Traditional astrology

Bianchi

2011-07-31T23:54:00.004Z

For this birthday, I chose a new bike. It is a member of 125-year-old family of Edoardo Bianchi (although not his famous celeste colour, as I prefer black horses).

I went to pick it up at the time of the new solar chart, which looks quite promising:

Let's see what the solar year will bring.

Japan earthquake

2011-03-21T13:18:00.001Z

In January 2011 I wrote in a public forum of Russian online newspaper gazeta.ru that by June 2011 Japan could experience a very significant earthquake. This online thread can be found here.

I mentioned a possible earthquake of magnitude 7.5 or higher, with wide publicity due to the scale of destruction, and I expected the earthquake to be triggered by the solar eclipse in June.

As we now know, it happened at magnitude 8.9 on 11th of March 2011, three months earlier than I expected.

Human papillomavirus

2011-03-09T13:29:00.003Z

1.5 years ago I wrote an astrological post about oral sex as the reason for throat cancer. Last week, a friend sent me a link to a press-release on the same topic. Maura Gillison of the Ohio State University has collected statistics and reviewed bibliography that traces similar medical studies back to 1998.

Several groups independently came to the same conclusion. Some spent years in the lab studying biological samples, others collected and analysed behavioural statistics. Knowledge may be acquired by so many various means.

Brief report

2010-09-27T22:29:00.008Z

Just to report briefly on a couple of predictions this summer.

After the full solar eclipse on July 12, which was visible over Southern Pacific, I posted a public comment in the Russian online press 'gazeta.ru'. I expected that during the summer a noticeable earthquake (up to 8 magnitude) may occur in the region, and I expected it in Latin America. On July 15, there was an earthquake of magnitude 6.5 in Chile. Then on 26th July there was an earthquake of 7.6 in Philippines (this one was very deep and did not cause any damage). Finally, on September 3, a very shallow earthquake of magnitude 7 hit New Zealand (it was stronger than the one on Haiti after the winter eclipse, but due to the good construction technologies nobody died).

In January 2010, I had a LiveJournal discussion with an atheistic sceptic whom I told, as an example of astrology in action, that by the autumn of 2010, Italian prime-minister Berlusconi would have problems again, due to the Saturn transit over his natal Sun. Indeed, in August 2010, he got a new press scandal with ladies, and then some political mess.

And something less astrological but still predictive. In December 2009, I had a discussion with another sceptic, a climate one (with some background in paleoclimatology), and I predicted that with increasing global warming the ocean shores would experience more precipitations while central areas would suffer harsh heat waves and droughts. He claimed that global warming would cause humidity in central Russia, etc. The recent events with heat and fires in Russia are well known, as well as the disastrous flood in Pakistan.

A friend of mine asked me once whether it is possible to couple modern geophysics and such a marginal knowledge as astrology. I firmly believe this should happen in future (although not soon, I am afraid). It is important to understand that eclipses cause various hazards on Earth, and it is equally important to study the plate dynamics and climate system to estimate where these hazards are most likely to occur. Both branches of knowledge are invaluable.

Update of November 5. More news about Berlusconi. And just to compare with the results of the recent midterm elections in the US, the post on Obama's inauguration of 2008.

Newton, the Man

2010-06-16T14:35:00.007Z

More than three years ago, I wrote a post about insight, where I showed in the charts of Newton and Einstein the role of strong and well-aspected Moon for scientific intuition.

Having read more about Newton recently, especially the lecture by John Keynes, it is very interesting to see how the strong full Moon in Cancer with aspects to Venus and Jupiter in Newton's chart manifested in his research process:

"I believe that Newton could hold a problem in his mind for hours and days and weeks until it surrendered to him its secret. Then being a supreme mathematical technician he could dress it up, how you will, for purposes of exposition, but it was his intuition which was pre-eminently extraordinary - 'so happy in his conjectures', said De Morgan, 'as to seem to know more than he could possibly have any means of proving'. The proofs, for what they are worth, were, as I have said, dressed up afterwards - they were not the instrument of discovery.

There is the story of how he informed Halley of one of his most fundamental discoveries of planetary motion. 'Yes,' replied Halley, 'but how do you know that? Have you proved it?' Newton was taken aback - 'Why, I've known it for years', he replied. 'If you'll give me a few days, I'll certainly find you a proof of it' - as in due course he did.

Again, there is some evidence that Newton in preparing the Principia was held up almost to the last moment by lack of proof that you could treat a solid sphere as though all its mass was concentrated at the centre, and only hit on the proof a year before publication. But this was a truth which he had known for certain and had always assumed for many years.

Certainly there can be no doubt that the peculiar geometrical form in which the exposition of the Principia is dressed up bears no resemblance at all to the mental processes by which Newton actually arrived at his conclusions.

His experiments were always, I suspect, a means, not of discovery, but always of verifying what he knew already."

"Verifying what he knew already" - that is the strong natal Moon. "Hold a problem in his mind for hours and days and weeks" - that is the natal square of Mercury and Saturn.

Magic

2010-06-15T00:18:00.007Z

In the comments to “Pond” post, my opponents were ready to believe that Newton was religious but, in their opinion, there was no evidence that he could be interested in astrology, and his apparent interest in alchemy was nothing but a minor oddity of the genius of the modern science.

Here I present a series of quotes from a remarkable book by Dr Charles Webster “From Paracelsus to Newton. Magic and the making of modern science” (Cambridge University Press, 1982). The author is a historian at the University of Oxford, and the book is the Eddington Memorial Lectures given in 1980.

The main idea of the book is that there is a firm link between occultist Paracelsus (1493-1541) and physicist Newton (1643-1727), because both of them were natural philosophers in their perception of life and science, and although this influence on Newton is generally denied by some modern studies, “it is unfortunate for any proponent of this line that figures of outstanding importance, including Newton himself, turn out to display a lively interest in the occult”.

“The literature of alchemy, hermetism and Paracelsian natural philosophy was […] required reading among the serious scholars of Newton’s generation”, because there existed “the self-evident kinship between hermetic, alchemical and scriptural sources”.

“Somewhat inconveniently for standard interpretations of the Scientific Revolution, the decades following the foundation of the Royal Society witness an outburst of judicial astrology, the continuing flourishing of Paracelsian medicine, undiminishing appeal of alchemy and hermetism, and the full fruition of Cambridge Platonism”.

“The changes in fortune of judicial astrology should not attract attention away from the continuing appeal of such ideas as divine plentitude, metaphysical hierarchies, or the existence of fundamental harmonies and correspondences between celestial and terrestrial world exercised through the intervention of a variety of spiritual agencies and intelligences. This animistic view of nature provided the intellectual underpinning for magic […] Magic retained its appeal as a useful spiritual exercise, and it was also recognised as of value for medicine and relevant to scientific explanation. It is therefore important not to assume that the decline of popular operative magic entailed the wholesale abandonment of the magical worldview”.

F.Manuel, “The religion of Isaac Newton” (Oxford, 1974): “The more Newton’s theological and alchemical, chronological and mythological work is examined as a whole corpus, set by the side of his science, the more apparent it becomes that in his moments of grandeur he saw himself as the last of the interpreters of God’s Will in action, living on the eve of the fulfilment of times”.

As John Keynes beautifully formulated in his work “Newton, the Man”, “He was the last of the magicians, the last of the Babylonians and Sumerians, the last great mind which looked out on the visible and intellectual world with the same eyes as those who began to build our intellectual inheritance rather less than 10,000 years ago. Isaac Newton, a posthumous child bom with no father on Christmas Day, 1642, was the last wonderchild to whom the Magi could do sincere and appropriate homage.”

Update of June 16. Newton's alchemical works are now available online.

And look at this text...

Cinemundane-III

2010-06-02T04:36:00.002Z

Last month I had a LiveJournal discussion with a sceptic whom I told (continuing the cinemundane topic) that Jupiter entering Aries would produce lots of action films. I told him that films like “Rambo” or “Die Hard” should appear.

Jupiter enters Aries on 6 June 2010. It will move towards 3rd degree of Aries in the middle of July 2010, then turn to observed retrograde motion and come back to Pisces on 9 September 2010. It later will come to Aries for a proper direct transit only in January 2011 and move through Aries until June 2011.

Which means we could expect fight movies of all kinds during these periods.

This was my theoretical reasoning until yesterday when I came to cinema and watched trailers of films to be released this summer. Most noticeable is, of course, “The Expendables”, whose cast includes

Sylvester Stallone
Bruce Willis
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Dolph Lundgren
Eric Roberts
Mickey Rourke
Jet Li

Ah yes, there will be also releases of “A-Team”, “Karate Kid”, “Knight & Day”. And “The Loser” has just appeared (featuring Zoe Saldana who virtually played in Avatar).

Enjoy the action summer!

Margot Fonteyn

2010-04-19T19:36:00.006Z

Cinema is an educating media, not just entertaining, and BBC is especially invaluable in providing biopics of exceptional quality. I just watched a film about Margo Fonteyn, and her miserable family life attracted my “scientific curiosity”.

Even the brief wiki info speaks for itself. “During the late 1930s and early 1940s, Fonteyn had a long relationship with composer Constant Lambert which did not lead to marriage. In 1955, Fonteyn married Dr. Roberto Arias, a Panamanian diplomat to London and playboy. Their marriage was initially a rocky one due to his infidelities. In 1964, a rival Panamanian politician shot Arias, leaving him a quadriplegic for the rest of his life”. The relationship with Nuriev, who was “notoriously impulsive and did not have much patience with rules, limitations and hierarchical order”, ended up in separation. To pay medical bills for her paralised husband, Fontayn should go on tours at quite elderly age, and “during Fonteyn's absence from Panama on tour as a ballerina, a socialite named Anabella Vallarino would move into the house as his shadow wife and move out again before Fonteyn's return.”

Reading all this, I recalled Cardano’s aphorism about affliction of family life. In Lilly’s edition, it is N 2.75: “A prime cause of men leading single live is the combustion of the Moon in their nativities with Saturn, or eminently afflicted by him, so in women if a planet be combust or the Sun in Taurus greatly afflicted.”

My immediate hypothesis was that Fontayn's Sun should be afflicted as Cardano described. And here is her natal chart, with Sun in Taurus in conjunction with detrimented Mars on Algol and in square with detrimented Saturn.

Cardano's "plagiarism"

2010-01-25T02:56:00.001Z

There is a known story how Tartaglia (shown above) accused Cardano of “plagiarising” his results on cubic equations that Cardano published in Ars Magna in 1545.

It is easy to find out that the solution was first obtained by Scipione del Ferro, and his pupil Antonio Mario Fiore met Tartaglia in a mathematical disputation in 1535 (those were popular and provided good income for scholars). Tartaglia derived his solution during that disputation and considered it as a great treasure and did not want to disclose when later Cardano asked him. Finally, in March 1539, Tartaglia told Cardano the derivation in an encrypted poem and required that Cardano would never tell this secret anybody.

However, later Cardano and his pupil Ferrari found Ferro’s work in Bologna, kept by Ferro’s pupil and son-in-law Annibale Nave. Furthermore, Ferrari solved quartic equations under Cardano’s supervision. After that, Cardano decided that there was no point in keeping the cubic equations secret, and he published the whole research in Ars Magna, giving proper credit to both del Ferro and Tartaglia.

Tartaglia protested publicly, with great anger and insults. Ferrari decided to protect his teacher and challenged Tartaglia for a public disputation. On 10 August 1548, the disputation was set to discuss 31 problems that contestants posed to each other in previously sent letters, and they met in front of governor of Milan, who had been named judge. Ferrari was declared a winner.

Here is the chart for the disputation set for noon in Milan. The birthdate of Tartaglia is unknown – however, we know that Cardano’s ruler of ascendent is Venus, which is strong in this chart, and his ruler of 7th Mars is here in detriment. Also, transit Saturn forms a square with Cardano’s natal Sun, in retro motion – this means that in the last months his life was not easy due to the unfair accusations.

In fact, modern academics admit that Cardano’s publication of the cubic equation solution, with given credits to both authors (del Ferro and Tartaglia) and his pupil’s results on the quartic equations (also with proper credit), are one of the earliest examples of honest citation and fair research, which became well and widely known for the common benefit – and nowadays this solution is named “cardano formula”. Tartaglia wanted to keep it for himself, probably for a profit in disputations. Who was an honest scientist?

End of matters

2009-12-23T07:04:00.004Z

When I attended a lecture of John Frawley about traditional astrology, I learnt a good idea from his example of William Lilly. Frawley said (in my words) that tradition is not about strict following some rigid old rules, but about understanding and keeping the spirit of the art, adapting it to the modern reality. In the case of Lilly, in his time he was testing various “modern” techniques (like unconventional aspects), and they surely led him to the correct result – why was that happening? Because his thinking was rigorous (Saturnine), whatever techniques he used. On the other hand, the strictest “tradionalism” cannot help when there is no understanding.

I recalled this because I was thinking over the End of Matters which is signified by the 4th house. I was taught about receptions and dignities, and these can be applied to the analysis of the End of Matters in its various meanings.

It is about the ending of things that have been done, as well as the end of life - and rulers of the houses can give a hint about the native’s perception of the end of matters. If the ruler of ascendent (the native) is in the sign of the ruler of 4th house (or has dignity on the cusp of 4th house), this signifies that the native is satisfied about the matters of 4th house (as Frawley says, “loves” them).

Given that houses are more or less equal in middle latitudes (i.e. not overstretched with one house dominating others, and 4th-10th axis is more or less perpendicular to 1st-7th axis), if the native has ascendent in some particular sign (see below), he will be “ruling” the End of Matters. It does not mean the End of Matters should be necessarily “good” – but he will be satisfied as the active participant (even if the involved planet is a malefic).

If the ascendent is in Aries, 4th is in Cancer, and Mars, the ruler of Aries, has a triplicity dignity in Cancer. Not bad. For the ascendent in Taurus, 4th house is most probably in Leo, and there are no major dignities for Venus there. One can continue along the zodiac with the same considerations.

This means that the luckiest in the above sense are those who have ascendent in Gemini (Gemini and Virgo are ruled by Mercury), Libra (Saturn rules 4th and exalts in ascendent), Sagittarius (Pisces in 4th are ruled by the same Jupiter), and Capricorn (Mars rules 4th and exalts in ascendent).

But yes, sometimes the houses are not that equal… Or the ruler of ascendent is in the sign of detriment/fall of the ruler of 4th house… Things happen…

Well, the end of the year is a mini-end-of-matters, too, and it is good to see how the traditional approach to such a modern medium as cinema helped me to make a correct prediction back in 2007, when I used Jupiter as the significator of the annual trend in the film art. I wrote in December 2007 that Jupiter entering Aquarius in 2009 would give rise to sci-fi movies. And look at the cinema of 2009… Avatar, Watchmen, 2012, Star Trek, The fourth kind, Gamer, The rise of cobra, Knowing, Moon, 9, Planet 51… Not to mention such properly Aquarian weirdos as Land of the lost, The men who stare at goats, Time traveller's wife, Underworld, and Up…

What an impressive confirmation of the traditional approach in our modern world.

Having had the ascendent in Libra and 4th house in Capricorn (both of Saturn dignity), with reception Venus-Saturn, I am usually satisfied with my Saturnine End of Matters…

What's in pockets of a Virgo

2009-11-13T17:30:00.008Z

A colleague of mine, who has been ever very sceptical about astrology, has ascendent in Virgo. Well, if you look at any sun-sign description of Virgo, it will tell you about “great practicality”, “attention to detail”, etc (including criticism, yes). And this is valid not only for those who have Sun in Virgo, but also if other essential points of the horoscope, like ascendent or the Moon, are placed in the sign.

Not surprisingly, it was quite natural for the colleague to always wear a belt-bag with lots of useful bits and pieces. Once I asked him with laugh whether he had manicure scissors there – indeed, he had! Later he added a more spacious waistcoat with a dozen of pockets.

I thought, oh, I know yet another person in a waistcoat with a dozen of pockets, famous journalist Wasserman!

I sent this picture to the colleague, saying that Wasserman should have “something in Virgo”. The colleague was sceptical again, but he helped a lot when he found the birthdata of Wasserman. The guy was born on 09.12.1952 at 3.30am in Odessa. And what is in Virgo in his chart? The Moon!

Mars-Ketu again

2009-10-01T01:21:00.005Z

Having been very busy at work, I can listen to the world news only occasionally, and I note extreme events these days (Sumatra earthquake, Samoa tsunami, storms in China and Vietnam) - no surprise as Mars is approaching Ketu again. I wrote several posts about this unpleasant constellation, which happens every 1.5-2 years, but this time its severe effects are amplified by the summer Sun eclipse which promised uneasy time to Asia and Oceania. Look at the map of the eclipse again - it covers exactly this area, including Far East of Russia, which recently suffered a great damage of the large hydroelectrostation.

I do not like to predict doom & gloom, but in the next two weeks, while Mars is moving over Ketu, there will be more of such stuff to observe, unfortunately.

The Pond

2009-09-29T19:36:00.010Z

Last week I attended an evening lecture at the Astrological Lodge of London (founded by Alan Leo in 1915). The lecturer was talking about 4th house and ancestors in a natal chart, and was mainly focused on family matters (type of family, internal relationship, etc).

But there is yet another meaning of 4th house, and I was more interested in learning about that – the real estate and immovable property of an individual.

When the lecturer asked people in the audience to give her examples of their natal 4th houses, and at the end, one lady mentioned her cusp of 4th house in Cancer with Jupiter placed there, the lecturer started explaining what kind of attached relationship with family she had, etc.

I was thinking… Jupiter in Cancer on the cusp of 4th house… There should be really huge property there, with some large (Jupiter) sentimental (Cancer) reservoir (watery sign)… And I asked the lady directly in the lecture hall, with apologies to the lecturer for interrupting for a moment, “Do you have some pond in your home estate?”

“My God”, said the lady, “yes, we do have a large pond in our garden…”

And the public turned around to look at me sitting in the last row…

This was an example of very simple and straightforward astrology, but such cases often look as if you take a rabbit from your hat, a kind of weird and suspicious magic (and this is why the Church disliked astrology so much during the history, which inevitably influenced the public opinion) – although astrology is as rigorous as any other branch of human knowledge. The problem is that those who criticise it usually have no idea about its basics and how it works. They just deny and ridicule it. As Newton said to sceptical Edmond Halley, “I have studied it”, – whereas most of the sceptics did not.

Medical astrology

2009-08-13T03:22:00.015Z

I am not a doctor, I just have a long record of sicknesses, which were not too disruptive to make me disabled, but painful enough to make me think how my organism works. And when I recently got flu, I was not surprised to later get heavy pain in my backbone and right leg – I immediately understood that the virus entered the nervous system and caused inflammation.

When I told this to my friend, well, the scepticism was understandable. However, the very next morning, I bumped into an article in the most authoritative PNAS journal saying that influenza virus, indeed, can cause neuroinflammation (I was fortunate enough to get that in the leg).

This happened a week ago, but today I got yet another medical case study, because I read a BBC article stating that increasing drinking causes oral cancer.

How comes, I thought… People used to drink much heavier in the past, and the major problem caused by drinking is cirrhosis, which sometimes kills faster than any cancer. Very strange…

The article stated that "Alcohol consumption has doubled since the 1950s and the trend we are now seeing is likely to be linked to Britain's continually rising drinking levels."

But I can tell you that this is not the only trend that started in the 1950s. Yet another one was the sexual revolution, and this, unfortunately, may be related to mouth problems, too.

It is well known that some forms of cancer are caused by viruses, in particular, papillomaviruses, which are known to cause cervical cancer. Therefore, my hypothesis was that the increase of the oral cancer in the last decades could be related to particular sexual practices that became more acceptable and widely used.

I asked myself a horary question, whether my hypothesis was correct. The chart was quite positive about this, with Venus on ascendent, exalted Moon lady of ascendent and Jupiter in 9th.

I wanted to add a comment on the cancer causes in the BBC page of the article about drinking, but the discussion was already closed. I then wanted to find the researcher whose words were quoted in the article, Hazel Nunn, and maybe to email her for a discussion, because I strongly felt the claim of the article was not quite correct (and no, I am not a drunkard to feel urge to protect the rights of alcohol).

