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Home , Planets in astrology

Chiron • • Pholus • Nessus • Hylonome • Borasisi • Sedna

BEYOND THE VEIL

by Eric Francis Coppolino the deck chairs on the Titanic.’ First was when Colbert made of all, that is a terrible metaphor. his speech? On the spot I looked When Stephen Colbert took This administration is not sinking. up the data and cast the chart. (See the podium at the White This administration is soaring! If Chart 1, page 24.) Correspondents Association Dinner anything, they are rearranging the I had to blink my eyes a few at THE10:30 p.m. on MINORApril 29, 2006, PLANETSdeck chairs on the Hindenburg. IN” ASTROLOGYtimes because I could not believe nobody was expecting an ambush. From that moment on, any what I was seeing. I double-checked At most, people familiar with Col- hope that Bush had of being taken my data. Mercury was partile con- bert, whose program on Comedy seriously seemed to evaporate. As junct Eris ( ) — Eris, the goddess Central had begun just six months he listened to Colbert dismantle him, we remember from Greek mythol- earlier, figured that a pretty good Bush looked like he wanted to crawl ogy only because she rolled the comedy routine was coming. Col- under the table, but one of his for- apple of discord into the wedding bert is funny, but at that time most mer aides said he had the expres- of Peleus and Thetis, leading to the people had not figured out that he’s sion that he was ready to blow a beauty pageant of the goddesses. also serious, which in part accounts gasket. The apple was inscribed, “To the for why he was invited to speak. At a recent conference, Fairest,” and with everyone’s full His act involves playing the role of I was in Richard Tarnas’s “Astrol- cooperation, its arrival incited a a bombastic, egotistical “conserva- ogy of the Comic Genius” intensive, bonfire of the vanities that we still tive” commentator — a fact that where we watched the video of Col- talk about today. This was a clev- apparently got past the censors. bert’s presentation, studying his natal erly designed sneak attack, made What the audience witnessed chart. I had just one thought: Where of pure cunning. The implications was a searing takedown of both were profound, among them the President George W. Bush and his Trojan War. administration and the press and Colbert’s apple of discord, slyly then the hapless public, broadcast rolled into a room full of the most nationally on live television. It was prominent members of American more akin to a coup d’état than society, was more of a peace pro- satire. test, lambasting the president for his Addressing the press, he said: lies about weapons of mass destruc- “Really, what incentive do these tion, his tax cuts for the rich, and people [in the administration] have his overall incompetence. It was a to answer your questions, after all? knockout punch, and Mercury was I mean, nothing satisfies you. in prime form that night, conjunct Everybody asks for personnel a newly discovered, about-to-be- changes. So, the White House has named body that hardly anyone personnel changes. And then you had heard of yet. Adding a touch of write, ‘Oh, they’re just rearranging elegance to the chart, the Mercury– photo by David Shankbone

