πύλαι Οὐρανοῦ

A place to introduce and discuss the methods and concepts of practical astrology, from ancient and classical to the modern and experimental.

[archetypography-blog]

Encountered this earlier via a post by @astrollusion:

“Gemini natal asc with Virgo persona asc: will be very knowledgeable, will know a lot of things the average person doesn’t know, will rub their knowledge in your face without meaning to.”

Last bit made me laugh; have been accused of it more than once, including on this blog—the “without meaning to” bit is crucial to understand. Should add that to the About Me.

[archetypography-blog]

Traditionally, astrology was ruled by Mercury. Now, we are told it is ruled by Uranus. It is a sad reflection on our present opinion of ourselves that where we once saw ourselves as thinkers, we are now just eccentrics. The application of a little more Mercury to the question of the outer planets is much to be desired.

John Frawley, The Astrologer's Apprentice, vol. 1, no. 2, "The Good, The Bad and the Ugly"

[zodiacfun]

Things to do (or not do) with a Scorpio

Anything involving sex

Invite friends over

Surprise trips

Smoke weed

Go to a rave

Have a garage sale

Make money

Go to the flea market

Go to unknown places

Camp

[archetypography-blog]

Interestingly, I can think of just as many Scorpios to whom these don't apply as to whom they do, and many who share only or two or some small few of them. Like any other sign, you will rarely if ever find a list like this which applies to everyone born under the given sign. Astrology is anything but that simple.

Let's consider these examples in detail.

Anything involving sex

At the top as this is perhaps the most common statement (or accusation? to hear some discuss it) about Scorpios. The sign is sexual, granted, but whether or not that sexuality manifests as an active or significant part of that Scorpio's personality depends on things besides the position of the sun. Specifically, check for the presence of Venus in the sign and/or the cusp of the 8th house being in the sign. It is also possible for a Scorpio to show marked sexuality for reasons entirely unrelated to their being a Scorpio, such as other planetary factors, the presence of many bodies in the 8th, etc. But the point is, simply being a Scorpio doesn't mean being a sex fiend, or even being particularly sexually motivated.

Invite friends over

This really depends on other factors, such as possibly having the 11th house ruler in the 4th house, regardless of whether or not any of those positions involve Scorpio. Many of the Scorpios I have known have been intensely private individuals who would not at all have enjoyed this as a frequent or random activity.

Surprise trips

Similarly, this would have more to do with the 3rd or 9th houses (depending on whether it's a short or long trip), and if it's much of a surprise also on contact with Uranus, perhaps as lord of the sign on the cusp of the 3rd or 9th or in the house itself. It would also apply regardless of sun sign; there's nothing inherent in Scorpio as a sign that promotes the idea more than any other sign.

Smoke weed

Despite numerous attempts I have seen over the years to attribute this or any other kind of drug use to one sign or another, I have yet to see any theory that holds up under even a little scrutiny or comparative chart study, this one included. I have known more than a few "straightedge" Scorpios.

The closest we've come to any sort of astrological indicator of drug use, including alcohol (esp. to the point of alcoholism), is strong, badly dignified Neptune involvement, especially with regard to the 5th house and/or the personal points. In other words, as with most of these: some Scorpios will enjoy it; some will dislike it; some won't care much either way—which is exactly the same that can be said for the 11 other signs.

Go to a rave

More about 5th house involvement than signs as such, though Scorpio on the fifth, provided the ruler and any planets in the 5th are well placed, can suggest someone who enjoys a good party.

Have a garage sale

Go to the flea market

I have combined these two both because they have a certain similarity and because I really know of no explicit astrological indicator that has anything to do with either of them. The difficulty is that these are things that can have many different motivations, and it's only the motivations that astrology can help us uncover, not these more abstract things. For instance, going to flea markets: is it because of an attraction to their particular ambiance, the nature and environment of it all? is it because of a thrifty nature? is it an interest in old/used, potentially antique, items? Each of those would have different astrological indicators. Similarly for having a garage sell or selling at flea markets, etc.

