Showing posts with label Canada. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Canada. Show all posts

Friday, July 08, 2016

Arty Farty Friday ~ Canadian Painter Tom Thomson & His Mysterious Death.

This time, looking to discover whether astrology can help explain the mysterious and tragic death of a painter.

Tom Thomson, one of Canada’s most influential painters of the 20th-century, was last seen alive around mid-day, July 8, 1917, when setting out alone across Canoe Lake to begin a fishing trip. He was familiar with the area, having visited there a number of times – while working in the Park as a fire ranger, a guide for fishing parties, and of course, pursuing his painting. Within hours of his departure, his empty canoe was spotted floating not far from the dock he had left from, and more than a week later, his body surfaced in the lake. His untimely death helped transform the aspiring artist into a cultural giant. His paintings are now seen in galleries across Canada, and exhibitions of his work always attract large audiences. In the last few years, paintings by Thomson have fetched over a million dollars at auction.

How Thomson died, who found his body, its condition, and even its final resting place all remain mysteries. Some propose the cause of Thomson’s death was an accident resulting from plain bad luck, while others suggest suicide, and still others point to foul play resulting from a conflict over debt, a love interest, or opinions about the war effort. To add even more mystery to the affair there are serious questions regarding whether Thomson’s body was moved from its first resting place............
(More HERE)








From a piece on Thomson by Lee Parsons HERE
Tom Thomson grew up in a family of 10 children in the small town of Leith, Ontario, near the shores of Georgian Bay. Second-generation Scottish, his parents placed a good deal of importance on their children’s cultural education, encouraging them in the areas of literature, art and particularly music.........

Thomson suffered from a weak constitution as a child and at a certain point was taken out of school because of a chronic lung ailment. Consequently, he spent a good deal of time away from the social interaction of school and passed many of his formative years relatively isolated, often exploring the neighboring forests and fields where he developed a close affinity with nature. Though he could be highly focused when he set himself a task, he typically wouldn’t pursue any interest for very long and this aimlessness characterized his early adult years. He worked in various occupations—as a farmer and as a machinist, and at one point he attended business school in Chatham, Ontario, before he found a pursuit that brought him some satisfaction.

Thomson’s brothers had ventured out to Seattle when he was 20 to start a business school, and he followed them there and began working as a photoengraver for an advertising company. With some success under his belt, he returned to Ontario to continue as a photoengraver and during this time set about developing his skills as a graphic designer. It was at this point that he took to drawing, albeit in somewhat crude strokes, taking some classes in both drawing and painting for a time.

Little is known about his activities until 1911—about five years later. While in Seattle, there is some record of a troubled romantic episode that may have prompted his return to Toronto; his relations with women seem to have been problematic on the whole. It was during this time, however, that he began working for a prominent commercial art firm then known as Grip Limited where he met some of the men who were to influence his development as a landscape painter.




Noon chart for birth of Tom Thomson - 5 August 1877 in Claremont, Ontario, Canada.



Noon chart for 8July, 1917, possible date of death of Tom Thomson on Canoe Lake, Algonquin Park, Ontario, Canada.


Any ideas? I see that transiting Uranus, planet of the unexpected, was opposing natal Uranus at the time of Thomson's death.

Natally, Jupiter in Sagittarius trined Uranus in Leo, while Pluto was in square aspect to Uranus.

On date of death the transiting conjunction of Saturn/Neptune/Venus at 1/3/5 Leo was in the general area of Thomson's natal Sun at 13 degrees, but certainly not close enough to be considered conjunct at that time - whether this is relevant I'm unsure.

The Uranus opposition seems most of interest.

Saturday, February 27, 2016

Categories - plus - Advice from the North

Astrology, in particular Sun Sign astrology, is criticised for categorising people as 12 "types". Those who have delved deeper into astrological discipline know that these 12 "types" are not even the tip of the iceberg, they're the shadow on top of the ocean where an iceberg lies beneath.

As in astrology, so in polls and politics. One would think that counting votes would be a simple matter. 1,000 votes for candidate A, 2,000 for candidate B, 3,000 for candidate C. But no, political pollsters and pundits then segregate voters and their mode of voting in various ways. Male/female, blue collar male/"educated" male (- cheek!! Why are blue collar people considered uneducated?) White males/black males. White "educated"/white blue collar. Black "educated"/ black blue collar. Same for Hispanic male/female, and for all females. Age groups: under 25, over 40, over 50, over 60, and on... along with any possible permutation of all of the above factors. Religion also has to be added to these exercises in the USA: Roman Catholic, Baptist, Evangelist, Black Churches, and other denominations. They don't bother categorising votes of atheists and agnostics.