I found the press-release of the Cancer Research UK, where most of the ideas were the same as BBC published, but there was also a very brief note, which is actually most elucidating:

"It's possible that HPV and diet are also playing a role, and the evidence -
particularly for the role of HPV - is growing."

And if you still do not know, HPV is the abbreviation for papillomaviruses, which do cause cervical cancer and in the last decades seem to migrate to other parts, too.

I am not a doctor, and I cannot publish a PNAS paper on this. No proper medical affiliation, no convincing statistics, no robustness of the result…

This is typical for cholerics: to get the answer faster than to be able to prove it.

Update of August 18th, 2009. I just found a new article in the Lancet journal on alcohol consumption and deaths in Russia (this is where it is really extreme). Although throat cancer is mentioned in the list of death causes, it is very minor compared with accidents and violence, alcohol poisoning, ischaemic heart disease, liver cancer, tuberculosis, pneumonia, cirrhosis, pancreatic disease, and "ill-specified conditions".

Looking at the plots in the paper, one can notice that everywhere in Europe alcohol consumption is decreasing. I am afraid, it has nothing to do with the major cause of the oral cancer (which grows in Europe but still quite low in traditional Russia).

Update of August 26th, 2009. I found that in May 2007, in the New England Journal of Medicine, there was an article by D'Souza et al with main conclusion that "oral HPV infection is strongly associated with oropharyngeal cancer among subjects with or without the established risk factors of tobacco and alcohol use". The press-release of this result is here.

Update of September 9th, 2009. Yet another PNAS article states that the prostate cancer is caused by XMRV virus. I have a suspicion that most cancers are caused by viruses (except abnormal cases like heavy radiation dozes, etc). This is what drives cells mad when they loose their normal functionality. There should be some intrusion, and viral mechanism is a direct way for that.

If one mentions genetic predisposition, how can one know that viruses are not transmitted within a family? People sleep together, eat together, they are an entity; everything is shared and exchanged. Baby gets all mother's viruses, wife gets all husband's viruses. It is inevitable. Later smoking or drinking just triggers and accelerates the processes.

Update of August 17, 2010. A very good presentation about retroviridae causing sarcoma, tumors and leukemia.

Update of March 3, 2011. A new press-release about the link between HPV and throat cancer. I am pleased to see my medical intuition been confirmed by the academic science. The only difference is that I came to the conclusion after reading a couple of papers on medical statistics - and these guys spent years in the lab.

Birthday

2009-07-27T18:20:00.008Z

Approaching the “round” birthday this week, I ordered a present for myself, the cult Brompton bicycle – and although it will arrive only after three months due to the long waiting list for these creatures, I already feel joyful expecting the new family member.

Maybe I should be worried about the coming mid-life crisis (and load of work requiring more efforts than before), but at the moment Jupiter transits over my natal Moon - and even Venus trines her right now, - so I cannot help feeling rather happy.

The new solar chart receives this unusual combination of benefics into the angles

and Venus into its natal position, in the solar ascendent, with Sun in Leo on IC. Also the ruler of the 10th house is in the domicile of the ruler of ascendent. This all looks good.

Well, except that detrimented Moon falling into the 6th house in the worrisome and restless Scorpio. And looking at the houses it rules, 2nd and 3rd, there is nothing surprising: the year promises concerns about money matters. Quite expectedly, given several new payment orders I added recently; together with the coming payments for Brommy. Moon also exalts on the cusp of 12th house, and this is bad for those who belong there – which is good.

Looking back at the past half of the life (as the mid-life approximate), I probably should be satisfied. Not by “achievements” (which are not my merit) but by the given learning opportunities that are manifestations of the right choices. I am all the same as 5 years ago when I wrote depressive poems of a lost looser. The only difference is that the long sad waiting led me to the right route, as it seems so obvious now. Even if later that may change for worse again. Life is wavy…

To fly or not to fly

2009-07-25T16:22:00.024Z

When two weeks ago a friend of mine suggested to visit me this weekend coming over on Friday 24.07.09, I firmly said no – travelling just after the eclipse (22.07.09), and under such a bad transit of Moon closing hard aspects of malefics could be really dangerous. The friend was sceptical, and I suggested to wait until the weekend, and if nothing noticeable happened in the world, I would shut up with my astrological advice regarding travel. As the Moon was repeating the configuration I noticed recently and picked for further research, I also added a prediction about possible accidents on water, in particular related to Somalia pirates.

On the day of the cancelled flight (24.07.09) the world news were as follows:

Emergency landing, evacuation and delay of many flights in the Gatwick airport

Iran aircraft fire killed 17

Emergency landing in Scheremetyevo (link in Russian)

Emergency landing in Siberia (link in Russian)

Two died in a light aircraft crash near Saratov (link in Russian)

Bus crash in Russia near Rostov killed 20 people

Seven injured in a car accident in Moscow (link in Russian)

Three died in a car accident in Kirghizia (link in Russian)

Six died in Croatia train crash

Three killed in a car accident in Southern Russia (link in Russian)

Helicopter crash in the USA (link in Russian)

14 injured in a bus crash on Moscow ring road

12 injured in an overturned van in Ukraine

And this is something related to natural accidents:

300 evacuated in Minsk because of the flash flood (link in Russian)

Seven killed in a storm in Poland

Wild fires in Southern Europe

Further accidents on 25.07.09

Lifeguards in the UK saved 40 people from the sea

Emergency landing in Boston (link in Russian)

Emergency landing in Krasnodar (link in Russian)

Clash with Somalia pirates in their attempt to capture a ship (link in Russian)

Fire kills 6 in Stokholm

5 died in a boat accident in Siberia (link in Russian)

Flash rain and landslide killed 14 in Japan (link in Russian)

Five deaths in a car accident in Siberia (link in Russian)

A falling piece of mountain destroys a bridge and kills three in China (link in Russian)

Landslide killed 7 in Columbia (link in Russian)

Flash flood killed 12 in China (link in Russian)

The eclipse on 22.07.09 was visible mainly over Asia, yet it was powerful enough to influence other regions as well

Since the eclipse was one of the longest, its influence will be considerable – yet Lilly in his Annus Tenebrosus mentions that cannot last more than 4 years

It was in the angle

with the chart which is probably saying about further uneasy events (a major earthquake, landslides and flash floods in Asia are plausible)
The good thing is that hopefully my friend would not be that sceptical about astrology any more.

Update of August 10th. On August 5th, there was an earthquake in Siberia - fortunately, in uninhabited area - of magnitude 7.7 (link in Russian). Similarly powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.6 happened in the Indian ocean on August 10th (link in Russian). In Japan, on August 10th, after an earthquake of 6.6 the nuclear station was stopped (link in Russian). On August 9th, typhoon in China caused flood, landslide and evacuation of thousands (BBC link, AP link). Tropical storm caused landslides in Japan (BBC link).

Update of August 14th. Latest BBC links about Japan and Taiwan.

Update of August 20th. Not only Somalia pirates were doing their nasty work in August. The ship with Russian crew Arctic Sea was hijacked. Also, as regards the accident on water, Tonga ferry went missing. Yet another very dramatic news of August was the blast on Sayano-Shuchenskaya power station.

Lyudmila Zykina

2009-07-04T23:22:00.003Z

While the world is mourning over the death of Michael Jackson, whose natal full Moon on the axis Virgo-Pisces was afflicted by the transit Saturn, not many people outside Russia know that the great Russian singer Zykina died on the 1st of July.

She was 80 years old, and the peak of her career happened in the 60s and 70s, but those songs cannot fade with time. These are the YouTube links to famous “Volga” and “Orenburg shawl”.

She was born on June 10, so the deadly affliction by the Saturn transit is quite clear in her chart.

Saturn will be forming an exact opposition with Uranus this autumn, and since the Sun is a natural significator of health and longevity, it will be uneasy time for those who were born on 10-25 dates of September, March, December and June. I wish them all to get through this time safely.

Imelda May

2009-02-20T20:36:00.008Z

Yesterday I attended a concert of fascinating Imelda May. This woman rocks!

When I came home and looked on the net, nothing like birth date was there, only she was mentioned as “Dublin-born”. But then I found the birth date of her husband, guitarist Darrel Higham – and that was interesting! Partners’ chart are interrelated and describe each other (don’t ask me why – I have the answer, but not everybody is ready to accept it). Thus, in a man’s chart, the wife is signified, in particular, by Moon, and the Moon in the Higham’s chart is interesting:

Moon is placed in fiery quadrupled sign Sagittarius and aspected by Mars in own triplicity in conjunction with Rahu. Moreover, Moon is probably in antiscia with Sun and Venus in square with Uranus (depending on his birth time). This describes quite a woman…

Imelda May does not work with big studios, and to support her talent people should go to her concerts and buy her CDs:

No Turning Back – Imelda’s first solo release
Talk to Me – with Blue Harlem
Love Tattoo - Imelda's new solo release

There are some YouTube clips available (1, 2, 3, 4, 5), but live she is even better than in records. This is a bona fide music star!

Solar & lunar eclipses

2009-02-10T01:59:00.006Z

Lunar eclipse of 9th February followed the partial solar eclipse of 26th January, which was visible above Australia, part of Africa and Oceania, and China

Similarly to what happened in the New England Dark Day, both Beijing and Melbourne received the solar eclipse into angle

Reading the news about fires in Australia and China, one can see how sad yet predictable are the effects of the eclipses.

Update of February 12. After recently discussing eclipses with a friend of mine, I would like to clarify the following. The influence of eclipses on mundane affairs does not mean only fires (and not only physical phenomena). It means extremes, like the recent unusual heavy snow falls in England and even a hurricane in Paris - in the areas where the eclipses were not visible (gravity is still a powerful perturbation, not only for tides, but also for far more dynamic atmospheric masses). Yet, in the context of the Southern Hemisphere, in summer January, fires in Australia are clear manifestation of the eclipse influence, both physically and symbolically.

Patriarch Kirill

2009-02-02T20:17:00.003Z

Russian Patriarch Kirill was enthroned in Moscow on Sunday, 1st of February 2009, at 10am.

This is a good chart for the Russian Church and people: the exalted ruler of ascendent Mars is in 11th house of achievements, the Moon (the people) is in the ascendent (congregation loving Patriarch); two benefics (note exalted Venus) in 12th house promise protection. Ruler of 9th house (religion) is in 12th, but since the 12th is quite big in this chart, Jupiter is actually close to MC, which means that in directions MC will come to Jupiter (with Mercury and Mars on the way).

Retro Mercury rules 2nd and 3rd – I expect the Patriarch will soon deal with some financial and organization matters inside the church, but since his significator Mars is so strong accidentally and dignified, when Mercury turns direct and joins Mars, these will be resolved (not with ease, though). Note that Moon is coming to square Mars, which might signify tensions, too.

The loaded 12th house means dealing with hidden opponents, as well as performing sacred rituals and leading isolated monastic life.

It is a good chart for the Church and congregation.

Obama’s 2nd oath

2009-01-23T01:33:00.006Z

When I was writing about the inauguration, it was difficult to imagine such a strange consequence of the Moon void of course (void of course means “nothing happens”, or business without fructification) – yet, in the context of the presidency, it produced the 2nd oath for Obama, 31 hours after the inauguration.

This happened to two US presidents before, Chester Arthur and Calvin Coolidge, so it is not an exceptional event. However, in the astrological terms, it changes the inauguration chart of January 20th for the new one:

One can immediately notice that the ascendent here is Leo, its ruler being in the sign of Saturn, Aquarius (Leo is the sun-sign for Obama, for he was born in August). This makes the new chart more coherent with his nativity, unlike the previous one, which had Taurus rising (with all his charm, Obama is rather a Saturnine than Venusian person).

This time, the 10th house of supreme power is empty; its ruler Venus, although exalted in Pisces, is badly placed in 8th house of fears and comes to conjunct Uranus and oppose retro Saturn. The ruler of ascendent Leo is in detriment in 6th house – weak and working hard, yet coming to join Jupiter (which will be combust then). Jupiter rules 5th house of fun, so this is not good for the country in the sense of having fun, I am sorry to say.

Moon, the significator of people, has left Scorpio where she was detrimented, but now is coming to square Saturn and Uranus – still not good. The retro Saturn is placed just on the cusp of 2nd house of finances – this is already known to each and every one: people are experiencing financial problems.

This chart is much less shiny than that of 20th January – yet more realistic. Problems, less fun, hard work...

I cannot see much of that in the chart, but I wish good luck to the American people in the next few years.

Update of 17 March 2010. After more than a year since writing this post, I just want to add this YouTube link to confirm my predictions and opinion about Obama.

Algol

2009-01-22T18:39:00.008Z

Yesterday I was participating in a discussion on death fear during air flights, and I mentioned one of the major significations of the violent death in a natal chart: the influence of the evil star Algol. According to Vivian Robson, who is a contemporary authority on fixed stars, Algol “causes misfortune, violence, decapitation, hanging, electrocution and mob violence, and gives a dogged and violent nature that causes death to the native or others. It is the most evil star in the heavens.”

So, I mentioned that if a natal planet (particularly Sun or Moon) is conjunct with Algol, there is higher risk to suffer violent death and various amputations.

When I had opened today’s news, I saw an article that immediately attracted my attention: Brazil model Mariana Bridi da Costa lost all limbs.

Here came an astrological hypothesis: her natal chart should have “something on Algol”. I asked my Portuguese friend to check Brazil sites and got the birth date, 18.06.1988. Not only does the girl have Jupiter on Algol (which well can be her ruler of the ascendent if she has Pisces ascending), but also her natal Sun and Mercury in Gemini are afflicted by the current slow and painful opposition of Saturn and Uranus.

Poor girl.

Update of January 23. Today, a Moscow lawyer was buried, he was shot in the head by a killer. Imagine how I was surprised to see the grave plate with his date of birth, 20th of May - with Sun on Algol!

In the medieval times, this constellation could mean decapitation by an executioner - now it is just a shot...

Update. Mariana Bridi da Costa died on January 24th.

Cinemundane-II

2009-01-06T01:07:00.008Z

Yesterday, Jupiter moved from the sign of his detriment Capricorn into Aquarius. Jupiter’s transit in Capricorn took more than a year, and as I wrote earlier, I expected his influence on cinema to be rather disappointing: this was time to make money rather than create masterpieces.

One can hardly recall a masterpiece among all those hancocks of 2008, and even Mamma Mia, with great ABBA songs and ugly voices of the actors, was an artificial production whose main aim was to earn (certainly very favourable for ABBA sales).

All the major blockbusters came out to be too dark, secondary and unimpressive. In the BBC annual film review, I noticed phrase “failed to make much of impression”, which is quite indicative.

I might have called a masterpiece the film released last week, “The Reader”, but even this one is an illustration of the Jupiter in Capricorn: Cardano says on this constellation in aphorism 2.45 of Lilly’s edition about “power under pretence of justice” with “unfortunate issue” – come and see the film to understand how true this is.

Now, as Jupiter is in Aquarius (and weak, being peregrine yet), look at the oncoming movies to find which of them are weird enough to indicate the planetary change…

Update of February 23. I was glad to see Kate Winslet finally - and so well deserved - collecting this year's Bafta, Golden Globes and, today, the Oscar. Well done to her Venus on Regulus, at last!

Landau

2008-11-18T20:55:00.006Z

This post is about the great physicist – and about verifiable astrological hypotheses.

I do not know Landau’s time of birth, but all I need here is the date, because the main issue is the transit of Saturn over his natal Sun.

Landau was born on 22.01.1908, and the chart is as follows:

One of the major dramatic events of his life was the road accident that happened on 7th January 1962 and deprived him from work till the end of his life.

It is easy to check what was happening in the sky that time: transit Saturn was conjunct with Landau’s natal Sun. I can assure you that this transit is one of the heaviest in one’s life (I experienced it quite recently, in 2006).

Then, I thought, there should be a similar very hard period in Landau’s life about 30 years before the accident (given Saturn’s period of 29.5 years on average). What happened then, around 1932? Certainly, there should be something similarly “catastrophic”?

I checked historic documents related to Landau’s life. To make it short, after living for years in Leningrad, in 1932 Landau moved to provincial Kharkov and started working in the local physical institute (which later became one of the world centres in theoretical physics, due to his efforts).

Why did he move over there? Because of the heavy and dramatic conflict with his supervisor Ioffe, whom he sarcastically criticised until the Saturn transit finalised that, in summer of 1932.

How did astrological hypotheses lead me to finding the historical facts that I had not known?

Warsaw

2008-11-17T19:47:00.004Z

Yesterday I met a special person. I was very lucky to meet him. His name is Zbigniew Tucholsky, he is a widower of Anna German. I also met their son, Zbigniew junior.

As I wrote earlier, Anna German has been one of the main artistic figures in my life, since I was three years old. When I started studying astrology, she also became yet another astrological puzzle for me, because her chart and her public image had some controversies in my understanding. Therefore, I prepared several dozens of questions to ask pan Tucholsky – only he could tell me what was real among my guesses.

I cannot disclose our private conversation which continued for six hours; I can only say that it was incredible happiness for me to share my life-long love for her with the man who loves her all his life. And I feel quite proud of my astrological understanding of her chart, because he confirmed almost all of my guesses, often just saying “yes” to my questions.

It was an intense weekend: I also did my best to see the country and to test my new Nikon D60. The camera seems to be a good member of the noble family, and Poland is a really beautiful country.

I recently had a chat with a colleague of mine, a Pole, who thinks (quite typically) that Russia is a monster who caused disaster to his country. These people misunderstand the whole epoch: it was first and foremost Russia that suffered the communism, and if they wish to blame somebody, they rather have to direct their energy to Marx.

I like Poland (well, I managed to visit only Katowice, Krakow and Warsaw in two days). I am actually glad to see it recovering from socialistic times as much as I am glad to see Russia doing the same. And I love the language, it is so close to Russian, and almost as dear.

I hope people soon forget the hatred of the past.

President Obama

2008-11-10T03:18:00.009Z

In June, when I wrote the post about Obama, the exact time of birth was not known yet. Therefore, I would not claim that I did predict his presidency, whatever was my reasoning. Such things happen when celebrities are being considered: their birth info is unreliable and often leads an astrologer astray.

In the case of the inauguration event, however, the chart info is much more reliable: it has already been declared that it will happen on January 20th, 2009, at noon. Therefore, just as in the case of the Medvedev’s inauguration, we can look at the event chart.

10th house of power contains a remarkable combination of Sun (noon chart), retro Mercury casimi, combust Jupiter and Rahu – these promise a term of presidency most advanced in wit and brightness. The ruler of ascendent Venus is in 11th house of the fruits of the power - and of advisors (2nd from 10th), she is exalted and in conjunction with Uranus: Obama promises to be a dignified and unusual ruler with multitude of assistants of any kind (we already know his team of financists). However, the ruler of 11th is retro Saturn in the sign of Venus fall, Virgo, Saturn being the ruler of 9th and 10th as well – it looks as a long and painful conflict with people who are supposed to be his supporters, which sounds bizarre at the moment. Since this is accompanied by the opposition of Uranus and Saturn (the one causing so many mundane problems during October and November 2008, as one can see in the daily news), the conflict promises to be rather explosive.

Furthermore, Mars is exalted and is in 9th house of science and foreign affairs. It is dignified but remains a violent planet, and thus promises scientific achievements in the arms development, which will be fully supported by the president (note sextile between Mars and Venus and the Venus placement in the sign of Mars triplicity).

Considering the state finances, these are ruled by Mercury (2nd cusp in Gemini), which is combust and in conjunction with Jupiter (hardly beneficial in this chart, because it rules malefic houses 8th and 12th and is afflicted by Rahu). Culminating cazimi Mercury indicates a still mighty power – interesting, though, that Sun rules 5th house and is in detriment, which is a bit inappropriate at the time of the financial crisis.

The most problematic body in the chart is the Moon. It is void of course and in the sign of fall in 7th house. Moon in the mundane charts indicates the population, and it is placed in the sign of Venus’ detriment: people hating the president. Not good, not at all. In fact, it would be much better to postpone the beginning of the ceremony for a half an hour or so, until the Moon has moved into Sagittarius.

