CONSIDERATIONS

Volume XIX Number 2

May – July 2004

CONTENTS

The Greater Malefic 3 Prier Wintle

The 2004 Presidential Elections 19 Isaac Starkman

Three Spring Full Moons 24 Shelagh Kendal

Lunar Phases & Solar Flares 28 Martin Piechota

Predicting the Dow 37

Ken Gillman

Will My Sprained Hand Ever Get Better? 57 Ruth Baker

Solar Eclipses & Major Earthquakes in 2003 59 Nicole Girard

Earthquake Alert for San Francisco 67 Jonathan Pearl

Birth Time Validation 75 Nicholas D. Sutherland

The Moon & Childbirth 83 Margaret Millard

An Effective Epoch Ken Gillman 87

Predicting a Birth Margaret Millard 91

These Considerations 2

Books Considered 93

Let’s Consider 94

Data Etcetera 96

Who? 97

2

These Considerations

NOW THE PAST to learn the future. “Transit t crosses your u

later this month. What happened two years ago, four years ago,

around this time?” Astrologers question the past to illuminate

what will come—at least those of us not totally empowered by

our intuitions do. And this is the theme of the current issue of Consid-

erations, just as it tends to be in each issue.

Nicole Girard examines the major earthquakes of 2003 and, by relat-

ing them to the solar eclipses of the year, identifies a clearly defined con-

nection between the two sets of phenomena, very much as she had noted

in previous comparisons. Nicole also finds evidence that the formidable

eclipse of August 1999 continues to influence matters in those places it

darkened. Jonathan Pearl, a writer new to Considerations, picks up on

some of these ideas to predict a coming quake, specifying its location

and timing. Whether he is correct or not you’ll know by the time you

read this.

We have a description of how the positions and aspects of planets are

being related to price changes in the stock market over a 116-year period.

This analysis is being done to create a model that hopefully will predict

future price movements.

Isaac Starkman examines the charts of the two likely candidates for

next November’s presidential election. He uses their transits, progres-

sions and lunations to predict which of the two, Bush or Kerry, will oc-

cupy the Oval Office for the next four years. We’re not too thrilled

about Isaac’s conclusions but fail to see where he may have gone wrong.

Spring’s three full moons capture Shelagh Kendal’s interest. They

relate particularly to the divinity within us and we can learn much by

considering just what these charts imply.

Interest continues in how to accurately calculate the pre-natal epoch

(Isaac Starkman makes much use of it in his work). The approach of the

British astrologer of earlier times George H. Bailey, which suggests a

conception time different from the one obtained by the usual method, is

the subject of Nick Sutherland’s article. As Nick refers to previous ar-

ticles on the subject we reprint three of these so new readers can get up

to speed.

Ruth Baker provides an obviously accurate interpretation of a horary

chart. Martin Piechota surveys reports of different findings that can be

related to the w’s movement and to the q’s physical activity—all ex-

tremely useful for those needing evidence for their causality theorems.

Finally, there’s some basic astrology, ever needful for beginners and old

pokes alike, a reprise of Prier Wintle’s superb discussion of the ways

and intent of the greatest and grandest malefic of them all. —Enjoy!

K

3

The Greater Malefic 1

PRIER WINTLE

OME YEARS AGO the humorist Milton Hayes began a lecture

on the political situation in the Near East by reminding

us of a vitally important point. “The Near East”, he said, “is

not as far as the Far East”. It seems to me that we should be-

gin this present study with a similar thought. The founders of astrology

characterized t as the Lesser Malefic

and u as the Greater. By this they

meant of course that t wasn't as "far

out", or bad, as u. u was worse than

t. Let us consider this.

t is associated with wars and

commotions, disagreements, dis-

sention, disharmony, anger, strife and

discord. He rules hot feverish ill-

nesses, inflammations, boils, ulcers

and painful sores. He is unruly, arro-

gant and aggressive, and if someone

characterized by him is present in a group or gathering, he tends to pro-

voke a row or a fight. Sudden accidents must be looked for when his in-

fluence is strong, and these usually cause painful and bloody injuries

which leave disfiguring scars. Upon women his way is to remove those

qualities traditionally regarded as feminine and to make them loud and

coarse. Militant feminism is ruled by t. Men instinctively call a persis-

tently difficult, uncooperative and unfeminine woman a "battle-axe"; for

t men are natural soldiers—the type who really love war and killing and

who cultivate an aggressive masculine haircut and general facial expres-

sion and prefer to be in uniform or military-style clothing. They have an

inward contempt for all forms of "softness", under which term they sub-

sume concord, harmony and peace in general. Today of course the world

is supposed to be seeking peace—World Peace—so the natural fighters

(who are always in prominent places since they must kick others out of

the way till they get to the top) pose as "defending the peace", or "fight-

ing for peace", ignoring the absurd contradiction in terms. A dedicated t

woman is just as intimidating as a dedicated t man.

One could go on adding to this list almost indefinitely, but this is an

article upon the Greater Malefic, not the Lesser. It has been a digression

for a purpose, however, to make the point that astrologers of the past

1 Originally published in 1988, in Considerations V: 3

S

Wintle: The Greater Malefic

4

considered there was a very much worse evil than all of this Martian pain

and discord.

I consider traditional astrology to have been right in believing that

certain types of people, situations and happenings were evils in them-

selves, and in singling out two planets in particular as indicators of such

evils. This is not fashionable in the climate of present day astrology. t

today has dropped almost completely out of the "baddie" list. Since the

publication of Margaret Hone's Modern Textbook of Astrology at the be-

ginning of the 1950s he has become synonymous with energy, the driv-

ing force or initiative-producing principle in human affairs and the world

generally. In himself he is neither good nor bad but a perfectly neutral

force like steam, which may be put to constructive or destructive uses. If

you are careless with it you will be scalded but that is all you have to

fear.

There has been more hesitation and wariness in dealing with u. Even

today no one really likes the prospect of a conjunction, square or opposi-

tion forming between u and the q, w or ruler of the chart. Nevertheless it

isn't for want of trying. There is a general feeling that we ought to love

him. Article after article appears assuring us that u is really a friend who

can give us stability, security, a sense of proportion, peace at the close,

and what not. Whole books have been written taking a new look at the

old devil. The pity of it is that even though it never quite carries convic-

tion, it does unfortunately have the effect of putting some readers off

guard when a more realistic astrological prognosis might have helped

them to prepare for trouble2.

For trouble does happen. There is plenty of it in the world we live

in, and in one form or another it comes to all of us at some time in our

lives. u aspects, above all others, are the surest astrological warnings of

it: part of the astrologer's responsibility should be to help his or her client

realize this and face up to it, neither exaggerating nor minimizing but

always helping the client to see the situation in true perspective. The

fashion for never telling a patient in a hospital when his condition is se-

rious is passing away and this article is written in what I hope is to be the new

fashion.

The worst characteristics of u are his coldness and his anonymity. He

is the archetypal official, and it is officialdom that rules the world today.

Of course if you read the newspapers or listen to the radio or watch TV

2 I remember being surprised two or three years ago when a lady friend of mine (not

particularly erudite in astrological matters) told me she was hoping her troubles

would clear up when y moved out of her q sign and u entered it in the following

year. So and so's article in a popular astrological magazine had said that all the

really good things happened under u. If this strikes you as funny at least you can

congratulate yourself on not having been misled to quite that extent.

Considerations XIX: 2

5

you might be excused for thinking that t rules the world, since priority

of reporting is always given to the latest war, insurrection, riot, murder or

violent disaster. But don't be misled. There is another principle at work

which wants to control you and everybody else and which believes that

the best way to do this is not to let you know what is going on. At best it

may tell you half truths. t events are useful to it because they tend to be

spectacular and thus divert attention from other things. Sexual scandals

and lurid happenings in the film or TV world (where t combines with r

and o) come next on the list, followed by sport and the fortune, public or

private, of prominent figures in the political, business or religious field

(y). You are not supposed to know the really important things that are

going on. Above all, you can be sure that the man or woman you vote for

is not the one who takes real decisions and really holds the reins of

power.

It wasn't always so. In past ages there were kings who really were

kings; kings whom everyone could see, who gave their own orders using

their own words. Today the only kings and queens still in existence in the

"advanced" nations are "constitutional monarchs"; that is, figureheads.

They read speeches prepared for them by anonymous people and take no

action before a whole hierarchy of other people with names receding fur-

ther and further into the woodwork have been forewarned, and their ap-

proval secured. It isn't only the false kings whose words and actions are

not their own words and actions. No president of the United States today

could be elected simply by being who he is, speaking his own thoughts

and (horror of horrors) taking action on his own initiative; nor could any

president or prime minister anywhere else in the "civilized" world.

Slowness, deadness and inhumanity are the main characteristics of

that rule, Here I must digress for a moment to guard against a possible

misconception. In a book sometimes called The Dawn of Magic and

sometimes The Morning of the Magicians when it first appeared about 35

years ago, the authors, Louis Pauwels and Jacques Bergier, suggested

that our planet was destined to be ruled by a "cryptocracy", that is, a se-

cret government, the real members of which would always remain un-

known but which would manipulate and govern through the existing

forms of government, whatever these might be in any particular country.

This is not what I am writing about. There may well be much justifica-

tion for the idea. People and forces may exist which are capable of ma-

nipulating a system which is itself a manipulating system. Plutonic

forces such as those which thrive in the underworld of most of the large

cities in America and many other countries, and which organize crime,

prostitution, the drug scene, etc., in syndicates or "families" are obvious

candidates for the role. Nevertheless by themselves alone they could not

set up all the conditions necessary. The evils which “ organizes are to a

large extent derivative or parasitic. Organized crime is a parasite on soci-

ety. It organizes murder and violence, but it can only do this because t

Wintle: The Greater Malefic

6

copiously supplies murder and violence wherever it may be required,

almost anywhere in the world. Similarly the coldness, hardness, selfish-

ness and above all anonymity and repudiation of personal contact and

caring which characterize u and which are the way things are at city and

government level all over the world today are tailor-made for Plutonic

manipulation. But we must recognize them first of all as u's work.

u is stronger than t because his organization is much better and

more far-reaching. Sometimes one reads descriptions that suggest he is

the principle of organization, upon which we are therefore dependent.

This is a misconception. In a sense every planet organizes in its own way

but with some, like the q or r, the structure is more open and the bonds

are those of loyalty or love. e’s organization is intellectual and logical

classification. y’s is a legal hierarchy based on belief in spiritual justice.

t and u are the two planets which set up organizations that are inde-

pendent of and external to humankind and which therefore attempt to

regulate humanity from outside. t doesn't do it as much as u. As I have

pointed out in my article on the Lesser Malefic3, anyone who thinks that

u alone represents the principle of discipline while t stands for individ-

ual freedom has obviously never been anywhere near the army. But u

regulates, so to speak, for regulation's sake and in the end this is what

wins out. In World War II Hitler's army was the most efficient and disci-

plined which had existed till that date; but in Russia it came up against an

enemy in whom u's discipline pervaded the whole of society, governing

every action and thought. Even those who hated it and wanted to rebel

against it were carried along by it. Although the Russians lost 19 million

killed, in the end their sheer weight of numbers and absolute totalitarian

organization wore the Germans down4. And that victory spelt out some-

thing for the whole of the rest of the world, because gradually, even in

those parts of the world most opposed to Communism, bureaucratic or-

ganization similar to that practiced in Russia is insidiously penetrating

everywhere, even into the most private areas of life.

Always bear in mind the externality of u's approach. It is of a piece

with the behaviorism of B. F. Skinner, who first explicitly enunciated the

principle that nothing reliable or of value can be derived from the

statements made by people about their subjective beliefs, feelings or ex-

periences, and that a true social science must be based upon an objective

study of people's external behavior. Even though the origins of our mod-

ern world can be traced to a period long before Skinner, in him is found

its ideal apologist and prophet. To be respectable in the intellectual

field at university level today you must at least pay lip service to behav-

ioral psychology and sociology, and to logical positivist philoso-

3 Considerations V: 1. 4 The Saturnine cold of the Russian winters also helped.

Considerations XIX: 2

7

phy5. All other sciences which are called "applied" rather than specu-

lative or "pure", that is, chemistry, biology, medicine, genetics, computer

science, etc., also tend to be applied materialistically rather than with

thought about their possible relevance to man's aspirations and

destiny as a spiritual being. Orthodox science nowadays supposes

that the sum of all that exists—our universe and all the others as far

as Space extends—is simply one vast mass of inorganic, lifeless matter

receding from a central source-point, each separate piece revolving

under its own momentum as it does so. Life may exist here and there as a

kind of anomaly: it seems to be an accidental by-product of electrical

discharges through liquids or gases containing various large hy-

drocarbon molecules. In essence, therefore, it must obey the same laws

as those which govern inorganic matter, which is regarded as the

basic reality that gave rise to it. Sciences like physics, which are not ex-

plicitly concerned with life, simply ignore it. Those that do have

to concern themselves with it, like biology and medicine, defer to the

reputation achieved by 19th century physics, which began transform-

ing the world and has continued to do so in the present century

through its discoveries. They apply its methods, use the instruments it

provides, and study and attempt to regulate life as an external physical

process6. And the man in the street follows suit. Even the "born-again"

Christian, who claims to believe in a God who created the universe

and sent His Son to save those who would stand up and say they believed

in Him, believes most of the time in a material world of automobiles

and washing-machines and television sets, trusts a doctor to give

him chemical drugs when his physical body is ill, consents to be treated

as a statistic by an insurance company, drives his car on the right or left

side of the road as the law provides, submits to other regulations, and

pays taxes at the end of it all for the privilege of being so regulated.

Of course there are exceptions. For example there are trans-personal psy-

chologists, and a Jungian Psychological Institute. There are naturo-

paths and holistic healers who won't use drugs. Some theoso-

phists are aware that Madam Blavatsky and her Masters taught that

the q and planets are conscious beings. Eastern gurus and swamis are

5 Those with a different viewpoint prefer to call logical positivism "logical nega-

tivism" for it denies the existence of everything which cannot be demonstrated

objectively just as steadfastly as behaviorism does. 6 There will be those who will object—with reason—that science as a whole is a

Uranian rather than a Saturnian phenomenon. This is true, but the uncompromis-

ingly materialistic way in which science has developed from the 18th century to

the present day was certainly given its initial impetus by Saturnian materialistic

economic theories current in the late 18th century and throughout the 19th. Re-

member too that u is still co-ruler of i' sign, b.

Wintle: The Greater Malefic

8

making inroads here and there. But these are oddities, and the rumor

that physics itself, in its avant garde, is coming up with some

rather weird notions concerning the ultimate nature of matter—

notions which have been compared with the intuitions of both Eastern

and Western mystics—has certainly not penetrated down to the man

in the street. Today if you advise someone to treat his electric kettle or

heater with respect because electricity is a living force you will, by

and large, be regarded as a nut. "Them things is just things." It is gener-

ally accepted that we do not live in a world that, in its own way, is liv-

ing and conscious as we are, and to which we must therefore relate,

but in a world that is just a thing, to be pushed around and carved up

and regulated. And 99% of our own selves are made of this same thing-

stuff, we believe, even though we are conscious, and possibly have a soul

which can be saved. Consequently we too are ripe for regulation, which

is what u wants, for this is his world-picture.

Who could have thought two centuries ago, when 90% of the world's

population, even in advanced nations, lived on the land and in contact

with the land and its natural rhythms, that a complete transformation was

about to occur and that shortly more than 90% of the people in the ad-

vanced nations would work either in factories or in offices, often in

shifts throughout the day and night, with no

contact at all with the natural rhythms of this

world? In they come at certain appointed times,

in cars, buses and trains, and back they go again

at other appointed times, commuting daily from

dormitory suburbs laid out in neat rows or from

endless serial numbers in high rise apartments.

Who rules time? Why, u of course; but not

living time. Not the time that rises with the q

in the morning and moves in rhythm through the

days and nights and through the seasons,

measuring its length not by hours and minutes

but by the intensity with which we live our lives. u's time is the time of

B. F. Skinner7, which has nothing whatever to do with our subjective

feelings and experiences. It never varies its pace, for u is the archetypal,

external, objective regulator. We have so much time for sleeping, and so

much time for washing and dressing, and so much for eating and so

much for getting to work. Even when we were younger it was so much

time for getting to school and the time to be spent at school was precisely

measured out and punctuated by bells. Exactly so many years had to be

spent there and then we began our working life. The precise length of life

is also specified and laid down. As the Department of Health and Social

7 I hesitate to state the obvious, but remind the reader that "skin" is traditionally

ruled by u—Editor

Considerations XIX: 2

9

Security spelt it out in my own case recently: "For pension purposes Mr. Wintle's working life consists of 45 years of

which 40 (90% of 45) must be reckoned before entitlement to British retirement

pension can exist at the standard rate..."

The trouble is that we all want this. We are suckers for it because

what we all want is security and u wins because he promises stable, se-

cure conditions.

It is no accident that recorded history, which is after all the study of

human behaviorism in past centuries, consists on the one hand in a saga

of wars and conquests (t) and on the other in a study of constitutional

and legal development and the enforcement of law and order by this, that or

the other authority over ever larger areas of the Earth's surface (u). Peo-

ple have an undeniable impulse to hit other people and grab what they

own. It is evident in children even from the earliest age. This is t. But

they also want to retain what they own, and for this reason law has al-

ways had its attractions: I mean law in the sense of strong police forces

to guarantee property rights, the swift apprehension and punishment of

malefactors, the hanging of thieves, etc. This is u. The earliest code of

u law of which we have definite knowledge is that of Hammurabi, King

of Babylon, dating from the 3rd millennium B.C. Its provisions were

carved in stone and exhibited in the market place. It gave no quarter to

anyone who trifled with other people's private property.

In Roman times the magistrates would exhibit the laws they intended

to enforce publicly on tablets and parchments for all to see. The Romans

produced the best armies the world had seen up till that time, and also the

best laws. The civil wars around the time of Julius Caesar and the end of

the Roman Republic were so horrific, however, that when the emperors

took over people were forced to submit to a system of controls that began

to penetrate into almost every facet of life. In the centuries that followed

the Roman bureaucracy became more and more the real government of

the Empire, able to foment intrigues against the emperors and even to get

rid of those it disliked. Significantly, it was composed mainly of freed-

men (that is, men who had once been slaves, chiefly Greeks, chosen for

intellectual subtlety) and of slaves. Unfree status is the unmistakable

mark of u. These men came to be able to direct and control the old aris-

tocracy, taxing them, decreeing forfeiture of their property and even im-

prisoning or proscribing them on what would be represented by them as

the Imperial whim. They themselves remained always unnamed and

nameless. This too is always u's way, just as he always yearns to bring

down anyone who, either by birth or achievement, has attained promi-

nence and power or made a name for himself in an open way. Under this

rule the Roman Empire gradually declined and Roman character itself

underwent a slow and subtle change for the worse. From being a proud

and fearless Roman, with a reputation for standing by his word and al-

ways carrying out what he said he would do, the typical citizen of the

Wintle: The Greater Malefic

10

empire became known for greed, rapacity, cynicism and the tendency to

turn even on his closet friends in the pursuit of whatever he believed to

be his self-interest. Palace revolutions and assassinations caused the

death of emperor after emperor. Eventually the rot went so far that in the

West the barbarian invaders could no longer be kept out. At least they

put an end to the Roman bureaucracy when they sacked Rome and re-

placed its rule with a more primitive but also more robust kingly govern-

ment. The system persisted in Constantinople where it became synony-

mous with fanatical fossilized rigidity and the most ferocious resistance

to any form of change that has ever afflicted any government in the

world. Eventually the Turks put an end to it in the 15th century.

During the thirteen and a half centuries which followed after the fall

of Rome in 410 A.D. until the latter half of the 18th Century, u's influ-

ence upon humanity in Western Europe was confined to what may be

described as his normal activities. Even barbarian and feudal societies

must have some organization, and so must churches which call them-

selves universal. The Catholic Church throughout the Middle Ages as-

pired to direct the spiritual life of every human being in Europe and in-

evitably therefore it began prescribing regulatory controls and restric-

tions which affected everyday life. As soon as it did so it was right up u's

street. Take sacerdotal celibacy for instance, the decree that priests,

monks and nuns must not marry. The practice of celibacy as an adjunct

to the spiritual life was of course not something first invented by the

Catholic Church or by Christianity in general. Several Buddhist sects

advocate it, and it has been known in many religions. What was distinc-

tive about it in Medieval Europe was its rigidity and the fact that it was

imposed as a rule from outside, instead of being something to which a

religious person might be intuitively led and wish to practice as part of

his or her own spiritual development. Here we recognize u. For as long

as the Catholic Church remained the one acknowledged spiritual head of

Europe this rule produced abuse, cynical evasion and suspicion of the

clergy by the laity. One of the first things Luther did at the time of the

Reformation was to permit priests to marry. Indeed the Church went

much further and decided that sex as a whole was, at best, only a neces-

sary evil. It therefore fell fairly and squarely within Church jurisdiction.

Innocent II and other Popes issued decrees that sexual intercourse be-

tween married persons was only to be permitted on certain days of the

week and only in certain positions8.

It sometimes seems a mystery how and why people en masse will put

up with things like these, but we must never forget that basic human

craving for security. The Middle Ages as a whole were violent and inse-

cure times, and therefore there was a temptation to cling to anyone who,

8 In the East at the same time Mohammedism was making absolute the complete

subjection of women to men.

