Category Archives: horoscope interpretation

When Was Hillary Born?

Now that Hillary Clinton is the de facto Democratic nominee, we have a problem: when was she born? We can’t make a good forecast for the outcome of the presidential election without it.

Several different times of birth have been published for Hillary, including rectified times. Lois Rodden based her rating system on documentary evidence, never astrological opinion. Yet in this case, there is no published birth certificate and most reports are hearsay. The times with more definitive sources are shortly after 8:00 AM or 8:00 PM.

The two horoscopes are quite different. The 8 PM chart has Uranus in Gemini conjunct the Ascendant and the Moon at 29 Pisces in the 10th house. This is the only angularity. Uranus on the Ascendant squaring the Moon, both in mutable signs, shows a lack of focus. The energy could potentially be brilliant, but it’s also quite restless and even manic. The Moon in the 10th is also an indicator of movement: the career is changeable. Neither of these indicators point toward a woman who appears centered in the most challenging of circumstances. I also find it hard to believe that Clinton, who has consistently enjoyed high-profile positions, has a mutable, Void of Course Moon in her 10th house of status.

I find the 8:02 AM time to be a much better fit. The Sun in the behind-the-scenes 12th house is a placement shared by other high-level politicians (George W. Bush, Senator John Edwards, Jimmy Carter, U.S. Grant and Abe Lincoln). Scorpio rises, with Venus and Mercury in Scorpio conjoining the first house cusp, and Jupiter is also placed in the first in its ruling sign of Sagittarius, a powerful combination for a strong speaker and personality. We see her as both guarded and controlled (Scorpio) yet energetic (Jupiter and Sagittarius).

Taurus on her 7th house points toward her husband. The ruler, Venus, is conjunct the Ascendant from the 12th and placed in its detriment in Scorpio – a nice description of their complicated relationship. But with her fixed signs, the partnership has endured.

A triple conjunction of Mars, Saturn and Pluto falls in Hillary’s 9th house in the 8:02 AM chart, variously squaring her first house planets. This accounts for the strong negative gut reactions many people have toward her. There’s more going on than we know. The focus on the 9th exemplifies her experience as a lawyer, representative and diplomat, and higher office in general. It’s also a good indicator of the legal problems that continue to plague her.

I will use the 8:02 AM birth time for Hillary in the future. But we can never be completely sure until she shares her birth certificate with us (and of course even then there may be errors).

Hillary Clinton was born on October 26, 1947 in Chicago, Illinois

Tough Guys and Mars

Men typically die five years sooner than women, on average, and physical differences can’t explain it. Researchers at Rutgers University found that men who saw themselves as tough, brave and self-reliant – typical characteristics of Mars – tended to choose male doctors and shared fewer symptoms with them.

The higher they scored on a “masculinity scale,” the greater their Martian attributes. This increased their tendency to ignore medical problems and to delay addressing them. They also avoided showing weakness to other men, which caused them to down-play their symptoms with male doctors. Women with strong Martian characteristics had similar outcomes as well, though it’s worse for men (perhaps because they are all Mars).

Astrologically, Venusians are sensitive, crave comfort and seek balance. Martian types are more headstrong, rash, and willing to take risks. And unfortunately, these characteristics don’t help them in the longevity department.

Trump and Uranus

With transiting Jupiter continuing through his 1st house, Donald Trump enjoys unrestrained self-expression and is getting more media coverage than ever. But Jupiter in Virgo squares his natal Uranus this week, which may both broaden his appeal but also invite controversy. He’s already being criticized by the Republican establishment, who see his lack of political experience and outspoken manner as a danger to winning the presidential election this fall.

Uranus can behave like a wild card – it may be unpredictable and disruptive. The noise from Jupiter’s short-term square to Uranus will blow over. The more significant influence of transiting Uranus then trines Trump’s Moon in April and sextiles his Sun from the 9th house in May, aiding his efforts and perhaps also bringing some surprises.

Uranus will go on to square Trump’s Saturn and oppose his Jupiter in June, which represents unexpected developments and a possible upset. This aspect repeats in July as he heads toward the convention. It’s not hard to predict that Trump is sure to stay in the news.

I won’t yet hazard a guess as to the outcome of the election in November as I’m following my own rule and waiting for the official slate of candidates.

Forecasting Political Elections
Candidate Trump

My First E-Book!

It took this old fashioned Capricorn too long to catch up with technology. But now, my new astrology book, Regal Brides, is available both in print and for Kindle.

