Homeopathy & Dr. Samuel Hahnemann

HuffPo carried an article at the weekend, "Homeopathy for Allergies: Nothing to Sneeze At" by Dana Ullman. Due to my own affliction it set me on a trek across Google in search of more information. After reading several articles and reader comments I realised that homeopathy and astrology have a lot in common when it comes to the way they are perceived and criticised by a certain faction of skeptics. Similar outrage, accusations and sneers are thrown around in both cases. I note that both are classed by those who pretend to know better, as "woo" or "woo-woo". If that's the best label they can come up with it points to a serious lack of creativity.

My own view of homeopathy and astrology is that there is a certain amount of validity contained in both, shrouded in a vast fog of supposition and make-do practices. There's so much we still don't know about our life and our universe, its energies and how the whole kaboodle links up and works. I try not to exclude anything but the most fluffy and woolly ideas....and even some of those might have substance. If it works and you can see it working, time after time, then it works - simple as that.

Homeopathy is a theory, belief, system - whatever, founded by a German doctor, Samuel Hahnemann. (Left:Memorial to Dr. Hahnemann in Washington DC). He was born in the mid-18th century in the days when medical practices were crude and cruel:

As the protective father of many children (Note: he and his first wife had 11) facing a host of diseases and illnesses, Hahnemann became increasingly uncomfortable with the medical techniques of the day, later dubbed the "Age of Heroic Medicine." Lack of medical knowledge coupled with a belief in evil spirits and curses led well-meaning physicians to prescribe such treatments as blood letting, in which doctors would remove nearly all of patients' blood. Another popular treatment was blistering, an attempt to draw toxins out of the body through the application of hot substances. Doctors also dispensed huge doses of drugs including mercury, arsenic, opium, and alcohol, often trying to induce vomiting and emptying of the bowels. "Massive doses of calomel," noted a writer for FDA Consumer, "not only cleaned the bowels, they also caused teeth to loosen, hair to fall out, and other symptoms of acute mercury poisoning. Such 'heroic' therapy often prolonged the illness, if it did not kill the patient outright." In the United States, George Washington died in 1799 after being treated for sore throat. His therapies included bloodletting and blistering with cantharides, a concoction made from dried beetles.

He experimented with the idea that like cures like: ("similia similibus curantur", as engraved on his memorial, above left.)

For years, Hahnemann enlisted his family for experiments that involved inducing various symptoms, testing out more than 2,000 substances ranging from herbs to snake venom, and carefully recording the results. Finally, he began to apply his remedies to actual sick people, administering concoctions he hoped would mimic the symptoms already being exhibited by the patient. At first, Hahnemann noticed that his patients actually became sicker from his substances. This prompted him to dilute his medicines into smaller and smaller doses to find the tiniest possible portion that would still trigger the body's response. To his own surprise, Hahnemann discovered that the more diluted remedies were actually more effective at treating diseases. This became his Law of Infinitesimals, which holds that even though none of the original molecules may remain in a particular dilution, the vital forces, or healing power, of the substance remains.
Hahnemann's remedies were created systematically, in a process that included placing one drop of the substance in 99 drops of water or alcohol, then shaking the container vigorously, and repeating the process several times. In theory, after several dilutions, not a single drop of the original substance was left. However, scientists in the 1970s used a nuclear magnetic resonance machine to prove that "even though there is no substance left in most homeopathic remedies, their footprint remained in the alcohol/water that the substance was diluted in," wrote homeopathic physician and M.D. Jeffrey Migdow in New Visions Online.

From HERE

So - let's have a quick look at Dr.Samuel Hahnemann's natal chart. He was born in Meissen, Germany on 10 April 1755, Wikipedia tells us that some sources state the early hours of 11 April as his time of birth, but others "around midnight" on 10 April. This'll mainly affect his ascending degree, and maybe degree of the Moon. As far as I can tell, unless he was born well after midnight and into 11 April, his rising sign would always be Sagittarius. I've set the chart below for 11.57pm on the 10th.









His Sun, Moon and Mercury, three of the most important placements in the chart are in Aries, sign of the energetic initiator - which he certainly was. Venus, Mars and Uranus, also important factors in any chart lie semisextile (mildly helpful position) nextdoor in compassionate, gentle Pisces.

Aries and Pisces seem like uncomfortable bedfellows, one all drive and go-getting, the other soft, dreamy and creative. When they do blend in one personality though, the result might well be someone with the initiative to bring about change in a compassionate and caring manner....which is what we have here. Uranus (the inventor of the zodiac, the avant garde) is linked closely to his important personal planets too.

His ascending sign is almost certainly Sagittarius, sign of the philosopher and visionary, ruled by Jupiter which in this case is right at midheaven, in the area of career and public status, and in in Virgo, sign of the practical perfectionist, which Hahnemann needed to be in conducting his his experiments and researches.

Pluto lay close to his ascending degree at 11.57pm, and whatever his exact time of birth, at "around midnight" Pluto wouldn't be far away from this angle. Pluto is traditonally connected to death, but also to transformation of all kinds. Hahnemann's life's effort was directed to transforming crude medical practices.