Considerations XIX: 2

11

on whatever grounds, claimed to be in control. To some extent the more

preposterous the demands it made the more holy and deserving reverence

it might appear to be. After all, did not St. Augustine give as his reason

for believing in Christianity itself, "Credo quia absurdum est"?9

In any case the laity did not fall behind the Church in giving u oppor-

tunities to express himself. In a warlike age, when a gentleman was ex-

pected to be acquainted with all the contemporary t weaponry, a thrust

from a sword or lance, or a blow over the head from a mace, was a most

natural form of death. Nevertheless provision had also to be made for

times of peace and for preserving what had been conquered. The Medie-

val Age was therefore the age of the castle. Built with immensely thick

walls in some prominent place dominating all the countryside around,

and designed to be as nearly impregnable as possible, it symbolized tem-

poral power and control, supplementing and complementing the spiritual

power enshrined in the monastery and cathedral.

The feudal u also created the dungeon and the instruments of torture

associated with it. The fetters, manacles, and ball and chain, all designed

to restrict movement, are almost symbols of u himself. The rack, the

thumb-screw, and all the others you have heard of, just go to complete

the picture. Don't dwell on them unnecessarily: but do realize that some

principle operative in humankind prompted their invention and use. Stop

white-washing it away. It is necessary to be aware of it so that you can

recognize it when it turns up again, in this or some other form.

We don't need to spend much time on Medieval justice, except to

add that the stocks in which people were publicly confined by their feet

for passers-by to torment and jeer at, and the gibbet, usually erected at a

crossroads, on which people were hanged in chains and then left to rot so

that the sight and the stink would scare others into due respect for the

law, are both as good examples of u at work as you could wish for.

What is significantly more worth remembering, though, is the plague,

the Black Death, which periodically swept over

Europe, sometimes wiping out practically the

entire population of whole towns and villages,

leaving no one to till the soil. Knowledge of

hygiene was practically nonexistent then and

religious people in particular prided themselves

on living without consideration for the body.

Experimentation and research in medicine were

almost impossible because all education was in the

hands of the Church, which was opposed to any

form of study not directly authorized by itself. u

always wants to limit what people are allowed to do or to know. Small

wonder that whenever the plague struck, carried as it was in dirty condi-

9 I believe because it is unbelievable.

Wintle: The Greater Malefic

12

tions by rats and fleas, there was no defense whatever against it. u loves

dirty conditions.

A nice example of t and u working hand in glove, so to speak, is the

English revolutionary period of 1648-60, during which that nation was

split into warring religious and political factions, the king was captured

and beheaded, and a revolutionary government set up which ruled for

eleven years. This was also the first definite appearance of i, an utterly

modern influence, upon the European political scene. It was really before

its time and the Old order resumed its sway with the restoration of

Charles II in 1660; but the tendency of t, u and i to operate closely to-

gether, both as regards time and in the sense of subserving each other's

interests, is something we should notice. Like the other two, i is a planet

which tends to work mainly on the external plane, dealing with what it

sees as objective realities. Superficially it may seem to bear more obvi-

ous resemblance to t than to u since what it does it does abruptly and

quite often violently and, of course, the Martian use of Uranian inven-

tions for military purposes is all too patent. However, u has climbed to a

position of almost total control in our contemporary world—a control

surpassing anything he has ever been able to achieve in the past and

which he could never have achieved on his own—by riding on the back

of the Uranian scientific revolution of the past two hundred years.

One could say that by means of this revolution i has provided u and

t with a convenient alias. It is no longer fashionable to speak of planets

in quasi-personal terms. The older astrologers thought in terms of plane-

tary dignities and detriments and told us, for instance, that u joys in the

12th house

10. Today we have to be scientific and objective and must think

of him only as an abstract principle. He is "limitation", "concretization",

"resistance", and so on, as Mrs. Hone ably expounded in her Modern

Textbook of Astrology. You can't blame him for these things because

they are all obviously necessary stages in the working of some sort of

impersonal machine in which we are all caught up. Indeed we seem to be

actual component parts of it, despite our illusions of free will, emotions,

personality, and so on.

The astrological world has really been developing towards this idea or

philosophical position quite slowly over the past thousand years. The

Greeks saw the planets simply as gods ruling different spheres—beings

with consciousness, personality and free will, who vied with one another

and used their individual powers sometimes alone, sometimes in alli-

ances, sometimes to trip each other up, sometimes aiding individual hu-

man beings or mankind in general and sometimes inflicting misfortune

upon them; but always, in whatever they did, asserting themselves. By the

14th century European astrologers believed that the old Greek stories had

to be interpreted symbolically, much as some schools of Biblical exege-

10 Of course he does—it is the house of prisons and secret enemies.

Considerations XIX: 2

13

sis, following St. Paul's hint in Galatians IV, 24, believe that the Old

Testament histories are really spiritual allegories. They believed they had

the key to the operating principle of the system revealed to them in the

Tetrabiblos of Claudius Ptolemy, published in the 2nd

century A.D. Fate

was not simply the outcome of the capricious whim of irresponsible gods

who could never be called to account. It could be calculated in advance

by balancing one planetary position against another. True, it might still

be fortunate11

or unfortunate in ways which seemed to bear no discerni-

ble relation to deservingness or undeservingness, but predictability was

at least something. Charles Harvey develops the argument to its logical

but unbelievable conclusion in the definitive 20th century political text-

book Mundane Astrology12, when he states that all of our individual pat-

terns are parts of one great pattern which was astronomically and mathe-

matically decreed from the moment the universe came into being ten

billion years ago. Moreover we have to realize that it is essentially a

good pattern. Our freedom consists solely in our ability to understand

it13

. Then we can harmonize with it and make the best of it, however

much it may rub our individual noses in the dirt.

I personally consider that this approach makes nonsense of human life

for it directly conflicts with the reality of living experience. The prevail-

ing fashion of the age to see everything in terms of "processes working

out"14

(cf. the Communist "scientific" view of history as part of the sci-

ence of economics, with individual freedom an illusion totally subsumed

within statistical probability theory) really turns everything upside-down.

The part of us which is real is the part which is truly self-conscious and

free, the part which can always become aware of and manipulate (han-

dle) any situation we are in (including the astrological situation). Ulti-

mately everything comes down to the individual. It is as individuals that

we experience everything. Statistics are only of value to humanity inso-

far as they reveal patterns which we can make use of as individuals. As

Dennis Elwell pointed out thirty years ago in a prolonged controversy

11 The fact that the old astrologers (as also we ourselves) still used words like

"fortunate" and "capricious" is a clear admission to the discerning that at an in-

stinctive, subconscious level we all still know that the Old Gods continue to rule

in their old way. "Fortuna" is the Roman Goddess of Luck while "capricious" is

derived from the Latin word for goat which is also the root of the Sign-name ¦.

It therefore implies not merely a tendency to leap unpredictably, like a goat, but

also a penchant for landing just where it is most inconvenient (u). 12

Aquarian Press, 1984. 13

Such a definition of "freedom" is merely a get-out from an impossible self-

contradictory position. If there is a pattern which decrees everything that occurs it

must decree our thoughts too since these spring from our past and present actions

and decide our future ones. 14 Who works them out?

Wintle: The Greater Malefic

14

with John Addey in the pages of the Astrological Journal15, statistical

astrology, far from throwing into relief that which is important or signifi-

cant, frequently obscures the vital individual character points. It is the

single cases which stand out from the herd that tend to incarnate the true

essence of a situation or period. There were many people born at times

and places very close to those at which Napoleon, Beethoven, Einstein,

Hitler or John Lennon entered Earth-life, but only these individuals actu-

ally "realized"16

the potential inherent in their individual nativities.

Individualism is something that u dislikes, both as a theory and

when manifested by individuals. Anonymity has always been a rule

never to be deviated from in all his bureaucracies. I refer to him

himself as an individual however because, even though it may be hereti-

cal and paradoxical, I feel that this way of describing him makes more

sense and is much truer to what I experience in life and astrology than

the contemporary "scientific" approach. Whether or not he is actually and

literally an individual is a question I leave unresolved for the time being.

The way in which the old astrologers always referred to u, y, t and the

q as "He" while r and the w were "She" reveals pretty plainly what they

knew they were dealing with and experiencing. Planets unquestionably

work very much more like the descriptions handed down in the old

Greek myths than as scientific principles. A planetary aspect or combina-

tion is never really a formula which can be weighed precisely so that its

results can be forecast exactly. Certainly one can choose a good time or a

bad time to start any undertaking, whether it be a business venture, a

marriage, or simply being born, according to aspects in force at a particu-

lar time and place; but still there can be a virtual infinity of outcomes

according to one's own attitudes and activities and, I venture to suggest,

those of the planets concerned. What actually occurs is simply something

we recognize as appropriate to the planet or planets concerned—that is,

their likely choice17

.

Precisely because the scientific view of the universe seems to imply

that as individuals we can have little or no effect upon it, we have been

thrown back upon ourselves and become solipsists. We still believe we

can make much or little of life but think this can only be as a result of our

own positive or negative thinking. In reality however life as a whole is

something we have to relate to outwardly, for it interacts positively with

us and responds to us. I do not wish to advocate a return to an explicitly

magical view of life and the universe, but I do suggest that there is more

15 Journal of the British Astrological Association.

16 The word "realize" implies both inward understanding and external demon-

stration. 17

The really great astrologers such as William Lilly have always been people

who developed an unerring "feel" for what a particular planet would choose.

Considerations XIX: 2

15

to the old shamanistic view of things than is usually allowed. Magicians

and shamans in all countries and at all periods have always asserted that

it is possible to place oneself in tune with a particular planet or god by

procedures which are part psychological and subjective and part magical

and objective. In this way one can make the planet or god either an ally

or an enemy, and set definite forces to work which can accomplish ob-

jectives within its specific province. I would not venture to assert exactly

how true this is in a literal sense, but if false it is certainly not more false

than the prevailing "scientific" view of the way things are. The latter, far

from being in precise accord with reality, is actually playing straight into

the hands of forces, and of people on Earth who incarnate these forces,

who are cynically manipulating us and controlling us.

The Uranian scientific and industrial revolution began in earnest

about the middle of the 18th century, thirty or forty years before i was

discovered telescopically, since when it has been developing continu-

ously and at an ever accelerating pace. It has proved to be the most far-

reaching revolution in the whole of recorded history. Other revolutions

and conquests may sometimes have laid waste stretches of countryside or

carried away the populations of towns into captivity, but this revolution

has effectively taken the whole population of the Western World, which

used to live on the land or in close contact with the land, and herded it

into an entirely new type of town, completely unrelated to the land and

its rhythms, and taught it a new life-style based on minerals, metals, plas-

tics, electricity, numbers and theories, according to which everything that

it used to live by, if it continues to exist at all, exists only to be exploited.

u has come more and more into his element with each new stage of the

process, no doubt rubbing his horny hands with delight—symbolically,

of course. Everything has had to be monitored because every develop-

ment has required to be externally organized and regulated. Along with

every step we have taken towards the scientific paradise promised by i

we have in effect been forced to take two steps towards u's cold classifi-

cation and de-humanized regimentation of mankind.

The Biblical writers knew that some such things were coming and

warned against it. They had seen its beginning in the Roman Imperial

bureaucracy. The Book of Revelation, XIII 16-17, tells us of a "beast"

who: "Causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bound, to receive

a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or

sell, save that he had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his

name."

The numerical system intrudes more and more inexorably each day

into all our lives. It begins when our births are registered (as it also began

to do at the time of the first Roman census) and does not cease till the

row of digits we then receive is shifted to the death duties register when

we die. True, it isn't complete yet. There are still areas of life which have

Wintle: The Greater Malefic

16

not been invaded and taken over where we can laugh and love and make

our own choices whether to go up or down or right or left, but every-

where records and registers intrude more and more to monitor our every

activity. As soon as we have given our first burp and can be fairly said to

be alive medical registers specify what vaccinations or injections we are

to receive and when. We must be visited and reported on by child-

welfare inspectors and social workers and begin to go to school at age

five or six. No harm in any of these things in themselves of course. No

doubt there are loving injections and school inspectors in Paradise itself.

But they are Satanic when they become automatic like the latest washing

machines, or churn out on a ticker-tape recording just how many divi-

dends we have paid and what our listing is when trading closes each day.

Our exact whereabouts is always carefully computerized somewhere

so that we can be traced for military service and taxation. You know that

from the way a steady stream of advertising bumph continually reaches

you, addressed to your full name, street number and post code, with even

your age in code in the top right-hand corner. We are continuously bom-

barded with "information", through all the printed and broadcast media,

so that we shall all think approximately alike, within certain well defined

allowable limits. To travel from one part of the world to another requires

even more careful registering and enumerating and the issue of special

identifying documents. The days when Abraham and Sarah could pack

their belongings on an ass's back, set out from Ur and wander into Ca-

naan are well and truly over. Within more and more countries even local

travel is monitored and if one moves one's apartment this fact too has

duly to be registered with the police.18

Every tax return and population

census asks for more and more personal details.

Official forms and letters preserve a certain hypocritical pretense of

emanating from human beings. "I am happy to inform you..." or "I regret

to inform you..." they say, or "Kindly furnish the following informa-

tion...” The tragedy is that there really are real human beings sending out

these things, where computers and robot machines have not yet fully

taken over their work. What they can write or say, however, is not what

they themselves think or say but only what is laid down as sayable in

18 If this paragraph appears to be exaggerated, the reader should note that in

Sweden, Finland and Norway, to give just three examples of advanced countries

within the "free" world, it is required by law that any alteration of status such as

a change of address be registered with the government within fourteen days.

Information about each individual is maintained on computer tape at the gov-

ernment Census bureau, and includes details of his or her birth data and that of

each member of the family, marital status, place of employment, number of

rooms in the dwelling, etc. This data is updated every month. This is not re-

peating a rumor for, in my capacity as statistical consultant to a leading Scandi-

navian company, I frequently had hands-on access to this data bank—Editor.

Considerations XIX: 2

17

specified circumstances.

Within the system itself, u's Brave New World is dispensing with

human thought in as many levels as it possibly can. The tone is one of

encouragement. "You don't need to worry—don't try to work it out for yourself.

Just follow the procedure laid down. If there are any problems just return the

form". It is becoming the pattern of "civilized" human life. Everything

that is advertised is advertised as being as simple as falling off a log. No

one would try to sell something and advertise it as difficult!

Big business is really part of the system. Before you can "qualify" for

a housing loan, or buy a car, your identity and every number you've got

is thoroughly scrutinized. Credit controllers inquire into the credit-

worthiness of all potential customers. Everyone now buys almost every-

thing by means of credit cards, which are a mark of status within the sys-

tem. There are cards for gas and cards for the telephone, cards to clock in

and out of work, cards for hotels when you travel. But it is easy to lose a

card. Very soon it will be a number invisibly printed in the palm of your

hand, or on the forehead, which a computer beam can read.

If you are going to "get on" in this modern world you've to accept the

system and run like a preprogrammed rat in your allotted groove. Then

you can carry a briefcase and drive or be driven in your Mercedes to your

allotted and computerized parking area, ascend in a special numbered

elevator to your numbered office, and spend your days phoning the num-

bers of similar people in identical air-conditioned cubicles with family

photographs on the desk and a potted palm in one corner, while you en-

sure that meticulously typed and numbered pieces of paper circulate be-

tween you and them at precisely the right dates and times with precisely

the right thoughts expressed on them which are not your thoughts but the

system's thoughts which you have learnt to think.

At the bottom of the ladder you may or may not have a car and if you

do it won't be a Mercedes. You'll probably do something very repetitious

in an office or factory with a lot of other people close beside you doing

the same or very similar things. You may have enough to eat and some-

where bearable to stay but you'll be worried all the time in case you

might lose the "security", for there are always plenty of people who don't

have it—just to warn you to stay in line. These unemployed have to fill

in endless forms to receive hand outs from the system just to stay alive.

Outside the system there still remains that small part of all of us

which somehow continues to find a way to continue to laugh and love.

And of course there is always that small suspect minority which rate

laughter and love as so important that they contrive somehow to exist

always on the fringe of things. Apart from them (us?) there is no one in

the Western World any longer completely outside it, and u is careful to

remind everyone sufficiently regularly just how parasitic we really are.

Then there is the Third World. Here a tiny minority are very rich and

the majority are grindingly poor. These rich probably are rich enough to

Wintle: The Greater Malefic

18

enjoy the world they live in but the rest long for justice, which u's media propa-

ganda for more than half a century now had thoroughly convinced them means

"life" within the system. It could be the Communist system. u wouldn't mind.

Regulation and classification are all that matter.

But the ironical thing about this whole Modern World set up, really, is its in-

security and vulnerability—the very things it claims to protect us from. We all

know that t threatens it. Both the United States and Russia had sufficient

"overkill" to wipe out all life on this planet several times over. Even if they did-

n't use the bomb they could still achieve the same result just as effectively with

nerve gas or botulin toxin. But u's vaunted "security" is itself laying us open to

annihilation just as surely. A major catastrophe which cut off regular supplies of

food and power and destroyed housing on a massive scale would result in death

to unthinkable numbers of the population of a civilization in which the majority

no longer know the basic necessities for survival on this planet and who are en-

couraged never to think about real issues—a population which has in effect be-

come an aged invalid.

Vitality, initiative, resourcefulness and independence are the marks of real

life. Vitality, initiative, resourcefulness and independence are anathema to u.

Not that he doesn't want to keep us working. The more work we do the better.

We still have to go to school and learn how to program computers and look

through microscopes and classify minerals and go to the w and back and keep all

the myriad wheels turning. But if we want to know what it's really all for and

where we're really going then we're Hippies and drop-outs and wasting every-

body's time. Just go on voting for your Representative and your Senator and

your President as and when they're nominated and listed for you, for then you

can look forward to a peaceful Old Age.

u rules Old Age, and essentially all his organization and planning is for Old

Age and reduces us to Old Age. His ultimate "freedom" really consists in the

privilege of being able to contemplate your big bank balance as you sit in your

wheelchair.

A prominent u in a chart always gives an old look with something rather

anxious and timorous about it, even in youth. There may not be a scar, as with

t, but often there is a deformity of some sort such as a disparity in size between

one side of the face and the other or a difference in the slant of the two eyes. The

voice often has a rasp or crack in it. Whether prominent in our charts or not,

however, u sooner or later begins to operate on all of us. His normal way is to

begin by introducing the first white hairs. As time goes on (his time) the mus-

cles, eyesight and hearing all weaken. Joints become stiff. Hair goes totally gray

and falls out. Gums recede and teeth decay. The voice becomes querulous. All

effort, including mental effort, becomes a strain and ultimately even the best

mind becomes confused and childish. He has been preparing all the time for this.

His insurance policies and Old Age Homes are ready--Homes that are infinitely

worse than the prisons and hospitals and institutions he had for us

when we were younger, for those admitted to them know

there will be no discharge, no way out. Only the benefics

can ameliorate things a little with visits from loving friends

and relatives. Eventually o brings the only possible release:

the final sleep which cancels our account.

19

The 2004 Presidential Elections

Isaac Starkman

My rectification for the charts of the two candidates:

John Kerry1:

Radix: 11th December 1943 at 14.07.24 UT; 39N44, 104W59.

Epoch: 27th March 1943 at 14.42.36 UT; same coordinates

George W. Bush2:

Radix: 6th July 1946 at 11.24.16 UT; 41N18, 72W56.

Epoch: 15th October 1945 at 15.37.18 UT; same coordinates

John Kerry’s main Primary Directions in the

Topocentric System3 (Dual Test) for the Presi-

dential Election on 2 Nov 2004 are:

^ S o E/E 8’ apart

k S o E/E 3’

t G u R/R 2’

u G o E/R 2’

3 cusp D i E/E 3’

3 cusp D “ E/E 6’

o S w E/R 9’

u D q E/R is exact on 17 Dec 2004

Kerry’s main secondary directions: Direct: Converse: PSSR4:

t S o E/E 3’ e S cusp 12 R/E 5’ u D k E/R 11’

q F o E/R 5’ t G k R/E 8’

Cusp 12 A o R/R 6’ r D k R/R 3’

k G o R/R 4’ “ F k E/E 10’

w A t E/R 14’

w G t R/R 16’

1 The main source for Senator John Kerry’s events was:

www.boston.com/globe/nation/packages/kerry/timeline.htm 2 The main source for events in the life of President George W. Bush was:

www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/choice2000/bush/cron.html 3 For details see my article: “Rectification Without Tears” in Considerations

vol. 13, no.2. R indicates that the aspect is in the directed Radix, E that it is in

the directed Epoch. 4 See my article on PSSR in Considerations vol. 14, no 3

Starkman: The 2004 Presidential Elections

20

John Kerry

Natal. 2:07:24 pm UT

11th Dec 1943

39N44, 104W59

Starkman

rectification

John Kerry

Epoch 2:42:36 PM UT

27th March 1943

39N44, 104W59

Considerations XIX: 2

21

For Inauguration Day, 20th January 2005 Kerry has two negative

PSSR aspects:

w S u R/E 12’

w S t R/R 12’

Lunar Cycles are always one of the best tools for prediction. In

Kerry’sLunar Return for 31 Oct 2004 15.36 UT: k 25º z A t23 z.