Steven Colbert

Oct./Nov. 2012 * The Mountain Astrologer 23 Gradually, the two gas giants, Minor and , were assimilated into If you want to astrology. The — most of them Eris conjunction was square understand what the named after goddesses — fell by the Pallas Athene in , illustrat- wayside for a long time, though they ing this direct challenge to the political minor planets are finally started to get attention in the establishment. saying, the best thing 1970s when ephemerides and computer This event does not define Eris for programs became more commonly us, but is what I would call a proving you can do is to look available and gender equality became a moment: a moment when a ’s and listen and collect cultural theme. themes emerge in a visceral way. Prov- One difference between the tradi- ing is a homeopathic term, meaning to information. tional and the modern planets is that test a remedy, demonstrating some of you can see the traditional planets its effects. I think of a proving moment more upheaval, progress, and conflict with the . I asked Rob Hand as (borrowing language from Geof- than anyone (except maybe Nostrada- about this recently, and he said that the frey Cornelius) a spontaneous eruption mus) could have predicted. The prem- and the traditional planets “deal of symbolism. The meaning of a new ise of astrology is that the shape of the with normal consciousness. An invisible body does not end there — indeed, reflects both the state of the planet requires the expansion of con- many times that’s where it begins. Any world and the shape of consciousness. sciousness in order to be seen. They minor planet, once discovered, enters a With the discovery of Uranus, the time- cannot be seen by the normal senses, phase of what Erminie Lantero, refer- honored container of had been and that is very important.” As we dis- ring to Chiron, described as “continuing breached, and the age of science and cover and delineate these bodies, imag- discovery” (in her book, The Continu- industry had begun. ine that we are gradually expanding our ing Discovery of Chiron). Often the Interestingly, the second-ever plan- awareness into the invisible, non-normal themes emerge when we’re least expect- etary discovery, on January 1, 1801, realms. ing them to — or when we spot some- was of a minor planet, though it was In a sense, we are going beyond the thing in the world and cast a chart to see not called that: (first described as veil of the senses and the usual shape what’s going on. Here, we had an Eris- a , then a planet, then an “aster- of consciousness. This lack of tangibility like event of historic proportions in the oid”) is now designated minor planet 1, may, at least partly, account for why the year that Eris made her big splash, just written (1) Ceres. Four more asteroids minor planets tend to be so controver- four months after Colbert’s infiltration of were discovered between that time sial. And given how many minor plan- such an important event. and the discovery of Neptune in 1846. ets there are, we are getting the hint that When deciphering minor planets, (Astraea, the fifth asteroid, was dis- there is a lot going on beyond the veil synchronicities (sometimes bold, other covered just one year before Neptune — a very busy beyond the lim- times subtle) count for a lot. If you want was, after a 38-year gap in discoveries.) its of the normal senses. to understand what the minor planets Speaking of controversy, that’s one are saying, the best thing you can do is way to describe Chiron’s relationship to look and listen and collect informa- to astrology. Chiron was discovered in tion: Pay attention to which of them 1977, sparking the imagination of some are prominent in the charts of salient astrologers and the skepticism of world events, or which ones turn others. Books came out in rapid up in charts like the New succession, and a conscious effort or Full Moon. Then, see what was made by a small group of develops. Look for the minor astrologers to research Chiron’s planets’ known themes mov- meaning and integrate it into ing through the news and Chart 1: their work. Others felt that it the lives of your clients. Note was too small, too new, or too the patterns. Listen for their Colbert’s White poorly defined to be mean- hoofbeats in the street. House Speech ingful. Gradually, it has come into more common use — in The Shape of a sense, leading the astrologi- Consciousness cal field from behind. By this When the age of planetary I mean that, while Chiron itself discovery began with the sight- was not accepted by many astrol- ing of Uranus in 1781, we were ogers, the ideas about Chiron grad- not just on the brink of a radically ually infiltrated astrological thinking: changing solar system. We were on the using astrology as a healing art; holistic edge of a world about to go through consciousness; and a spiritual purpose All charts use Koch houses and the True Node. 24 www.mountainastrologer.com to the work that many practitioners had Pholus got catalogue number 5145, missed along the way. and its discovery was followed by a Chiron was designated (2060) Chi- We now have many sequence of rapid sightings of other ron, being the 2,060th object in the cat- planets available to work minor planets (a property that aligns alogue. At the time, all of these objects with its main energetic quality, which were asteroids, including those in the with in the class of we’ll come to in a moment). main belt between and and Chiron, both of which In 2000, was discovered and some called Trojans that orbit with orbiting in the Kuiper Belt; this was con- Jupiter. Chiron was a salient discov- have been demonstrated sidered such a significant event that the ery because it didn’t fit any previously to be significant new body was given a special place in known category of asteroid (though, the minor planet catalogue — number due to its elongated orbit, it was simi- influences in astrology. 20,000. Varuna is similar to 1992 QB1, lar to (944) Hidalgo, discovered much being located beyond Pluto, with an closer to the in 1920). discovery — of both an object beyond orbit of 281 years (it is classified as a Chiron crossed the orbit of Saturn Pluto and a new region of the solar sys- cubewano). By 2002, Quaoar was dis- and went out nearly to Uranus. Its tem — went unnoticed by most astrolo- covered, also in the Kuiper Belt (with a name, a tribute to the wise (and nearly gers. Rapid discovery of planets in the 285-year orbit), and it was considered forgotten) centaur of Kuiper Belt followed QB1, including a such a significant discovery that it was myth, corresponded to its hybrid quality: whole class whose name is a clever pun also given an honorary minor planet It seemed to be part-asteroid, part-planet, on QB1: the “cubewanos” (Q-B-1-oh). number — 50,000. It, too, is a cube- and part-comet. (It is now considered There are two main populations wano. Note that the discovery rate had a very massive comet nucleus.) Its dis- in the Kuiper Belt: the cubewanos (or by this time reached an exponential coverer, Charles Kowal, gave Chiron its classical Kuiper Belt objects, with orbits pace, doubling every few years. first keyword when he said of his discov- of about 300 years) and the plutinos Just a year later, in 2003, the same ery, “This thing is a maverick.” (I have (with orbits of around 250 years, simi- team that had found Quaoar discovered learned from this work with new discov- lar to that of Pluto). In the naming tra- Sedna. This was one of the strangest eries that astronomers are often beauti- dition of the International Astronomical objects ever identified, having an orbital fully intuitive contributors to astrology.) Union (IAU), plutinos are given names period of about 11,400 years. It was In a sense, with the minor planets, of underworld , while cubewanos given minor planet number 90,377 and we are always in maverick territory. It’s are usually named after deities associ- was named for an Inuit goddess living a bit of a wilderness, and to work with ated with creation and resurrection. deep beneath the Arctic Ocean — the minor planets it really helps if you Jane X. Luu, 1992 QB1’s principal calling attention to the melting ice caps. enjoy, or at least acclimate yourself to, discoverer, has so far opted not to give Sedna moves so slowly that, in just unfamiliar psychological and mytho- it a mythologically based name. Yet, two orbits around the Sun, we expe- logical material. (Note: You can look a whole class of minor planets is now rience nearly a full precession of the up the positions of all of the points ref- named for QB1 (the cubewanos), and equinoxes. erenced in this article — and sort them as a result, it seems likely that QB1 will Let’s consider the tally up to this many different ways — on a free Web always be called that. point. In the 25 years between the dis- site written by my friend Tracy Delaney The same year, a small, orbit- covery of Chiron and the discovery of in Wales: www.serennu.com) crossing object was discovered and Sedna, 88,317 objects orbiting our Sun eventually named Pholus, after another were added to the minor planet cata- Enter QB1, the Kuiper Belt, of the wise (rather than the violent) cen- logue — an increase of nearly 43-fold. and Pholus taurs. Pholus cycles around the Sun in As of this writing, there are more than Let’s skip ahead a few years to the 92 years, extending past Pluto at the 310,000 objects with precisely con- next two major discoveries, both of far end of its elongated orbit. This was firmed orbits around the Sun (and thus which happened in the watershed year the discovery that led to the designation with catalogue numbers, making them of 1992. A distant point was discovered of the Centaur class of minor planets, eligible for naming) and as many discov- and given the provisional name 1992 because now there were two of them. ered objects with orbits awaiting confir- QB1 and eventually, when its orbit was Chiron had received a lot of atten- mation. Not long ago, there were nine confirmed, catalogue number 15760. tion from astrologers in the years fol- “planets.” Today, there are nearly three- The number of known minor planets lowing its discovery; however, Pholus quarters of a million objects known to had increased nearly eightfold in just 15 went nearly unnoticed, as did the 1993 be buzzing around our Sun. Is anybody years. The object 1992 QB1 was a sig- discovery of the third Centaur, Nessus telling schoolchildren about this? And nificant discovery because it was the first (which circles the Sun in 122 years). This more germane to our topic, is anyone planet found orbiting our Sun beyond led the way to the discoveries of many telling astrologers? Pluto. This in turn confirmed the exis- more Centaurs: small, orbit-crossing Considering Rob Hand’s comment tence of the Kuiper Belt, which up until bodies whose distances from the Sun about how the invisible planets require that time was only speculative. Yet, this are generally outside that of Jupiter. an expansion of consciousness, we are

