Drops of Astrology

It was strangely revealing to me to read a post I wrote one December a decade ago - during my first few months as an enthusiastic new astrology blogger:

Living with an Astro-agnostic

Question: How does a woman who lives and breathes astrology (or her version of it) cope when married to an astro-agnostic ?
Answer: She develops a thick skin, and finds every available opportunity to point out astrological "coincidences" to her beloved. She takes advice from Ovid: Gutta cavat lapidem - Dripping water hollows out a stone.




She: "Look, dear - he won the race just as Jupiter was passing over his Mars!"
He: "Huh??"

She: "Did you realise that when your daughter broke her foot Saturn was exactly conjunct her ascendant?"
He: "No!" (worried expression)

She: "Have you noticed that I often become temperamental when the Moon is full ?"
He: "Er.....is that ....er...um... No."

She: The TV started acting up AGAIN when Mercury was retrograde, do you find that significant?
He: "Mercury was WHAT??"

She: Look at this chart luv, your North Node is exactly joined to my Venus. Isn't that nice ?
He: (Looking sheepish) Sounds delightful!

I think my ploy is working, but slowly. Last week, when out to dinner with family, someone was telling my husband about the doings of an acquaintance, and happened to mention that they had the same birthday as my husband: "He was born on the same day as you, but 10 years earlier". "What time?" said my husband... a reflex action ! After all, he's heard me ask the same question so many times ! Gutta cavat lapidem ? Or did I catch a wickedly teasing gleam in the beloved's eye ?

(NOTE:“Gutta cavat lapidem, non vi, sed saepe cadendo. - A drop of water hollows a stone, not by force, but by continuously dripping”.)

Returning to late 2016, I suspect drops of astrology, over many years, have hollowed out, still further, my own complete and enthusiastic acceptance of the subject. I no longer "live and breathe astrology". I do still believe there's "something going on", but now seldom mention this to Himself, or to anyone who isn't at least in the same library as I am - though not necessarily on the same page of the same book.

What a difference a decade makes!


It's Music Monday - here's a song with a drop of astrology included:

AND

Remembering George Michael who died yesterday, Christmas Day. Yet another famous face gone far, far too soon. It has been a very bad year!
One earlier post of mine, from 2009, about him is HERE.

FIXED STAR ZOSMA ~ disgrace, egotism, melancholy....?

I'm inclined to ignore the fixed stars (as against wandering planets) in astrology, with the exception of Algol, traditionally thought to be "unfortunate". Algol has been known to live up to its reputation, and is worth noting if close to a personal planet or sensitive point in natal charts. There's one other fixed star that occasionally catches my eye in natal charts: Zosma. I have no clue as to why this one attracts my attention. It isn't close to anything in my own natal chart, but for some reason my eye is often drawn to its position.

The fixed star commonly known as Zosma (translates as "girdle" "loincloth" or "enzonement") is also known as Delta Leonis or Duhr. It is located in the constellation Leo, on the lion's rump, and lies about 58 light-years from Earth.

For our astrological purposes the position of Zosma is currently around 11.19 Virgo. In 1900 it was around 9 degrees of Virgo. Those positions fall roughly where I've managed to deposit red dot on the chart, see right.

Astrologically Zosma is said to be "of the nature of Saturn and Venus". Interpretations indicate a generally negative "vibe" - they range from: benefit by disgrace, selfishness, egotism, immorality, meanness, melancholy, fear of poison, a shameless and egotistical nature, to keen intellect, loss in childhood, and prophetic ability (the latter links also to another nearby star Coxa). Other interpretations indicate the concept of victim or saviour, stemming from the fact that Zosma lies on the lion's back - that part broken by Hercules in Greek mythology.





Ignoring all interpretation for the time being, I'll look at a few well-known people with Zosma linked closely to personal planets in their natal charts (not much more than a degree from exact conjunction).

During Pluto's transit through Virgo Zosma conjoined it at some points, in 1963 and 1964. There's whole age group born around that time with Pluto conjunct Zosma. I doubt it would have much astrological significance though, unless a personal planet or point links in by conjunction or close aspect in an individual natal chart.

