Tag Archives: Al H. Morrison

W.H. Chaney (1821-1903)

19th century astrologer William H. Chaney was from Bangor, Maine, practiced law in West Virginia, may have become a District Attorney in Iowa, and finally studied astrology with Dr. Luke D. Broughton in Manhattan.  He practiced astrology for the rest of his life, moving to the west coast, then St. Louis.  Chaney finally ended up in Chicago, married six times along the way, enlightened many students, wrote some books and published, including his own calculation of an American ephemeris.  He admitted to being a difficult personality.

Al H. Morrison believed he was the reincarnation of Chaney, feeling that the two lives and personalities had many parallels.  Chaney is known today as the father of the author Jack London, and Al even felt that London’s chart was similar to his own son’s.

San Francisco astrologer Joseph Silveira deMello (1925-2004) researched Chaney’s life, and his profile of Chaney from The Mercury Hour was published on the Astrologer’s Memorial.  Since that website is no longer easily accessible, I’m reposting it here.

W.H. Chaney by Joseph Silveira deMello

I first lectured on America’s first-born astrologer (b. 1821 in backwoods Maine) at UAC in Washington, D.C. Chaney was editing newspapers, writing, practicing law in Ohio when he encountered astrology. He moved to NYC for special tutoring by Dr. Luke Broughton. Chaney and Broughton were persecuted and jailed for practicing astrology, but Broughton was recognized as a proper gentleman, since he headed the NY Medical Society, and was released. Chaney, a self-styled curmudgeon and very contentious, languished without trial in the Ludlow Street jail for over six months. When Chaney set up his own practice, advertising that he had been a student of Broughton, Broughton felt that Chaney was trading on Broughton’s name and was very much out of joint about it.

But Chaney did not linger in New York. He moved west to practice in San Jose and San Francisco and in Portland. In San Francisco he lived in the same boarding house as did a lady from Ohio whom he had met at the home of a Mayor of Seattle who was his client. This lady found herself pregnant, and of the men around her chose Chaney as the father. Chaney denied this all his life, saying he was physically incapable of fathering offspring. She tried to commit suicide, publicly blamed Chaney for insisting she have an abortion and for disassociating himself from her. Chaney was exonerated by local authorities, but the story was picked up by Abigale Dunniway, pioneer newspaper publisher in Oregon, who refused to acknowledge that Chaney had been exonerated.

The child, however, turns out to be Jack London who wrote Call of the Wild and is an acclaimed American literary figure. London was born on the day before Chaney’s 55th birthday, and the two charts are worth study, the similarities are quite patent. After his problem in San Francisco he moved to Salem and Portland, Oregon, where for ten years he was suing and countersuing Dunniway who was not as peerless a character as she insisted other people be.

Eventually he moved back to St. Louis where he had previously lived, published a Primer of Astrology which came out in small pamphlet lessons, and moved to Chicago where records show that he operated an astrology school at two locations prior to his death in the early 1900’s. At the time of his death he was toothless, blind and deaf. As an astrologer, he was a very public figure, available always to lecture on any topic at any symposium, an early environmentalist and conservationalist, even in the 1880’s looking to the immediate onset of the Age of Aquarius. He made a great hobby of sending off for publicly advertised horoscopes and then taking astrologers to task for the mistakes they made in delineating his chart. He had a long running feud with Raphael’s stemming from a book order for which he paid and the fact that they would not give him a refund for part of the order they never filled, and he took Raphael’s to task for continually predicting the death of Queen Victoria in the face of her continued life.

I have enjoyed studying Chaney’s Primer as much as Broughton’s Elements of Astrology. Indeed, he is a marvelous precursor of Al H. Morrison.  For your further study, Chaney’s data is January 13, 1821, 11:31 PM LMT, Chesterville, Maine, 44N33, 70W06. This is the birth data Chaney used for himself. (Chaney’s chart on Astrodatabank)  Jack London, January 12, 1876, 2:00 PM LMT, San Francisco, California, 37N47, 122W26.

Sources include A Pictorial Life of Jack London by Russ Kingman who explores the origins of London and his parents, and Dr. Luke D. Broughton’s Elements of Astrology.

Originally published in Mercury Hour, April 1999 (100th Edition)

Joe deMello’s chart on Astrodatabank

DeMello’s tribute on the Astrologer’s Memorial at the Internet Archive

Some more on Dr. Broughton and Chaney’s legal problems in New York City

I collected the work of Al H. Morrison and he talks a bit about Chaney in The Best of Al H. Morrison 

Many have researched Chaney’s life due to his connection with Jack London.  He was a fascinating character, and here are some links to more about his life:

Sonoma State University:  Jack London Online — William Chaney

Encyclopedia.com:  William Henry Chaney

StrangeNewEngland.com:  William Henry Chaney — the Strange Journey of Jack London’s Father

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.

