Thursday, October 01, 2015

Fixed Stars in Libra (a few noticed in natal charts)

Libra is next in the series of monthly posts on Fixed Stars in each tropical zodiac sign.

Data comes from Astroweb (HERE), showing star positions in 1900 in the left-hand column and in 2000 on the right.



Astrological interpretations for most of those stars, if found to be tightly conjunct a natal personal planet, or important point, are available online. A good, all-encompassing website to investigate for this is Constellation of Words.

Chosen stars to feature further this month are three I've noted during research for past blog posts: Arcturus, Algorab and Vindemiatrix.




Arcturus came up in a post here:

SNIP:

In The Best of the Illustrated National Astrological Journal 1933-1935,... there's an article by Stuart Holmes titled Arcturus and Artists, sub-heading: Golden Star Found Consistently Recurrent in the Horoscopes of the World's Greatest Artists.......The article states that the author's research (or perhaps that of his astrologer wife?) has shown that aspects to Fixed Star Arcturus feature strongly in the natal charts of many artists. He names Michelangelo, Dore, Lord Leighton, Millet, Rops, Burne-Jones, Watts, Winslow Homer, Durer, Holbein, Ingres, Delacroix, Bouguereau, Blake, Boucher, Gauguin and Cezanne as all having strong aspects to Arcturus "but principally the ruler conjoined with it".

He goes on in more detail about various painters and sculptors and how configurations in their natal charts match their chosen styles. He ends the piece: "One of the strangest factors in these charts of great artists is the fact that Venus, the ruler of art and all beauty, is always square to some zodiacal body".

At the time the article was published, in the early 1930s, and as stated therein, Arcturus was at 23 Libra. By 2010 the Fixed Star had moved, very, very slowly to 24.22 Libra. A piece online, by Rob Tillett: Fixed Stars, allocates Arcturus the keywords:

Inspiration, riches, fame, honour, popularity, benefits through travel. Success through work. Effect: Very Fortunate. Character: Jupiter/ Mars.



Vindemiatrix and Algorab are mentioned in posts here and here

SNIPS
Salient points have been pointed out in the linked articles above, but two things stand out for me: the fact that his [Rick Perry's] Mars and south node of Moon conjoin Fixed Star Vindemiatrix.
From Skyscript:
Vindemiatrix, which Ptolemy defined as like Saturn and Mercury, and referred to as 'the bright star in the northern wing', is the third brightest star of the constellation, being less brilliant now than it was in Ptolemy's day. The name is a feminised Latin deviation of the original Greek name, Provindemiator, meaning 'the Grape Gatherer', since the heliacal rising of this star announced the time to pick the grapes.... Although symbolically associated with a time of harvest and thus, one would assume, associated with the rewards of previous efforts, it is generally accorded an unfortunate influence in keeping with its predominantly Saturnine nature. Robson claims that it gives falsity, disgrace, stealing, wanton folly.......

I'm generally wary of Fixed star interpretations, but do feel it's important to note them in cases such as this, where we might glean additional information as to their significance from watching how things unfold.

From the second link -
DANG! Another triple Libran [Lenny Bruce] who goes against the grain. Nazi horror-monger Irma Grese struck me this way too - I blogged about her here. A few more charts like these and I shall start doubting traditional interpretations of Libra as the most diplomatic, tactful, indecisive sign of the zodiac. The dark underbelly of Libra is definitely not pretty. The thought led me to a little more research and this is what I discovered:

Lenny Bruce's natal Mars at 9 Libra is conjunct Fixed Star Vindemiatrix designated unfortunate or malefic by ancient astrologers. His natal Saturn is within minutes of arc of Fixed Star South Scale in Scorpio - another malefic, very unfortunate star.

Irma Grese was born with Sun conjunct Algorab ("One who is destructive, malevolent, fiendish and lying")

Lesson learned: it's worth checking whether Fixed Stars are close to personal planets if things seem discordant with accepted astrological interpretation, especially in the case of Libra Sun people who are supposed to be, in the main, mild mannered, sweet, ruled by Venus.

Something else springs to mind too - Via Combusta, The Burning Road, spans 15 Libra to 15 Scorpio, which takes in Bruce's Sun, Mercury and Saturn. I puzzled over Via Combusta here. .......... Curiouser and curiouser.

In my own natal chart Libra is devoid of planets, so I've no personal experience to add.

4 comments:

mike said...

My natal Neptune is 18* Libra and it's always been a blind-spot for me. That's the way of Neptune perhaps. Seginus (armpit!) and Murfid are conjunct on either side, providing a Mercury-Saturn influence, whatever that means.