Oct./Nov. 2012 * The Mountain Astrologer 25 them from a combination of study and Minor Planets experience. You will learn the minor Each minor planet I work planets the same way, one at a time getting a clear message from the cos- with seems to have its or in small groups. Once you tune into mos about the imminent necessity of one of these points, based on affin- doing just that. The thing is, most of moments of spontaneous ity or because it has shown up a few these points are not written about in eruption of symbolism, times in your chart, you can watch its books and are only rarely mentioned in process develop before your eyes. As I articles, so we have to expand our con- wherein the nature of the suggested earlier, there are what I call sciousness on our own, with an actual archetype manifests. “proving moments” — in the homeo- stretch. There are so many of these bod- pathic sense of the word “proving,” ies that a listing of meanings by sign, where the theme and purpose of a rem- house, and aspect would fill a library There’s no argument that Pluto is a edy are demonstrated through direct — though it’s not even possible to sum minor planet in the astronomical sense experience. This is not a scientific pro- them up that way. Astrologers who of the word, though Eris discoverer Mike cess but rather one of careful observa- use these planets have to develop new Brown has described Pluto as a “cultural tion, mixed with theorizing and some methods of research, delineation, and planet” — something regarded (and creative imagination. approaches to organize putting them to loved) as a planet by society, despite In applying the minor planets to any work in a meaningful way. what it may be, astronomically. Now it situation, there are generally two ways has a minor planet number just like Pal- to go: One is to select points that follow The Discovery of Eris las, Juno, or Chiron. Yet, no astrolo- a particular theme and work from there. Eris, discovered in 2005 and named ger has any less reverence for Pluto as a The other way is to sort the planets onto in 2006, was the public relations - result. Which leads to a question: What a 90-degree dial and look for which of shed for the minor planets. The god- about all the other planets in Pluto’s them are making aspects to sensitive dess of chaos and discord seemed to be class? It would seem that we’ve all been points in a chart you’re working with. commenting on the state of planetary tricked by a cosmic joke into taking seri- In terms of delineation, formal study anarchy in the years that preceded her ously a minor planet, not knowing what of the planet and its mythology is help- discovery. it was, even if we didn’t believe in all ful. Yet, each minor planet I work with Numerous objects in the Kuiper that “driveway gravel” anyway. seems to have its moments of sponta- Belt had already been discovered; how- We are in a remarkable age of plan- neous eruption of symbolism, wherein ever, since Eris was originally believed etary discovery, comparable to noth- the nature of the archetype manifests. to be larger than Pluto, it precipitated ing that has come before. It’s at once The thing to remember about arche- a number of dramatic events. It sud- alluring and daunting to have this many types is that they are complex and mul- denly called attention to the existence of planets to work with. Unlike previous tifaceted. Though the small planets the minor planets in a way that finally generations of astrologers (and some are often viewed in a reductionist way reached the public. Most notably, the contemporary ones) who might have (we are told that they grant specific- class “” was created, its tossed aside asteroids just because ity to readings, allegedly having narrow first three members being Ceres, Pluto, they’re asteroids, we now have many meanings), they can have presenta- and Eris. For the first time, astronomers planets available to work with in the tions as complex as any of the major had defined what a planet is. By their class of Pluto and Chiron, both of which planets. Any one proving moment can nascent definition, approved late in the have been demonstrated to be signifi- affirm past theories or offer something IAU conference in Prague in August cant influences in astrology. new, though it’s important to work in 2006, there would be just eight planets When pressed to explain why the spirit of continuing discovery and (the nine, minus Pluto). Everything else they don’t use the minor planets, most to keep an open mind going into the orbiting our Sun would be some form astrologers have admitted to me that future. of minor planet (unless, presumably, their reluctance stems from there being Working with proving moments is something bigger than Mercury was too many to figure out a way into the just one of the techniques used to deci- discovered). matrix. How do you make sense of pher newly discovered planets. Many Pluto was reclassified as (134340) them all? Where do you begin? There other methods are used, including Pluto and took its place in the minor are so many! How do you memorize studying the orbital plot, reading the dis- planet catalogue. (For a while, astron- their meanings? Once you’ve accepted covery chart (in effect, the natal chart omers at the Minor Planet Center had that your natal chart is not going to be of the new body), studying the mythol- been reserving number 10,000 for the same thing you studied as a teen- ogy, and observing the placement of Pluto; however, after a heated debate, ager or young adult, and that your con- the planet in people who have accom- that distinction went to a main belt cept of yourself will change as a result, plished unusual things. Events in the asteroid called Myriostos, meaning then comes the adventure. era of the discovery are also significant. “ten-thousandth.”) Remember, you didn’t learn all the For example, Chiron arrived in the mid traditional planets at once. You learned 1970s, during a time when the Human

