Category Archives: horoscope interpretation

Planetary Powers

Patti Tobin Brittain’s book, Planetary Powers: The Morin Method takes the reader through the first steps in understanding how her teacher, Gerhard Houwing and his accomplished source, Jean-Baptiste Morin (1583–1656), may have interpreted a horoscope. As I have a background in this method myself, it was fascinating to see her approach.

This is a clear introductory text that focuses on what the author calls “cause and effect.” Brittain uses stripped-down charts with only a few key elements to show how the ruler of one house placed in another creates meaning. She provides numerous examples to familiarize the reader with these mechanics, almost like drills. They are often illuminating, but it can be unclear whether the examples represent real people or theory.

Another important concept is “analogy.” The Sun has an affinity for the 10th house, and Venus for the 7th, for example. These will vary by sign, ruler, house or aspect and are also clearly illustrated. This is another concept that I had personally absorbed but never reviewed in such detail.

The planets’ essential nature (their basic meanings and whether malefic or benefic) are significant, as is cosmic state (dignities and debilities). Morin used simplified triplicity rulers (different than those in Ptolemy or William Lilly).

Students interested in Morin’s methods should find this book a good, accessible starting point. Houwing emphasized “the concise, the specific, the concrete” and a “systematic approach to reading a chart.” These do reflect Morin’s traditional practices, which are very different from modern psychological astrology.

Houwing “felt it was worse to be unresolute than to be wrong” and Brittain admits this “may sound fatalistic.” I found it so myself when one of her “malefic” examples reflected components of my own chart! I personally strive to be accurate in a more general way than rigorously specific, as the latter can often be misleading, judgmental, or just plain wrong. Horoscopes, like human beings, are complex.

Some intriguing tidbits are mentioned but not addressed and are certainly beyond the scope of the book. But I would’ve liked to read more about what factors could indicate events in childhood, middle or late life, or what placements might show experiences that are fleeting vs. constant and ongoing, for example.

Patti Tobin Brittain died in March of 2019 at the age of 91. Born on 10/28/27 in Forney, Texas, she had the Sun, Moon, Mercury and Mars all in Scorpio in a grand trine with Jupiter in Pisces and Pluto. Her mentor Houwing was born on 10/27/23 – just a day and four years before Brittain, so we can understand their connection astrologically. They share the Sun and Venus in Scorpio and both appear to have been single-minded and incisive. Houwing’s Jupiter closely conjoins Brittain’s Mercury, and he passed along his knowledge and experience to her. But while the teacher had Mercury sextile Neptune, the student had a square between these planets, so something may have been lost in this rendition of Houwing and Morin’s work.

Taking apart a horoscope to understand its working parts may be valuable, but putting an emphasis on isolated elements makes for a somewhat linear and literal approach. Another book is needed to fill in the vast spaces between the simplified examples shown and an interpretation and synthesis of the full horoscopes presented at the end of the book. Nevertheless, Planetary Powers provides a valuable introduction to Morin’s methods.

Check out Planetary Powers (AFA, 2010) on Amazon.com
(About my Amazon links)

Brittain’s birth date is from her obituary.

Houwing’s birth date is from public records on Ancestry.com

Saturn Chasing the Moon

How can we forecast long-term trends with astrology? I wondered what took my grandmother away from her home in the U.S. for nine years during World War II. She had lengthy transits of Pluto and Neptune through houses, but their aspects changed and didn’t seem the most descriptive of her situation. Her progressed Sun in Sagittarius in her 4th house would show the developments in her home situation, including foreign travel, but that’s a longer trend. She also had Saturn chasing her Moon.

Since the progressed Moon’s cycle through the signs and Saturn’s transit cycle are similar (around 28 or 29 years), some of us will experience extended periods of time with Saturn repeating the same aspect to the progressed Moon. This, too, is such a long-term influence that it may be tough to categorize.