Saturn in its home sign of Capricorn is exactly in trine with the axis of the Moon's nodes in Virgo/Pisces at 28.18* - I'm not sure how to interpret this in my minimalist style. The Moon's nodes are sensitive points, and in this case the axis is similar to the opposition of Jupiter to his Pisces cluster of planets, which are also semi-sextile his Aries cluster. So I'll simply say that Saturn, representing science and discipline is linked in to a dynamic network, relating to the basic thrust of his life's work.

MARS, for good & ill.

Astrologers have various eloquent ways of describing how the position of Mars in a natal chart reflects back in the personality. Stripped down to its bare bones, I see Mars as pure energy, a driving force that can be used for good or ill. The "ill" half of that, in its worst form is, of course, violence and war. As Mars is with us always, war and other forms of violence are with us always. The seed is within us all. Romans celebrated Mars and all it stood for, including war. We (or some of us) have moved on since then.

As it happens today, 19 October, was a day set aside in Rome to honor Mars:

The Armilustrium was a festival in honor of Mars, the god of war, celebrated on October 19. On this day the weapons of the soldiers were ritually purified and stored for winter. The army would be assembled and reviewed in the Circus Maximus, garlanded with flowers and the trumpets (tubae) would be played as part of the purification rites. The Romans gathered with their arms and armour on the Aventine Hill, and held a procession with torches and sacrificial animals. The dancing priests of Mars known as the Salii may also have taken part in the ceremony.

I guess we could all spare a thought today to honor the positive energy and drive that life bestows on us (aka Mars energy), while at the same time reminding ourselves that it has a dark, very dark, side which needs always to be kept in check.

Coincidentally, Michelle of the "Crows Feet" blog has just produced a lovely video which fits in well with my last point. With her permission, here it is. Thank you, Michelle for a beautiful piece of work:

Love, love, love.......

Continuing yesterday's thought about universal togetherness, I recalled writing, some time ago, about the three kinds of love, which are really the metaphorical ribbons that could bind us together universally - if we do them right. Three variations on love, linked by the heart, awareness (- and the signs of the zodiac?)


Eros = romantic and sexual love. The word "erotic" originated from this.

There was passion, there was laughter
The first morning after
I just couldn't get my feet to touch the ground
Everytime we were together
We talked about forever
I was certain it was Heaven
We had found.
-- LeeAnn Womack, "Why They Call It Falling"

Philos = friendship, affection, brotherly love, any non-sexual love. I guess that "philosophy" derives from this, and Philadelphia, known as "City of Brotherly Love".

If you only have one smile in you, give it to the people you love.
~Maya Angelou

Agape = the highest, the ultimate, unconditional love, and love encompassing all humanity and all of life.

He drew a circle that shut me out--
Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
But Love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle that took him in.
-Edwin Markham, Outwitted

Is it possible to relate these three concepts to the signs of the zodiac - those most compatible with them? We each have all 12 zodiac signs in our nature, and are capable of experiencing all three types of love. Most relationships evolve. An eros relationship can evolve, eventually, into a philos relationship after lust and excitement have subsided. A philos love could develop into eros - and back again. Agape, if I understand it correctly is the ultimate evolution of love, not necessarily in connection with a one-to-one relationship, but with mankind, all living things, and the world.

Aries, Taurus, Leo and Scorpio seem to mainly connect with eros love - self-oriented, sex-oriented.

Aquarius, Gemini, Libra and Cancer seem more akin to philos - brotherly, motherly, friendly all spring to mind here.

Sagittarius and Pisces have, to my mind, most in common with agape. They are somehow more evolved, outward looking, compassionate and humane. Aquarius might fit here, as an alternative - with Sagittarius moving to join either of the other two groups - ruled by expansive Jupiter, Sagittarius is probably the "all-purpose" sign when it comes to love.

Oddly, I don't see Capricorn and Virgo as clearly connected to any one of the above, but they're bound to fit somewhere, possibly everywhere, bringing some much-needed practicality into every scene.

Ribbon In the Sky

I like the idea of a ribbon around our solar system. It's symbolic of a univeral togetherness. Our home place in the cosmos is wearing a ribbon, just as we humans do sometimes to support a cause. There couldn't be a better cause than universal togetherness.

Giant Ribbon Discovered at the Edge of the Solar System
10.15.2009

"October 15, 2009: For years, researchers have known that the solar system is surrounded by a vast bubble of magnetism. Called the "heliosphere," it springs from the sun and extends far beyond the orbit of Pluto, providing a first line of defense against cosmic rays and interstellar clouds that try to enter our local space. Although the heliosphere is huge and literally fills the sky, it emits no light and no one has actually seen it.

Until now."

AND: HERE

"Even more exciting is that this solar wind ribbon appears to be highly concentrated in some areas, as if the magnetic fields of our interstellar neighborhood are creating eddies and whirlpools of charged particles. Researchers poring over the IBEX data say they need to spend much more time analyzing what they've found before they can make any definitive statements about what all of this means. But one thing they can say for sure. Our solar system's weather - and by extension our solar system itself - is far more affected by nearby stars than anyone realized before."(via Southwest Research Institute.)

"Are we etched in stone or just scratched in the sand
Waiting for the waves to come and reclaim the land?
Will the sun shine all sweetness and light
Burn us to a cinder, our third stone satellite?
I'm on a tightrope, baby, nine miles high
Striding through the clouds, on my ribbon in the sky."