26 www.mountainastrologer.com Potential Movement was going strong; orbital period of 126 years), Hylonome this included therapy methods, the ris- has been connected by Centaur special- ing popularity of holistic centers like the ists to themes of grief and the process of Esalen Institute, courses such as EST, working through grief. This is a theme and many other consciousness-raising endemic in the Centaurs, but especially projects. In practice, Chiron seems to be pronounced with Hylonome. As the New a patron saint of this kind of personal Moon took shape conjunct Hylonome in growth work, whether as part of an , we were witnessing one of the organized program or not. Arafat’s funeral most vibrant public outpourings of grief It’s also interesting that Chiron’s first my desktop at all times). The drama was since the death of , Princess of pre-discovery photo was taken in 1895, unfolding at the moment of the Scorpio Wales, almost a decade earlier. the year that D. D. Palmer discovered New Moon, just as the Sun and Moon Juan Revilla, a research astrologer (or rediscovered) the medical art of chi- formed a conjunction in the sign most in Costa Rica, is known to nearly any- ropractic — named for Chiron — which often associated with death and evo- one who studies the Centaurs seriously. is often associated with the gift of hands- lutionary transitions. (See Chart 2, Revilla’s delineation for Hylonome goes on healing. below.) When live coverage of Arafat’s beyond the “processing grief” group arrival began, the New Moon was in the of ideas and includes the phrase, “the The Cry of the Poor 8th house, and as the Moon and Sun cry of the poor.” This was being boldly One proving moment for the Cen- touched the horizon, their conjunction demonstrated in Arafat’s spontaneous taur planet Hylonome emerged during was exact. Anyone with a vague sense funeral rite (more like the roar of the the funeral of Yasser Arafat. I had just of symbolism could feel the momentous- poor, plus the sound of celebratory gun- arrived in Paris in the autumn of 2004, ness of this. It was one of those aston- ). Posted to his Web site long before and soon after, Palestinian leader Yasser ishing moments of astrology. this event, Revilla’s other key phrases Arafat was brought in to have French As if this were not enough, Mars had for Hylonome include death song, war doctors treat a disease that his Pales- just arrived in Scorpio and was about to song, heroism, sacrifice, eternal youth, tinian doctors did not understand. In touch the South Node, a fitting image of longing for Paradise, the sacrificial vic- Europe, this turn of events was consid- a fallen warrior, with the eerie reminder tim, tragic beauty, redemption, and ered monumental, and BBC World Ser- (coming from the South Node) that it political and religious messianism — vice was on the story around the clock. was time to let go of some of the vio- all terms that aptly describe Arafat. On November 11, Arafat died, and lence that had surrounded Arafat’s life. (Note: Revilla uses primarily the orbital the French held a solemn funeral service Yet, the Sun and Moon were conjunct a elements to delineate a new discovery, at a military airport, with rites appropri- Centaur planet: Hylonome ( X ), named and he avoids mythological references.) ate for a head of state. This alone was for a female centaur who impaled her- An astrologer is not likely to see all astounding — to have seen Arafat’s self on the same spear that killed her of the delineations above in the life of position go from Arab terrorist to world husband. Discovered in 1995 (with an any one client, though Hylonome also leader. has subtler, personal manifestations. For The next day, his body was flown example, if the theme of needless sacri- from Paris, first to Cairo for full military fice emerges in the life of a client, espe- honors and then taken by military trans- cially a situation where they are being port helicopter to the Palestinian Ter- asked to sacrifice their life in some ritory. BBC World was covering way, check the natal position, tran- the events live, and in the dark- sits, and synastry of Hylonome ening afternoon of , for more information. Investigate November 12, the Egyptian when someone has been wid- helicopters arrived in Ramal- owed; look for it in murder- lah, where tens of thousands Chart 2: suicide situations or in any sit- of men filled a massive plaza, uation that feels like Sati, the many of them firing their Arafat’s Indian ritual where the wife weapons into the air, awaiting Funeral Rite or wives die on the funeral their leader’s homecoming. pyre of their husband. Gradually, the crowds parted Once you work with a new as the helicopters touched the point enough times, if you’re ground. It was a biblical scene, listening, it will begin to speak to playing out before the eyes of the you. Though you may not cast it world. into every chart, or indeed may use As I watched this on TV, I was the point only rarely, you can form a watching a real-time chart animation go relationship that will be there when you by in Io Sprite (this program is open on need it.

