposite to Pluto, so being drawn to dangerous situations and events of great magnitude was natural for her. Uranus at 20° Scorpio is exactly inconjunct the Sun as well; aside from the ability to see things in a radical way, this can also be seen as a signature of the sudden and abrupt end of her life.

The Sun at 20° Aries is also trine Neptune at 20°24’ Sagittarius in the natal chart. At her death, on March 16, 2003, transiting Pluto at 19°56’ Sagittarius was conjunct Neptune and trine the natal Sun. We might see this as an indication of a life infused by idealism to a larger cause (Sun trine Neptune) that nevertheless ended tragically and with significant implications (Pluto).

Since there is no time for her birth, let’s look at the prenatal solar eclipse degree. The eclipse was on February 26, 1979 at 8:45 am PST set for her birthplace in Olympia, Washington.

Prenatal Solar Eclipse

Although I have other degree symbols on hand, I find the Sabian symbol as recorded by Marc Edmund Jones to be the most relevant:

The degree of the eclipse is:
“Pisces 8. A girl blowing a bugle. Keyword: Summons
Theme: A Call to Action” (3)

Corrie’s natal Saturn was at 8° Virgo; she was literally displaying the Call to Action when she died.

Transiting Mercury was at 20° Pisces on the day she died. In the prenatal solar eclipse chart, the South Node at 17° Pisces was conjunct Juno (19°) and Mercury at (22°). Mercury is a teller of tales and Pisces, of course, favors the underdog and the disenfranchised. Along with her own journals there have been many songs written about Rachel Corrie, as well as a controversial play (“My Name is Rachel Corrie”) that was performed in London and New York. This week a documentary film about her premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in NYC. The film, “Rachel,” (which is apparently sympathetic to Rachel and her activist friends) was made by a Moroccan-born Jewish filmmaker. (4)

Transiting Pluto was prominent at her death, as it conjoined natal Neptune.  But the less personal side of Neptune seems also to have been strengthened as her story is being told again and again in different venues and from different perspectives.

It is also interesting to see that Rachel’s Sun in Aries is in aspect to Uranus, Neptune and Pluto — she was pulled by the collective issues of the time. She was in a dangerous situation when events moved quickly and her life ended suddenly. Her story, however, continues to be told and her work continues. Her parents have set up foundations and launched projects in memory of their daughter and to continue her work.  In an interview soon after Rachel died, her mother said:
“She wanted to open our eyes to this side of the conflict, that Americans, in general, do not understand. She felt that this is an unbalanced conflict between a powerful military force that has the support of the U.S. and people who have no power. She was for all humanity, against the suffering of the Israelis and against the suicide attacks. But she felt the Palestinian side is invisible and that’s why she chose to be there.”  (5)

Footnotes:
(1) wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Corrie

(2) boston.com/ae/theater_arts

(3) The Sabian Symbols by Diana E. Roche, Trafford Publishing, 1998.

(4) www.salon.com

(5) www.haaretz.com

Swine Flu Outbreak in Mexico

We are all lucky to have such a brilliant (and prolific) astrologer as Robert Blaschke in our midst. I am especially fortunate to have him as an ever generous friend. Although he was preparing for a teaching trip, Robert offered to send me his research on the swine flu to use for today’s blog.

Here is the Mexico mundane horoscope as a tri-wheel with its secondary progressions for Sunday, April 26 when the transiting Mars-Pluto square perfects.

Here is a summary of Robert’s research:

“Viruses are ruled by Pluto. In the Mexican Constitution mundane horoscope (1) transiting Pluto is in a stationary opposition with its national Pluto at 2°41′ Cancer from January 13 until July 4.

The Mars-Pluto square perfected on Sunday at 9:08 AM PDT. This is forming a transiting cardinal T-Cross in the Mexican horoscope.

One would presume that the outbreak would peak on Sunday, and then subside.

When transiting Mars opposes the Mexican progressed Moon (symbolizing the public) between May 1 and May 4, another flare-up could occur.

It is also of interest that this viral outbreak is taking place as Jupiter transits the Mexican progressed Uranus. This is not good for containment – Uranus rules aviation and Jupiter rules international travel.

