I copied these questions from another thread (because there were too many questions to answer in one sitting) and saved it to Word to answer later, but here are some answers to some of the questions (I can no longer find the thread).
When looking at the Profections and Solar Returns, what do you want see?
Confirmation of the symbolism.
What makes an astrologer say "this is the year"?
A confluence of confirmation.
What is the nature of the testimonies?
Depends on the Planets involved.
Did the past astrologers use the same system?
Primary Directions. What is this? Is this a modern thing or was this practiced by the ancients?
The technique is several thousand years old.
There’s nothing hard about it. Unfortunately, there is no software available, and I would caution you that software that claims to do it is wrong, if not by method then by math. For example, Janus claims to do Primary Directions, but they are FUBAR and totally useless so don’t waste your time. The key is just becoming proficient in the math (which appears daunting but really isn’t), learning the symbolism, knowing the significators and understanding why things work the way they do.
Probably the easiest way to do Primary Directions is to cover them with each of the 14 Judgments or Topics you cover, starting with Life-Span/Longevity. Determine the Almuten for each Topic, read the Chart, then do your Primary Directions. For example, calculate the Almuten of the Father, Almuten of the Mother, then look at their relationship and their relationship with the Ascendant Ruler to see how everyone gets along, then look at your Primary Directions to see what happens to the Native’s parents up to and including Death (and beyond – and yes after they die they can still have Directions in your Chart signifying events, like maybe the wing of a library dedicated in their name, or a memorial or scholarship fund established in their name or something like that).
Here’s a chart with a sad story.
The first thing is find the Hyleg/Hilaj/Releaser or whatever you want to call it. I call it the Life Ruler. There are no Planets Above Horizon and this is a Night Chart so that means the Hyleg/Life Ruler is either the Ascendant or the Lot of Fortune. Since Moon has separated from a conjunction of the Sun and is moving toward the opposition (Full Moon position) that makes this a Conjunctional Chart and the Ascendant is the Hyleg/Life-Ruler. If the Moon would be separating from the opposition to the Sun and moving toward the conjunction (New Moon position), then the Chart would be Preventional and the Lot of Fortune would automatically be the Hyleg/Life Ruler.
So the Ascendant here plays a dual role, it is not only the significator of the Native’s health and things that happen to the Native, but it is also the determiner in the Natives’ Life Span. What we want to do now is use Ascensional Times and Symbolic Directions to narrow down the time frame for any accidents or events that will happen to the Native. The most obvious feature to see symbolically is Ascendant opposition the Lot of Death.
The opposition occurs at 9° Aquarius, but the Ascendant enters the Term of Mercury at 6° Aquarius. Is the Ascendant protected or is it naked? You have a naked Ascendant here. The Planets cast their “rays” in 7 directions. “Rays” is an ancient term that comes to us from the Sumerians.
Enuma elish… mentions the Planets ensnaring each other with their “rays” and the oldest known text (partial text on broken tablets) dates back to 5,700 BCE. The 7 “rays” are cast to the sinister sextile, sinister square, sinister trine, opposition, dexter trine, dexter square and dexter sextile.
Note that none are cast in the "conjunction."
None of the Benefics cast their “rays” at 9° Aquarius. Likewise, none of the Malefics do either. However, the Ascendant is in the Term of Mercury, and Mercury, while not Malefic here, is Unfortunate being Peregrine and Retrograde (being Peregrine makes Mercury weak, but being Retrograde makes him Unfortunate and weaker still), and the Term is in opposition to the Lot of Death.
To determine the age of the Native here, we need to know the Oblique Ascension of the Ascendant and of 6° Aquarius. There’s a web-site that will calculate those for any Latitude (you can enter 2000 as the year since the Obliquity of the Ecliptic only change a few Seconds of Arc every so many years – in 1938 the Obliquity was
23° 26' 50" just to give you an idea) .
http://www.antonblog.net/tool/generator.html
If I have any doubts about my calculations, I check my tables against his tables and his tables are spot on.
At 6° Aquarius the Oblique Ascension is 321°38’ and the Ascending Degree is 270°55’ and all we do is subtract them.
321°38’
270°55’
----------
xxxxxxx
320°98’
270°55’
----------
050°43’
So the Ascendant enters the Term of Mercury in about August 1988 and during the time the Ascendant moves through the Term of Mercury, the Native may be subject to serious accident or injury, or even death.
But, we need confirmation and so we look at the Profectional Charts to see what is happening. In 1989, the Profected Ascendant is Pisces:
If Sagittarius is the Rising Sign, then a Profected Ascendant with Pisces rising would indicate that all Profected Planets are in square with the Natal Planets. That could indicate a year of conflict ranging from just minor irritations the entire year to a total catastrophe, or it could be a year of major challenges.
Since Jupiter is the Year Ruler, we need to look at Jupiter’s condition in the Chart. Jupiter is Peregrine, Cadent, Fast, Occidental, Diurnal, in a Masculine Sign and Degree, in a Feminine Quarter and not impeded by any Planets, nor in aspect to any Planets.
