RIP Terry Jones 1/2/1942 > 21/1/2020 … British film director, writer, medieval historian, comic performer and Monty Python co-founder. Aquarian genius at its height. Behold Terry, as Mary, mother of Brian …
Pre-Birth Lunation Chart (Part 1)
Here’s another short trek around the meaning of the astrological New Moon before birth. The late Terry Jones has kindly provided us with one of particular interest for a bunch of reasons, as you may see (below). As usual, some Rudhyar theory as preamble …
“Every human being could be said to drink of the stream of life of which the New Moon before his or her birth was the source.”[Note 1]
“From this already begun lunation cycle the newborn draws his or her vital energies … any astrological factor which occurred before birth tends to represent something deeply rooted in the past. We may think of ‘the past’ as the ancestral, racial and cultural past of an individual; or else we may think of the past as the karma of a reincarnating soul or spiritual entity. In either case, what is of the past always tends to have a somewhat compulsive character. It operates in the unconscious; it surges, often unexpectedly and startlingly, out of our psychic depths.”[Note 2]
“The Sabian Symbol for the degree of the New Moon before birth provides a significant clue to the tone and direction of the life.”[Note 3]
– – – o O o – – –
So, by Leyla and Dane Rudhyars’ account the New Moon before birth is thus the apt starting point for analysis of a person’s Progressed horoscope. It’s like a ‘wave’ upon which a soul incarnates .
In Terry Jone’s case we see the pre-birth New Moon occurring at 26°10’ Capricorn in the natal 11th House, Trine to natal Uranus Rising. Its Sabian Symbol …
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Capricorn 27° : “Pilgrims climbing the steep steps leading to a mountain shrine.”[Note 4]
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
For a potent significator like a Pre-Birth Lunation Rudhyar cautions against trying to understand the symbol in isolation. Rather, he says, we should look to the five-fold sequence in which the symbol belongs for clarification about the nature of that karmic ‘wave’ the person rides upon. In this case he recommends analysis of the five symbols spanning Capricorn 26° to 30° inclusive …
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Capricorn 26° … “A nature spirit dancing in the iridescent mist of a waterfall.” (Keyword : Occult Energy)
Capricorn 27° … “Pilgrims climbing the steep steps leading to a mountain shrine.” (Keyword : Upreaching)
Capricorn 28° … “A large aviary.” (Keyword : Clairaudience)
Noel Tyl • Natal Chart 31 December 1936, 3:57 PM EST, 39N58 • 75W36 Source : www.astrotheme.com/astrology/Noel_Tyl Accuracy : Rodden A • Cusps : Campanus
RIP Noel Tyl … 31/12/1936 > 31/12/2018
One of the best ‘psych’ delineators I ever read, so concise! This fella could phrase the neatest of profiles of just the Sun and Moon signs. Following, for example, would be his delineation for the 45th President of the United States (Donald Trump), written in 1978 …
“Gemini Sun – Sagittarius Moon. The nervous, intellectual thrust has trouble realizing the lofty, far-reaching philosophies. Gossip or idle chitchat can fill the gap. Talking about goals substitutes for the realization of them. A hard person to pin down. The mind works overtime and can run away into several directions at once unless anchored in concentration. Then, tremendous achievement is possible, from the academic to the spiritual.” *
Joy Adamson was a 20th century wildlife preservationist and naturalist. She wrote the widely acclaimed books ‘Born Free’ and its sequel ‘Forever Free’ in the 1960s [https://www.pbs.org/…/elsas-legacy-the-born-free…/6139/].
For this chart we have no birth-time hence no House system to consider. The most significant natal signature we have at our disposal is simply the Sun on the 30th degree of Capricorn, whose Sabian Symbol is …
Rudhyar says that from the natal solar degree we learn about the potential PURPOSE (destiny) of a person [‘Lunation Cycle’, p.40].