Already, some school children in NYC who had recently traveled to Mexico City are reported to have these swine flu symptoms.”

(1)  Described here as BWH#216, that is from the Book of World Horoscopes, by Nicholas Campion, chart #216. Tri-wheel: inner wheel: Mexico Constitution, January 31, 1917; 4:00 p.m. LMT; Queretaro, Mexico (20°N28′; 100°W23′);  middle wheel: progressed to April 26, 2009; outer wheel: Mars square Pluto, April 26, 2009.

Direct Station of Venus Exalted in Pisces

With the the opening words to “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables, an underdog Scottish singer with the voice of an angel has captivated the world.

… I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving …

… Then I was young and unafraid
When dreams were made and used
And wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung
No wine untasted…

With last year’s ingress of Pluto into Capricorn, a global economic crisis engulfed humanity and plunged the world into despair. Millions of unemployed have lost health-care benefits. Millions more are behind on mortgage payments. Hundreds of thousands have lost their homes to bank foreclosures. Staggering credit card debt for those who have lived beyond their means will never be repaid. Banks have gone into insolvency or are barely surviving on taxpayer bailouts from the government.

Such a desolate and hopeless landscape in which the world finds itself! The recent retrograde Venus in detriment in Aries had millions of people holding their heads in sorrow as they pondered depleted investment or retirement accounts decimated by the stock market crash of last fall. Each evening, the nightly news would be watched to find any glimmers of hope for a resuscitated economy or good news on the job front.

On Saturday, April 11, retrograde Venus made her ingress back into Pisces, sign of her exaltation. She would be stationing direct the next week on April 17 in the final degree of the zodiac, once again to ingress back into her detriment in Aries on April 24 at the Taurus New Moon. The world yearned for 13 days of relief as Venus stationed in her exalted sign in the most karmic degree of the zodiac.

… But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hopes apart
As they turn your dreams to shame …

 

Susan Boyle Birth Chart

That Saturday night, on the Britain’s Got Talent TV show, a homely 48-year-old spinster named Susan Magdalen Boyle, microphone in hand, fearlessly took the stage and faced the sneers of the judges and the audience. Ian Youngs, entertainment reporter for the BBC News, wrote:

“Last Saturday, viewers saw Boyle, with double chin, unkempt hair, frumpy appearance and eccentric demeanour, step onto the talent show stage and proclaim her dream of being a professional singer. The judges rolled their eyes and the audience pulled incredulous faces. Onlookers, on set and at home, were rubbing their hands at the prospect of another hopeless, deluded loser being crushed by a withering Simon Cowell insult. Then she opened her mouth and sang I Dreamed A Dream from Les Miserables. Her voice confounded all expectations — the judges’ eyes bulged, the crowd went wild and Boyle became an instant star.”

Over the next week, a YouTube video of her performance was viewed more than 30 million times by people around the world; many were brought to tears by the operatic beauty of her soaring voice as their hearts were pierced by her angelic presence.

… And still I dream he’ll come to me
And we will live our lives together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms
We cannot weather …

During her backstage comments, Ms. Boyle revealed that she lived alone in her village of Blackburn with her cat, Pebbles. She also stated that she had never been married; indeed, she said she had never even been kissed by a man. Her natal Venus is retrograde in Aries and square Saturn — one’s heart aches for the barren existence she has had to endure. It was also revealed that she is the youngest child of nine from a Roman Catholic family and that she had cared for her ailing mother until she passed away in 2007 at the age of 91. Susan had always aspired to be a singer, and her mother had encouraged her to audition for that British TV talent show.

… I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I’m living
So different now from what it seems
Now life has killed
The dream I dreamed …

To what can an astrologer attribute the sudden fame and global acclaim for Ms. Boyle? Surely, her nativity must contain a hidden seed that has now borne fruit. (1)

For each of us, there is a powerful degree in the zodiac that remains charged, or filled with life-giving power, throughout our earthly existence. This degree is that of our prenatal solar eclipse. Susan Boyle’s prenatal eclipse occurred on February 15, 1961 at 26° Aquarius.

