Zen Koan

An ancient zen koan says: “The enlightened man is at one with the law of causation.” What does this mean? I think it has something to do with our ideas of fate and free will.

We ordinarily think of the concepts of fate and free will as two opposite things. The Chinese master from the 13th century who recorded the koan, however, is suggesting that they are both parts of one whole, like dice which reveal multiple faces.

I’m a very martian person and I often wonder if things would fall into place without my ever taking the initiative. But first of all, because Mars is so prominent in my horoscope, it’s quite difficult for me not to act. And I imagine that things would fall out differently if I could control myself and be more patient or passive.

Still, I think the zen koan implies that I should try to let things go, to not be so attached to results and to try to go with the flow of the Universe more. It doesn’t appear to say that I can ever totally over-ride or escape “causation.” That would mean trying to control the Universe, which the Greeks would have called hubris.

Being an astrologer, however, I also think there’s room to consider that I’m here for a reason, which is indicated in my horoscope. And that, too, is part of the causation that I find myself in. Living that reality, it seems to me, may also be part of being “at one with the law of causation.”

Of course, when we do become enlightened, all will be crystal clear!

Beethoven Lives

Ludwig von Beethoven was born on December 16, 1770 in Bonn, Germany. He had the Sun, Moon and Mercury all in Sagittarius. Beethoven’s music is immediately recognizable for its drama and liveliness, which convey a feeling of vitality – it always moves forward. (Mozart also had the Moon in Sagittarius and his music exhibits a similar vital energy.)

Astrodatabank lists several possible times of birth for Beethoven, and I prefer the chart for 1:29 pm. This puts the Moon and Mercury in the 8th house of the metaphysical world and the Sun conjunct Jupiter in the 9th house of international acclaim. Beethoven lives on through his music across both time and place.

The composer’s success took some time to achieve, however, and even much of Europe did not appreciate his work until after his death in 1927. While Jupiter conjoins the Sun, it’s in its detriment in the sign of Capricorn. Success would therefore take time and effort, but could be long-lasting. Saturn in the 5th house trines Beethoven’s Sun, Moon and Mercury, giving a similar indication for the longevity of his creative work.

Our popular image of Beethoven is with a striking head of long hair. Astrologically, hair is ruled by both Capricorn and Saturn, and its abundance is indicated by Jupiter. Several locks of Beethoven’s hair which still exist were taken after his death (a customary memento in the 19th century).

A fascinating book called Beethoven’s Hair documents the travels of a lock of the composer’s hair and its recent journey to the U.S. Medical tests revealed conclusively that the composer suffered from lead poisoning, also ruled by Capricorn and Saturn. Since Jupiter in Capricorn conjoins the Sun in the 9th house in Beethoven’s horoscope, we’ve learned more about his journey through life from his hair’s travels after his death!

Barbara Walters and Saturn

TV journalist Barbara Walters is probably one of the best known women in her field. With the Sun, Mercury, Mars and Ascendant in Libra, she became known not only for presenting the news, but also for her relationships with the great, near-great, famous and infamous people she interviewed. Typically Libra, she projected a cool and classy image that attracted others to her.

On May 16, 2014, Barbara appeared for the final time on her show The View, where she’d had success since 1997. Born on September 29, 1929 at 6:50 AM in Boston, Massachusetts, Walters turned 84 towards the end of 2013 and experienced her Uranus return from 2013 to early 2014, a transit that typically occurs in the 84th year. This transit is a major one for those who live to experience it. For Barbara, with natal Uranus in the 6th house, the return marks the end of a major part of her working life in the Uranian field of television broadcasting.

But it is Saturn, who so reliably marks periods of life change, that pinpoints the timing of Walters’ career transition. Transiting her second house of income and exactly trining her Pluto conjunct the 10th house of status and reputation at her last appearance, Saturn has allowed her to gracefully sign off from a fabulous career.