As we discovered from our study of Martin Luther King’s chart, the underlying meaning of this particular symbol involves potential membership of an intangible “inner government which has the power to guide the evolution of our planet and of mankind.”[‘Astrological Mandala’, p.248].
This then, is how Rudhyar urges us to appreciate Joy Adamson’s life work. Supposedly, like Dr King, Joy Adamson was a potential ‘player’ in world affairs, a possible ‘game changer’ in some or other field. However, since we have no birth time for her chart we can’t astrologically pinpoint what ‘field’ (i.e ‘House’) that might be.
In any case, does the biographic material support this extraordinary claim? You can determine that for yourself, if you wish, by reading one or more of the abridged biographies …
If you can see any Sign placements or Aspects that support or contradict the theme Rudhyar proposes for Joy’s solar degree, please do jump in with a comment!
From what I’ve read, I’m left with no doubt that the lady nailed the stated potential. Sure, she was a flawed human being like Dr King and the rest of us, but her seminal work in conservation and animal rights elevated the consciousness of billions and thereby changed the world. It continues to do so to this day. Her life story extended what I learnt from Martin Luther King’s chart too, especially in regard to this idea of an intangible ‘White Lodge’ of ‘world servers’ that Rudhyar rattles on about from time to time.
In the next part we’ll follow Joy’s journey into Africa through the symbolism revealed by her Progressed Lunation Cycles. It’s a great tale. By the time the Progressed charts reached 1960 and her relationship with Elsa the lioness I was reaching for smelling salts. You will too – the astrological symbolism there is as stunning as our featured musician today : the wonderful Sona Jobarteh from Gambia …
“No astrologer – and as well no psychoanalyst – can interpret a life and destiny at a level higherthan that at which he himself functions.”[Dane Rudhyar, ‘Astrology of Personality’, p.217]
Indeed. That of course means I’m well out of my depth here with the chart of this awesome human being. But I’ll attempt it anyway because Rudhyar has left some wonderful tools to help us bridge levels. Fortunately too, we have a wealth of biographical material to work with, and (tragically) a short lifespan to look at, which in a way makes researching this incredible life a little easier.
Here’s some links to biographical sources used in this study …
OK, let’s walk awhile in this man’s shoes. There’s three avenues to explore if we’re to gain a basic understanding of his journey :
(1) The Person (Moon);
(2) The Destiny (Sun); and
(3) His Method or ‘Modus Operandi’ (The Lunation Type) …
THE PERSON
Pisces Moon, 11th House. So, what’s a fair statement about an 11th House Pisces Moon lad? How about, “an impressionable boy with deeply conditioned spiritual values, a love of music, and a strong sense of community.” Or, as Paul Simon sang it …
“I’m a consecrated boy, singer in a Sunday choir …”
There’s one fine aspect to keep our eye on here as well : Moon Conjunct Venus. And two scary ones which we’ll let the biographic material explain : Moon Square Saturn; and Moon Square Mars.
The Biographical Facts
• born into a stern religious family, his father a Baptist minister who regularly whipped him until he was 15 (Moon Square Mars). A mention in the Wikipedia material says, “a neighbour reported hearing the elder King telling his son “he would make something of him even if he had to beat him to death” (strangely prophetic);
• sang in a church choir with his mother, with whom he was especially close (Moon Conjunct Venus);
• impressed by his father’s proud and fearless protests against segregation (Sun Conjunct Midheaven?);
• as an adolescent suffered depression (Moon Square Saturn) and anger (Moon Square Mars) because of “racial humiliation” – also because his father brutalised him (Mars Opposite Saturn);
• apparent public-speaking ability and high intelligence at school (10th House Aquarian Mercury?)