Remarkably, now that she has become a worldwide symbol for the hope and faith required to never give up on one’s dream, we see that the upcoming conjunction of Jupiter and Neptune in late May, itself an alignment of hope and transcendence, will fall precisely on Ms. Boyle’s prenatal solar eclipse.

We may ask, “What about all of the other souls born in 1961 with this degree as their prenatal eclipse?” (2) At the time of Ms. Boyle’s birth, 15° Aquarius culminated on the Midheaven. Since the meridian of the nativity moves one degree each four minutes of clock time, a person’s MC is rather unique and can only occur once a day for a few minutes. Astrologers know that 15° of the fixed signs are the “power degrees” of the zodiac, and Aquarius is the sign that rules radio and television broadcasting.

When the prenatal solar eclipse is calculated for Susan Boyle’s place of birth, the 20th degree of Pisces is rising, and the Galactic Center degree in 26° Sagittarius is culminating. From Charubel’s The Degrees of the Zodiac Symbolized, (3) we find the all-important rising degree symbol for 20° Pisces to be:

An angel blowing a trumpet.

Denotes one whose office will be to publish to the world some important message: a message having a bearing on the social or spiritual condition of mankind. A preacher, a lecturer, or some popular person.

It has been speculated that Susan Boyle will win the TV talent show and go on to become an international singing sensation with a multimillion-pound recording contract. Having been born at the Full Moon with an exalted Sun, and with Pluto conjunct her North Node, her life purpose is to become a powerful and transformational human being. Pluto stationed on her Descendant in 2007–08 and is now above her natal horizon for the first time in her life, so she is on her way to living her purpose.

Just when the world needed it most, an innocent and guileless soul with the voice of an angel stepped onto the stage of life and lifted millions of weary spirits up to higher ground. With each tear shed upon listening to her moving rendition of “I Dreamed A Dream” from Les Miserables, one more human being was immersed in the healing waters of a stationary direct Venus exalted in Pisces.

May every middle-aged woman afraid that her age would keep her from realizing her dreams be inspired by the courage of Susan Boyle. At the time of her exact progressed Mars–Jupiter opposition, she has become a blood transfusion for those who have been drained of hope.

… I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving …

Notes:

(1) Birth data are from Ms. Caroline Gerard of The Scottish Astrological Association, who obtained the birth certificate from the records office of the Scottish New Register House. The sole entry for Blackburn, Scotland listed in many astrology software atlases shows the incorrect latitude and longitude for a Blackburn in Aberdeenshire, not for the correct second Blackburn in West Lothian. Susan Boyle, April 1, 1961; 9:50 a.m. GMD; Blackburn (West Lothian), Scotland (55°N52’, 03°W38’).

(2) It should also be pointed out that the new U.S. president, Barack Obama, born August 4, 1961, has the same prenatal solar eclipse as Ms. Boyle.

(3) First published in 1898 and now out of print.

© 2009 Robert P. Blaschke

Note from Mary Plumb: A more extensive version of this article will be published by Maurice Fernandez in his Major Sky e-zine on the Taurus New Moon this week, April 24. Check his web site for details: Maurice Fernandez

Mars and Uranus off the Coast of Somalia

Mars conjuncts Uranus in the sky every two years and is exact this Wednesday, April 15, at 24° 27’ Pisces.

Four pirates attacked the U.S. cargo ship Maersk Alabama on April 8, the day before the Full Moon. Captain Richard Phillips offered himself as hostage so his crew would be released unharmed.

On Friday night President Obama authorized the use of force against the pirates if the danger to the captain escalated. On Friday, transiting Mars was at 21° Pisces opposite Obama’s natal Mars at 22° Virgo and square the U.S. Sibly Mars at 22° Gemini. As we all know, Navy Seal snipers killed three pirates and Capt. Richard Phillips was released unharmed. This is a successful Mars on display: the Navy Seals are rightly being praised for their sharp shooting skill and Capt. Phillips for his heroism and bravery in offering himself as a hostage so his crew would be freed. (1)

Of course, there are many sides to any story and, as one blogging headline noted (i.e.,“Doesn’t End Well for the Pirates”), the situation is more complex than the immediate and daring tale of rescue at sea might suggest. (2)

A news report this morning said that “the rescue ending in the pirates’ deaths could ramp up hostilities in the growing wave of pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia, in which crews and pirates have seldom been harmed.” Vice Admiral Bill Gortney, head of the U.S. Navy’s Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet, said to reporters: “This could escalate violence in this part of the world, no question about it.” (3) The applying conjunction of Mars and Uranus suggests that this might be quite true.