Saturn opposed my progressed Moon for over 20 years. For me, the period coincided with career development, important decisions, a lot of hard work and important housing issues. I also researched my family genealogy, broke an ankle and had minor surgery. I lost my father and became a caretaker for my mom. The symbolism is clear, but these are also typical life events that many of us will experience in a 20-year period.

My grandmother Ida’s cycle started in 1935 with Saturn in her 7th house opposite the progressed Moon in the 1st, and didn’t end until after 1948, with Saturn in the 1st and the Moon in her 7th (lasting about 13 years, nearly half a Saturn cycle).

Ida’s natal Moon was in the 12th and Saturn in Pisces in her 8th house. Both might relate to events she couldn’t control. There’s no close connection between the two planets, but they’re widely inconjunct (over 3-1/2 degrees apart), not the most comfortable aspect.

Ida had been away from her native land and family members for about six years when her progressed Moon began to oppose transiting Saturn. She never gave us convincing reasons why she didn’t come back to New York before her visa expired. Though when back in Germany, her mother wasn’t well and she also had no great affection for her husband in the U.S. She worked on the family farm and later had jobs as a mail carrier, waitress and housekeeper. World War II brought major limitations: food shortages and life-threatening situations. Her mother and two brothers died during this time. Ida finally got back to New York in 1947, but a year later her husband had a stroke and died, leaving her with little money and an infant to raise. The final two exact passes of her progressed Moon to transiting Saturn came later that year.

Most people won’t experience dire events like these. And because of its length, the transit Saturn-progressed Moon cycle is somewhat unwieldy for astrologers to interpret. It nests within many other cycles and we need to do a lot more research to understand how best to describe it.

See my previous post for more information on Ida’s natal chart and her experiences as a refugee and displaced person.

A Refugee

What do immigrants and refugees have in their horoscopes? Issues with the 4th house (home) and 9th (foreign countries)? Notable outer planet transits at the time of their travels and travails? My grandmother’s chart offered some clues.

Ida was born in Germany in 1907. She came to the U.S. at age 22 and was married the following year. The Moon in Leo in her 12th conjoins the Ascendant in Virgo (about 6 degrees away) and squares the Midheaven. The Moon is often connected with change, movement and travel as well as the home. The ruler of the Ascendant, Mercury in Scorpio, is placed in the 4th house and squares both the Ascendant and the Moon. So we see some potential issues with her home.

The Moon is also part of a T-square with Venus in Scorpio conjunct the IC and the Midheaven. Perhaps there was something of a toxic atmosphere at home with her six brothers and sisters, or maybe she was simply restless and craved some change. This pattern might also affect her status or standing (10th house). In addition, her North Node in Cancer also points toward important experiences surrounding the home and family, especially as it closely trines Venus conjunct the IC. (She later worked for many years as a housekeeper.)

Ida had another T-square made up of the Sun in Scorpio in the 3rd house, Mars, ruler of her 9th, and Jupiter. The blending of the 3rd house of local transit with expansive Jupiter and the ruler of the 9th of long distance travel also suggests life experiences involving travel, foreign cultures or languages. The Sun-Mars-Jupiter combination should give her initiative and courage, but placed in cadent houses (3rd, 6th and 12th), she didn’t always have the complete freedom of choice she may have wanted.

Ida’s Moon also closely sextiles Pluto in the 10th house, and her life did undergo a radical change, even after she had settled down in New York State. In 1938, missing her family, she returned to Germany for a long visit. But by the time she was set to return in 1939, Great Britain had declared war on Germany, her mother was ill and wanted her to stay, and she wasn’t eager to go back to her husband. She was soon unable to return, spending the duration of World War II in Europe. She was required to regularly check in with the local Nazi authorities: she’d been in the U.S. for so long that she was considered “stateless,” complicating her legal status. She experienced bombing raids, food shortages and other harsh realities of war. Many women in the area were raped by Russian soldiers.

Ida’s Moon, 4th and 9th houses weren’t the most difficult, and she did survive the long wartime ordeal. But with two T-squares involving planets in fixed signs, the challenges and losses persisted. She eventually became both a displaced person and a refugee. It took many harrowing years before she was able to return to the U.S. after the war – not until the middle of 1947. Her journey had lasted nearly nine years.