In past investigations I've come across Zosma, conjoined with Pluto and Mars, in the chart of George Michael; and Zosma conjunct Pluto trine Mercury in the chart of Ralph Fiennes. (See HERE and HERE). A common factor of these two is their disgrace or embarrassment due to excessive indulgence of one sort or another. Interestingly Charlie Sheen, also known for his indulgences, has Sun conjunct Zosma (Sun @11.22 Virgo).






Piers Morgan, who has recently taken over a US TV chat show, has Mars and Uranus conjunct Zosma (see chart HERE.) I seem to remember there were hints of disgrace/embarrassment hanging around Mr. Morgan during his newspaper career in the UK (see Wikipedia). He was eventually fired from UK's Daily Mirror for publishing some faked photographs.


Well....so far it looks as though Zosma, linked into a natal chart, indicates a person to whom I'd personally like to give a dope slap up the side of the head for managing to blot their copybooks....especially George Michael who could have been one of the truly greats.

Jared Loughner, the man who ran amok with a firearm in Tuscon a few weeks ago, killing six and injuring many including Congresswoman Gabby Gifford could possibly have natal Moon conjunct Zosma. This isn't certain until his birth time is known, however. In a sunrise chart for his birth date (HERE) Moon was at 10.58 Virgo.

A rapid skim through data available at Astrotheme threw up a handful of others, well-known in the UK and USA who have Zosma attached to an important personal planet. There's no obvious commonality (from what we know of them), other than that they are or have been famous, and would therefore have had a goodly share of egotism - but that applies to just about anyone we could name who has become famous, Zosma or no Zosma. Shrinking violets seldom seek or achieve fame!

John Travolta (Moon 11.11 Virgo)
Madonna (Moon 11.33 Virgo)
Cass Elliot (Moon 11.56 Virgo)
Freddy Mercury Sun 11/55 Virgo
Astrologer Liz Greene Sun 11.33 Virgo (maybe here the "ability to prophesy" part of traditional interpretation kicks in ?)

I suspect that finding Zosma conjunct or closely aspecting a personal planet will not, alone, be a sufficient indicator for any of the traditional interpretations to "kick-in". There would need to be other supporting evidence in the chart. I'd guess that Zosma, properly positioned, might add weight to an otherwise uncertain potentiality. Planets at or close to 11 Virgo are worth noting!

George Michael

For some mysterious reason, Huffington Post last week featured a 3-year old article by Johann Hari: an interview with George Michael which had appeared originally in the UK's Independent newspaper. Old or not, it was an interesting read and got me itching to look at George's natal chart again.

Born 25 June 1963 in London, England at, according to Astrotheme, 6.00am.




In the interview covered by Hari's article George discusses the sensitivity and vulnerabilities he experienced, arising from realisation that he is gay. One of the commenters at HuffPo remarked that being gay never did Elton John any harm, even allowing for his peculiar wigs, specs and hair-dos. Astrology explains this difference. Elton John has Sun in Aries. Aries Suns don't give a flying wotnot what others think of them, their appearance or anything else about them. I can give personal testimony on this, for my husband has Sun in Aries. George Michael's natal Sun is in ultra-sensitive Cancer, and whilst I cannot give personal testimony to Sun in Cancer, I know only too well that my natal Cancer rising endowed me with a multitude of pesky and painful sensitivities. Some of George's self-penned songs are testament to his intense sensitivity: "Jesus To A Child" and "You Have Been Loved", for example ooze with pain and deep feeling.



George Michael's chart will have been chewed on many times by astrologers in the past. He has decorated news reports on several occasions following some less than salubrious incidents in public toilets. I wrote on the topic in 2007 - here.

I'll not do another boring old interpretation. I will though point out a couple or three things, expanding on what I wrote earlier.

The two Yod formations with Jupiter at one apex (right) and Neptune at the other(below). Both link directly or indirectly to Pluto which, at the time lay conjunct Fixed Star Zosma.