On a personal note, I wonder where the parallels are: where are our own daring rescues-at-sea? How do we use this week’s planetary alignment? It’s not a frequent conjunction – the last was on April 28, 2007 at 17° Pisces, and we don’t see it again until April 3, 2011 at 1° Aries, which suggests an uncommon moment in time.

Mars with Uranus, of course, has lots of implications: we can fight for freedom and human rights or exaggerate selfish aims. The combination can heat up detachment, inspire quick response, be sudden, surprising, and aggressive, or brilliant, intuitive, and strategic. (Jeff Jawer describes the pair as “raging forces” in his column in this month’s TMA.)

Conditions in the natal chart and levels of manifestation are always a primary consideration, of course, but in keeping with the current motif of courage on the high seas, I would say that the house that holds 24° Pisces in your horoscope is begging to be refreshed and exposed. The conjunction suggests that the contents of the particular astrological house in question are ready to be out in the open and have a grand new cycle in life.

One best possible road for Mars and Uranus is to be an impeccable warrior for truth in the houses’ concerns. Trust the passion for freedom and the inclination towards upsetting your comfort zone, and tell the truth to yourself at all costs.

Press yourself onward and upwards. There may be nothing to lose. Pisces, after all, can relinquish a point of view and fixed reference point with ease and grace.

Imagine for a moment that the coast is clear for you to head in any direction forward in your life. Where are you excited about going, what brings aliveness to your day? What actions inspire your most courageous heart? Harness that quality, because these two great planetary beings don’t come back to such intimate contact for two more years.

(Come to think of it, the conjunction is exact on April 15. Tax revolt, anyone?)

Notes:

(1) online.wsj.com/article

(2) www.talkingpointsmemo

(3) online.wsj.com/article

Great astrology blogs

Nancy Sommers began writing Starlight News as a “response to the dismal first days of the Bush administration.” I have read her work often since then and she has gotten better and better. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Sommers is an informed political observer as well as an exceptional astrologer.

Her astrology is sophisticated: She uses a variety of techniques, including converse directions, solar arcs and midpoints, and they’re always clearly demonstrated.

This morning’s blog includes the transiting Uranus conjunction to the Spring Equinox charts in Britain and France, the current Pluto station opposite the U.S. natal Venus and the transiting Uranus square to natal and progressed point in Israel’s horoscope.

This week’s entry is shorter than usual; I suggest you go back through the archives to see the depth and specificity of her predictive work.

Nancy Sommers has a large following; there are interesting comments added to her blog as well.

TMA readers will recognize San Francisco astrologer Jessica Murray, who has written on the U.S. horoscope and various cultural issues for the magazine. Interested “in pressing astrology into service to provide perspective during the urgent times we are living in,” her MotherSky Blog is a showcase of her fine writing and social justice instincts. Murray is superb at capturing historical and cultural themes as they unfold through astrological signatures.

(You can also read TMA’s review of her wonderful 2006 book, Soul-Sick Nation.)

And, for my last suggestion of blogs not-to-miss, watch a ten-minute (the You Tube maximum) course on the History of Western Astrology, Chris Brennan’s wonderful synopsis.

He’s also got an article on great news for all astrologers – the AstroDatabank database in now online free from Astrodienst! (I can finally move an old Dell computer off my overloaded desktop – I only kept it to access the software.) This is a wonderful service to all astrologers, and Chris warmly and appreciatively explains the story.

White House Garden

On the spring equinox, March 20, Michelle Obama joined a group of middle school students to break ground for a White House herb and vegetable garden. (1)

The previous New Moon, on February 24, had the Sun and Moon at 6°34’ Pisces, with the asteroid Ceres, the goddess of agriculture and grain, at 7°12’ Virgo. The opposition from Ceres was the closest aspect to the lunation; we can see the asteroid’s signature in this simple, yet important, event.

