Astrological Forecasts

Birth of Venus by Botticelli

APHORISMS concerning the positure of VENUS.

If Venus be Orientall, and in Essential dignities, and Jupiter in aspect with her, it Prenotes the Woman will be Master.

Venus in the 2nd, argues the Native marries his Wife for Wealth.

Venus in the 6th, the Native marries a Wife of servile or low condition, &c.

Venus in the 4th, in square or opposition to Moon in Aquarius, shewes the Wife to be light:  if she be in Cancer, it portends the Native will be much given to Lechery.

Venus in the 7th, the Native is long ere he marry, and will love Harlots.

Venus in the 11th, the Native will cohabit with a Woman having Children.

Venus in the 10th, the Native marries a gallant noble soule, if in aspect with Jupiter, the more noble.

Venus in the 1st with Saturn, especially if in his owne house, or else in the house of Venus, renders the Native a Wife that is either dishonest, aged, or a very poor, sneaking Wife.

Venus joyned to Mercury in the 4th, or else in Mercury his house, Saturn posited in the 10th, portend the Native will marry a sordid Woman, or of no Quality:  If she be at the same time in any aspect with Mars, she is strangely evill, and will be suspected of sorcery or poisons; in Cancer or Capricorn, it argues a Whore.

Moon in the 4th, and Venus with Saturn in the 9th, the Wife will have no Children, either by reason of age, or defect of nature.

Venus in conjunction with Saturn and Mars in the 6th, advise the Native to beware of Hornes.

Venus and Saturn in conjunction in the 7th, shewes the Native hath no faculty in, or is impotent to beget children.

Venus in conjunction with Saturn, Jupiter, Mercury, gives laborious Wives, good Hous-wives, Women affectionately loving their Husbands.

Mars with Venus denote the Wife full of spirit, movable, an ill Huswife, prodigall, and that the Native is or will be an Adventurer.

Saturn mixing his aspect with Venus, encreases licentiousnesse, filthinesse, immodesty.  Jupiter fairenesse, cleanlinesse, modesty.  Mercury varies many times for good or ill, as dignified or unfortunate.

[Riches of the wife.]

Of Riches attending the Wife, or accrewing by her portion, herein you must consider those Planets whom I have specified before, viz. who did behold the Moon by any good aspect, or were in conjunction with her; for if those Planets be benevolent, and essentially fortified, they declare a rich and wealthy Wife, well descended, &c. if they be malevolent Planets and ill dignified, they argue the contrary.

Wherein I must give you this generall caution, viz. that you consider the quality and birth of the Native, before you rashly pronounce a noble Wife, or one well descended, for let us admit I have a Beggars Nativity to calculate, and that he hath Jupiter in Sagittarius, free from all manner of impediment, to signifie the Wife he shall marry:  I shall then describe the person of Jupiter and his conditions, but I will not say she shall be noble or gloriously borne, but will frame this judgment, That he shall marry a Wife so qualified, &c.  But one well descended, as unto his condition viz. perhaps she may be the Daughter of some Tradesman or Farmer, &c. and this unto him and his Beggery, is as if she were noble borne, considering the difference betwixt a Beggar and a Farmer, and whereas being signified by Jupiter, she ought to be rich, &c. without a doubt a Wife so signified shall have some pretty Portion from her Parents or Friends, and shall reduce this poor man and beggar by this her Marriage, to a better kind of living or substance; for the Artist must not predict impossibilities, but to every one Quoad Capax, &c. but to our former purpose.

Generally, the Fortunes, or either of them in the 7th, especially if strong; argue a wealthy Wife, and well descended: malevolent Planets in that house denote much trouble; if they be potent, perhaps the Wife may be rich, but withall ill conditioned.

The Lord of the 7th in the 10th, or Lord of the 10th in the 7th, promises a good Wife.

Lord of the 2nd in the 7th, or Lord of the 7th in the 2nd, promises the same.

Lord of the 12th in the 7th, or Lord of the 7th in the 12th, Usually predicts a poore Wife, ill bred, and of obscure Parents.

Signes of a good Wife.

The happy aspects of Jupiter to Venus or Moon, with reception in Dignities equivalent, shew a wealthy Wife, and Marriage with a person of great Birth.

Lord of the 7th in the 7th, gives an honest simple wife.

Lord of the 7th in the 8th, if he be a Fortune, argues a rich Wife, and borne to have an Inheritance very ample.

Kingly fixed Stars of the first magnitude, neer the cusp of the 7th, if the cusp thereof be also fortunate, these testimonies argue a rich and good dispositioned Wife.