(from "Tightrope" - Stone Roses)

Arty Farty Friday ~ William Morris

William Morris was a pioneer of socialism and ecological thinking in 19th century Britain, as well as being a multi-talented artist, member of the Pre-Rafaelite Brotherhood, and Arts and Crafts artistic movement, a poet, novelist, translator, embroiderer, calligrapher, engraver, gardener, decorator, dyer, weaver, and architectural preservationist. He designed furniture, printed and woven textiles, stained glass, tiles, carpets, tapestry, murals, wallpaper, books and type. He believed that art should be affordable and available to all and that every craftsman was an artist - he eschewed any form of elitism. "My hero" on all counts. Before I looked at his natal chart I just knew there'd be Aquarius in there somewhere.




William Morris was born 24 March 1834 in Walthamstow, Essex, England. No time of birth known, so chart below is set for 12 noon.



I was right! William Morris has an Aries stellium: Sun, Venus, Mercury and Pluto in the energetic sign of the initiator, and Neptune, Mars and Uranus in Aquarius, Mars and Uranus being conjoined - Mars energy drives a leaning towards the new and unusual (Uranus, unsullied in its own sign, Aquarius). Jupiter in Taurus and Saturn in Libra are in exact quincunx (150*), Saturn represents work and discipline, Jupiter is excess and expansion, these two in uncomfortable quincunx aspect = a tendency to overwork and overstretch oneself. In addition Saturn is in opposition to Morris's Aries stellium, adding further to the work dynamic.

Moon was in Virgo at 12 noon, it's not possible to be sure of the degree without a time of birth, if he was born in the very early hours it might be that Moon was in late Leo, but I suspect Virgo is correct - it matches that tendency of his to overwork - the one we've just seen in Saturn quincunx Jupiter. In his own words he confirmed this: "Give me love and work - these two only."

So, William Morris was a dynamo, physically and mentally.

"When William Morris (1834-1896) died at the age of sixty-two, his physician declared that the cause was "simply being William Morris, and having done more work than most ten men." This multi-faceted man was at one time or another (and sometimes simultaneously) a designer and manufacturer of furniture, stained glass, tapestries, wallpaper and chintzes; an accomplished weaver; a pioneering preservationist; an active Socialist and social reformer; a successful poet and novelist; and in his last years, the founder of the Kelmscott Press. Yet all of these activities were of a piece, unified by several threads in the tapestry of Morris's life.
One continuity, dating from early childhood, was his love of nature, evidence of which may be found in the fond natural descriptions of his letters and poetry, the patterns of his tapestries, and the vining borders of the Kelmscott book. There was also his passionate devotion to the Middle Ages and to everything they represented; romantic Medievalism informs Morris's literary output, as well as his arts and crafts work and the books from his Kelmscott Press.
A third thread was his belief that it is impossible to separate esthetic issues from social and political ones. Morris often contrasted the social organization of the Middle Ages with the present condition of England, which led him to advocate a complete reform of industrial society. At first, he advocated an overhaul of the flawed esthetics of the age and later, realizing that such reform alone was insufficient, a thoroughgoing political revolution." See HERE.

"News from Nowhere", Morris’s famous Socialist novel, is a Utopian fantasy that tells the story of a man who awakes the morning after a Socialist League meeting in a Socialist paradise, where people are free and equal and poverty has been abolished. At the book’s end, the man returns to his own time, but is inspired to bring about what he has dreamed.



Wisdom from William Morris, equally valid today, long after these words were spoken or written :

I hope that we shall have leisure from war, -- war commercial, as well as war of the bullet and the bayonet; leisure from the knowledge that darkens counsel; leisure above all from the greed of money, and the craving for that overwhelming distinction that money now brings: I believe that, as we have even now partly achieved liberty , so we shall achieve equality , and best of all, fraternity , and so have leisure from poverty and all its griping, sordid cares.

History has remembered the kings and warriors, because they destroyed; art has remembered the people, because they created.

I do not want art for a few any more than education for a few, or freedom for a few.

I pondered all these things, and how men fight and lose the battle, and the thing that they fought for comes about in spite of their defeat, and when it comes turns out not to be what they meant, and other men have to fight for what they meant under another name.

If you want a golden rule that will fit everything, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.

No man is good enough to be another's master.

La Belle Iseult by William Morris




A William Morris sofa:





Venus and Adonis, from "The Poems of William Shakespeare" Published by Kelmscott Press, 1893, by William Morris.

Alfred, Bertha, and THAT Prize

News of the recipient of this year's Nobel Peace Prize award has spawned more vitriol than I recall ever accompanying it in past years. It's sad and rather peculiar that an award with such good intention has to be met with so much ill feeling, and really for no valid reason. I can only assume that people like to feel negative - about everything. Ah well, as my old Gran used to say, "All the world's queer save thee an' me - an' even thee's a bit queer". Garrison Keillor has it about right in his piece "Betting Against America", except that he should have included a good slice of so-called "progressive" liberals in his criticism of Republicans.

For Alfred Nobel to have specified, among the five awards he outlined in his will, one to reward a person who"....shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses...." seems surprising in view of the fact that Nobel's life's work and resultant fortune was based on producing and selling explosives.