This year’s garden is the first at the White House in 60 years since Eleanor Roosevelt’s “victory garden” during World War II.

Ceres is in Virgo from November 3, 2008 until August 3, 2009. Ceres, the largest asteroid and named for the Roman goddess of grain, signifies all things related to food production, i.e., agriculture, farming, gardening, horticulture, plants, and the nurturing of seeds. The White House garden is one highly visible sign of the tremendous growth in home gardens, as fuel prices and population concerns bring awareness of food sources, safety and availability to communities around the country.

Organic food and sustainable farming methods have many advocates, but Californian Alice Waters is famous for her efforts. She opened her first restaurant, Chez Panisse, in Berkeley, in 1971, and has promoted organic and small farm products in her writing and cooking. Among her many food-related endeavors is the “edible education” project that has been introduced into many California schools. Keenly aware of the current crisis in childhood obesity, Waters teaches young people about food and is an advocate for policies that promote good eating habits. (2)

In a profile about her on March 16 on CBS’s 60 Minutes, Alice Waters said: “I have been talking nonstop about the symbolism of an edible landscape at the White House. I think it says everything about stewardship of the land and about the nourishment of a nation.” (3)

Another recent project founded by Alice Waters was the Slow Food Nation event in August 2008. This was a gathering of 50,000 people (“it was the largest celebration of American food in history”) in San Francisco in support of sustainable food production. (4)

Working with Slow Food and being a famous cookbook author and restauranteur, how delightful to find that Alice Waters is a Taurus Sun and Cancer Moon. She was born on April 28, 1944 in Chatham, New Jersey. Waters has the Sun in Taurus conjunct Mercury and the Moon in Cancer conjunct Mars and Ceres. (I did not find a birth time for her, but the Moon was in Cancer that entire day that she was born.) What a beautiful signature of someone deeply connected to Mother Earth and motivated to provide food and nourishment to the public.

One other telling astrological note: Michelle Obama has the natal North Node at 11° Cancer, conjunct Alice Waters’s natal Ceres at 11° Cancer. What a lovely connection between two individuals who are crossing paths in support of a highly visible project that is designed to bring nourishment and sustenance to many people. (5)

Notes:
(1) www.whitehouse.gov/blog/09/03/20/Spring-Gardening

(2) wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Water

(3) www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/03/13/60minutes

(4) wikipedia.org/wiki/Slow_Food_USA

(5) Michelle Obama, January 17, 1964; sunrise; Chicago, IL (41°N40’, 87°W39’).

Lights Dimmed on Broadway

Actress Natasha Richardson died in New York City on March 18, after a head injury suffered in a fall during a ski lesson on March 16. She was born on May 11, 1963 in London (1). The birth chart has the Sun at 20°15’ Taurus, squared by Mars at 19°29’ Leo and Saturn at 22°41’ Aquarius. (Mars and Saturn are opposite one another and both square the Sun.)

The February 9 solar eclipse at 20°52’ Leo was conjunct her natal Mars, which, therefore, triggered the natal pattern.

The Combination of Stellar Influences, Reinhold Ebertin’s classic text on midpoints, calls the Mars/Saturn midpoint, “the tendency to get hurt or injured.” (2) In aspect to the Sun, representing the life force, this can suggest an injury that is life threatening.

As the last planet visible to the naked eye, Saturn represents the terminus, the boundaries of life as we can see it. In 1986, Saturn turned retrograde by progression; at her death, progressed Saturn was exactly back to the natal degree, i.e., 22°41’ Aquarius.

A further indicator of an accident or injury is seen by transiting Mars at 1°14’ Pisces, opposite natal Uranus (1°09’ Virgo). The progressed Midheaven had also come to 1°03’ Virgo, conjunct natal Uranus. Both points were therefore opposed by transiting Mars.