THE DESTINY
26° Capricorn Sun, 9th House. Rudhyar says that from the natal solar degree we learn about the potential purpose (destiny) of a person [‘Lunation Cycle’, p.40]; while the House in which that degree falls shows us the area of life most likely to be involved in actualising that purpose [‘Astrological Houses’, p.178]. For Dr King we have the Sun on the 26th degree of Capricorn in the 9th House, as a Sabian Symbol …
This is a hard symbol to interpret without reference to the 5-fold sequence in which it belongs : Capricorn 26°-30°. Rudhyar says this sequence refers to potential membership of an invisible “inner government which has the power to guide the evolution of our planet and of mankind.” [‘strological Mandala’, p.248]. Members of this unseen government include what he calls the ‘nature spirits’ (Capricorn 26°), ‘sages’ (27°), ‘clairaudients’ (28°), ‘clairvoyants’ (29°), and ‘committee members’ (30°). According to Rudhyar, Dr King’s particular role as a ‘nature spirit’ involves “a deep intuition of super-physical forces” that are somehow related to the processes of the “world soul” and the “alchemaic element Water”. Hard to interpret, non? Anyway, at his highest level, Dr King supposedly, symbolically, “dances in the iridescent mist” of this phenomena.
I take this to mean, initially, his awareness of the power of COLLECTIVE SENTIMENT (‘water’ as a symbol), and later his mastery and manipulation of this element in order to foster change in social and political values – locally at first, and later nationally. The area of expertise (i.e natal ‘House’) he developed to express this ‘dance’ was theoretically the Ninth House, that is, the realm of ‘higher thought’ and all of its institutions (religion, ethics, law, philosophy and mass media).
The Biographical Facts
I don’t think anyone will doubt that abundant biographical evidence exists to support the view that Dr King masterfully manipulated ‘collective sentiment’ to bring about positive evolutionary change within his nation; and that his mission was focused through Ninth House institutions : religion, ethics, law, philosophy and mass media. By midlife he was a Doctor of Philosophy, an ordained Minister, and a mass media celebrity of the highest order : Time Magazine Person-of-the-Year; Nobel Prize Winner, and an artful public speaker before audiences of 200,000+.
THE MODUS OPERANDI
Crescent Moon Type. Rudhyar says a person’s ‘Lunation Type’ explains HOW they go about delivering on the purpose revealed by the sun’s zodiacal degree [‘Lunation Cycle’, p.40]. In Dr King’s case the natal chart shows a ‘Crescent Moon’ type which in theory describes a modus operandi conspicuous for …
• a self-assertive and determined approach to the purpose;
• a challenging of all traditions that inhibit the purpose; and
• efforts to bring a personal dream or vision ‘down to earth’.
The Biographical Facts
Again, the biographical material provides plenty of evidence that confirms the ‘Crescent Moon’ style that Dr King applied to his work, with its determination, revolutionary approach to static social values, and tireless effort to bring a dream ‘down to earth’ (so wonderfully demonstrated by Dr King in his 1963 speech, ‘I Have A Dream’ …
OK, that’s my attempt to summarize the ‘bare bones’ of this horoscope : person, destiny, and modus operandi. I hope Rudhyar’s methods have helped do it justice. We might wrap this brief analysis with one final consideration : that both Sun & Moon appear above the chart’s horizon. Rudhyar says this layout shows
“… a main focus of the life IN THE OUTER WORLD [where] both the essential purpose and the character of the individual are polarized by racial, cultural, social ideals or collective spiritual values.” [Rudhyar, ‘The Practice of Astrology’ (1978), p.54]. Again, the biographical material does seem to confirm the astrological statement.
In the next part of this study we’ll have a look at the pattern of Dr King’s progressed ‘Lunation Cycles’ to see how the given destiny was planned to unfold and whether the biography confirms that personal history. In the meantime, I’ll leave you with a little song about … a consummated man who snatched a little purity …
Only a ‘noon’ chart to work with as we have no known birth-time. But as always, Rudhyar offers pointers to gaining some basic insights into the individual’s character and destiny. These include (1) the Lunation Type, and (2) the Sabian Symbol for the natal Sun.
