Those Elusive Trans-Neptunians…

Uranian astrology is an interesting study. I have always been a big fan of Ebertin’s Cosmobiology ever since I read my grandfather’s copy of “The Combination of Stellar Influences”, which my decidedly odd adolescent brain found to be strangely compelling and to this day I find Ebertin’s delineations to be among the best. Of course Ebertin rejected Witte’s hypothesis of the Transneptunians, but I find them to be startlingly accurate, certainly if isolated for examination using the Cazimi method.

Take Apollon, associated with Hermes Trismegistus and thus the alchemist and the Magician card of the Tarot deck. I find one case of Cazimi Apollon in my files: that of David Copperfield, the… magician.

Or how about Cupido, named of course for that rather delightfully chubby cherub of sniping renown? Is it any suprise at all that the world’s foremost and most prolific author of bad romantic fiction, Barbara Cartland has a Cazimi Cupido?

Then there is Vulcanus, which is associated with a kind of steamy, yet decidedly “mighty force.” It creates an ‘irresistibility’ and a rather compelling quality. Marilyn Monroe had Cazimi Vulcanus in delightfully flighty Gemini on the cusp of the 11th, the house where we require the adulation of the world.

What about Hades, associated with crime and deviancy? This was found Cazimi in the chart of Martin Bryant, who indiscriminately gunned down 35 innocent bystanders with a high-powered rifle in the Port Arthur massacre in Tasmania in 1996. He is currently serving 35 life sentences in Hobart’s Risdon prison. Intriguingly, his chart also evidences a partile conjunction of Poseidon with Mars, which may serve to spiritualise violence as a form of natural justice (in Libra).

There are so many cases that I am uneasy about dismissing out of hand the relevance of transneptunians. Even in general interpretation, I often find it useful to identify the placement of Vulcanus particularly by house (It moves too slowly to be very relevant otherwise) to identify in which domain of life the native may demonstrate transcendent and unmatched energy. This too can be insightful, especially where Vulcanus is in peregrine:

• Venus Williams, Vulcanus peregrine on the Midheaven.
• Yehudi Menuhin with Vulcanus Peregrine in the 5th house of creativity.
• William Morris the Victorian designer, with Vulcanus Peregrine in the 4th house of the home!

I do not personally advocate using the transneptunians in everyday astrology, but if you should find a Cazimi or peregrine placement, then you may be well-advised to look more closely.

Peregrination: the Movie.

Among the greatest misconceptions in astrology is the exaltation of rules above principles, because it is all too easy to forget that the rules are derived from observed principles, not the other way around. The astrologer that comprehends the principle that underpins the rule is then able to discard the rule-bound logic of the mind, and enter into a dialogue with the illimitable.

I talk a great deal about peregrination, and I receive emails on that subject telling me that I have misunderstood the rule of peregrination completely, with perhaps some explanatory text concerning Ptolemy and his great treatise. There are of course peregrine degrees in the zodiac but broadly, peregrination is used traditionally to denote a state of essential debility. I use the term essential in its truest sense, to express a profound, integral quality; thus the essential debility of Saturn in Aries is based upon the fact that natives with this placement struggle at a fundamental level to promote self-reliance, independence and courage in their lives, most especially in the affairs of that house where it is placed.

Technically the definition of Peregrine degrees is derived from Lilly:

A Planet is then said to be Peregrine, when he is in the degrees of any Sign wherein he hath no essential dignity, As Saturn in the tenth degree of Aries, that Sign being not his House, Exaltation, or of his Triplicity, or he having in that degree neither Term or Face, he is then said to be Peregrine; had he been in 27, 28, &c. of Aries, he could not be termed Peregrine, because then he is in his own Term. (Lilly, CA, p.112).

Thus peregrination of Saturn at about 9 degrees of Aries is so utterly undignified that it really has no power to express itself. Now here is the nub, because it is not the degree that is important, but the experiential, subjective result of that placement: thus the key observation is not that this or that degree is the purpose of this rule, but that the inability to express that planet’s energy is.

Now if we go back to first principles, if we force a child to wear lead boots (or callipers even) for its entire childhood there is little doubt that the unfortunate is going to struggle. He or she will not be able to run as fast as the other children, he or she will probably be considered slow, ungainly and will thus be less-favoured by their peers and by the world in general. There is every possibility then that this child will at some level develop a deep insecurity about their abilities, and may go throught their entire life feeling like something of a failure and never achieving much.

