Category Archives: Fire

Solar Revolution – Vernal Equinox

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sun-heaven

Drawing a chart for 0°Aries is an ancient tradition. This is the astrological New Year and the chart is representative of who is the Lord of the Year and what we can expect the year to bring.

This chart is cast for Pacific Daylight Time (+7). This means that it most specifically applies to the Yukon, North to the Arctic and South to the Baja Peninsula. It also includes Haida Gwaii

The Eastern boundary is roughly marked by the Rocky Mountains  It covers several major cities including Vancouver, Victoria, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and Los Angeles. The Coastal Range and the Olympian Range of mountains are within this zone, as are fault lines of various threat levels.wtzmap006

It’s being calculated from Victoria, the Capital City of British Columbia, Canada. Most of what I have to say will be most pronounced for this location. The specifics of the chart are as follows 20 March 2013 @ 04:21:55 am. 48 North 25 – 123 W

First of all, I’m using Whole Sign Houses and referring to the same chart in Porphyry to measure relative strength.

The chart is for the Day and Hour of Mars, with Mars Direct and  in his Domicile.

Mars is the chart Almuten. The Sun is the Lord of the Year and in his exaltation Mars disposits the Sun and Saturn, the latter being the Lord of the Ascendant..

There is a remarkably strong Martian signature, not all of which is obvious at first glance. They even share Face, so Mars and Sun will never be too far from each other with regard to intent.123421

Some will argue that Mars is Under the Beams and therefore massively weakened at best. My view on this point is that ignoring the relatedness of Sun and Mars would be careless and ultimately misleading. I believe most seasoned astrologers would agree. When valid considerations become unquestioned dogma, they can often lose their original intent and cause unnecessary oversights.

This is a Night Chart, so Mars is in Sect and applying to the Ascendant. In this case at least, we have two hot masculine planets, both dry.

One is exaltation of the other, which in turn provides the domicile of the second. Of course they will act together.

The Part of Mars is in the Second Whole Sign House. Rhetorius tell us that “The Lot of Mars or Boldness is indicative of rashness and treachery and strength and every form of villainy” (Rhetorius p. 26). He is disposited by Saturn and doesn’t do well in the Second House. . Economic growth is curtailed. There will be water shortages and food costs will increase accordingly.

The Lot of Saturn is also called retribution. Here we find him in the Opposite topos as the Ascendant. Although less than ideal, I can’t see this amounting to much harm in and of itself because its nature is the same as the Ascendant..

Luna is in her own Domicile, separating from a Square to Mars and would transfer light to Saturn via an applying Trine to Scorpio.

There is a problem here because Saturn is Retrograde,  in the disposition of Mars and Lord of the Ascendant. Saturn and the Moon have no reception. However it’s important to note that Luna is Parallel Arcturus, a significant Fixed Star of the nature of Mars and Jupiter.porphai

What was a strong Cardinal presence in the chart, now has a Fixed Martial Saturn in the mix and in a Productive House. The Eleventh House is that of the Good Spirit. Saturn in this House is not good at all. First of all, it subverts the House of the Good Spirit and tends to make those we rely on hostile, usually when we least expect it

The Moon has also just departed from a Trine with Mercury in his Fall and departing from a Cardinal Square with the Part of Fortune. But she is also applying to an Exalted Venus in the Third House. Jupiter is Direct, but in his Detriment and in the Face of Mars. Porphyry houses place Jupiter in the Fifth, affording a bit more relative strength.

This is a bright spark in the horoscope, but Saturn ( Whole Sign) is Almuten of the Tenth House. All things considered this chart bodes well for women and particularly if they are in a position of authority. Venus exalted is in the Third House of the Goddess.

The Sixth House is Unfortunate and Jupiter is limited by all these considerations. It is Fortunate however that Venus is Exalted and Dispositing the Tenth House Part of Fortune.

Mars is Almuten of the Fourth and Eleventh House, while the Sun is Almuten of the Eighth House. Fomalhaut, the Mouth of the Fish is conjunct Mercury, being of his own nature as well as that of Venus. Jupiter is with the very powerful star, Aldebaran, the follower of the Pleiads.

Mars in Aries - From el-Tusi, Paradise of Submission

Mars in Aries – From el-Tusi, Paradise of Submission

This star is said to be of the nature of Mars. He is called the Eye of God and is also associated with blindness.  This latter combination makes for a prophetic or highly intuitive mind, even with Mercury in Pisces. The Stars really change the formula. Also, the Part of Jupiter is in  the Ninth House, lending more spiritual discernment to the overall picture.

There will be increased seismic activity, particularly during May and September, although a heightened threat is present throughout the year. I am not predicting  a major catastrophe for Vancouver or Victoria, although those on the West Coast of the Island should be vigilant. This heightened warning also applies to Haida Gwaii and the Coastal regions of the Olympia Range.

Spring will be relatively warm and damp. Weather will become progressively dry. As the year unfolds there will be excessive heat and some drought, at its worst in the South of California. When the Sun enters his own House in Leo, there will be droughts and more fires than usual, including forest and brush fires on a larger than average scale.