Make money

This seems a bit of a cop out/generic answer that doesn't even try very hard. Unless there is a specific chart issue that discourages an interest in making money (major lack of earth signs, no 2nd house presence or very poorly dignified, etc.), everyone no matter their sign is interested in this either by nature or the simple necessity of the world we live in. Similar to the flea market issue above, this could also vary according to motivation. Is it making money simply for the sake of having money? Look to the 2nd house. Is it making money because of the prestige it brings? Look for ASC or MC connections. Is it for the sake of power? Look for Mars or Pluto involvement (which could bring in Scorpio, as they are the classical and modern rulers of the sign).

Go to unknown places

This can relate to the 3rd and 9th house travel issues as mentioned earlier, but Mercury in Scorpio does seem to have a fondness for it. It is possible however to have Mercury in Scorpio without being a Scorpio oneself, and possible to be a Scorpio without having Mercury in Scorpio, so again your proverbial mileage may vary on this with any given Scorpio.

Camp

Not quite sure what to make of this one. I can only think of two Scorpios I have known personally who had any sort of enjoyment for camping activity, and one was probably better said to have tolerated it rather than enjoyed it. Unlike many of these other items, this is an issue that has a strong connection to a sign, however—it's just that the sign is Sagittarius rather than Scorpio. Out of my own client records of the past twenty years, it seems those with Sagittarius in or on the 5th house or ASC exhibit the greatest enthusiasm for the subject.

Hope this proves of some interest or use to those studying the topic. Remember: your astrological charts and characteristics are far richer and more complex than simple sun sign lists; and your personalities are richer still.

[archetypography-blog]

Is it normal for a Gemini to chase after a Sagittarius? If so, how would a Gemini be able to get the Sagittarius' attention?

Curiously, I saw that star-children received this same question earlier. To be honest, her answer is perhaps the best that can be given to a question like this.

In the very first place, there is no absolute “normal” or “abnormal” when it comes to attraction. Astrological compatibility, as I’ve covered more than once here in the past, is not in any way, shape or form predicated on something as simple as sun signs; the place of the sun comes into play only when it falls in one of the house positions or rules one of the houses related to relationships and compatibility (or, for those approaching from a Uranian astrological background or cosmobiology, when it is involved in a relationship midpoint or planetary picture relationship in a synastry between the charts).

So, the question isn’t whether “a Gemini” would work with “a Sagittarius”, but whether this particular Gemini would work with this particular Sagittarius, and it’s impossible to answer that question without carefully looking at their individual charts side by side. And, to be honest, even then, astrology will only give you a general idea: you can have a great relationship that isn’t especially well indicated in your charts; and you can have awful relationships that looked great on paper.

Astrology is a useful tool, but don’t limit yourself because of anything it (or anyone) might say. If you’re interested in someone, go for it, whatever the chart might say.

[oneirophant]

A Clockwork Scorpio

[archetypography-blog]

why r all ur astrology reblogs so critical/negativ??? truly spiritul person is supposed to be respecful and love evry 1

Heh, two flaws there. First, I’ve never claimed to be a “truly spiritual” person, so whatever you think about that is irrelevant here. And I am respectful: but to the subject of study as well as to people. Making b.s. astro posts isn’t respectful itself. My comments aren’t made to be “negative” or to make you butthurt but to be educational. Astrology is an ancient subject and there is a vast deal to know and learn about it, which makes it hard enough to learn without having to always wade through the tons of misinformation that even well-meaning people put out there.

I don’t even come close to responding to all the stuff that scrolls past, as I simply haven’t the time or the interest, and you can usually tell with people by reading their material/approach whether or not it would even make a difference or if you would only be wasting your effort. That is, some people—and this unfortunately includes even some ostensibly “professional” astrologers—are only interested in the subject insofar as it supports what they already think/believe about themselves, and happily disregard anything that might not uphold that view. They will gladly post and repost everything they encounter, from a reputable source or just something someone made up while bored, that reaffirms what they want to think of themselves, while ignoring every post that doesn’t, accurate or not. I don’t bother with them. Life’s way too fucking short.

But other people truly want to understand the subject, and I’m glad to help them however much I’m able. And as some might tell you, if they like, I’m perfectly willing to explain to whatever length they like or need, to help them with the study, etc. It’s a fascinating and often very useful tool. So it’s for those people that I make the posts I do, so that they can get an idea about the subject that’s rooted in the actual practice and practical application of astrology and not just vast oversimplifications and ego stroking. I always try, when I do make corrective posts, to not just espouse an opinion or say “no, that’s all bs!” or whatever, but to actually explain what’s wrong with it, to give examples, to show what’s gone wrong or where you can go to learn more about the original thing, etc.