Will there ever come a time, in the USA, when most of that categorising will no longer be useful, when the "melting pot" this nation was always trumpeted (small 't'!) to be will truly have completed the envisioned fusion?



From our neighbours to the north:

Vote Canada for President!



Sunday, March 22, 2009

Reflections of Saturn/Uranus Opposition in Canada & Oklahoma

Two examples of astrological "as above, so below" emerged right before our eyes this weekend. Above us Uranus is opposing Saturn: the red line dividing the circle (left) from approximately 1 o'clock to 7 o'clock. This opposition is interpreted by astrologers as modern or radical ideas opposing the status quo / tradition. The opposition isn't exact today, but it's well within limits. Additionally, Mercury (communication) is sitting close to Uranus - extra publicity. Here are two news items from Below which reflect what's going on Above:

1.
Already addressed by blogging buddy R.J. Adams at Sparrow Chat is the blocking of British Member of Parliament George Galloway's proposed visit to Canada. BBC News reported:


"British media reported the decision was due to his views on Afghanistan and the presence of Canadian troops there.

Mr Galloway said he was not prepared to accept what he described as an "inexplicable decision" and indicated he would challenge it with all means at his disposal.
"This has further vindicated the anti-war movement's contention that unjust wars abroad will end up consuming the very liberties that make us who we are," he said.

"All right-thinking Canadians, whether they agree with me or not, will oppose this outrageous decision."

A spokesman for Citizenship and Immigration Canada confirmed the MP would not be allowed into the country on national security grounds.
He said the decision had been taken by border security officials "based on a number of factors" in accordance with the country's immigration act.
Mr Galloway had been due to speak at a public forum, Resisting War from Gaza to Kandahar, in Toronto on 30 March. "

See also George Galloway's own piece, "Canada Can't Muzzle Me" from The Guardian, via Common Dreams. The Right Honorable gentleman has Sun conjunct Pluto in Leo, trine Mars in Sagittarius - he's a force to be reckoned with!

I'm on Uranus' side, with George G. in this! The ideals of such men are the only sane way to the future. Unfortunately few people in the US would agree with me on this. At the rate we're going, it'll be a distant future, but it will come.


2.
Our own Oklahoma State Legislature is throwing a wobbly about a lecture given by Richard Dawkins at the University of Oklahoma. (Dawkins is no friend of astrology, by the by, but that's not the topic here).

Authorities tried to stop Dawkins' lecture but it went ahead anyway. The legislature now has resolutions on the table.
Details here.


A Resolution expressing disapproval of the actions of the University of Oklahoma to indoctrinate students in the theory of evolution; opposing the invitation to Richard Dawkins to speak on campus; and directing distribution.........................

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 1ST SESSION OF THE 52ND OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE:

THAT the Oklahoma House of Representatives hereby expresses its disapproval of the current indoctrination of the Darwinian theory of evolution at the University of Oklahoma and further requests that an open, dignified, and fair discussion of this idea and all other ideas be engaged in on campus which is the approach that a public institution should be engaged in and which represents the desire and interest of the citizens of Oklahoma.

THAT the Oklahoma House of Representative strongly opposes the invitation to speak on the campus of the University of Oklahoma to Richard Dawkins of Oxford University, whose published statements on the theory of evolution and opinion about those who do not believe in the theory are contrary and offensive to the views and opinions of most citizens of Oklahoma.

Far be it from me to defend Richard Dawkins, for he can be as narrow-minded as the worst Oklahoman, when it suits his purpose. This episode, though, does reflect Saturn (the legislature of Oklahoma) opposing Uranus (the relatively modern theories of Dawkins, i.e. evolution).

A related article by George Lukianoff HERE.

Fate has dropped me into a pleasantly peaceful, but one of the most woefully backward, States of the USA, populated by people who seem to be living on a different plane of existence from me. We have to take the rough with the smooth, but I don't have to stay silent!

Who will win the tug-o-war? Saturn or Uranus? Canada or Galloway? Oklahoma or Dawkins?