Oct./Nov. 2012 * The Mountain Astrologer 27 Minor Planets Though our lives may be much smaller Pholus, the second- than the nuclear crisis, we have our role in that we can choose whether to accept discovered Centaur, what is said to us. No matter what we Borasisi: The Power of Lies has among its themes may have believed, we ultimately bear On March 4, 2011, there was a the brunt of the problem when things New Moon in conjunct a Kuiper the runaway reaction go wrong. Belt object called Borasisi (a cubewano). or the uncontrolled One to the day after the Bora- This point was sighted in 1999 by three sisi New Moon in Pisces, there was an veteran discoverers, including Jane X. release of energy. earthquake and tsunami near Fuku- Luu, who found 1992 QB1 and is also shima, Japan. This event overwhelmed credited with proving the existence of science fiction author H. G. Wells when a number of nuclear power plants, cut- the Kuiper Belt itself. The discover- he came to visit GE’s labs in Schenec­ ting them off from the power grid and ers gave their new planet an unusual tady, New York (Wells never used the thus from the energy necessary to keep name, taken not from mythology but idea). Ice 9 is a (fictional) form of water their reactors cool. The world watched rather from the novel, Cat’s Cradle, by that is solid and stable at room tempera- in horror as reactors at the facility Kurt Vonnegut. Borasisi is the name of ture. Ice 9 crystals will impart their pat- exploded, one after the other. Every- the Sun in the novel’s religion, called tern to any water, so that a grain of the one knew that tens of thousands of Bokononism. stuff dropped in a bathtub will turn the tons of spent fuel were on site and that I had not worked with Borasisi care- whole thing to a block of Ice 9. This will engineers were having trouble keeping fully until that time, and I thought that, also work in the ocean; if any of the this cool as well. No matter how “safe” with a New Moon conjunct this point, I stuff gets in the ocean, the entire planet nuclear power was presumed to be, the would explore some of the themes I had would freeze. world had been pushed over the brink seen coalescing around Borasisi over The lies of science, as described in of nuclear disaster — and the nuclear the years. To do this, I revisited Cat’s Cat’s Cradle, would have you believe equipment involved had been manufac- Cradle, a story that Vonnegut conceived that Ice 9 is perfectly safe and that noth- tured by none other than GE. when he was working in public relations ing can go wrong — just like the PR sur- Nobody who studies astrology at General Electric. In the novel, Von- rounding PCBs or nuclear power plants. missed the fact that this happened on negut contrasts the lies of religion (you But then, there is the human factor: the day that Uranus, the namesake will go to heaven when you die) with hubris, the inability to handle power, of the uranium that is used in nuclear the lies of science (toxic chemicals are coupled with self-deception. In our per- power plants, changed signs from Pisces safe), proposing that the lies of science sonal lives, I relate Borasisi to the lies to . Yet, few people were aware are much more devastating. that we believe even when we know that there had been a lunation with a He knew this as a GE spokesman better, including the biggest ones com- theme so specific to the event just one whose job was to lie to the public about ing out of industry and government. week before. the dangers of GE’s products, something Borasisi deals with themes of that GE does copiously. At the time deception coming from both religion (in the 1950s), for example, GE was and science — or, you might say, the aware of the dangers of its equipment religion of science. Those familiar containing highly toxic, nearly inde- with the nuclear power industry are structible PCB fluid — a chemical accustomed to its cult-like quality that disrupts hormones, induces and its casual, habitual use of , and causes countless deception as a means of con- other harmful effects. Von- vincing the public that it is safe. negut said in an interview that, Obviously, this is based on when writing Cat’s Cradle, he Chart 3: belief rather than fact. The was also concerned about world had already watched in nuclear weapons and atomic Tucson Shootings horror in 1986 as the Cher- power, both of which GE was nobyl reactor exploded and involved with as an industry spewed radiation around the leader. globe. Prior accidents at the Vonnegut borrowed the Fermi nuclear plant in Detroit concept of “Ice 9” in Cat’s Cradle (1966) and at Three Mile Island as a metaphor for things that can in Pennsylvania (1979), two completely destroy the world. I say extremely close calls, had served as “borrowed” because Ice 9 was a con- warnings. The belief that nuclear cept invented by another GE public power is safe is merely that: a belief, relations man years earlier to impress based on deception and disinformation —