It will be interesting to watch whether the actual time of the oath procedure would rescue Obama from such a bad state of the Moon. The opposition with retro Saturn is bad enough to spare him from the Moon in Scorpio.

Update of December 3, 2008. Sri K.N.Rao, in his recent article, was very kind to mention my name about those who predicted presidency for Obama.

Update of January 20, 2009. The actual inauguration took place today at 12.07. Moon was in the 30th degree of Scorpio.

Kafka

2008-09-27T04:47:00.007Z

I never liked Kafka, and to understand why I had to a wait until one of experts and admirers of Kafka’s works, James Hawes, had written his book “Excavating Kafka”.

He dug very well, finding roots and analogies that are crucial for understanding Kafka and his work. Hawes also managed to understand those things which were clear and available although clouded by the myths about ‘lonely’, ‘unknown’, ‘idealistic’, ‘poor’, ‘mysterious’ Kafka. Kafka was not like that at all, and no, he was not the first to imagine a man transforming into a beetle. The first was Kafka’s favourite Goethe…

James Hawes is brilliant in seeing clearly not only the historical perspective, but also the underlying motivation of Kafka’s behaviour, from his collecting porno to cheating the fiancé, and from the literary environment promoting and prizing him at a rather early stage to his investments in Austro-Hungarian war bonds. James Hawes even understands the Saturn revolution happening to Kafka (without naming it in astrological terms, of course).

But the most striking sentence in the whole book is the following. Hawes says in the very end that “… his stories have all the feel of literature, but they simply refuse to deliver what we expect of literature.”

Indeed, Hawes highly values Kafka’s talent, although what he is saying is just a confirmation of my old feeling about Kafka’s writings: his work is rather an imitation of good literature. Very skilful one.

To understand this controversy, let’s look at Kafka’s chart.

Mercury in own house in conjunction with Venus speaks for itself: this is the perfect planetary implementation for a proficient writer and artist; the gift of heaven. Moon in Gemini near this conjunction makes him bright, and Sun-Jupiter in Cancer adds emotionality – double gift for a writer.

Yet, for the root of the heartlessness of this talent (as well as for his masculine peculiarity), look at the Mars in detriment on the most evil star Algol. In fact, reading quotes from letters to his women, I kept thinking about him as an emotional and physical pervert.

I cannot understand how Hawes managed to preserve his respect to Kafka after this research. I am saying this not because I am sympathetic with those women, but because my aversion to his weird stories without “proper literary” ideas (and rather unhealthy in spirit) is confirmed by his personal faults. The Hawes’s book provided me with more facts to support the impression.

Can I appreciate the brilliance of style and imagination if they are not backed by humanism? No. This is why I do not like Kafka.

Birthday

2008-08-09T05:33:00.004Z

I do not know whether the past year was the result of the chosen location of the solar return or it would be fruitful in any case. The current secondary progression uses the birth place, and the ruler of the natal ascendent Moon is in its full dignity in Cancer on the natal Medium Coeli in conjunction with Procyon – probably the solar chart was rather a secondary matter.

Nevertheless, the coming solar will be neither easy nor peaceful, and there is no way to avoid that. When people are talking about free will, they are dealing with negligible illusion that can change this or that route, but not the life events.

But it is better not to know that.

Just to make the birthday special, I came to a countryside medieval church for a concert of Hummel and Mozart. In fact, I rode my bicycle for 25km down there not quite because of Mozart: the festival was patronised by His Highness Prince Charles who attended the concert.

This was special. Hummel is called “proto-romantic”, and Chopin clearly learnt a lot from him; I was very impressed by the music. Sitting in the church listening to Hummel in excellent performance of English Chamber Orchestra, with all those stained-glass windows around, I was thinking about the fate that took me from poor provincial Russia and brought to England for learning. I truly believe that England is the best place on Earth for learning. I was thanking God for all the losses and opportunities that finally led me there.

After the concert, I left the church and saw the Sun setting. It was two days before new Moon, and most planets were near Sun, so I couldn’t expect particular light on the back way home. Well, I thought, I should keep about the same direction to south-east for an hour or so, then probably some star could help me? I looked in that direction and, surprisingly, found Jupiter – it was the only planet rising that time, and it was pointing exactly at my home. What a nice present of the sky.

Should I say that I came home safely and happily, despite the complete darkness during my ride?

Update of August 29. Less than a month after writing this post, I received a letter from Marquis Who's Who stating that my bio would be included among 60,000 to be published in the 2009 edition "Who's Who in the World". Good confirmation of the elevated progressed Moon.

Grander conjunction

2008-07-10T18:37:00.008Z

Studying grand conjunctions of Jupiter and Saturn, I certainly tested my own natal chart. This is what researchers of the past did when licked charged wires, touched rod during lightning or exposed themselves to radioactive substances. Serving science is not easy!

The closest available for me Ju-Sa conjunction was in 1961, and to tell you the truth, I do not like it: Jupiter was in fall, and the conjunction happened on my natal Imum Coeli. It probably promises the end of matters of some significance, but that is not too soon. Ruler of the conjunction's midheaven placed on the cusp of natal 7th house is also rather irrelevant to me.

Wait, why should I consider that far stuff if there is a more interesting conjunction, Jupiter with weird creature Uranus? In the natal chart, they are so close that the conjunction should happen just before the birth!

Indeed, two dates are separated only by 10 days. Moreover, the conjunction has the same ascendent, and ruler of 10th in both charts Moon is on the ascendent and on the conjunction. Venus, ruler of both ascendents, is on the cusp of natal 9th house. Sun and Mercury of the conjunction are placed on the natal MC. Arcturus and Vega are rising with the ascendent, Mercury with Rigel, Venus with Aldebaran. Ruler of natal ascendent Venus is on conjunction's MC by antiscia
I would like to call it “grander conjunction”. After all, the orbital period of Uranus is 84 years rather than those 29 years of Saturn…

Innokenty Annensky

2008-07-08T23:12:00.004Z

Innokenty Annensky was a highly-placed beaurocrat in the state educational system of the tzar Russia. He was married to a much older widow with two children. His hidden passion was poetry that he was writing all his life without publishing (the first small collection of his verses appeared when he was already 50).

At the end of his life, he retired and joined some magazine editorial to start publishing his work - but imagine such a figure among young nihilists in the beginning of XX century. He certainly felt like a dinosaur and died soon, I think being quite unhappy.

His poems are beautiful and delicate, but there is one which is a real star, one of the most beautiful Russian verses of all times, in my opinion. I attempted to translate it, although not precisely, but keeping the original sound. I often read it to myself in Russian, such a wonderful music.

Among the worlds, in light of many stars,
I keep repeating name of only vesper,
I wouldn't say that I'm that much in love,
But it's so dark when I don't hear her whisper.

And when the doubts get heavier for me,
I seek the answer from her dear brightness -
That's not because it's lighter near her:
I need no light in presence of her rightness.

Guess what kind of chart Annensky had to write a starry poem about a star? He was Leo with Sun on Regulus:

California fires

2008-07-08T23:06:00.006Z

Dorothy Kovach, who lives in California, asked horary question: "When will the forest fires come under control?"

Mars, being ruler of 8th house of death danger placed in 12th house, is a significator of Californian fires. It changes the sign from fiery Leo for earthy Virgo, and earth is an enemy of fire, one of possible methods of fighting it. The Mars position gives us about three time units; this is fixed sign of Leo (slow timing) but cadent house (fast timing). Therefore, I would take it as weeks. Since horary was asked on 26th June, I would say that possible date of ceasing fire is 15-20 of July.

UPDATE OF JULY 15

Here is the Fire Overview by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, stating that by July 15, 1983 out of 2010 peak fires (i.e., more than 95%) have been contained.

Conjuration

2008-07-06T05:16:00.004Z

Today, July 5, Moon is separating from Ketu and approaching Mars and Saturn, thus activating the violent transit for which I predicted a powerful earthquake. During the day, ten earthquakes happened in Japan, and the strongest was of magnitude 7.7. As I wrote earlier, in the update on Mars-Ketu conjunction, earthquakes of magnitude 7.5 have mean return interval more than three months, but this major earthquake happened only three weeks after the previous one, on June 14. I hope this is convincing enough for those who are skeptical about astrology. I am sure none of the academic seismological methods was able to predict this with similar temporal accuracy.

Yet, even if we can expect such events by monitoring the planetary configurations, locating them is very difficult: they can happen in any hour, whereas the astrological houses (allowing us to estimate symbolic location and direction) are moving through the day, making a complete circle over zodiac. On the other hand, applying formal methods of mundane astrology (considering charts of various states, their seasonal ingresses, conjunctions, etc) on routine basis is a physically unrealisable task. Here, successful prediction with accurate location becomes a matter of pure luck.

Moreover, the depth of the hypocentre (the point of the actual shock, which is projected onto the surface of the planet as epicentre) is very important as well: the most devastating earthquake is harmless for humanity if it happens deep enough.

One can see how difficult the mundane astrology - but this cannot deter people from seeking the truth further.

Ironically, in the XVI century John Dee could practice magical arts freely, but had to hide his interest in mathematics, which was synonymous of conjuration. Nowadays, this is quite opposite: the celestial influence is marginal now.

I am looking forward to the time when the learning complete the turn of the spiral, accepting the past knowledge to advance new one.

Pompeii

2008-07-06T00:57:00.011Z

As now Pompeii is on the news because of its dreadful state and collapsing historical sites, it reminded me about the well-known eruption on August 24, AD 79.

To my surprise, the chart for the August of that year had the same dangerous conjunction of Mars and Ketu, therefore it was probably a violent period not only for Pompeii. However, this particular place was afflicted the most due to additional circumstances; obviously, combination of Mars and Ketu, which repeats every 1.8 year of the Mars orbital period, was not enough to produce such an event (for instance, minor eruptions of Vesuvius occurred 20 times in the last 300 years).

We are lucky to have a document providing timing of the eruption: the letter of Pliny the Younger to Tacitus, where he describes death of his uncle, Pliny the Elder, during the event. The family was in Misenum (town across the Bay of Naples) when the first cloud appeared above the mountain, and it happened at “about one in the afternoon”.

The chart is ruled by violent retro Mars and has retro Uranus exactly on the Imum Coeli (the bottom of the earth): some unexpected turbulent event starting in the ground. Ruler of 8th (house of death) is culminating Mercury in own sign. Retro Saturn, if we consider longitudes of fixed stars, is in conjunction with Fomalhaut, which is one of four supreme fixed stars and is said to give immortality. Since Saturn is malefic, this conjunction signifies “accidents, ailments affecting the lungs, throat and feet, loss through enemies… affairs involved at end of life, sudden death”. Indeed, Pliny the Elder, like many others in Pompeii, died of suffocation. Yet another unusual and malevolent indication is related to Uranus again. If we consider its rising, it coincides with the most evil star Algol. This constellation indicates “misfortune, violence, decapitation, hanging, electrocution and mob violence, and gives a dogged and violent nature that causes death to the native or others” (Robson).

It is interesting that the eruption was actually not abrupt, but took several days: many people kept waiting for better conditions in their homes (I suspect due to so many retro planets they couldn't make up their minds). For instance, Pliny the Elder came to Pompeii from Misenum to help his friends to evacuate on his galleon, but the sea was too turbulent to depart, and they didn't escape into the fields either, just waiting and moving from house to garden and back.

Pliny the Elder died on the next day after the first smoke of the Vesuvius. “As soon as it was light again, which was not till the third day after this melancholy accident, his body was found entire, and without any marks of violence upon it” (Pliny the Younger). This means that during those sorrowful days the Moon (significator of people) was moving through the sign of her detriment Capricorn, and I suspect the most deadly period was on the second day when it was squaring Mars-Ketu conjunction.

Our present planetary configurations are, fortunately, less dramatic: Mars-Ketu conjunction is separating, Uranus is less involved, and no violent fixed stars activated. Still, be careful until Mars separates from Saturn at the end of July. I expect accidents on water over July 5-8, 11-13, 19-21. I just hope to be wrong.

New England Dark Day

2008-06-17T22:38:00.012Z

In the last five days, I have been monitoring news to understand the influence of the Mars-Ketu conjunction, and the list of unusual events is already quite long: road and flight accidents, strikes over oil prices, fires and floods from California to China, clashes with police (in Euro08, rubber bullets were used, in peaceful Bern!), and, just two days after my post on this constellation, a 7.5-magnitude earthquake occurred in Japan.

Forest fires in US and Canada were particularly harmful and unusually early for the season, causing multiple evacuations. Reading about them, I found, by chance, a brief note related to historical forest fires with a reference to the recent research by McMurry et al (2007) who proved the connection of forest fires with infamous New England Dark Day on May 19, 1780. It was one of recorded historic dark days which were considered symbolic in the past, because mysterious darkness covered the land, such that at noon people needed candles, and animals behaved like after sunset.

As you can imagine, I cast a chart for the date, because I expected a peculiar constellation of malefics (Mars or Saturn) with Lunar Nodes (Rahu or Ketu). For that dimmed morning in Rupert, Vermont, the chart showed broad conjunction of Ketu, Moon and Saturn

But if you look at the Sun with Rahu, it is obvious that the event was preceded by an eclipse on May 18!

Yet, the chart for eclipse in Rupert was not quite convincing, because the eclipse fell into 6-12 houses, whereas I expected a much stronger, angular position. I decided to look at the chart shifted geographically along the longitude, towards more western areas. Shifting the location of the event for 10-15 degrees westward would provide a chart with eclipse at sunrise, with Sun-Rahu in 1st house and Moon-Ketu-Saturn in 7th. That would be the right and dramatic chart for the Dark Day!

But that would mean that the source of the disaster should be located somewhere 1000 kilometers to the West, deeper in the continent.

This was intriguing, and I started searching the web for more details about McMurry’s research. Guess what citation I dug up in one of press-releases? “They found that a major fire had burned in 1780 affecting atmospheric conditions hundred of miles away. Large smoke columns were created and carried into the upper atmosphere.”

Deriving relevant constellations from the past events is as exciting as predicting future based on the upcoming ones.

Update of June 18.

Following my enquiry, Erin McMurry provided a preprint of her paper, where I found a detailed description of her research. Her main conclusion is that the Dark Day occurred due to the very low pressure system near Michigan, causing eastward winds, and the main fire source was in Algonquin Highlands (marked red in the map, click to enlarge). One can see from the map scale that 1000 km longitude shift of the eclipse location was a pretty good estimate.

Mars-Ketu conjunction

2008-06-12T05:02:00.004Z

If you wonder about the recent strange events, like the fire in the Universal Studios or crazy pyroman burning 20 cars in Moscow or US army killing own allies in Pakistan, note that Mars in Leo is approaching conjunction with Ketu.

This transit is less heavy & long than Saturn-Ketu conjunction, but it is quite dramatic and violent, especially so because of the fiery nature of Leo.

It would be silly to list all the recent fires and tornados, and any opponent would point that there are always accidents around the world. However, Mars-Ketu should produce rather weird and noticeable events; therefore do not be surprised in the next week or two.

Since this is the time of Euro08, there might be fans’ clashes with unusual violence as well.

Later in June, Mars will be separating from Ketu and coming to Saturn. That time, a powerful earthquake is plausible. But locating it is another, more difficult task.

As Cardano said in his aphorism on weather, “whenever Saturn is joined to the Sun, the heat is remitted and the cold increased, which alone may be a sufficient testimony of the truth of Astrology”. I can only add that transits like the current one of Mars with Ketu too confirm the truth of the art. Watch the news.

UPDATE of June 30.

Just 2 days after the post on June 12, an earthquake of magnitude 7.5 occurred in Japan. The mean return interval for earthquakes above 7.5 is about 100 days, globally. It means that such a powerful earthquake happens once in three months or more, on average. Moreover, since the transit involving Saturn has not finished yet, I expect there will be another one, also powerful.

Let's look at other world events that happened in two weeks since I wrote the post about Mars-Ketu conjunction. Yes, accidents happen everywhere around the globe - let's look at the "unusual". There was a fire in the Universal Studios – that was unusual, because fire alarm systems in industrial estates (especially so famous and significant) are usually advanced. Yet, it burnt out. Then there was a series of car burns in Moscow, some crazy pyroman did it just for fun, dozens of cars in the capital. Then something worse started: ignited by dry lightning forest fires in California (later the same happened in Sakhalin). This is why I warned about the conjunction of Mars and Ketu (Ketu symbolically "amplifies" the power of the malefic). As now Mars is approaching Saturn (symbolic significator of ground and falls), I expect there might be landslides in relevant areas.

Furthermore, there was an unusual number of fires and explosions in factories (for instance, GoodYear factory incident, several factories and mines in Russia). Then there were massive floods (India, Mexico, China, Iova), and, in particular, in the central Russia – very unusual for this time of year. Also strikes, prison clashes (UK and Russia). When Moon joined North Node in opposition with Mars-Ketu, a ferry drown in Philippines (700 died) – Moon in mundane affairs signifies people (crowd) and Mars is violence – so this happened exactly on their opposition, with nodes, June 22.

Regarding my prediction of problems related to Euro08, first there were clashes with police and later, when Russia won the game with Holland, drunk happy fans run their cars at crazy speed and crashed – 11 died in one night. Later, due to the storm (Mars means violence, remember?) people in German stadium were evacuated and some got injuries. The Euro08 final took place yesterday, June 29, - under square of Moon (crowd) on Algol (the most evil star in the zodiac) with Mars (violence). The main violent events took place not in Vienna but in Madrid: 90 injured, 80 local fires, police had to use rubber bullets again (this information is from the Russian article)

I do not mention multiple local fires all around the world, nor do I list earthquakes like 6.5 which are more frequent now. Greek ferry evacuated on June 28 was, fortunately, only slightly damaged.

As fires are mentioned, for those who are in California during this harmful transit, I wish that smoke, dry lightning and massive forest fires affect neither them nor their family. I hope they just illustrate how powerful and straightforward the celestial influence.

Timing in horary

2008-06-12T04:35:00.004Z

I was taught that in horary (usually used for short-term predictions) the dynamics of planets should be considered not further than in the next zodiacal sign. And this is what I did when a friend of mine asked me (at the end of February when Clinton was underdog before winning the March primaries): “Who among three candidates, Clinton, Obama, and McCain, would become president?”

USA is a foreign country, so it is signified by 9th house. Its royal power is 10th from 9th, i.e., 6th house of the horary, with cusp in Gemini. Its ruler Mercury is in reception with retro Saturn (with Ketu) and in tight conjunction with Venus sharing minor receptions. I assigned Venus to Clinton, Mercury to Obama and Saturn to McCain as significators.

Saturn was peregrine, afflicted by Ketu, in 12th house from 9th, and moving retro – this candidate looked hopeless, most probably due to the weak program and problems with health. I should find who among Venus and Mercury would be the winner.

I looked at the dynamics and saw Venus heading Pisces, its sign of exaltation, where Mercury is fallen. Also, Moon, the significator of people, was in the sign of Mercury’s detriment.

My conclusion, using dynamics in the next sign, was that Clinton would become president. As we know in June, she has lost – and now look at the Venus dynamics after Pisces! First, it moves into Aries, sign of its detriment. Further, elevation again, in Taurus, and finally it heads the domicile of Mercury, Gemini: Venus heads into the power of her rival. If we propagate the chart through time, we can see something interesting:

In the domicile of Mercury, Venus and fully-powered Mercury meet each other – and not alone but with the significator of royal power Sun. Clinton and power are coming to Mercury! When? On Saturday, June 7, in the afternoon. What happened then? It was the exact time of Clinton’s speech, when she abandoned her campaign asking her supporters to join Obama.

This horary confirmed my feeling that each chart has infinite dynamics with significators traceable long ahead. Although in many temporary questions one-sign dynamics is more than enough, it does not stop evolving after that.

P.S. In fact, for judging questions like elections, one should have the natal chart of the candidates. Unfortunately, they are usually unavailable, and confident predictions are hardly achievable in such circumstances.

President Obama?

2008-06-12T02:58:00.011Z

It is close to impossible to predict accurately for public persons, whose birth times, and sometimes even dates, are generally unknown or incorrect. Nevertheless, predicting for them is challenging and rewarding in publicity, and hundreds of astrologers keep testing various times for the same charts, discussing each other’s opinions (although the only proof of the correctness of the data is the prediction that comes true).