Taurus Singers

Each generation has its own Taurus singers. Why? Taurus rules the throat and is associated with Venus, the planet of grace, beauty and soothing sounds. Taureans are known for their relaxed manner, so crucial to a strong voice. The Moon expresses our emotions and is exalted in this sign. Planets in Taurus in a horoscope are ruled by the Moon through exaltation. This highlights the singer’s ability to express emotion and share their feelings.

Taurus is also a fixed sign, and many Taurean singers have staying power – both in terms of their careers and their ability to retain a stable, youthful-sounding voice. Consider these well-known and popular stars:

Kelly Clarkson has the Sun, Moon and Mercury in Taurus. She’s extremely grounded and stable. Taurus is not generally a fan of excess movement, and Kelly usually stands and sings – nothing distracts us from her beautiful voice!

Adele has the Sun and Jupiter in Taurus. No one can deny that she not only has strong feelings but also – almost a literal translation of Jupiter in Taurus – a big voice.

Enrico Iglesias only has the Sun in Taurus, but as a hugely successful singer in the Spanish language market, he must have a tremendous bank account (ruled by Taurus – presumably most of the Taureans named here also do). The influence of Venus is evident – he’s been the spokesman for several fragrances and his most recent album is called Sex and Love.

Janet Jackson has the Sun, Mercury and Mars all in Taurus and Mars gives her the ability to move! The fixed sign shows why she’s been recording for over 40 years and has the status of an icon. Her musicality and taste, also Taurus traits, may be more significant than her voice itself.

Bono has the Sun, Mercury and Venus all in Taurus. He’s earnest and sincere, committed to his marriage and kids, U2 and philanthropic ventures. He’s raised tremendous amounts of money for worthwhile causes and remains politically active. And check out that classic Taurus neck!

Billy Joel, with the Sun, Mercury, Venus and Mars in Taurus combined pop singing with a rock edge. (He also owns a motorcycle shop.) He has tremendous staying power and continues to tour.

Cher, with the Sun and Mercury in Taurus, continues to belt them out. In the midst of her 8th solo tour in 2014, she still looks fabulous.

Stevie Wonder’s Sun and Mercury in Taurus remind us of his lovely mellifluous voice. He recorded his first record at 12 and had a hit single by 13. A peaceful person, he has remained a force in the industry for over 50 years.

Frankie Valli’s Sun, Mercury and Mars rocketed him to stardom but he certainly has an unusual Taurean voice! Jersey Boys, the Broadway show about his group The Four Seasons, has been going strong since 2005.

Who could forget the sound of Barbara Streisand, who has the Sun, Mercury, Saturn and Uranus all in Taurus, with both a lovely and unique voice. While her vocal range may not be quite as wide as it once was, she recently returned to her hometown of Brooklyn for a bravura concert at 70+. She’s always enjoyed the sure, stable voice so typical of many Taureans.

Roy Orbison, with the Sun, Mercury, Mars and Uranus all in Taurus was an innovator and used his voice in extraordinary ways. While I don’t think a falsetto is particularly Taurean, he shares that talent with Frankie Valli. He also shares dark sunglasses with Bono – more research is needed to figure that one out! He was another master of the “stand and sing” technique – it’s all about the voice!

Ella Fitzgerald could take run-of-the-mill songs and turn them into gorgeous, romantic music. With the Sun, Mercury, Venus and Jupiter all in Taurus she not only had an incredible instrument, but consummate taste and a tremendous voice that remained strong well into her senior years.

Bing Crosby is best remembered for his round, unmistakable tones (still heard in Christmas songs and old movies). With the Sun and Mercury in Taurus, they’re still listened to today.

And let’s not forget actresses Ann Margaret (Sun, Moon, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus in Taurus), who couldn’t resist singing in Tommy and Bye-Bye Birdie, as well as Michelle Pfeiffer (Sun in Taurus) and her lounge act in The Fabulous Baker Boys.

There must be many more, such as Elton John, an Aries with the Moon in Taurus, whose vibrant voice continues to please after more than four decades.