• ‘Gibbous’ Lunation type …
“They desire to contribute value and meaning to their society, their culture, or in general to ‘life’. They ask repeatedly ‘Why?’; they work toward a clarification of personal or social-cultural issues, with some kind of – to them – important goal in view.” [Dane Rudhyar, ‘The Lunation Cycle’, 1971, p.52]
• With the midday Sun at 22°05’ Taurus …
Well, we probably shouldn’t speculate on a single degree symbol here as this could easily fall to either Taurus 22° or 23°. We have no way of knowing which. About all we can do is look to the five-stage sequence in which the natal Sun falls i.e Taurus 21° to Taurus 25°. This hints of a life that begins with “a state of subservience to collective values” (Taurus 21°] and – at best – ends with “a feeling of belonging to a large, organised, peaceful whole.” (Taurus 25°) [Dane Rudhyar, ‘An Astrological Mandala’, 1974, pp.83-86].
That’s about all I’d dare venture with a ‘noon’ chart at this point. There’s no doubt more information we could add based on given Signs and degree symbols for the planets and perhaps lunar nodes … but to be honest I’m not all that confident about doing so for fear of over-complicating the reasonably ‘tight’ precis we get from the Lunation Type and Sun symbol alone. By all means though, if you feel can add something, please do so! My own words here are really little more than ‘conversation starters’.
OK, so, does Mrs Lam’s biography confirm or contradict the two broad themes described by the Lunation Type and Sun Symbol? Discounting Hong Kongs’ present strife (which is likely an issue belonging to Mrs Lam’s progressed charts), it seems to me a biography that at least doesn’t contradict those natal portents. Have a look for yourself if you like and see if you think Rudhyar’s on track or not with this broad over-view of Mrs Lam’s character and destiny … https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrie_Lam
One thing in her biography did puzzle me though, this factoid …
“During her tenure, she earned the nickname ‘tough fighter’ …”
I can see this in her face (the photo), but I just don’t see it anywhere in the birth-chart ?? Can you ? Perhaps it’s something that experience was destined to draw out of her ? If so, once again it may prove the progressed charts that reveal when and why this streak emerges.
I’ll present these progressed charts (called ‘Lunation Charts’) one-a-day over the next few pages (so as not to overload y’all with a mass of text in a single post). How’s that sound to you ?
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Welcome to WordPress! This is a sample post. Edit or delete it to take the first step in your blogging journey. To add more content here, click the small plus icon at the top left corner. There, you will find an existing selection of WordPress blocks and patterns, something to suit your every need for content creation. And don’t forget to check out the List View: click the icon a few spots to the right of the plus icon and you’ll get a tidy, easy-to-view list of the blocks and patterns in your post.
Welcome to WordPress! This is a sample post. Edit or delete it to take the first step in your blogging journey. To add more content here, click the small plus icon at the top left corner. There, you will find an existing selection of WordPress blocks and patterns, something to suit your every need for content creation. And don’t forget to check out the List View: click the icon a few spots to the right of the plus icon and you’ll get a tidy, easy-to-view list of the blocks and patterns in your post.
Welcome to WordPress! This is a sample post. Edit or delete it to take the first step in your blogging journey. To add more content here, click the small plus icon at the top left corner. There, you will find an existing selection of WordPress blocks and patterns, something to suit your every need for content creation. And don’t forget to check out the List View: click the icon a few spots to the right of the plus icon and you’ll get a tidy, easy-to-view list of the blocks and patterns in your post.
Welcome to WordPress! This is a sample post. Edit or delete it to take the first step in your blogging journey. To add more content here, click the small plus icon at the top left corner. There, you will find an existing selection of WordPress blocks and patterns, something to suit your every need for content creation. And don’t forget to check out the List View: click the icon a few spots to the right of the plus icon and you’ll get a tidy, easy-to-view list of the blocks and patterns in your post.
Quest for the Real Astrology 