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How to Handle Transits?

The transiting planets bring us situations that often seem to be coming from the outside world. With the heavier planets, we may feel pushed into situations where we must make important decisions – how do we respond?

A century ago, astrologer Evangeline Adams typically advised taking a back seat and waiting for difficult influences to pass. Under a Saturn transit, for example, she felt a person would not be as congenial or magnetic as she ordinarily might be. Things will not go her way. Adams told an anecdote of a husband under difficult influences, whose wife was becoming romantically interested in a young employee of his. She counseled him not to force the issue. The man invited the employee to his home, even leaving him alone with his wife. As she got to know the young man better, the woman realized she may have made a horrible mistake had her husband not been so patient and understanding.

So the advice is to wait things out. My mother, who studied and practiced in the 1970s, would have suggested the same thing. She was always cautious, advising that no one make any kind of important change during difficult planetary weather. When conditions clear up, you will see things more plainly.

Today, I think things have changed somewhat. Divorce is more common and people often admit the limitations of their relationships. And many also believe in limitless free will and the ability to personally change things.

With outer planet transits, though, sometimes we may have few choices about how to proceed. Heavy Uranus transits, for example, can bring sweeping changes that leave few options available. And it’s a regular occurrence to find career limitations on a transit of Saturn to your Sun.

We should do what we can to get through challenging periods. Astrology is not the best at forecasting outcomes, but is better able to describe the type of situation to expect and the timing and length of an influence. In addressing any transit, we also need to keep the birth chart in mind. For some, a transiting planet will bring great change; for another a passing development. These considerations will help put things in perspective.

Fertility Astrology

Astrologers can expect questions about conception and pregnancy from time to time. I’ve always been fascinated by this topic as the outcomes so often highlight the fine line between fate and free will, though helping clients facing heartbreaking infertility issues can be a challenge.

Nicola Smuts-Allsop, an astrologer from South Africa, has focused her practice on this area and shares her work with us in Fertility Astrology: A Modern Medieval Textbook. The subtitle is apt, as Nicola utilizes her own combination of both ancient and contemporary techniques for predictive and electional matters, along with mythology and psychology, to work with western medical fertility interventions such as in vitro fertilization.

Smuts-Allsop is an earnest and thorough astrologer, and she has developed a wide and unusual array of techniques to help her clients conceive. These include identifying an Almutem of Pregnancy as well as its triplicity rulers, which she assigns to the three phases of a woman’s reproductive life. Fertility myths can help in counseling. Fixed star parans may actually indicate different places in the world that can be more fertile. Profections, Solar Arcs, Solar Returns and transits will identify a person’s most fertile times. Ebertin’s mid-points help determine both medical issues and timing.

With first-rate research, the book is densely packed with information, and Nicola shares her background and sources. She has chosen not to make this a “cookbook,” but rest assured that the final third of the book includes an overview of her techniques, fertility signatures and a glossary.

This is a sophisticated book for practicing astrologers with a particular interest in astrological fertility. I’ve read about and studied most of the methods presented, but even so, this engrossing work is one that demands much attention from the reader. Fertility Astrology includes in-depth analyses of five would-be parents’ horoscopes and four shorter ones, most of whom eventually conceived. You’re sure to pick up a new technique (or several) to help your clients.

Buy at Amazon.com: Fertility Astrology: A Modern Medieval Textbook

Scientific Basis of Astrology

Dr. Percy Seymour, an unusual scientist with an open mind, has considered the evidence and concluded that our geomagnetic field, as well as that of the Sun and even planets, may account for the influence we call astrology. In his book, The Scientific Basis of Astrology: Tuning to the Music of the Planets, Seymour traces the history of our involvement with natural cycles over millennia and puts our relationship with the cosmos in an evolutionary context. This book was released in 1992, when the Uranus-Neptune conjunction in Capricorn was first near exact, and it reflects a more cosmic view of history and cycles. To me, this time was a turning point for thinkers considering astrology from different points of view.

Living organisms are locked into the fluctuations of our geomagnetic system and all life on earth has evolved within it. Seymour first surveys the development of calendars and clocks over the centuries, and we see how intimately we’ve been part of the cycles around us. We then look at numerous studies of the seasonal behavior of mammals, birds and insects, and how exposure to light can influence them.

The Moon’s connection with the tides is well known, but it also has a proven link to rainfall. It’s fascinating to learn about studies done on how bacteria, bees, migrating birds, homing pigeons and even whales are directly influenced by the magnetic field that surrounds all of us. Most people are familiar with the effect that solar activity can have on electrical instruments, but studies point to the fact that solar activity may correlate with planetary movements as well.

Dr. Seymour also cites theories on geomagnetic and planetary influences and includes a discussion of the work of Michel Gauquelin, the intrepid astrological researcher. Gauquelin couldn’t prove the influence of Sun signs, and Seymour doesn’t accept them, either. (However more recent research has shown that the month of birth correlates with a risk for particular diseases.) The author also critiques his scientific colleagues for their closed minds when it comes to investigating astrology.