It was probably the influence of Nobel's sometime secretary and housekeeper, Countess Bertha Kinsky, an Austrian noblewoman, which led to the inclusion of a Peace Prize. He and Bertha continued a lifelong correspondence, even after her marriage to Baron Arthur Gundaccar von Suttner. She was always very critical of the military applications of the dynamite Nobel produced and sold worldwide. She worked actively for the peace movement in Austria and Germany. Among her books is the classic, "Lay Down Your Arms" (1889). She also published a pacifist journal of the same name. Nine years after the death of Alfred Nobel, in 1905, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Their natal charts are below (12 noon versions, as no times of birth are known.)
In Alfred's chart it's very apt that Mars (which could be thought to represent explosives) lies close to his late Libra Sun, but is in the early degrees of Scorpio ancient rulership of Mars, and lies close to Mercury. Without a time of birth (and my usual software) we can't be sure that his natal Moon was in Aquarius, though chances are that it was, along with the sign's ruler, Uranus. This provides one link to Bertha's chart - the Aquarius content, the social awareness: she has Jupiter and Neptune in Aquarius. Their Airy Suns in Libra and Gemini would have provided an initial mental compatibility, and with the added underlying Aquarian input, I'm not surprised that they maintained relationship through extensive correspondence, aided in part by her (probable) Scorpio Moon linking to his Mars/Mercury also in Scorpio.

Alfred Nobel born 21 October 1833 in Stockholm, Sweden




Bertha Kinsky born 9 June 1843 in Prague, now in the Czech Republic

Arthur M. Young - Inventor, Mathematician, Scientist, Philosopher, Mystic, Astrologer

Arthur M. Young was born in Paris, France, his American parents lived there at various periods, while his father, a landscape painter, studied Impressionism. I'm going to call Arthur M. Young AMY, from here on, for brevity and ease of typing. He was a mathematician and scientist first and foremost, and inventor of the first Bell Helicopter. It was later in life that he slid into philosophy, metaphysics, ESP, and even astrology. Shock horror -a scientist who was also an astrologer! Would that there were more of his ilk around today.

In Jeffrey Mishloves "An Appreciation of Arthur M. Young" he writes:

"Arthur was also a student of eastern mysticism and yoga.............. was a master of astrology, and he enjoyed demonstrating its value with reference to my own chart. He did so in the most uncanny ways."

There's a website dedicated to AMY. It includes some of his essays, several of which mention his study of astrology, in fact one is dedicated to the subject.

THOUGHTS ON A SCIENCE OF LIFE
Part III: On the Value of Astrology for a Science of Life
by Arthur M. Young (1992)
In summing up his essay, AMY wrote:

To sum up: The rejection of astrology by science is based on the belief of science that there is no way for planets to influence life. This belief is opposed by the practitioners of astrology, who find a factual correlation between the position of the planets and the dates of important events in life.

But the principles on which physics is based do not predict or even accommodate life. Life requires a narrow temperature range and a periodic alternation of this temperature, and hence a very special environment, requiring a planetary system with a certain type of sun. This makes life depend on contingency rather than law, and indicates that while the laws of nature are necessary to life they are not sufficient.

Since alternation (periodic change) of temperature is necessary to the evolution of organic life in plants and animals, it would seem that the evolution of consciousness, which has its inception in organisms which move against entropy, should for its completion require an alternation of longer period than the daily or yearly alternation of temperature. This is what the outer planets supply.

As for the question of how the planets can influence mundane events, this problem already exists in biological rhythms, which have been found to be endogenous; that is, not dependent on known physical influence

That, I can (just about) understand. I'm not going to pretend that I understand his Theory of Process , his studies of consciousness and suchlike. I don't. It's all way over my head. His Theory of Process relies on a kind of wave-like effect which he considers applies to everything in one way or another, because it's the origin of everything, starting with "Light"..... (I think!)



Ahem (too deep for me) - quickly turning to AMY's chart then - it's not my usual format, because I don't have that software on the laptop. It'll have to do!

We should find prominent Saturn/Capricorn(mathematics and science) Uranus/Aquarius (invention and maybe astrology) and Jupiter/Sagittarius (philosophy)

Arthur M. Young born on 3 November 1905 in Paris, France. Astrotheme gives his time of birth as 10.23am.



His Sun and Mercury in Scorpio remind me that Carl Sagan has these placements (but with even more Scorpio planets). As well as its reputation for eroticism, passion, paranoia etc. Scorpio has that incisive mentality (especially with Mercury there) which can cut through stuff which leaves the rest of us highly confused. AMY's Scorpio Sun closely trines mystic Neptune in Cancer - here's his draw to mysticism - a draw which Carl Sagan didn't have.

Aquarius Moon trines Jupiter in Gemini. The harmony between invention and philosophy in AMY's life is here, for Jupiter is ruler of Sagittarius (his rising sign, and therefore Jupiter is his ruling planet) and it is in very helpful aspect to his inventive Aquarius Moon.