Overall, Jupiter is weak and only mildly Benefic here. One other thing, Jupiter is Feral. I don’t have a lot of experience with Feral Planets, since they are rare. As you can see, it requires that all Planets be in aversion (inconjunct) to the Feral Planet.
That (a Feral Planet), is the original “singleton.” Anything else is just an amateurish imitation.
Once you know the condition of the Year Ruler in the Natal Chart, you simply compare it to its condition in the Solar Return Chart. Year Ruler well-placed in the Natal Chart and Solar Return = Good year. Year Ruler badly placed in the Natal Chart and Solar Return = Bad year. Year Ruler in good condition in the Natal Chart but badly placed in the Solar Return = Not so good year. Year Ruler in bad condition in Natal Chart but in good in the Solar Return = Life is a little better than usual.
Just starting out you can use 30° per year for your Profections, but as you get more advanced, you’ll want to do Profections the correct way using Oblique Ascension. Again, unfortunately, there is no software that correctly calculates Profections, so you’ll have to do it by hand or using a spread-sheet.
Add the double Diurnal Hours of the Ascendant to the Oblique Ascension. The Diurnal Hour is 12°16’ for that Latitude. Sumerian Star Lists measured the distance between Stars in 3 ways, and one way was by Double Hours. I think what they were doing is measuring the arc between two Stars using Double Diurnal Hours (or Double Nocturnal Hours as the case might be).
270° 55' = 15° Sag 45'
295° 27' = 07° Cap 56'
319° 59' = 04° Aqu 01'
344° 31' = 06° Pis 35'
09° 03' = 13° Ari 54'
33° 35' = 18° Tau 08'
58° 07' = 15° Gem 45'
When you cross the Descendant, you’ll have to use the double Nocturnal Hours (17°43’ * 2) .
93° 33' = 18° Can 06'
128° 59' = 17° Leo 28'
164° 25' = 16° Vir 54'
199° 51' = 16° Lib 43'
235° 17' = 16° Sco 18'
And that brings us back to 15° Sag 45’
1 = 15° Sag 45'
2 = 07° Cap 56'
3 = 04° Aqu 01'
4 = 06° Pis 35'
5 = 13° Ari 54'
6 = 18° Tau 08'
7 = 15° Gem 45'
8 = 18° Can 06'
9 = 17° Leo 28'
10 = 16° Vir 54'
11 = 16° Lib 43'
12 = 16° Sco 18'
There appears to be a problem because…
(1) 1987 = 15° Sag 45'
(2) 1988 = 07° Cap 56'
(3) 1989 04° Aqu 01'
(4) 1990 = 06° Pis 35'
…it would seem Aquarius is the Profected Ascendant making Saturn the Year Ruler in 1989 instead of Pisces/Jupiter.
But that isn’t so. If you look, you see that the Profected Year for 1990 starts at 06° Pisces. Since the birth date is January 6, that means Pisces took over sometime in late November or early December of 1989. That means Saturn handed off the Year Ruler to Jupiter in the very last part of 1989 as the Profected Ascendant entered Pisces.
So let’s look at the Solar Return:
Year Ruler Jupiter is Cadent, Peregrine, Retrograde, in the Term of a Malefic (Mars) and in trine to the Sun without Reception. Jupiter is Unfortunate and weak. Note the Sun who is the Dispositor of the Lot of Death in the Natal Chart is conjunct the Lot of Death in the Solar Return. Note that Saturn rules the 8th House, Venus is the first Triplicity Ruler of the 4th House and that Saturn and Venus are conjunct each other’s Antiscia Point.
Mercury is the Ascendant Ruler in the Solar Return Chart and the Directed Ascendant is in the Term of Mercury in the Natal Chart. Mercury is Peregrine and Retrograde so he’s Unfortunate in the Natal Chart.
In the Solar Return Chart, Mercury is Peregrine, Out-of-Sect, Cadent, in the Term of a Malefic (Saturn) and worse than that, conjunct his own North Node at 3° Aqu. Mercury is extremely Unfortunate here.
One other thing. The placement of the Year Ruler determines how active the year is. When the Year Ruler is inconjunct the Ascendant, it will not be an active year. Given than he spent 95% of the year in a coffin, I would say he wasn’t exactly a busy bee that year.
So we have our confirmation.
Now, we need to see if there are any Primary Directions that would indicate death. There are two. One is Mars to the body of Sun and the other is Moon square Jupiter.
We’ll do Moon square Jupiter first. Moon is the Significator, and the Jupiter Square Point is the promise. There are two points from which Jupiter forms a square and that is 3° Scorpio (the converse Direction) and 3° Taurus (the direct Direction – in the order of Signs) We’ll use 3° Taurus.