This is the exact principle behind the rule of planetary debility, but of course in this case the lead boots are actually irrelevant, it is the effect of those lead boots that we should be concerned with. Now imagine that this child rails against their status as the weakling and decides to try and run as fast as the other children despite his or her lead boots, what does this posit? There is a chance (and whilst it may be a small chance it is a chance nonetheless) that the child’s legs will grow strong, far stronger than they would otherwise be, and so they find that one bright morning they can keep up with the other children with their lead boots on! Now we find that this child – as a direct result of this ‘debility’ – has managed to grow comparatively much stronger than those not so debilitated by lead boots.

This then is the principle that underpins the idea of peregrination and it is a very simple and acceptable principle too: through adversity, people grow stronger.

Now, let us broaden that principle, not the rule! Only the principle. If peregrination is nothing more than a pair of lead boots then any other style of lead boot is going to have the exact same effect. It doesn’t actually matter if our lead boots are winkle-pickers or if they are lead-slippers! Thus, if a planet is unaspected, by dint of the difficulty that the native experiences in expressing that energy due to its non-integration with his broader nativity, there will be some requirement to work especially hard with that debility.

Peregrine is derived from a word meaning, outcast, foreigner, it describes a wanderer far from home, a feral power, behind enemy lines that – if it is to survive – must often develop unique and ingenious methods or otherwise continue to suffer the taunts and rejection of their peers for being so hopelessly slow and deficient. It does not matter how that planet is thus peregrinated. It might be by being placed in no sympathetic context through house, exaltation or triplicity, or it might equally be through being unaspected, a singleton, at the apex of a Yod and tee-square at the same time, or any other of a number of peregrinating factors that force the soul within to evolve or be crushed by the burden.

In this way, it is important to see how we must, as astrologers, not simply sit and bemoan all of those lead boots that our clients are forced to wear, but instead we must marvel at the opportunity they have to develop such awesomely powerful legs!

Consider some examples: what do Pamela Anderson and Cat Stevens have in common? They both have Sun, Moon, Mercury and Venus in peregrine (traditional, by Lilly). What do the Queen and Tom Hanks share in common? Both Moon and Mercury are peregrine (by lack of aspect). All four of these people have a real debility where their Moon and Mercury placements are concerned, they have lead boots on their emotional, self nurturing and self-expressive faculties. Now consider Tom Hanks and Pamela Anderson; which of these two has developed the “stronger legs” when it comes to matters of emotional expression? Unaspected peregrination is arguably more debilitating than the traditional even, them there lead boots sure is heavy.

(Written by someone who has Su/Mo/Ve/Sa in fall, Sa trad. peregrine, Mo/Me unaspected.)

Help with life’s lead boots can be found here.

Conjunctio Perfectum: the Magical Alignment

Before I even start today, a big thank you to the lovely Elsa for writing me up yesterday

One of my recent avenues of research, has been to look at the historical basis of the parallel and contraparallel; I am especially intrigued by the possibility since the conjunction across the plane of the ecliptic would be greatly intensified – in theory – by a corresponding conjunction across the other axis to it; it would be – if you like – a double conjunction.

If you are standing on the beach and you look out to sea and there is a ship on the horizon and then up in the sky directly above it there is an airplane then that is the real-world equivalent of a conjunction on the ecliptic. Similarly, if you look into the sky and there is an airplane and you turn ninety degrees and see another airplane in the sky at the exact same height above the horizon then that is the equivalent of a conjunction by parallel.

So clearly, is you look out to sea and witness an airplane crashing into a ship on the horizon that is the equivalent of a conjunction on the ecliptic and by parallel. It stands to reason then that a conjunction in your chart that is also in parallel aspect ought to be spectacularly intense! Here then, it might be worth bearing in mind the traditional understanding of the parallel aspect: this from The Astrologer’s Magazine, Volume 1, Number 1, August 1890:

“The parallel is like the conjunction in effect and nature but more powerful.” I should add that the bold type is not mine, but the original text is emphasised thus, it seems that the author (Alan Leo) was keen to have this particular observation given especial emphasis.

Later on, in the subsequent volume (September 1890) there is an in-depth article about orbs (it seems nothing really changes) wherein it is stated:”The closer the aspect, the stronger the effect, always taking into consideration the relative strength of the planets in aspect, viz., if in their own houses, angular and whether the aspect is a strong one. In order of strength, the Parallel come first, then the conjunct, then opposition, then trine, then square, then sextile, the latter being the weakest of the aspects.” (my emphasis here). FYI the article concludes that 5 degrees should be a general guide for the major aspect, although “no hard-and-fast rule should be made, as exceptions are commonplace.”