The most discussed public figures at the moment are, indeed, US presidential candidates. In the recent UAC08, there was an announcement, which was considered as rather reliable, about Barack Obama’s birth in Honolulu on August 4, 1961, at 19:11.

I emailed Sri K.N.Rao asking his opinion about the chart for this time, because I had lots of doubts regarding the Jyotish chart for 19:11, where in three major vargas (rasi, navamsa and dasamsa) rulers of 10th houses were placed in 6th, hardly promising the high elevation Obama has already achieved.

Sri K.N.Rao generously shared his estimate of the time, pointing at 13:06. As I understand it, it was a result of his thorough rectification, and thus I felt confident to look at the chart for forecast.

In this chart, Atmakaraka (AK) is Mars, Amatyakaraka (AmK) is Sun, Putrakaraka (PK) is retro Jupiter and Darakaraka (DK) is retro Saturn, which is also vargottama in own sign Capricorn and yogakaraka (ruler of 4th and 5th) for Libra ascendent.

The chart is very strong, with multiple Rajayogas, exalted ruler of 10th, Amatyakaraka in 10th house and Atmakaraka in fruitful 11th house, with powerful Rahu. 10th house is very energised by aspects of four planets.

In his present Vimsottari mahadasa of Jupiter (ruler of 10th house in dasamsa), from August 2008 to May 2009 Obama will be running antardasa of Sun (AmK in 10th in rasi) - this gives him a real chance. Yet, in dasamsa his 10th is on the Rahu-Ketu axis, and most Jaimini yogas disappear, except AmK-DK - and that's with Rahu.

Note that after antardasa of Sun, there comes antardasa of Moon (2009-2010), which is aspected by Jaimini rajayoga of Amk-DK. His wife’s involvement in his campaign is well-known (DK aspecting 10th in dasamsa), and this influence can become more pronounced in the next antardasa – with influence of Nodes. But this is later.

In Chara Dasa, at the time of November elections he will be running Virgo-Scorpio-Aries pratyantardasa (and on the day of the elections, time 13:06 promises Cancer and Leo sookshma-antardasas, which is really impressive: these are again 10th and 11th houses with AK and AmK). From Virgo, AmK Sun in placed in 11th; from Scorpio, AK is placed in 10th. In dasamsa, Virgo-Scorpio-Aries contain all four AmK, AK, PK and DK, and houses are 4th, 6th and 12th. This looks as a troublesome but rewarding period. This is the time to achieve.

The ruler of dasamsa 10th house Jupiter is retro in 6th under double aspect of malefics, Mars from 12th and Saturn from 4th. In fact, this and the ruler of dasamsa ascendent Mercury in 12th aspected by Jupiter, retro Saturn and Mars explain some of the career events in his past.

If Obama becomes president in November, 13:06 is the correct time of his birth.

Update.

After posting this text, I received news about Obama's published birth certificate with time 19:24. As I mentioned above, rectifying birthtime is always tricky. When we attempt it, we bring, together with our knowledge, our illusions about the native, which we imprint in the rectification. I think, considering 13.06 chart, Obama was idealised - and my opinion about him, without chart, was rather different. As I look at this new chart, I am coming back to my old opinion.

Yet another problem is that several times may describe the native similarly well, taking into account all the life events etc.

Good exercise. Although I am not sure about his presidency now.

Update of 06.05.2011. The recently published Obama's certificate seems to be not genuine, which is explained in the following video (four parts).

Devon & Cornwall tour

2008-05-28T19:39:00.035Z

The MetOffice firmly promised three days of rain over the Bank Holiday in South-West England, and although I bought advance train tickets for the planned cycling tour in Devon, I started seriously thinking about cancelling the trip: loosing 20 pounds on refund would be less harmful than cycling for three days under heavy rain.

Yet, with all due respect to the MetOffice, whose HadCM family of models is one of the best in the world, I wanted to know what would be the real weather. I decided to try another predictive tool, the weather horary. I cast a chart for question: “How would be the weather and my trip?”

Surprisingly, the chart appeared rather “hot & dry”: ascendent in dry Virgo, IC in hot & dry Sagittarius, ruler of ascendent strong elevated Mercury in hot Gemini, and absolutely happy 9th house of far travel, with strong Venus, Mercury and Sun therein. The significator of bicycle, ruler of 2nd house Venus (which also ruled 9th), too confirmed the first impression. The chart promised a happy dry trip! So, what should I believe - which of two forecasts?

Practising the art without trusting it would be unfair, so I decided to depart.

I started the tour in Exeter

keeping the way along the coast

that can never be boring

visited private Powderham Castle

and cycled along many picturesque towns like Torquay

This area is rightfully called “English Riviera”

with famous Blackpool sands

The villages are traditionally English, with some old stuff privately owned for living

and some old stuff for daily use, like this Victorian postbox (if it is still well and alive, why change?)

The coastal area has peculiar network of estuaries, bays and creeks, which sometimes cannot be avoided and require a ferry

Also, it is hilly

so cycling there is hard fun – but not after the training in Alps! As the horary promised, the bike was in perfect state (thanks to the recent upgrade of Shimano Deore systems), so the long downhills were crazy fun, with speed up to 60-65kmh.

I arrived at Plymouth and stayed overnight in a B&B after first 130km. In the morning, I spent some time exploring the city, with Royal Marines Barracks

Hospital of dog PDSA charity

Then I crossed the creek by the high bridge

and entered Cornwall. If you ever heard about Cornish pasties, these are from Cornwall (although historians claim that first ones were actually cooked in Devon in 1509 in a banquette dedicated to the coronation of Henry VIII).

I cycled in gorgeous and car-free village roads, where I met some ladies

and visited traditional fishing village Polperro

I doubt they need to fish now, as they have plenty of tourists

I saw an old house which looked as remarkable as the Pisa tower (although the place is too remote to attract the visitors)

I then arrived at Polruan village and crossed the bay by ferry again

arriving at the Fowey Promenade, where I left the convenient road and entered the South Coast Path protected by the National Trust

which reminded me the coast of Ireland, with similar basalt cliffs and the most beautiful ocean

The South Path is intended only for pedestrians (and I would obey this rule if I had time to park the bike and later come back to the same place – but I could not), so it is boarded and has this kind of “gates” (they are called "stiles")

that I had to cross with the loaded bicycle. Good that there was training in Alps! Occasionally I met a German couple who told me about Bilan’s victory in Eurovision – just as the Venus in 10th in the inauguration chart promised.

I also met mountain inhabitants who are quite happy on the coastal sloppy hills.

Saw a nice traditional pub – these are always pleasant to see and visit for a coffee break

I also saw a Maltese hospital: the present Grandmaster is English, and the Order has strong connections with the country.

The rest of the way led to the Cornwall capital Truro, where I spent the night and visited the Cathedral - not too ancient, but beautiful

My initial plans were to reach Penzance, but due to the rail engineering work I had to allocate about eight hours for the trip home, changing five trains.

After cycling two days and a half for 240km, I finished the tour and boarded the train back home – and saw, through the train window, the heavy rain starting. Funny enough, when I came home, there was a BBC comedy describing new Mercedes with windscreen wipers operated by instantly updated weather forecast – somehow they suffered time delays.

“I remember a holiday of mine being completely ruined one late autumn by our paying attention to the weather report of the local newspaper. "Heavy showers, with thunderstorms, may be expected to-day," it would say on Monday, and so we would give up our picnic, and stop indoors all day, waiting for the rain. - And people would pass the house, going off in wagonettes and coaches as jolly and merry as could be, the sun shining out, and not a cloud to be seen.

"Ah!" we said, as we stood looking out at them through the window, "won't they come home soaked!"

And we chuckled to think how wet they were going to get, and came back and stirred the fire, and got our books, and arranged our specimens of seaweed and cockle shells. By twelve o'clock, with the sun pouring into the room, the heat became quite oppressive, and we wondered when those heavy showers and occasional thunderstorms were going to begin.

"Ah! they'll come in the afternoon, you'll find," we said to each other. "Oh, won't those people get wet. What a lark!"

At one o'clock, the landlady would come in to ask if we weren't going out, as it seemed such a lovely day.

"No, no," we replied, with a knowing chuckle, "not we. We don't mean to get wet - no, no."

And when the afternoon was nearly gone, and still there was no sign of rain, we tried to cheer ourselves up with the idea that it would come down all at once, just as the people had started for home, and were out of the reach of any shelter, and that they would thus get more drenched than ever. But not a drop ever fell, and it finished a grand day, and a lovely night after it.

The next morning we would read that it was going to be a "warm, fine to set-fair day; much heat;" and we would dress ourselves in flimsy things, and go out, and, half-an-hour after we had started, it would commence to rain hard, and a bitterly cold wind would spring up, and both would keep on steadily for the whole day, and we would come home with colds and rheumatism all over us, and go to bed.”

Jerome K. Jerome, “Three men in a boat”

Pavel Haas Quartet

2008-05-16T22:50:00.001Z

Today in a concert of Pavel Haas Quartet from Czechia, the group which is able to induce passionate soul even into modernistic cacophony, I was listening to Janacek. If you have not tried it yet, try only if it is performed by Pavel Haas Quartet!

I was listening, and suddenly an analogy came. This music, how similar it is – not to another music - to the writings of Kafka…

I came home and, well, I checked the charts, yes. Both Kafka and Janacek were born on July 3 – do not know whether this is surprising or not…

Moreover, both have Venus and Saturn in Gemini and spoilt Jupiter (Janacek’s is detrimented and retro, and Karka’s is combust).

The Pavel Haas Quarter is young, these four exceptions musicians (Veronika Jaruskova, Marie Fuxová, Pavel Nikl, Peter Jarusek) have released only two CDs yet – both with Janacek. I cannot wait for the next one: their expression, coherence and pianissimo technique are terrific; just need some better music worth spending money for CD…

Malta

2008-05-10T04:41:00.017Z

Visiting this country, I was overwhelmed by its beauty and rich history. With some sites 7000 years old, with all Mediterranean folks transiting over the area, with Knights Hospitallers shaping it for 300 years, and later British ruling and protecting, - this small archipelago is truly unique.

In some places it looks like Venice

in others like Greece or Israel

or some Caribbean resort

[this is why one of numerious Monte-Christo films was shot here]

The St James Cavalier, which was a knight bastion, now hosts an art gallery

But the main treasures of the country can be found in the churches

that are so rich and exquisite

full of amazing artistic compositions

unusual in every detail

And all this beauty is just poor remains of the riches which were captured and brought to France by Napoleon…

I spent three days, a hard-working tourist waking up at 9am and coming back at sunset with heavy feet (Valletta is hilly!), but I couldn’t succeed to see everything in this compact town. Amazing place!

On the last evening I just rushed though the Grandmaster Palace

and had half an hour in the St John Cathedral

But that was too short time, given audio-guide for an hour or so, and the hall with Caravaggio’s paintings (he worked in Malta until expelled for brawls - Mars on Regulus!)

Although the extensive history of Malta encounters multiple cultural influences, the most impressive are those made in less than 300 years by Knights Hospitallers. The Order of St John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta exists for more than 900 years, and from 1530 to 1799 it resided in Malta. This brought to the place wealth, protection, and made this Mediterranean trade junction a jewel of the European culture.

When I was reading about the Order and Grandmasters, I recalled Cardano’s aphorism related to priesthood, which says that for this kind of vocation, one should have strong influence of Saturn and weak Venus. All 79 Grandmasters from 1099 until present are known, but, unfortunately, only for six of them the birthdates are available – yet they are consistent with the aphorism, having strong influence of Saturn and afflicted Venus:

Emmanuel de Rohan-Polduc (18.4.1725): square Saturn-Sun, Venus in detriment.

Ferdinand von Hompesch zu Bolheim (9.11.1744): sextile Sun-Saturn, Moon in Capricorn, square Venus-Mars.

Galeazzo von Thun und Hohenstein (24.9.1849): opposition Sun-Saturn, Moon in Capricorn, Venus with Rahu.

Ludovico Chigi Albani della Rovere (10.07.1866): trine Saturn-Sun, Venus in square with Mars.

Andrew Bertie (15.5.1929): trine Saturn-Moon, Venus in detriment.

Matthew Festing (30.11.1949): square Sun-Saturn, Venus in Capricorn (Mars' exaltation sign, see another Cardano's aphorism)

Certainly, not all people of such type become monks or priests (just get Jupiter in 7th and see if it would be possible to keep celibacy). However, this type is the prerequisite.

Usually I am not interested in visiting the same place twice, but…

President Medvedev

2008-05-10T02:17:00.012Z

The chart of Medvedev’s presidential inauguration does not tell much new about the present, but some about the future.

Ketu in ascendent and Medium Coeli in Aries with ruler Mars in detriment in 12th house – don’t we know this already? 10th house of power contains Sun and Venus in Taurus, and this is a good indication for the country. Venus rules 4th house of the depth of the earth, and naturally signifies arts and crafts – these promise to be a strong side of the Russian life for the next term. The ruler of 2nd is Mercury in Gemini (the country wealth is obvious), but there is Saturn on the cusp of 2nd, which means that the expenses will still be restricted. And no much fun either: ruler of 5th is afflicted Jupiter in 6th, which also means a lot of work ahead. In the context of strong Venus in 10th, Jupiter in 6th can also be assigned to athletic efforts, therefore sport is becoming prominent in Russian life as well.

The people are signified by Moon, and look where her interests lie – they are in Gemini in 11th house: 11th is 2nd from 10th, which means advisors of the king. Ruler of 11th is the powerful Mercury at the end of 10th house. In fact, this is the strongest planet of the chart, accidentally and essentially. Who is that, guess?
Update of August 31. I am not a sport fan (preferring doing it rather than watching), so I realised just by chance the sport achievements of Russia this year. We won the UEFA super cup ("Zenith"), basketball championship, good place in football European chapmionship (in fact, unusually high place for our team), and finally 3rd place in the Beijing Olympics by medals. The promise of the inauguration chart seems to be fulfilling.

Report

2008-04-30T05:09:00.005Z

I have just finished coding some Fortran subroutines for work and suddenly recalled that a few hours ago my lunar ended – the one of April, from which I expected quite a lot.

I then started thinking over the last month trying to summarise and estimate whether it was that fruitful at all, and meanwhile I was scrolling news on the web. I do monitor world news these days, because since Monday, April 28, Saturn is turning direct, starting to separate from Ketu – the dramatic and long transit which has caused so many problems is finishing, at last. This week, as I already warned my friends, is uneasy, with lots of man-caused incidents (helicopter crash in Ukraine with 20 dead, train crash in China with 70 dead, and even a weird accident in Moscow, where a pedestrian was hit by dumbbells falling from a window), and natural catastrophes. I expected an intense earthquake, but the reality was even more surprising: in the last three days five (!) of them occurred, all above magnitude 5 (Pacific area, Mexico, Japan, Kamchatka, and just now, Northern California; update - the devastating earthquake in China happened next week).

So, an important fruit of this lunar is the confirmation of [well-known in Jyotish] observation of the importance of the Ketu influence. Yes, Ketu is just fictitious point where Moon’s orbit intersects the ecliptics, and where Moon/Sun produce eclipses, but as one can see, even Saturn in that point causes quite an impact. Predictable one.

What are the other results of the month to report? The lunar started when I returned from Easter cycling, quite an event in my life. Then I came to Vienna for a course in Bayesian analysis and the annual General Assembly of European Geophysical Union, fruitful as ever (for those who are interested, the first draft of the “Complete Seven Segments of Girolamo Cardano” is almost finished, and I did it at nights after the days full of lectures). Yet, I visited country number 25 in my travel list, Slovak Republic. Fortunately, this month two long-reviewed papers were accepted for publication (and it was quite a trial to convince the reviewers, me poor girl against those smart scientists). What else? Well, I have learnt some Fortran this week, and finally my new NERC project is starting…

Yes, it was an important lunar, indeed. Difficult to say what was the major achievement. Probably, Fortran subroutines? They were the hardest…

Easter cycling

2008-04-02T04:04:00.041Z

The natal lunar chart for March promised lots of travelling, with filled 3rd (short journeys) and 9th (foreign land) houses:

I decided to use the Easter holiday for my long-cherished dream: to cycle along the Castle Road between Heidelberg and Prague (not because of Jerome. K. Jerome’s “Three Men on the Bummel” – those did it in Schwarzwald). The lunar 9th house of far travels was afflicted by retro Saturn and Ketu – a good description of cycling fun in winter. My plans were thus confirmed.

I got a flight ticket to Stuttgart on the day when the Moon already passed conjunction with Saturn and sextile with detrimented Mars in Cancer, but when I cast a horary chart for the coming trip, I didn’t like it at all:

My main worry was about the ruler of 2nd house of movable property, i.e., my bike. It was signified by that nasty detrimented Mars in 9th house: the bike seemed to be causing problems in the foreign land. But then, the ruler of the ascendent (me) was the exalted Venus in 5th house of fun and dining pleasures, in conjunction with ruler of 9th house Mercury. And 3rd house of journeys had (although afflicted) great benefic Jupiter. What was that, I wondered, how could I read such a combination? If the bike significator is so spoiled, how could I have fun and travel at all?

The answer came soon after landing in Germany: my bicycle was lost at Stansted. Instead of starting the tour, I got stuck in Stuttgart “until further notice” from Lufthansa (which might happen after the holiday, I thought).

The only thing I could do was to wander in the downtown – which I did until bumped into the musical museum in a side street. My trip delay was well paid off! Although it was all in German, the instruments talked for themselves: I was astonished to see schemes of mechanisms and dozens of various piano constructions. This is where craft and art couple!

Fortunately, the next morning my bike arrived. Many thanks to the nice lady in the Lufthansa office for her valuable help!

To cope with my plans, I started towards North-East, heading Schwabisch Hall

But the weather… Since I couldn’t change the dates of the holiday, I didn’t even look at charts for weather. What would be the point to ponder over unchangeable changeability? Yes, it started snowing:

On the way, I occasionally crossed Schwabisch Alps and arrived at frozen Schwabisch Hall

Then there was unremarkable road to Ansbach, where I took a train to another Alps, Bavarian

This was my first visit to Southern Bavaria with its Tirol style

The road was “hilly”

I saw a sign which, as far as I could understand the language I didn’t know, warned drivers about frogs blind of love!

I do not know whether at this sign one should stop or turn back at all? Or just wait for frog’s crossing? I wish I saw that.

I arrived at Benediktbeuern

and had an Easter dinner with unforgettable Kirschstrudel (ah, exalted Venus in 5th)

In the evening, walking in the snow-covered village I found a very interesting place: Bavarian cowshed

They put those cow medals on the gates to show how good the farm is. And the cows – they look really happy and well-groomed, what a nice living for them in Bavaria…

The morning was just perfect with perfect road (I suspect, they are made with some hydrophobic surfaces)

and I soon arrived at Munich

My next destination was Augsburg, where Leopold Mozart (father) was born

I also visited Schaezlerpalais

The family declined when the two heirs died in WWII

Although the younger brother was probably fighting in Russia, it was sad to see this memorial. Soldiers ever deserve respect.

The area between Augsburg and Nurnberg is just fields and farms, and I took a train to Nurnberg instead of cycling: the further road should be more interesting.

Although Germany is known as a bicycle-friendly country, I can tell that after England it does not look friendly at all. One is charged for taking a bike on train 4.5 euro (in England it is free), and bikes are not allowed on intercity trains (imagine if in England you would not be allowed to take your bike between London and Colchester – nonsense!) Moreover, frequently blamed expensive English tickets must be compared with German: for a 1.5-hour journey between Augsburg and Nurnberg in a regional (slow) train I paid 25 euro! About cycle road friendliness – here is an example:

Since those cycle routes “exist” (they may be offroad, or covered by snow, or stop in the middle of nowhere), the auto roads are forbidden for cycling (even minor ones, I am not talking about autobahns). Therefore, the owners of some older cars often shout at a poor winter cyclist on the road side – this is the friendliness. Another problem of well-regulated relationship between drivers and cyclists is that the city edges have very complicated road junctions, where a normal (not autobahn) road suddenly joins an autobahn to become normal again later – but that’s it, it is closed for a cyclist in that area. Closed and boarded, and alternative cycling routes are signposted with names of unknown villages (leading who knows where), and compass does not help, because they change the direction for 90 degrees now and then. Each morning leaving a city and finding the right road took 2-3 hours for 10-15 kilometres!