In his Kinetic Lunar5 for 11 Oct 2004 10.26 UT: j 11ºz A t 9º z

In his demi-Kinetic Lunar for 23 Oct 2004 10.01 UT:

j 17º z A t 17º z

k 20º f A u 27º f

In his Converse demi-Kinetic Lunar for 17 Jan 1883 16.15 UT:

j 24º ¦ A t 25º ¦

k 19º x A u 19º x A l 17º x S o 16º s

And in his the Converse Asc-Lunar6 (6) for 3 Feb 1883 05.58 UT:

j 17º x A l 16º x S o 16º s S u 19º s

All of these Lunar Cycles are calculating for Boston, Massachusetts,

and are precession corrected.

The main Transits for 3rd

November 2004, 04.00 UT:

Transit Aspects to Radix Transit Aspects to Epoch

Direct Prenatal Direct Prenatal

e A cusp12 42’ y A u 45’ u S k & ^ 25’ o A j 20’

u F cusp12 5’ t A u 40’

r A MC 37’

L Z Asc 7’(true) 30’

(mean)

“ S w/u 5’

o A w/k 27’

The analysis of his natal and epoch charts clearly indicates that

Senator John Kerry has NO chance

to win the 2004 Presidential Election.

5 These very effective Lunar Cycles can be calculate only in my program or in

the oldie-goodie DOS program NOVA 6 For an explanation of these cycles see Alexander Marr’s book Prediction III

Starkman: The 2004 Presidential Elections

22

George W. Bush

Natal

11:24:16 AM UT

6th July

1946

41N18 72W56

Starkman

Rectification

George W. Bush

Epoch

3:37:18 PM UT

15th Oct 1945

41N18 72W56

Considerations XIX: 2

23

George W. Bush’s main primary directions for 2nd

November 2004:

A j R/E 10’ w A j R/E 2’

w G y R/R 4’ j A i R/E 3’

y D t E/R 1’ q S i E/E 9’

l G y R/E 2’ q V j R/E 6’

Bush’s Secondaries:

Direct: Converse: PSSR7:

j F l E/R 7’ e S cusp3 E/E 10’ e F cusp 3 E/E 1’

q F r E/R 9’ y F i E/E 7’

r A y R/R 11’ w F l R/E 2’

w F q E/R 6’

In the converse Lunar Return for 28th March 1888,

11.06 UT:

j 10º a A q 8º a S i 15º z S w 15º z

In the converse demi-lunar return for 14th March

1888, 14.36 UT:

j 5º d A “ 3º d S y 6º c

In the Desc-Lunar for 21st October 2004, 14.32

UT:

k 21º h A r 21º h

Transits for 3rd

November 2004, 04.00 UT:

Aspects to Radix Aspects to Epoch

Direct Prenatal Direct Prenatal

t S k 55’ y F j 47’ r A k 34’

& F w 35’

y S ^ 44’

r G j 32’ l (mean) A j 60’ l S e 25’ r F y 0’

l (true) A e 40’ e G y 60’

i A w 19’

Transits to Bush’s Epoch for 20 Jan 2005: y A y, orb 28’ !

George W. Bush has y repeatedly present in the various systems

demonstrated above with very few negative indications.

Bush will win the 2004 election

& be re-elected

President of the United States.

7 See my article on PSSR in Considerations vol. 14, no 3

24

Three Spring Full Moons

SHELAGH KENDAL

VERY YEAR, important celebrations are held at the time of

three full moons. Important because they bring reflections of

how humanity in general is fulfilling its obligation to protect

our planet and develop spiritually. When the w is in a position

to reflect the full light of the q it transmits the energy of per-

sonal will power more forcefully to where we want it to go. Yin and

yang can work together and we can use them to our advantage.

All full moons (the opposition of the q and w), are opportunities to

reflect and see reality more clearly so are significant, but the three spring

ones, in a, s and d, are times of long-established traditions that have

special meaning for human development. Their dates are associated with

festivals held world wide and the New World Servers, an international

group which encourages simultaneous meditations every full moon, con-

sider spring a time of particular importance for coordinating individual

efforts to spread the Light.

a Full Moon

7:02:43 AM EDT, 5th April 2004

Washington DC: 38N54, 77W01

E

Considerations XIX: 2

25

The a full moon is the first one after the spring equinox and always

marks the arrival of the "moveable feast" of Easter which

is the following Sunday. Being the first sign of the

zodiac, a is the time for a new start and the Christian

celebration of resurrection and rebirth. Like the welcome

home of the prodigal son, this festival offers the energy

of unconditional love and an annual chance of a new

beginning for all individuals whatever their culture or religion.

Every spring is the start of a new seeding cycle. What is

planted then will manifest in autumn. This year at the full

moon on April 5, all the personal planets will be active. r is moving to a

waxing square with i, changing ideas of what we want, and t has a

waning square with y ready to assess results of past actions. A few days

later e turns retrograde, so be ready for a three-week period for new

thinking after Easter.

s Full Moon

4:33:24 PM EDT, 4th May 2004; Washington DC

The s full moon is the Buddhist festival of

Wesak, when, it is said, Buddha returns to earth

briefly to help the Forces of Enlightenment pour

out both love and wisdom to the whole planet.

Although sacred to the east, Buddha`s message is for

the world. For those willing to pay attention and

catch its wealth, it is a reminder of the need to

Kendal: Three Spring Full Moons

26

practice Right Human Relationships for peace and happiness. Adding to

the significance of Wesak May 4 is a lunar eclipse just after e moves

forward again. It is also a positive change for y as it goes stationary di-

rect after being retrograde for four months. Therefore the focus is on two

planets connected with minds (e and y) while the eclipse leads away

from the past and old habits held by a stubborn w. That same time, the

two planets of love (o and r) are being activated. The eclipse is in wax-

ing square aspect to o and r comes in line opposite “. If ever there was

an appropriate time to consider the need to coordinate the heart and

mind—love and wisdom—this celebration in May is it. As well as being

a crucial test for facing the mistakes of past illusion (o), May can bring a

release of tension from anxiety or guilt, if we are ready to forgive our-

selves and others.

d Full Moon

0:19:32 AM EDT, 3rd June 2004: Washington DC

At the time of the d full moon, a third stream

of energy is available to convey a message of

goodwill. This is the Festival of Humanity

and Unification when personal will and intel-

ligence can work together. It is an occasion to

be aware of the power of words and thoughts.

The June 3, Festival of Goodwill promises a

continuing confrontation between love and

possession with r still opposing “. Although

Considerations XIX: 2

27

retrograde, r in d will be very strong as it is the esoteric ruler of that

sign, giving a spiritual dimension to human love and desire. With the

emotional deepening of “, it will be time to reevaluate personal worth,

financially and compassionately, and release negative feelings. Everyone

can contribute positively by choosing to think and speak optimistically.

These three festivals relate to the divinity (the spiritual potential)

within us all and each year they open a new chapter of human under-

standing that transcends the dogma and rules of religions.

Easter lasts for three days and the Wesak continues for five. Two days

before are for preparation, getting into the right state of mind, then comes

one day for silent concentration and another two days for sharing the new

hope that has been acquired. The Festival of Humanity launches new

resolutions of goodwill towards neighbors to last all year.

The meaning behind all three festivals originated, or at least was

strengthened, by messages known as the Ageless Wisdom, channeled

through the Tibetan Master to H.P. Blavatsky and Alice A. Bailey, early

last century, to teach us how to live in harmony with our planet. Mysteri-

ous centers of power beyond human understanding, known as the Sham-

balla and the Ascended Masters, are said to have contacted Earth to en-

courage humanity to grow spiritually and become aware of our individ-

ual Christ power before it was too late.

Any crises forced in spring 2004 can be seen as important opportuni-

ties for Soul growth. After some emotional and material reorienting, this

spring could launch us into a calmer year ahead, provided enough of us

adopt positive, and peaceful, attitudes toward each other and the world in

general.

28

Lunar Phases & Solar Flares

MARTIN PIECHOTA

CIENTISTS dare not mention astrological aspects as part of

their studies. When w studies are involved, phase will suffice. If

the scientist should venture to mention astrology the establish-

ment that governs their field of interest along with the financial

resources vital to their existence will reflect the religious warning found

in the Book of Revelation 22:18-19:

I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of

this book, if any man shall add unto him these things, God shall

add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any

man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy,

God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the

holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

There is a fear by the established scientific community of starry ma-

levolence and a return to the times when clergy found reason to describe

storms as divine signs and political leaders found reason to translate

these signs into national issues, like the funding of scientific studies.

Nowadays, astrology is creeping back into scientific study under the

guise of things like the effect of seasonal birth. For example, in the jour-

nal Sleep1, researchers identified a significant excess of narcolepsy in

people born in March (11.85% in patients compared to 8.45% of the gen-

eral population), with no differences based on gender, location or decade

of birth. The risk of narcolepsy, according to the study, is at its minimum

in September, with only 5.64% of patients experiencing narcolepsy.

Astrologers would fine tune the survey to see if the two opposing

signs, n and h are involved in the results.

Lunar studies are ideal for transposing scientific studies into astro-

logical fact because they usually involve lunar phases which can be in-

terpreted as the q-w aspects that astrology is familiar with.

In a report in the British Medical Journal, Chanchal Bhattacharjee

and colleagues looked at 1,621 patients admitted to an English hospital in

1977-1999 suffering animal bites (95% from dogs). They reported that

the number of bites more than doubled during a full moon.2

Researchers at British Telecom, after monitoring 2,000 customers

over six lunar cycles, have discovered that households make 10% more

1 “Study: Birth Month Tied To Narcolepsy” reported in Citizens' Voice, Wilkes-

Barre PA October 6, 2003. 2 British Medical Journal, 23-30, December 2000.

S

Considerations XIX: 2

29

phone calls, either to people or to log onto the Internet, in the days lead-

ing up to a full moon. Applied to all British Telecom customers, it could

mean nine million extra calls a day before a full moon.3

A computer analysis of Toledo, Ohio, police reports over a three-year

period adds credence to the age-old myth that more crimes are commit-

ted during the full moon. From 1999 through 2001, the crime rate rose

five percent on the nights when the w was full.

The analysis of 122,000 police reports for those three years offers a

host of insights into crime in Toledo. The computer looked at all crime

that occurred between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. for the 38 full moons involved

in the period and compared them with the crime rate for all nights from

6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Those nights averaged 5.5% more violent crime and

4.6% more property crimes.4

In support of the Toledo study, Dr. Arnold Lieber, a psychiatrist, and

clinical psychologist Carolyn Sherin, both of Miami, Florida, found that

murders over a fifteen-year period (1956 to 1970) in Dade County, Flor-

ida clustered dramatically around full moons. In fact, when they sub-

jected their data to mathematical analysis, they found the correlation was

statistically significant. They also found a statistically significant cluster

right after the new moon.

When Lieber and Sherin turned their attention to Ohio's Cuyahoga

County, they obtained similar results. Again, they found four peaks each

lunar month in the murder rate, this time over a thirteen-year span (1958

to 1970), although none as high as Miami's. The highest peak was after

the full moon. One thing, however, puzzled them. The peaks were shifted

so they occurred after the quarters, rather than right at them.

They found the delay between a full moon and its effect varies ac-

cording to distance from the equator. 5

Astrophysicist James McCanney gave an explanation as to a force

that may be related to the w's influence being delayed to just after its

quarters in an interview with Rick Martin in the December 2003 issue of

the Nexus magazine.

The Russians were very aware of the electromagnetic

part of our environment. They did statistical studies on the

planetary alignments, and things related to astrology. And

basically, they became convinced that there was a very

definite association with people, their lives and the way

3 Financial Times, UK, December 16, 2000.

4 Fate, October 2002, Quoting The Toledo Blade, Ohio

5 Paul Katzeff, Moon Madness, Citadel, NJ, 1981, P. 180, 181, quoting Arnold

Lieber & Carolyn Sherin, "Homicides & The Lunar Cycle: Toward a Theory of

Lunar Influence on Human Emotional Disturbance” in the American Journal Of

Psychiatry, 1972, 129, (1) 69, 74.

Piechota: Lunar Phases & Solar Flares

30

they acted and the planetary positions. They did this with

not just humans but plant life, animal life and on and on.

They realized that there was something to this, but they

didn't understand what it was. But when they realized that

all of the planets are discharging the solar capacity that's

built up around the q, due to excess currents of protons in

the solar winds, then they could see that as these planets

came into alignments this increased the flow of currents

along these paths. And when you had many planets line up,

it increased the currents 100-fold, not just two-fold.

And so, as the w, for example, goes through a new moon phase

and passes away, for a short while the new moon phase is block-

ing the solar wind. But as it moves out of the way, that solar wind

comes pounding in and breaks our magnetic field down, causing

tremendous pressure on the atmosphere.

The new moon phase and the full moon phase are times when

Earth is being basically crushed under a lot of electromagnetic

pressure, which is just one way of talking about it. So, all of these

effects that you are seeing is very real.

This influence causes people who are not really in con-

trol of themselves to become more erratic and people who

are very balanced become more balanced." 6

LECTROMAGNETIC fields are used in an interdisciplinary

approach to remote conditioning by creating information proc-

essing effects. Dr. Ross Adey's work at the Loma Linda Univer-

sity Medical School in California shows these fields can induce

"feeling" or "emotional" elements of cognition, such as excitatory reac-

tions, subliminal stress and behavior arousal. Scientific studies have cor-

related exposure to electromagnetic fields with mental hospital admis-

sions and the worsening of symptoms of mental patients.7

Lieber and Sherin also discovered that fatal traffic accidents peaked

between first quarter and full moon and again at last quarter. Psychiatric

emergency room visits peaked around first and last quarter, with a sig-

nificant decrease at new and full moon.8

The dates of the samples were converted to lunar time to eliminate

social periodicities in human behavior such as holidays, weekends, etc.

The calendar is called the lunar-synodic decimal scale. The number of

homicides occurring in the periods seventy-two, forty-eight, and twenty-

four hours before and after each phase of the w were plotted.

6 Rick Martin, “What NASA Is Hiding” in Nexus, Vol. 10, No. 6, December

2003, p. 51. 7 Anna Keeler, “Remote Mind Control Technology” in Secret & Suppresed,

Feral House, Cal., 1993, P. 35, 37. 8 Arnold Leiber, M.D., How The Moon Affects You, Hasting House, NY, 1996,

p. 58.

E

Considerations XIX: 2

31

There is a possibility of realities governed by laws that we do not and

cannot understand. A combination of gravity, the alteration of Earth's

magnetic field, followed by a surge of the q's energy can influence seg-

ments of the population at conjunction, opposition and square aspects

between the q and w.

The square aspect may cause fear which can galvanize or paralyze

physical responses resulting in an increase of traffic fatalities. That the

universe is organized by design and this design provides meaning to hu-

man experiences is evident and lunar aspects to the sun can be dangerous

to human existence.

The idea that one's mental attitude depends on physiological function-

ing makes sense. The possibility that small fluctuations in the quality of

sunshine, its known electrical effects on Earth and its atmosphere may

cause physiological change is also scientifically possible. Variations

in the quality and quantity of sunshine can be indirectly associated

with moods of optimism and pessimism. Nice days bring about an in-

crease in human activity.

Dr. A. K. Podshibyakin reported to the Popov Radio Engineering and

Electrical Communication Society that research carried out over a num-

ber of years at the Tomsk Medical College had found a relation between

road accidents and solar activity. The statistics showed that the day after the

eruption of a solar flare, road accidents increased, sometimes by as much

as four times above average. Podshibyakin also claimed that human response

to stimulation is generally slower during a solar flare than at other times. 9

That there are more positive ions in the atmosphere when the w is full

has been demonstrated.10

In laboratory experiments, high concentrations

of positive ions seem to cause depression and irritability in human sub-

jects.

Statistical evidence that associates heart attacks with geomagnetic and

solar activity exists. Malin and Srivastava have shown that the number of

cardiac emergencies in their area of India is very closely tied to geomag-

netic activity, which in turn is controlled by the q. Standard statistical

tests confirm an especially strong correlation. The authors' concluding

sentence in their article appearing in Nature reads:

The possibility that there is some cause (or solar origin?) respon-

sible for both magnetic and medical phenomena should not be ig-

nored. 11

A unique prediction of seismic activity by Dr. Elizabeth Rausher and

9 “Solar Flares & Road Accidents” in New Scientist, 38:160, 1968. 10

James Rotton & Ivan W. Kelly, “The Lunacy of It All: Lunar Phases & Hu-

man Behavior” in Mercury, 15:73, 1986. 11

S.R.C. Malio & B.J. Srivastava, “Heart Attacks & Magnetic Activity” Nature,

1979, Vol. 272, p. 646.

Piechota: Lunar Phases & Solar Flares

32

W. L. Van Bisc was made on 8th January 1994. They predicted that

quakes would occur in or near the Los Angeles area within the next thirty

days, based on an increase of superconductivity in the rocks. On 17th

January the North Ridge, California earthquake struck, with a magnitude

of over 6.0 on the Richter scale. The report went on to say that there

were unusual low frequency electrical surges beginning two weeks be-

fore the quake. Two weeks before the shock would be 3rd

January. Three

planets were in a close group on 17th January, and they were almost in

the same position on 3rd

January. At that time t, r, e and the q were

almost directly in line. To the nearest degree, the positions were: r 9º ¦,

t 11º ¦, e 11º ¦, and the q 12º ¦, all within a 3º arc. 12

Accurate astrological statistics can open up a window into tomorrow

so that the future becomes easier to understand, more predictable, and

easier to make decisions about. The benefit of making sense of the un-

known is that fear of the future is reduced.

ANY INDIVIDUALS involved in studying astrology become

defensive to the point of hysteria when discussing their inter-

ests and look down on science with ineffable disdain because

they fear they might find themselves to have been mistaken in

their interpretations of the subject under scrutiny. Astrological research-

ers should be careful not to get caught up in what psychologists call Con-

tagion. This is a condition when a person notices something, it is then

expected to happen again. Each succeeding finding is anticipated and

exaggerated until the finding becomes unbelievable.

It is possible for multiple witnesses to share an imaginary experience

based on expectations.

One reason that human knowing is dependent on background

expectations is that we must have some things in place, without ex-

amination, in order that we may prove things. If these place mark-

ers are missing, unambiguous connections among events are sim-

ply ignored. For example, even the strongest correlations between pat-

terns of sun flares and fluctuations in the stock market must be dismissed

in Western societies because these cultures have no mechanism to ex-

plain such connections. Contiguity is missing: nothing connects the two

phenomena. But in a q culture that elevates the activity of our home star

to a privileged standing in human affairs, such correlations might be

clear and even perfect demonstrations of causal activity. There is no

proof for either set of expectations. They each follow the background

beliefs in how reality is ordered.13

The same is true for fatal accident victims coinciding with the 90º

12 Frank Glasby, Planets, Sunspots & Earthquakes, iUniverse, NE, 2002, p. 71.

13 Fred M. Frohock, Lives Of The Psychics, University Of Chicago Press, 2000,

p. 134, 135.

M

Considerations XIX: 2

33

aspect between q and w. The police, armed with this factual evidence

can intervene by setting up sobriety checkpoints and speed traps to see

if the data can be influenced with a positive result.

Before this can happen, expectations of the police force must be

established.

HE q appears to have full control of what happens in its do-

main. Every once in a while, an occupant of the asteroid belt

between t and y strays into the inner part of the solar system

and becomes a hazard to our planet. In the journal Science14, a

team of researchers has now shed light on how this happens.

When the q shines on an object in space, it exerts a force that pushes

the object slightly. At the same time, some of the heat absorbed from the

sunshine is radiated back into space. That radiation also exerts a little

push on the object—a phenomenon called the Tarkovsky effect.

The study was the first demonstration of the effect on a natu-

ral body in the solar system.

Did expectations influence this discovery?

There are people who believe we live in a discreet universe that con-

tains everything they know in it. These individuals don't want to cope

with anything beyond those boundaries because it is difficult to admit not

knowing something. The study of astrology and its proven influences is a

potentially rich source of information for our understanding of both our-

selves and the surrounding universe in which we participate. To make

this knowledge available, it is important to admit our great ignorance of

the universe and the forces at work within it. Although man likes to think

himself master of the planet, there are many mysteries yet to be solved.

We tend not to think too deeply about such things for they are disturbing

to our equilibrium.

Podshibyakin's statistics indicated road accidents increased signifi-

cantly after solar flare eruptions. Lieber and Sherrin discovered that fatal

accidents peaked between first quarter and full moon and again at last

quarter. While both studies are independent, both investigations involved

different influences. The investigators may have come under the influ-

ence of the power of coincidence—in which two concurrent events can

easily (and erroneously) be integrated into a single unsolvable mystery.

While an obvious influence is obvious, it is important to astrologers

to know which q sign is being affected.

Research carried out by the England-based Zurich Municipal Insur-

ance Company found drivers born under the sign a are more likely to

14 “Asteroids Use Light to Change Orbital Path” reported in the Scranton PA

Tribune, December 11, 2003.

T

Piechota: Lunar Phases & Solar Flares

34

have accidents than those born under other signs of the zodiac. They are

also most likely to overtake on the inside or jump a red light. The Zurich

list of q signs representing the highest number of insurance claims15

is:

1 a 7 x

2 n 8 g

3 h 9 s

4 b 10 f

5 z 11 ¦

6 d 12 c

A poll of 1,002 people, conducted for Virgin, revealed that c and x

speed more than drivers with other signs, while Pisceans are the

most patient behind the wheel. d’s love their cars the most and Librans

are the least bothered by traffic jams.16

The British Medical Journal found that silver-colored cars are the most

popular and safest vehicles to drive. The most dangerous cars were col-

ored brown, black and green.17

This author has on file the q signs of 1,985 auto accident victims.