The Astrologer’s magazine which leans heavily on the old sources but invites many articles from the likes of Sepharial and Alan Leo, seems to me to be very sound in it general approaches. I am struggling to find many other sources of wisdom about the parallel, although to my wandering mind, the beautiful potential of the juxtaposition by conjunction and parallel is just too divine in prospect to ignore, and even beyond my rather mystical predilections the logic is eminently sound, it is simply a conjunction across the corresponding axis; how is that not a conjunction of at least considerable merit?

Many disagree and consider that – like the much misunderstood Quintile – the Parallel is at best a quirk. In truth, I can see a logical reason why the parallel has been demoted to its footnote status in the astrology, and that is simply because it so very difficult to calculate using a traditional ephemeris. It is only very recently that the discovery of parallel conjunctions has been rendered accessible through the employment of software, but we have rather ‘forgotten’ its import in the intervening hiatus.

As an example let us consider an aspect that normally makes itself felt in the life: Sun conjunct Pluto. Now if the parallel is to have any relevance then we ought to consider that those with the double conjunction should undergo some very Plutonic experience; and boy, is that an understatement.

You can imagine that any perfect alignment of spheres of this type is rare, and indeed it is.

Consider first of all, Della Reese whose chart evinces the conjunction by both parallel and declination of Sun and Pluto, in 1979, after taping a guest spot for The Tonight Show, she suffered a nearly fatal brain aneurysm, but made a full recovery after two operations by noted neurosurgeon Dr. Charles Drake (a suitably Plutonic character) at University Hospital in London, Ontario. This was Reese’s second brush with death. A number of years earlier, she accidentally walked into a plate glass door in her home. She was sliced so badly by the broken glass she required a thousand stitches to close her wounds and lost nearly her entire blood supply.

Then there is the case of Albert Ayler, who is generally seen as the most primal of the free jazz musicians of the 1960s; critic John Litweiler wrote that “never before or since has there been such naked aggression in jazz.” Ayler disappeared on November 5, 1970, and he was found dead in New York City’s East River on November 25, a presumed suicide. For some time afterwards, rumors circulated that Ayler had been murdered, possibly due to his involvement in the black power movement. Plutonic themes abound here and Ayler’s chart too evinces the double conjunction of Sun with Pluto.

Other ‘double conjunctions’ evince similar effects; how about Henri Cartier-Bresson, the father of photo-journalism and candid photography whose chart displays a super-rare double conjunction of Moon with Neptune? “Photography is not like painting,” Cartier-Bresson told the Washington Post in 1957. “There is a creative fraction of a second when you are taking a picture. Your eye must see a composition or an expression that life itself offers you, and you must know with intuition when to click the camera. That is the moment the photographer is creative,” he said. “Oop! The Moment! Once you miss it, it is gone forever.” Talk about trying to capture the intangible!

Consider the double conjunction of Jupiter and Neptune. The conjunction alone makes an artist in whatever sphere it is found, but the fact that both Katherine Hepburn, Shelley and Madonna share it cannot be a coincidence!

As a final consideration, Elsbeth Ebertin, matriarch of an astrological dynasty who made a specialisation of synastry was born with Chiron (the astrologer) in conjunction and in parallel with Neptune; and further, this double conjunction itself conjunct to Venus; small surprise then that her best-known work is “The Astrology of Romance.”

My considered view is not that the parallel should necessarily be given great consideration, but the perfect alignment must always be given some weight whenever it is found. This latter example should be especially noteworthy in the study of astrologer’s own nativities, there are nearly always powerful applications to Chiron of one form or another in these cases.

Peregrine Mercury through the Zodiac…

I have spoken at some length about peregrination in previous articles, today, I would like to explore some actual placements and try to ascertain a quality for each of the signs of the zodiac. The simplest way of ascertaining this quality then is to consider the voice, speech and communicative mannerisms of those who have this particular placement and to discuss some self-evident characteristcs that are applicable.