This is a wonderful book for any astrologer who wants to know more about how astrology might work. Each of the chapters builds on the material in the one before it, ultimately amounting to an astounding revelation. There is no index, but the Table of Contents is clear, as is the organization of the book itself.

Buy at Amazon.com: The Scientific Basis of Astrology: Tuning to the Music of the Planets

Fertility Doctor Lawsuit

Dr. Gerald Mortimer, an ob/gyn and fertility doctor, was sued on 3/30/18 by a family accusing him of using his own sperm, rather than that of an anonymous young donor. His biological daughter discovered the connection through DNA testing; the doctor must have subscribed to the same service. More revelations from the transit of Jupiter in Scorpio.

Mortimer’s Sun in Cancer squares Neptune, a challenging aspect. A positive outlet would be through supporting others in a helping profession. Yet he also grossly deceived the family. He is being sued for fraud.

Jupiter is exalted in the sign of Cancer, and may indicate success with education, home and family matters. Exaltation can magnify a planet’s strength, and Jupiter may go too far. Neptune closely sextile Jupiter also suggests great expansion; my guess is that more patients were involved.

The doctor’s Jupiter conjoins Pluto, the planet most associated with reproduction. Pluto in the sign of Leo adds the potential elements of arrogance and willfulness to Jupiter’s influence. In addition, Pluto is placed Out of Bounds in declination. While Pluto was OOB, on and off, for around 15 years, it also closely parallels the Sun in Cancer in Mortimer’s chart, another challenging Sun to outer-planet combination. Pluto may also be involved in healing, but its darker side can include control and manipulation.

In animal husbandry, Mars is important for insemination. The doctor’s Mars is strong in its ruling sign of Aries. In trine to Venus in Leo, it gave him an easy rapport with his female patients and facilitated his actions.

While we don’t have a time of birth for Gerald Mortimer, transiting Uranus was approaching a square to natal Jupiter at the time the lawsuit was filed, making for a startling discovery. It may also have been conjoining the doctor’s Moon in Aries. Pluto, which can eventually reveal what it once concealed, was stationing in square to the doctor’s Mars. The progressed Sun is approaching a square to his Saturn, planet of authority and parenthood. These themes are reiterated in transiting Saturn’s station opposite the doctor’s Sun. Saturn will exactly oppose his Sun again in July and October of 2018. The lawsuit will likely move forward to its inevitable conclusion.

Mortimer’s birthdate is listed in numerous public records on Ancestry.com. I’m confident of the date as several listings include “Dr.” with his name.

More on the story from CNN.

My Last Lesson from Al

Al H. Morrison had over 40 years of experience as an astrologer when I studied with him in the early ‘90s. He relished astrological questions and always had a ready answer. I vividly remember one lesson toward the end of his life that concerned making assumptions about a horoscope.

A client whose chart I’d done subsequently asked me about a woman he was seeing and what to expect from her. Easy enough to do astrologically. But what I found in her chart disturbed me and I wasn’t sure how to properly advise him.

I’d recently been through a grueling two-year transit of Pluto opposite my Moon. Everywhere I had turned, Plutonian people were intruding on my life. They all seemed to be going through intense transitions that involved power plays, manipulation, melt-downs, obsessiveness and even death. Many of those I encountered had strong Pluto placements in their birth charts or were actually experiencing Pluto transits like I was. This was a challenging time and left me feeling at least somewhat betrayed by those closest to me.

I don’t believe that we can totally know someone’s spiritual development or how one will use the energies in the horoscope. But the woman whose chart I now had to analyze was another heavy Plutonian person. I felt sure that she would have ulterior motives and focus on her own agenda to the exclusion of my idealistic client’s needs and those of their relationship, no matter what their astrological compatibility.

I was in a quandary. While I always avoided making judgments on people or telling others what to do, I felt I should advise this man to run the other way – fast! He was likely to be burned. I shared my dilemma with Al, who, as usual, had a succinct response: “Some people like that.”

OMG! A light bulb went off. I was seeing this chart in terms of my own recent experiences and prejudices. I could’ve been accused of being a little Plutonian myself! So I went back to basics: described the tendencies, possibilities and range of experiences the client and his friend were likely to share, along with her own characteristics. I described who she was, but didn’t make a judgment on what I thought the outcome of her energies might be. And the client was very happy with what he learned.

For more on Al H. Morrison, see The Best of Al H. Morrison.

Al’s photo is from a 1968 NY Times Sunday Magazine featuring astrology and astrologers. The photographer said his assignment was to make him look “really weird” and Al felt he succeeded.

