Planetary patterns -- the bowl

greybeard

Well-known member
USING PLANETARY PATTERNS
THE BOWL
DONALD TRUMP

The heavens are in constant motion, ever-changing, as the planets sail along their orbits against the background of the distant fixed stars. The sky is kaleidoscopic. The human mind has the power to perceive, or really to create, discernible patterns in this motion, and to assign symbolic meanings to them.
Marc Edmund Jones introduced the astrological world to seven patterns, sufficient to include any horoscope in one of the seven types, in his book Essentials of Astrological Analysis. The seven patterns he introduced are: the Bundle, where all planets are contained within the space of a trine; the Bowl, with all planets contained by an opposition (all planets in one hemisphere, defined by the opposition); the Locomotive, where the planets occupy two-thirds of the sky, with the space of a trine empty; and the Splash, in which the planets are more or less evenly distributed through the signs and houses. There is the Seesaw, where one group of planets stands in opposition (ideally) to another, and the Bucket, in which a single planet opposes the other nine. Last, the catch-all type, is the Splay which divides the planets into three groups, usually with one of them a singleton.
The patterns of planetary distribution have several important uses in astrological delineation. First, they give useful information about the native’s temperament type, how he is oriented to life and how he approaches it. The patterns show the structure of the personality. They assist the astrologer in determining which of the planets exercises the most power in the chart. Five of the seven patterns point directly at one planet as being in high focus and strongly influencing the entire chart and life. The use of patterns helps us to see the chart as a whole and leads to a holistic interpretation. Because the patterns are so fundamental (they don’t depend on anything other than the pattern created by anonymous planets), they guide us in the interpretation of the parts of the horoscope because the parts must act according to the matrix in which they exist, shown by planetary patterns, preponderances and such things.
The chart of Donald Trump provides us with an interesting case study of the Bowl Pattern. All planets are found east of the opposition Moon-Uranus. Sun-Uranus are in separating conjunction with an orb of 5*02’. I will take the conjunction to function as a single planet. This “planet” is the leading planet in this chart. Uranus is the first planet of the ten to cross the horizon by diurnal motion. Uranus (the conjunction) becomes a “super-planet”; its power and influence are greatly increased and it affects all areas of the life. It “leads the native into life”. This conjunction enfolds the North Node, with Moon conjunct the South Node; a lunar eclipse occurred 3 hours and 45 minutes after the birth of Donald Trump. Its shadow did not fall on New York. Nine of the ten planets are in the east. Only Moon is western. All of the planets below the horizon are retrograde (Moon doesn’t count in this measurement). The three planets in Cancer are intercepted in the 11th House; their only aspects are squares to the Second House retrograde pair. Mars, at the Ascendant, and Jupiter form strongly supportive trine-sextile aspects to Sun-Moon. This support is very important in the life. There is no T-square. The Ascendant is only 5 minutes of longitude from changing sign. The planets are pretty uniformly distributed through the occupied hemisphere.


This is a typical Bowl, but with some very unique and powerful features. What I would like to show here is the power of patterns to give immediate insight into the character of the native, without using other chart factors. Here are some of the characteristics of the Bowl as described by Jones.
Intensity of character. Subjective self-sufficiency.
All or nothing psychology. Yes-no, true-false, black-white, us-them, no greys or lukewarm. There is a thorough and complete self-dedication to whatever cause interests him.
There is an uncompromising effort to compel recognition, acceptance, approval from others. There is a conscious and exaggerated self-importance.
Holds fast under strain.
Basically conservative. Preserves and protects values and possessions. Will generally adopt the tried and true path; not likely to venture into untried territory. Favors actuality over potential.
The tilt, or orientation, of the Bowl tells us that Trump has major freedom in pure self-expression (as opposed to being constantly constrained by circumstances), that he takes joy in experimental self-discovery. (Uranus, as leading planet, is Experimentative). He is oriented toward public position, fame or notoriety. He is concerned with his place in the social order, among the people.
These things we know about Donald Trump without ever considering a single individual planet or aspect. His most fundamental traits and drives are shown by the planetary pattern. We need not know which sign the Sun or Moon or Ascendant occupy. And we have found the dominant planet in the chart (in this case a conjunction).
 

Starsareround

Well-known member
Would you consider Chiron as a bowl “rim” object, defining the configuration with an opposition? Great topic, thank you...
 
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greybeard

Well-known member
Sorry. I don't use Chiron, asteroids, imaginary planets...
If you use Chiron, I assume it could be a rim planet.
I'm trying to figure out how to load Trump's chart into this piece....Help?
 

Starsareround

Well-known member
I’m on mobile but hopefully someone will come along and do it soon! *if not I’ll make a point of doing it later today
 
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greybeard

Well-known member
Most horoscopic charts are not as clearly defined as president Trump's. Dr Farr notes that in ancient Rome Trump's would have been termed an Imperial Chart. Indeed.

Ideally the Bowl pattern occurs when all planets lie to one side of an effective opposition, evenly spaced throughout the occupied hemisphere. The rim opposition is ideally in the same Quality, not across sign lines. A T-square brings more focus and stability to the life.
 

greybeard

Well-known member
The diurnal motion of the heavens is clockwise through the chart. The first planet, called the leading planet, to rise above the eastern horizon by diurnal motion is endowed with "superpowers"; its meaning is enhanced and expanded, its powers lead the native into experience and its influence permeates the whole life. It assumes High Focus.

Planets in high focus can be characterized, their generalized influence on the chart (life) as a whole described as adjective keywords.

