To cast a natal chart, you need to know the date, time and place of the birth in question. The date tells you the position of the Sun. The time (along with the date) allows you to pinpoint the position of the Moon. The location (along with the date and time) will give you the primary angles — ascendant, descendant, mid-heaven and nadir.
The primary angles, in turn, set up the all-important houses, which function to individuate a natal chart. Because the angles change with location as well as with time, the place you were born is just as important as the date and time when it comes to your astrological identity.
You might accurately say the place of your birth will always be part of you, and you part of it. It is not a connection to be minimized. If you were (for example) to move to the other side of the International Dateline from where you were born, the birthday on your passport would not require changing.
It is thus worthy of note that the Democratic Party’s presidential convention is now taking place where the U.S. was born: Philadelphia, PA. That, and a couple pertinent events in the astrology this week, imply that a nation has come home to take care of some unfinished business — or not.
For astrologers, there are a handful of astrological events that take priority along with the date, time and place of an earthly occurrence. Eclipses are probably the most heavily weighted because of how important the Sun, Moon and lunar nodes are. After that, either ingresses (objects moving from one sign to another) or lunar phases (New, Full and quarter Moons) are considered to be nearly as big a deal. Finally, and often overlooked, come the starting and ending of retrogrades — called “stations,” for how the object in question is perceived stationary before changing directions.
Today, the Moon makes the astrological grade in two ways. After leaving Aries behind to enter its exaltation in Taurus shortly after 11:30 am EDT (15:27:23 UTC), the Moon will close to withing 90 degrees of separation from the Leo Sun. That happens just seconds before 7 pm EDT (22:59:37 UTC) to reach the lunar last quarter.
A last quarter Moon means it is one week before the end of the current lunar cycle, and the next New Moon. It is thus, at least, a time to take care of unfinished business started with the previous New Moon. Beyond that narrow definition, however, it is not unusual for any loose ends, dropped stitches or dreams deferred of longer standing to clamor for your attention with the advent of any given closing square from the Sun to the Moon.
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So it may be said to be now for the U.S. When a new nation was brought forth with the signing of The Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia some vital corners were conveniently cut.
First, the hallowed document itself contains a libelous reference to the original inhabitants of the continent who were given no voice and no choice regarding a wave of immigrants setting up a new country on their land.
Next, the subject of slavery was pointedly ignored. Finally, those who famously rallied around a slogan of no taxation without representation made no provisions for women to participate.
Now, all of those cut corners are coming home to roost where they hatched.
Furthermore, the planet that brought the subject of unfinished business into the world will be reaching its retrograde station on Friday just as the Democratic Party’s convention draws to a close. That would be Uranus.
Up until the unexpected discovery of Uranus in 1781 (between the end of the American Revolution and the beginning of the French Revolution), our solar system was a nice, neat known quantity for both astronomers and astrologers. In the minds of most brilliant people (with the exception of an occasional satirist like Voltaire or Swift) the cosmos had been nicely figured out. Uranus upset that neat little apple cart and the world has not been the same since — thank goodness.
For it is the loose ends that create possibilities. It is the unresolved and unfinished business that not only shows us where to improve, but constantly goads us to do and be something more, something better.
So it is that a party, and a nation, now gathers in Philadelphia. Not to preach a smug entitlement, confidently blind to hubris. Rather, to go about the messy business of cleaning up some originating errors and to begin anew in the most appropriate place to do so: where it all started. The astrology this week will support just such an effort. Whether and to what extent the potential implied by this week’s astrology is fulfilled is, as it always is, up to those who assume the mantle of responsibility for manifesting on Earth.
Offered In Service
Len:
Well its taken us a Pluto cycle to get here!
“Now, all of those cut corners are coming home to roost where they hatched.”
All I can say is BOOM!
Fe: With your “BOOM” and the UpToUs caravan demonstrating the loving principles of harmony through their actions, we appear to have a collaboration going with the music of the spheres. May it ring out and resonate from sea to shinning sea to form the inclusive collaboration the U.S.A. always had the potential to be – just as the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr envisioned from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial so long ago. Thank you, Fe for doing your valuable part to make sure the beat goes on.
How terribly clever you are Len; tying together the last quarter Moon along with the birthplace of the USA and transiting Uranus who is powerfully stationing now. Those small details, all part of the intricate plan of the Universe to awaken our species, can’t escape you and we are fortunate to have you keeping watch over the Cosmos.
Something to add to the Plan I believe; transiting retrograde Chiron at 24+ Pisces is trine the U.S. Sibly chart’s retrograde Mercury at 24+ Cancer, giving us the perfect time to address that unfinished business. And who is it that can motivate that discussion? Transiting stationing Uranus at 24+ Aries who squares (motivates) the U.S. Mercury, and transiting retrograde Pholus at 24+ Sagittarius who squares transiting Chiron!
I don’t know who will be speaking at tonight’s Democrat Convention at that moment when Moon squares Sun, perhaps the mothers of Trayvon Martin and Eric Garner, but something tells me whomever it is will fulfill the delicate task of noting those loose ends and cut corners of our Declaration of Independence yet to be tidied up. Betcha.
be
Barbara: You are much too kind as regards the worthiness of my small service here, but I do sincerely appreciate your support – it keeps me going as much as nearly anything else. Thank you once again for your cogent correlations with the U.S. natal (Sibly) chart. The aspects being wielded by transiting Chiron and Pholus may both fit into the “inconvenient benefic” category the late, great Al Morrison reserved for Chiron. So long as the ultimate good is the greater good, however, we can take the inconvenient part.
Love it, Len, Fe and Be. A Pluto cycle – a new measurement of time in the development of human potential. Interesting that Martin Luther was busy burning ‘Exsurge Domine’ during the previous Pluto transit of Capricorn.
Cut corners are, of course, pyramid-shaped, like the illustration on the dollar bill. It’s the economy, stupid. It’s stupid, the economy. If no-one accepts your dollar bill, it’s not worth the paper it’s printed on.
I’m reminded of a lyric by Al Stewart on his song ‘Nostradamus’ –
“Two great men yet brothers not make the north united stand
Its power be seen to grow, and fear possess the eastern lands.”
America and Russia unite against China?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lkxsy4TByzU
Geoff: Thank you for the pertinent (and rather deep) historical cross-reference. And for this old guy, a bit of Al Stewart is always welcome.
Feeling the rise of fem energy as Lady Liberty blazes…my nipples are hard just thinking about a vagina in da house with the best minds of our generation for an all hands on deck collaboration. Both Clintons, both Obamas, both Sanders, Bidens, Jill Stein, Pope Frank, etc., we are at the place and time of critical mass, chickadees! Can ya feel it?
Deborah: Well put. Given how Vesta (in Cancer), Juno (in Scorpio) and Pallas (in Pisces) are all hanging out near first degrees of their respective water signs the Divine Feminine seems to be rather powerful at the moment. Yes, I can feel it. May the power of this grand Goddess water trine flow in service for the greater good and not be abused – this I pray. Additionally, I pray that you will accept my humble thanks for your spirited comment here today.