If you think I’ve done so unfairly or what-have-you, feel free to cite an example (you can write non-anon and I will keep it private if you like) and if I was in error I’ll certainly own up to it and apologize; and if I wasn’t, I will be glad to discuss it with you and help you see what I was talking about if you’re actually interested in the matter.

Thanks for the q.

[chewmark]

[oneirophant]

Saturn & the Moon (the parents) in the 8th house of sexuality, with the ruler (Merc) in the 7th (relationships)… explains a lot.

[oneirophant]

How to spot a Libra

Grace. What is grace? If it is of the Libran kind, it’s very socially evident and quite traditional. There is not much mystery about the Libran grace. There is a classic delight and venusian sensualism about the movements and gestures. Libra-dominated personalities tend to have a roundness about them, especially the face, which is ample and soft, with smooth, moist skin and a certain “meaty” quality. Even if the body is thin, the revealing dimples and curved features are often present in the face with a strong ascendant or other influences. Libra oozes of civilisation and elastic charm, very accomodating and compliant. They can be very talkative but also quite reservedly graceful, never harsh and seldom blunt.

Look for the person who always approaches people with polite questions and dimpled smiles, careful to give others room and opportunity to voice their opinions. They usually like to be the center of attention, but not in the straightforward way of for example Aries. The women often exagerrate their femininity to hide that quite common mental sharpness and slight masculinity below the surface. The men can certainly have a feminine quality about them, that is instead compensated by a lively flirtatiousness and persuasive style. Spot those who appear to be “over-smoothers” and who avoids all confrontation of the more ugly kind. You can tell by their style and good taste, and by the vague sense you get of them not really saying exactly what they mean or think, as well as a friendly kind of sarcasm.

Famous examples include the smoothness, charm and verbal style of libra-ascendant presidents such as John F kennedy (Libra Ascendant trine Venus in Gemini) and Bill Clinton (Ascendant, Venus and a Mars-Neptune conjunction in Libra). But the most striking example of Libra-Venus exterior, given correct birth time is the soft, venusian sensualism and curvy feminity (that conceals some masculine “sharpness”) of Kate Winslet. Winslet has an amazing gathering of planet-power in Libra (Sun, Moon, Ascendant and Mercury). Typical is also and the peace-loving but sarcastic aestheticism of John Lennon (Sun and Mars in Libra).

Heh, this is hilarious, really. Libra is the dominant in my chart—home to the Sun, Venus, Mars, Uranus and Pluto—and yet very little, if much of anything, in the above applies to me. I am not graceful in any traditional sense I can think of. Perhaps some of my music or performance of the same might be “graceful”, but that is art and performance and not inherently “me”. And while it’s possible I can be “charming”, it’s a willful act that requires concentration on my part and not at all my default or instinctual behavior: ordinarily I am more absent minded about things like that and more likely to give (usually unintentional) offense by saying whatever’s on my mind without thinking first about consequences. I’m fairly certain you wouldn’t find anyone who knows me in person or has ever had to work with me who’d say I’m “compliant”, or particularly “talkative”. And saying I am “never harsh” and “seldom blunt” is as wrong as saying “2 + 2 = 7”. I’m harsh when it’s called for and blunt more often than not.

The politeness is the closest to being right: I do start from that stance, but I am not needlessly polite and not at all to rude fuckers who can’t be arsed to act decently to others around them. If someone expects politeness from me, they’d damned well better be offering the same. With the center of attention line, though, we’re back into the horribly wrong elements. I hate being a focus of attention. And I don’t make any particular effort at avoiding confrontation. As for having a “feminine quality”… wtf? If you’ve seen me, did it strike you as particularly “feminine”? lol

Sadly, this site’s series of articles on astrological appearances suffers from the same flaw most astro sites seem to these days: a general misunderstanding of astrological significance. For instance, when referring to a person as this sign or that, the implication is that you’re talking about their sun sign. And yet each of the “How to spot a [sign]” articles I read there were much like this one in talking about all manner of things that have nothing at all to do with the sun sign. Like the above talking about communication styles: those are issues of Moon and Mercury, not the Sun. How you are with and how you are perceived by others, interacting with groups and so forth, is a house issue (11th and 1st, generally) and the signs on those cusps and the placement of their rulers, so again not the sun. Appearance, itself, is traditionally considered more an issue of the ASC sign rather than the sun. These articles seem to lump it all in together, blurring the lines confusedly, leaving the whole a general mess.