Those q signs most likely to die in an accident are:

1 a 4 g 7 ¦ 10 c

2 h 5 b 8 s 11 n

3 x 6 z 9 f 12 d

Note that silver is associated with f and that sign scores low in both

being killed and being involved in accidents.

Astrologers allow for an orb of influence to aid them in making more

accurate predictions. This would take into account the anomaly of inci-

dents following lunar aspects. McCanney's explanation of the w disturb-

ing the solar wind and the discharge of solar capacity being stored in the

planets is the answer to why astrologers face difficulty in making accu-

rate predictions when lunar aspects are included in interpretations.

The position of the q at birth can be called a background explanation,

a point of reference known to both the subject and the astrologer re-

searching aspects. When the q returns to its original place in the Zodiac

each year its power is momentarily blocked by the natal q in the natal

horoscope. We know from the Yarkovsky effect that the q exerts a force

that pushes an object slightly and some of the heat is radiated off into

space. We also know that a body blocking the q's electromagnetic waves

15 Daily Telegraph, UK, March 23, 1995.

16 New York Post, December 22, 2003.

17 “Silver Cars Get Gold For Safety” in the New York Daily News, December

21, 2003.

Considerations XIX: 2

35

Deaths Within One Day of Birthday

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

AR TA GM CN LE VG LB SC SG CP AQ PS

Birth Sun Signs

previous day

same day

day after

can distort the magnetic field. On the day of the return and the day after,

the person celebrating his date of birth is in peril.

The above graph above and the following table demonstrate how this

influence works on the population. Most of the individuals in the study

died in old age and deaths at birth are not included.

Number of Deaths within Day of Birthday Birth q

sign previous

day same day

day after total

Deaths per 1,000

Total in sign

a 45 61 45 151 11.6 13057

s 38 52 36 126 9.6 13113

d 42 51 46 139 10.3 13450

f 44 64 42 150 11.0 13619

g 34 65 45 144 10.4 13781

h 38 56 51 145 10.4 13925

z 49 58 45 152 11.6 13113

x 44 54 51 149 11.6 12823

c 42 53 40 135 11.2 12091

¦ 39 58 47 144 11.5 12482

b 38 55 44 137 10.5 12988

n 44 46 41 131 9.9 13299

Total 497 673 533 1703 10.8 157741

Piechota: Lunar Phases & Solar Flares

36

Apart from the proclivity for people to die on anniversary of their

birth rather than on the day before or after—a tendency most obvious

with g and least so with n, both of which seem very appropriate—the

variations in the above ‘Deaths per 1,000’ column are fascinating. There

is no statistical difference between any of the signs and the expected 10.8

deaths per 1,000; even so s with 9.6 deaths per 1,000 and n with 9.9 are

both significantly different from the 11.6 observed in this data for a, z

and x.

We live and move in a pulsating sea of energies in which our organ-

isms serve as receivers, transformers and projectors. The electro-dynamic

theory of life suggests a universal electric field affecting living matter,

while, in turn, all life exerts its own influence upon the field while still

responding to it. Each individual is thus related to all life, to Earth's

magnetic field, and through it to the changes in the electrical fields of the

w and q. We are a part of the universal whole, influenced by the cease-

less ebb and flow of the universe. Our responses to this universal electric

field may have common characteristics, but each individual possesses a

unique makeup, and his reactions to all influences will be unique.18

a is more susceptible to energies at the quarter phases of the w which

make this sign more likely to suffer auto accidents. A common character-

istic of the universal electric field is the snuffing out of life near the date

of birth.

18 Vincent Gaddis, Mysterious Fires & Lights, Borderland Sciences Research

Foundation, California, 1994, p. 103.

37

Predicting the Dow

KEN GILLMAN

HIS article describes some ongoing research that may improve

our ability to use astrological factors to predict variations in the

stock markets, especially in the Dow Jones Industrial Index. In

the past, like many other researchers in financial astrology, I

have used planets in signs and their aspects one to another to identify

major changes in the directions of the markets. This approach is effec-

tive. It is described in the writings of Ray Merriman and others.1

Briefly, that approach is to identify those times when the market

changes its direction after having gained or lost more than a specific per-

centage (usually 10%) of its value since the previous directional change,

and to note the astrological factors current at the time. Those factors ob-

served to be consistently present at such directional changes can then

used to predict future changes.

This does work but there can be lengthy intervals between such major

turns, sometimes several years, during which the market may experience

considerable fluctuation yet continue to trend in the same direction. For

example, on 4th April 1994 after falling for a couple of months the mar-

ket bottomed at 3593. On 18th February 1997 it peaked at 7067 and sub-

sequently fell to 6357 in April 1997 before the bull market continued its

long rise that culminated at 11723 in January 2000. Between 4/94 and

2/97 there was no period during which the market fell by as much as

10% from its previous high.

Although a strong believer in the adage “If it works don’t mess with

it”, I do believe we can do something more than simply identify these

major trends in the market. In addition, by not using what many consider

to be very important (perhaps the most important) factors in any horo-

scope, the angles and the houses, these trend prediction models have

moved some distance away from astrology per se, which could be one of

the reasons why Merriman describes his work as Geocosmic rather than

Astrological.

I wanted therefore to construct a prediction model that would do two

things. It would be able to predict changes in the market over a short

period and it would make full use of the astrologer’s basic tool: the horo-

1 See for example Raymond Merriman’s ongoing series of books entitled The

Ultimate Book on Stock Market Timing, especially Volume 2, subtitled Geocos-

mic Correlations to Investment Cycles, and Volume 3 Geocosmic Correlations

to Trading Cycles (MMA/Seek-It Publications, West Bloomfield, Michigan.

2000 & 2001).

T

Gillman: Predicting the Dow

38

scope with its circular portrayal of the different planets relative to each

other and to a specific location. To this I added my belief that astrology

relates to beginnings, the birth moment of something, and is also able to

predict happenings in the life of an entity from that moment on into the

future.

I began therefore with the horoscope for the moment the stock market

opened in New York on the first day for which I had information.

First data for New York Stock Market opening 10:00 AM, Monday, 24th February 1885

40N42’24”, 74W00’ 42”

What could this chart predict? The waxing f w, on the 10th from the

l, is applying to F q and hence the ^ falls in the chart’s 5th house of

speculation, while y, disposing both lights, is smack on the Placidus 5th

cusp and closely squaring the rising “. In the short term, with u by the

2nd

cusp having just been squared by the chart’s ruler, r, and t leaving

the opposition to y, the chart suggests a down day; but as these are sepa-

rating aspects this could well be a good time to invest for the long haul.

The chart should certainly be able to predict events in the market over

the course of that one market day.

And perhaps it could predict events for a period longer than just the

one day. Could this chart, set for the market opening on the first day of a

new business week, predict market fluctuations throughout the ensuing

week? That makes some sense. One could argue that market activity

commences at the opening bell on Monday morning and continues

Considerations XIX: 2

39

through to the closing bell on Friday afternoon, that the week is a com-

plete unit that continues for the five or six days (in earlier times the mar-

ket was also open on Saturdays, only closing completely on the Christian

Sabbath) with the nightly breaks being simply pauses in an ongoing

process.

Could this market-opening chart predict the market changes not only

for the coming week but also for the coming month? As the w will have

transited completely around this market-opening chart over the following

four weeks, asking if the same chart could predict for a day or a week or

a month may not be so utterly foolish.

I decided to test these daily, weekly and monthly ideas and had the

computer generate the planetary positions for the opening bell on each

day the market was open between Monday, 24th February 1885 and Fri-

day, 8th September 2001. There is a four-year gap between December

1885 and January 1900 for which I do not have market indices. The

various astrological factors were then related to the market’s changes for

each of these three different periods over these years.

Each of these three different periods appears to be effectively predict-

able for these market-opening charts.

Here I will deal only with the four-week period. Market changes are

larger, both plus and minus, over a four-week period than they are over a

week or a single day, and this enables one to better identify trends and

meaningful astrological indicators

Astrological positions were computed for the time of the opening bell

on each Monday or, in those instances when the market was closed that

day, for the first day the market opened during a week. These were tied

to the difference of the Dow Jones Industrial Index at the prior market

closing (the index at the previous Friday or Saturday closing) and the

market closing four calendar weeks later, expressed in percentage terms.

Table 1: Saturday

in 1885

Market’s

closing

Saturday

in 1885

Market’s

closing

22nd

Feb 26.4 28th Feb 27.2

2nd

Mar 27.2 7th Mar 27.5

9th Mar 27.5 14

th Mar 27.4

16th Mar 27.4 22

nd Mar 26.1

Thus, the chart for the market opening on 24th February 1885 that was

illustrated earlier was associated with a drop of 1.1%: the market having

fallen from 26.4 at its closing on Saturday, 22nd

February to 26.1 four

weeks later at the market closing on Saturday, 22nd

March.

26.1 ÷ 26.4 = 0.9886 or -1.1%.

I should emphasize that the planetary positions at the market opening

on the first day (usually a Monday) of each week the market was open

have been calculated and these are related to the variation in the market

Gillman: Predicting the Dow

40

index over the next four weeks. Even though the Monday chart is related

to market changes over the next four weeks, this is not a once-a-month

situation; it is a once-a-week one. Thus between 1885 and 2001 the

planetary positions and elongations present in 5,795 weeks and the mar-

ket changes over 5,795 four-week periods are related.

The four-week lead does initially present a slight problem of align-

ment. Should the astrological model predict a steady gain in the index

over several Mondays and then follow with the forecast of a series of

sharp drops, the indicators forecasting a Bull market that will peak and

then turn Bearish, one must know the right time to sell. Table 2 uses the

q in the Zodiac as an example to illustrate this minor problem.

Table 2: The change in the market’s direction

q

longitude Predicted

Change

in 4 weeks

10º - 14.9º g +0.648 %

15º - 19.9º g +1.058 %

20º - 24.9º g +1.036 %

25º - 29.9º g +0.406 %

0º - 4.9 h -0.372 %

5º - 9.9º h -0.598 %

10º - 14.9º h -0.586 %

is forecast to occur four weeks after

the q has crossed from g into h. The

appropriate time to sell and maximize

one’s gains would therefore be two to

three weeks after the q’s entry into h.

To sell earlier one would forego the

gains indicated four weeks after the q

was in the last decade of g. Note that

a complete forecasting model would

include several variables besides just

this one.

The full observed distribution of the Dow’s changes associated with

the location of the q in the Zodiac between 1885 and 2001 is illustrated

in Chart 1. The annual pattern is well known. In Figure 1 the y-axis

measures the percentage change in the Dow relative over the next four

weeks.2 ‘0’ on the y-axis represent no change in the index. The x-axis

represents the q’s longitude, 0 to 360º. The average four-weekly change

in these years was +0.505%, hence ‘0.5’ on the y-axis is the average.

The x- and y-axes of all of the charts illustrated in this article can be in-

terpreted the same way as Figure 1.

Using only the information illustrated in Figure 1, an investor could

expect to come out well ahead in the long run (commissions ignored) by

buying a representative bundle of Dow stocks three weeks after the q

had moved past 5º d, i.e. going into the market a few days before the

Summer Solstice; selling them three weeks after the q was around 25º

g, thus avoiding the annual dip in October; and going back into the mar-

2 It is course tempting to amend the x-axis of Figure 1 so that the three- or four-

week mental adjustment is not needed. I have not done so here because such a

simple change is not possible when dealing with other bodies in the Zodiac or

with inter-planetary elongations (aspects).

Considerations XIX: 2

41

% Changes in Dow Index over the Next Four Weeks

by q 's position in the Zodiac

-1.5

-1

-0.5

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330

% C

han

ge

ket again three weeks after the q had crossed 5º c, to sell again three

weeks after New Year’s Day, i.e. three weeks after the q passed 10º ¦.

This last sale takes into account the usual market lift in the first three

weeks of January. Such a simple strategy would have the investor in the

market for a third of the year and his overall annual gain would be dou-

ble that of the Dow.

Figure 1:

Figure 1 confirms previous findings. Nothing seems to be awry with

the data being used here.

Gillman: Predicting the Dow

42

HARMONICS

By the law of Periodical Repetition, everything which has

happened once must happen again and again—and not ca-

priciously, but at regular periods, and each thing in its own

period, not another’s, and each obeying its own law. The

same Nature which delights in periodic repetition in the

skies is the Nature which orders the affairs of the earth. Let

us not underrate the value of that hint.

—Mark Twain3

HE British astrologer John Addey introduced the concept of

harmonics into astrology in the 1960s. He demonstrated “that

astrological ‘forces’ manifest as temporal rhythms which ebb

and flow, rather than simple divisions of duration of time” 4

and argued that the frequency of particular events associated with the

location of planets in signs, such as we see in Figure 1 with the changes

in the Dow associated with the placement of the q in the Zodiac, could

be explained by fitting trigonometric curves to the data.

Figure 2:

Graph of a cosine function with mean level M, amplitude A,

peak phase t0 and period T = 360º/w.

The general formula for such a trig curve is:

Y = M + A cos w (t – t0)

Here, t is the independent variable (the q’s position on a Monday) sub-

ject to a certain period T. The equation contains four parameters:

3 Quoted by Theodor Landscheidt in “Frequency Analysis” Astrological Re-

search Methods. Los Angeles: International Society for Astrological Research.

1995, 240. 4 John M. Addey. Harmonics in Astrology. Wisconsin: Cambridge Circle. 1976

Considerations XIX: 2

43

M = the observed average.

A = amplitude: how high or low the curve will vary about M.

w = the frequency that a peak will occur over the 360º range, i.e. the har-

monic number. 360º/w = T, the degree distance between successive

peaks.

t0 = the acrophase (Greek: akros = high) or peak phase, i.e. the value in

the Zodiac at which the peak will maximize.

The angular frequency w is related to the period T by the formula

w = 2π/T or 360º/T

depending on whether wT is measured in radians or degrees respectively.

The acrophase t0 is measured in the same unit as t. It is a circular vari-

able.

Examining the fluctuations of the Dow Index by the q’s longitude at

Figure 1, we observe three distinct peaks—when the q is in a, when it

is in f-g and again when it is in c and early ¦—which suggests a

curve with three peaks, a third harmonic. This is shown in Figure 3,

where a 3rd

harmonic has been fitted to the original data. The other three

parameters we need are the mean, which is +0.505, and the amplitude

and acrophase. The highest point of the curve is around 2.2 but on aver-

age it seems to fluctuate between -1 and +1.3, so we’ll set the amplitude

at 0.8 (0.8 + mean = 1.3). The acrophase seems best placed towards the

end of f. Locating it at 28º f, ensures the resulting curve has a reason-

able correlation (R = 0.4146)5 with the observed data.

The equation for the third harmonic is therefore

y = 0.505+0.8*cos (3*(π/180)*(t-118))

this is illustrated together with the original data in Figure 3.

Although the fit is far from perfect as the moderate 41% correlation

tells us, it does seem to work fairly well for the movement of the q

through the first half of the Zodiac, from 0 to around 210. It identifies

the peaks in a and in f-g and also the drop in s and warns of the h

fall—remember that all of these indicators are forecasting what will oc-

cur four weeks ahead. It does, however, fail to identify the January peak,

and it falls when the q has just moved into c instead of moving higher

as the original data shows. Something is lacking.

5 R, the correlation coefficient, can have a value from R=0 (absence of any cor-

relation) to R=1 (perfect correlation). It should perhaps be mentioned that R

values can be misleading as so much depends on how the data is grouped. An R

value of 0.41 when the q’s position is defined in 5º groupings could be the

equivalent of an R value of 0.6 or more had the groupings been each 10º wide,

or 0.10 or less were 1º intervals being used. The wider the groupings the easier

it is to attain fairly large values of R. It is a helpful yardstick; nothing more.

Gillman: Predicting the Dow

44

% Changes in Dow over the Next Four Weeks

by 3rd Harmonic of the q 's position in Zodiac

-1.5

-1

-0.5

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330

% C

han

ge

% Changes in Dow Index over the Next Four Weeks

by 2nd Harmonic of the q 's position in the Zodiac

-1.5

-1

-0.5

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330

% C

han

ge

Figure 3:

Figure 4:

Considerations XIX: 2

45

% Changes in Dow Index over the Next Four Weeks

by q in Zodiac & the Sum of 2nd & 3rd Harmonics

-3.5

-2.5

-1.5

-0.5

0.5

1.5

2.5

3.5

0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330

% C

han

ge

We can construct an alternative equation, one with just two peaks to

cover the main peaks we observe, a second harmonic, see Figure 4. Un-

fortunately, if we again have it peak in f, which is where we see the

broadest period of consistent high market gains, we again miss the 260-

270º peak. We therefore have placed it at 268º to ensure that peak is cap-

tured.

Figure 4 shows this 2nd

harmonic against the original data. Its equa-

tion is y = 0.505 + 0.8*cos(2*(π/180)*(t-268)). R = 0.405.

Figure 5:

The two peaks in the original data occurred around 28ºf and 28ºc,

roughly 150º apart. 150 goes into 360 2.4 times, so a curve that com-

bines (sums) the 2nd

and 3rd

harmonics may be what we are looking for.

The equation then becomes:

y = 0.505 + 0.8*cos((π/180)*3*(t-118) + (2*(t-268)))

Combining the two curves is an improvement but the resultant curve

does not fully fit the observed data.6 Now R = 0.58.

Despite its obvious inadequacies, this is sufficient for now as my in-

tention is simply to demonstrate that underlying harmonics, alone or in

combination, are present in this data, and that these identify meaningful

correlations between astrological factors (here the position of the q in

the Zodiac) and changes in the stock market. The fit is in fact somewhat

6 The best approach for finding extra harmonics to improve the fit beyond what

has already been obtained is to work with residuals: to graph the difference be-

tween the original data and the already fitted harmonic(s) and identify the har-

monic that best fits these residuals.

Gillman: Predicting the Dow

46

improved when the fifth and sixth harmonics are combined with the sec-

ond and third.

Signs & Aspects

HE q, w or a planet moving through the Zodiac is always in

one sign or another. Astrologers are generally agreed that

these bodies can and do act meaningfully and uniquely at dif-

ferent parts of the 360º Zodiac. The q, for example, is always

a significant factor no matter where it is in the Zodiac. It doesn’t cease

to have an effect some days, even when apparently absent from the visi-

ble sky. And the same applies to the w and the planets. Astrological fac-

tors, and this includes the angles, always have meaning when related to

the Zodiac, to their presence in the various signs. There are no gaps, no

moments in time when a planet lacks a position in the 360º Zodiac.

The same is not considered to be so with aspects. On some days t,

for instance, is said to be aspecting u; on other days the pair are consid-

ered to be out of aspect. This is so even when different lengths of orbs

are taken into account.

Mathematicians and statisticians once viewed the world in a like

manner. They separated the characteristics by which something was

known into continuous (akin to a planet in signs) and discrete (similar to

an aspect being present or not) and analyzed them in different ways.

In a series of observations over time, which is exactly what the

changes in the Dow Jones Index are, the statistical analysis of discrete

points caused great problems, while the evaluation of the frequency with

which events periodically repeated themselves in wave-like forms ad-

vanced quickly. A major advance in mathematics occurred when it was

perceived that all information observed over time could be transformed

into a continuous mode, into what is known as the frequency domain.

This change in their approach greatly improved scientists’ understanding

of the underlying trends within the data they were examining. As a di-

rect result predictions of future happenings in many fields of study

quickly became much more accurate.

In evaluating the repeated movement of the q through the Zodiac and

relating this to changes in the stock market, we have been looking at the

data in a frequency domain and identifying waves (harmonics) that re-

peat an integer number of times as the q’s position in the Zodiac

changed through the full 360º. This same approach will also be taken

when differences in longitude between pairs of planets are analyzed.

Most astrologers who analyze stock market changes have restricted

themselves to identifying the presence or absence of specific ‘aspects’

between planetary pairs coincident with particular Bull or Bear markets

or with major turns in the market’s direction. Many of these aspects are

meaningful and this also comes out with the approach being used here,

Considerations XIX: 2

47

but there is strong evidence that significant changes in the stock market

occur and are repeated when particular pairs of planets are out of any

traditional aspect.

Mars & Saturn

HEN John Addey introduced harmonics into astrology, he did

not say that planets could be considered to always be aspecting

each other, no matter what their difference in longitude might

be, and that traditional aspects should be ignored. Instead he

argued for a different set of orbs based on the type of traditional aspect

being considered. As a direct result of his work, aspects are often de-

scribed in harmonic terms: the opposition as the second harmonic, the

trine as the third harmonic, the square as the fourth harmonic, and so on.

Similarly, I do not believe the traditional aspects should be ignored.

There is enough evidence in these analyses to confirm the significance of

the major five: the conjunction, sextile, square, trine and opposition. At

the same time, however, fitted harmonics often peak or have their

troughs at inter-planetary elongations that do not coincide with tradi-

tional aspects.

The elongation in longitude of t from u is a representative example.

The distance of the swifter moving body, here t, from the slower one, u,

is always used, modulus 360.

