Future, Future Everywhere & H.G. Wells

This week several unconnected items with a common theme: The Future have lined up for my attention. George Friedman's current book "The Next Hundred Years" (Monday's post), the movie "Knowing" (Thursday's post), blog friend Robert Phoenix's piece about a possible New World Order. Then, on Thursday evening, what should appear on TCM but the classic movie from 1936 "Things to Come". The film is based on H.G. Wells' novel "The Shape of Things To Come". The author's ideas of how the world might develop during the hundred years from 1936 to 2036 haven't, so far, come to pass exactly as presented, but there is evidence of sharp insight to be found, watching from our 2009 perspective.


It's odd how these things clustered together this week, unplanned, unlooked for.

In my "Knowing" post I mentioned that Virgo seemed an unlikely sign to bring forth sci-fi, horror and fantasy novelists, or movie directors in those genres(Alex Proyas for example). Then I recalled that Stephen King was born 21 September, with Sun in Virgo. H.G. Wells was also born 21 September. Interesting!

A quick look at Wells' chart to see what else might link to the subjects which most fascinated him, as a writer. Born 21 September 1866 in Bromley, Kent, England. Chart set for 12 noon. Astrotheme and Astrodatabank both give 4.30pm as time of birth and Aquarius rising. Astrodatabank states that this is a rectified time. I feel it's just a teeny bit too convenient, and feel wary of it. I prefer to look at a 12 noon chart, which offers more than enough information for my purposes.



Sun and Mercury in Virgo - Virgo is ruled by Mercury, so writing is second nature to most people with this sign emphasised in their charts. Wells' Moon would have been in Aquarius whatever time of day he was born - here's the first clue as to his avid interest in all things future. Aquarius' modern ruler Uranus is conjunct Mars - symbolically adding energy and further emphasis to all that Uranus signifies: new technology, future development, the unexpected, change. Saturn and Venus are conjunct in Scorpio, and in harmonious trine with Mars/Uranus. Saturn in trine with its symbolic opposite, Uranus, carries a hint that H.G. Wells, though fascinated by future potentialities, had fairly rigid attitudes, believed in structure rather than randomness. This would blend well with his Sun/Mercury in discerning nitpicking Virgo. He was actually a bit of an enigma, certainly a different animal from the much later Aquarius-hippie stereotype. More evidence of Wells' stability and general common sense comes from a Grand Trine in Earth linking Jupiter, Pluto and Sun/Mercury.


Two H.G. Wells' novels, "The Time Machine" and "War of the Worlds" were the first "grown-up" books I read. In those days I probably didn't fully appreciate everything the books contain, but was still absolutely fascinated by them. It turns out that H.G. Wells was a socialist and a pacifist - a guy after my own heart. How could I not enjoy his ideas?

Why Such Agitation Over Rick Warren ?

There has been much complaint coming from American Democrats and others during last week. They don't like our President-elect's choice of Pastor Rick Warren to give the invocation at the inauguration ceremony in January. The unease stems mainly from Pastor Warren's stances on gay marriage, pro-life and his generally conservative leanings. PE Obama has said from the start that he will be inclusive, a President of "all America". He warned his supporters on this long ago, supporters who now, at an early hint that he will keep his word, choose turn on him. This is not loyalty! Don't Liberals understand loyalty? Yes, I know Americans have been let down before by their presidents. We've all, American or not, experienced let-downs in both personal and political spheres. Must we remain forever bitter and paranoid though? If Obama supporters cannot handle this, very minor, eventuality they are in for some serious shocks in the future.

I've only seen Rick Warren once, when he moderated a presidential debate on TV. He came over as a nice enough guy. His stances, as mentioned above, are opposite to my own - but that doesn't make him a bad person ! The issues are open to argument, in both directions. Surely part of the Christian message is tolerance of views different from one's own? Argument and debate can be had at a later date. I admire Obama for what he's doing here. After all Pastor Warren is simply leading a short prayer, he's not dictating policy or advising the president. The person chosen to lead the benediction comes from the other side of the US dichotomy: Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery, a civil rights leader whose stances are more in line with those of PE Obama.

Let's have a quick look at Rick Warren's natal chart. A 12 noon version will have to suffice as I don't know his time of birth. He was born 28 January 1954 in San Jose California. Ha! He's an early Aquarian, like me! And that still doesn't make him a bad person (wink).




Sun and Venus conjoined, with Mercury 10 degrees away - a hearty helping of Aquarian humanitarianism and social concern. At 12 noon Moon was in Scorpio, a late-ish time of birth, after 7pm, would put Moon in Sagittarius, and link to his pull towards religion, but Scorpio moon with its intensity could fit too - in any case there's also Mars and Saturn in Scorpio, dishing out a good dose of passion.

Jupiter in Gemini trines Mercury in Aquarius and Neptune in Libra forming a Grand Trine in Air. This configuration could aid a writer, or as in Pastor Warren's case a direct communicator - Mercury (communication), Jupiter (religion and/or publishing) and Neptune (creativity and mysticism). A helpful circuit in his chosen lifestyle.