Firstly then, Mercury in Aries. This is a manner of brusque, direct and assertive speech that can have, if desired, a promise of violence incorporated within it. The perfect example of this is Al Pacino, who has a peregrine Mercury in Aries; although his personal style is greatly moderated by Pluto rising, so this lends a distinctly menacing cast to prodeedings. Another example of this placement is Michael Caine, and they both, in their ways, offer a real flavour of the speech of the Ram. Caine’s chart also evinces a peregrine Saturn in Aquarius and with his Mercury in the 11th there is a real Uranian slant to proceedings. I would think that Caine’s Mercury would have more of a say in matters if it were not for Saturn being so comfortable in it’s traditional domicile, and keen observers will notice just how much more lovable and less edgy has Caine’s demeanour become over the years as his Saturnine power has become gradually assimilated and made comfortable in the broader spectrum of his self-expression. There is no question that in his earlier days, his East-End gangster threats were made especially effective by Mercury in the sign of Aries, unmoderated.

Now, let us consider Mercury in Taurus. Here I have two people with incredible power to deliver a deadpan line, and send a chill down your spine while they do it: Clint Eastwood and my mother in law. No, I really am not kidding, both Clint (high-plains drifter, Dirty Harry and Man with no name) and my wife’s mother share this peculiar “argue and I’ll blow your brains out” manner of stating an opinion and in a direct face-off, my money’s definitely not on Clint. The clue though to this peregrine placement is in the fixity, the implacable, will-not-be-moved deliberation. When Harry Callaghan puts his gun to the perp’s head and asks the immortal question, you just know he’s serious, and that for me is the perfect delineation of the quality that is at the heart of this most-fixed mode of expression. Mercury in Taurus has a way of just setting out its opinion in such a way that anyone listening will simply realise the futility of attempting to posit a different view at all; so when the Mercury in Taurus tells you that you’re a hopeless weirdo that was never likely to be good enough for their daughter: don’t argue, just nod agreeably and smile.

Mercury in Gemini, its own sign ought to function well but it does not lend itself so much to the faculty of speech as you might expect. This phenomenon can clearly be seen in the case of the actor John Inman, whose trademark light, flighty and decidedly Geminian “are you being served” became a national catchphrase. On the other hand, consider Karl Marx, with Mercury peregrine in Gemini and the 3rd house, thus dignified, accidentally dignified and unmoderated by other factors, and now you see the potential power for sheer mental facility. Here is the mind that can effortlessly move from one consideration to the next at breathtaking speed and with dizzying flexibility. Writing is also Mercury’s domain of course, and Marx’s ability to express his philosophy (and his Jupiter in Capricorn is, if you like, the philosophy of the labourer and the working class and in the 11th house, it creates a universal philosophy of materialism), but the true power to express that philosophy, an idea of such breadth that most minds would struggle to grasp the whole of it, is almost entirely due to this remarkable configuration.

Mercury in Cancer is a tricky quality to describe, as with most things Cancerian. It creates a rather quirky ambience, but altogether more human in tone than that other oddball of the zodiac, Aquarius. Thus the key element of Mercury in the crab-sign is that it is a little offbeat, but ultimately it is human and caring and this (coupled with a Sun-Moon mutual reception) is what lends Tom Hanks his humanity and that rather pleasing edge of vulnerability that makes everyone like him and want to be his mummy. He actually speaks like your favourite nephew and you really just want to give him a glass of milk and a Werther’s Original as a special treat. That then is the key ambience of Mercury in Cancer, it gives a human vulnerability to the voice, that coupled with a slightly offbeat and cranky demeanour makes everyone feel better about their own foibles; thus the fundamental observation is that it is disarming.

If you want flamboyance, a sense of drama and an element of oral passion, then you need look no further than Antonio Banderas, whose peregrine Mercury in Leo captures just so succinctly, the warm, sunny and rich tones of everything touched by the Sun. It is no coincidence that he played the vocal part of Puss-in-Boots to such pussycat-like perfection in the Shrek movies, he was actually, rather born to it. His voice then is the perfect vehicle for the drama of Leo, that when combined with his dark and handsome demeanour, really promises everything wild and passionate for the ladies. Richard Branson is another who shares this quality, and it is in large part due to this peregrine placement that he can offset some of the more standoffish elements of his Cancerian Sun and inject some warmth into his overall demeanour. Another good example is the singer Patsy Cline whose voice tells a perfect story of feral Mercury in Leo.

With Mercury in Virgo, another placement where it is strong, there are few examples in the world of celebrity. No more perfect example can be found though than that of Liz Greene, probably the most prestigious astrologer alive today and somebody from whom I have personally learned a great deal. Her humanisation of Jung’s work and its subsequent translation into astrological insight speaks very clearly to the quietly efficient execution of tasks that is so typically Virgoan. No fuss, they just turn up one day having translated the entire works of Dostoevsky into 39 different languages, no big deal, and would you like a cup of tea with that? Charlton Heston is one whose Mercury is very close to being peregrine in the sign of Virgo, and he does have a certain clipped yet distinctive manner of delivery. Of course, in my opinion Liz’s Sun, peregrine in Virgo on the 11 degree astrologer’s point tells a story that when coupled with Peregrine Mercury in its own sign becomes especially compelling.