[oneirophant]

It’s a shame the three volumes of E. M. Whitman’s “Astro-Kinetics” have gone out of print (vol. I, The Influence of the Houses; II, The Influence of the Planets; III, Aspects & their Meanings). While they could stand a bit more organization in places, or a more consistent format for some of the entries, they contain quite a lot of interest information I haven’t encountered in other astro. texts, the volume on the houses especially.

[archetypography-blog]

Compatibility

Recently someone asked me about compatibility in a chart, or between charts, and mentioned a few posts they had seen about essentially Sun-sign "compatibility", of the Sagittarius and Virgo, or Libra and Gemini sort.

Unfortunately, those things are generally of no particular use. Sun-to-Sun contact isn't one of the most significant factors in a good relationship chart. What little role it does seem to play generally involves only Sun sextile Sun or trine, so it focuses primarily on signs that are 60 and 120° apart, though even then it would relate only to the arc in that sign that is in orb to that aspect and not the entirety of the two signs. So, say you have a Sun at 9LIB. The two sextiles for that would be 9LEO and 9SAG; the two trines would be 9GEM and 9AQU. Given an orb of 3 degrees for the sextiles and 4 for the trines, that would make the compatibility range 6-12° Leo and Sagittarius, 5-13° for Gemini and Aquarius, and not just any sun in Gemini, Leo, Sagittarius or Aquarius.

When it comes to trying to discern compatibility via two natal charts, there are other factors that are far more significant. For instance, look for the sun of one chart conjunct the moon of the other and vice versa, also for conjunctions of one's mars to the other's venus and the other way round. Check for the Sun of one in the 7th house of the other. Having the Sun conjunct the other's vertex is also a strong indicator. Look for the Sun or Moon of one chart in hard aspect to the Sun/Moon midpoint of the other. You can also look to see if you have the Sun, Moon or Venus in the other person's 5th (dating/fun), 7th (relationships) or 8th (sex) houses or in positive aspect to the rulers of those houses.

There are many other factors that may be considered as well; these are only a few suggestions. The point is simply that astrological compatibility is a rich and complex subject and cannot be meaningfully reduced to the idea of "this sign is compatible with that sign".

[oneirophant]

Did some scripting work on the Astrology of Appearance blog to make the entries a little easier to read at a glance in terms of the primary trinity of ASC, Sun and Moon. Now when you view the blog page itself, a visual representation of those three (or just the sun and moon for the entries where the birthtime is unknown) should appear to the right of the person’s photo.

To save time on myself when making the posts, this is all automated by a script that creates the images directly from the tags, so it will work not only on new posts but should also display on all those already there. For simplicity, I used the same Javascript library that Tumblr relies on, so this should work and display properly for anyone for whom Tumblr itself works. I have tested it on the latest editions of Chrome, Firefox, Opera, ChromiumOS and Android, but if you should encounter any difficulties with it and/or do not see the planet and sign graphics to the right of the photos, please let me know (along with which browser and version you’re using) and I’ll see what I can do.

[letsmovetorussia]

[oneirophant]

Hm. According to a study by an Australian insurance company Suncorp Metway, this supposedly represents how likely the various signs are to have car accidents, from the least (the top) to the most (bottom) likely. I can’t help but think, looking at it, that they must drive differently in Australia, as my experience doesn’t match to that at all. The only people I know for certain among my friends who have never had or been in a car accident are all Tauruses, which here is listed as the second most likely to have them (only Gemini is listed as more likely). I can only think of one Virgo out of the many I know and have known who have been in one, tohugh they’re the 4th most likely in the chart. On the other end of the scale, Scorpio is listed as the second least likely to have an accident; oddly, every one of the numerous Scorpios that have been in my life have been involved in car accidents. Libra, the 4th least likely, is my own sign, and I’ve been in quite a number of the damned things, from childhood through adult life. Perhaps the study only concerned those who had been at fault for or otherwise caused the accident? That would change the results, as most of the Scorpio accidents I recall, and all of my own, have involved being hit by some random nut on the road.