Right Ascension of 3° Tau 54’ is 31.65319°
Oblique Ascension is 22.80533°
Declination is 12.82242°
Ascensional Difference (RA – OA) = 8.84786°
That makes the Semi-Diurnal Arc 98.84786°
Meridian Distance (RAIC – RA) is 30.70517°
Semi-Diurnal Arc divided by 6 gives us a Temporal Hour of 16.47464°
Meridian Distance divided by the Temporal Hour gives us the Hourly Distance: 1.86378
°
Now it’s just a matter of plugging in the numbers.
Arc of Direction = Hourly Distance (Jupiter Square Point) – Hourly Distance (Moon) * Temporal Hours (Jupiter Square Point)
Arc of Direction = (1.86378 + 1.28833) * 16.47464
Arc of Direction = 3.15211 * 16.
47464
Arc of Direction = 51.92987
Sun we’ll move
in Mundo to the square of Mars (I don't think I've covered
in Mundo Directions yet).
The square point of Mars is 6 Hours away (1 House away is inconjunct; 2 Houses away is sextile; and 3 Houses away is square -- each House equals 2 Hours) at 11° Gemini. How long does it take Sun to travel to that point? We’ll take the Hourly Distance of Mars, add 6 Hours then subtract the Hourly Distance of the Sun, then multiply that by the Sun’s Temporal Hours.
Arc of Direction = [Hourly Distance (Mars) + Aspect Point – Hourly Distance (Sun)] * Temporal Hours (Sun)
Arc of Direction = 1.11331 + 6 – 4.18057 * 17.71455
Arc of Direction = 7.11331 – 4.18057 * 17.71455
Arc of Direction = 2.93274 * 17.71455
Arc of Direction = 51.95216
Okay, so those are pretty close.
Moon square Jupiter works out to:
51.92987
51 years + 0.92987 * 12 (months) =
51 years 11 months + 0.15844 * 30.5 (days) =
51 years 11 months 4 days
The date of birth is Jan 6 so add 11 months and we get December 6 then add 4 days and we get December 10.
Sun square Mars works out to:
51 years + 0.95216 * 12 (months) =
51 years 11 months + 0.42592 * 30.5 (days) =
51 years 11 months 12 days
Again since the birth is Jan 6 we add 11 months to get to December 6 then add 12 days which is December 18
So our Directions gives us December 10 and December 18.
I do not in any way condone the use of Pukipedia, but suffice to say:
On December 11, 1989, Lindsay
committed suicide with a rifle blast to his head. He was 51
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindsay_Crosby
This guy was the son of Bing Crosby, the famous crooner, you know "White Christmas" and then all of those "On the Road to....[wherever]" films with Bob Hope.
If you notice, the Lot of Wealth is square Mercury and Venus and the Almuten of Wealth Saturn is inconjunct the Lot.
I don't really want to get into that, because I'm going to do that on another thread, but he never really had it like the Old Man. His career never got off the ground really. Both his parents were alcoholics and his mother died of alcoholism early on, and being a "mama's boy" never got over it.
He wasn't poor by any stretch of the imagination, but he never made the money his father did.
A few points in the Natal Chart that can be addressed further. Jupiter is the Almuten of Death. I use the method by Abu Bakr, Abu Ma'shar and al-Qabisi. That is the 7th House, 8th House, 8th House Ruler, Sect Ruler 4th House Cusp, Lot of Death, Dispositor Lot of Death, and Saturn.
I've tried using Bonatti's (and I believe he uses Omar's method) but it just doesn't work.
In addition to being the Almuten of Death, Jupiter rules the 4th House, Moon rules the 8th House and Mars is the Sect Triplicity Ruler of both the 4th and 8th House (and Mercury rules the 7th House).
If you note in the Natal chart you see the Moon/Mars aspect and then you see it again in the Solar Return.
What is the symbolism of Moon/Mars?
I really hope no one makes me barf all over the place with something so stupid and so silly as “emotions and energy.”
Moon/Mars is change, or alteration or ending, usually sudden or abrupt.
Look at this chart:
You see the Moon/Mars aspect when the National Football League Players Association Collective Bargaining Agreement ended and was not renewed.
Note here that Mercury is the Sect Triplicity Ruler for the 4th Sign, Aquarius and that Moon/Mars are actually in the 5th Sign/House (sports, public venues, entertainment etc etc).
Here’s the Aries Ingress for the US for 1963. President Kennedy was assassinated that year.
Mars rules the Midheaven and is conjunct the Descendant with Moon Unfortunate because of the South Node conjunct the Ascendant opposing Mars.
Gotta love astrology.
So, let’s put aside the childish goofiness with “emotions and energy” and start using the adult symbolism. You'll see that a lot, if not in Natal Charts then in Solar Returns and Mundane Charts.
Anyway that should give you an idea of how to put things together. I was having a PM discussion about Feral Planets and was distraught because I searched and couldn't find any so I had to make one up, then yesterday I came across this chart with the Feral Jupiter and saw the Moon/Mars thing and just had to look at it.