Now we come to more of what I was expecting to see: Saturn in Aquarius, and....Uranus in Capricorn. Aquarius, Capricorn, Uranus, Saturn - there's a peculiar link here.
Aquarius and Capricorn were originally both ruled by Saturn, modern astrology places Uranus as ruler of Aquarius, and in AMY's chart the planets swap homes, with Saturn in Aquarius and Uranus in Capricorn. I'm not sure how that can be interpreted except that it's a conglomeration involving mathematics and science(Saturn and Capricorn) invention and astrology (Uranus and Aquarius) - all kind of related to one another by marriage (as it were), bringing together two very different realms. In addition Moon in Aquarius is in helpful semi-sextile aspect to Uranus in Capricorn - a further blending of the two realms.

So, all in all, AMY's natal chart, even from my minimalist take on it, clearly matches his chosen paths in life.

NOVELS (& Columbus Day)

It's not easy to find novels to suit my taste, so I don't read many these days. I've come across three novels lately though which fit my bill. Though two of these aren't about astrology as such, they might appeal to the same people who enjoy astrology and mystical stuff in general.

Two are by the same author, John Nelson, a student of metaphysical thought for over 25 years, we are told. I've tried to find a biography on Mr. Nelson, or his birth data, without success, apart from "b.1947". In one of the books he's described as a writer and director in the film industry, book editor and (at the time) editorial director of Bear and Company. Lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico -lucky man!

"Starborn: A mystical tale". Published in several printings between 1978 and 1993. Edward Doolittle is born with the accumulated knowledge and psychic power of over 50 lifetimes, and is very quickly swept into an archetypal struggle against evil, personified by a female child psychologist and others who plot to conquer the world, and enforce global bliss with a carefully indoctrinated cabal of child geniuses.

It's a slim volume of only 133 pages, would be accessible to younger readers as well as adults. I enjoyed it, but wished I could get a vision, of Stewie from TV's Family Guy playing Edward, out of my mind's eye and ear as I read. (Chuckles).








"Transformations: A story of human evolution", published 1988 and 1997. Also by John Nelson, this is longer and more complex than his first novel, "Starborn". It's a blend of mystical and sci-fi, left-brain and right-brain issues.

A stranger appears in a California town and seems to infect those he meets with a peculiar virus, which eventually precipitates an evolutionary crisis. "They are becoming the image in their visions, an image recently discovered on the walls of excavated caves, the God of this valley's race of ancient humans."

I enjoyed this one too. I couldn't help thinking it'd make a very good movie, and as it happens, all of John Nelson's novels have indeed been optioned for motion pictures, according to a note in one of the books.



The third book might already be known to some astrology bloggers and blog readers:
"Rising Sign: Book One in the Star Child Trilogy", by Jared R. Lopatin, who also writes the blog "Sign in Ink", from whence the book can be purchased.

This novel, unlike the two above, is astrologically based. "Rising Sign heralds the birth of the Star Child, the only one who can protect the universe from a deadly threat. On a seemingly ordinary day in Philadelphia, an unwelcome visitor awakens Tim Dalis to the Star Child's world, a world of astrological power. As decreed by prophecy, he is one of the 12 guardians of the Child." An enjoyable and imaginative novel; again one which could evolve into a good TV drama series or movie.

The books by John Nelson are available used at Amazon (Starborn), and new and used Amazon(Transformations) as well as other on-line outlets.


*******************************



AND, remembering today is .......................

Columbus Day

Mister Christopher Columbus
Sailed the sea without a compass
When his men began a rumpus
Up spoke, Christopher Columbus

There is land somewhere
Until we get there,
We will not go wrong,
If we sing, 'swing a song'

Since the world is round,
We'll be safe and sound
Til our goal is found,
We'll just keep rhythm bound

Soon the crew was makin' merry
Then came a yell, 'Let's drink to Isabelle,
Hum, bring the rum, Ho Hum'

No more mutiny,
What a time at sea
With di-plo-ma-cy
Christy made his-to-ry

Mister Christopher Columbus
He used rhythm as a compass
Music ended all the rumpus
Wise old Christopher Columbus.

Songwriters: Leon Berry & Andy Razaf

Sunday Supplement ~ Old Michaelmas

Old Michaelmas Day falls this weekend (10 or 11 October), opinions vary. After our calendar was revised in the mid 18th century 29 September became "new" Michaelmas for modern times.

Michaelmas is a festival in honour of St. Michael. He holds the scales of Libra (left), appropriately enough for the date, and because he is honoured as the administrator of cosmic intelligence. Archangel Michael is one of the principal angelic warriors, in legend he defeated Luficer and he's seen as a protector against the dark of night. We must not forget that, for folk in mediaeval times, the approaching long nights were very much darker and the oncoming cold more dangerous than for we spoiled 21st century dwellers in the lighted warmth of our homes. Martinmas comes along a month later, on 11 November, in honour of St. Martin. (The suffix -mas comes from an old English word maesse, meaning festival, feast day or mass)

In past centuries in Britain, as well as being religious festivals, and celebrations of the changing of seasons, Michaelmas and/or Martinmas marked Quarter Days when rents were due and accounts had to be settled. These times were also when servants and farm workers were hired for the coming year at The Hiring Fairs, in some cases called Mop Fairs because servants with no particular skills (carpentry, cooking, etc) would hold a mop.