Regal Brides looks at the lives and horoscopes of five American women who became royals themselves through marriage: Consuelo Vanderbilt (The Duchess of Marlborough), Wallis Simpson (the Duchess of Windsor), Grace Kelly (Princess Grace of Monaco), Hope Cooke (the Queen of Sikkim) and Lisa Halaby (Queen Noor of Jordan). Their husbands’ horoscopes and wedding charts are also considered. I’ve been fascinated with wedding horoscopes since I wrote for Modern Bride magazine, and am always drawn to horoscopes of exceptional people and situations; this book covers it all.
Read More

Buy for Kindle: Regal Brides: The Astrology of Five American Women and their Royal Marriages (The Inquiring Astrologer)

Buy in Print: Regal Brides: The Astrology of Five American Women and their Royal Marriages (The Inquiring Astrologer)

Scalia and Saturn

Justice Antonin Scalia served on the Supreme Court for 29 years – the magic Saturn cycle number. So Saturn must have played a significant part in his experience. And he was a very Saturn character.

Saturn is known for its conservatism, and Scalia presented the conservative viewpoint in his decisions as well as in his life. He remained a staunch opponent of both abortion and gay marriage, and solidified individuals’ rights to own guns. Saturn typically protects the status quo and is not an innovator. Scalia took a historical view of what the Constitution meant when it was written, rather than seeing it as a living document, since Saturn rules both history and endurance.

And talk about job security – something every Saturn person wants. How many jobs have a lifetime guarantee? Scalia found one.

When we look at Justice Scalia’s horoscope, it’s no surprise to see he was born with Saturn conjunct his Sun. He respected authority and became an authority himself. (Of course there was much more to the man and his horoscope, though Saturn is a strong factor.)

Scalia was appointed by Ronald Regan and affirmed by the Senate on September 17, 1986. Saturn was at 5 Sagittarius and had recently stationed in trine to his Leo Midheaven, while Uranus, also in Sagittarius, was near the midpoint of a square to his Sun conjunct Saturn. When he died on February 13, 2016, just a month shy of his 80th birthday, transiting Saturn was again in Sagittarius and squared his Saturn.

Justice Antonin Scalia was born on March 11, 1936 at 8:55 pm in Trenton, New Jersey, according to his birth certificate and Astrodatabank.

You May be a Martian

Psychic medical diagnostician Edgar Cayce often talked about astrology while in a trance state, mentioning reincarnation and past “sojourns” in various planetary realms, highlighted in the horoscope. I’ve read a number of books on Cayce’s astrology in the past, but I could never quite make sense of it all. Now, having completed Ry Redd’s Toward a New Astrology (1985), it’s finally come together in my mind.

Redd studied the Cayce astrology readings extensively and also researched Kabbalah, Rudolf Steiner’s works and Hindu astrology, studying with Dr. B.V. Raman. He correlates Cayce’s emphasis on “Persian” astrology with Hindu Brahmin techniques for lokas (or planetary dimensions) described by the horoscopes, which he found to often closely parallel Cayce’s statements. He also addresses planetary strength, such as planets near the Midheaven, as indicating planetary emphasis in a past life. So, for instance, with an angular Mars, a recent planetary sojourn may have been in the Mars realm. You may be a Martian! I know I am.

This is one of the most intriguing astrology books I’ve read in a long time. Redd has done a tremendous amount of research and his conclusions make sense. He includes numerous horoscopes and compares them with Cayce’s interpretations, discussing famous reincarnations, Mercury, and challenging and flowing aspects in the charts.

Ry Redd’s book is still available from second-hand book dealers online and I’d highly recommend it to those interested in Edgar Cayce, astrology and reincarnation: Toward a New Astrology: The Approach of Edgar Cayce

Ry Redd was born on March 30, 1945 at 6:45 AM in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, with several chart factors showing an emphasis on reincarnation. An angular grand cross (with the Ascendant and Sun rising, Saturn conjunct the IC, Neptune on the descendant and the Midheaven) accentuates the physical vs. the spiritual. Pluto, the planet of reincarnation, closely trines his Sun, sextiles Neptune and is placed Out of Bounds in declination. And Saturn on his IC (representing the past) is nearly exactly parallel the North Node.

Ted Cruz and NYC’s Astrological Values

Texas Senator Ted Cruz took aim at New York City values in the Republican presidential debate on Thursday night. Is he onto something? We can clearly see where he’s coming from astrologically.