New York City: Mars Out of Bounds

New York City commemorated the 25th anniversary of the 1993 World Trade Center bombings on February 26. Mars, the planet we most associate with weapons and violent crime, was accentuated: it was both rising and Out of Bounds in declination at that time. Six people were killed and over 1,000 injured as a rental van exploded in an underground parking garage.

When planets are Out of Bounds, they fall outside the Sun’s path and may present situations above and beyond the norm. Mars goes Out of Bounds in declination about once a year, often for a month or more at a time. This usually happens when it’s in the equinoctial signs of Cancer and Capricorn or their adjoining signs of Gemini and Sagittarius.

Mars was in Cancer and OOB (26 N 26 in declination) for the 1993 bombing. The 9/11/2001 airplane attacks also had Mars OOB (26 S 47), this time placed in the sign of Capricorn. New York City has its natal Mars in late Sagittarius, also OOB at 24 S 03, though not as far from the ecliptic edge of 23 N/S 26.

Another downtown Manhattan terrorist attack, the Wall Street bomb of 9/16/1920 (12:01 PM) also had Mars rising (in Sagittarius this time) but just a day shy of being OOB in declination (about to step outside the ecliptic).

Evangeline Adams talked about late degrees of Cancer being common to fires in New York City in the late 19th century. She noted that the great Windsor Hotel fire of 1899, which killed over 60 people, had Mars at 21 Cancer 22. At the time of the fire, the Moon and Mars were both OOB (at 24 N 11 and 24 N 49 respectively).

These are unusual coincidences, but many things are ruled by an OOB Mars. In the horoscope of New York City, Mars OOB in Sagittarius in the 3rd house may also represent transit, traffic, pedestrians, accidents, languages, education, trade and candid speech. Much more research is needed to establish how often Mars coincides with notable violence and destruction in New York.

The terrorist attack on February 26, 1993 occurred at 12:18 PM according to numerous news stories.

For more on the 1993 and 2001 charts, see Michelle Young’s analysis.

The Twin Towers attacks chart is here.

I also looked at the New York City chart in an earlier post.

Casenotes of a Medical Astrologer

Published in 1980 by Samuel Weiser, Casenotes was written by Margaret Millard, M.D., an obstetrician and general practitioner who somehow also found the time to raise six children. Uranus rising made her an independent thinker, and she was also an accomplished medical astrologer who later practiced acupuncture and holistic health.

As a medical professional, Millard also had access to hospital records, where she often obtained the birth times of many of the patients she treated. Readers are the beneficiaries of the corresponding birth charts, along with her insights and expertise. As a local doctor in Maine, Millard often personally knew the people she writes about and sometimes their families as well. There are many difficult and sad cases that she could not resolve and she shares the heartbreak of doing your best while dealing with the inevitable.

I’ve had an interest in medical astrology for years, but it’s a complex topic. This is not a cookbook or textbook, but if you already know the language of astrology, you’ll follow the discussion. I was also initially drawn toward Millard’s consistent use of declination in her interpretations, and with declinations we see chart themes both echoed and highlighted. The book is aptly titled “Casenotes” since each case considered is no more than 7-8 pages long. But Margaret Millard packs a tremendous amount of information into the horoscopes she analyzes and it’s the chart interpretations that take this book to the top tier of astrological works.

The case studies follow a brief introduction to the topic, and no matter what your experience, you’ll learn something new. Dr. Millard refers to harmonics, parans, Primary Directions, the Prenatal Epoch and the work of Ebertin. She favors the Topocentric house system. Yet the book is never theoretical but always focuses on specific charts and their meaning. The chapter on rectifying charts with family members using Oblique Ascension is rigorous, especially considering that the writer did all of her calculations by hand.

Casenotes of a Medical Astrologer is a throwback to earlier times: to the days when all medical practitioners were astrologers, but also to an earlier generation of astrologers who wrote sophisticated works and had strong opinions about their judgments. I don’t agree with everything Margaret Millard says, but her conclusions are always thoughtful. Andt’s unusual to find such a focused and thoughtful work, representing a lifetime of study.

181 Pages; copies are available second-hand.
Buy at Amazon.com: Casenotes of a Medical Astrologer

Creative Use of Emotion

Creative Use of Emotion describes the philosophy of yoga as very different from western ideals. The two authors – one originally from India and the other from the U.S. – combine their expertise in yoga and psychology to advise on ways to consider and handle challenging emotions.

The west places a greater emphasis on external freedoms, while the east embraces inner freedom. In the west, we tend to identify with our thoughts, while the eastern perspective suggests that consciousness exists apart from our thoughts and external attachments. If we take the drama of life less seriously and disengage from our expectations, we will be less anxious and better able to fulfill our paths in life. Yoga also emphasizes living in harmony with the natural order, which leads to peace, happiness and comfort with our responsibilities in life.