Agricultural workers who wanted to move from their current farm would stand in the town's market-place where a fair was being held, and farmers needing extra or replacement labourers, shepherds , grooms, ploughmen etc. would come to take their pick. Workers travelled for miles to attend these fairs in market towns throughout the country. My own two grandfathers born in the south of England, in Suffolk and Wiltshire both travelled as young lads, mostly on foot, from the south to Yorkshire, (a journey of 2 or 3 hundred miles, I guess) to find work on farms there, and that's how I come to be a Yorkshirewoman.

As well as The Hiring Fairs at this time of year there were funfairs in certain towns and cities, and that tradition still remains in some locations. In the city where I was born, Hull, a huge funfair is held annually around 11th October: Hull Fair, and it celebrated its 700th anniversary in 1993!
Here, as it was in 2006:



Some old Michaelmas lore:

So many days the moon is old on St Michael’s day, so many floods after.
Traditional English weather marker

Harvest comes as long before Michaelmas as dog roses bloom before Midsummer.
Traditional English weather marker

On Michaelmas Day the devil puts his foot on the blackberries.
(So they should not be picked later!)
Traditional northern Irish proverb

St Michael’s rain does not stay long in the sky.
Traditional French proverb

If it does not rain on St Michael’s and Gallus [Oct 16], a dry spring is indicated for the next year.
Traditional English proverb

My Week That Was

For me, that was one of those funny ol' weeks. They come along every now and then. There should be some indication in the transits to my natal chart to account for it but the only vague connection I can see is my natal Neptune being "embraced" by transiting Saturn and Venus, one on each side, like a good cop/bad cop scenario. Transiting Uranus (my Sun's ruler) was/is opposing Venus from Pisces. None of that seems to translate clearly into my funny ol' week though.

In the very early hours of Monday morning I had to leap out of bed and dash to the loo vomiting (the rest came later)- a side effect of the anti-biotics the doctor had prescribed for my sinus infection and headache the previous week. I rang the doc's office after 9 o'clock, told the receptionist of the problem, asked should I stop the tablets or finish the 10-day course. She took details of my pharmacy etc. and said she'd get back to me asap. She didn't. I felt too bad to chase and chide. Tuesday, still no call from the doc's office by late morning. My husband, who had to go out on another errand, decided to call in personally and remind them. They'd call me, they said. Eventually someone did and said the doctor advised not to continue the tablets, and wanted me to have a blood test; no reason given. "Can you come right now, we close at 2pm". I went. The nurse said, "We'll let you know if there's anything abnormal". Wednesday - nothing from the doc's office, Thursday likewise. Friday likewise. I'd been kind of expecting them to tell me there was a new prescription faxed to my pharmacy. Nothing.


At the same time as the above was happening - or rather stagnating, there was the issue of my sick computer which had been deposited at the computer shop the previous Friday. I got a call from a tech on Monday who told me that one problem is a defective fan, but he wasn't sure a replacement would be available from Dell. He would make enquiries and let me know. It took me less than 5 minutes to check on-line that there seems to be a fan available on the Dell parts site for that model. I had still not heard further from the tech by Friday 3pm, when the shop closes for the weekend.

I had been feeling generally disgruntled, so to cheer myself I started looking at possibilities for a replacement computer at the Dell Refurbished Outlet site. I noticed one, not refurbished but categorised as "Scratch and Dent" (outer case blemished but not affecting performance - bit like myself!) at a very reasonable price. After hemming and hawing for hours I ordered it, it seems exactly what I need. That was Tuesday late afternoon, by noon on Thursday the new computer had been delivered! Amazing! And I had still not heard from the the computer tech, or the doctor's office.

As I said, it's been a funny ol' week, filled with discomfort and inefficiency on the one hand, and incredible service and efficiency on the other. I suppose that the doctor is angling for another visit and the attendant $$$, before he'll prescribe an alternative anti-bio; and we can't get the new computer on-line and onto our home network without the help of a tech....and the circle goes round and around!





So our President Obama has been honored with the Nobel Peace Prize. I was happy to hear the news, but my pleasure soon turned to dismay as I read some of the articles and comments which quickly followed the announcement. What is wrong with so many Americans (on both sides of the political divide, by the way) that they cannot feel happy that their President, and by association their country, has been thus honored? What right have they to question a sincere decision made by a group of people in Europe? I see such objections, criticisms and rude comments as extreme bad manners. But then, the internet is highlighting so much that is wrong here nowadays.

I did read a few nice comments, however. The quote from "Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway" by Susan Jeffers below is taken from a comment at the BBC's website and comes from someone in the UK. I've taken the liberty of copying it here:

At 5:28pm on 09 Oct 2009, ukwales wrote:

"People are unreasonable,illogical and self-centred:
Love them anyway!

If you do good,people will accuse you of selfish motives:
Do good anyway!

If you`re successful,you will win false friends and true enemies:
Succeed anyway!

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow:
Do good any way!

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable:
Be honest and frank any way!

The biggest people with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest people with the smallest minds:
Think big anyway!

People favour underdogs but follow only top dogs:
Fight for some under dogs anyway!

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight:
Build anyway!

People need help but may attack if you help them:
Help them anyway!

Give the world the best you`ve got and you will get kicked in the teeth:
Give the world the best you`ve got anyway!"

Don`t stop Mr Obama.

HEAR HEAR!!

