Tag Archives: planets

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.

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.