Signes of ill fortune by a Wife.

Malignant Planets in the 7th very strong, denotes Riches with a Wife, but not attainable without some scandall or trouble.

The Infortunes very imbecill in the 7th, notes Wives, or a Wife, very poore, of abject and sordid condition and birth.

The Lord of the 7th in the 6th or 12th, or on the contrary, the Lord of the 6th or 12th in the 7th, shewes the Wife to be either a servant or very poorly borne.

It’s not good for the Native that either Saturn or Mars be in the 7th, unlesse the Fortunes doe aspect them, and be not cadent from the house, for Saturn doth cause sorrow and travell in the matter of Marriage, and Mars doth shew their death and destruction before the Native.

Venus in square or opposition of Moon signifies prejudice by Marriage.

Venus in the 2nd, in an evill aspect of the malevolent Planets, declares detriment by reason of the Wife.

The Moon Lady of the 7th and posited in the 8th, decreasing in light, denies any great felicity in Marriage.

William Lilly

To The Student In ASTROLOGY

My friend, whoever thou art, that with so much ease shalt receive the benefit of my hard studies, and doth intend to proceed in this heavenly knowledge of the stars, wherein the great and admirable works of the invisible and alglorious God are so manifestly apparent.  In the first place, consider and admire thy Creator, and be thankful unto him, be thou humble, and let no natural knowledge, how profound and transcendent soever it be, elate thy minde to neglect that divine Providence, by whose all-seeing order and appointment, all things heavenly and earthly, have their constant motion, but the more thy knowledge is enlarged, the more do thou magnifie the power and wisdom of Almighty God, and strive to preseve thy self in his favour; being confident, the more holy thou art; and more neer to God, the purer Judgment thou shalt give.  Beware of pride and self-conceit, and remember how that long ago, no irrational Creature obey him, so long as he was Master of his own Reason and Passions, or until he subjected his Will to the unreasonable part.  But alas!  when iniquity abounded, and man gave the reins to his own affection, and deserted reason, then every Beast, Creature and outward harmful thing, became rebellious and unserviceable to his command.  Stand fast, oh man! to thy God, and assured Principles, then consider thy own nobleness, how all created things, both present and to come, were for thy sake created; nay, for thy sake God became Man:  thou art that Creature, who being conversant with Christ, liveth and reignest above the heavens, and sits above all power and authority.  How many Pre-eminences, Priviledges, Advantages hath God bestowed on thee?  thou rangest above the heavens by Contemplation, conceivest the motion and magnitude of the stars; thou talkest with Angels, yea with God himself; thou has all Creatures within thy Dominion, and keepest the Devils in subjection:  Do not then, for shame, deface thy Nature, or make thy self unworthy of such Gifts, or deprive thy self of that great Power, Glory and Blessedness God hath alotted thee, by casting from thee his fear, for possession of a few imperfect pleasures.  Having considered thy God, and what thy self art, during they being Gods servant; now receive instruction how in thy practice I would have thee carry thy self.  As thou daily conversest with the heavens, so instruct and form thy minde according to the image of Divinity; learn all the ornaments of Vertue, be sufficiently instructed therein; be humane, curteous, familiar to all, easie of access, afflict not the Miserable with terror of a harsh Judgment; in such cases, let them know their hard fate by degrees; direct them to call on God to divert his Judgments impending over them; be modest, conversant with the Learned, Civil, Sober man, covet not an cilate; give freely to the poor, both money and judgment:  let no worldly wealth procure an Erroneous Judgment from thee, or such as may dishonour the Art, or this divine Science:  Love good men, cherish those honest men that cordially Study this Art:  Be sparing in delivering Judgment against the Common-wealth thou livest in.   Give not judgment of the death of thy Prince; yet I know experimentally, that Reges Subjucent Legibus Stellarum. Marry a wife of thy own; rejoyce in the number of they friends, avoid law and controversie: in they Study, be Totus in Illis that thou maist be Singulus in Art; be not extravagant or desrious to learn every Science, be not Aliquid in Omnibus; be faithful, tenacious, betray no ones secrets, no, no I charge thee never divulge either friend or enemies trust committed to thy faith.  Instruct all men to Live well, be a good example thy self, avoid the fashion of the times, love thy own Native Country: exprobate no man, no not an enemy:  be not dismayed, if ill spoken of, Conscientia Mille Testes; God suffers no sin unpunished, no lye unrevenged.

B                                 WILLIAM LILLY.

Heads Up!