When the  Sun rises with Sirius we usually have the peak of extreme heat. According to writers like Rhetorius and Mashallah , the combination we have brings either war or conflicts. I see widespread social unrest but not a war that effects this time zone.

Twelve years have completed since the last Superior Conjunction of  May 2000. The Ascendant was in Leo @18°. Directing the Ascendant, we are starting a new cycle with the Ascendant progressing to Virgo..

The syzygy falls in the Third House @ 21 °24 Pisces. In the source chart it appears right on the MC. The Moon is the Hyleg.  Being reflective and turning inwards for answers will be a great skill to have this year

Fire Incarnate – The Choleric Humour

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OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA It seems to be very easy for people to forget the actual physical attributes of the elements and think of them as symbolic only. This is regrettably the case with some some students of astrology. It’s easy to say “I’m a Fire Sign” without thinking much about what Fire really is and how it relates and interacts with the other elements.

With this in mind I’ve put together a four part series on the elements in the hope of elucidating the physical characteristics and symbolic power of the Elements at the same time. There is no contradiction here. What is above is also below.

The element of Fire in Astrology is Initiated by Cardinal Aries. Zero degrees Aries marks the Spring Equinox and the transit of the Sun through the sign of its exaltation.

It’s the astrological New Year in the Northern Hemisphere and charts are drawn in order to divine the nature of the following twelve month cycle. This chart is also how we determine the Lord of the Year.

The Fire triplicity then moves to Leo – Fixed Fire – and Sagittarius common or mutable. The unfolding of this triplicity gives us a great deal of insight into the nature of Fire in astrology. Fixed Fire is Solar and Mutable is Jupiterean. The latter disseminates the essence of Fire.

The ingress of Aries is a time of renewed hope in the waxing Sun and the subsequent growth it produces – think of photosynthesis as well as long, warm days to nurture the crops.

Zoroastrian Chaharshanbe Suri

Zoroastrian Chaharshanbe Suri

Fire and Sun worship is ubiquitous. This should come as no surprise  because it satisfies two very basic human needs –  heat and light. The second of these has been raised to the level of divinity by virtually every spiritual teaching, even if be as metaphor for the inner light or light of God.

There are many, many fire festivals held at this time of year in a multitude of cultures.

Amongst the most ancient is the Zoroastrian Festival of Naruz or Chaharshanbe Suri. Fire worship and a Solar deity are central to Zoroastrianism.

The Hindu Festival of Colors, Holi, is among the greatest of ceremonies in the world, with many million ecstatic participants. The festival takes place in honour of a youth who escaped, without injury, from the clutches of a demoness named Holika after she lit him on fire.

The festival also marks the beginning of spring and is celebrated with bonfires, throwing colored powder and water on everyone

Perhaps just as ancient are the Rites of  Spring celebrated by the Celts in honour of the waxing Sun and renewed life. They were all Solar or Fire festivals and the theme of fertility is integral to them all. The Celts refer to the Vernal Equinox as Alban Eiler which translates as “Light of the Earth.” At this time, when the day is equal to the night and waxing , is a traditional time for sowing crops. Solstices and Equinoxes were powerful places places on the wheel. This time of balance between.the forces of day and night were highly auspicious events for the Druids

Festival of Holi - India

Festival of Holi – India

Let’s look at the element of Fire and it’s relationship to the other elements. Fire needs Earth for fuel and Air to sustain it. In the process of burning, water is usually released. So what do we mean when we say someone is “fiery”?

The traditional response would be to refer to the Choleric humour. But please keep in mind that the Sun sign gives very little information about humours. It is quite possible for a Solar Pisces to be more Choleric than a Sagittarius, although they are likely to express it differently. It’s unusual to find someone with only one humour active, so the art is to learn how the four of them interrelate, combine and repel.

Galen’s system gives us the bodily fluid Yellow bile, for choleric. The season is Summer. The primary organ of interest is the Spleen. The humour is warm & dry, the native often idealist However the Choleric Humour is easily angered and bad tempered. You will find that very often those who have a strong choleric Humour dominant tend to treat people like fuel. Fire is volatile. It is visible but has no fixed form. It can burn us as well as cook our food. 4_body_fluids

This is immediately recognized in the physical element of fire. When channeled properly it provides us with warmth and light. There is something about flames that fascinates us.

However, if it gets out of  control,, all Hell can break loose : the fire consuming everything in its path, feeding on Earth and sustained by Air. It repels water, but water can extinguish the flame if caught in time or in a massive enough measure.

Fire is a purifying, masculine energy. It is the source of strong will and energy, just as we temper steel in a forge. Fire creates and destroys. Learning to start and harness fire must have been the single most significant event for human beings.

If you can think of human interaction in these terms, imagining all the possibly combinations, interactions and repulsions, you will have a deeper understanding of Traditional astrology.

 

Alchemical Symbol for Fire

Alchemical Symbol for Fire