Earth Day Astrologically

Earth Day was first celebrated on April 22, 1970 and is now an annual event drawing attention to sustainability and the environment. The horoscope for Earth Day features the Sun, Mercury, Venus and Saturn all in the sign of Taurus, perhaps the most grounded of the earth signs. Taurus gives Earth Day its practical agenda and highlights the peace and beauty of the earth.

The chart also contains Pluto in the earth sign of Virgo, which suggests the essentials of growth and conservation as well as clean energy. In addition, the Moon and Jupiter are both in Scorpio, ruling recycling and the regenerative forces of nature.

The horoscope for Earth Day meshes very nicely with New York City’s Sun and Mercury in earth sign Capricorn, as well as the U.S. chart, which has the Sun, Mercury, Venus and Jupiter in the home-oriented sign of Cancer and Pluto in Capricorn. I don’t expect that the people who originated Earth Day were astrologers, but as so often happens, the appropriate significance of a horoscope cannot be denied! Blue-green beach, clouds

The Astrology of Easter

Easter’s date each year has astronomical origins. Passover begins on the 14th day of Nisan, after the spring equinox, and celebrates the Israelites’ liberation from Egyptian slavery. The sign of Aries begins on the first day of spring and seems an appropriate time for the Hebrews to embark on a new phase of their experience with energy and enthusiasm. The Hebrew calendar is lunar, and the 14th day of Nisan coincides with a full Moon. The full Moon astrologically also nicely describes the drama of this important event.

Christians celebrate Easter on the Sunday after Passover, so it’s the first Sunday after the first full Moon after the spring equinox. Easter represents hope and renewal, which are also tied to the sign of Aries. Aries is represented by a ram, a male sheep, and a lamb is a young sheep. Jesus is often referred to as the “lamb of God” since he sacrificed himself. This ties in with the sacrifice of the Passover Lamb, in keeping with the symbolism of Aries, as are knives and bloodshed. The death of Christ heralds a new era of spiritual vitality, which coincides with the growth and renewed energy of the natural world in spring.

Evangeline Adams and Pluto

Astrologer Evangeline Adams was often ahead of her time. An Aquarian herself, she spoke about the Age of Aquarius in her public lectures in 1930. In an interview with the Palm Beach Daily News on March 28, 1930, she also talked a little bit about the planet Pluto. Pluto’s discovery had been announced only two weeks before! Adams correctly identified Pluto as a higher octave of Mars, as we still consider it today.

The new planet recently discovered represents martial force on a higher plane, which will usher in new inventions so close to the intelligence of man that they will save instead of destroy him. We are entering into a new phase of consciousness where Reason will prevail. Always at such times a new planet is discovered.

Before the discovery of the modern planets, Mars ruled both Aries and Scorpio. Saturn ruled Capricorn and Aquarius, and Jupiter ruled Sagittarius and Pisces. When Uranus was discovered in the 18th century, astrologers soon gave it rulership over Aquarius. When Neptune was discovered in the 19th century, astrologers realized its affinity for Pisces. Pluto, the god of the underworld, had an obvious correlation with the sign of Scorpio, and thus also related to Mars. Any astrologer could see the connection, but Evangeline seems to have been the first to discuss it publicly.

Adams appears to link Pluto somewhat with the dawn of the Age of Aquarius. Certainly atomic power and the nuclear sciences would soon be developed. Also ruled by Pluto are X-rays, synthetic chemistry, plastics, genetic engineering, psychology and the mass media, all of which had increasing interest at the time.

In hindsight, Adams’ thought that these could “save instead of destroy” is of course debatable. But she was always optimistic.

Flight 370 Disappearance and Neptune

News reports about the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 are full of keywords for Neptune. The missing plane presents a mystery, having simply vanished from the radar. Due to fragmentary and conflicting clues, there have been false leads and confusion, with initial speculation that the plane fell into the sea. Millions of volunteers around the world have been conducting a virtual search by scanning satellite images online.

When we have such a strong thematic emphasis, it’s a good bet that Neptune is strong in the horoscope for the flight’s take-off. It left Kuala Lumpur at 12:41 AM and it’s no surprise that Neptune is exactly conjunct the angular 4th house and creates a grand cross with the Moon in Gemini on the Descendant, along with the Ascendant and the Midheaven.