From the numerous accident charts I’ve examined over the years, I think they’re far more related to transitting Mars / Uranus contacts than to the sun sign.

[hellaroundthecorner]

Dude are u serious?

[aschenputtela-deactivated202002]

^^ Um agreed, does it hit you in the head the scorpio’s don’t take their pants off that easily? -__-‘

[oneirophant]

As far as I’ve seen, both in terms of studying/practicing astrology for years and having been involved with several Scorpios, this describes more the Venus in Scorpio placement as it’s not always apt for just a sun sign Scorpio. The confusion might arise from the fact that Venus can never be more than 48° away from the sun, so people with a Sun in Scorpio have a higher than normal chance to also have their Venus in Scorpio (only those with a Sun from 12° Virgo to 17° of Capricorn can have a Venus in Scorpio placement). The sign does have a strong sexual component—the 8th house is considered the house of death and sexuality simply because it is the natural house for Scorpio—but the manifestation of that depends on which planets are in the sign and not just a sun placement, and also what houses are involved, what aspects are being made to or from the planets in the sign, etc., etc., etc. Having Mars (as traditional ruler or modern co-ruler of Scorpio) in the 1st or 5th with either Scorpio on the cusp of the 5th or the cusp of the 8th, could also manifest like this, and all the more so if Venus is in the sign.

[archetypography-blog]

If you don't have a professional astrological program but need or would like software for easily calculating and exploring charts, this is a very good freeware program that should do anything you need. The 360° wheel with the midpoint aspect lines from my previous post was created with it as an example. It's simple to use, easy to install and has more features than some professional programs I have bought in the past.

[archetypography-blog]

The Venus/ASC Midpoint in Synastry

Recently the significance of the Venus/ASC midpoint in synastry began to become clearer to me and set me to wondering about how it might play out for others. In the most general or abstract sense, this midpoint represents beauty (Venus) in the personal environment (ASC), whether that's in terms of beautiful people or general surroundings, or merely a general harmonious setting, depends on the other factors involved. (Poorly dignified or badly placed aspects to it can instead indicate disharmony and unpleasant surroundings or people.)

But in COSI, Ebertin wrote that the sociological correspondence of this position can indicate women in the environment, and he suggested it could be particularly representative of the wife or female partner in a relationship. That gave me the idea to see what, if any, aspects were made to this point in my chart in synastry with past relationships. To my surprise, fifteen of the eighteen relationship charts I have all showed strong contacts to that point, and the remaining three would have aspects if I extended the orb from only 2 to 3°.

What perhaps held my attention most, however, is just how many contacts there were with one particular relationship. This one has stood out to me in numerous ways as distinct from all others in how different so much about it was, and it seems it is no different here:

In the first image, using the traditional 360° wheel, we can see my natal chart with my planets in black and hers plotted in a lighter color. The Venus/ASC midpoint is indicated by the + on the diagonal of the Leo/Aquarius axis, while the other lines radiating around the circle represent the conjunction, semisquare, square, sesquisquare and opposition aspects to that point. The second is the 90° dial more suitable for and typical of midpoint analysis: the inner wheel shows my natal planets, the middle wheel shows hers. You can see the Venus/ASC midpoint at the very top where it falls naturally. You can see at a glance that her Mars, Vertex, Saturn and Uranus is on the midpoint and Pluto opposes; if you look to the 360° wheel you can also see more clearly that the Sun is on the square and that her MC (the self, in Uranian astrology and cosmobiology) is on the opposing square. VE/AS = Sun speaks of a love affair; V/A = Mars, ditto but also a sudden or impulsive start; V/A = Uranus, again, with further emphasis on the sudden and/or surprising/unexpected start; V/A = Pluto, again but emphasizing the intensity of the experience and relationship; V/A = MC is again an indication of a love relationship. If you look at the horizontal bar I placed on the dial, you can see that the Venus/ASC midpoint is itself on the midpoint of her Mercury/Jupiter. That's an indication of a happy, successful union, of being in love and enraptured with someone.