Venus, natally placed in Aries, rules the natal first and eighth houses. If the birth time is correct, the Ascendant is 13° Libra. At the time of the accident, transiting Venus was retrograde and conjunct the Descendant at 13° Aries. As a sad tribute to both Aries’s insouciance and life’s fragility, the actress was reported to have been laughing and talking after the fall. It was only after several hours that her injuries became apparent and her condition deteriorated with shocking speed. It was subsequently determined that the “blunt blow had caused internal bleeding which formed a clot (an epidural haematoma) which in turn placed pressure on her brain.” (3)

Tributes from friends spoke of her “luminosity,” “radiance” and “generosity,” all qualities astrologers can readily imagine when seeing the beautiful fire trine in her birth chart: Moon (23° Sagittarius) trine Venus (21° Aries) and Mars (19° Leo).

Sadly, the lights on Broadway were dimmed the night after she died for a minute as a tribute to her passing. Natasha Richardson’s progressed Ascendant had come to natal Neptune at 14° Scorpio. One feels that her memory will live long. May she rest in peace.

Notes:

(1) www.astro.com/astro-databank

(2) Reinhold Ebertin, The Combination of Stellar Influences, Wurttemberg, Germany: Ebertin-Verlag, 1972, p. 156.

(3) scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com

Two Free Spirits

Only if you were completely lost in some netherworld last week could you have missed the showdown between Jim Cramer and Jon Stewart. Jim Cramer’s appearance on The Daily Show was on Thursday, March 12; the Sun was conjunct Uranus that evening. Excitement was high in those parts of the world where everyone is tuning in to try and figure out what on earth is going on, or at least looking for a few laughs to help enjoy the passage of time.

Although I don’t have exact times for either of them, their birth dates and places are known. Jim Cramer, born on February 10, 1955 in Wyndmoor, PA., has the Sun and Mercury in Aquarius. (1) (The Moon moved from Virgo into Libra at about 2 a.m. that day. My guess, just from seeing him a bit, is on a Libra Moon.) Very funny man Jon Stewart, born on November 28, 1962, has Sun, Moon and Mercury in Sagittarius. (2) I’m looking at sunrise charts in this article.

As befits the hype surrounding the moment — not to mention their success and prominence in their respective work — both men are larger than life characters.  Both Cramer and Stewart have a strongly-placed Jupiter in close aspect to Uranus. Cramer has Jupiter at 22° Cancer conjunct Uranus (at 24°), and Stewart has Jupiter at 4° Pisces opposite Uranus at 5° Virgo.

Cramer has Mars at 19° Aries, applying to square Jupiter and Uranus at 21°- 25° Cancer; that fits his manic presentation and overall enthusiasm. (Mars is also sextile the Sun at 21° Aquarius.) The bravura of the cardinal square is obvious in his personality; he is, after all, the creator of CNBC’s “Mad Money.”

Both men, however, underneath the respective “snake oil” (i.e., as Stewart recently referred to them) aspects of their personas, are deeply serious. Each has Saturn in a fixed sign in aspect with the Sun. Cramer’s Sun at 21° Aquarius is square to Saturn at 21° Scorpio. Stewart’s Sun at 6° Sagittarius sextiles Saturn at 7° Aquarius.

Most commentators agreed that their widely hyped “showdown” was a fairly substantive talk. I was personally impressed by Stewart’s ability to keep the focus on the bottom line: His natal Saturn (7° Aquarius) was influenced, shall we say, by the January 26 solar eclipse at 6°30’ Aquarius. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, this eclipse was also conjunct the US Sibly second-house South Node (6°36’ Aquarius), i.e., “Where did all the money go?” With Stewart’s dignified Saturn in Aquarius right at that spot, he has taken a place in asking the hard questions. (He has also spoken about his personal rage at the financial mess, i.e., his mother lost a lot of money.)

As a final thought, we’ve often considered the Pluto-in-Leo generation as living large and leaving a mess for Virgo to clean up. This was a pretty good picture of that notion in action.  Jim Cramer, of course, has Pluto in Leo and Jon Stewart has Pluto in Virgo.

Please do read and enjoy Lynn Hayes’s take on the subject: Jon Stewart and the CNBC Smackdown

Footnotes:

(1)    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Cramer
(2)    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Stewart