28 www.mountainastrologer.com precisely what Vonnegut was getting at minor planet specialist Robert von in Cat’s Cradle, and a theme that mani- Heeren described Pholus as the “small fested in a rather stark historic way in Eris vividly describes cause with the big effect.” Pholus is cur- the world shortly after a lunation involv- the alienation that rently a long-term visitor to , ing this point. a fiery, reactive sign. Borasisi is a small planet with a big many people feel, as Jared Lee Loughner’s walking up to message, particularly in our world that well as the idea that a crowd of peaceful people and opening is in many ways run by the public rela- fire with a semi-automatic handgun had tions industry. You might put this planet we are searching for the mark of Pholus in the worst sense to work any time you’re studying a per- who we are. of the concept. The crowd included a son or a situation where deceiving the prominent congresswoman, U.S. Repre- public, and moreover the moral ques- sentative Gabrielle Giffords, with whom tions associated with that deception, the Sun, Moon, or a planet that themati- he was obsessed; one theme of Pho- are themes. Check Borasisi any time cally factors into the situation. When lus is how we deal with famous people belief seems to trump the known facts or the Tucson shootings happened in early when we encounter them personally. where self-delusion is an issue, whether 2011, the exact time of the incident was Pholus was on the of the 10th, a the larger topic is religion, politics, cor- released by authorities, and I cast the house associated with government and porate deception, or something novel chart. (See Chart 3, facing page.) authority. that you’ve never thought of. At the moment of the shootings I then checked the personal astrol- (which happened rapidly), Pholus ( 3 ) ogy of those involved. The natal charts Eris and the Centaurs: was conjunct the Midheaven within less for Giffords and Loughner (both set for The Tucson Shootings than one degree. Pholus, the second- noon) in many ways seem to be the When a major world event happens, discovered Centaur, has among its same chart. The first thing I noticed is I cast the chart and look for which minor themes the runaway reaction or the that both have the Sun conjunct Nes- planets are prominent. I use the basic uncontrolled release of energy. It is a sus ( 7 ), the third Centaur, discovered tests for prominence — for example, if powerful precipitator. Where Pholus in 1993. Nessus is about cyclical events; the point is angular or if it’s making a is involved, things proceed rapidly — it can represent boomerang-like cycles conjunction, square, or opposition to unlike with his cousin Chiron. German that come back around to their point of

Oct./Nov. 2012 * The Mountain Astrologer 29 journey, injury that focuses healing and Minor Planets growth, “shamanic” wounding, warrior- like qualities (spiritual or otherwise), and origin, sometimes after a long sequence mentorship. Chiron typically has a crisis of developments. It has that karmic around its placement, which either will feeling of something coming home to be associated with gathering strength roost or coming to a halt (summarized and power when it’s processed con- by Melanie Reinhart as “the buck stops sciously, or will create a spiraling-down here”). effect, a descent into futility when it is Loughner has the Sun conjunct ignored. Nessus within one degree in (see Dale O’Brien takes this interpreta- Chart 4, below). Giffords has the Sun tion of Chiron to a deeper level, explain- conjunct Nessus within 1.5 degrees in ing that, in a situation like this, Chiron (Chart 5, below). Both con- points to a holistic level of reality. He junctions are in Mercury-ruled signs, Gabrielle Giffords wrote to me in a recent e-mail: and both are tightly square one another. Loughner has the Moon and the South Astrological Chiron corresponds to Node close to Sun–Nessus: He was born Yet, there is a more striking similar- the remarkable multifaceted mythic within hours of a solar eclipse conjunct ity between the two charts: Both have a centaur Chiron’s story, which in turn Nessus. nearly identical pattern in which Mars, corresponds to indigenous stories of It’s events like this that give Nes- Chiron, and Eris appear in the cardinal shamanism. In a shamanic perception of the world, everyone and every- sus a bad reputation. Aside from indi- signs, superimposed on one another. thing is interrelated. For instance, cating a similarity between Giffords and All three of these bodies are involved when violence befalls a member of Loughner — that their lives involve with warfare. Mars, of course, is the god the community, that person is not playing out a similar pattern — Nes- of war. He represents energy, desire, seen as victim, but rather as playing sus is an excellent diagnostic tool in passion, and aggression. It is not sur- a role for all in the community. The many other kinds of cases, particularly prising to see Mars prominent in charts perpetrator of the violence, similarly, those involving sexual infidelity or sexu- associated with a shooting and mass was seen as a troubled soul, acting ally transmitted diseases, or where there murder. Mars energy will have to be out something disturbing members is a revenge plot. Negative, violent, released or expressed one way or of the community. and inappropriate sexual fixations are another, usually by direct aggression. included under the subject area covered (Eris, the sister of Mars, was more the In other words, Chiron’s presence by Nessus, which we see demonstrated type to operate through subterfuge.) describes this as a collective event, in Loughner’s documented long-term As an astrological factor, Chiron rather than an individual one. obsession with Giffords. is about raising awareness, the healing continued on page 60