Now let us consider the very cool, very proper, very polite, very unequivocal placing of Mercury in Libra. Carrie Fisher is a good example of this style of delivery, it gives an old-fashioned observation to good manners and saying please and thank you, and as with anything Libran, it really doesn’t want to get all unbalanced, so Mercury in Libra will rarely shout, or swear, or say anything truly awful. The manner of speech will be generally harmonious, pleasing and gentle, although there may be a very calculating subtext, and you should always watch that these dulcet tones don’t lull you into a false sense of security because Libra is just as good at getting its way, but non-confrontationally; it will charm you into giving way and is the perfect enjoinder to the old adage that you’ll catch more wasps with honey than you ever will with vinegar. If you needed proof of this, consider Bill Gates, who with Mercury peregrine in Libra, demonstrates perfectly the power of Libra to get what it wants, and usually, without anyone realising that there was ever an agenda in the first place!

Now for Mercury in Scorpio, which in my experience either makes one extremely talkative, or extremely taciturn. I have peregrine Mercury in Scorpio and I really don’t talk much (when sober) but I could write for England in the Olympics (quantity, not quality). A fantastic example of this placement though is to be found in the person of Grace Kelley, since she conveys precisely the sense of subdued intensity and passion held in check that is the trademark of this placement. When you consider some of her performances especially under Hitchcock’s direction, it is easy to see the chemistry she brings to the proceedings. The key observation then is one of controlled passion. Also, Scorpio lends depth and an emotional tone to the mindset, it creates deep compassion or biting sarcasm and rarely much in between. It also gives a mind that is capable of investigation and seeing through the superficial layers of things.

The placement of Mercury in Sagittarius evinces astonishingly few examples, and it seems that here – in its detriment, Mercury does not fare well. The one example I could find of Mercurial peregrination was the case of Jonathan Winters, and here is a truly remarkable individual who seemed somehow to rise above a very difficult astrology; his Mercury, in detriment and peregrine, his Mars, in detriment and peregrine, his Venus, not particularly well-placed in pragmatic Capricorn, and peregrine and his Jupiter in fall too. But when you actually take-in his manner and style, it is almost beautifully Sagittarian. Madcap, unselfconscious, totally random and brilliantly refreshing, I had never heard of this comedian before now, but already I’m a fan!

Now Mercury in Capricorn is a placement which isn’t much noted for being chatty. This isn’t to say that they won’t talk, but like everything that the Goat gets involved in, it takes them some time to build up a head of steam, of course, once they’ve got started you can’t shut them up, but there you are. The natural reserve and caution of the sign creates a keynote of taciturnity; so there really aren’t many actors with this placement. James Dean is the only case I could actually find, and his Mercury is only borderline peregrine. That said, he demonstrates many of the typical qualities of the type, a rather monosyllabic but authoritative style that is bound to get listened to and will have others nodding their heads in agreement even if they don’t particularly agree very much; when Mercury in Capricorn opens his mouth, it’s usually considered and thoughtful enough that the tone alone demands a measure of respect. The delivery too is usually measured and unhurried and the mind is always applied to a problem cautiously. There’s none of your “throw a bucket of petrol on it and see if that works” thinking with this combination.

Now incredible as this might sound, I could not find a single example of Mercury in Aquarius and peregrine. Yes, in the airy element this appears to be almost beyond belief, but nevertheless, in my 2000 plus list of notables and celebrities: not a single case. What can you say of such a scenario? Maybe – as is Aquarius’s wont, they all degenerated into madness and became too uncontrollably offbeat to safely intermingle with normal people. Maybe their brains exploded in a flash of sudden electric craziness, and – with hair standing on end and smoke pouring from their ears – they were no more? I really cannot say. Typical of Aquarius to be the odd one out, they just can’t stand being put in the same list as everyone else, so it’s probably a conspiracy and somebody is deliberately deleting Peregrine Mercury in Aquarius notables from the world’s databases.

And I am not kidding when I say too that I can find one near-perfect example of Mercury in Pisces and unaspected. It’s almost too good to be true, and rather than wax lyrical about the transcendent mode of thinking that could have produced such a phenomenon, I’ll allow the great one himself to explain…