Those nice big yellow road signposts in Germany declare distances to the nearest villages – but never to a major city, which would be more relevant for a visitor. I had quite a good map with resolution 1cm:10km, but certainly not all the inhabited places were there, and those road signposts puzzled me a lot: there was something which I did not need, and what I needed was not there. This never happened to me on English roads! Overregulation is not good, dear Germans.

Thanks to the Casio compass, I arrived at Nurnberg

and then to picturesque Bamberg

This is the area of so-called Saxon Switzerland, which I realised quite soon:

I saw famous Hartmann brewery in a small village

and peculiar houses

I approached the border between Germany and Czech Republic

and only then I realised that Germany was good for cycling… Yes, in Germany several roads could merge changing status, but in Czechia the same road can here be minor and there – autobahn, without any particular reason! Not to mention the road surface in Prague, without border ramps and sometimes with medieval stones… Oh no…

I was cycling looking around and found some modern signs in the forest

Though Hrad Loket looks like in an old European fairytale

and Prague with ancient Hradcany is wonderful

The famous astrological clock has surprisingly high tone (not as serious as Big Ben)

One can see that I visited the place at the end of March: the hand in the internal circle points at the beginning of Aries.

This guy probably symbolises Golem

After 17 years since my first impression and much travelling, I confirm that St Vitus is one of the most beautiful Gothic cathedrals in the world!

It was the last day of the tour, and the weather had finally improved

The Easter festival was finishing that day, and I was lucky to get several pieces of traditional “trdlo” (sweet pastry cooked on hot cylinders with cinnamon and nuts) – ah, exalted Venus in 5th house…

In the late evening I climbed to Hradcany again – to see dear St Vitus and, at last, the Golden Street without tourists. Here is the house where Kafka lived

Sitting in a room where one can touch the ceiling by hand, indeed, can cause psychological problems (and the guy had Mars on Algol in broad conjunction with Saturn).

Next morning, I was leaving Prague. Again, finding the way was not easy. I found the airport only because a new supermarket in the same area posted its announcements along the road – some luck at last. The Czech signposts do not expect people not to speak Czech. If you are in Czechia, you certainly should speak something better than English! And since in my flight ticket there was only word “Prague”, when I found the airport I couldn’t imagine it was a wrong terminal, just 3 km around the corner. At least they didn’t loose the bike – just crooked the back Shimano system by some suitcase.

On the back way from Luton… Well, it was old good England… Nothing like Alps or snowing…

I should say these 810km, mainly in mountains, have trained me a lot. Now Norfolk does not look hilly at all!

Crufts

2008-03-10T01:06:00.005Z

Having postponed my collie passion for all those years of studying and travelling, this year I have finally attended the Crufts on Pastoral Day – and fell in love with a dog, again… I am rather picky regarding collies, and this happens rarely – funny enough, always with the same Lynaire line.

Interestingly, this choice also confirms my observations of astrological influence in the animal world. Just as people-Pisces are often so attractive, this elegant collie-lady is, indeed, Pisces, and moreover, she has Moon in Aquarius, and Jupiter & Venus sextiling my Moon. Although she didn’t win, she was my personal Best in Show. I just couldn’t stop gazing at her, so attractive collie.

I think I have matured for another collie stage in my life…

US primaries prediction

2008-03-05T14:58:00.007Z

Before the US primaries on March 4, when Obama was effectively leading the Democratic campaign, mass-media and statistics predicted defeat for Hillary Clinton, and even psychologists gave detailed explanations why she lost and what was wrong with her image.

I am not quite familiar with the complicated US system of delegates, superdelegates, caucuses, etc., nor am I interested in particular candidates, but when a member of “AngelicusMerlin” Yahoo group asked a horary question about the primaries on March 3, one day before the event, I was interested to try to predict it.

Here is the chart for the question “Will Obama win?”

I needed some background information to choose the right significator, because Obama was not the candidate of the person asking the question, so it was not clear whether Obama was signified by the ruler of ascendent or by the ruler of 10th house of the state power. Then I was told the Tony Rezko story which helped me to choose, because in the chart, 11th house has Mars heading its fall in Cancer: this made me think that Obama should be assigned to the ascendent in Leo (Obama is Leo, indeed, born on August 4) – Sun is peregrine in Pisces and exalts Venus, which rules 10th house of power.

The Moon is in detriment, void of course and heading Aquarius, sign of Sun’s detriment. In the mundane chart, Moon signifies people of the country. Being void of course and weak, it shows that the people are undecided, and when Moon comes to Aquarius, the people start dislike Sun, i.e. the person in question, Obama. Evil star Algol is culminating in the chart. All these indications show nothing like a victory. Moon void of course signifies no major change in the course of the events.

Therefore, yesterday, before the primaries of March 4, I wrote in AngelicusMerlin the following: “…probably no final decision right now, postponement till later primaries or the party conference in summer. I would understand these indications as Hillary getting more voices in the primaries this week to balance their current statistics”.

As we know today, March 5th, Hillary Clinton has revived her campaign with primary wins in three states. Her delegate score against Obama is 1,391 – 1,477, which is rather balanced now.

Lermontov

2008-03-01T01:11:00.008Z

My teacher in poetry, Michail Lermontov, was born in 1814 and died in a duel in 1841, being just 26 years old. His was killed by a pal officer Martynov with who he served in Caucasus, after an odd argument.

In childhood, I visited those places, saw the little house where he lived, the place of the duel – reciting his immortal verses and feeling so sad about the tragedy which deprived Russia of one of its best poets.

One do not need to know astrology to understand that Lermontov was melancholic, yet restless: his poems speak for themselves (“The Sail” in excellent translation by Yevgeny Bonver):

The sail is whitening alone
In blue obscurity of sea:
What did it leave in country own?
What does it want so far to see?

The wind is strong, the mast is creaking,
The wave is playing with the wave...
But not a fortune is it seeking,
Nor from this fortune is its way.

By it a stream is bright as azure
By beams of sun it's warmed and blessed
But it is seeking gales as treasure,
As if the tempests give a rest.

In fact, he is very similar to another expert in sadness, Robert Burton, who wrote famous “The Anatomy of Melancholy” (Burton's chart there is correct, although the year in the caption is wrong: he was born in 1577).

Finally, I decided to look at Lermontov’s chart, to learn more about the character. I found a strange picture:

Moon in Scorpio did not surprise me. I was surprised to see the Jupiter in detriment – rather different than what I would expect to see in a chart of a noble poetic soul. What was the reason for the duel then, and who was the initiator and why? I started searching documents and found the story. In short, it was not nice, and he, indeed, was guilty: it concerned Martynov’s sister.

I would not discover this fact about my favourite poet if I didn’t look at his chart! Yet, his genius is incomparable:

Since that time when the highest court
Had given me the prophet's vision,
In eyes of men I always caught
The images of sin and treason.

Then I began to promulgate
The clear love's and truth's commandment:
At me all humans threw for that
Hard sticks and stones, like the madmen.

I put sackcloth and ashes on,
And ran - a beggar - from the town,
And there I live in desert lone,
Like birds, on food that God sends down;

Here earthly creatures serve me right,
The laws of the Lord obeying;
And stars here hear me in night,
With their rays, like babies, playing.

And when to towns' walls, by chance,
I hurry through the noisy places,
The old men say to younger ones,
With selfish smiles on their faces,

"Look, there is an example for us!
He was expelled from life, like ours:
The fool was forcing us to trust
That God is speaking through his mouth!

So, see, my children: how grim,
Thin, pale he is - with shaggy hair!
Look, how poor he is and bare,
How despise all people him!"

Burton had the same airy Sun, Moon in Scorpio, Saturn in Capricorn, detrimented Jupiter and afflicted Venus… Two miserable and blessed melancholics…

Solar Eclipses

2008-02-28T19:47:00.008Z

On 1st August 2008, a total sun eclipse will be visible over the western Siberia. Sun will be very strong, in fiery royal sign Leo. If we look at the chart of the coming eclipse,

it has heavily loaded 9th house (travel and research) and Jupiter in Capricorn in 2nd house of wealth. This signifies unusual regional activity, which might have been related (as we know the background of Siberia) to the oil industry. Probably yet another oil deposit will be discovered or one of the available start to develop.

Although eclipses are not rare events, a total eclipse in Leo in a particular location is rare. Moreover, according to English astrologer of the XVII century William Lilly,

“wonderful are those effects of an eclipse […] when it is in a fiery and regal sign; […] those people who are intended to be most sensible of this eclipse’s influence are in part kings, emperors, princes, dukes, magistrates of the highest rank and quality in every nation… and these so great alterations in this microcosm shall be so glorious, so conspicuous and apparent, that […] they shall stay amazed and wonder at the eminency of them.”

For instance, for the last sixty years of documented observations, only one such event occurred over the Central Russia - it happened on 11th August 1999, when at noon the Sun was in fiery royal Leo and got almost completely covered, such that the bright summer day significantly darkened. I remember I was watching it staying near the university gates, where I had just got a laboratory to head: no wonder, the eclipse fell into my 10th house of profession. But it was not my little promotion that was signified by the eclipse. On 9th August 1999, future president Putin was promoted to head the Russian Government. Symbolic, isn’t it?

There will be yet another total eclipse with Sun in Leo (and on royal star Regulus). This will happen on 22nd August 2017 over the United States, visible at noon in the capital. It promises a great leader for the country. Since this will be a presidency mid-term, watch then a vice-president or another elevated administrator.

Update of September 10, 2008. One month after the eclipse on 01.08.08, we can look at the immediate outcomes and compare with those of 1999. Very similar to 1999, the eclipse brought military actions (in 1999, it was the final clash with Chechen rebellions, and now it was Ossetian war with Georgia) that finished very shortly and too brought strengthening to the country and respect to its leaders. Cardano mentioned that eclipses in fiery signs bring wars, so with this short-term victorious campaign we have confirmation of both statements, by Cardano and by Lilly.

Moreover, the eclipse chart correctly showed 9-house related activity. On September 10th, the Udokan deposit in Siberia was purchased for development. No, this is not oil, this is the biggest in Russia copper deposit (3rd in the world, 20 million tons), and the tender sold this important licence for the next 20 years. This promises a lot of development to the area.

Moon Eclipse

2008-02-22T01:55:00.007Z

Last night, when I was cycling and watching the Moon eclipse, I recalled the first time when I observed it, in October 2004, and that unforgettable first impression of the amazing phenomenon.

I remember well how the perfectly bright full Moon started being dimmed with that pale shade, and the first tiny bit of darkness corrupted its beautiful circle. Suddenly, all the living beings around (I was cycling in the fields on the edge of Tel-Aviv), all the beings got silent: no bird singing, no insect chirring – no sound around, just dead and disturbing silence. I got so sincerely horrified, as probably my ancestors did facing the same awesome omen: staying in an open field and feeling the nature around, one can see how real and powerful is the celestial influence.

They say, okay, Moon is close to Earth, and this is just gravitation; the influence of the planets is negligible. But is the true meaning of eclipses just in cracks in the crust causing earthquakes (like it happened yesterday in Greece, 6.5 magnitude)? Should we interpret such omens only in the physical context?

Famous English astrologer of the XVII century William Lilly wrote the following:

“Signs or apparitions which are seen in Heaven and do appear without motion and against the course of nature, such prodigies as these never appear unto men without a great change or mutation of the kingdoms of that climate in which they were visible”.

One can see that the ancient wise men considered natural phenomena symbolically and directly connected what happened above with what happened below. Indeed, this required the faith: it unifies the nature and philosophy, the observed and the felt.

Whether it is a right approach… Well, read today news about the troubles in Serbia…

Those who vigorously reject the above “superstitions”, I would like to ask what is the statistical probability of the existence of such a peculiar system Earth-Moon-Sun, where three bodies are all placed at arbitrary distances from each other, perform complex orbital movements – and yet sometimes manage to align into a perfect triple, so that their size and distances are just right for them to cover each other and cause an eclipse… This is what science calls “coincidence”. I call it Divine Will.

On falsification of astrology

2008-01-18T03:27:00.003Z

This New Year Eve, I attended West-End musical “Buddy” dedicated to Buddy Holly. The young singer tragically died in a plane crash, and this reminded me about two other stories, of Patsy Cline and Jim Reeves, who died in similar circumstances.

Nowadays, pop stars buy Boings, but in the 60s it was common for artists to buy those fragile light aircrafts, which easily broke in thunderstorms. Three tragic accidents killed not only three great singers, but also their friends – altogether ten people.

Buddy Holly (b.7 September 1936), pilot Roger Peterson (b.24 May 1937), young singer Ritchie Valens (b.13 May 1941), and disk jockey Jiles Perry Richardson (b.24 October 1930) died on 3rd February 1959.

Patsy Cline (b.8 September 1932), her manager Randy Hughes (b.11 September 1928), country singer Cowboy Copas (b.15 July 1913), and broadcaster Hawkshaw Hawkins (b.22 December 1921) died on 5th March 1963.

Jim Reevs (b.20 August 1923) and his band member Dean Manuel (b.1934) died on 31st July 1964.

I wanted to find astrological indications for tragic death in the charts of these people. I expected to see bad aspects and evil stars involved in the combined charts of the natals and transits.

Here is the chart of Buddy Holly’s crash (from outside towards the internal level: the event, charts of Buddy Holly, Peterson, Valens, Richardson)

What immediately attracts attention is the noticeable involvement of Sagittarius (marked by green circle) and transit Mars on the most evil fixed star Algol (red circle). In Jyotish, Sagittarius is known as “sign of accidents” (although it is related to the sidereal system used there).

In the chart of Patsy Cline’s crash (order towards the internal level: event, Patsy, Hughes, Cowboy, Hawkins), we see similarly filled Sagittarius, and Mars on evil star Praesepe

Although there is no much data for the crash of Jim Reeves, the chart is informative, too:

His natal Moon is in Sagittarius again, and transit Sun is on the same evil star Praesepe.

It is well known in astrology that Praesepe causes injuries and accidents (having Sun on Praesepe in my own natal chart, I can confirm this by a long list of traumas, including a heavy car accident with facial surgery - this happened when Mars was transitting over Prasepe, whereas the natal Mars is in Sagittarius, indeed), and also burns, afflicted eyesight, and danger of violent death. Fixed star Algol is an eclipsing binary causing violence, and with some other constellations, beheading.

Widely publicised formal statistics of astrology claim that there is no connection whatsoever between the birth data and life events and death. One can see that this is not quite so.

Falsifying astrology by means of Sun signs statistics reminds me the joke about a blind who scrutinized an elephant touching its tail.

Listen to the beautiful voices of Patsy Cline and Jim Reeves. And here the two sing together.

Icelandic Christmas

2008-01-16T00:27:00.000Z

In December, after receiving happy news about grant award for my research (Santa Claus certainly helped!) I decided, for a proper snowy holiday, to visit Iceland.

Since I was not restricted by dates of any event (no conference this time), I wanted to exercise my election skills and derived a chart for the trip start. Although the vacations began on December 22, I wanted to wait until the Moon would come into its own sign Cancer, and moreover, would pass very nasty detrimented retro Mars there. Thus, I bought a ticket for December 24 with the following election.

To understand how lucky this choice was, one can look at newspaper archives and find the story of the fog which covered Heathrow on December 22-23 and caused multiple flight cancellations. Thanks to the election, my travel next day was smooth and easy.

Iceland is unusual in many ways. Not only it has only three hours of daylight in winter, but also sulphur [smelly] hot water in the pipes directly from geyser sources (due to the advanced isolation technology, hot water +83 at the sources looses only a couple of degrees on the way to homes, and pipes remain cold outside and are covered by snow!)

I visited the mountain waterfall

and the active area with karst aquifers (see that deep hole at the bottom?)

It is very interesting to observe how the geyser explodes every 5-10 minutes: first there is just a plain pool, then a water bulb appears, bluish and growing, and then – bang! – a jet of steam and water rockets to the sky

Yet another unforgettable impression is the express boat trip

This amazing device moves at speed 29 knots (about 55km/h), jumping on the waves (which happened to be of a minor storm, about 4 at Beaufort scale). I saw very calm passengers and wanted to believe in better, but the steward started recording our names to report onshore, which was rather disturbing. Imagine a large boat flying over the crests of the waves (if lucky, not parallel to them – the most dangerous position). But I remembered my election: it had Saturn in the 8th house of death yes, but Saturn ruled 2nd house of money, not the ascendent!

As you have probably already realised, I didn’t die. Yes, my money (2nd house) died (8th house) in Iceland, which is one of the most expensive countries in the world. But I admit before dying the money was already thin and sick…

I came back to London and had wonderful New Year Eve in my beloved city. Ah yes, yet another photo - a nice poster from a shop window:

Ketu conjunction

2008-01-14T10:35:00.002Z

Ketu and Rahu are south and north lunar nodes: the points where the Moon orbit intersects the ecliptics. These are very important, because when Moon and Sun meet near Rahu or Ketu (conjunction or opposition), an eclipse occurs. They are among the most ancient astrological/astronomical objects, because they were used by magis to predict eclipses (and to intimidate the ignorant peoples by their magical power).

Although in the western tradition Ketu (south lunar node) is considered as “minimising” bad effects of malefics (Saturn and Mars), and not much attention is paid to this “fictitious planet", in the oriental Jyotish tradition (Vedic), it is stressed that conjunctions with nodes (south Ketu and north Rahu) are very powerful and make manifestations of any planet erratic and catastrophic. The effect increases especially in those periods when the fast-moving Moon forms tight aspects with an afflicted planet.

This can be illustrated in the recent dramatic events when the Moon was moving through Pisces in opposition to conjunction of Saturn and Ketu (11-13 January 2008)

In these three days, there was unusual number of accidents. To mention a few, seven deaths in fire in S-Petersburg, explosion in Kazan, explosions in Kazakhstan and Donbass mines, fires in Rostov, Habarovsk and Orenburg, electricity cuts in Moscow, Makhachkala and Barnaul; death accident in the queue for money return in Ukraine (this is really weird, Saturn-Ketu indeed); fog in England, Bulgaria and Hong Kong, frozen deaths in Afghanistan; flight accidents and flight delays in Mexico, Atlanta, Chicago, Ohaio, Italy, Makedonia, Argentina, Bulgaria, France, Belgium; heavy road accidents in Poland, Austria, Nigeria, Namibia, Canada, Kazakhstan, and Moscow (here a famous journalist died); shooting accidents in Russia, Spain and USA; landslide in Vietnam, avalanche in Italy, crash in Thailand aquapark, garbage problem in Naples; a guy died in Los Angeles falling from escalator. Not to mention bank problems increasing again, these were triggered by the previous Saturn-Ketu period in the autumn of 2007 (the constellation fell on the ascendent of the USA chart).

If we look back at the previous conjunction of Ketu and Saturn in 1996-1997, it was a gloomy period in the Russian politics. In the summer of 1996, Yeltsin was again elected a president - those elections were known as corrupted and were much less fair than, for example, the recent Parlamentary elections in Russia (so heavily criticised in the West). Yeltsin was elected, although he was already ill (later in the year he underwent heart surgery) and he created a goverment with Chernomyrdin as prime-minister. This government had two periods: with Potanin (14.08.1996-17.03.1997) and Chubais & Nemtsov (17.03.1997 -23.03.1998). The latter were "young reformers" who started extravagant economic moves which led the country (together with short-lived government of Kirienko in 1998) to the ill-famous default of 1998.