Sun ------ Masterly
Moon ----- Intense
Mercury -- Inquisitive
Venus ---- Intimate
Mars ----- Indomitable
Jupiter -- Paternal
Saturn --- Shrewd
Uranus --- Experimentative
Neptune -- Authoritative
Pluto ---- Transcendant
 

greybeard

Well-known member
In our example chart the leading planet is Uranus (experimentative) combust Sun (5*02' separating), mastery. The conjunction is posited in the 10th, enfolding North Node.

Uranus, although leading, is combust. His powers have been (separating conjunction, past tense) " consumed" in the flames of the Sun, expropriated to the Sun's own uses.
 

greybeard

Well-known member
When we see that the bowl pattern generally is marked by "intensity of character", we know where to find the intensity...in the leading planet, the point of high focus. Here is where the self first meets the external world; here is initial impulse.
 

greybeard

Well-known member
More enclosed than the bowl is the bundle, more open the locomotive. Where does one stop, the other start?

The bundle and locomotive patterns are both based on the trine aspect (momentum). A trine-by-sign can occupy nearly 150 degrees, 30 degrees more than the nominal 120 degrees of the ideal aspect. Likewise, an opposition-by-sign can occupy as little as 150 degrees. So the boundary between the two patterns must lie in this vicinity.

Where there is ambiguity...well, are the leading and trailing planets in signs of the same element? Here is a slight emphasis toward the trine, and a suggestion for the bundle. Do the leading and trailing planets become closer together or farther apart by progression (showing life development toward one pattern and away from the other)? Does the structure of the distribution suggest one pattern over the other? For example, does a planet occupy the leading/trailing midpoint? suggesting a more compact and highly focused pattern.
 

greybeard

Well-known member
There seems to be little interest in planetary patterns.

After several decades of exploring the uses of patterns I find them quick and easy to use. They provide a substrate of fundamental character upon which the interpretation rests. They are highly reliable. In most cases they point out a focal planet that tends to form and dominate the personality and life.

Not interested? Oh well.
 

Domna

Well-known member
egcqbc.jpg


Here is a pic of Trumps natal chart. Maybe having some illustration will stir some more interest in the topic.
 

Domna

Well-known member
I'm generally very interested in the big patterns of the natal chart, be they planetary or aspect patterns. I don't have much to add to the discussion of bowl charts though, since it's one of the types I'm least familiar with.

When it comes to planetary patterns in general I often encounter the issue of ambiguity. There is some overlap between types and some grey zones that are hard to categorize. And it's hard to find a concrete set of characteristics that everyone would agree on. I'd love a thread about planetary patterns in general, where such issues could be adressed and where the different patterns could be compared.
 

greybeard

Well-known member
When a chart shows ambiguity between patterns it does not create a problem for interpretation. The ambiguity simply describes the situation.

Deviation from an ideal describes individuality.

We do not "classify" things in life so rigidly. I can identify "a tree" whether it is a Sequoia or a pear. There may be some ambiguity if I try to distinguish between tree and bush. But I will come up with a useful description somehow. And some things are just betwixt and between by nature: consider the Platypus.

It is not "classification" that I seek; it is understanding.
 
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conspiracy theorist

Well-known member
I just want to add that I'm also following this thread although I'm not commenting. It's made me revisit my own bundle pattern which is predicated on the midpoint picture Neptune=Saturn/Pluto. Nodal axis squares Neptune very closely.
 
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Domna

Well-known member
When a chart shows ambiguity between patterns it does not create a problem for interpretation. The ambiguity simply describes the situation.

Deviation from an ideal describes individuality.

We do not "classify" things in life so rigidly. I can identify "a tree" whether it is a Sequoia or a pear. There may be some ambiguity if I try to distinguish between tree and bush. But I will come up with a useful description somehow. And some things are just betwixt and between by nature: consider the Platypus.

So your saying that when a chart is inbetween types, you interpret based on the patterns you see traits of? That makes sense... if you can tell what patterns are in the mix, which I tend to fail at. The pure types are easy to see, the ambiguous ones far more difficult. It would be awesome to have some more guidance, maybe some examples, as to how to work with that ambiguity!

What about those charts that don't seem to fit any type? In my family for instance, most of us have charts with the space of a square empty, and the rest fairly evenly occupied. There are some variations (mine has a big enough void on the other side that it is approaching a seesaw) but that's the general picture. It feels significant but doesn't really fit with any of the established patterns... Locomotive comes closest I guess though. Any thoughts on that?
 
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Tandy

Banned
My experience with bowl pattern men is that I end up doing all the dishes. Is it the same for men with bowl patter women? That whole empty sack on the other side gets taken care of by others. In my experience
 

greybeard

Well-known member
Thanks.

Trump's chart is a very straight-forward bowl. This tells us that The Donald is pretty much an "unadulterated bowl-type of personality". He will (and does) display the bowl qualities in a more or less pure form:

Intense character...subjective self-sufficiency. These two traits are shared with the Bundle.

An all-or-nothing psychology...."the government shutdown can be resolved immediately"....all the Democrats have to do is concede everything I demand. I will not settle for less.

The planets in any chart behave according to the pattern, and its modifications. That's what the planetary patterns show: the pattern of personality, the pattern of behaviors, the pattern of the life. The individual planets must of necessity act according to the dictates of pattern; they operate within the strictures of the larger, more inclusive, deeply rooted pattern.

The pattern is a thing unto itself; no individual planet is considered in pattern analysis as such. The pattern is a fundamental structural element of the chart independent of other factors. It is determinate in how the parts will function.

Why does the Bowl signify "an all-or-nothing psychology"? Because...the hemisphere containing the planets (the "self") stands against an empty hemisphere (the "not-self")...all or nothing.
 
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