james
Well-known member
Hello.
I'm reading Horoscope Symbols, by Robert Hand. I recommend it not only for its content, but also for the author's eloquence and fluid writing style, in a field where there appears to be a scarcity of good editors...or just plain editors. (I recently read a book on "classical astrology" recommended on Amazon.com that was so poorly written that I deem it unworthy to stand on my bookshelf!)
This post is essentially to learn the interpretation of a pattern in my natal chart, but first let me set the contextual stage, courtesy of Hand's book.
Hand places great significance on midpoints in the natal chart, offering the reader a number of reasons why they ought to be factored into chart analysis. As just one example:
Finally, he provides very useful and compelling criteria for honing in on the midpoints of greatest significance in a birth chart... I'm paraphrasing here:
-> Venus (ARI) semisquares Sun (GEM). Their midpoint conjuncts the Ascendant (TAU). It seems significant that my ascendant's ruler is Venus.
--> Ascendant (TAU) semisquares Mercury (CAN). Midpoint conjuncts Sun (GEM). Note that my sun sign's ruler is Mercury.
---> Ascendant squares Uranus (LEO). Midpoint conjuncts Mercury (CAN).
-> The midpoint of Neptune and Ascendant conjuncts Mars.
-> The midpoint of Mars and Mid-heaven conjuncts Neptune.
I'm reading Horoscope Symbols, by Robert Hand. I recommend it not only for its content, but also for the author's eloquence and fluid writing style, in a field where there appears to be a scarcity of good editors...or just plain editors. (I recently read a book on "classical astrology" recommended on Amazon.com that was so poorly written that I deem it unworthy to stand on my bookshelf!)
This post is essentially to learn the interpretation of a pattern in my natal chart, but first let me set the contextual stage, courtesy of Hand's book.
Hand places great significance on midpoints in the natal chart, offering the reader a number of reasons why they ought to be factored into chart analysis. As just one example:
"Midpoints give information that is more particular than aspects, signs, and houses can give. This is because there are so many midpoints: the domain of what each symbol signifies is smaller. Each symbol is thus much more clearly defined and limited. Midpoints are like planets, but with a more concentrated focus."
So far, so good. Later in this chapter (too brief for me), he demonstrates how to calculate Bob Dylan's midpoints -- sadly, not a word on interpretation.
Finally, he provides very useful and compelling criteria for honing in on the midpoints of greatest significance in a birth chart... I'm paraphrasing here:
- Midpoints involving Sun, Moon, MC and ASC.
- Midpoints that conjunct a single "factor" [i.e. a planet or angle]. Says Hand: "One neglects them at one's peril: if you use no other type of midpoint, use these." (Well, at least we know how he feels about midpoints!
) - Midpoints of single points that also happen to be in aspect to each other are more intense and sensitive than those where the two single points are not in aspect. That makes good, intuitive sense.
Okay, I'm enlightened. I'm totally on board with midpoints. I rush to my chart and apply all Hand has taught me... I see a couple of midpoint configurations and their meaning perplexes me. I have a gnawing suspicion that they are likely to be "exotic" (or why else would Hand not have treated such a pattern in his over-350-page book?) From a purely statistical perspective, I can't imagine that this pattern should be frequent, but I could be wrong. Yet I'm hoping someone who reads this post has some interpretive experience in the matter.
My chart displays a few "linkages" of points and midpoints. One reason why I never noticed this is that my chart sports a Kite, whose planets form an infintely looping dispositor chain, the meaning of which has been diverting my attention. But I digress...
Enough background. Here are there are two groups of facts that I can't make interpretive sense of:
LINKAGE GROUP #1
-> Venus (ARI) semisquares Sun (GEM). Their midpoint conjuncts the Ascendant (TAU). It seems significant that my ascendant's ruler is Venus.
--> Ascendant (TAU) semisquares Mercury (CAN). Midpoint conjuncts Sun (GEM). Note that my sun sign's ruler is Mercury.
---> Ascendant squares Uranus (LEO). Midpoint conjuncts Mercury (CAN).
I put the aspects in italics to refer to Hand's third criterion (above), while "conjuncts" is in bold in reference to Hand's second criterion, above. (For these midpoint conjunctions, I'm using a fairly conservative orb of less than 1.5 degrees.) ...So these must be pretty significant in Hand's book (literally and figuratively!). But what Hand does not discuss is the meaning of points and midpoints that form such chains.
So... I feel like I've cracked some sort of puzzle only half-way. having laid the objective, left-brain groundwork of pattern-recognition. Now all's I need is for some talented, firecracker astrologer out there in our studio audience to throw me a bone or two or three regarding the interpretation. What does this mean? Any ideas? And just where IS Robert Hand when you need him?
Here's another group of linked points/midpoints in my chart.
LINKAGE GROUP #2 ( -- not as robust as group #1, above, but still noteworthy)
-> The midpoint of Neptune and Ascendant conjuncts Mars.
-> The midpoint of Mars and Mid-heaven conjuncts Neptune.
Hand's criterion #3 doesn't apply to this group since NEP / ASC are not in aspect, nor are MAR / MC. However, Mars squares Neptune and Neptune squares MC. So there's some kind of "soft" linkage going on here.
I look forward to learning something about the Art of Astrological Interpretation from your responses...and many thanks in advance.
-- James
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