Not to put here my emotions and pain about my country, I just give a quote from Wiki: "...to finance Russia's growing foreign debt and gain support from the Russian business elite for his bid in the 1996 presidential elections, the Russian president prepared for a new wave of privatization offering stock shares in some of Russia's most valuable state enterprises in exchange for bank loans. The program was promoted as a way of simultaneously speeding up privatization and ensuring the government a much-needed infusion of cash for its operating needs. However, the deals were effectively giveaways of valuable state assets to a small group of tycoons in finance, industry, energy, telecommunications, and the media who came to be known as "oligarchs" in the mid-1990s. By summer 1996, substantial ownership shares over major firms were acquired at very low prices by a handful of people. Boris Berezovsky, who controlled major stakes in several banks and the national media, emerged as one of Yeltsin's most prominent backers. Along with Berezovsky, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Vladimir Potanin, Vladimir Bogdanov, Rem Viakhirev, Vagit Alekperov, Alexander Smolensky, Victor Vekselberg, Mikhail Fridman and a few years later Roman Abramovich, were habitually mentioned in the media as Russia's oligarchs."

This is what Ketu-Saturn can do to a country. So, do not be surprised with the loan market crisis of 2007-2008. Just as it is said in Jyotish, this constellation is erratic and catastrophic.

The period will last until the beginning of May 2008, when currently retrograde Saturn finally turns for direct motion and separates from the wide conjunction with Ketu (which normally moves retro).

Cinemundane

2007-12-22T03:35:00.000Z

On December 18, 2007, Jupiter moved from own house, warm sign Sagittarius into dry and cold sign of its detriment Capricorn. This caused not only noticeable change of weather (very unusual cold here, probably other manifestations in warmer/colder places), but also brought first confirmations of my hypothesis about influence of Jupiter on cinema: two films released on December 21, Alvin and St Trinian’s, although very different, are equally irritating and weak. Either one sees all those skulls and silly (funny, but silly) jokes of St Trinian’s, or that unattractive animation and weak performance in Alvin, it all is very disappointing and second rate.

What is ahead? Anticipating boring Alien vs Predator, dark Sweeney Todd, sick I am Legend, plain sequels of Narnia and Harry Potter… No fun. Capricorn likes dark style – and money. Do not be surprised to get this kind of films in the nearest future.

How long will this period last? As long as Jupiter will be moving through zodiacal sign of Capricorn, till January 2009. Yes, 2008 will be full of dark/annoying/disappointing films, but this does not mean the end of the art! Later Jupiter moves into Aquarius (promising rise of sci-fi again) and then, one year later, into Pisces (that will be good time for melodramas).

Here comes trouble, but only for one year. And, well, St Trinian’s has that weird and enjoyable English humour, very Capricornian…

Enchanted

2007-12-20T01:37:00.000Z

Just as I expected [yes], both Beowulf and Golden Compass were great presents of strong Jupiter in Sagittarius, but the best present of the transit came as a surprise, and in the evening when Jupiter was in the last seconds of the sign

The present is the ready-classic “Enchanted”, which continues and renews the best traditions of the Disney art. It is a musical as they used to be in the time of young Julie Andrews (and she is here too, as Narrator).

Amy Adams, who is 33, plays an innocent and naïve fairytale princess developing into a real - but still pure – mundane girl. Without giving a spoiler, I just mention the fantastic scene where little girl teaches the princess about the adult life – that’s real fun!

Adams’ own life is a kind of fairytale: one of seven children of a military officer, she was born in US base in Italy, raised in Colorado, worked in a chain restaurant and then had a TV career – to be elevated in her 30s, whereas most of TV stars remain where they started. Why? Because this Leo girl has Sun and Mercury on Regulus

To understand why she is similar in appearance to Nicole Kidman, just look at their Venuses in Leo (and other coinciding natal points).

Back to the USA

2007-12-19T23:48:00.000Z

After visiting the east coast in 2005 (my favourite Boston), I was happy to get invitation to attend a geophysical meeting in San Francisco, with opportunity to see the west coast and, thanks to the current dollar, Hollywood.

Although I have seen quite a lot in my life, I admit the Universal Studios Tour is a very special thing. They pick you up into a mini-train and bring to many pavilions filled with the most impressive and educative special effects – what a joy for a cinema fan (whatever is the age).

One can see the real Boing that Spielberg crashed for his film

the London street created for Notting Hill

how blown cars are flying and rotating (driven by special pneumatic levers)

or floods are arranged

or river splits allowing train to pass

I do not particularly like fantasy or horror, but I made this shot, because the muzzle appeared just near my train seat

In a live show, flying plane crashes through the wall and lands on water

The most unforgettable show is 3D Terminator episode, of which I have only this modest shot of the pavilion, unfortunately

On a multi-panel wide screen, with stereo glasses, that liquid-metal robot gives the idea of the future action cinema. Impressive!

Outside studios look rather industrial

though the Christmas tree reminds how special is the place.

Then there was San Francisco

Night and lights is just right environment for a saturnine Leo

This homeless guy somehow chose the City Hall area for living, weird

I finally arrived at the meeting, where I was lucky to present a talk: among 14,600 participants only minor part were giving talks, most were posters:

This trip, just as the recent one to Paris, confirmed how bad is to start travelling under detrimented Moon. In the departure chart, the Moon was again in Scorpio, transitting in the natal 2nd house

No wonder, I got lots of trouble on the way: US customs confiscating my apple lunch, shuttle transfer refusing to transfer despite the pre-paid itinerary, and finally heavy turbulence on the back way. And after the dollar shopping, I came home with 1 (one) pound on my credit card.

Anyway, the ruler of ascendent Sun was in 5th house of pleasures in wide conjunction with strong Jupiter. I got that all! And yes, I have seen the Pacific ocean…

Chateau Chenonceau

2007-11-27T01:35:00.000Z

Russian culture has been historically blended with French since Napoleon, and French literature has been a part of Russian classical education for decades – if not Balzac, Merimee or Stendhal, at least Dumas is known to everybody. Those romantic medieval stories of the French noble meant something special to teenagers (well, maybe not now, but 20 years ago and earlier).

The courtly literature was describing the very special epoch, which ever seemed far, lost and unreachable. This year, when reading the book by Princess Michael of Kent about Diana Poitier, I wrote a post about Capricorns, but I couldn’t imagine I would get a chance to come very close to the places described there.

After attending a conference in Paris, I decided to come to Loire Valley, where very many medieval chateaus are located. No matter it happened in November, never mind the transport strike, I managed to reach Orleans!

Diana Poitier received chateau Chenonceau on the Cher river from Henri II and rebuilt it significantly (architect Philibert de l’Orme, who also worked in Fontainebleau and Tuileries). After Henri’s death, Catherine Medici claimed it back to the crown, but one still can see Diana’s room

with Diana’s and Henri’s monograms above the fire. There is a beautiful portrait of hers, by Dubois

The chateau has an exceptional collection of paintings (including Rubens) and tapestry. It was interesting to see some astrological scenes pictured (“The Lucas months”), such as this “Leo” (apologies for glare from the protecting glass)

I like the sober interior of Louise of Lorraine’s bedroom:

She was a widow of assassinated Henri III and retired to Chenonceau for meditation and prayer (the mourning "white queen”).

In the Louvre, I found two more signs of Diana Poitier, bas-relief

and sculpture

But it was not Diana who impressed me most in Chenonceau.

The basis of the modern chateau, without bridge and gallery, was built in 1512-1521 (both years under strong Jupiter, in Pisces and in Sagittarius) by Catherine Briconnet, the wife of the owner, financial minister Thomas Bohier. This remarkable couple bought the land with old castle from Marques family after a long bargain, and spent all own savings for construction of the new chateau (at the end, they were “cooking books” in their new home), so that their son after their deaths should give the property to the crown for debts. Catherine Briconnet birthdate is unavailable, we only know that she carved motto on the doors: “Come and I shall be remembered”. She is, indeed.

Paris

2007-11-26T21:09:00.000Z

According to saying “To see Paris and die”, I shouldn’t survive my visit this November, especially during the SNCF transport strike. But I did – despite the event chart which was rather bad for travelling, with afflicted 3rd house and new Moon in Scorpio:

Although I initially planned to take my bike for the trip, once I had seen that afflicted Moon, falling into my natal 2nd house of possessions, I expected property loss and changed my mind. With such promises taking bike would be too risky. Not only Moon was afflicting natal 2nd house, but also detrimented Mars, which rules natal 7th house of other people, was transitting 9th house of travels. Even worse, it was turning retro on the week of the trip. This didn’t promise a friendly welcome.

The indications were very alarming, but the conference call had been accepted, tickets bought, and well, Paris was waiting. Jupiter in Sagittarius in 5th and strong Venus on IC (end of matters) promised protection.

I haven’t got photos from the hydrometeorological conference I was attending, but here are some from the Louvre:

Liberty Leading the People by Delacroix is one of my favourites

Of course Mona Lisa is not to be forgotten, Louvre’s The Must

Botticelli is so easy to recognise, what a wonderful style

They say he was born on March 1, “1444 or 1445” – just cast two charts and see what is correct (I believe 1444).

King’s apartments are too heavily gold, really:

Napoleon’s style was more elegant, what a nice throne:

After close inspection of Venus

I think I know how her hands were placed in the initial project!

This photo of the Louvre square was taken through window glass, apologies for distortions

The evenings were dedicated to museums, from Saint-Chapelle

to sewage system

And then… then the strike started, with cancelled trains, paralised metro, but there was still lots of things to walk to and see, such as Chans-Elysees

Moulin Rouge

Sacre-Coeur

and the place where Stendhal wrote “Red and Black”, which I found by chance, in Rue de Richellieu

What was then? Cinemateque with dress of Vivien Leigh from Gone with the Wind, street hooligans, Saint-Denis, great transport trouble, Ceramics museum with Napoleone parade set, and much more... And at the end my Casio G-Shock watch was stolen from the luggage in the airport. Good that bicycle was at home.

The dry residue of the trip is indeed the unforgettable art - Venus in Libra on IC, remember?

Wilhelm Hauff

2007-11-08T00:43:00.000Z

In childhood, I had a thick book of European fairytales, a classic collection of German, French, Dutch and English stories. I didn’t bother much about particular authors, just reading them where opened. Only much later, I realised that those I loved best, “Caliph-Stork”, “The Rescue of Fatima”, “Little Mouk”, “False Prince”, “The Dwarf's Nose”, “Almansor”, “The Adventures of Saïd”, “A Heart of Stone” – they all were written by the same author, Wilhelm Hauff.

In a first cast of his chart before rectification, I found his Moon on the boundary between Capricorn and Aquarius – according to his writings, shift to Aquarius would be just right. I then looked at his appearance and read more about his work (he wrote “Romantic Saga from the History of Württemberg” and peculiar “The Wine-Ghosts of Bremen”, as well as poetry). He died from fever at 25, the same year when he married and got a daughter. Taking into account the above, and also profections for the year of death and fallen Mars in Libra on November 18, 1827, I derived the following chart

The Moon in Aquarius can be justified by fairytale “False Prince”. Two princes, real and false, were tested by two fairy baskets which should be chosen according to engraved motto. One was called “Honour and Truth”, and another “Happiness and Inheritance”. Guess what the false prince chose?

The English translations of the Hauff’s main fairytales are available here.

Elizabeth: The Golden Age

2007-11-02T23:51:00.000Z

Just as I expected, this film is a precious gift of the current transit of the strong Jupiter in Sagittarius. The story is too well known to repeat it here, and I can only say - watch it and give your eyes and heart true cinematographic pleasure. Cate Blanchett is the right actress for this role, even after Bette Davis and Helen Mirren.

In the film, which is quite accurate historically, with those royal processions and views of the Cambridge King’s Chapel, the authors included the line of the court astrologer John Dee who advised the Queen throughout her reign. Unfortunately, the medieval master is shown too uncertain about his science, which is rather unconvincing, given his skills and fame. For instance, Elizabeth comes to him to consult whether she would win over enemies, and John Dee says something about his doubts, etc. Believe me, was he so weak in his art, he would not be granted his privileges in the XVI century. Even with my modest skills, I can assure you that Elizabeth, with her Saturn in 7th house having dignity in the ascendent, was bound to be a winner, whichever endeavour she pursued. Girolamo Cardano, in his aphorisms on nativities, says the following: “Infortunes peregrine in the seventh house, having dominions in the ascendent, denote the deaths of the native’s wives or enemies”. Here is the Elizabeth's chart to confirm the aphorism:

In fact, it was very silly of Spanish to attack the queen with such a chart. Very ignorant.

But the other side of this constellation is, indeed, solitude. It can be caused by death of a partner, by a very old partner, by a partner who is cold, adverse, stubborn, etc. One can speculate over her virginity or lovers, but this Saturn is never joyful in partnership. For instance, in her teens Elizabeth had a “tender friendship” (whatever it was) with Thomas Seymour, 1st Baron Seymour of Sudeley, who was 25 years older (and who was later executed) – the plain manifestation of the Saturn in 7th house.

This dual constellation deprives of happiness in any kind of relationship – and as a consequence develops strength close to invincibility. As she says in the film, “God gave me strength to bear my freedom”.

I know this myself. I too have Saturn in 7th.

Stardust

2007-10-27T03:19:00.000Z

Today “Stardust” reminded me the recent post that I wrote about the influence of Jupiter on cinema. Now Jupiter is not retro, but swift and direct in own sign, and instead of good sequels we get very good original films. In fact, this strong Jupiter signifies an exceptional period in cinema, when the genre reaches a new stage, combining visual and humanistic achievements. This highly favourable period will continue till the middle of December, and look what we get ahead, before Jupiter movies into Capricorn: Elizabeth, The Golden Compass, and Beowulf. They are expansive, majestic, and sumptuous, just as the children of strong Jupiter should be. In Capricorn, where Jupiter is in its fall, this will turn into something different. Will see…

The world release of the film happened in Russia, on August 9, although the pre-screen took place in a Moscow multiplex on August 7, and the chart of this evening premier is indeed successful:

It has the benefic in the ascendent for own dignity, Moon in the 7th house for popularity, and royal fixed stars for luck. I should note that for me seeing world premiers happening in Russia means something bigger than promotion, because I remember well the times when foreign movies were rare and eagerly awaited.

Stardust is an unconventional fairytale. Its plot could be smoother and less impulsive, but it is fun to bump into all those unexpected giggles. However, the most important thing is not the plot, not the great cast (Pfeiffer!), and not the special effects (whatever costs that flying ship). The movie reminds us that we are human because we gaze at the stars. And stars gaze at us and see the love which makes them shine.

London Free Wheel

2007-10-25T19:11:00.001Z

On September 23, the London Free Wheel event closed central London for all kinds of transport except bicycles. Thousands of excited bikers came out of their side line obscurity and traffic humiliation to enjoy the London bridge

parks

and even the City tunnel which has ever been closed for bikers

During the day, one could observe all varieties of bikes, including folding Bromptons and more extravagant hybrids

To enjoy the day, people took kids

and even pets

It should be noted that the event was very well organised, with clear signposts and many traffic-controllers – thanks to Hovis bakery and the Mayor of London. By the end of the day, the bikers were tired, happy and relaxed

What a biker paradise was London that day. Freedom at maxi!

Would it be surprising to find the Moon in the independence-loving Aquarius that day?

Bilingua

2007-09-22T12:37:00.000Z

Here is the fruit of the favourable transits (and maybe properly chosen solar). Very strong Jupiter in Sagittarius is currently trining the natal Mercury, and Venus has just finished the transitting conjunction. No wonder, in two last weeks, I translated my Russian poems into English. As the September lunar promised to be special, I can only add this election:

I am publishing the electronic book of poetry in English; pdf-file (0.7Mb) is available here.

Sussex & Kent Tour

2007-09-02T21:39:00.001Z

I decided to start the Bank Holiday bicycle tour from Brighton, and in order to depart early in the morning, it was better to stay overnight nearby. I booked a place in Truleigh Hill hostel. Well, if you see “hill” in the name, be careful, because it may come out as ‘the’ hill. I realised this when that small [on map] 3-mile distance turned into long and painful climbing in the dark evening countryside. Only in the morning I understood how hilly it was. Nevertheless, the morning downhill was really joyful, and I saw very many sheep and an impressive private school

Brighton is a resort of the same style as Nice, but cleaner – and almost as hot, I got +33 that day (still having brown face). The coastal path is amazing, with high white cliffs

I got some shots on the way

and was lucky to get to a medieval festival in Herstmonceux Castle near Hastings

with exhibitions of armory

and pretty dressed actors

Unfortunately, I have no bumper on my bicycle, otherwise I would buy a sticker

I especially like that one: “Love your enemies, it really gets them confused”.

After the festival, I came to Battle with its abbey

and saw the battlefield where in 1066 William the Conqueror defeated Saxon army

I arrived at Hastings and spent a very comfortable night under full moon – full moon is the right time to travel, lots of light and active physically

In the morning, the weather was fresher and hills didn’t look that tiresome. The good thing about hills is that they allow to take wonderful pictures on their top:

and to have cool downhill (although too short)

This picture is like a wonderful painting, isn’t it?

Or this one

I climbed to private Lympne Castle for half an hour – just to make this shot:

Found a XII century church

The graveyards make one think about the meaning of life, indeed

This one is of family where their only son died of wounds in the First World War - what a tragedy

The next night I stayed in Dover, which in spite of its industrial status is quite attractive

Then again cliffs and beautiful view

The last, third day of the tour was the most exciting, because I arrived in the historic area where so many events happened in the past, from Vikings invasion to arrival of St Augustine.

First I saw Deal with its quite modern castle

Then I came to ancient Sandwich

People are coming for holiday there, quite a popular place – many in posh cars

There is a Roman fort nearby

I am trying to count how many Roman sites I have seen in Europe, from England to Israel. A hundred? What an impact Romans have made on our civilization, in every aspect.

Near Ramsgate, the Viking Coastal Trail starts, from this replica ship dedicated to their arrival in the 5th century

But I first took left from the main road to see St Augustine Cross

and St Augustine Abbey in Minster.

I had a chat with a nun, I was interested how people chose that path. I asked her whether she felt somehow separated from her country which doesn’t share her believes. She gently answered that she was interested in matters higher than this. Maybe she is right. In the hierarchy of the values, the highest is the faith, - then the country, the family, and the self. But the country still exists in this hierarchy - quite important, at least for me. There are 12 nuns living there, and most of them came out to be foreigners – maybe this explains.

After the abbey, I came back to Ramsgate

with its picturesque marina

and beach

The Viking Trail is unforgettable. I have never seen in my life such beauty of nature. It was very wise of Vikings to come there

This castle was once private, but now is divided into flats – lucky people living there!

I finished the 350-km tour in Canterbury

[well, almost finished, because it took eight more hours to come home, due to rail engineering works, which always happen on bank holidays]

Now you ask where is astrology in this post? My ruler of ascendent, Venus (me), is placed on fixed star Saiph, which belongs to the constellation of Orion. Orion is the giant, hunter and warrior, and this particular star gives prosperity in voyages. “A son of Orion will be worth a multitude and will seem to dwell in every quarter of the city”. And you know what part of Orion does Saiph mark? The right knee.

Bringing news by means of knees. Symbolic, isn’t it?

Clare College & Vindemiatrix

2007-08-21T19:05:00.000Z

Clare College in Cambridge, which is the second oldest of thirty-one colleges, was founded in 1326 and generously endowed in 1338 by Lady Elizabeth de Clare, a granddaughter of King Edward I.

A Cambridge guide would tell you the story of her wealthy marriages which left Lady Clare a triple widow by the age of 27 – quite an unusual score even in those violent times. When I heard this, my immediate thought was about fixed star Vindemiatrix – the “widowmaker” star, which “frequently marks the death of one’s partner”.

At present, Vindemiatrix is located at 10th degree of Libra, but since fixed stars are shifted in zodiac for about 1 degree and 20 minutes per century (due to general precession of about 50 arc seconds per year), 700 years ago the star was on the zodiacal boundary between Virgo and Libra. Certainly, I expected to find something peculiar in Lady Clare’s chart in that region. I came home and cast the chart for her birthday, which I found to be September 16, 1295:

As you can see, there is conjunction of Sun and Mars exactly in that point, the first degree of Libra. This is not just death of partners, but some kind of violent death (involved Mars). Indeed, her first husband, John de Burgh, was murdered after five years of their marriage. Her second husband, Theobald de Verdun, died of typhoid just five months after the wedding. And only her third husband, Roger d’Amory, simply “died in captivity” – again after five years of the marriage, which was arranged by King Edward II (and Roger was said to be “reckless and violent”, good description of conjunction Sun-Mars). Lady Clare took a vow of chastity after the third husband’s death and enjoyed long and fruitful widowhood. Perhaps she felt it was better to avoid further marriages.