Cruz said that, “Everybody understands that the values in New York City are socially liberal and pro-abortion and pro-gay marriage and focus on money and the media.” When we look at the horoscope of Greater New York, what jumps out is Jupiter conjunct the Ascendant in Libra (see chart below). Jupiter is the planet of the media and big business. It’s the ruler of anything big, which may be one reason why the City is the largest in the U.S. and one of the largest in the world.

The sign of Libra is associated with all relationships, especially love relationships. Margaret Sanger opened the first free women’s health clinic in Brownsville, Brooklyn on October 16, 1916 with the Sun and Mercury in Libra. (She had Venus in Libra.) Sanger saw women from many diverse backgrounds, including immigrants (Jupiter ruled of course) and provided information on birth control.

New York State was certainly not the first to legalize gay marriage. But the Marriage Equality Act went into effect with Saturn in Libra when it was very close to conjoining NYC’s Jupiter and Ascendant. Legislation is a Jupiter issue and both marriage and equality are Libran themes.

But why has Ted Cruz singled out New York? His horoscope resonates with it. He was born on December 22, 1970 and like Greater New York, he also has Libra rising, along with the Moon and Uranus in Libra, both conjoining the City’s Jupiter and Ascendant! Cruz may not like New York, but he has certainly garnered a tremendous amount of media attention from NYC’s Jupiter in Libra. And as Mayor deBlasio pointed out, he’s also received many campaign donations from New Yorkers as well.

Greater New York was consolidated into 5 boroughs on January 1, 1898 at 12:01 a.m.

Margaret Sanger was born on September 14, 1879

The NYS Marriage Equality Act went into effect on July 24, 2011

Ted Cruz was born on December 22, 1970 at 1:00 a.m. in Calgary, Canada.

Margaret Sanger’s biography, A Life of Passion, details her first health clinic. Margaret Sanger Life of Passion

Taylor Swift, Venus and Mars

We’ve all experienced heartache. What gives Taylor Swift her gift of sharing her experiences and getting such a tremendous audience response? Her Sun in Sagittarius in the 5th house makes her a troubadour as well as a philosopher about love. And her Mercury conjunct Saturn in Capricorn allows her to take a step back and reframe her past. But I think the most important element in her horoscope is Venus sextile Mars, which makes her a natural expert on love and sex, affection and heartbreak.

On November 22, 2015, Swift won three American Music Awards, including Song of the Year for “Blank Space,” which she co-wrote. This song, about the highs and lows of a new relationship, perfectly expresses the energies of her Venus in Aquarius in an out-of-sign sextile to Mars in Scorpio.

Taylor begins by telling her new guy that she can show him “incredible things – magic, madness, heaven, sin.” The incredible, magic and heaven relate to Venus in otherworldly Aquarius, while madness and sin reflect passionate and gritty Mars in Scorpio.

With “Look at that face” and “I can read you like a magazine,” she considers his Venusian appearance and personality, and offers, “let’s be friends,” since Aquarius is the sign of friendship. Yet she knows that he could be her “next mistake.” Still, her Mars in Scorpio has piqued her curiosity and she’s “dying to see how this one ends.”

In the refrain, Taylor repeatedly contrasts her Venus and Mars. Will the relationship be “forever” (Venus in fixed sign Aquarius) or “go down in flames”? (Mars in Scorpio, a sign that must see actions to their possibly painful conclusions.) She wonders if the “high” (Venus) will be worth the inevitable “pain” (Mars). She admits her ex-lovers (Scorpio) might say she’s “insane” (Aquarius) but that she loves “the players” (Venus sextile Mars). She knows they’re both “young” and “reckless” (Venus sextile Mars) and could take things “way too far” (Mars in Scorpio) with the possibility of being left “breathless” (Venus in air sign Aquarius) or with a “nasty scar” (Mars in recuperative Scorpio).

Many other images in the song reiterate the contrasting Venus-Mars themes: “Rose gardens filled with thorns,” “a nightmare dressed like a daydream,” and her feeling that “boys only want love if it’s torture.”

In the end, though, Swift understands her Venus-Mars contradictions, and is willing to try again. “I’ve got a blank space, baby, and I’ll write your name” nicely sums up her Venusian need for relationships as well as her ability to take another Martian chance.