Table 3 lists the market changes associated with the varying longi-

tudes t is distant from u. In the table both the left- and right-hand three

columns list the angular distance of t to u in 10º intervals from the con-

junction at the top of the table to the opposition at the bottom. The t-u

elongation is tabulated here in 10º classes simply to provide some ease in

reading the table. My own analysis initially used 5º classes to identify

likely harmonics, while the final work utilized the actual elongation be-

tween the pair, correct to 6 arc minutes.

The left-hand set of columns show what has happened to the Dow

Jones Index when t has been separating from A u and moving towards

the opposition, its waxing phase if you will; the right-hand columns de-

picts the associated % change in the market over four weeks as t has

been moving from S u back through the waning period to the conjunc-

tion.

There are some similarities across the two halves of Table 3: there

appears to have been a Bear Market when t is 40-79º distant from A u,

both coming and going; similarly, the market experienced relatively large

gains for fairly lengthy periods before and after t S u, but less so within

10º of the opposition itself. This immediately suggest a 2nd

harmonic: a

curve that dips down twice, dropping down sharply when the elongation

is around 65º and again when it is close to 295º, and peaking around the

opposition. Figure 6 shows the 2nd

harmonic (it is the smoother of the

two curves in the diagram) fitted to the data.

W

Gillman: Predicting the Dow

48

% Changes in Dow over Next Four Weeks,

by Mars-Saturn elongation, with Second Harmonic

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330

% C

han

ge

Table 3:

Elongation of t to u

t to u

elongation

#

weeks

Average

%

change

t to u

elongation

#

weeks

Average

%

change

0-9.9 192 0.47 350-359.9 175 0.83

10- 177 0.12 340- 186 0.83

20- 177 0.68 330- 176 1.02

30- 196 0.59 320- 167 0.83

40- 181 (0.15) 310- 155 (0.11)

50- 166 (0.46) 300- 145 (0.22)

60- 163 (0.30) 290- 150 (0.56)

70- 161 (0.21) 280- 136 (1.01)

80- 155 0.45 270- 132 (0.06)

90- 141 0.58 260- 144 0.09

100- 147 0.35 250- 151 (0.35)

110- 133 0.47 240- 157 (0.49)

120- 141 1.34 230- 150 0.39

130- 143 1.66 220- 163 1.14

140- 148 1.91 210- 160 1.40

150- 163 1.70 200- 161 0.84

160- 166 1.67 190- 166 1.62

170- 191 0.70 180- 180 0.16

Total weeks: 5,795 Average four-week change= +0.505%

Figure 6:

The second harmonic’s amplitude is 1.27, its acrophase is 170.5, and

its correlation with the original data listed the in thirty-six 10º groupings

of the t-u elongation is 0.604.

This is a fairly good fit, but it misses the drop in the market at t S u.

Considerations XIX: 2

49

% Changes in Dow over Next Four Weeks,

by Mars-Saturn elongation,

with First, Second, Third & Sixth Harmonics combined

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35

% C

han

ge

% Changes in Dow over Next Four Weeks,

by Mars-Saturn elongation, & Sixth Harmonic

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330

% C

han

ge

To partly achieve this we can try the sixth harmonic, which splits the

360º range into six peaks and six troughs, with 60º between successive

turning points.

Figure 7:

The sixth harmonic provides the required market drop at the opposi-

tion. However, it fails to reproduce the deep fall around the waning trine

and square. Here the amplitude is 0.65, the acrophase 155.8 and the cor-

relation a relatively low 0.313. Figure 8:

There are two other significant harmonics for t-u, the first har-

monic, also known as the fundamental, and the third. It seems unneces-

Gillman: Predicting the Dow

50

sary to illustrate each of these individually. Figure 8 combines these four

harmonics, the first, second, third and sixth. These generate a curve that

comes quite close to resembling the original data. The correlation is now

0.917, which is getting very close to the magical value of 1.0.

In this work, which involves the q to u and the l in the Zodiac, and

the elongation between each pair of planets (q to “) plus the l, only the

first twelve harmonics have been calculated. Only those harmonics that

are statistically significant, which roughly means those with an amplitude

greater than 0.65, have been considered.

MOON-MARS

HEN forecasting the direction of the stock market over future

periods financial astrologers usually ignore the w’s aspects.

They will use the w’s aspects to determine market fluctuations

during a single trading day but not for a longer period. They

are too fleeting, too transient to be used. This makes good sense, yet even

so it is contrary to the approach most astrologers might make when at-

tempting to interpret a chart, a horary perhaps, concerning the future di-

rection of the market. Does the different approach used here, casting a

chart at the market opening each week, cause the w to become more

meaningful? Do the w’s aspects to the different planets and angles on

these Monday mornings indicate what will occur in the market over the

following four weeks?

Figure 9:

w's elongation from t

& % Change in Dow Jones Index

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

0- 30- 60- 90- 120- 150- 180- 210- 240- 270- 300- 330-

% C

ha

ng

e

Figure 9 illustrates the different four-week-ahead changes in the mar-

ket when plotted against the w’s elongation from t. The latter are

grouped into 72 classes each of 5º.

W

Considerations XIX: 2

51

Smoothed % Changes in the Dow

against the w's elongation from t

-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

0- 30- 60- 90- 120- 150- 180- 210- 240- 270- 300- 330-

% C

ha

ng

e

At first sight there are to be just too many fluctuations. There is no

obvious trend; each time the line goes up it appears to bounce back

down. However, the Dow does go into the negatives when the w is dis-

tant from t by 90º, 180º and 270º; perhaps there is something hidden

behind these apparently random fluctuations.

To get a clearer view the data has been smoothed, the result of which

is seen in Figure 10. A distinct rhythmic beat in the data now becomes

apparent.7

Figure 10:

A simple 4th harmonic has then been fitted to these smoothed fluctua-

tions, as shown in Figure 11.

The correlation between the smoothed % changes in the Dow Jones

Index and the fitted curve is good, R = 74%. The amplitude of the fitted

harmonic is 0.4; its phase is located exactly at 45º. Thus the A, S and

both D’s of the w to t are associated with future drops in the market.

But the peaks at the Z and the X may surprise many.

Remembering that we are dealing with events in the market four

weeks into the future, Figure 11 suggests that it will be a good time to

consider buying stocks in three weeks or so whenever the Monday morn-

ing chart contains a tight w A t, w S t or w D t.

7 Details of how this smoothing was accomplished are provided later.

Gillman: Predicting the Dow

52

% Changes in the Dow Index

& the y-j angle

-1.5

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330

w-t Fourth Harmonic on Smoothed % Changes in Dow Index

-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330

% C

han

ge

Figure 11:

JUPITER-ASCENDANT

IGURE 12 charts fluctuations in the Dow Index that are associ-

ated with y’s difference in longitude from the Ascendant. The

fitted curve is the sum of several harmonics, the 1st, 2

nd, 3

rd and

4th. The correlation with the observed data in the 72*5º classes

is 0.77.

Figure 12:

F

Considerations XIX: 2

53

Using equal houses from the Ascendant, we see that y is associated

with particularly strong gains in the Index when it is positioned in the

11th and 12

th houses, that is, when it has just risen in the eastern sky. It is

also helpful when located in the 3rd

, 4th and 5

th houses. It is associated

with a below-average return when in the 1st and 2

nd houses, and is espe-

cially bad when located in the 7th, 8

th, 9

th and 10

th houses. That y is as-

sociated with the greatest loss of all when placed in the 10th equal house

will be contrary to many astrologers’ expectations.

All charts are set for the market opening, 10 AM clock time until 30th

September 1985 and 9:30 AM since (great care has been taken to ensure

that Standard Time and Summer Time are correctly used). The q is usu-

ally located in the 11th equal-house. The large gains observed when y is

located in the 11th relate to the closeness of y to the q. Interestingly,

these gains occur when the q is distant from y by 315-339º, see Figure

13. At this elongation, which occurred during 469 of the 5,792 weeks,

the average market lift has been more than double the average.

Figure 13:

% Changes in Dow & q-y Elongation

-1.0

-0.5

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

0- 30- 60- 90- 120- 150- 180- 210- 240- 270- 300- 330-

Figures 12 and 13 are not identical. Although there is a strong correla-

tion between the q-y elongation and that of y’s angle to the Ascendant,

it doesn’t fully explain the effect of y in the twelve houses (these are also

listed in Table 5).

Gillman: Predicting the Dow

54

Table 5: y in the Houses

House y-ASC

Range

#

wks

Average

% Gain

Index

I 355-24.9 521 0.41 82.0

II 25-54.9 479 0.18 35.4

III 55-84.9 433 0.95 188.8

IV 85-114.9 405 0.76 151.0

V 115-144.9 401 0.62 122.4

VI 145-174.9 402 0.60 118.9

VII 175-204.9 444 0.17 32.7

VIII 205-234.9 494 0.17 34.3

IX 235-264.9 530 0.01 2.6

X 265-294.9 567 -0.10 -19.7

XI 295-324.9 571 0.88 173.5

XII 325-354.9 548 1.47 290.6

Each house begins 5º before its equal-house cusp.

The creation of the prediction model described here is ongoing, it is

not fully complete. A preliminary model was created that intentionally

omitted certain variables believed to be important. It was generated and

tested to confirm that it was worthwhile continuing with the work neces-

sary to prepare the missing factors. Table 6 shows how well this pre-

liminary model fitted the original data:

Table 6: Results of Model Predictions using only

Astrological Variables

vs Actual % Gains Observed,

Dow Jones Industrial Index, 1885-2001

# periods when Dow

increased in value

Average % gain

per 4-wks

Predicted

4-wk

% gain

#

wks Model

predicts

Actual %

Agree

Model

predicts

Actual

4.24 & over 573 573 514 89.7 5.83 5.52 2.98 – 4.23 576 576 452 78.5 3.55 2.92 2.1 – 2.97 574 574 436 76.0 2.51 2.16 1.37 - 2.09 572 572 376 65.7 1.73 1.23 0.64 – 1.36 579 579 366 63.2 1.01 1.16

(0.09) – 0.63 570 489 333 57.2 0.26 0.43 (0.88) – (0.1) 574 0 282 50.9 (0.48) (0.27) (1.75) – (0.89) 577 0 264 54.2 (1.31) (0.74) (3.06) – (1.76) 573 0 195 66.0 (2.36) (1.66) (3.07) & under 624 0 115 81.6 (4.76) (4.79)

TOTAL 5792 3363 3333 68.4 0.55 0.55

Considerations XIX: 2

55

The partial model was most effective when predicting a particularly

large percent gain or loss in the market over the coming four-week pe-

riod. It was less accurate when the change was under 1%, plus or minus.

I should clarify what is meant by the word ‘model’. Each potential

variable (a variable here is the elongation in longitude of a planet from

another planet, from 0º a or from an angle) is examined and, when nec-

essary, transformed to maximize its correlation with the series of four-

week percentage changes in the Dow. Those planetary variables consid-

ered to be not random (i.e. those that meet specific statistical tests) are

then input into a multiple regression program. This statistical program

identifies the combination of planetary variables that best explain the

different fluctuations of the Dow between 1885 and 2001. Those plane-

tary variables included in this ‘best combination’ are each given a weight

(or coefficient) that indicates their level of importance in the model—for

example, in the preliminary model the q’s elongation from 0º a (indi-

cating its position in the Zodiac) had a coefficient of +0.683, while the

elongation of t from u had one of +0.605. In order to be included in

this ‘best combination’ the planetary variable must add significantly to

the predictive ability of the model and its coefficient must be signifi-

cantly different from zero. The predictions given by this final set of

weighted planetary variables are then compared against those observed

during the 1885-2001 period (residual analysis) and those in the more

recent 2002-2004 period (validation). Table 6 summarizes the first of

these comparisons.

Smoothing Data

There are many different approaches for smoothing or filtering data.

The method I favor is perhaps the simplest; it is a weighted binomial

(121) approach. It is easy to apply and very effective.

When there are an equal number of observations in each class, it is

simply (A + 2B + C) ÷ 4, where B is the value to be smoothed, and A

and C are the values on either side of it, A before B and C following it.

For example:

Class #

wks

Observed

% change

Smoothed

value

20 - 24.9 80 + 0.249

25 – 29.9 80 + 1.126 + 0.735

30 – 34.9 80 + 0.439 + 0.762

35 – 39.9 80 + 1.044 + 0.812

40 – 44.9 80 + 0.722

For class 30-34.9, smoothed value = (2*0.439+1.126+1.044) ÷ 4 = 0.762.

A minor problem arises when dealing with the initial and the final

values in a series. In an astrological situation, where the first value is in-

variably associated with an elongation following a conjunction (with the

Gillman: Predicting the Dow

56

difference from 0º a when dealing with a planet’s location in the Zodiac)

and the final one an elongation immediately prior to the conjunction, this

is easily resolved by combining the final value with twice the first plus

the second, or the first value with twice the last plus the penultimate.

Another minor problem occurs if there are unequal observations in

the classes as these must be taken into account.

Class #

wks

Observed

% change

Smoothed

value

20 – 24.9 77 + 0.249

25 – 29.9 91 + 1.126 + 0.797

30 – 34.9 65 + 0.439 + 0.807

35 – 39.9 79 + 1.044 + 0.833

40 – 44.9 70 + 0.722

For class 30-34.9, the smoothed value is then

= (2*65*0.439+91*1.126+79*1.044) ÷ (2*65+91+79) = 0.807.

If the initial smoothing follows the many twists and turns of the origi-

nal data too closely, repeating the 121 smoothing on the smoothed values

will usually resolve the problem.

57

Will My Sprained Hand

Ever Get Better?

RUTH BAKER DTAstrol. QHP. CMA

S A VIOLINIST I seem to have been singularly unfortunate

lately regarding my hands. After getting over a badly damaged

left hand (due to a fall) which resulted in having to cancel an

important concert, I then found myself with a sprained

right hand caused by foolishly carrying some heavy shopping. My

last concert was painful to say the least, and I really wanted to know

how long the discomfort was likely to last.

7:34 AM GMT, 11th November 2003: 51N48, 1E09

t hour t day, w from D t to D y

I was pleased to see planetary hour agreement—always a good begin-

ning to a horary chart analysis. The hour ruler t rules the ascending

sign of x. t is therefore my significator and the w is my co-

significator. Lilly says that when x ascends the illness (or in this

A

Baker: Will My Sprained Hand Ever Get Better?

58

case injury) is the querent's own fault—how very true.1

e in the first house and close to the cusp also takes part in the signifi-

cation—apt because e is the natural ruler of the hands. e weak, pere-

grine and under the q's beams rules my 10th house of career.

My affliction is shown by the 6th

house and its ruler. The sign on

the cusp is s ruled by r. Lilly says that when the sign on the 6th

is

fixed, expect it to last some time. r in the 1st house shows that it will

continue, but that the pain will slacken and sometimes appear to

go. This is true as the pain is certainly variable. r is the strong-

est planet in the chart. This is not a good sign in a case like this

because when the 6th

ruler is stronger than the 1st ruler, the disease is

likely to increase. It is interesting that Al Biruni assigns hands and

fingers to r.2

Essential Dignities

Sign Exalt Trip Term Face

q t - t r q w e - u y t Peregrine e t - t u r Peregrine r y - q r w t y r t y y y e e r y r Detriment u w y t y e Detriment ^ e - u r t

r applies to a square with the Ascendant ruler, t—also a sign that the

disease is increasing. The ever-important w is angular in d—hands again!3

The w in a mutable sign shows that although the affliction will not be diffi-

cult to cure, it will be “somewhat long in curing”. In this chart the w is

peregrine and slow in motion, also showing that the injury will not be mak-

ing a speedy departure. She separates from a square with t, a hot and dry

planet describing any form of inflammation, and applies to y, ruler of the

end-of-matter 4th house. I took heart from the fact that y is the Greater

Benefic, and in his own term although in detriment. Probably the worst is

over and with y in the 10th and very close to the cusp, I thought that my

future concerts might not be too badly affected. Also the Ascendant-ruler

t in the 4th shows recovery but t is nevertheless a malefic.

All in all, it seems as though the effects of this injury will be prolonged,

but that I shall still be able to fulfill my concert engagements. And so it has proved. The hand is marginally better but still very uncomfortable.4

1 All statements concerning illness are taken from William Lilly’s Christian

Astrology, (Regulus reprint) pp. 247-252. 2 Al Biruni. The Book of Instruction in the Elements of the Art of Astrology, As-

cella p.248. 3 Ibid., p. 94. 4 The above was written March 2004, fully five months after this horary was

posed—Editor

59

Solar Eclipses & Major Earthquakes

in 2003

NICOLE GIRARD

HREE solar eclipses governed the year 2003, those of 4th De-

cember 2002, 31st May 2003 and 23

rd November 2003. In addi-

tion, I was astonished to discover, the solar eclipse of 11th Au-

gust 1999 continues to have an affect on those locations that lay

under its shadow.

In previous articles I explained that when certain planets are aspected

by the q at its eclipse, great events like earthquakes are observed to oc-

cur when the transiting q later moves to again aspect these same planets.

There can also be other connections, usually due to the w’s transit, in-

volving the place of the eclipse and these specific planets. This again

occurred in 2003.

Figure 1: Total Solar Eclipse 07:31 AM UT, 4th December 2002

The eclipsed q at 12º c is A “ at 17º c, F y at 18º g and G o at 9º

b.

Between this eclipse and the next there were five major quakes with a

magnitude 6.0 or greater on the Richer Scale: These were:

T

Girard: Solar Eclipses & Major Earthquakes in 2003

60

Date

2003

Time

(UT)

Region Magnitude

20th Jan 08:43 Solomon Islands 7.3

22nd

Jan 02:27 Off Colima, Mexico 7.6

24th Feb 02:03 Southern Xinjiang, China 6.6

17th

Mar 16:36 Rat Islands in the Aleutions 7.0

1st May 00:27 Bingol, Turkey 6.4

At the first two of these quakes, in the Solomon Islands and offshore

from Colima, Mexico, the transiting q was again aspecting o, this time

by conjunction.

The February earthquake in China, which resulted in 266 deaths, oc-

curred with the transit w back to within 1º of its December 2002 eclipse

position. From there it was aspecting y, o and “.

The quake in the Aleutions on 17th March 2003 had the transit q D “.

Finally, the May 2003 quake in Eastern Turkey and its 177 deaths co-

incided with a new w that squared both y and o.

Each one of these five major earthquakes clearly related back to the

December 2002 solar eclipse.

Figure 2: Annular Solar Eclipse 4:20 AM UT, 31st May 2003

The May 2003 eclipse at 9º d was S “ at 19º c, D i at 3º n, F o at

13º b and G y at 13º g.

Eleven major earthquakes, each of which is associated with this annu-

Considerations XIX: 2

61

lar eclipse, occurred in the following six-month period. They began ten

days before the May eclipse 2003, when the transit q came to A l.

Date

2003

Time

(UT)

Region Magnitude

21st May 18:44 Northern Algeria 6.8

26th May 09:25 Off east coast of Honshu, Japan 7.0

26th May 19:23 Halmahera, Indonesia 7.0

20th June 06:19 Amazonas, Brazil 7.1

15th July 20:28 Indian Ocean (Carlsberg Ridge) 7.6

4th Aug 04:37 Scotia Sea 7.5

21st Aug 12:12 New Zealand (South Island) 7.2

25th Sep 19:50 Hokkaido, Japan 8.3

27th Sep 11:33 SW Siberia, Russia 7.3

31st Oct 01:06 Off east coast of Honshu, Japan 7.3

17th Nov 6:43 Rat Islands, Aleutians 7.8

The Algiers’ quake on 21st May, which caused 2,266 deaths, occurred

just after the q had passed over the l, exactly at the time the mean l

was setting at the quake’s location. q D i.

The two quakes five days later on 26th May, again prior to the eclipse,

coincided with the same nodal phenomena: l A ASC for the Japanese

quake, l S ASC for the Indonesian one.

The 20th June quake in the Amazon occurred as the transit q came to

F i and X o.

The 15th July quake in the Indian Ocean in the Carlsberg Ridge did

not have any appropriate aspects by the transit q; but transit w was as-

pecting the four planets that had been aspected by the eclipsed q: w A o,

S y, G “ and widely A i.

The 4th August quake in the Scotia Sea had the transit q exactly op-

posing o, and also A y and F i.

The 21st August quake on the South Island of New Zealand occurred

as transit q was exactly A y and S i.

The largest quake of 2003 occurred on 25th September in the Hok-

kaido region of Japan. At that time both the transiting q and the transit-

ing w, from different signs, were aspecting i (itself A t). 78 minutes

later there was another large quake at the same location, measuring 7.4.

The quake two days later, on 27th September, in south-west Siberia

occurred as transit q was F o.

When the transit q moved on to D o, there was the 31st October

earthquake off the east coast of Honshu, Japan.

Finally, on 17th November, as the transit q approached its next

eclipse, it was A L and D i, , there was the quake in the Aleutians.

Of the eleven quakes that can be associated with the 31st May 2003

annular solar eclipse, nine coincided with the transit q closely aspecting

Girard: Solar Eclipses & Major Earthquakes in 2003

62

a planet it had aspected at its eclipse. Six of these had it aspecting i,

four time it aspected o, twice y and once “.

i appears to have the role of transmitter of waves. By analogy it is

the planet that causes the rupture we observe in the earth as the time of

these quakes.

