Partial Lunar Eclipse June 26, 2010

I've been asked by a friend to comment on the imminent partial Lunar eclipse that is happening later tonight. I'm hesitant to respond because what I have to say is not going to sit well with many astrological aficionados. A cursory search on the web yields any one of a number of predictions based on an analysis of the time of this eclipse. The problem with most of these predictions is that they are, for the most part, based solely on the chart of the eclipse. You might well ask what else a prediction might be based on and I would say at least you've asked the right question. An analogy might be helpful. Let's say you are a doctor and are monitoring a patient with multiple health issues and they've been admitted to a hospital with some acute symptoms. What sense would it make for you to ignore all of their previous medical history, age, sex, etc. and assess the future of their well being based solely on one acute symptom? Analyzing a lunar eclipse chart is tantamount to that. No, it's even worse. It would be like ignoring the patient entirely and focusing only on a description of the symptom which, in effect, is an almost entirely worthless endeavor as far as being of any practical value to the patient's treatment plan. That is is not to say that a doctor would ignore symptoms. Those symptoms are important when placed in a full and proper context. The same with a lunar eclipse chart. For an astrologer working with an individual it is absolutely necessary they have a firm understanding of that person's natal chart to begin with. Then they are in a position to ask the right questions to understand how that individual has been dealing with the unfoldment of their progressed chart and the long term transits up to the present. Finally, the astrologer can place the individual in the present time stream of the larger cycles of energies that are in play at any given time, eg., the soli/lunar eclipse cycle that has been unfolding within the larger solstice/equinox cycle to name just two. Arriving at an astrological analysis of any moment in time and its effect on an individual, a city, a state, a county or the world at large is an immensely complex and arduous endeavor and requires an unstinting intellectual rigor and breadth of vision. Dozens and dozens of inter-related factors and principles are involved, many of which are in constant motion. For example, I would cite one of these principles -- the principle of heirarchical astrological influence. The simplest expression of that is: no transit or eclipse can trigger an event that is not an a priori potential in an individual's natal chart. If it's not in the original horoscope, it ain't gonna happen, folks. No matter how many eclipses or Grand Cardinal Poobahs you have. As I said, this would be one of the simplest expression of the hierarchical principle. This principle is applied in the understanding of how spheres of influence nested within each other operate. Each sphere contains another with progressively less impact until you finally arrive at the present moment. Tonight that happens to be a partial lunar eclipse. Unless you have carefully examined and weighed all those spheres as they have unfolded you are in no position to understand what's going on. Astrology is simply a means of knowledge. It is not a creator of knowledge. I often tell new clients that I can't tell them anything they don't already know - on some level. All the work that goes into a reading is a means by which an astrologer can get as close as possible to understanding the point of view of their client. We are literally selling water by the river. Anyone who tells you they can see things about the future that can't be seen any other way is a huckster, a charlatan, a flim-flam man. By the time you have done all the required analysis of a given person's or country's chart it's not that hard to predict what will happen next. So I have two questions for you. One, who is willing to devote the enormous amount of time and intellectual effort involved to be able to stand alongside the likes of Ptolemy, Regiomantus, Ficino, Bruno and Kepler to name but a few of the great Western minds that understood astrology? And, two, who really wants to know the truth?

Continuing with the analysis of the Deepwater Horizon disaster we turn to the ruler of the First House, Jupiter at 21 PIS 45. Here begins the unraveling of one of the threads of a complex configuration of planets and fixed stars that I believe spells out the prospect for a worst case scenario. Jupiter is exactly opposed the violent and unfortunate fixed star Denebola. This second brightest star in Leo is known as the "Tail of the Lion" and is associated with the triggering of major disasters. Denebola was conjuct the Midheaven at the take off of the ill fated Air France Airbus jet bound for Paris from Sao Paolo, Brazil that went missing over the Atlantic Ocean May 31st, 2009. There were no survivors and the cause of the crash at sea still remains a mystery. At the time of the plane's last transmission the Moon had reached a conjunction with Denebola. Denebola is rising at the time of the bombing of Hiroshima exactly at the midpoint of the Ascendant and Jupiter in the First House. So much for the astrologers of sweetness and light association of Jupiter with benevolent protection and all things good. Jupiter rising in event charts of war simply assures victory.

One of the complexities of this chart and a very critical one in understanding this event is the fact that Jupiter is also the ruler of the Fourth House. In event astrology we look to the Fourth House to assess the final outcome . This is where things get really nasty. Jupiter is very close to the cusp but is considered to have passed on to the hidden side of the Imum Coeli. This is the situation we are seeing everyday with BP. They are very much present as a part of the effort to bring an end to the disaster but have been ineffective at best. Not only are they the instigators (1st) they are also the ones with the supposed know-how and equipment to put an end to the situation (4th). The big question is will they be successful? In the short term the answer is clearly, no, which we have so depressingly witnessed. Jupiter's only Ptolemaic aspect before it leaves Pisces, outside of a weak semi-sextile to Neptune, is an opposition to an elevated, angular Saturn in its ruling house. Here high rolling, arrogant Jupiter meets its match with the cold, hard reality of Saturn. The weak semi-sextile to Neptune has been well parodied by the Doonesbury comic satire of BP's incredulous attempts to minimize the amount of oil that has been leaking and their ultimately futile attempts to be in charge and solve the problem. As Jupiter approached the exact opposition to Saturn's original place at 29 VIR 06 we were on the edge of our seats anticipating the outcome of BP's "top-kill" solution. On May 30, BP's announcement of the failure of the "top-kill" exactly coincided with Jupiter reaching 29 VIR 06.

It might be considered that Saturn is throwing a double quincunx to the Sun and Neptune which would effectively draw them and Jupiter and Uranus into one grand Finger of God, or YOD. By classical methods this would be stretching things as the Sun is past the quincunx to Saturn. The translation of light phenomena may apply here, though, because the Medium Coeli is fast approaching a conjunction to Saturn and about to change to O degrees of Libra which would eventually put it quincunx the Sun. I believe the more compelling argument for the workability of a YOD is the fact that the midpoint of the Sun and Neptune is 29 PIS 36 which is, in effect, the leading point that all five of these planets are centered around. This is substantiated by seeing how the powers that be (Sun) that are involved are all pointing the finger at each other and there has been nothing but misrepresentation and deceit (Neptune) in the assessment of the amount of oil that is being released and in the uncovering of the collusion between the government inspectors and BP officials. The final piece of this stellar nightmare is found at this leading center point of 29 PIS 36. It is the fixed star Scheat at 29 PIS 22, said to have malevolence of sublime scope and associated with extreme misfortunes, catastrophes that lead to loss of life and with mining disasters. On November 13, 1909, 259 men lost their lives in the Cherry Illinois Mine Fire, one of the largest mining disasters in U.S. history. Mars was conjunct Scheat in the Fourth House of that terrible event.

The dark tragedy of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion could be no better portrayed than in the succinct astrological poetry of the configuration that lies at the heart of the moment it occurred. Saturn at the M.C. quincunx Neptune and the Sun and opposing Jupiter in Pisces conjunct Scheat. Under 5,00o feet of pressure (Saturn) a technological failure (Virgo) at the bottom of the ocean (Pisces) allows an enormous explosion (Uranus) to take place that kills 11 (Scheat) and creates the largest environmental disaster (Scheat/Uranus/4th House) in U.S. (Uranus) history with corruption and deceit (Neptune) on one side and powerless leaders (Sun) on the other.

When will it be contained? How far will it spread? To be continued . . .