Marcus Manilius wrote in “Astronomica” in the 1st century that the native would be directed by Vindemiatrix to study and would train his mind in the learned arts. As it is said in the Clare College foundation statutes, ‘the knowledge of letters... when it hath been found, it sendeth forth its students, who have tasted of its sweetness, fit and proper members in God’s Church and the State, to rise to diverse heights, according to the claim of their deserts.’

Whatever happens on Earth, whichever times pass, the influence of stars seems to be unchangeable.

Solar return & vacations

2007-08-19T23:22:00.000Z

I was undecided where to meet the solar return this year. The home place gave strong Jupiter on ascendent, but afflicted 6th house of health with detrimented Mars on Algol inside:

The chart for the work place had ruler of ascendent Mars on Algol, and detrimented Saturn on MC – this was not good

To change the ruler of ascendent for Venus, I decided to take a birthday trip (combined with visiting my trusted dentist) to get late degrees of Libra rising, Sun in Leo on MC and strong Jupiter in 2nd

Still, very nasty Mars, but this is not what I could improve. The Moon is almost in its natal place, and ascendent repeats the natal one, so the year might be important, in particular, according to lunars of September

and next April

After the short birthday trip, I came home for vacations and was amazed to see Russia steadily recovering after all the sufferings in the 90s. The Kremlin area is beautiful

with refreshed St Basil Cathedral

The Unknown Soldier Memorial is now served by guards of honour – instead of the grave of that marxist who tortured my country

The Christ Saviour Cathedral is restored after being demolishes in the 30s

I do not know how they dared to destroy this beauty then, especially if one thinks it was dedicated to the Patriotic War of 1812. Now, it is again in its original shape, with all paintings, marble panels, and names of the soldiers participating in the main battles. The Tzar’s war manifest is moving, this is not just history, but the Russian character, alive and well.

Yet another touching detail: restored chapel near Kremlin. On its stairs, it is written that it was built in 1782, demolished by communists in 1929 and restored in 1995.

Kremlin has its own ravens, although nobody cares about them, unlike in the Tower, - yet they populate every corner and bore the cleaners

My home city seems to be flourishing too:

It is exciting to see the recovering country. The entire century of sufferings, from First World War, to revolutions and hunger due to cruel and stupid government led by insane theories, then Great Patriotic War which killed millions of the best young Russians, then yet another insanity in military competitions with the West and feeding communistic movements abroad instead of the own nation. Then economic collapse, when again millions suffered and thousands died. And after all this, just let the country to breathe for a few years – and it again is recovering, more beautiful and strong than ever. Isn’t it a miracle?

Ironically, Russia entered the First World War, which triggered the century nightmare, just trying to protect the Slavic countries in Europe. The panslavic ideas were so popular in Russia that even Dostoevsky was under influence. However, his genius foresaw the future of this relationship: “There will be no worse haters, slanderers, and even open enemies of Russia than these Slavic tribes – once Russia has freed them and Europe agrees to accept them as free… Once freed, they will start their new life asking Europe a guarantee and protection for their freedom… and namely in defence against Russia… They will start convincing themselves that they owe no gratitude to Russia, and rather opposite, they just escaped Russian lust for power… and if Europe didn’t interfere, then Russia, removing them from Turkish, would swallow them immediately”.

This was written in 1877! Dostoevsky explained not only the war with Turkey in XIX century, but also all the trouble of the XX century. Now these “tribes” remember neither Turkey nor Austrian-Hungarian Empire – good for them.

Well, doesn’t matter. Russia overcame this and is now free from silly ideas.

Split

2007-07-27T00:36:00.001Z

Formally speaking, the astrological chart is a presentation of the state of the solar system in geocentric coordinates [a two-dimensional projection of the solar system onto the plane of ecliptic]. In simpler words, it is a picture of the sky visible from the Earth surface – exactly as we observe the world with our own eyes.

We are placed on the Earth, in the middle of the chart, and the Sun with planets move around through the signs of the zodiac. The inner planets, Mercury and Venus, cannot move far from the Sun in the chart - especially the closest to Sun Mercury. This is why it is common to see Mercury in the same sign as Sun – but sometimes they “split”, occupying adjacent zodiacal signs. What does the split cause?

Since the Sun is a general significator of personality and the Mercury is a significator of thinking and speech, when they are “together”, in the same sign, “word” and “action” are united. Native thinks and acts as a unit. When they are placed in the adjacent signs, which always have different nature (humour, or temperament quality) there appears a difference. Mercury speaks this, and Sun does that.

How does it manifest in real life? A good example is Karl Marx. In his chart, Sun is in Taurus, and Mercury is in own sign Gemini. Moon is in Taurus too, thus making his Taurean Sun-personality more solid and accented, which is useful for our exercise. Mercury is very strong, it signifies a prolific thinker who could analyse the entire world historically, politically, and economically. I do not consider Marxism here, I just speak about the productivity of this intellect.

What about the split? Here are the quotes:

Frederick Lessner, meeting of the Communist League in December 1847: "Marx was a born leader of the people. His speech was brief, convincing and compelling in its logic. He never said a superfluous word; every sentence contained an idea and every idea was an essential link in the chain of his argument."

Prussian police agent, report on Karl Marx in 1852: "In the whole apartment there is not one clean and solid piece of furniture. Everything is broken. There is a chair with only three legs. In private life he is extremely disorderly… and a bad host. He leads a real gypsy existence. Washing, grooming and changing his linen are things he does rarely. He has no fixed times for going to sleep and waking up. He often stays up all night, and then lies down fully clothed on the sofa at midday and sleeps till evening."

Otto Ruhle (Karl Marx: His Life and Works, The Viking Press, New York, 1929): "...countless instances have been given to show how hopelessly ineffectual Marx was in the domain of domestic economy. Throughout life, he was hard up. He was ridiculously ineffectual in his endeavours to cope with the economic needs of his household and his family; and his incapacity in monetary matters involved him in an endless series of struggles and catastrophes. He was always in debt; was incessantly being dunned by creditors, persecuted by usurers, drained by bloodsuckers. Half his household goods were always at the pawnshop. His budget defied all attempts to set it in order. His bankruptcy was chronic. The thousands upon thousands which Engels handed over to him, melted away in his fingers like snow."

Chopin

2007-07-23T00:38:00.001Z

Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin, according to the statements of the artist himself, was born on 1 March 1810. However, according to his baptismal certificate, the date was 22 February.

Looking into the two charts, there is a striking difference between Moon in Capricorn for March 1 – and Moon in Libra for February 22. Can one believe in Moon in Capricorn for the greatest and most tender melodist?

Yet, this is not enough to draw the final conclusion, and we have to look closely at other differences between two charts. The week time distance gives differences in positions of Mercury and Venus. On February 22, Mercury is retro in Aquarius, in conjunction with weird Aquarian Venus. On March 1, Venus is exalted and combust in Pisces, and Mercury is direct in Aquarius.

Chopin’s relationship with George Sand cannot be named a traditional marriage, whether it is Venus in Aquarius or Venus exalted and combust. Mercury may be more helpful, describing his writing work. George Sand wrote the following about his composing manner:

“His creation was spontaneous, miraculous. He found it without searching for it, without foreseeing it. It came to his piano suddenly, complete, sublime, or it sang in his head during a walk, and he would hasten to hear it again by, tossing it off on his instrument. But then would begin the most heartbreaking labour I have ever witnessed. It was a series of efforts, indecision, and impatience to recapture certain details of the theme he had heard: what had come to him all of a piece, he now over-analyzed in his desire to write it down, and his regret at not finding it again "neat," as he said, would throw him into a kind of despair. He would shut himself up in his room for days at a time, weeping, pacing, breaking his pens, repeating and changing a single measure a hundred times, writing it and effacing it with equal frequency, and beginning again the next day with a meticulous and desperate perseverance. He would spend six weeks on one page, only to end up writing it just as he had traced it in his first outpouring.”

Series of efforts, repeating and changing, longing for Harmony. What is that, glamorous Venus in Pisces with methodical Moon in Capricorn (March 1)? Or is it velvety Moon in Libra, full of indecisions and amplified by Rahu, and retro Mercury, writing and re-writing (February 22)?

“Individual manuscripts of his works teem with cancellations and insertions. Multiple autographs of the same composition seldom agree. The texts of editions issued "simultaneously" in different countries during his lifetime frequently diverge. Even after a work appeared in print, Chopin found ways to alter the text of it... When Chopin would make a compositional change in a later manuscript, he often would not return to the earlier sources to bring them into agreement. To complicate matters further, Chopin normally introduced further alterations when he read proofs… Chopin's urge to continue revising resulted in three first editions that frequently differed meaningfully from one another. And these differences filter their way into the performances pianists give and listeners hear by means of modern editions, which tend to choose differently among the welter of variants preserved in the original sources in establishing their texts of Chopin's works. Depending upon which edition they select as a basis for their performance, then, two pianists ostensibly playing the same work can produce very different sounding art works… Not even publication need mark the termination of composition. On some occasions, Chopin would so extensively revise a work after it was published that he would require his publisher to released new impressions of it... many editors and commentators on Chopin have interpreted this pervasiveness as a "problem." They view them as a problem because of the type of solution they seek: simply stated, they wish to find the "authentic" text, the "definitive" version for a given composition. The myriad variants therefore constitute an obstacle that must be hurdled in order for the goal to be reached… in nearly every source he touched, he continued to compose, to revise, to cut.” (Jeffrey Kallberg, see www.chopin.pl)

To me, this description confirms retro Mercury and Moon in Libra. This can also be seen in his teens letters to family, which are joyful and warm (compare with family letters of Lenin - with Moon in Capricorn - which are all about money).

For further check, let’s look at the Moon as the significator of women in Chopin’s life. He was engaged with Maria Wodzienskiej, but the engagement was broken by her parents after one year, due to his poor health and unstable life.

The relationship with George Sand lasted for nine years and ended because of conflict with Sand’s son. Who was George Sand in his chart – Moon in Libra in opposition with Mars or Moon in Capricorn? Her own chart has Sun in Cancer; as biographers say, this 6-years-older lady provided maternal care to Chopin – with her Moon in Aries and Mars on Algol.

He sought for warmth – and got separations. This corresponds rather to Moon in Libra afflicted by Mars and Rahu. Also, although I am very suspicious about trans-Saturnian planets, I cannot help watching that sextile between Neptune and Moon in Libra. This is a very musical aspect, indeed.

Still, his appearance is Saturnian, and this makes one think about Capricorn rising.

It is interesting to look at the chart of the performer who virtuously adapted to Chopin music. Sviatoslav Richer too had Sun in Pisces, and what is more interesting, Venusian Moon in sextile with Neptune.

When Richter plays Scherzo N2, it is like Chopin playing himself: try this YouTube link. "Heroic" etude is very well performed, too. And this one is just exceptional...

Harry Potter

2007-07-22T19:55:00.001Z

As Harry Potter book series has been finished this week (and next film has been released), this is an opportunity to think again over the phenomenon of stardom. Just as in case with Edit Piaf, J.K.Rowling does have influence of royal fixed star in her chart: the Mercury, which signifies writing, is exalted and in conjunction with Regulus:

Would it be surprising to see the same star accented in the chart of Mr Radcliffe? To receive the royal role, an actor should be supported by royal stars – and his Venus is on Regulus too.

Is this luck or is this a destiny to be lucky?

The Thames Barrier

2007-07-15T21:56:00.000Z

When I wrote about stamina and mentioned Mars and Saturn as the main significators for persistent effort, I meant people – I didn’t think on stamina of something inanimate.

Yesterday I was travelling along the Thames and came to the Thames Barrier. This is an engineering miracle which protects London and adjacent area against tidal floods. When operated, it forms an amazing wall of 5-storey building height and reliably protects the upper river from being filled with flooding waters. The pressure of the stream at the flood peak should be enormous, and this construction is capable to stand it.

Stamina – that was the analogy that suddenly came to my mind. The day when the Barrier was opened should have Sun influenced by Saturn and Mars!

As you can imagine, the chart that I cast when came home does possess this feature.

The Barrier was opened by Her Majesty The Queen on May 8, 1984. Not only does it show stamina, but it also has all the outer planets retrograde (and nodes direct, which is unusual). Note also the fixed signs. This is stamina devoted to resistance!

Helena. Monsieur Parolles, you were born under a charitable star.

Parolles. Under Mars, I.

Helena. I especially think under Mars.

Parolles. Why under Mars?

Helena. The wars have so kept you under, that you needs be born under Mars.

Parolles. When he was predominant?

Helena. When he was retrograde, I think, rather.

Shakespeare, All's Well That Ends Well

Antonella Ruggiero

2007-07-07T00:37:00.001Z

When I was a little girl (I believe 6 or 7), an older relative of mine acquainted me with music of then popular Italian band “Matia Bazar”. Nothing nostalgic about the relative, but I will explain below. Many years later, I recalled the impression of the childhood and ordered a CD of “Matia Bazar”, a collection of hits. I listened to it and again liked the music, just as I did many years ago. In fact, our tastes do not change much, only accumulating information.

But something was wrong with the singer, I didn’t like her voice: it was not as impressive as in my childhood. Nice voice, but nothing special. I felt disappointed. I looked at musical sites and… surprise. The band changed the singer. The voice on the CD was not the right voice: I should look not for Matia Bazar, but for Antonella Ruggiero.

I got her CD. What can I say? She is incredible. My built-in sensor detected this many years ago and confirms now.

Open this YouTube link in another window and listen to her really transcendent voice. Meanwhile I will tell you the other part of the story.

I cast her chart. Yes, Moon in Libra, on royal star Spica, in conjunction with exalted Saturn, in sextile with Venus - the Moon of an Artist.

Why such a link with her singing for many years? Because this Moon trines my Venus and Moon. And why that guy in my childhood was her fan? Because her Venus and Mercury embrace his Moon in Sagittarius, and her Sun in Scorpio trines his Sun in Cancer… See how people choose favourites?

Various arts can be created by various types of people, but this kind of unblemished harmony belongs to Libras.

Veronica Lake

2007-07-03T00:29:00.000Z

To keep the promise given in the “Sequel” post, I ordered a black-and-white movie of one of my favourite French film directors, Rene Clair. “I married a witch”, with Veronica Lake and Frederic March, was shot in the US in 1942, and one should be surprised to see how fresh and cinematographically modern is this movie. Clair was an innovator in cinema techniques, and this can already be seen in his early mute movie “Entr’acte” (1924), which is surprisingly entertaining.

In “I married a witch”, the story is about a couple of medieval sorcerers, father and daughter, who were burnt and buried, sending curses to the offender for the following centuries: to him and his descendants to be ever unhappily married. Some centuries later, in modern times, the tree over their grave gets burnt by a lightning, at last releasing their spirits. The plot produces some special effects, which are fun to watch even 60 years after filming. The following love story could be predictable if it was not shot by Clair! Not to mention the final scene where the drunken father’s spirit is locked in a bottle of whisky till the end of his immortal life (because of too restless behaviour).

Veronica Lake is terrific in her beauty, remarkably warm voice, and comic talent - no wonder she was a diva in the 1940s (in LA Confidential, her cult image was reproduced by Kim Basinger).

I wanted to learn more about her life – and discovered a very sad story. Her career wasted away very fast, her family life was disastrous, her health was weak, and later she became a heavy drinker. She lost her Hollywood position, had only occasional roles, and worked as a bartender. When later her TV career started developing, she broke her ankle and had to quit. She died of hepatitis at 53.

I found that there existed a controversy about her birth year. Some sources claimed 1922 and others 1919. I cast both charts:

Firstly, having taken into account her perfectly feminine appearance, manners, and voice, the Venus in Libra in 1919 chart looks believable. Then, Rahu on Algol explains those life extremes. The headless creature on the headless star - this is a black hole. If the chart is cast with those two malefic, close to each other Mars and Saturn, in 7th house, they explain her four husbands, first (John Detlie) being older than her for 12 years, and second (Andre de Toth) – with Sun on Algol in sextile with detrimented Mars in Cancer. Even the nice Venus couldn’t overcome this. The other chart, of 1922, has Venus retro peregrine on Antares, which should provide, according to V.Robson, “insincere, energetic and able but selfish” character. Unfortunately, Veronica Lake was nothing like that.

Therefore, I suggest that the correct chart is that of 1919.

The film is a jewel, real classics and pure fun. Clair’s Moon in Libra certainly knew the secrets of the art…

Stardom

2007-06-24T22:53:00.001Z

When filming a portrayal movie, matching actor and personage, in both character and appearance, is essential. People of cinema find such matches intuitively, sometimes after a long and painful cast. The result might be successful or not, depending on the luck of director, actor, and not the least the personage.

In “La Vie En Rose”, the personage is incredible Edith Piaf, with her rises and downfalls of extreme amplitude, which can well be explained astrologically.

As Dorothy Kovach correctly wrote in her post on AngelicusMerlin Yahoo group, this chart has indications of remarkable voice (ruler of 2nd Jupiter in 5th in own sign Pisces) and public elevation (ruler of ascendent Mars in Leo in midheaven, on major royal star Regulus). However, one should remember that the nature of fixed stars is so variable and unstable that extreme luck is followed by extreme losses. An immediate example is Napoleon, who had Sun in Leo in midheaven on Regulus, with very similar picture of life fluctuations, from royal position to exile. Fixed stars have power to elevate – and to destroy.

Marion Cotillard, who performed Edith Piaf, is not just a talented actress similar in appearance under proper make-up. She is too a Regulus-person, with her Venus on the same royal star.

Since Venus is far less violent than Mars, one can expect her career to be smoother than that of Piaf – luckier, and still as pronounced. In addition, she has Mercury on another royal star, Spica. To be chosen for the role immediately bringing stardom, the actress should possess both talent and luck, and this is where fixed stars are so important. Talent without luck is bound to disappear unnoticeable.

Director Olivier Dahan said, “From the very beginning I had her in mind. There were some other actresses who called me - some really good actresses - but I was really sure of Marion without even knowing her. I don't know why."

I can tell why – because of Regulus and Spica. The story of great singer should be told by similar people. What seems to be spontaneous coincidence, in fact is a part of grand plan, which sometimes can be observed with our modest knowledge.

Sequels

2007-06-21T23:42:00.000Z

This summer, the overwhelming number of sequels makes producers rich and happy; not sure about the public.

Fantastic Four with Silver Surfer, who is just a twin of the liquid-metal guy in the Terminator; Pirates, who try to shake the world for the third time; ever-sticky Spiderman; ever-inventing Ocean-Number-Next – they are flying, jumping, burning, drawing, freezing, and make audience rather confused. Brand new movies look too familiar to be fun and too similar to make proper impression. I admit Pirates are more distinctive among them, but after a month, the thing I remember the most is the dwarf with grenade discharger. That was a good joke!

Four films were released within two month, under strong retrograde Jupiter (Pirates – 19 May, Disneyland; Spiderman – 16 April, Tokyo; Silver Surfer – 13 June, Middle East; Ocean – 24 May, Cannes). This is good period for Big Repetitions, because Jupiter signifies expansion, and retro-motion signifies return to the previous. Sequel Time!

The difference between four charts is in position of faster planets (Mars, Venus, Mercury, and luminaries). All have dignified Mars, which is good for action. The best Moon is in the chart of Pirates: it is in own house, waxing, and applying to Venus. In fact, Pirate’s chart is the strongest among four, taking into account such Moon and four planets in own houses (Jupiter, Mars, Moon and Mercury). Note also Mercury on Rigel, which explains unusual visual tricks. Spiderman has a lucky chart, but the Moon is too weak; the same about Silver Surfer. These two are good at earning money, but not at being outstanding. Ocean13 has Moon in Virgo in conjunction with Dragon Tail – conjunction of the luminary with own node is an affliction, leaving the Moon without power (and public without bright impression). This affliction is slightly compensated by the strong dispositor, Mercury in own house, which makes the movie intellectual. Indeed, Moon in Virgo makes Ocean different from Pirates, with its childish Moon in Cancer.

I think I have eaten fill of blockbusters and need some cinema diet. Black and white mute films of the 1920s could probably help to recover. Or just stop watching sequels, unless they have five or six planets in own houses.