I take a look at Ida’s transits and progressions during her travels in another post.

Jane Austen… Again

Over 200 years after her death, Jane Austen’s popularity continues to soar. Her numerous book spin-offs include plays, film adaptations, soft-core porn sequels and even things like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. With Neptune rising in her horoscope, it appears that everyone can see something different in Austen.

Neptune conjoining the Ascendant in Virgo in Jane’s chart makes her work multi-layered. Her books give us her personal impressions and are true-to-life reflections of daily concerns that strike a chord with readers, perhaps because there is usually some romanticism and often the suggestion of happy endings. But typical of Neptune, we don’t even know what she looked like!

Austen may not always be what she appears, especially as Neptune squares her 4th house Sun in Sagittarius. Commentators have seen her as a conservative, a house-mouse and a feminist (she never married and while tied to her family, she produced great novels). Her Mercury in Sag. in the 3rd attests to her need to write, and it opposes Uranus in the 9th house, giving her an independent outlook. Jupiter in Gemini in the 9th shows her education and the ability to publish, especially as it trines her Moon and Saturn straddling the 2nd house cusp. This aspect is probably part of what has continued to keep her books popular with readers, as Saturn can bring longevity. (While she sold some work during her lifetime, Jane did not make much money at it.) Venus in Scorpio indicates her deep feelings.

The Moon in Libra conjoining Saturn gives Austen a consistent interest in relationships, which were both persistent (especially those with women) and limited (she quickly broke off an engagement). The Moon and Saturn also square Mars in Capricorn in her 4th house, suggesting responsibilities and obligations to the home and family. Her life had limitations. Saturn squaring Pluto in Capricorn shows her pragmatic and realistic side. The Sag. and Capricorn planets combine to make her work both humorous and ironic.

With Pluto trining the writer’s Ascendant in 2020 and returning to its natal place in 2021, the recycling of her brand will probably continue. Hopefully some of it will get to the heart of what makes Jane Austen special.

Jane Austen was born on December 3, 1775 at around 11:45 pm in Steventon, Hampshire, England, according to a letter from her father – see Astrodatabank.
Helena Kelly’s feminist analysis, Jane Austen, Secret Radical, deconstructs Austen’s life and work and provides an encyclopedic look at the history and culture of the time.

Astrology to the Rescue!

It’s such a common movie and TV plot: a person is at a crossroads and they don’t know what to do. Should they marry X? Go to school? Change jobs? There’s a lot of drama before the protagonist makes the right (or wrong!) decision. It often leaves me thinking that, if they’d just go to an astrologer, things would be a lot easier.

Astrology can answer so many questions of life, perhaps especially those related to the angular houses of self-expression, relationships, career, home and family. A horoscope is like a map or compass showing your life’s pattern. While it can’t provide specifics, it can often tell us more about all of the following:

The areas of life and types of experiences that should come easily to us;
Where challenges could occur, with suggestions to overcome them;
How to best develop your talents;
What to expect from partners, superiors, lovers and friends;
How uncontrollable events may impact on you and how to best address them (things from the outside world, culture or society);
Where your greatest opportunities could appear and when to expect them;
If it’s better to get married now, later or never;
How to maximize your assets;
How to overcome your liabilities;
The types of career that you could succeed in and what to expect along the way;
If a problem is temporary or long-term, when and how it may be resolved;

And much more! In fact, for every area of life, there’s probably an astrologer who can give you more insight.

Jupiter in Sagittarius

Jupiter is called the greater benefic and Sagittarius is the sign where it’s most at home. Jupiter and Sagittarius think in broad terms and enjoy expansion. The combination also accentuates its meaning, as planet and sign share similar qualities. Jupiter/Sag. people often like to do things in a big way and may at times over-reach or go too far. Though we may feel that some have a lot of “hot air,” they tend to be naturally exuberant and positive people.