Chart 4: Chart 5: Jared Lee Gabrielle Giffords Loughner (noon) (noon)

30 www.mountainastrologer.com Minor Planets — continued from page 30 In Giffords’ chart, we find Mars in Eris (which almost everyone alive In Loughner’s natal chart, Mars is Cancer conjunct Loughner’s Chiron has in Aries) speaks to what I call the conjunct Eris in Aries. This is demon- (within two degrees). Her Mars provokes postmodern identity crisis. Eris vividly strated by the chaos associated with one of his most vulnerable points: his describes the alienation that many peo- his criminal acts of violence. In Aries, injured feminine side. Giffords also has ple feel, as well as the idea that we are this is angry and aggressive and reveals her Chiron in Aries tightly conjunct ret- searching for who we are, often to the how he struggles to focus his masculine rograde Mars in Loughner’s chart, exact point of a serious struggle and often in energy, a crisis he projects onto women. within a few arc minutes. Her Chiron is ways that push people to extremes. This Mars in Aries can lack confidence and in a direct relationship to another one of can be inflamed by self-destructive could make up for it by doing macho Loughner’s most sensitive points. Said actions designed to provoke chaos in things to help create the aura or sensa- simply, they both have a Mars–Chiron the environment; an initiated inner tion of masculinity. His Mars is retro- square, directly aligned, though with the chaos that can spread to the environ- grade, which tends to generate pent-up signs reversed. ment; a disowned feminine side in energy and inflame the insecurity asso- In Loughner’s chart Mars is con- men that can lead to resentment in ciated with any tense Mars placement. junct Eris, and in Giffords’ chart Chiron women; and an alienated feminine side Loughner’s Mars and Eris are is conjunct Eris. These aspect configura- in women that can become extremely square Chiron in Cancer. Chiron in tions match up like a map aligns with a toxic. When Eris was named in 2006, Cancer can represent a sense of injury satellite photo of the same territory. This she upset the known order of the solar around the mother, one’s feminine tells us a few things, one of which is that system, unseated Pluto as a planet, and side, and this may, if not addressed, these two people have an energetic con- helped to create the castaway class of extend to all women. The square aspect nection. They also reflect one another “dwarf planets.” between Mars and Chiron often mani- in certain distinct ways, though they are In the charts of both Loughner and fests as an energy blockage — unless working through the material differently. Giffords, these three points (Mars, Chi- someone works to consciously integrate One thing they have in common is that ron, and Eris) are in a similar aspect, the square, in which case it will become Giffords, though a Democrat, has been superimposed over one another with a building block of integrity. This is a a supporter of gun rights, and Loughner remarkable precision in the signs Aries setup prone to outbursts of aggression. took advantage of those rights. and Cancer.

Cycles of Health — continued from page 22

black bile, and phlegm — and that these were 6. Indicative days, in increments of 22.5 degrees, linked with the four temperaments: sanguine, can be used if the illness is very acute. choleric, melancholic, and phlegmatic, respec- tively, which in turn correspond to the four ele- © 2012 Jane Ridder-Patrick – ments: air, fire, , and water. all rights reserved 2. Richard Mead, “A Treatise Concerning the Influence of the Sun and the Moon upon Jane Ridder-Patrick Human Bodies, and the Diseases Thereby Pro- earned her Ph.D. in duced,” in The Medical Works of Richard Mead History from the Uni- (Edinburgh, 1775), pp. 133–137. As can be versity of Edinburgh seen from the chart, the New Moon actually researching “Astrology occurred earlier than 9:00 a.m. in Early Modern Scot- 3. James Paterson, Edinburgh’s True Almanack land ca. 1560–1726.” or A New Prognostication (Edinburgh, 1687). She is principal of the Scottish School of 4. I’m interested in doing more research on this, Astrology and is trained so if you are affected by either the New or Full in pharmacy, naturop- Moon, or when it is in any particular sign, please athy, herbal medicine, do e-mail me. and Rogerian and Transpersonal psychothera- 5. A decumbiture chart is one which is cast for pies. Among her publications are A Handbook the exact moment that a person is so ill that they of and the 12-volume Zodiac have to take to their bed. A full description of Code series. You can contact Jane via e-mail at decumbiture charts can be found in my book, [email protected], or through A Handbook of Medical Astrology, 2nd edition, her Web site: www.janeridderpatrick.com CrabApple Press, 2006, pp. 151–177.