In the opposite direction, we have my own Jupiter and MC (Pholus too, but its meaning remains murky) opp. her Venus/ASC midpoint; my Neptune and Node squaring it, and my Saturn at semisquare. Jupiter, the Node and MC further emphasize all the same points already made, but the Neptune indicates disappointment (given it's my Neptune, likely my own) in the situation. The killer lurks in that Saturn. Her Saturn at my VE/AS (and my own Saturn at her VE/AS) represents difficulties, estrangements and the ending of a relationship; and her own natal ME/JU = Saturn indicates an inherent difficulty in making choices, uncertainty, saying goodbye, breaking off, departing and withdrawing from people.

I can't find that Saturn = VE/AS configuration in any of the other relationship charts I have, which could be significant in that none of my other relationships ended in the way that one did, so I would be quite curious to hear about any other relationships that have had one partner's Saturn at the other's Venus/ASC midpoint and how they turned out.

As a related curiosity, I couldn't help but think that the Venus/ASC midpoint should be more about relationships in general and not just about the woman in a relationship, since while the planet Venus can indicate a woman in a chart, it is more dominantly the planet of love. If it were only the female, then given the pattern of Venus and Mars, the the male of a relationship should be reflected in the Mars/ASC midpoint which doesn't seem to be the case at all. Aspects of Mars/ASC are generally of a negative, violent topic and not regarding relationships. If you have worked with these points in synastry, let me know if you've seen examples of the Mars/ASC playing such a role or if it seems, as it seems to me, only Venus/ASC.

[archetypography-blog]

Astrology of Appearance

Earlier in the month, inspired by the concept of The Lusty Libra, I had the idea to create a database of photos tagged with the person's natal planets, etc. While this isn't exactly a database—Tumblr's tagging system isn't that flexible!—I've launched a Tumblr for the purpose.

Each post will present a photo of an individual for whom I have accurate birth data. It will list their name, in the case of celebrities or permission otherwise, and place and time of birth, and will be tagged with their planetary positions (by sign only, as the tagging system isn't malleable enough to permit useful tagging by degree or searches by range). I will focus primarily on those for whom I have the time of day and not simply the date, so in those cases the tags will also show the location of the ASC, MC and part of fortune. In the left column, navigation links will allow you to browse by any of those tags in order to see only those images that reflect someone with a certain sun or moon or ASC, etc., placement. Where an entry exists, clicking the photo will take you to their Wikipedia page for any further data.

I have access to a large array of such information, so I will continue updating the project whenever time permits and hopefully we will eventually have a useful, or at least interesting, collection.

[archetypography-blog]

How very unusual

Stumbling across a curious method of the classical astrologer Vettius Valens, by which he purported to calculate the length of life of a chart's native, I couldn't resist giving it a try.

Following their method, you take the distance from the Moon's next conjunction after birth to the Moon's birth position; you subtract that from the ASC and that position becomes your starting point. (Remember, as this is a classical method, use only the classical points: so no planets beyond Saturn and definitely no asteroids or the like, nor the nodes.) In my case it's simple, as the next conjunction my Moon makes is to my ASC, and therefore my starting point is simply my Moon's birth position itself. From the starting point you move forward until you find a position strongly afflicted by the malefics and/or the 8th house (death) cusps. Moving from my moon to the point of 13CAN15'13, we reach a point that's in my first, conjunct Saturn (ruling my 8th), square Mars in its detriment. The point also falls in the 8th house as figured from my lot of fortune as was typically done in the classical tradition. The distance from that point to my moon is approx. 73.8°, or precisely 26,956 days after the date of birth, which would give me a death date of July 21st, 2048, three months shy of 74 y/o. The notion of being that old is a little unsettling; I confess I preferred the medieval prediction of 30 years!

I was curious about the method so I chose to also test it against a chart for which I knew the death date already. In that chart, the native's Moon would conjunct their MC in ~18.5667°. Their ASC - 18.5667 is 16CAN01. That point plus 72.1369° is 28VIR09'13. That position would conjunct their 8th house as figured from the lot of fortune, and ruled by Mercury in Scorpio (a very negative position in the classical tradition), which is semisquare; and the malefic Saturn and the normal 8th house cusp is sesquisquare the point (with Saturn ruling that traditional 8th house). That distance, 72.1369°, corresponds to 26,347 days from the birth date, which in this case would be December 1st, 1947. The native, Aleister Crowley, born on October 12, 1875, died on that day!