The Second Saturn Return

As a strong Saturn person who became a professional astrologer on my first Saturn return, I’m always interested in the Saturn cycle. Al H. Morrison felt that the second Saturn return was quite significant. (He, too, had an important Saturn, with Saturn conjunct his Sun straddling the fourth house cusp.) Al saw the second Saturn return as further consolidating the career or life direction. The return at ages 58-59 has a Janus-like effect. With the perspective of time, you easily look back at your life history, seeing what you’ve experienced and accomplished. In harsh Saturnine terms, time has passed and we won’t be getting it back. What do you want that you haven’t had the opportunity to do? What have you done that you’d like to continue?

At the borderline of 60, we also more easily look ahead. How many years might we continue to be active? And what can be accomplished in that time? This hard look at reality makes us more focused, according to Al, which is a natural Saturn function. We no longer have time for things that aren’t important as we become more aware of the limitations of our time.

Here’s an example: A good friend experienced her second Saturn return last year. She’d been a writer for over 30 years though she earned more through teaching. But all her hard work in the previous cycle bore fruit at the return as she began finding better writing opportunities, and she left a regular teaching job as a result. Shortly after the return was past, she found what she once would have considered an ideal teaching position; but she ended up not applying for the job — it would interfere with her writing opportunities.

These career transitions can be typical of the Saturn return. We realize that we can’t do everything. And our changing opportunities and circumstances may lead us in different and even more rewarding directions.

Al H. Morrison was born on July 8, 1916 at 12:17 AM in North Little Rock, Arkansas.

For more from Al, see my book, The Best of Al H. Morrison.
Buy from Amazon.com: The Best of Al H. Morrison

Moon Void? Of Course!

Now that Saturn has entered Sagittarius to stay, we have an unusual phenomenon. The heavier planets are all below 20 degrees and even Jupiter and Mars are both in early degrees. What that means is that there’ll be a lot more Void of Course Moons.

The Moon is Void when it leaves its last major aspect before changing signs. With the Sun toward the middle degrees of Libra, it, too, cannot save the Moon from being Void of Course that much for the next week or two. So, for example, we’re left with the Moon being Void for most of Thursday, October 8, 2015, Saturday October 10, Tuesday October 13, Thursday October 15, etc. That’s a lot of void to fill!

Al H. Morrison, who studied the Void Moon quite a bit, felt that decisions and actions could prove fruitless at these times, bearing unexpected consequences. If you force things through, you may regret it, as unintended results are more common. We’re not in charge of the outcome.

On the other hand, Al thought the VOC Moon was good for routine things like chores and entertainment, as well as therapy. He believed the VOC Moon heightened intuition and awareness and could provide inner revelations. Since the Moon rules our moods, emotions and needs, I suppose being Void places the emphasis more on our authentic inner selves than on connecting with the outer world.

I feel we’ll all have a little more “down time” in the coming weeks. It’s almost like enforced astrological relaxation. As Al so succinctly said, “Feed your soul until the time shown for entering the next sign. Then, go back into business!”

There’s more on Al H. Morrison and his thoughts on the Void of Course Moon in my book, The Best of Al H. Morrison.

Qualities of the Signs

The cardinal, fixed and mutable qualities in astrology describe various personal characteristics. Most of us have some of each quality, but many horoscopes show a preponderance of one or another.

The fixed signs give commitment and follow-through. They’re helpful in overcoming adversity, maintaining long-term relationships, pursuing a lawsuit or achieving definite goals. People with strong fixed signs in their horoscopes know how to focus on one thing and see it through to its completion. However they may find it hard to change. They tend to be insensitive to the signals for change outside of themselves and can become stuck in habitual ways of doing things.

Those with strong mutable signs are just the opposite. They easily adapt to people, circumstances and situations and can juggle many things at once. Al H. Morrison felt that mutable energy aids all personal and professional relationships, as it provides the give and take necessary for all interactions. However mutable people often have difficulty with situations that demand persistence and follow-through.

Those with an emphasis on cardinal signs in their horoscopes are not as obvious or simple to understand. Cardinal people provide the forces for change in the world. A strongly cardinal person will feel impatient, annoyed, frustrated or anxious if they feel thwarted in their goals and ambitions. They’ll address obstacles from different directions until they overcome them.

Cardinals spearhead developments, while fixed signs may find it hard to begin projects. Once started, though, fixed people move forward steadily, but it may be difficult for them to stop. Mutables easily start something new but there are always other things that attract their attention.

Aries, which is cardinal and fire, can be seen as the most cardinal sign, since it effectively harnesses the fiery energy to move ahead with initiative. Taurus, which is fixed earth, may be the most fixed sign since it’s heavy and bound in matter. Gemini, representing mutable air, could be the most mutable as it’s light and responsive. It’s interesting that these are the first three signs of the zodiac.

A strong Mercury and Jupiter may compensate for a lack of mutable signs in a chart. A strong Pluto might provide the stick-to-it-iveness that someone lacking fixed signs needs. And a strong Mars or Saturn could make up for a deficiency in cardinal signs in a horoscope. There are so many elements to astrology that whatever the tendencies of the signs, there’s a wealth of other energies to draw upon.

Retrograde and Void of Course

Mercury retrograde is a time for review, revisions and rethinking. Al H. Morrison felt that the Void of Course Moon was best used for routine activities and feeding your soul. The combination of the two may at times result in petty annoyances and some delay or frustration in day-to-day life. It’s generally not a good time to initiate new projects.