Jupiter entered Sagittarius, its own sign, on November 8, 2018, where it will remain until December 2, 2019. My father and two aunts had Jupiter in Sag., each born 12 years apart. They were all warm, optimistic and talkative people, with an openness and candor. They had lots of energy and an upbeat attitude, actively engaging with life and others. I found it easy to enjoy their company, as all of them laughed wholeheartedly and were good story-tellers. They each had strong opinions on certain topics, and although Sagittarius is a mutable sign, they were committed to their ideas and beliefs.

Though all were angular, with very different aspects and house placements, their expressions of Jupiter were varied. My dad worked in the legal system throughout his life. One aunt was bilingual and enjoyed travelling; the other had strong religious convictions. Some of the typical expressions associated with Jupiter and Sagittarius are experiences with the law, foreign cultures or philosophical beliefs.

Let’s look at some celebrity examples for a better idea of the many expressions of Jupiter in Sagittarius. Notice how many of these characters could easily fit into more than one category.

Philosophers: People committed to their beliefs, whether they’re astrologers or in touch with the metaphysical world, share Jupiter in Sagittarius. They may have insight into the cosmos or our connection with the divine: Howard Sasportas, Carroll Righter, Karl Ernst Krafft, Marc Edmund Jones, Antoine de St.-Exupery, Eckhart Tolle, William Blake, Henry David Thoreau, William Butler Yeats.

Like Laughter: It was easy to find comedians with this combination, as many of them have an irrepressible sense of humor, while also offering insight into life: Maya Rudolph, Amy Poehler, Sacha Baron Cohen, Allison Janney, Damon Wayans, Ted Danson, Cameron Diaz, Tracy Ullman, Hugh Grant, Alan Alda, Bernadette Peters, Jim Henson, Billy Crystal, Kevin Kline, Richard Simmons, Phylicia Rashad.

Law and Politics: Government and the legal system are other natural outlets, as many legal experts and politicians share Jupiter in Sag: Justin Trudeau, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Michael Avenatti, Prince Charles, John McCain, George H.W. Bush, Janet Reno, Al Gore, Antonin Scalia.

Striking Voices: Jupiterians come across in a big way or may literally have an exuberant voice: Idina Menzel, Amy Winehouse, Carrie Underwood, Stella McCartney, Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, Andrew Lloyd Weber, David Mamet, Jackson Pollack, Maria Callas.

Wide Acclaim: People with Jupiter in Sagittarius are often attracted to other cultures and may reflect their ethnic heritage, share something from another culture or become widely known, even internationally: Sofia Coppola, Emma Thompson, Alan Turing, Yves Saint Laurent, Selena, Ricky Martin, Julia Child, Yusuf Islam/Cat Stevens, Florence Griffith-Joyner.

Speak their Minds: Sagittarians have a need to enlighten and educate. They’re sincere truth-seekers, with faith in their ideals. Some celebrities with Jupiter in Sag. speak out on political or educational issues or are simply known for being outspoken themselves: Jada Pinkett Smith, Jane Lynch, Amber Rose, Ben Affleck, Simon Cowell, Truman Capote, Sarah Ferguson, Robert Redford.

Go too Far: The flaw in Sagittarius and Jupiter may be not knowing when to stop. Since they like to see the big picture and may enjoy gambling, some have ideological beliefs or what the Greeks called “hubris” – arrogance towards the gods or excessive pride. We can find both people and situations that typify this trait: Martin Shkreli, Edward Snowden, Lance Armstrong, Kim Jong-Un, statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee placed in Charlottesville, VA park (Lee also surrendered on a Jupiter in Sagittarius), Titanic sailing.

Stacey Abrams and Recounts

Stacey Abrams has been battling entrenched authorities in the Georgia Governor’s race as transit Saturn creates a T-square with her natal Saturn-Pluto square. She’s won a court victory as a judge authorized votes with partial discrepancies. Tr. Saturn will exactly square her Pluto on 11/18/18, the time when the Florida Secretary of State could certify the election. It’s disappointing that we have no birth time, as it seems to me there’s some progressed angularity we’re missing with the noon chart I used.