The Signs and Bureaucracy

We tend to favor aspects over signs these days. But the quality of the signs themselves can be very revealing and help us anticipate what’s to come.

Last week, I stopped into a downtown bank to pick up forms to be added to my mom’s account. I was told that she must come in with me. Since my mother has severe arthritis and rarely leaves the house, this was impossible. The banker then said we could put a Power of Attorney on the account. I already had a general Power of Attorney and said I’d bring that in.

I decided to go the following day, with the Moon in Scorpio and flowing lunar aspects that I hoped would help me. I went to a local branch armed with my Power of Attorney.

The banker there was the epitome of Scorpio, wanting to control everything about our relationship. While a nicely dressed, calm and well-spoken young man, he argued that my mother needed to come in, that I must use their form and that the other branch had given me incorrect information. He finally agreed to scan my POA and e-mail it to their legal department for review. While we waited, he reiterated his very “fixed” plan for me. But my POA ended up being approved! I simply needed to fill out a short form with my signature notarized. However the banker was undaunted, continuing to insist that the best thing would be to do it his, more involved and complicated, way. When pressed, he informed me that everything would be saved online and I’d only need to drop off the new form. He then gave me unsolicited advice about my need to get up-to-date and do all of my banking online. I finally left with my form after 45 minutes at the bank.

I waited several days to return to the downtown branch with flowing aspects and a Sagittarius Moon. Another well-spoken, well-dressed young man stepped up to help me. Like a breath of fresh air, he was friendly, open and responsive, seeming to want to expand our relationship. Good. However he proceeded to inform me that he had to re-do all the work of the previous clerk. While he did so and we waited for approval, he asked about my living situation and digressed about his plans to buy an apartment, his divorce and his own personal investment options – too much information! Typical Sagittarius. All proceeded smoothly, though this time the visit took nearly an hour. More “expansive,” all around as we’d say in astrologese.

He then gave me a sales pitch to open a new account for myself. I politely declined, putting on my jacket to escape. Despite the different flavors of Scorpio and Sagittarius Moons, bureaucracy is still bureaucracy and this bank had it at every turn.

Forecasting Political Elections

We’re revving up for the U.S. Presidential race, though Election Day is over a year away – much too soon to make an astrological prediction. I’ve correctly forecast the outcomes of the last six presidential elections. Here’s what worked for me:

1. Wait for the final roster of candidates. Initial candidates can have life-changing aspects which may end up having little to do with the presidency.

2. Use every tool at your disposal. This takes time (another reason to wait for the final candidates!). I use nomination charts, transits, solar returns, progressed declination and solar arcs, as well as comparisons with the U.S. chart. I also try to look at the Vice Presidential candidates and the potential first ladies, too. Despite many excellent aspects in 2012, transiting Neptune squared Mitt Romney’s Ascendant; we might say he never truly caught fire. But V.P. candidate Paul Ryan also had Neptune opposing his Ascendant, emphasizing the possibility of loss for both men.

3. Don’t be too influenced by a single technique. Hillary Clinton’s progressed Moon was Out of Bounds in declination for the 2008 presidential election, giving her a very high profile. If we used that technique alone, we might erroneously conclude she’d win. Still, it was a break-out time for her: she garnered tremendous support and was soon appointed Secretary of State. Obama’s nomination chart that year had a Void of Course Moon. One needed to overlook the typical “nothing will come of it” interpretation (he’d been a de facto candidate well before his nomination).

4. Be aware of bias. Astrologers in the U.S. lean liberal, and seem to forecast more Democratic success. Understand your own bias and consciously take a step back.

5. Don’t be swayed by the media. We have to consider what commentators say. But stick to the astrology. The close, hotly contentious 2000 Bush-Gore presidential race needed a Supreme Court decision to resolve, though it was much more obvious astrologically that Bush would win.

6. Learn to weigh ambiguities. Evangeline Adams appeared to use transits of Saturn in her election forecasts, since Saturn can figure importantly in changes of status, position and fortune. But does Saturn point toward a low showing at the polls or accepting the weight of office? It can be challenging to sort through the range of interpretations, but only in-depth research and reasoned judgment will help.

After six correct forecasts, I worry about breaking my run of hits. So every four years I end up spending even more time with the analysis – it’s become a bit of an obligation to prove myself. But given a good skill set and enough time and attention, I believe that any astrologer can do it. After all, we have the same 50-50 chance of calling the outcome correctly that the commentators do!

Karen Christino

Astrologer and Writer