The 4th December 2002 eclipse did not aspect i. That eclipse can be

associated with five major earthquakes.

By contrast, the 31st May 2003 eclipse closely aspected i, and it was

followed by eleven major quakes. This suggests that when there is a q-

i aspect at the time of a solar eclipse the following six months will con-

tain an above-average series of major quakes.

The square from the q to i is particularly dangerous. We can fore-

cast major quakes to occur when this is in the sky.

The final eclipse of 2003, the solar eclipse of 23rd

November, is a

good example. The eclipse at 1º 14’ c had only two aspects, D i and the

close opposition to the – (Dark Moon). The q D i is in orb but it is dis-

sociate, from the beginning of a Fire sign to the end of an Air sign. As

Air intensifies Fire, this square was expected to be more violent than

usual.

Figure 3: Total Solar Eclipse 10:59 PM UT, 23rd November 2003;

Teheran, Iran: 35N50, 51E26

– 2º19’ d

The devastating earthquake at Bam in Iran on 26th December 2003,

Considerations XIX: 2

63

which killed some 30-thousand people and destroyed what had been the

world’s largest mud-brick structure, occurred as the transit q was within

orb of G i—the aspect had been within orb for eight days and 26th De-

cember was the last of these eight—and applying to quincunx the mean –

Continuing the aspects of the transit q after the 23rd

November 2003

solar eclipse, it is possible to forecast when future quakes are likely.

21st-22

nd January 2004: q C i and F –, giving the possibility of a ma-

jor quake.

22nd

February-4th March: q A i is within orb from 11

th February to 4

th

March. The maximum effect occurs on 22nd

February when the conjunc-

tion is exact. During this period the – moves from 10º to 13º d and is

within orb of being trined by the transit q between 22nd

February and

11th March.

24th-26

th March: q C i, but this time there is no aspect to the –.

The next solar eclipse occurs on 19th April 2004 at 29º a. There is no

aspect to i and the only aspect to the eclipse is the trine to “. “ is likely

to awaken volcanoes but there is unlikely to be many major earthquakes.

OCALIZATION

There is often a correspondence between the solar eclipse

and/or transits at the time of an earthquake with the chart of the

country concerned. This was so for the Bam earthquake, the

chart of the prior eclipse making several difficult aspects to the chart for

the Republic of Islamic Iran.

When the Islamic Republic was proclaimed in a radio broadcast by

Ayatollah Khomeini1 the – was at the g Ascendant, trine to the q (see

Figure 4). i in x in the 4th house indicates that Iran is on an active fault

and subject to sudden and unexpected seismic activity.

Throughout December 2003 the L transited within orbs of Iran’s natal

i, awakening seismic activity. On 26th December, the day of the earth-

quake (see Figure 5), the transit – was conjunct Iran’s natal w2, which is

at the midpoint of the tight natal T-cross involving the w’s squares to the

r-u opposition—natal w signifies the people; r S u points to the chilly,

joyless existence they appear to have in this strictly fundamentalist reli-

gious country (q in 9th in a, S “).

The 8th house of the natal chart of the Republic of Islamic Iran con-

tains the triple conjunction of L A t A e in n. e was closely squaring t

on 26th December, and their dispositor, o, natally at 20º28’ c was being

transited by “. This is an indicator of death and destruction.

1 Nicholas Campion, The Book of World Horoscopes. Cinnabar Books, 1995. 2 The writer associates – A w in the 8th house of France’s 2003 solar return with

the many deaths in that country from last August’s murderous heat.

L

Girard: Solar Eclipses & Major Earthquakes in 2003

64

Figure 4: Republic of Islamic Iran 11:30 AM UT, 1st April 1979;

Teheran: 35N40, 51E26

Figure 5: Bam Earthquake 1:56 AM UT, 26th December 2003;

Bam, Iran: 29N05, 58E22

Considerations XIX: 2

65

The solar eclipse of 23rd

November 2003 has t S y, from 17º 38’ n

to 16º 21’ h, exactly on the axis of Iran’s natal nodes, 16º 26’ h-n. t

closely squares e at 17º 28’ c, forming a T-cross with y in the 12th

house. The placement of the eclipse, close to the 3rd

house cusp, signi-

fies the importance of communication and movement during the period.

The earthquake occurred when transiting t arrived at the eclipse’s

Descendant and at the same time transiting q and e came to the eclipse’s

IC. In the chart for the earthquake itself, at Bam, t is conjunct the IC

and “ conjuncts the Ascendant; transit u is squaring Iran’s natal q; the

transit – is conjunct Iran’s natal w; and the transiting ls square Iran’s

natal –.

OW FOR a finding that is contrary to everything we have been

told about how long the affects of an eclipse will last.

The city of Bam was directly overshadowed by the total path

of the umbra as the great solar eclipse of 11th August 1999

passed immediately overhead. The eclipse began at Bam at 10:57:13 and

lasted until 13:18:49 (times in 24-hour UT), a period of 2 hours 21 min-

utes 36 seconds.

Figure 6: August 1999 Solar Eclipse 11:09 AM GMT, 11th August 1999

Bam, Iran: 29N05, 58E22 (epicenter of seismic event)

N

Girard: Solar Eclipses & Major Earthquakes in 2003

66

Ptolemy and other authorities tell us that the affect of an eclipse lasts

as long in years as it was experienced in hours. By this criteria the af-

fects of the August 1999 eclipse should have continued for 2 years 4

months 10 days, namely until 21st December 2001.

The interval between the solar eclipse of 11th August 1999 and the

massive earthquake at Bam on 26th December 2003 is 4 years 4 months

15 days. How then can it be suggested that these two events, the eclipse

and the four-year later quake, can have anything in common?

Examine Figure 6, the horoscope of the August 1999 eclipse when

experienced at Bam. Compare it to Figure 5, the chart of the Bam quake.

First consider the two Ascendants: 22º 01’ c (1999 eclipse) and 18º

52’ c (2003 earthquake), midway between them is the position of “ at

the time of the quake: 20º 17’ c.

Then note how each component of the August 1999 Grand Cross of

q S i square t S u was stimulated in the sky on 26th December 2003.

Solar Eclipse,

11th August 1999

Bam earthquake

26th December 2003 q S i q G i q D t q D t q D u q S u t S u t D u

Finally, at the time of the Bam earthquake t was at 5º 36’ a, which

is just 3 arc minutes away—that is, no different—from the IC at the 11th

August 1999 solar eclipse at this same location.

It is really not necessary to mention that the quake’s ls closely square

18º g, the eclipse point in August 1999, or that the quake’s – opposes its

own August 1999 position (where it was A “), or that the quake’s q A o

is on the August 1999’s L.

There is a distinct connection between this Bam earthquake and the

solar eclipse of four years ago.

Yes, there is a strong tie between this earthquake and the solar eclipse

that occurred a month before it on 23rd

November 2003, but that connec-

tion is much weaker than the one between the quake and the great eclipse

of August 1999.

This evidence clearly violates the classical rule about how long the af-

fects of an eclipse last into the future. It argues for an extensive reevalu-

ation of all astrological criteria concerning eclipse-related predictions

that have been handed down to us.

67

Earthquake Alert

for San Francisco1

JONATHAN PEARL

CIENTISTS OF GEOLOGY say the Bay Area is due for a big

earthquake sometime in the next thirty years. Astrology can

help determine periods of higher risk. Based on numerous

signs all outlined below, I think this is one of those times. Any-

time April or early May 2004 is possible, but the period of highest likeli-

hood is 18th-27

th April, and my best guess is 23

rd April. Predicting earth-

quakes is tricky, and I do not have extensive experience or the time to

research hundreds of earthquake sequences and charts. So I would hap-

pily be wrong. But the evidence for an earthquake here is compelling

enough to warrant precaution - this is the main point. To follow is a de-

tailed analysis using traditional mundane astrological methods that in-

corporates use of the modern planets.

Figure 1: The Primary Alert: the 2004 a Ingress 10:48:36 PM PST, 19th March 2004; San Francisco: 37N48, 122W33

1 Received 5th April 2004. Coincidently, in the January 2004 issue of The As-

trological Magazine (Bangalore, India) the editor Gayatri Devi Vasudev predicts

a major quake in California between 18th and 26th May 2004—Editor

S

Pearl: Earthquake Alert for San Francisco

68

To anyone familiar with basic meanings of astrology, the 2004 a

Ingress cast for San Francisco surely suggests an earthquake:

• i is conjunct the IC, and widely S y. It is a warning bell already

to have i on the IC.

• “ is at the 2nd

house cusp. It is likely that an earthquake will

cause more economic damage than loss of life, so this is appro-

priate. Were “conjunct the 8th house cusp I'd more concerned

about a terrorist attack. San Francisco has been in an economic

malaise since the dot-com bust. But something is drastic here; “

is not just more of the same weakness.

• u in f in the 8th.

. u in detriment in the 8th house is never good.

• In addition, note the w. The w rules the public, and we have a

very weak dark of the w in n in the 4th. In a return chart, this

would show unhappiness with home, loss and change of resi-

dence. This is added testimony: after a quake people would be

freaked out or suffer economically and move away from San

Francisco.

Transits to the a Ingress chart:

• i transits the IC in late April. From 21st to 26

th April it is within

10 arc minutes of the 4th cusp. On the 24

th April it is exactly

there.

• t applying to D i. In the Ingress t is conjunct Alcyone in the

Pleiades. Though descriptions for the fixed stars vary, a malefic

setting in the Pleiades bodes ill. Robson writes (referring to natal

charts) of the constellation with t: "Many accidents to the head,

loss and suffering through fires." In addition, t will D i Uranus

in 5º. Viewing this chart as a horary, we could give days, weeks

or months. It is an angular house, yet t is in the fixed sign s. If

we gave weeks, it would point to a danger day of 23rd

April, ex-

actly five weeks from the Ingress.

As much as this chart suggests an earthquake, this is just the first step.

We would need to see many signs before stating such a danger. Let's

look at eclipse charts.

The partial solar eclipse of 19th April 2004 occurs close to the Ascen-

dant in San Francisco. The q and w at 29º a also hits the i A “ at 29º a

in the California acceptance into the Union chart2. Something major is

happening in California and with the eclipse so close to San Francisco’s

Ascendant signs are pointing here. This eclipse also strongly hits the

chart of the first city charter of San Francisco.

2 Noon EST, 9th September 1850 according to Carolyn Dodson, Horoscopes of

the US States and Cities.

Considerations XIX: 2

69

Figure 2: Solar Eclipse 5:21:10 AM PST, 19th April 2004

San Francisco, California

Figure 3: San Francisco: First City Charter 8:28 AM PST, 15th April 1850

Pearl: Earthquake Alert for San Francisco

70

t in the 19th April 2004 eclipse is at 18º41’ d, and the Ascendant for

the San Francisco founding chart is 18º09’ d (see Figure 3). If this is not

enough, the San Francisco foundation chart also has “ at 28º17’ a, just

1º away from the this eclipse degree. Since the eclipse degree is at the

Ascendant at San Francisco, the Arabic Part of Durability, otherwise

known as 'glory and constancy' and also 'merchandise' (ASC + ^ - Part

of Spirit) is hit. In addition, the Part of Commerce (ASC + e - q) is A e,

itself retrograding at 25º a, showing disruption and delays in business.

Figure 4: Total Solar Total Eclipse 2:58:56 PM PST, 23rd November 2003

San Francisco

Let's back up. The 23rd

November 2003 total solar eclipse, visible for

about two hours and thus in effect for roughly two years, took place at 1º

c. For San Francisco, this occurred in the 8th house. u is retrograde at

12º29’ f, slowing moving towards the IC at 13º31’ f. The q and w are

conjunct the Arabic Part of the Father, otherwise known as the “father,

fate and karma” and also “fatality” which is the first part of the 4th

house3. So the eclipse is happening in the 8

th house, and the 4

th house is

implicated by the conjunction of the Arabic Part.

There is enough from these two eclipses to concern us.

3 Guido Bonatti, On the Arabic Parts, tr. Robert Zoller

Considerations XIX: 2

71

AST EARTHQUAKES

There have been many, many earthquakes in California but

there are two that stand out in memory. If we are due for a no-

table earthquake in San Francisco, these charts would show

resonance.

Figure 5: 1906 San Francisco Earthquake 5:12 AM PST, 18th April 1906

The “Great San Francisco earthquake” of 1906 measured 8.25 on the

Richter scale. It coincided with a major opposition of i in ¦ to o in f

at the meridian. Their degree area, 8º f/¦, is in fact the most common

degree area in earthquakes in California on record. With u at 7º56’ f at

the 19th April 2004 eclipse, this degree area will be strongly activated.

For those who like secondary progressions, we are seeing signs here

too. Progressing the 1906 earthquake chart to 19th April 2004, we have t

at 28º 41’ f conjunct the ASC at 28º 02’ f. More interesting is a tight

yod: o at 10º 57’ f, r at 11º 03’ h, making the apex point the L at 11º

43’ b. Yes, r is a benefic, but she is at her worst in h. I take this to be

another sign of the primarily economic losses of the quake: r in her Fall

in an Earth sign means diminishment of value of resources. Ditto for the

L at the apex, since the L indicates material loss. This progression

wouldn't be in itself enough, but 2004 is the year of the formation of the

yod, and this adds additional testimony.

P

Pearl: Earthquake Alert for San Francisco

72

Figure 6: 1989 San Francsico Earthquake 5:05 PM PST, 17th October 1989

The 1989 quake (7.1 on the Richter Scale) had u at 8º23’ ¦ A o at

9º48’ ¦, both S y at 10º41’ f. Again the 7-10º f-¦ opposition was set

off.

Progressions from this quake are ominous too. Progressed to 19th

April 2004, u has moved to 9º22’ ¦, o to 10º04’ ¦, conjunct the Mid-

heaven at 10º01’ ¦. y is retrograding at 10º51’ f, close to the IC. While

these oppositions are close to the MC-IC for a few years, 2004 has the

tightest configuration.

If the city suffers economic devastation during Mayor Gavin New-

som's term it should show in Figure 7, his inauguration chart.

We know this chart is 'hot' and active because e is conjunct the Part of

Marriage within 1º, and r is opposite the Part of Sudden Advancement

also within 1º. For those of you who do not live in San Francisco, have

no TV and do not read American newspapers, Newsom has made na-

tionwide headlines by allowing gay marriages.

The IC of the inauguration chart is at 14º06’ f, strikingly conjunct to

t in the San Francisco city charter chart at 14º22’ f. Where is the vio-

lence of t during his term? The home and lands: the 4th house. In the

inauguration chart u is difficult, retrograding at 9º07’ f, within range of

the IC. u itself is conjunct the Arabic Part of Violence. Because u was

retrograding at the time of inauguration, Newsom's term as Mayor faces

a “u return” in early May. Though the marriage issue has made head-

Considerations XIX: 2

73

lines, Newsom has said his primary task is "jobs, jobs, jobs" and he will

certainly be facing Saturnian obstacles in this pursuit if the city suffers a

major quake.

Figure 7: Mayor Gavin Newsom’s Inauguration 12 PM PST, 8th January 2004

San Francisco

There are also signs of severe economic woes in this chart. The first

aspect the w makes, always important because the w shows the movement

of light and energy in the sequence of events, is a square to the part of

fortune in x. The w does not like x and this signals financial struggle.

Finally, since Gavin is our 'king' we also examine the 11th house, the re-

sources of the king. o is on the cusp. All are weak.

More considerations: antiscion of o falls on the L, showing major dis-

solution and loss. The antiscion of u is smack on “—devastation.

We can again raise the question: earthquake or terrorism? Well, the

charts do indicate loss, but more financial than death. If terrorists were

involved we'd see more connections to the 8th and 12

th houses. Instead we

see afflictions to the 4th house and to the theme of resources, so earth-

quake remains the logical conclusion.

PCOMING TRANSITS

In addition to everything above, we'd expect to see transits

ominously setting off these themes and degree points. We can

note that u at the 19th April eclipse is at 7º 56’ f, ticking off

the o of the 1906 quake at 7º 51’ f. We can also take note of a wide y S

U

Pearl: Earthquake Alert for San Francisco

74

i. From April to mid June, they are within 5º of opposition. From 26th

April to 28th May they are within 3º. Because y stations direct at 8º 55’

h, this opposition though never exact is in effect much longer than usual.

The Ascendant of the San Francisco city chart is at 18º 09’ d. t hits

this point on 18th April as it applies to an opposition with “ at 22º c.

Looking to the w for timing, the dark of the w in a occurs on 18th

April, the same day that t is conjunct the San Francisco Ascendant. I

think this is the earliest possibility. Otherwise the w conjuncts t on 23rd

April as t comes within 1º of the “ opposition. On that same day the q

is rising conjunct the fixed star Sheratan. Robson writes of this star: "Of

the nature of Mars and Saturn. It causes bodily injuries, unscrupulous

defeat, destruction by fire, war or earthquake." There are not too many

stars Robson associates with earthquakes. Also of note on this day: t is

partile A u by antiscia.

Later possible days are 27th April with the w D q and q A Hamal, a

star of violence.

Perhaps the full w in x of 4th May with y direct is also a chance.

Given all these considerations, though, the most likely date is 23rd

April. The quake should be large enough to be noticeable and cause eco-

nomic damage, but without the direct oppositions as in earlier quakes it

will not be as devastating as those in 1906 or 1989.

With all this evidence, it would be foolish to think that there is not at

least a possibility of an earthquake in April. Mundane astrology is like

watching dominos. One domino falling is no big deal. But when a row of

them all fall in the same direction and point towards the same conclusion

at the same time, it is worth taking note. I cannot claim to have sufficient

experience to predict with 100% confidence, but as a resident of this

wonderful city I see enough signs to prepare for the possibility of an

earthquake. It is easy enough to get bottled water, canned food, batteries,

candles and whatever else you want for urban camping. Thankfully we

live in a part of the world where even a large earthquake will cause few

fatalities. If you drive every day over the East Bay Bridge and can take

Bart that week in April it might be worth doing so. Also animals can

sense earthquakes so if your cat unexpectedly refuses to eat, or your dog

starts going nuts, these would be additional signs. Many people with sen-

sitive intuitions will also feel this coming on if it is indeed happening.

Hopefully I will be wrong, but the odds are significant. Why take

chances?

Last comments: surely the right wing dogmatists in this country will

see an earthquake as a sign from God that gay marriages should be

stopped. Seeing the love beaming from faces in the paper, now squelched

by the courts, I can only say that perhaps the earthquake will be the

worse for having these marriages stopped. Positive energy is

the always the antidote to difficulty; negativity and the denial

of loving unions does not help.

75

Birth Time Validation

NICHOLAS D. SUTHERLAND

IRTH TIME validation is a must for each and every birth. This

point was brought home to me again with the recent birth of my

grandson. I keep my wristwatch set to the Atomic Clock time.

When I entered the delivery room, I noticed the wall clock was

over two minutes fast. The delivery room nurse told me not to worry,

because they use the computer time. So I checked the computer time and

it was more than seven minutes fast. Unfortunately, the doctor decided it

was going to be a difficult delivery and asked everyone except the hus-

band to leave. As a result, my grandson's official time of birth is 12:49.

Not too many astrologers would question this time since it doesn't end

in 0 or 5; but is it accurate? The George H. Bailey method pinpoints the

time of birth at 12:47:13 PM CDT.

As Ken Gillman pointed out in Considerations,1 the George H. Bai-

ley method seems to provide the most accurate validation of a correct

birth time for the physical birth. Bailey postulated a polar prenatalistic

system as opposed to the earlier epoch w A Ascendant or Descendant

system.

We are indebted to Dr. Margaret Millard for providing three exam-

ples of family births that were accurately observed, timed, and recorded

to the second at all three stages: extrusion, first breath, and cord cutting.

There are two simple rules to observe. The RA of the Epoch w must

equal the natal RAMC when calculated with latitude. And the natal

RAMC should be in a 4th

harmonic relationship to the epoch RAMC;

i.e. +0, +90, +180, or +270 degrees.

In addition, I have observed that there are at least three distinct types

of contacts. For convenience I refer to them as Type I, Type II and Type

III, as follows:

Type I: The birth and epoch Midheavens, Sidereal Times and East

Points match.

Type II: The birth and epoch Midheavens and East Points are oppo-

site and the Sidereal Times are 12 hours different.

Type III: The birth Midheaven is opposite the epoch East Point and

the birth East Point is the same as the epoch Midheaven. The Sidereal

Times differ by six hours.

The first example is Dr. Millard’s grandson, Cameron. The time of

his first breath was recorded at 8:17:32 PM EST. The George H. Bai-

1 See Considerations IX:2, pp. 3-5. Reprinted in this issue.

B

Sutherland: Birth Time Rectification

76

ley method corrects it to 8:17:35 PM EST, which is three seconds later.

Table 1:

Cameron

Recorded

birth time

Corrected by

Bailey method

Pre-natal

Epoch

Date 5th September 1982 5th September 1982 7th December 1981

Time 8:17:32 PM EST 8:17:35 PM EST 2:10:58 PM EST

Place 44N53 68W40 44N53 68W40 44N53 68W40

MC 24º ¦ 23º 41’ ¦ 23º 41’ ¦

ST 19:42:08 19:42:11 19:42:11

RAMC 295º 32’ 295º 33’ 295º 33’

+90º -90º +90º -90º + & -

90º 25º 32’ 205º 32’ 25º 33’ 205º 33’

w RA = 25º 33’

EP 27º 30’ a 27º 31’ a 27º 31’ a

This is a Type 1 match.