One Yod has Pluto as one half of the sextile, in the the other Yod Pluto links to the Mercury/Venus conjunction via square (90*) aspect.

I came across Zosma when looking into Ann Coulter's chart - here. This Fixed Star is said to have connections to victims or saviours. Neither of which type seemed relevant in Coulter's case, and nor do they here - well not exactly as usually understood.

Because Pluto is a very slow-mover it remains in the same area for a long period, so millions would have been born during the time Pluto and Zosma lay in close proximity. The conjunction becomes significant in a natal chart only when there's an aspect or connection from Pluto to a personal planet or sensitive point. In George Michael's case, Mars is conjunct Pluto/Zosma, also they form part of a Yod formation linking to Jupiter, as well as making square aspect to Mercury and Venus.


In George's chart I don't look in particular for his singing talent - he's good, very good, heck, he should have been one of the greatest! There are many other good vocalists in the crowd. He has a particular peculiarity - notoriety in the realm of public sexual activity. Pluto traditionally links to sexual issues, and Pluto's relatively rare but potent connections in this chart are likely to play a major part in George's past scenarios.

Regarding Zosma, I suspect that we should take the traditional interpretations of it, and of all Fixed Stars, with a good pinch of salt. I intend to assume that when one of them is closely involved in a natal chart, something extra special or extra unusual is likely to be found in the individual, depending on which planets and stars are involved. But that's just my personal view!

"Jesus to a Child" - George's song written in tribute to a lover who died:

.........So the words you could not say
I'll sing them for you
And the love we would have made
I'll make it for two

For every single memory
Has become a part of me
You will always be My love....

George Michael, and John Lennon's piano

"The piano on which John Lennon composed "Imagine," his famous ode to peace and healing, is on a yearlong magical mystery tour of the U.S. with a macabre twist.
The nutmeg-colored Steinway upright, believed to have been in Mr. Lennon's country home in Ascot, England, is crisscrossing the country to show up at some of the nation's most horrific sites of violence, death and destruction........British pop singer George Michael and his longtime partner, Kenny Goss, a Dallas gallery owner, are the force behind the tour."
Full article by Ann Zimmermen at Wall Street Journal on-line HERE.

I've always enjoyed George's singing. I especially like a CD of his called "Songs From the Last Century". It's been necessary to turn a blind eye to his unwise carryings-on, he has been caught in flagrante, in the glare of publicity, on more than one occasion. He hasn't harmed anybody but himself, after all, but I do feel like giving him a little slap for so injuring his reputation.

George Michael was born 25 June 1963 either in London or Bushey, Hertfordshire, UK (not far between them).

This latest news story shows George's softer, more caring side, I think. Cancer Sun and three planets in Virgo probably help to balance that other, wild side of his. Natal Moon would be in Leo, unless he was born after 11pm. Mercury and Venus conjoin in Gemini.

There are two Yods in this chart, which I suspect are quite significant, and seem be connected, complementary even.(I've drawn them in on the chart below). One has the sextile between Neptune and Mars, pointing, via inconjunct aspects to Jupiter in dynamic Aries. The other with sextile between Mercury/Venus in Gemini, and Jupiter in Aries, inconjunt the apex of the Yod at Neptune in sexy Scorpio.



Without an accurate time of birth we can't know into which house the apex of these Yods fall, but the planets and signs involved relate to communication, publication/exaggeration, energy, love, imagination, maybe some kind of addiction (Neptune). Neptune and Jupiter feature in both formations.

Astrologer Bob Marks on his website (HERE) has this to say about Yod configurations:

The “energy” of the two planets making the sextile seems directed to the house and sign containing that third planet. The effect of a Yod is said to be “fated” or show some special destiny. Oh sure, it sounds really impressive when you tell a client “Hey, you have a special destiny!” However, that’s nothing more than a “Barnum statement” and really says nothing. All that is really going on is an emphasis on one particular area of the life. Nonetheless, this focus frequently seems driven, compelling.

It seems to me that George Michael has a compulsion related to sex (Neptune in Scorpio), which has, on more than one occasion become public(Jupiter)....are these Yods the key, I wonder?