Abrams is an eclipse person, with a partial lunar eclipse the day after her birthday. She also has a probable Out of Bounds Moon that also attracts attention. She’s a lightning rod and literally the opposite of Donald Trump with her Sun in Sagittarius and Moon in Gemini.

Her progressed Sun, Moon (depending on birth time), Mercury, Venus and Jupiter are all in Aquarius, accentuating Abrams’ Moon-Venus-Jupiter-Pluto grand air trine. Transit Uranus stations near her Mars in Aries from late December to early January 2019, when it will exactly trine her North Node in Sagittarius. Jupiter will also conjoin her Sun in January. While the Governor’s race is hard to call without a birth time, Abrams has gained national recognition and should begin a major new adventure in 2019.

Tom Hanks, Author

I like looking at the charts of creative types to see how they’re reflected in their work. Popular actor Tom Hanks released a book of short stories last year, Uncommon Type, and I listened to his audiobook. I wasn’t sure how good it’d be, but with the Sun in Cancer, I expected Hanks’ warm and accessible, sexually non-threatening style. The stories were wonderful and seemed to reflect even more of the real person than we know from the movies.

Many of the stories concerned family, friends and leisure activities and seemed personal and authentic. Hanks has both the Sun and Mercury in Cancer with the Moon in Leo, all of which favor self-expression. His Sun and Moon are also in mutual reception and dispose of the entire chart, strengthening his ability to connect with emotions and present dramatic situations.

Venus in Gemini creates a grand cross with Mars in Pisces on the Descendant, the MC/IC and Virgo rising. True to Virgo, there is a meticulousness about the writing, but with Mars in Pisces, it’s always emotionally engaging. The stories are accessible and comfortable, the content somewhat “cozy” (PG rated), and nothing is pushed or rushed, with occasionally disturbing situations and satisfying endings.

The actor also has Mercury Out of Bounds in declination. Kt Boehrer thought this placement was associated with considerable imagination, curiosity and talent. And I would add, versatility.

The stories of a divorced mother learning to trust again and the son of a divorced couple getting to know his more successful mom and her new boyfriend seemed so truthful and real that I assumed the writer had experienced these things first-hand. There were also stories about space flight, time travel, star gazing and discovering the exhilaration of piloting an airplane. These all seemed Uranian to me, and Hanks has the Moon conjunct Uranus in the 11th house, probably one reason he’s been so popular in the first place. His bio tells us that he’s experienced divorce and is a big booster of NASA and space exploration.

Saturn in Scorpio in the 3rd house trines Uranus, and this also explains Tom Hanks’ somewhat low-key communications style. Saturn rules his 5th house and also squares Pluto in Leo and Jupiter in Virgo in his 12th, showing a great inner drive and intensity. As Jupiter rules his 4th house cusp, this also shows the changes he experienced in his personal life.

One story is about a woman striking out on her own and connecting with a typewriter. With Saturn strongly accented in the 3rd house, it’s no surprise that Tom Hanks collects typewriters and is devoted to writing with them.

Uncommon Type by Tom Hanks on Amazon.com.

Tom Hanks was born on July 9, 1956 at 11:17 AM in Concord Calfornia, rated AA on Astrodatabank (from his birth certificate).

Bob Woodward and Neptune

Bob Woodward’s new book Fear: Trump in the White House is the fastest-selling book in Simon & Schuster’s nearly 100 years of publishing, according to the L.A. Times. The veteran journalist has covered eight presidents in his 45 years of reporting. Surprisingly enough, Neptune is one of his most prominent planets!

Neptune closely conjoins the Ascendant and opposes the journalist’s Sun in Aries and Ascendant ruler Mercury in Pisces. This is an unexpected combination and we’d imagine that Woodward might be challenged to tell the truth himself, as Neptune opposite Mercury may present a false view of reality. Certainly in his most significant stories, like Watergate, his long-term analysis lifted a veil or exposed a cover-up. His current book relies on anonymous sources, and one of the most closely guarded secrets of the Watergate story was the identity of Deep Throat, a key informant. So Neptune rising in Libra may show the ability to keep a partner’s secrets as well as tease them out of others.