The second example is Dr Millard’s granddaughter, Erzebet.

The time of her first breath was recorded as 9:12:50 AM EST. The

George H. Bailey method validates it precisely as 9:12:50 AM

EST, confirming the recorded time to the second.

Table 2:

Erzebet

Recorded

birth time

Corrected by

Bailey method

Pre-natal

Epoch

Date 29th January 1995 29th January 1995 6th May 1994

Time 9:12:50 AM EST 9:12:50 AM EST 2:48:32 PM EST

Place 44N35 69W38 44N35 69W38 44N35 69W38

MC 1º 46’ ¦ 1º 46’ ¦ 1º 46’ f

ST 18:07:44 18:07:44 6:07:44

RAMC 271º 56’ 271º 56’ 91º 56’

+90º -90º -90º -90º + & -

90º 1º 56’ 1º 56’ 181º 56’ 205º 33’

w RA = 1º 56’

EP 2º 06’ a 2º 06’ a 2º 06’ z

This is a Type II match.

The third example is Dr Millard’s granddaughter, Maria. It is cor-

rected to 11:57:49 AM EDT, which is 17 seconds earlier than the re-

corded time. Here the birth was recorded to have occurred at 11:58:06,

the first cry at 11:58:25, and the cord cut at 11:59:26.

Table 3:

Maria

Recorded

birth time

Corrected by

Bailey method

Pre-natal

Epoch

Date 21st September 1984 21st September 1984 1st January 1984

Time 11:58:06 AM EDT 11:57:49 AM EDT 10:18:46 AM EST

Place 44N35 68W40 44N35 68W40 44N35 69W38

MC 20º 49’ h 20º 45’ h 22º 11’ c

ST 11:26:17 11:26:00 17:26:00

RAMC 171º 34’ 171º 30’ 261º 30’

+90º -90º +90º -90º + & -

90º 261º 34’ 81º 34’ 261º 30’ 81º 30’

w RA = 261º 30’

EP 22º 15’ c 22º 11’ c 20º 45’ n

Table 3 illustrates a Type III match.

Considerations XIX: 2

77

As a further example of the accuracy of this method, I did five indi-

viduals (John Barrymore Jr., Mia Farrow, Natalie Cole, Ryan O’Neal

and Liza Minelli) with regular hospital birth-certificate times. I se-

lected them from a group whose birth times appeared to be accurate

to the minute, i.e., they did not end in 0 or 5. In addition, I picked

them all from the same city, Los Angeles. They cover a broad span of

years from 1932 to 1950. All have an accuracy of less than a minute.

Table 4:

John

Barry-

more Jr.

Recorded

birth

time

Corrected by

Bailey

method

Associated

Pre-natal

Epoch

Date 4th June 1932 4th June 1932 2nd September 1931

Time 3:52 PM PST 3:51:49 PM PST 9:58:58 PM PST

Place 34N04 118W15 34N04 118W15 44N35 69W38

MC 10º 30’ g 10º 27’ g 10º 27’ b

ST 8:51:48 8:51:37 20:51:37

RAMC 132º 57’ 132º 54’ 312º 54’

+90º -90º +90º -90º + & -

90º 222º 57’ 42º 57’ 222º 54’ 42º 57’

w RA = 42º 54’

EP 15º 25’ x 15º 22’ x 15º 22’ s

For John Barrymore Jr. the difference is 11 seconds before the re-

corded time. This is a Type II match.

Table 5:

Mia

Farrow

Recorded

birth

time

Corrected by

Bailey

method

Associated

Pre-natal

Epoch

Date 9th February 1945 9th February 1945 20th May 1944

Time 11:27 AM PST 11:26:51 AM PST 4:50:45 PM PST

Place 34N53 118W15 34N53 118W15 44N35 69W38

MC 10º 34’ b 10º 32’ b 10º 32’ g

ST 20:52:05 20:51:56 8:51:56

RAMC 313º 01’ 312º 59’ 132º 59’

+90º -90º +90º -90º + & -

90º 43º 01’ 223º 01’ 42º 59’ 222º 59’

w RA = 42º 59’

EP 15º 29’ s 15º 27’ s 15º 27’ x

For Mia Farrow the difference is 9 seconds before the recorded

time. This is also a Type II match.

Sutherland: Birth Time Rectification

78

Table 6:

Natalie

Cole

Recorded

birth

time

Corrected by

Bailey

method

Associated

Pre-natal

Epoch

Date 6th February 1950 6th February 1950 18th May 1949

Time 6:07 PM PST 6:07:46 PM PST 11:29:42 AM PST

Place 34N04 118W15 34N04 118W15 44N35 69W38

MC 22º 32’ s 22º 44’ s 22º 44’ s

ST 3:20:32 3:21:18 3:21:18

RAMC 50º 08’ 50º 20’ 50º 20’

+90º -90º +90º -90º + & -

90º 140º 08’ 320º 08’ 140º 20’ 320º 20’

w RA = 320º 20’

EP 17º 41’ g 17º 53’ g 17º 53’ g

For Natalie Cole the difference is 46 seconds after the recorded time.

This is a Type I match.

Table 7:

Ryan

O’Neal

Recorded

birth

time

Corrected by

Bailey

method

Associated

Pre-natal

Epoch

Date 20th April 1941 20th April 1941 31st July 1940

Time 9:34 AM PST 9:34:24 AM PST 2:52:24 AM PST

Place 34N53 118W15 34N53 118W15 44N35 69W38

MC 23º 06’ n 23º 12’ n 23º 12’ n

ST 23:34:38 23:35:02 23:35:02

RAMC 353º 40’ 353º 46’ 353º 46’

+90º -90º +90º -90º + & -

90º 83º 40’ 263º 40’ 83º 46’ 263º 46’

w RA = 83º 46’

EP 24º 11’ d 24º 16’ d 24º 16’ d

For Ryan O’Neal the difference is 24 seconds after the recorded time.

This is a Type I match.

Table 8:

Liza

Minelli

Recorded

birth

time

Corrected by

Bailey

method

Associated

Pre-natal

Epoch

Date 12th March 1946 12th March 1946 19th June 1945

Time 7:58 AM PST 7:57:47 AM PST 7:26:36 AM PST

Place 34N53 118W15 34N53 118W15 44N35 69W38

MC 19º 21’ ¦ 19º 18’ ¦ 22º 35’ a

ST 19:23:47 19:23:34 1:23:34

RAMC 290º 57’ 290º 53’ 20º 53’

+90º -90º +90º -90º + & -

90º 20º 57’ 200º 57’ 20º 57’ 200º 57’

w RA = 200º 53’

EP 22º 39’ a 22º 35’ a 19º 18’ ¦

For Liza Minelli the difference 13 seconds before recorded time.

This is a Type III match, i.e., natal Midheaven is opposite epoch East

Point, and the natal East Point is the same as the epoch Midheaven.

Considerations XIX: 2

79

My next area of research was the validation of rectified birth times,

either given within a certain time span, or completely unknown. I

have three charts (Edmund Hillary, Ian ? and Nelson Mandela) that

were rectified by master astrologer Noel Tyl to the nearest minute.

Obviously, the rectified chart must be shown to work correctly over

a broad range of accurate dates (year, month and day).

Table 9:

Edmund

Hillary

Rectified

birth

time

Corrected by

Bailey

method

Associated

Pre-natal

Epoch

Date 20th July 1919 20th July 1919 4th November 1918

Time 12:52 PM OZT

(-11:30)

12:51:57 PM OZT

(-11:30)

5:48:19 PM OZT

(-11:30)

Place 36S52 174E46 36S52 174E46 36S52 174E46

MC 9º 36’ g 9º 35’ g 9º 35’ b

ST 8:48:10 8:48:07 20:48:07

RAMC 132º 02’ 30” 132º 02’ 312º02’

+90º -90º +90º -90º + & -

90º 222º 2.5’ 42º 2.5’ 222º 02’ 42º 02’

w RA = 222º 02’

EP 14º 30’ x 14º 30’ x 14º 30’ s

For Edmund Hillary the difference is 3 seconds earlier than the recti-

fied time. Note that Noel Tyl’s excellent rectification was made from the

date only2.

Table 10:

Ian

Rectified

birth

time

Corrected by

Bailey

method

Associated

Pre-natal

Epoch

Date 8th February 1946 8th February 1946 14th May 1945

Time 3:00 AM NZT

(-12)

2:59:38 AM NZT

(-12)

7:44:13 AM NZT

(-12)

Place 36S52 174E46 36S52 174E46 36S52 174E46

MC 26º 37’ h 26º 31’ h 26º 31’ n

ST 11:47:35 11:47:13 23:47:13

RAMC 176º 54’ 176º 48’ 15” 356º 48’ 15”

+90º -90º +90º -90º + & -

90º 266º 54’ 86º 54’ 266º 48’ 86º 48’

w RA = 266º 48’

EP 27º 09’ c 27º 04’ c 14º 30’ s

For Ian the difference is 22 seconds before Tyl’s rectified time. This

is a Type II Match. Note that Noel Tyl’s rectification was from a known

time span of between 3 and 6 AM.3

2 See Noel Tyl, Solar Arcs pp. 298-315. 3 Ibid. p. 318.

Sutherland: Birth Time Rectification

80

Table 11:

Nelson

Mandela

Rectified

birth

time

Corrected by

Bailey

method

Associated

Pre-natal

Epoch

Date 18th July 1918 18th July 1918 1st November 1917

Time 2:45 PM EET 2:44:41 PM EET 1:45:59 PM EET

Place 31S35 28E47 31S35 28E47 31S35 28E47

MC 3º 38’ h 3º 33’ h 7º 17’ c

ST 10:22:11 10:21:52 16:21:52

RAMC 155º 33’ 155º 28’ 245º 28’

+90º -90º +90º -90º + & -

90º 245º 33’ 65º 33’ 245º 28’ 65º 28’

w RA = 65º 28’

EP 7º 21’ c 7º 17’ c 3º 33’ n

For Nelson Mandela the difference is 19 seconds before rectified

time. This is a Type III match. Note that Noel Tyl’s superb rectifica-

tion was from date only, although other times had been proposed by

other astrologers. 4

HE George H. Bailey method is not a

guarantee that a rectification is correct, only that it could be cor-

rect. As other life events unfold, the accuracy of the rectifica-

tion can be further verified.

Ross Harvey, the well-known Australian astrologer, has given us a

few thoughts about rectification:

1. Before attempting to rectify a chart, you must be able to show that

the given time does not work.

2. In a hospital birth, the margin of error in the recorded time should

be limited, i.e. some are rounded to the nearest five minutes. But, in a

modern hospital times are unlikely to be 15 minutes or more off.

3. Any rectified chart should give consistently reliable results using

several different methods of prediction.

4 See Noel Tyl. Astrology Looks At History, p. 18.

T

Considerations XIX: 2

81

Ross's own chart is a case in point. The hospital time is 9:15 AM. Us-

ing a variety of techniques, Ross rectified this to 9:15:45 AM, only 45

seconds later than the hospital time.

Table 12:

Ross

Harvey

Recorded

birth

time

Corrected by

Bailey

method

Associated

Pre-natal

Epoch

Date 11th June 1949 11th June 1949 19th September 1948

Time 9:15 AM AEST 9:16:14 AM AEST 2:59:48 PM AEST

Place 33S50 151E12 33S50 151E12 33S50 151E12

MC 11º 21’ s 11º 40’ s 11º 40’ x

ST 2:35:42 2:36:56 14:36:56

RAMC 38º 55’30” 39º 14’ 39º 14’

+90º -90º +90º -90º + & -

90º 128º 56’ 308º 56’ 129º 14’ 309º 14’

w RA = 309º 14’

EP 6º 32’ g 6º 50’ g 6º 50’ b

For Ross Harvey the Bailey method gives a time of birth that is 1

minute 14 seconds later than hospital time and only 34 seconds later than

Ross's rectification.

Alexander Marr rectified Ross's chart from 9:15 AM AEST to

22h591m48s UT (8:59:48 AM AEST) with a maximum error of +/- 6

seconds (15' of arc) in Right Ascension on the MC using the Topocentric

Domification system. This is 5 minutes 12 seconds before the hospital

time. Ross states that he has not found Topocentric Primary Directions

(TPD) on their own as being sufficiently reliable to be used as the princi-

pal means of rectifying a chart.

Ross reports that he has found appropriate and accurately timed indi-

cations for everything in his life so far (within a few days or no more

than six weeks). The TPD rectification shows several major aspects to

the q and w that were either without any effect at all or mistimed by

many months.

I have looked at other TPD rectifications because they are timed to

the second. So far, none of these exact times has been confirmed by the

George H. Bailey method.

In Margaret Thatcher's case, the recorded time of 09:00 AM GMT

was rectified by Alexander Marr to 8:44:35 UT, which is 15 minutes 25

seconds earlier. The Bailey method gives a time that is much closer to

the recorded time.

Sutherland: Birth Time Rectification

82

Table 12:

Margaret

Thatcher

Recorded

birth

time

Corrected by

Bailey

method

Associated

Pre-natal

Epoch

Date 13th October 1925 13th October 1925 20th January 1925

Time 9:00 AM GMT 9:04:30 AM GMT 8:31:21 PM GMT

Place 52N55 0E39 52N55 0E39 52N55 0E39

MC 3º 51’ h 5º 03’ h 8º 37’ d

ST 10:23:02 10:27:33 4:27:33

RAMC 155º 45’ 30” 156º 53’ 66º 53’

+90º -90º +90º -90º + & -

90º 245º 46’ 65º 46’ 246º 53’ 66º 53’

w RA = 246º 53’

EP 7º 33’ c 8º 37’ c 5º 03’ h

For Margaret Thatcher the Bailey method gave a difference that is 4½

minutes later than the recorded time. This is a Type III match.

We have seen from these twelve examples that the George H. Bailey

method can pinpoint the physical time of birth to the second. Apparently,

the TPD system pinpoints some time other than the exact moment of

physical birth.

Thanks to Margaret Millard5 and Ken Gillman we now have a practi-

cal approach for determining the correct epoch time and birth time as

demonstrated in this article.

Editor: It is easy to become muddled between two past students of the

prenatal epoch: George H. Bailey and E. H. Bailey. The approaches of

these two Baileys were quite different. George H’s methodology is used

by Nick Sutherland in the above article while four methods associated

with E. H. are included in the popular software package Solar Fire,

where they are simply and somewhat misleadingly named the “Bailey

Conception”, “Bailey Quickening”, “Bailey Birth (C)” and “Bailey

Birth (Q)” methods. Solar Fire does provide complete details of their

calculation in its explanatory book.

We are of course always delighted to sell you copies of past issues

of Considerations when these are still available. However, to com-

plete Nick Sutherland’s very thorough research, we include here re-

prints of the original articles he references.

5 Margaret Millard, “The Moon & Childbirth” in Considerations, IX: 3. pp. 73-

77. Reprinted in this issue.

83

The Moon & Childbirth1

MARGARET MILLARD

HAVE two cases where the birth was timed to seconds with a

watch set to the correct time. One was my grandson. Because

this discovery by George H. Bailey is one the few things that

really work in astrology, I will describe the method so that

you know how to apply it.

Finding the correct latitude and longitude is important. Ninety miles

north or south is 1º of latitude. However, as the earth is not a sphere but

bulges at the equator, the miles of longitude vary according to the dis-

tance north or south of the equator. In the United Kingdom, at 50° North,

the difference of time due to latitude is 5.4" per mile east or west (see the

following table). If a mile or so east or west of the town's post office

makes a difference of six seconds of time, one cannot expect absolute

agreement between the epoch w and the natal Midheaven, unless one has

consulted an ordinance survey map with the birth place pinpointed. The

Midheaven will not be correct if the longitude is not exact and the side-

real times (or RAMCs) will not match exactly.

To estimate change by the distance & direction

a location is from a known position

Longitude change Latitude change

Miles East or West Miles North or South

Latitude

in

degrees

10 20 30 10 20 30

0 0’ 35” 1’ 44” 2’ 53” 0º 09’ 0º 26’ 0º 44’

15 0’ 36” 1’ 48” 3’ 00” 0º 09’ 0º 26’ 0º 44’

30 0’ 40” 2’ 00” 3’ 20” 0º 09’ 0º 26’ 0º 44’

45 0’ 49” 2’ 27” 4’ 05” 0º 09’ 0º 26’ 0º 43’

60 1’ 11” 3’ 34” 5’ 56” 0º 09’ 0º 26’ 0º 43’

When I calculated my grandson's birth time according to the Bai-

ley Epoch method, it was four seconds from my observed time of his

first breath after birth.

I do not know how far away the post office was, and did not allow for

it, but it could have been a mile or so east or west of his birth place.

Here is how the Bailey Epoch is calculated:

Begin with the birth time, the time of first breath. For my

grandson the first breath after birth was recorded at 8:17:32 p.m.

EST in Orono, Maine, 44'53'N and 68°40 W. He took one breath

1 Previously published in Considerations IX: 3July-September 1994, pp. 73-77

I

Millard: The Moon & Childbirth

84

24 seconds before birth—probably the first breath after birth coin-

cided with extrusion.

The Sidereal Time was 19h 42' 08". This gives RAMC 295°32'.

Add and subtract 90°, and the Epoch w must be at RA 25°32' or

205°32'. The Sidereal Time of the Epoch should match that of

birth.

The date should be around nine months before birth and the w in a

or z to correspond to the Epoch w.

At 2h 10' 51" p.m. EST on December 7, the RA w was at 25°33'

and the Sidereal Time was 19h 42' 12".

The Epoch Sidereal Time must match the birth Sidereal Time, which

was 19h 42' 08".

Birth RAMC was 295°32'. Add 4" to the recorded birth time, mak-

ing the RAMC 295°33' and the RA of the Epoch w will be exactly 90°

more. The birth Sidereal Time is then 19h 42' 12".

The Epoch w for an RA of 25°33' has a Sidereal Time of 19h 42'

12".

We have rectified the natal chart from a time of 8h 17' 32" to a time

of 8h 17' 36".

O WHAT is the Prenatal Epoch? It is not the time of impregna-

tion, as I found out. This can be chosen in advance.

It is not good to have the transiting q afflicted by transiting

“, t or u at the time of impregnation. I have charts from the

newborn intensive care unit where I used to work which demonstrate

this.

Is it the time the sperm penetrates the ovum and fuses with it? This is

about twelve hours after impregnation, but can be as much as 72 hours

later. The sperm has to "ripen" before it is ready to break into the ovum.

Is it the time of hatching?

It is not well known that the ovum rests for a time after fertili-

zation. After 24 hours it has only divided once. At 30 hours it has divided

twice, reaching the four-cell stage. At the eight-cell stage it seems to

break out of a kind of shell and begin to divide rapidly. Test-tube

baby clinics have found that for success the ovum must be implanted

into the uterus at the four-cell or eight-cell stage before it hatches.

From the scant data available, it seems that the w in a timed chart

of coition is usually further on in the Zodiac than the degree of the

natal ASC or its opposite position.

Alexander Marr believes that the Epoch is the time of ovulation. If

so, and since it is astrologically valid, are there other charts that are

also astrologically valid, for example, the chart of impregnation?

This is the big question.

I have been studying the Epoch to find the answer to two

questions:

S

Considerations XIX: 2

85

• First, is the chart of impregnation a valid astrological chart,

that is, does it respond to progressions and returns in the same manner

as other valid astrological charts? If it does this is important, since

the time can be chosen. Naturally it must be a time near ovulation.

The cycle can be changed, although it takes time. If a woman sleeps

under the w, ovulation will become a little later each month.

• The second big question is, now we have a method of finding the

Epoch that is only a few seconds from the observed birth time is it the

true astrological chart? In other words, is the actual birth time the astro-

logical time that works? And at the time of the Epoch, what event is hap-

pening to the mother or perhaps to the egg? I still do not know, and con-

clude that very likely there is no event. I believe it is associated with

ovulation. In my own case, where I knew the date of my ovulation, the

Epoch was on the very day.

O ANSWER one of these questions, I took the chart of a well-

known astrologer, one who prided himself on his rec-

tification skills. Indeed, he claimed to have rectified hundreds

of charts. He had his own birth certificate giving the time,

but had rectified his chart to almost four minutes earlier. I was certain

that the Epoch calculated in the Bailey manner would show that his

rectification was correct. Then I would know that this Bailey Epoch

indeed gives a valid astrological chart. But it didn't!

The Bailey Epoch rectified the birth to a time 23 seconds later

than the actual time on his birth certificate.

Could I believe his rectification, or should I believe the rectification

by the George H. Bailey Epoch?

I had one event, the astrologer's death. He died on December 31, 1985

at 8:32 p.m. EST in New York.

One way to test a chart for proof that it is valid is by Topocentric

Primary Directions. For his death there were convincing Primary Direc-

tions for both the Epoch chart and the natal chart rectified by the Epoch.