Via combusta tends to be a sidereal phenomenon, as you noted. Tropical astrology recognizes 0* to 30* Libra associated with the Sun's fall. Mars is in detriment in this zone of the zodiac, and some astrologers state that Pluto is in detriment here. I don't utilize the classic definition of via combusta, but I do use combust, the conjunction of planets within about 5* of the Sun. Even if the term didn't exist, I think most astrologers would recognize and interpret the conjunction of planets with the Sun as a particularly high-level event, with the individual's ego expression absorbing the qualities of the conjuncting planet, muting that planet, melding with the conscious ego. I don't interpret combust as a negative, as some astrologers state, but simply another energy-variation in astrology.

My Neptune, Mercury, Venus, and Sun are all in the defined zone of via combusta, but only my Mercury and Venus are in combust with the Sun. A bit weird for me, as I have Gemini rising and Virgo Moon, both ruled by Mercury. With Mercury combust and Venus (in detriment) part of that combust, does the Sun ultimately have dominion with nuances of Mercury and Venus shining through?

Happy October! The first cool front is coming tomorrow, but won't amount to much...I think it's passing through your area right now, Twilight. T-shirt and shorts weather for a while yet here, but my sister in Kansas dug-out her heavier clothing several weeks ago. Must be nice!

Twilight said...

mike ~ Happy October to you also! We're a tiny bit less hot than of late here, hardly cool yet though, but tomorrow is supposed to be in the 70s, which, for us will be cool in both senses! It'll still be a while before I get to fish out cold weather togs though. ;-)

Your Seginus and Mufrid, according to Constellation of Words website:

Seginus: gives a subtle mind, shamelessness and loss through friends and companies.
With its Mercury-Saturn simile it emphasizes the protective nature of Bootes [constellation] and ourselves. The planetary connotation also shows up well the potential for writing or public speaking in those who have it in their horoscopes.


Mufrid - generally for constellation Bootes where it is located....said to give prosperity from work, strong desires, a tendency to excess, a fondness for rural pursuits, together with some liking for occultism. The Kabalists associate it with the Hebrew letter Teth and the 9th Tarot Trump, "The Hermit". [Robson*, p.32.]

Not too bad?

Via Combusta has been a curiosity for me for a while. I kinda like the idea of it, though I've no planets there, so don't know why. I wonder if any clever astro-researcher has ever "done" the Via in great detail and come up with anything other than the usual churned out stuff. Not sure I can dredge up enough enthusiasm or skills/or information myself right now, but have the feeling it might be an instructive study one of these days.

LB said...

Twilight ~ With a stellium of Libra planets and points, several of my placements are in range of these Fixed Stars in Libra. One is exactly conjunct the eeeeevilll Vindemiatrix . . . mwha ha ha!:)

Thankfully this point is exactly opposite another point and is part of my chart's Mystic Rectangle. I think certain aspects have helped me to recognize some of the darker aspects of myself in my relationships with others. Whether we choose to see it or not, some of our most challenging relationships serve as mirrors.

Reading certain Jungian authors has made me realize how whatever potential each of us carries for darkness/negativity is matched by a far greater potential for good, once our unconscious material is acknowledged and consciously assimilated ~ assuming we're interested (and able) and are called to look more deeply & honestly at ourselves. Acknowledgment does NOT mean acting out every dark thought or impulse, by the way. And recognizing and speaking dark truths doesn't make us dark.

Using some of the descriptions associated with Vindemiatrix as an example ("falsity, disgrace, stealing, wanton folly"), we might become more truthful, honorable, trustworthy, discerning or wise as a result of inner work, more willing to face & accept the dark places within ourselves while working towards personal and collective change. It also makes if easier to forgive those who unconsciously project these same qualities onto others, without excusing the behavior. We gain insight into others by understanding our own shadows.

At its best, I think Libra energy is about being in 'right relationship', which means finding the balance in just and loving relationships, with one another, the planet we inhabit, the Divine and within ourselves. Quoting from Wikipedia, it's about Yin and Yang, and "how apparently opposite or contrary forces are actually complementary, interconnected, and interdependent . . . ":

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yin_and_yang

Some of the 'nicest' people cast a very long, very dark shadow . . . even the Pope.

*****

mike ~ Thanks for your response to yesterday's comment. If you haven't already seen it, I left you another one today.

Twilight said...

LB ~ You've made some interesting and nice points, from your balanced Libran perspective - I'd expect no less! :-)

Yes, the dark/light thing reminds me of the circular/extremes meeting thing, in the zodiac it's Aries/Pisces.

You point out about long shadows of "nice" people - we find the same pattern in many situations and individuals. Libra is traditionally thought to be the sign best equipped to do the required balancing act.

While I had no time for Lenny Bruce's style of harsh comedy, many did, and many saw very good and helpful things in his style that were lost on me. I usually feel I should wash my mouth out after expressing my view of him when in company of a fan of his, but it's my view, and I stick to it. Maybe I was @ back of the line when tact and diplomacy were being distributed. ;-)