I once received a call from a magazine I’d never worked for to write a feature. The editor discussed what they wanted, I agreed, and she said they were definitely going ahead. She’d get back to me regarding the length of the article and deadline. I was skeptical since I knew that not only was Mercury retrograde but the Moon was also Void of Course that day. Mercury retrograde can create miscommunications and people easily change their minds. And the Void of Course Moon is not promising for beginning new ventures. Not only did the editor not call me back as promised, but I was never even able to reach her!

But life goes on and we must continue through these wacky times. (For his part, Al H. Morrison would often sleep during the VOC Moon – at any time of the day or night.)

Recently, I arrived at my destination early during Mercury retrograde with the VOC Moon. My Metrocard needed refilling, and I thought that I’d accomplish this routine task. The first vending machine was providing no receipts, so I moved on to the next. The second machine informed me that my Metrocard was expiring – Did I want to replace it? I said Yes. I got the card and it gave me a receipt but I was confused. Did they charge me $1 for replacement? It was not clear. I continued to refill my card and the machine requested my zip code. However the keypad would not work and the transaction was aborted.

I moved on to the third machine, which unfortunately was only providing single trip transactions, something I’d never encountered before. I turned to the fourth and final machine, which by this time had several people waiting in line. I’d now be late if I waited, so I left.

I’d gotten a new card, but had been unable to complete my intended task. As Morrison had said, the VOC Moon can take us in unintended directions, with false starts and error. Mercury retrograde revealed machines needing repair and a confusing situation. I’d have to complete things at a later date. Sometimes even routine tasks don’t fare so well under these influences!

Astro Twins

Astro-twins are two people who share the same birthday – day and year – not necessarily the same time of birth.  All the planets in the two horoscopes will be conjunct.  If we look back to our youthful days we’re more likely to find people we know with the same birth date.

I went out with my sister’s astro-twin for a while.  I guess he felt very comfortable to me – although not the other way around as he soon broke it off.  One of my best friends had a crush on my astro-twin.  He seemed like a nice guy, but neither of us ever got to know him very well.  I can only imagine that what she liked in me she saw in him, too.

I had the same singing teacher as another of my astro-twins.  She was a dancer and earned money horseback riding and I had also done both.  I later learned that she left town owing the teacher a bit of money, but I always paid on time.  Go figure.

A young Al H. Morrison married his astro-twin – they were born about 12 hours apart.  (This was before he became interested in astrology, and if anything, he was then a skeptic.)  He later complained that after a year it was “like masturbating.”  From which I take it that he needed stimulation from someone less like himself.  This may have been especially true since he had a Libra Moon.  It’s hard to balance one scale with another one.  The relationship didn’t last. 

Evangeline Adams’ astro-twin (2/8/1868) was Baron Lionel Walter Rothschild, a British zoologist.  Evangeline, too, always loved animals, but was never able to attain the noble title to which her Leo Moon naturally aspired.

I’ve generally liked other Capricorn people, while I’ve noticed that when Aries are together they tend to fight.  It seems to me that Scorpios and Leos marry each other the most often of the signs.  The Leos have a mutual admiration society and the Scorpios must enjoy the emotional resonance.

Void of Course Moon Shopping

October 10, 2013: I’d agreed to help a friend buy a trench coat for work at a department store.  I noted a Void of Course Moon until 11:17, and suggested that we arrive after that time.  When I’ve gone shopping with the VOC Moon in the past, I often can’t find what I want – there’s little resonance with the selection.  Al H. Morrison also stated that he found we don’t fully use items bought under the VOC Moon.  Why waste your time?  I’d pick another day. 

Although my friend is a skeptic, she wanted my help and agreed to meet at 11:15.  We both arrived early – around 11:00.  I felt we should just walk around and not try to accomplish anything for the next 15-20 minutes.  She disagreed:  “What could happen within the next 15 minutes?  The same items will be on the shelf, won’t they?”  Sounds logical to a non-astrologer.  She wouldn’t understand that it was not that simple. 

We got to the floor at 11:10 and a saleswoman showed us a limited selection of coats, most with price tags of $400 and up, much more than she’d intended to spend.  The coats available also seemed to be somewhat sack-like, not a flattering cut, and the materials were not the greatest.  She asked the saleswoman for similar things elsewhere and we were directed to a more sporty area.  These prices were lower and there was a much greater selection, but they were more casual.  She found one she liked, and I thought it looked good, too.  But now the Moon was no longer VOC! 

The coat, though, was still not quite what she wanted, so we returned to the other section for a closer look.  We first noticed an electronic price reader, and it turned out that the prices were actually quite a bit lower than the tags indicated.  There was also a little more of a selection than we’d initially thought.  She quickly found a few she liked, tried them on and we agreed on one that looked rather good – exactly what she wanted and within her price range. 

So what had happened?  The same coats were on the rack.  But once the Moon was no longer Void, our ability to connect with them had changed.  We discovered new information – lower prices not immediately available – and took more time to review the limited selection.  We both overlooked the material, as it was water-repellent, which she wanted.  Mission accomplished!

You know the moral of the story – just avoid the VOC Moon when shopping!