This book was published by the Himalayan Institute, who brings us Yoga International magazine. It was written over forty years ago but its ideas are timeless. I’ve studied and practiced yoga for many years and found the concepts illuminating, clearly presented and uplifting. The mental discipline of yoga isn’t natural to western culture, and it would take years of dedicated practice to develop the mind as described. But I feel that beginning to try to do so would be helpful. Reading Creative Use of Emotion is a first step in the process. Priced at under $10 including shipping, it’s a great investment!

Buy at Amazon.com: Creative Use of Emotion

Jupiter in Scorpio with lots of Capricorn

Looking back for multiple planets in Capricorn, I found January 10, 1994, which featured 7 planets in Capricorn as well as Jupiter and Pluto in Scorpio. That date was the beginning of the trial of Lorena Bobbitt for cutting off her husband’s penis (the irony of the name must be given to Jupiter in Scorpio!).

She was found not-guilty as she had suffered physical and mental abuse from the husband for years. Maybe Pluto in Scorpio added to the violence of the act. Today, with Pluto in Capricorn, the efforts seem more directed toward reform in business and other institutionalized hierarchies.

The horoscope for John Wayne Bobbitt is on Astrodatabank – he had Mars in Scorpio opposite Venus, which is a tough and potentially brutal combination. His Sun in Aries closely conjunct Saturn, both quincunx Mars, may have made him both aggressive and frustrated. He subsequently served time for assaulting another woman as well as he second wife.


Lorena was born on October 31, 1970 in Bucay, Ecuador. She had Mars conjunct Uranus, explaining her impetuous actions. Most of her planets were in Scorpio, though, so she was able to withstand her abusive husband for nearly five years. She was also near her Jupiter return at the time of the trial, which helped others understand her story and put some luck on her side.

This is a sad story all around, but important in terms of women’s rights. Many these days are associating Jupiter in Scorpio with the “MeToo” movement. In 1994, two Jupiter cycles before, we these issues were already in the news.

Lorena’s birthday is found on Biography.com.

Z is for Zeus — er, Jupiter!

I was sorry to hear of the passing of mystery writer Sue Grafton, having been a big fan of her books. I always thought of her protagonist, Kinsey, as a Sagittarius, and that Grafton would have that sign in her chart, too. As it turns out, she has both the Moon in Sagittarius as well as Jupiter rising, along with many other placements that are classic indicators of a career as an author.

Grafton also had Sagittarius on the 9th house cusp, helping her reach a wide audience, especially as the ruler, Jupiter, comes to her 1st house, making it one of her most prominent planets. In addition, Mercury in Aries conjoins her Ascendant and also trines her Moon, giving her a fluency with communications. The 1st house planets emphasize self-expression and personal development, and Grafton did this through her writing (Mercury and Jupiter). Both Mercury and Jupiter in the sign of Aries are energetic planets and Grafton, at the age of 77, was looking forward to concluding her mystery series.

Her 1st house is further accentuated by Jupiter’s conjunction with the Sun in Taurus and the Sun’s close conjunction with Saturn. Both the Sun and Saturn trine her Capricorn Midheaven. So the ruler of her 10th, Saturn, also comes right to her (1st house), along with the ruler of her 5th (the Sun). Creative impulses and career come together. While the Aries planets provide much vitality and drive, Taurus and Capricorn offer steadiness and persistence.

Though Jupiter gives luck, a slower timeline in achievement is often indicated by a strong Saturn. According to Wikipedia, Grafton’s father (Sun and Saturn), a detective novelist, was a strong influence, but Sue did not have much success with novels and turned to screenwriting for a number of years before making her mark with her alphabet series of mysteries in her forties.

Venus in Gemini in the 3rd house, conjoining Mars in Gemini, are additional strong indications of a facility with the written word. Venus also trines the North Node in the 7th house and sextiles Jupiter in the 1st. These aspects are both helpful in reaching a wider audience.

Investigative Pluto trining Grafton’s Moon shows her focus on detective stories. Pluto in Leo on the cusp of her 5th house also seems to have given her inexhaustible creative ideas. Pluto’s hard aspects may bring traumas to a life, and with Pluto squaring her Sun and Saturn, she experienced a difficult divorce and custody battle. Her mother had also been a suicide following cancer surgery.

Venus was way Out of Bounds in declination, signifying someone with an artistic sensibility. Mars was also OOB and closely parallel an OOB Pluto. This unusual combination further accentuates the emphasis on crime and investigation in Grafton’s work, as well as her drive and ability to address tough emotional issues.

Sue Grafton was an extremely successful mystery writer, so we’d expect an emphasis on the 3rd-9th house axis, Mercury and Jupiter, as well as Pluto and the 8th house. But it’s refreshing to see a horoscope that so obviously indicates what the person was all about.

Grafton was born on April 24, 1940 at 4:10 am in Louisville, Kentucky, rated AA by Astrodatabank