P.S. News from the screen. Until Jupiter will turn direct in August, we get eight more sequels: third Shrek, yet another Harry Potter, Hostel-2, DieHard4.0, RushHour3, yet another Bourne, Evan Almighty (sequel of Bruce Almighty), and Are we done yet? (sequel of Are we there yet?) Cinema has its niche in the mundane astrology...

Oxford Tour & Magna Carta

2007-06-19T23:16:00.001Z

“Three men in a boat” by Jerome K. Jerome has been my favourite book for many years, because of its humour and Englishness [if you know what I mean]. Therefore, taking a trip from London to Oxford alongside the Thames was inevitable.

I got neither ten free days, nor a boat, unlike the book personages, so I had to manage with a bicycle within a weekend. Instead of Kingston with boat hire, I started from Westminster:

saw nearby Museum of Garden History with the Tradescant collection (to a Russian ear, it is the name of the home flower):

rode alongside the Western wharfs:

some industrial London areas (they look nice with painted borders, don’t they?)

then peaceful park areas:

passed through Rich-mond (fancy an Aston Martin?)

some training area:

where the Thames Path was quite nice:

I then came to Kingston-upon-Thames, where the book trip started. I believe the Thames still looks quite the same:

as well as the Path:

and birds:

Among the sightseeing mentioned in the book many are pubs and hotels, old and older. One of really important historical sites is Hampton Court, with its wonderful (indeed) wall:

Jerome K. Jerome also wrote about the Labyrinth there, which I didn’t attempt to enter, having multiple plans for the day. He didn’t mention Shakespeare playing there for King James I in 1603, and certainly he couldn’t mention General Eisenhower planning the Normandy landing in Bushy Park. Hampton Court is worth visiting because of many reasons.

Near Old Windsor, I entered historical Runnymede Borough, where Magna Carta was sealed:

with memorial stone

Somehow, I came there the same time when the event happened in 1215. I bet the landscape hasn’t changed in 792 years, the same field where King John met the rebellious barons:

Then the road led me to Windsor:

and I saw nice English tiles:

Nearby, people played an aristocratic game (I suspect it is cooler than golf, but can’t say the name)

Eton looked nice too:

I came to Maidenhead and needed a coffee break, while my bike was waiting for me outside:

It was already late afternoon, and still lots of miles to Oxford, so I decided to skip some part of the trip, just as three men in a boat did. Remember, they used a steamer to skip a boring part of the river. I had no steam except my own, so I chose to take a short road to Wallingford, instead of longer river path through Reading (which I saw before). The road was windy and not amusing at all
Finally I came to Wallingford

with intention to take a train to Oxford. Unfortunately, this ancient but still small town, although being a scientific centre (CEH headquarter), has no train station (surprise!), so I had to rush to Oxford to catch the last train to London.

On the final ride, I noticed only this peculiar house style:

I suspect it arose from the white crest-formed medieval houses, where wood was later replaced by breaks, still in diagonal order. I like it – looks trim.

Arriving at Oxford was accompanied by the same rain that pushed three men to leave their boat and to take a London train.

I came home, and the first thing I did – I cast the chart of the Magna Carta sealing. June 15, 1215, Runnymede, gave the Moon on the border between Capricorn and Aquarius, changing sign at noon. Certainly, I felt it should be Aquarius, for such a remarkable Act of Independence. I first looked at Jerome K. Jerome text. He described that day in a fictional way, with happy crowds and awesome knights in the afternoon celebration.

I needed something more scientific, and started searching journal publications. I found works of one of the major modern experts, Prof. Holt, who published many papers and several books on the topic. In his 1957 paper in The English Historical Review magazine, he argues that the event on June 15 was actually prepared much earlier, and got the final edition much later, etc. However, the symbolically significant event, which occurred publicly on June 15 in Runnymede, was not described in detail: it certainly was not the concern of his research.

I then turned to earlier books and found a wonderful volume by Prof. McKechnie, “A commentary on the Great Charter of King John, with an historical introduction”, Glasgow, Maclehose & Sons, 1905. Citing a Latin work by Roger of Windover, Prof. McKechnie writes that during June 15, ‘John tried a policy of evasions and delays […] Before nighfall, John was constrained to surrender”.

Thus, the Moon was indeed in Aquarius, and setting Sun in the chart was a proper symbol of the weakening royal power. The just Jupiter was afflicted by Mars, Mars and Saturn were in confrontational opposition, 2nd and 3rd were filled well enough for chats and speeches:

Magna Carta is worth to be re-read. It is common to call it the first democratic constitution, but what is more impressive for me is that it reflects the national English character, which does not seem to change with time. Rudyard Kipling, the true English son, wrote a poem about Magna Carta.

I compressed the boat trip into one biking day, 180km. I saw the places about which I had been reading, thinking and, if you wish, dreaming for quite a while – this makes me happy. I saw that the Old Thames is even more beautiful and flourishing than it was a century ago. English love and care about their country, just as they should.

Lisbon

2007-06-15T00:46:00.000Z

After an intensive workshop in Spain, I got a free weekend which should be used properly. I came to Portugal to see Lisbon – mainly to add yet another item to my list of visited places. My opinion was rather stereotyped: Portugal sounded as provincial Europe, a bit outdated and not too wealthy. Only after landing, in the airport, the poster slogan reminded me: this country once ruled half the world.

Portuguese invented caravel and advanced naval techniques which allowed them to travel to Latin America, Africa, China, India, and Japan. Their influence is still there, from language in Brazil to music in Cabo Verde. Their architecture and crafts are amazing, just look at the photos - Jeronimos monastery:

with wonderful inner garden:

and amazing interior:

or Monastery de Sao Vincente de Fora with incredible oak and marble masterpieces:

and Portuguese tiles:

In a church, I counted six types of marble used for decoration:

And these are just few fragments of the great beauty which was destroyed in devastating earthquake, tsunami, and following fires on November 1, 1755, when 85% of the city buildings were crashed, and about 150,000 died.

The Lisbon chart of great conjunction in 1742 indicates the coming disaster:

with ruler of ascendent Mars in fall on IC.

Closer to the event, the Sun ingress to Libra in 1755, which shows seasonal events, has the same detrimented Mars, again ruling ascendent and placed in 8th house of death:

Finally, the chart of the new Moon preceding the earthquake has detrimented watery Mars in 4th house – this is the bottom of the chart, describing the ground, the shake and the water:

The earthquake started with detrimented Mars in 8th house (ruling 4th house):

Look what is happening to midheaven in this chart. It has a combination of Moon and Jupiter (afflicted by wide square with Mars) - Jupiter rules ascendent, and Moon rules 8th house of death. Still, the combination with angular benefic is benevolent enough to symbolise protective power. This is interesting, especially if we look at the ruler of midheaven which is detrimented Venus in 11th house. The ruler is weak, but there is another force which is capable to substitute it and to diminish the disaster. Who were they, the ruler and the substitution? The ruler was King Joseph I of Portugal who by chance was away from the city that day. The ruling power was Marquis of Pombal
who said “Bury the dead and feed the living”. Guess the sun sign of this pragmatic gentleman. Right, he was Taurus:

This outstanding politician not only restored the city in short time after the earthquake, but also implemented seismically-protected design of new buildings (world’s first earthquake protection, tested by marching troops). Despite the disaster, there were no following epidemics, and the order in the city was perfectly preserved. Marquis of Pombal also designed a survey sent to every parish of the country to ask about unusual behaviour of animals prior the earthquake, changes in wells waters, etc. In fact, this was a valued contribution to seismology.

It is rather late to predict the Lisbon earthquake, but one can clearly see it in the above charts.

Thinking about the dramatic event which certainly broke down the city, I was walking in the hilly streets, gazing at survived buildings and artefacts. Near the city castle I heard a nice song in open-air theatre. This was famous Teresa Salgueiro, whose singing helps to understand roots of art of another performer, Cesaria Evora.

In two days, I fell in love with Portugal, with language, with people who live there. What a great civilization...

Cambridge Tour

2007-05-28T02:48:00.001Z

The MetOffice forecast for this bank holiday was, as expected, cold and rain. I was thinking about cancelling the planned tour, but the horary was not bad at all:

I, as Venus, was in watery Cancer, but 3rd and 9th houses were fine. I didn’t like Moon with Rahu (undecided?) and Mars in 6th, which, besides possible health issues, indicated my 2nd (the bicycle) and could cause technical problems. But I saw how dignified Mars was and believed it could stand – I just took additional spare tube and heavy toolkit.

With this horary, I was not surprised when the initial weather forecast was later adjusted promising at least the first day of the holiday to be nice. So, I started the tour.

I first came to the far Thames wharfs where I never reached before – my usual walks ended near the Tower. This area, which was noisy and dirty in the past, now is a prestigious living district.

I reached Greenwich and saw poor Cutty Sark damaged by the recent fire

Then I passed 100-years-old foot tunnel (10 metres under the Thames)

and entered the Lea Valley, which belongs to the National Cycle Network. If you read Jerome K. Jerome’s “Three men in a boat”, where he and his friends travelled the Thames Path from London to Oxford, you should remember his stories about the river locks:

This area is so peaceful and beautiful that I forgot about time and travelled too slow, gazing at flowers

and birds

But the road itself was not joyful at all. The path was made of gravel, and at the end of the valley route, when I left the park, I realised that my back tube was punctured, and what was even worse, the vibration crashed the bearings in the back wheel, so that it was not tight and made noise.

Well, I didn’t regret I came to the park anyway. I repaired the repairable and moved on. I had to rush because in such conditions I couldn’t tour for three days and had to arrive at Cambridge by the evening to catch the last train home.

The roads leading to Cambridge are not as picturesque as in Norfolk, but still I got some nice shots, as this straw-roof house:

Road A1301 is parallel to motorway M1, so car drivers prefer the fast connection, and most of the time I was alone on this way. Finally, I came to Cambridge

and soon boarded to the train. One day, 130 km, and unforgettable Lea Valley. Yet another fulfilled dream…

Dostoevsky

2007-05-28T02:42:00.000Z

Dostoevsky’s genius does not fade with time. The main cause is his conscience and psychological insights, explaining processes that are changing much slower than the material world. In fact, what he wrote 150 years ago about Russians and society is still correct in spite of political and industrial changes. In some opinions he was too idealistic and exaggerating, some changes he just couldn’t foresee, but there are views which are amazingly modern – and probably will remain as such for a long time.

As I wrote earlier, intuition, as well as mind and conscience, is provided by beneficial Moon. In Dostoevsky’s chart, Moon is influenced by both Jupiter and Venus, as well as by Mars and detrimented Saturn. This gives him understanding, although not healthy at times (remember his epilepsy). Sun in Scorpio helps in psychological work.

Today I read a piece of his diary dedicated to Kroneberg court which was won by famous lawyer Spasovic. Dostoevsky starts with general views on lawyer institution, on talent, and finally gives detailed description of the court. Spasovic managed to discharge the cruel father who beat 7-years-old daughter for stealing sugar, and this caused many public debates. Spasovic professionally created images of spoilt girl and almost innocent father – just by rearranging facts, hiding or suppressing some of them and making loud others. Dostoevsky shows how this talent served immoral purposes.

Some of the quotes are worth to be translated. “This is the school of resourcefulness of mind and dryness of heart, the school of perversion of any healthy feeling according to need, the school of any possible daring, fearless and unpunished, permanent and restless, according to any request and enquiry, and it is somehow made a principle or even prowess, to which all around applause”. “Spasovic’s speech seemed to be a piece of art; nevertheless in my heart it made almost disgusting impression”. “An advocate cannot afford conscience, and it is pity that society creates this and makes it normal”.

To understand what kind of person Spasovic was, one can look at his chart:

Dostoevsky didn’t pretend to change the social institutions, but his sensitive Moon felt that this successful law story was wrong.

Zodiac

2007-05-21T00:04:00.000Z

Under this title, I expected something mystical and maybe even star-related. No, the film was a disappointment: overlong, filled with details crime plot, finally giving an expected answer. Many minor personages appear and disappear, confirming it is a true story – too true to be artistic. One should mention good work of design team which accurately reproduced all the vending machines, street lights, and cars through more than 20 years – it was certainly one of the concerns of the director. Also, the episode in the basement is a nice piece of horror – unfortunately, the only one.

I do not quite understand why people become obsessed with such crimes – obsessed enough to think about it, to write about it, and to make a movie about it. There should be great love for justice – and for detail. There are so many tragedies and injustices in this world, that a particular maniac, who even died long time ago, seem to be a pointless figure.

To film the story written by Robert Graysmith, director David Fincher should have something in common with him - and he does. The guys are both Virgos (sign of detail lovers), with Suns aspected by very strong Jupiters (which gives love for justice). Also, Fincher got Venus in Libra and Mercury in Virgo, whereas in Graysmith’s chart Mercury and Venus are in reception in Libra and Virgo.

Justice is worth fighting for it, even for 20 years, yes. But when details become dominating, good intentions turn into boredom.

Norfolk Tour

2007-05-08T22:31:00.000Z

For several months, my cherished dream was to use the May Day bank holiday for a bicycle tour. Three days off is just a perfect timeframe for exploring the county. I decided to take a train to Cromer as a nice start with sea view, and to choose the departure time, I found a trip election (within available train times):

It is not that perfect, but at least 9th house is ok. Departure time at 1.45pm looked late, but it was only for better, as I realised quite soon. Another unpleasant feature was Mars in 8th, which ruled 9th, in watery Pisces, and in square with Moon, but I hoped that Jupiter would support the Moon in any case. With this election, I had purchased the train ticket and was waiting impatiently for the holiday.

Ah, Mars was watery… Two days before the weekend, I read MetOffice forecast promising rain and cold over the weekend. The circumstances were confusing: I didn’t feel well, the weather was expected to be bad, and finally, just before the trip I got a puncture in front wheel – and realised that old tyre should be replaced as well.

I cast horary: Shall I go for the tour?

See 3rd and 9th houses? There was no doubt: I should. Great wandering, as well as great learning, was inevitable.

In the morning of the tour day, I rushed to bicycle shop to buy new tyre and spare tubes, sorted everything in hurry, and was ready to start. Afternoon train was just right!

Our team of passengers experienced a weird incident: when we had boarded into the train on the proper platform, three minutes before the departure we were told to move… to another train which was delivered ahead. So, I grabbed my chained bike and run into the train ahead. Nice beginning? Mars in 8th, remember?

Fortunately, this was the most dramatic episode of the tour. Less dramatic was the rain, most of which fell at night between Sunday and Monday when I peacefully slept in a B&B. Well, I got four or five hours of it next morning, too. But warm drizzling is rather a fun for a biker – just don’t forget to shake glasses from time to time.

I saw many wonders of beautiful and diverse Norfolk, and below are some of the photos that I took on the way.

The famous Cromer pier:

Still active 10-inch rail in Wells-next-the-sea:

Village where Horatio Nelson was born:

The Norfolk Coast Path in marshland (too narrow and uneven for biking, really)

Marvellous Hunstanton Cliffs:

Famous Norfolk Lavender (too early for blooming, but already lilac)

Then I came to the Norfolk Retreat of Her Majesty The Queen, Sandringham

and saw parade Rolls-Royce, which served Her Majesty for 40 years

Castle Acre near Swaffham

Ancient Peddar’s Way is real off-road (the red bin is for cleaning after dogs!)

Medieval Buckenham is well and alive

In total, I have done about 300km in three days. It was a relaxed trip, rather slow compared with marathon 200km a day, but slow biking is great for learning – just as the horary promised.

If you are still wondering about the meanings of that Mars in 8th, I can report that on the way I saw five funeral services, one burial park, and numerous churches with graveyards…

What's "Next"?

2007-04-29T06:26:00.000Z

I watched this film with professional interest. The movie is about foreseeing future – quite an astrological topic. The plot is rather chaotic, and nuclear terrorism reminds those numerous movies of the Cold War time, but the film states interesting philosophical questions. What if we know what happens next? Shall we change it? And if we change it, what was that what we saw as future? And what is destiny then?

Nicolas Cage is perfect for such roles: his face is dramatic and smart. He starts aging, and this makes him only more handsome – this is typical for Capricorns. They are also inclined to prophecy, due to their slow and wise ruler Saturn, - good for performing a magician and seer.

The choreography of the scences where he employs his superpower is magnificent. I just do not envy the brain which has only a few minutes to find a solution, while the present is being alternated every moment – what an overwhelming task! Seems life is easier to live blindly.

As my own attempt of clairvoyance, I wanted to find who is an Aquarius in this enterprise: the story is pretty much Aquarian. I started searching the web, found three screenplay writers (Gary Goldman, Jonathan Hensleigh, Paul Bernbaum), and finally realised that the story was written by sci-fi author Philip Dick who died in 1982. There are some other stories of his which were implemented in famous films: “Blade Runner”, “Total Recall”, “Minority Report”, and “A Scanner Darkly”.

So, guess what I have found in Aquarius in his chart? The Moon.

If Philip Dick was still alive, I would have to disillusion him: although the future can be foreseen, it cannot be changed. If it was not so, the future couldn’t be foreseen: each time of ‘free will’ people would make the following events unpredictable. And we know they are predictable, don’t we?

Sunshine

2007-04-23T01:42:00.000Z

We are told that the Sun is an average star in the infinite universe, but it is so beautiful and captivating, that even such a plain movie as “Sunshine” makes an impression.

The film is well-founded scientifically, but artistically is quite boring - even its thrill is as known and seen before. Instead of creating artificial horror, they would better show more Sun – more and more. I understand the film couldn’t be just an astronomical shot, but really, I liked the Sun images better than those strange variations of the plot.

It is all fantasy, but how comes that such an expedition is launched without a spare source of oxygen? And that burnt mad guy – how could he find his preys, where were his eyes if his entire body was grilled?? I am asking consultants??

OK, enough of physics and biology. Better guess, in a film about the Sun, how many actors, out of eight, should be born with Sun in Leo, which is the house of the Sun? According to the probability theory, less than one, right? In the “Sunshine”, four out of eight are Leos. And the movie was “born” in the Fantasy Filmfest in Bochum under exalted Sun in Aries! Here is the chart (cast for usual first screen in the Bochum filmtheatre, 15.00):

Very expressive, isn’t it? Strong Venus in the midheaven, the ruler of ascendent is, of course, Sun - in the house of science, 9th. Detrimented Saturn in ascendent in opposition with Mars – the thrill for the poor public… And creative Jupiter in 5th…

Well, I love the Sun. Although I see some weaknesses of this film, I am grateful to its creators for the show.

This is Sparta!

2007-03-25T01:30:00.000Z

"300" movie has changed my opinion that the golden era of cinema has gone. No, it hasn’t: although increasing amount of cinematographic production delivers more weak movies, still there are talents potent to create true art.

In this film, each moment is visually and emotionally overwhelming – how else, when one sees pure beauty and pure heroism? The cast is perfect, the art direction is perfect, the plot has been perfect since the battle of Thermopylae: the blameless story of human spirit sacrificing itself for Motherland.

It is not easy to define the only “parent” of this masterpiece: is it Frank Miller and Lynn Varley whose graphic novel was implemented, or director Zack Snyder, or the art direction team (which is the same as in “Fountain”, so one can draw conclusions about the source of the merit of that movie as well) - or maybe in the epoch of industrial cinema there is no point in seeking the main author? These days, great blockbusters are born by teams to influence society…

The being, the movie - when was it born then? It happened at peculiar Butt-numb-a-thon annual film marathon in Austin, Texas, which started on December 9, 2006. The movie, however, was the last in the list of 12 surprises, so the actual time of the premier was December 10.

Look at that stellium of five planets in Sagittarius, covering 10th and 11th houses – this is the fame and the income from the fame. Look at the Moon in 7th on Regulus – this is the amazed public – in conjunction with heavily afflicted Saturn ruling ascendent: the movie isn’t that easy for watching, it is brutal indeed. Twelve movies were shown in the marathon, but “300” got the best time for birth.

Note Lena Headey as queen of Sparta. People talk about ‘non-celebrity’ cast, but I have noticed this lady already in “The Brothers Grimm” – I believe she will be a celebrity, and quite soon.