The other angular planet in the chart, the Moon in Gemini, also highlights themes relating to communications issues. Pinging signals were picked up from the plane for several hours after it disappeared. In addition, The Data Link System and Transponders used to communicate location with air traffic controllers were shut down, quite an unusual situation. The plane now appears to have flown for a number of hours after being redirected from its original route.

Time will reveal what the Neptunian deception in this matter is, and whether the passengers and crew have been taken prisoner or may have fallen into the sea.

Daylight Savings Time

We turn the clocks ahead an hour on March 9th, and will experience Daylight Savings Time until early November. Certainly the days have already gotten longer, the only sign of spring since we’ve continued to have such cold temperatures this year. I’m always thrown off by these time changes, which affect our circadian rhythms, but bureaucracies around the world continue to adhere to them.

We’ve had DST from March to November since 2007. Going back to the 50s, it was April to October. From the 20s, it was April to September, so we’re in a trend of more DST. There are conflicting opinions as to whether this saves energy, as originally intended by thrifty Capricorn Ben Franklin. I vividly recall the years 1974 and 1975 during the energy crisis, when Daylight Time started in January and February. We would get up to get ready for school and it was still completely dark! A friend awoke one morning, took her shower, turned on the radio, and only then realized it was just 3:00 AM – it was hard to tell the difference in those days.

Astrologers try to keep track of all of these changes, since the hours’ difference can make for important changes in a horoscope. States like Illinois and Pennsylvania have had confusing time standards for record-keeping, and states like Indiana and Tennessee, which border two time zones, also make for challenges in calculating birth charts.

Arizona, Hawaii, Guam the Virgin Islands and other U.S. territories do not observe DST. These places are closer to the equator, and their periods of daylight do not vary as much over the years.

Dr. Sacks and Mercury

Neurologist and best-selling author Oliver Sacks was born on July 9, 1933 according to Ancestry.com. His article, “The Joy of Old Age (No Kidding.)” appeared in the New York Times on July 6, 2013. In it, Dr. Sacks discussed turning 80 and how he associated it with the element mercury, which has an atomic number of 80. Although Sacks is obviously not an astrologer, his essay is chock full of allusions to Mercury.

Sacks says that, “My mother was the 16th of 18 children; I was the youngest of her four sons. I was always the youngest boy in my class at high school. I have retained this feeling of being the youngest, even though now I am almost the oldest person I know.” Here he refers to siblings, well-known as Mercury-ruled. And Mercurial people are often youthful, no matter what their age.

One reason Dr. Sacks is grateful for a long life is because he’s been able “to write a dozen books and to receive innumerable letters from friends, colleagues and readers,” although he also realizes that at his age, “dementia or stroke looms.” Writing and correspondence are Mercury-ruled pursuits and dementia and stroke both impair Mercury’s ability to express itself. He reports that his father, who lived to age 94, said that in his 80s he felt “an enlargement of mental life and perspective” – once again, referring to the intellectual capacities ruled by Mercury.

Dr. Sacks’ article was reprinted in AARP The Magazine’s February-March 2014 issue, which appeared under Mercury retrograde. A re-print is quite a Mercury retrograde phenomenon. Coincidence?

Obviously Mercury is an important planet for Sacks! When we look at his horoscope we find that his Mercury is involved with oppositions involving the Moon, Venus and Saturn. This is the dominant pattern in the doctor’s chart and part of his essential experience. He’s been challenged to express himself through creative writing (Mercury conjunct Venus in Leo). His expertise as a doctor (Saturn in Aquarius) and ability to objectively analyze human behaviors (Moon in Aquarius) all play their parts in Sacks’ work as he explores the unusual ways our brains and minds can interact.

As an astute observer of the human situation, Dr. Sacks tunes in to astrological truth without having studied it. He has clearly become an expert in understanding others, and, in fact, life itself, also represented by his Moon-Mercury-Venus-Saturn oppositions.