John Lennon & Jackson Browne

On skimming through Wikipedia's lists of people born during this week in previous years I noticed that John Lennon was born on 9 October. Everybody and their dog has chewed on Lennon's natal chart already, but interestingly, 9th October is also the birthday of Jackson Browne. Also interestingly, Jackson Browne is a political activist, in similar vein to Lennon, and an environmentalist (Wikipedia has details). He lives on a ranch in California, entirely off the power grid, his own wind turbine installed. I suspect Lennon would have been doing something along those lines too, had he lived.









I decided it'd be interesting to compare the charts of Lennon and Browne, they're nowhere near being astrological twins, of course. Browne was born 8 years later than Lennon, and in a different country, though both in Europe. Jackson Browne was born in Germany, son of an American serviceman stationed there. Lennon's time of birth, in Liverpool UK, is still being questioned in some circles; the chart I'm using is set for 6.30pm. We don't know Jackson Browne's time of birth, so comparison of exact Moon positions and ascendants won't be possible, but there's plenty more to compare.









Both Suns are at 16 Libra. Browne's Sun is conjunct Neptune, planet of imagination and creativity. In Lennon's chart Neptune is hooked into a Grand Trine circuit combining Neptune, Uranus and the Moon. So Neptune features strongly in both charts, though in different ways.

Both men have Mercury in intense Scorpio, Browne at 5*, Lennon at 8*.

Both men have Venus in Virgo at 3*.

I find it quite significant that Sun, Mercury and Venus are so closely similar sign and degree-wise, yet the charts are 8 years apart.

Lennon's Moon at 6.30pm was in Aquarius, which does seem to be a good fit for his quirky and socially aware nature. Browne's Moon, whatever his time of birth would be in Capricorn. That's a significant difference personality-wise. Whereas social awareness and activism feature in both men's stories, I'd say that Jackson Browne is a steadier type, and more business oriented, anchored by an Earthy Moon. Although, if Lennon's true time of birth were found to be before noon, his Moon would be in Capricorn too - late Capricorn. I'm convinced Lennon had Aquarius Moon though.

I read through some on-line lists of quotes of Jackson Browne, then some of Lennon's, and found it fascinating that several of Browne's quotes were on the topic of money, whereas Lennon's didn't touch on the subject at all. Capricorn Moon and Aquarius Moon - there's one explanation for the difference!

Jackson Browne's rebellious, socially aware nature links to Uranus (the rebel) at 0* Cancer trining his Mercury in early Scorpio.

Lennon's rebellious Uranus at 25 Taurus, is afflicted by the malefic Fixed Star Algol (a sinister placement, bearing in mind the tragedy which overtook him), and also is linked into the Grand Trine already mentioned.

Our society is run by insane people for insane objectives. I think we're being run by maniacs for maniacal ends and I think I'm liable to be put away as insane for expressing that. That's what's insane about it.
John Lennon

We have an open society. No one will come and take me away for saying what I am saying. But they don't have to, if they can control how many people hear it. And that's how they do it.
Jackson Browne

JACKSON BROWNE - "Doctor My Eyes"

JOHN LENNON - "Working Class Hero"

MERCURY CHIT-CHAT

If the dreaded Bloggers' Block strikes I often reach for a book and open it at random. This time I pulled out my copy of Robert Hand's "Horoscope Symbols", a book I'd recommend to anyone who hasn't come across it yet, by the way. I opened it and my eyes were drawn to these words:

"Mercury is often underplayed in astrological writing. In part this may be because it is not often an obvious source of difficulty to people. Also, I suspect, people find its symbolism less exciting than that of some other planets. Yet it is a symbol of immense importance. It is connected to the mind, especially the logical and reasoning capabilities, and to all forms of communication".

That is something I've noticed. Mercury is almost taken for granted. I've always thought it should be included along with Sun/Moon/rising sign when producing a rapid pencil sketch of any personality.

How we communicate is such a huge part of who we are, it colours the perception of those we meet, it's almost always the first thing others notice about us - it's instant.

Because of its position Mercury can only ever be in the same sign as the Sun or in one of the adjacent signs (previous or following). In many natal charts Sun and Mercury are in the same sign, which simply adds to the Sunsignliness (made that word up) of the native, but where Mercury is in a different sign from the Sun, the properties of Mercury's sign can often be sensed first: Mercury governs communication and communication is instant.

I've noticed this in a few people I've known well, whose charts I've been able to investigate. My husband, Sun Aries, Leo Moon and ascendant has Mercury in Pisces - he comes across initially as very quiet and thoughtful, certainly nothing like outgoing Aries/Leo. My mother, with Sun in Libra and Mercury in Scorpio definitely could come across as rather sharp and biting, not at all tactful and diplomatic as Libra is usually perceived.

My own Mercury in Capricorn reflects my father's, we were both Aquarius Sun with Capricorn Mercury. I can't, of course, say how I come across to others, but my father had a definite Capricorn feel, until you knew him better. I suspect I might be the same. Still, I like this combination because it unites Aquarius's ancient and modern rulers, Uranus and Saturn. That has to be beneficial, I reckon. It's only when Sun is in the adjacent signs of Aquarius or Capricorn that this uniting of ancient and modern rulers can happen. Scorpio has Mars and Pluto, ancient and modern rulers, but Aries and Scorpio are too far apart to house both Sun and Mercury. Pisces has Jupiter and Neptune as ancient and modern rulers, but Sagittarius and Pisces are too far apart for Sun to be in one and Mercury in t'other.