Aspects to Natal Aspects to Epoch

j c 25º 28’ a

D i 25º 25’ ¦ k p 28º 16’ c

D K 28º 13’ h

q c 25º 19’ f S i 25º 25’ ¦ y c 19º 47’ ¦ S o 19º 44’ f

i c 11º 29’ x S w 11º 29’ s j c 0º 16’ g D u 0º 17’ s ^ c 15º 08’ d C l 15º 04’ s

As you can see, both the converse natal ASC and the converse Epoch

ASC are afflicted: natal converse ASC by the square to natal i with an

orb of 3' arc, and Epoch converse ASC by the square of Epoch u with an

orb of 1' arc. If that's not an onslaught on the body then I don't know

what is.

The w is usually afflicted in death aspects. Here converse i at 11º 29'

x, is opposite natal w exactly.

T

Millard: The Moon & Childbirth

86

So we are no further ahead. The chart rectified by the Epoch is only

23 seconds later than the birth certificate's time and the astrologer's

rectification was four minutes earlier.

NOTHER WAY to validate a chart is to compare it to a parent's

chart; there is always an exact contact, within a minute or so of

arc, between the parent's and child's charts using the methods of

the Topocentric system.

In the case of my grandson Cameron, whose birth I earlier rectified

for you, I have the rectified chart of his father, my son Peter, and also my

own chart. Between Peter's chart and mine the exact contact is that my w

and Peter's y form an exact contact. If four seconds are added to the time

of Cameron's birth, as the Bailey Epoch rectification suggests, lo and

behold! there is also an exact contact between two planets. Again these

are the w and y. Cameron's y holds the same position relative to the me-

ridian and the semiarc as Peter's w.

The contact depends both on the Meridian Distance in RA from the

RAMC or RAIC, and on the planet's semiarc (SA). The formula is

(MD/SA) x 90° of the parent's planet = (MD/SA) x 90° of the child's

planet.

There have been two important events in Cameron's life, the births of

his sister and his brother. The primary directions in his chart for these

two events show that his chart responded to them—his converse for his

sister's birth is F ^, and for his brother's birth the progressed 5th

cusp is

D o and the progressed l is sextile his Ascendant.

To my mind, this is as much proof as one can ever get in astrol-

ogy that this method of rectifying the time of birth gives a chart that is

in every way astrologically valid.

I believe, therefore, that the George H. Bailey Epoch is a valid

chart, which can be progressed, examined for transits, have its solar

returns done, and so on, just as can an ordinary natal chart. In fact many

progressions and transits do not seem to work. Can that be because

both epoch and birth charts must have aspects at the same time?

If we ever reach the point when we can choose to have a child of the

desired sex at the desired time it will be impossible to choose because

there are so many factors to consider. One that is important is the w

phase. The New w at conception is dangerous for the child. One of my

children was conceived at the New w; she was born with a heart dis-

ease and died young. The Full w is also not advantageous. Less ma-

lefic are the squares between the w and the q .

y is always active at the time of conception, and this is to be expected

as y rules expansion. It can have aspects between planets at conception,

and it can aspect the mother's chart by either transit or pro-

gression or in the Solar Return, which I consider is the master

chart of the year.

A

87

An Effective Epoch?1

KEN GILLMAN

ARGARET MILLARD has explained2 the Polar Prenatalistic

system of the English astrologer George H. Bailey. We've

tested it on a dozen or so charts and it looks good; very

good indeed.

Bailey originally described the system in a two-part article pub-

lished in 1954.3 We have these articles but were never before

able to fully understand the rules. Now, aided by Margaret's in-

sights, we can do so.

It appears that Bailey originally set out to define a prenatal epoch

that would work in higher latitudes, where the usual Trutine of

Hermes fails. He then discovered that his method does not identify

the moment of conception but rather the probable time of ovulation. From

her study of an invitro fertilization case, Dr. Millard has come to the

same conclusion.

There are two simple rules:

1. The Right Ascension (RA) of the epoch w (calculated with lati-

tude) will equal the natal RAMC +/- 90°. That is, w RA is A or S the R.A of the natal East Point.

2. Natal RAMC (+ 0°, 90°, 180° or 270°) equals epoch RAMC.

The appropriate geographical coordinates for the mother's location at

the epoch and the birth are used.

Example:

Male born 24 June 1973 at 40N49, 74W13. Father recorded the

time as 19:11 EST. RAMC 202º, MC 24º z.

During the likely period of ovulation/conception the mother was re-

siding at 41N39, 73W57.

Birth RAMC +/- 90º = 112º & 292º.

The w has these RA's (latitude ignored for the moment) when in 20°

f/¦.

1 Previously published in Considerations IX: 2, April-June 1994, pp. 3-5. 2 Reported in The Astrological Journal, November/December 1993, Vol. 35,

No. 6 (pages 361-364). 3 Astrology, Volume 28 Number 4 (pages 142-149), and Volume 29 Number 1

(pages 6-11).

M

Gillman: An Effective Epoch?

88

Tracking back in the ephemeris 9-10 months before the birth,

the w is found in these places on 3rd

September, 17th

September, 30th

September, and 15th October 1972.

B1ueStar's Rectification Assist program was then used to find each

time and the corresponding MC:

Date

in 1972

Time

(EST)

w MC

3rd

Sept 8:09 AM 20º f 15º f

17th Sept 7:11 PM 20º ¦ 15º ¦

30th Sept 1:32 PM 20º f 6º x

15th Oct 3:30 AM 20º 6 19º d

Each MC can be adjusted to square or conjunct 24° z, the recorded

natal MC. We could calculate the epoch and associated birth time for

each of these dates and then decide the most appropriate by its

closeness to the recorded time of birth and/or its effectiveness when

progressed to major events in the life. However, we may save time if

we know whether the period of gestation was normal or not.

When estimating the likely date of birth from the known onset of

the mother-to-be's last menstrual period, a pediatrician assumes ovulation

and fertilization were not separated by more than 12 hours, and that

ovulation occurred 14 days after the onset of the last menstruation. The

pediatrician counts back 3 months from the first day of that last menstrual

period and then adds another 7 days to arrive at an estimate of the

date of delivery. 25% of babies are born within four days before or after

this estimated date; 50% within seven days; 95% within 14 days.

Average period

of gestation

from ovulation

or fertilization

from last

menstruation

Days 266 280

Weeks 38 40

Calendar months 8¾ 9¼

Lunar months 9½ 10

There are, as a rule, 266-270 days between ovulation and child-

birth, with extremes of 250 and 285 days.

To find the likely conception/ovulation date from the day of birth,

we can reverse the physician's calculation to find the onset of the last

menstrual period, and then add 14 days to arrive at the likely date of

ovulation and the earliest probable date of conception.

This amounts to adding 3 months 7 days to the birth date and then

subtracting a year.

For our example: Birth was on June 24, 1973. The birth was nei-

ther premature nor unduly late. We add 3 months to obtain September

24, 1973. Add 7 days we get October 1, 1973. And finally we subtract

Considerations XIX: 2

89

a year to arrive at October 1, 1972 as the expected epoch date.

This is the day following the third of the four dates on which the

transit w is in the position George Bailey's epoch requires it to be.

We will use that date here.

30th September 1972

Epoch

24th June 1973

Birth

Time RAMC w RA Time RAMC RAMC - 90º

12:00 190º 35’ 110º 45’ 19:00 198º 46’ 108º 46’

14:00 220º 40’ 111º 57’ 21:00 228º 51’ 138º 51’

2:00 30º 05’ 1º 12’ 2:00 30º 05” 30º 05”

The two RAMC's are to be conjunct in the 4th harmonic, and the RA

of epoch w must be conjunct (or opposite) the RA of the natal East

Point.

A simple way to proceed is to find when the RA of epoch w is conjunct

(in 4th harmonic) the epoch RAMC, and then match this epoch

RAMC with the birth RAMC.

1. Find the proportion separating RA of epoch w from its square to

epoch RAMC:

(200°45' - 190°35') ÷ (30° 05' - 1º 12’) = 0.351991º

then epoch w RA = 110°45' + (0.351991 * 1º 12') = 111º10'

and epoch RAMC = 190°35' + (0.351991 * 30°05') = 201 °10'

Epoch = 12:00 + (0.351991 * 2) = 12:42:14 EST, 30th September 1972;

at 41N39, 73W57

2. Match the natal and epoch RAMCs to find time of birth:

Epoch RAMC = 201º 10'

Natal RAMC will make the required aspect when it is also 201º10'.

Time of birth: 19:00 + [(201º 10' - 198º 46') * 2 ÷ 30° 05']

= 19:09:34 EST, 24 June 1973

Checking our calculations for this time, we get: RAMC = 201º10’, as

required.

We then have:

Birth estimate: 19:09:34 EST, 24th June 1973; 40N49, 74W13.

RAMC = 201º 10';

East Point RA = 291º 10' (19°¦33'48")

Gillman: An Effective Epoch?

90

Epoch estimate: 12:42:14 EST, 30th September 1972

(midday on a Saturday!); 41N29, 73W57.

RAMC = 201'10',

RA w = 111° 10',

East Point = 19°¦33'48"

which fulfill Bailey's requirements.

In this instance, birth and epoch charts share an identical Midheaven,

22º53’ z. The Ascendants (28º 37’c for the epoch, 29º15’c for the birth)

differ however as the location changed between epoch and birth.

The suggested birth time is one minute and 26 seconds earlier than

the time recorded by the father.

The epoch found by the standard Trutine of Hermes method was at

17:46:30 EST on 16th September 1972.

From the obstetric history, this 16 September date seems very close to

the onset of the last menstrual period prior to ovulation. It is an unlikely

date for conception, given the date of birth and knowing the baby was

carried for a "normal term."

The two epochs do not point to the same time of birth.

From our limited experience with it, the George H. Bailey epoch may

help rectify the time of birth. This is something we know the Hermetic

prenatal epoch fails to do. Indeed, the consensus among astrologers is

that the prenatal epoch (meaning the standard Hermetic one) must be

rejected as a rectification tool. Perhaps use of the George H. Bailey ep-

och will prompt a change of mind.

We plan to continue experimenting with this alternative approach to

the prenatal epoch and urge others to try it.

91

Predicting a Birth1

MARGARET MILLARD, M.D.

HIS IS a follow-up to my earlier article on

the Epoch. I believe the subject is of great

interest.

I think that the cusp of the 11th House

indicates children in a woman’s chart, while

the 5th does so in a man’s. When my daughter Tam

was pregnant r by primary direction was conjunct her 11th cusp, so I pre-

dicted the child would be the girl she wanted. The midwife was sure it

would be a boy because of the heart rate.

Cyril Fagan believed wholeheartedly in the sidereal zodiac, and I was

a siderealist for many years. In an article written in 1957 he said

Wynne’s Key Cycle was useless. Wynne progressed the solar return by

1 minute 5.4 seconds daily, because he took the difference between suc-

cessive returns to be six hours. Fagan pointed out that this difference

between successive returns should actually be almost thirty hours since

the q had really advanced 1 day 6 hours and he used an increment of 5

minutes 1 second per day which he added to the sidereal time of the pro-

gressed sidereal (or precessed) return to find the sidereal time of any date

between it and the next progressed birthday.

I tried a variation of his method (using birthday solar returns instead

of the precessed solar return) to see if I could find the actual date of birth,

and perhaps the actual time, of the birth of my granddaughter. She was

born on 29th January 1995 to my daughter Tamsen. I had the exact birth

time, which was noted by the father, who recorded the exact times of

extrusion, the first breath and the cutting of the umbilical chord. I took

the first breath as the astrological time of birth.

The expectant mother’s precessed solar return prior to the birth of the

child was set up. It was then progressed by the increment of 5 minutes 1

second per day to the known date and time of birth (the birth was a day

before the estimated date of delivery).

The mother’s precessed solar return on 29th April 1994 had an Ascen-

dant of 14° f. At her daughter’s birth nine months later the solar return

w had progressed to 14° ¦, marking the exact day of birth.

1 Previously published in Considerations XII: 1, now out of print.

Millard: Predicting a Birth

92

The progressed return’s Ascendant is 1° f. The baby was born with

1° ¦ on the MC.

My calculation of the Epoch took me to 6th May 1994, which was

thirteen days after the beginning of the last menses. 1° f is the MC at the

Epoch.

So Cyril was right!

As Tam was born in Portland, Maine and her daughter Erzebet in Wa-

terville, the actual degrees of the Waterville and Portland charts for birth

and solar return are not exact but they are within a degree.

Data:

Tamsen, the mother: birth at 09:39:42 AM EST, 29th April 1963 in Port-

land, Maine: 43N39 70W15.

Tamsen’s 1994 SSR: 08:39:20 AM EST, 29th April 1994, Portland.

Her daughter Erzebet born on 29th January 1995 in Waterville, Maine:

44N35 69W38. Extrusion: 09:12:23 AM EST; First breath: 09:12:50;

Cord cut: 09:14:18.

Pre-natal Epoch: 02:48:32 PM EST, 6th May 1994 in Portland.

Calculation of Sidereal Time of Progressed Return:

Birth of Erzebet: 14:12:50 GMT, 29th January 1995

Mother’s prior SSR: 13:39:20 GMT, 29th April 1994

Difference: 275 days 00:33:30 hours,

275 days x 5’01” = 22:59:35

ST of prior SSR: 23:27:28 +

ST of progressed SSR: 22:27:03

93

Books Considered

What Evangeline Adams Knew by Karen Christino

Stella Mira Books, PO Box 3095, Brooklyn Heights, NY 11202 241 pages, 2004. $19.95

OWADAYS, were you to ask a passer-by for the name of an astrologer, chances are you’ll get a blank look and be told they don’t know of one. Back in the 1920s the same question posed to almost anyone, whether in New York City, LA, Houston or

Omaha, a cosmopolitan city or rural boondocks, would almost certainly have been answered with the same name: Evangeline Adams.

Evangeline Adams single-handedly popularized astrology in the United States, and did so by applying her astrological knowledge to make accurate and well-publicized forecasts of the outcome of public events, and at the same time she satisfied the needs of her many private clients by telling them what would occur to them later in their lives.

She was accurate in what she did and she deservedly became rich and famous. What did she do? And how did she do it?

Karen Christino has spent several years researching Adams’ life. She has identified her teachers, recreated the horoscopes she would have used to make many of her successful predictions, and by careful analysis of these charts and Adams’ published writings identified the astrological techniques this eminently successful astrologer used in her work.

The result is a detailed explanation of Evangeline Adams’ astrology: what she knew, how she came to learn it, and how it was used in her ex-tensive practice.

In her previous book on Evangeline Adams, Foreseeing the Future, Karen Christino told the life and career of this fascinating lady. Now we have a description of Adams’ methods, with 85 horoscope examples carefully analyzed that, combined as they are with carefully selected quotes from Adams herself, will enable the reader to approach astrology in the manner of the astute Evangeline Adams.

Adams was no advocate of psychological astrology. She did not at-tempt to relate astrology to Carl Jung or any other psychological teach-ing. Instead, she used simple, basic astrology with its sign rulers and its dispositors of houses and planets. In this splendidly written book Chris-tino provides many examples of these and other natal techniques as well as Adams’ approach of Horary and her use of Electional charts.

Evangeline Adams was an insightful, practical astrologer and a bright business woman. Anyone wishing to succeed as a professional astrolo-ger will learn much by studying how Adams applied astrology in the ways she did. Karen Christino brilliantly describes these in this very readable book. Highly recommended —Ken Gillman

N

94

3,189 SECRETARIAL WORKERS BY SUN SIGN

-20.0

-15.0

-10.0

-5.0

0.0

5.0

10.0

AR TA GM CN LE VG LB SC SG CP AQ PS

% D

IFF

ER

S F

RO

M E

XP

EC

TE

D

Let’s Consider

Martin Peochota writes:

In Considerations, Volume XVIII, No. 4, Bob Makransky quotes

Carlos Castenada:

People in the first class are perfect secretaries, assistants, compan-

ions. They have a very fluid personality, but their fluidity is not nour-

ishing. They are, however, serviceable, concerned, totally domestic,

resourceful within limits, well mannered, sweet, delicate. In other

words the nicest people one could find, but they have one flaw: They

can't function alone. They are always in the need of someone to direct

them. With direction, no matter how strained or antagonistic that di-

rection might be, they are stupendous. By themselves, they perish.

Makransky goes on to say that Marc Edmund Jones puts this defini-

tion in the Mutable astrological category. While Castenada and Jones

have described what is to them the perfect secretary, in the real world

this is not at all the case.

I interrogated the total population of all occupations in my 157,741

data base and picked out the secretaries, sorting them by type of em-

ployment.

Secretarial employees, as the accompanying graph clearly illustrates,

are least likely to have their qs in the four contiguous signs: b-s. This

type of employee is most frequently born in the other eight months.

There is no evidence whatsoever to suggest that Mutables as an astro-

logical group (or any other quadruplicity or element) are associated with

secretarial employment—in particular, n, surely the most mutable of the

Mutables, is clearly the least likely q sign for a secretary.

Let’s Consider

95

3,145 Secretarial Employees by Category & Sun Sign

Category a s d f g h z x c ¦ b n

Admin 0 4 2 0 5 2 3 2 2 1 0 0

Church 7 12 15 8 16 9 9 11 13 10 12 6

Executive 32 22 30 46 45 33 45 36 29 30 34 23

Finance 2 5 6 5 2 2 5 2 5 5 3 4

Government 29 27 25 30 28 29 34 28 29 39 18 26

Insurance 10 4 12 8 10 12 8 8 7 11 8 4

Legal 20 23 34 26 28 39 29 22 28 27 26 28

Medical 11 14 18 23 12 23 5 13 11 12 18 14

School 22 29 33 27 35 37 32 29 21 29 34 23

Secretaries 111 95 111 122 104 113 114 120 98 92 82 84

Total 244 235 286 295 285 299 284 271 243 256 235 212

In the above table, the q sign most prominent in a particular cate-

gory has been highlighted.

d and h are placed high in legal and insurance skills. f, g and z

excel in the executive category. ¦ enjoys being in its natural setting, the

bureaucratic government. n, contrary to theory, is very low with the

church crowd. h is strong when in schools or employed as a medical

secretary, both very much as we might expect.

As the data base increases in size, the results will be more dramatic in

each category. —Dupont, Pennsylvania

Data Etcetera

96

Wedding of

Britney Spears to

Jason

Alexander

5:30 AM PST

3rd Jan 2004

Las Vega

Nevada

36N21

115W13

HE MARRIAGE of dance-pop singer Britney Spears (born 1:30 AM

CST, 2nd December 1981; McComb, Missouri: 31N14, 90W27) to her

long time friend Jason Alexander (no birth data available) is an excel-

lent example of when not to marry. Readers should refer to “Marriage

Elections: Comparing Different Rules” in Considerations XV: 3, pp. 46-69.

Jason is signified by the q (S u & D t) and y (weak in h) ruling the ASC

and the w’s last aspect; Britney by the weak retrograding e and by the w being

Void of Course until it aspects the strong t in a.

The aspect with reception from r, the MC ruler, to the l—r is at the 10th

from the l—tells us there is agreement between the couple, they are happy with

each other. This is confirmed by e MR y (e in 1st—Britney proposed; retro-

grade, she later rescinded this). Unfortunately both e and y are very weak: nei-

ther of the young persons is able to act on their own behalf.

Marriage w is exalted but it is in the last decade of s, which all authorities

say should be avoided, and the w is X q and at the t/u midpoint.

c rising is not favorable for a lasting marriage; less so with “ there.

r A o describes a love illusion, which is confirmed by transit o being con-

junct Britney’s natal w. Her progressed MC (conjunct her natal l, opposite natal

r and square to natal “) tells much the same story.

The weak e indicates that no children will come of this marriage, and this is

confirmed by the IC (the outcome) A t and squared by the q and u.

By the evening of the same day arrangements were being

made for the marriage to be annulled. This wedding chart

informs us that this annulment was due to pressure on Britney

from her mother, signified here by t, invincible in its own sign.

Jason’s mother, signified by u the MC ruler by exaltation, would

have also been cold to the marriage.

T

97

Who ?

Ruth Baker, a regular and most welcome contributor on horary matters

in Considerations, is a professional violinist. She lives on the Essex

coast in England

Ken Gillman is the editor of Considerations.

When not saving oil-soaked birds along the seashore, Nicole Girard, a

retired science teacher, associates solar eclipses with terrestrial upheavals

from her home in Normandy, France.

Shelagh Kendal, a consulting astrologer fascinated by personal and his-

torical cycles, has lived in England, Canada and the United States. Cur-

rently she lives in rural Ontario. Her latest book Cycles & Spirals ex-

plains turning points in a person’s life based on aspects at different ages.

Margaret Millard M.D. is now retired from her medical practice in

Maine and, when not globe trotting, is living in Gloucester, England.

Her books include Casebook of a Medical Astrologer and The Genetics

of Astrology.

Jonathan Pearl describes himself as “a beginning student in this most

fine Art, the Queen of the Sciences.” Jonathan lives in San Francisco

and can be contacted at jonathan@starpearls.com

Martin Piechota researches sun-sign astrology from his home in

Pennsylvania.

Isaac Starkman, a long-time collaborator and co-author with Alexander

Marr, lives in Tel Aviv, Israel. Isaac specializes in rectification and is

the creator of the software package Polaris.

Nick Sutherland lives in Texas. He is, or so he modestly says, “a

dilettante who enjoys exploring the different ‘what works what doesn't

work’ aspects of astrology”.

Prier Wintle is a consulting astrologer with many years’ experience. His

writings have appeared in the leading astrological journals. Prier has

worked in England, New Zealand and South Africa. He currently lives in

Cape Town.