Neptune and Mercury are ruled by Venus in Taurus and Jupiter in the 10th, which are more open and straightforward. And the rest of the chart is consistent with journalism and sharing information with the public. The Sun in Aries in the 7th house trines Pluto in the 11th and suggests powerful contacts and the ability to tap into key witnesses. The Moon in Sagittarius in the 3rd house is naturally candid in communications and completes a grand trine with the Sun and Pluto. Research and investigative abilities are accentuated by Scorpio on the 3rd house, Pluto’s placement Out of Bounds in declination, and its trine to the Moon in the 3rd.

Jupiter, the planet of ideas and education, is in Woodward’s 10th house of career, exalted in Cancer. His books and articles have focused on the country’s leaders. Jupiter is in mutual reception with the Moon, and the two dispose of all the other planets but Venus.

Saturn conjunct Uranus in Gemini in the 9th house has gained him great acclaim and shows the combination of traditional reporting and unexpected breakthroughs he’s shared with a wide audience. These two planets complete a kite pattern with the Sun, Moon and Pluto, and Uranus trines Neptune and the Ascendant as well. While Bob Woodward’s success has much to do with Jupiter, he also has a wide Star of David (or grand sextile) pattern, one of the most harmonious in astrology, that includes his Ascendant.

The 9/11 release date of Bob Woodward’s book has tremendous resonance for the country, but at the time, the transiting Sun and Mercury were also conjunct his Ascendant and activating his grand trine/grand sextile pattern. Progressed Mercury in Taurus was also trining the Ascendant and nearing a conjunction with 9th house Uranus to make for great excitement about his work.

Bob Woodward’s birth data is from his birth record and rated AA on Astrodatabank.

The Modern West is Linear

Horoscopes have survived for over 2,000 years and represent a unique remnant of the ancient world. There is absolutely nothing else like them, as they symbolically represent the sky and are able to convey the events and experiences of a life. While we can use various techniques to progress or direct the chart into the future, the horoscope itself conveys the entire life.

In the contemporary west, we live in a world of linear time, where we adhere to schedules and see ourselves evolving into the future. Others in the past and elsewhere are different. In polychronic cultures, time is cyclic, and deadlines are unimportant. People from India that I’ve known seem to have a more polychronic attitude, for example, and interestingly enough many in India also value astrology.

Astronomer and anthropologist Anthony Aveni gave an excellent example of polychronic works of art in his book, Conversing with the Planets. In a museum in Mexico City, he observed Aztec plant sculptures that contained both the mature fruit and blooming flowers – which cannot co-exist at the same time. “Each half of the calabash and maize sculptures seemed totally faithful to what I have actually seen in my garden at the beginning and the end of the season… But the artists who made these carvings just a few generations before Cortés landed on Mexico’s shore… had conflated different stages of plant metamorphosis into a single coherent image… for reasons that escape us, the polychromic image – the combination of realities pulled from different time frames and brought together by the human imagination into a composite whole – seems to have held greater significance.”

A horoscope can also be seen as a “composite whole.” And it’s worth noting that the Maya, who predated the Aztecs by at least 1,000 years, were keen sky observers who also had their own elaborate system of astrology.

One reason that astrology is commonly criticized today may be that mainstream western society is so time-driven, ordered and quantitative, while horoscopes and astrology are qualitative and cyclic. Those of us who value them are able to do so despite the linear culture that surrounds us.

Aveni’s Conversing with the Planets is a wonderful book that looks at the many cultures through history that developed astrology. It was published in 1992 as the Uranus-Neptune conjunction in Capricorn approached, and is one of the first books to seriously address the cultural history of astrology for a wider audience. Buy on Amazon.com:
Conversing with the Planets: How Science and Myth Invented the Cosmos