Two oddities I'll note here - North Node of the Moon is conjunct Chiron - The Wounded Healer, South Node is just 3 degrees from Uranus. The two Nodes form a sensitive axis, planets conjoining the two points have extra significance. Chiron's reputation as Healer seems very apt for a Pastor, and the Uranus proximity to South Node links to his three Aquarian planets - Uranus being ruler of Aquarius.

Mercury and Pluto are in opposition (Aquarius/Leo), and linked by two squares (90 degree aspects) to Mars in Scorpio (a T-square). This looks to me as though his passionate intensity is challenged at times by a cooler Aquarian pull towards a more logical, less dramatic and emotional approach. He obviously has deeply seated opinions, but I'd guess that even he questions them, and himself, at times. Which, in my book, would make him an honorable man.


Well, there he is! A complex individual, and, as I see it, a man of good intention. The opinions he holds come about via his own unique experiences in life. Those who hold opposite views are not entitled to question or dictate about them. It is to PE Obama's credit that he is open minded enough to appreciate this and refuse to treat people of differing views as pariahs. Haven't we seen enough of divisive cronyism from the outgoing president and his men? Aren't Americans sick to the back teeth of it all? Then why so unwilling to try a different tack with their new president?

The Wednesday "Why?" - Royal Stars

Passing readers must be tired of the bombardment of US politics, so this post touches only lightly on the subject, and not until the last paragraphs.

Why were four Fixed Stars considered "royal"? Aldebaran, Regulus, Antares and Fomalhaut retain their status as Royal Stars to this day among western astrologers. The tradition stems from Arabic astrology/astronomy which some see as our modern astrology's closest relation. Arabic astrology filtered through to Europe from Persia, today's Iran, thousands of years ago.

These stars were accorded such high stellar office by ancient astologers and astronomers because it is said that in those days their positions marked the four cardinal points, the equinoxes and solstices. Seen on an astrological chart of the heavens these define the ascendant, midheaven descendant, and nadir, which points are universally acknowledged as being the most powerful areas of an astrological chart. Any planet or point near to these angles plays a dominant part in personality or events.


The four stars were also referred to as Watchers of the Heavens, looked on as guardians of the Vernal and Autumnal equinoxes, and the Summer and Winter solstices.
These bright stars formed a huge astrological cross, long before the cross became a symbol of Christianity. Zodiac signs involved were the four Fixed signs: Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius. In the tarot cards (right) The Wheel of Fortune and The World, you can see depicted in each corner of the cards a human figure, an eagle, a bull and a lion representing the Fixed signs. While the tarot as we know it, with the Major Arcana, didn't originate in Arabia, the four suits probably did, and the number four's significance reflects the four directions, north, south, east and west, and the four astrological cardinal points. The name "tarot" is thought to derive from the Arab word "turuq", which can be translated as "four ways".

The symbolism of the four Royal Stars in ancient times is thus easy to account for and accept. However, it isn't as easy to accept that any astrological interpretation of these stars should retain the same flavour now, when their positions changed long ago.

Fixed stars, of which these are but four out of billions and billions and billions (as Carl Sagon would say) are so called in order to to differentiate from the moving bodies we call planets. Fixed stars do, however, appear move but very, very slowly because of precession. (Explanation here).

The four Royals are no longer at their original sites. Their approximate position today: Aldebaran has moved from Taurus to 9 Gemini. Regulus is still in Leo, but barely - 29 degrees, this is called the anaretic degree and thought to be powerful. Antares has moved from Scorpio to 9 Sagittarius, and finally Formalhout moved from Aquarius to 3 Pisces.

Many astrologers still see the four Royal Stars as powerful when they appear in very close major aspect to a planet or sensitive point in a natal chart or mundane chart. The reason for this, I guess, harks back to the stars' early important status. Perhaps there is a question mark here. As the stars moved on over the centuries, ought they to have shed their royal reputation? It was their position, not their intrinsic properties, I assume, which had originally defined them as highly fortunate.

Perhaps we have an answer before us this morning! In the natal chart of the USA's new President Elect, Barack Obama, who will shortly hold a position comparable to the royalty of ancient times, two of the Royal Stars have some significance, for they lie on or very close to two sensitive points in his natal chart. The North Node of the Moon is at 27.54 Leo, in his chart, a little over a degree from the current position of Regulus. Antares lies practically on Obama's Part of Fortune at 8.52 Sagittarius. Many of the the Arabic Parts (and there are many) are not considered in interpretations of modern astrologers. Part of Fortune, though, is used often. It's particularly significant here, I think as both it and the Royal Stars originate from Arabic Astrology, so we have a "matching set".

Speaking of the President Elect, and the joy many Americans, myself included, feel this morning, I simply have to post this song. I hope that those who feel disappointed by the election result will feel able to be as gracious as Senator McCain was in his speech last night. It's often in defeat that the true mettle of a person shines through.