Enjoy TMA's blog at www.mountainastrologer.com

60 www.mountainastrologer.com Commenting on the similarities some power, and was quite shaken at between the charts of murder victims In the charts of both the sight of the huge, unworldly being and those who commit the crime, Rob standing in front of her. Her friend died Hand explained in a recent conversa- Loughner and Giffords, that night. tion: “They both have violence present Mars, Chiron, and Eris She said the illustration on the in their chart. One’s a victim and one’s a cover of Melanie’s book was unmis- perpetrator. One acts out and the other are in a similar aspect, takably of this creature: Chiron. This gets the projection. They are not identi- superimposed over one completed something for her: She dis- cal but they have that similar pattern. If covered the identity of the creature who you wish to use the word karmic, it’s a another in the signs had manifested while her friend was karmic pattern. The only thing I object dying. For me, a different circle was to is when people use this to blame the Aries and Cancer. complete: the knowledge that Chiron, victim.” and perhaps any planetary archetype, Were we analyzing these charts is alive and aware and can manifest in using only traditional planets, we would knowledge of Chiron. Our session bold ways, whether there’s an astrologi- be looking at a Mars square Mars by focused on the rite of passage associ- cal basis for it or not. synastry. When we notice shared influ- ated with this transit. We had just spent ences such as Chiron or Eris, there is the better part of the evening discussing Chart Data and Sources something in that pattern deeper than the effects of Chiron in her life, tracking (in order of appearance) violence; we begin to see the causes and her development through various pas- Colbert’s White House Speech, April 29, effects of violence. When Loughner shot sages that culminated with the Chiron 2006; 10:30 p.m. EDT; Washington, D.C., USA Giffords and others that day, we as a return she was now experiencing. (38°N54', 77°W02'); news broadcast. national community experienced a cri- At the end of the session, I handed Arafat’s Funeral Rite, November 12, 2004; sis about what to do with alienated indi- my client a copy of the book, Chiron 2:44:43 p.m. EET; Ramallah, West Bank, Pal- vidual anger. Stressful aspects involving and the Healing Journey, by Melanie estine (32°N04', 34°E46'); news broadcast, with simultaneous computer-generated chart. Mars and Chiron (especially Chiron in Reinhart. Holding the book in her hands and looking at the cover, she suddenly Tucson Shootings, January 8, 2011; Aries) indicate this kind of challenge, 10:10 a.m. MST; Tucson, AZ, USA (32°N13', exacerbated when alienated Eris is began to cry. I sat with her and waited 110°W56'); news conference given by the involved. until she settled herself, and then asked county sheriff, who stated the exact time to I interpret these charts as speak- her what was up. She told me this story. reporters. ing to the issue of violence between A few years earlier, she had been Jared Lee Loughner, September 10, 1988; the genders — that is, this incident was called to Manhattan to tend to the last time unknown (noon used); relocated to Tucson, an eruption of gender rage, something days’ care of a dying friend. Late one as no birthplace is available; various Internet sources. much larger than the individual rage night, she heard a horse galloping in the that would be indicated by Mars alone. streets of the city. It seemed unusual for Gabrielle Giffords, June 8, 1970; time unknown (noon used); Tucson, AZ, USA; various I also relate the pattern to the sense of a horse to be moving so quickly along Internet sources. injury that men and women feel from the streets — and so audibly that she one another, as a cultural phenomenon could hear it inside a brownstone — but © 2012 Eric Francis Coppolino – as well as a personal one. Slow-moving she didn’t think much of it at the time, all rights reserved Chiron and Eris can manifest personally, preoccupied as she was by the circum- but as we know from other outer plan- stances of her friend’s illness. ets, they will often describe a greater The next night, she heard the hoof- context. In this case, it looks like a cul- beats of the same horse, only this time it tural injury involving male rage at the was moving more slowly, at a trot. power of women, sexual injury, and On the third night, from where she projection, which these charts soberly was in the kitchen, she heard the horse remind us that we need to address. slow to a stop very close to the apart- ment. She walked out to the main room A Visit from Chiron and experienced a vision of what she I would like to end with a non- described as a 40-foot-tall centaur — a astrological manifestation of one of creature that is half-human, half-horse Eric Francis Coppolino is the founder and the recent discoveries, which reveals — standing before her. The human editor of PlanetWaves.net, a subscription-based another way that an archetype might part of the figure was bald and with- weekly astrology magazine (and free daily Web express itself in consciousness. out clothing, and joined at the waist site), and the host of PlanetWaves.fm. He has to the horse’s body. She had no idea been working with the minor planets since begin- Early in my career, I was work- ning his astrological career in 1994. You can ing with a client on her Chiron return, what she was looking at. While the crea- reach him directly at [email protected] an event that happens for the first time ture did not seem malicious, she was around age 50–51. She had no prior struck by what she described as its awe-

Oct./Nov. 2012 * The Mountain Astrologer 61