Sigh. I hope my desktop PC gets well soon because, somehow, this laptop inclines me to waffe.

Roland Emmerich & "2012"

Roland Emmerich's upcoming movie "2012", for release in November, looks like being the blue touchpaper ready to ignite a whole new fluster about 2012 and the Mayan calendar's ending in December of that year. He and his PR team obviously intend the public not to overlook his new movie. There was something called a "roadblock" of commercials for it on TV last Thursday, when almost every TV channel carried the same commercial and clip from "2012" - at the same time. I understand a similar tactic will be used in Europe and elsewhere later this month. Overkill?







Emmerich seems to enjoy making movies with an apocalyptic theme - "The Day After Tomorrow" and "Independence Day", for instance. When I looked at Emmerich's natal chart, it reminded me instantly of one I was looking at just last week - Weird Wenesday subject's, Claude Vorhilon aka "Rael".

Roland Emmerich was born on November 10 1955 in Sindelfingen, Germany. Time of birth is unknown, so a 12 noon chart has to suffice. Rising sign will not be accurate, nor will exact position of Moon - if born before 11am Moon would have been in Virgo, later than that, in Libra.



With reference to the similarity between Emmerich's chart and Vorhilon's, it's not only emphasis on the same signs, and the clustered pattern of the chart, it's the fact that there's a peculiar coincidence in that Mars and Mercury occupy the same degrees of the same sign, but reversed in each chart (sounds muddled).......Emmerich has Merury at 3 Scorpio, Vorhilon has Mars at 3 Scorpio. Emmerich has Mars at 17 Libra, Vorhilon has Mercury at 17 Libra. I really don't know whether there's any sound astrological sifnificance in this or not, but I found it weird!

Whereas Vorhilon (chart on right, click to enlarge) has Sun, Mercury and Neptune (imagination & creativity) conjoined natally, Emmerich has
Mercury and Neptune conjoined, though in different signs, in his case the Sun is a degree or two too distant to form a triple conjunction, but it's a similar line-up to Vorhilon's.

Emmerich has Jupiter and Pluto conjoined in Leo, which could be translated as an exaggeration of paranoia and concern with death put on the show-biz (Leo) stage. Vorhilon has Saturn and Pluto conjoined in Leo - which might be translated as business interests and concerns with death put on the public stage via his cult activities.

Neither Emmerich nor Vorhilon has any planets in Earth signs, so grounding for their creative imaginings is absent; each uses his free-range imagination in different ways. Superficially there's no obvious similarity between them, but their inner drives do have things in common.

LETTERMAN etc.

We didn't see David Letterman's unexpected confession last week, in his late night show, but the internet was full of reports of it later, so we caught up rapidly.

I wasn't too surprised by the news. Letterman's a show-biz celebrity, "the casting couch" is, after all, part of show biz legend. Why would we be surprised? As far as I can tell, celebrities, including some politicians, march to a very different drummer from many of us who live outside of those privileged circles.

It did surprise me when the identity of the perpetrator of the proposed extortion was revealed. A man like Robert J. Halderman, with all his experience of journalistic life and show-biz would surely not be naive enough to think he'd get away with his plot - at least, not on the evidence we've seen so far. Unless, perhaps Mr. Halderman is suffering some kind of breakdown following what seems to have been a succession of personally traumatic times, family-wise and finance-wise. If so, his actions could be something akin to, but on a very much more damaging scale than, the celebrities arrested for shoplifting, reports of which surface with some regularity.

I've looked for Mr. Halderman's birth data without success, for I think his chart might be useful in fathoming why on earth he though he could get away with what almost seems like the plot of a bad episode of a TV drama.

Proper astrologers have discussed Letterman's chart at the weekend - Lynn Hayes at Beliefnet, and Shelley Ackerman at Karmic Relief. Shelley does mention Mr. Halderman's date of birth, but I can't find the source or his place of birth, so felt it wise to wait. I'm sure details will surface soon.

My own last assessment of David Letterman and his chart, some months ago during the Sarah Palin debacle, is HERE. I downgraded my previously warm opinion of him then. Looking again at the chart in my old post, I see that Black Moon Lilith conjoins his natal Moon - and I did try to interpret that at the time. I'm beginning to get the hang of BML - there's a little more evidence here to add to my collection!

Letterman obviously did the right thing by making public what would otherwise have been rooted out by media and made even worse. I feel sorry for his wife and son, and of course, for his mother who occasionally appears on his show. Those ladies probably were well aware of his shenanigans. Even so, current publicity will be embarrassing and hurtful.

I have a funny feeling that there's more to this story - another chapter to open. I decided to ask the Tarot, and the 3 cards I drew after shuffling were:
Queen of Swords/3 of Swords/6 of Coins. I'm always amazed at the aptness of the cards! There's a woman, a heartbreak and money (though 6 of Coins is usually linked to philanthropic matters). I won't interpret further, but others will probably see what story might be contained in those cards. Actually, this wasn't exactly what I was expecting. We'll see.