The Writer’s Astrological Almanac

by Kathy Watts

August 2012

Here we go into the sunny month of August, most of which has the Sun at home in the sign of Leo the Lion.  Shine on! We also start the month with a Full Moon in Aquarius.  It’s hard to get bigger and brighter than this! (continue reading…)

More rain for already soggy London?

Sue Miller has the answers!!

This weather report is based on the Opening Ceremony (see chart below)

Good luck to all athletes, and astrologers alike!

July 27, 2012
Some residual rain makes the start-up a bit moist.(Scorpio Moon square Midheaven)

July 28, 2012
Hot weather, probably just very warm for the London environment. (Leo Sun partile trine Sagittarius Ascendant)

July 30, 2012
Cooler days, take advantage of the short refresher. (Moon in First House, Ingress to Capricorn)

August 1, 2012
Hot. (Sun parallel Ascendant and Midheaven)

August 6 2012
Warm breezes help people feel cooler. (Mars in Libra semisquare Sagittarius
ascendant)

August 8, 2012
Heat wave continues. (Leo Sun parallel Midheaven and Ascendant)

August 11, 2012
Refreshing breezes save the day. (Gemini Moon conjunct Seventh House; Moon trine Libra Midheaven).

Heads Up!

The Writer’s Astrological Almanac

by Kathy Watts

July 2012

Welcome to summer at its highest. July starts on Sunday, the Sun’s day, with the Moon in fiery Sagittarius. As a bonus, we also start with a Moon Mercury trine. Make this a month to set your world on fire, in a good way! (continue reading…)

When Melody Hall opened  her door at 11:00 AM, Tuesday, the last thing she expected to see was the police.  Before she could invite them in, they asked her if her husband had any tattoos. Answering yes, they quietly asked her to have a seat. They then told her that her husband had been killed in an accident. Melody could not believe her ears. How could this be?  It is not unusual when hearing dreadful news for people to go into denial, before they accept the inevitable.  She understood the words but she just could not accept them. Perhaps, they were wrong. Is there a way to separate fact fact from fiction?

William Lilly developed a system to evaluate whether news was true or false. Maintaining a very successful astrological practice  during England’s arduous Civil War. As the fires moved closer,  Lilly often received dire news, of one side or the other overcoming nearby cities. A lot of these messages were nonsense. A practical Taurus, by nature, Lilly  got into the habit of noting each time, he heard such news. After examining many such charts, he noticed a distinct pattern.  The news proved true, when the luminaries  and planets were placed where they possessed certain qualities, and so placed, that they could withstand the test of time.

A Report Cambridge was taken by the King's Forces 11 April 1643

Most people know that signs are of 4 natures, fiery, earthy, airy and watery. They also have 3 distinct qualities, fixed, moveable, and mutable. The moveable (also known as cardinal signs) are, Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn. Like the first of them, Aries, these signs like to get things going, and as such, are  the fastest of the signs. Always on the go, when we hear a message, and see a great many moveable signs, in the chart, that the rumor will come and go rather quickly. In other words, the message will not be true.

Mutable, signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces) are dual in nature. The Gemini twins are two minds, Sagittarius is part man and part beast, and the two opposite swimming fish, of Pisces, are obvious, but the Virgin can seem out of place,  until you notice that she has wings (this is why she can be so grumpy, she belongs in heaven). Also called, double bodied, these signs start out one way, but tend to pull an ‘about face.’ Like the cheating spouse, mutables, want to be loyal, they really do, but they cannot. It’s just not their nature. And so, where we see a chart loaded with mutables the news will prove false.

For the news to be true, Lilly suggests that we find a predominance of fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius) in the chart.  There is a dogged determination to these signs.  When faced with opposition, these signs do not buckle under or give up. They have the wherewithal to keep on keeping on, when the going gets rough. Possessing a strong dose of mega strength, fixed signs,  stubbornly stick to their original agenda, often to the bitter end. Never knowing when to say ‘when, can cause trouble to fixed people, but when it comes to news, fixity = truth.

im-sorry-your-husband-is-dead-larger-image2

The chart, above is the time that Melody received the news. “First I would consider the angles.”  Starting with the fiery, Leo ascendant, all four angles are fixed. Fixed signs on angles act like anchors, to the chart. They can be likened to a house built on a rock solid foundation. In this case, it is a cause to lament, because it infers that she is no longer a wife, but now a widow.  However, there is a glimmer of hope, because we have to examine the ruler, too. And in this case, we find the Sun is placed in double bodied sign, Gemini. The twins are often depicted with one laughing, while the other cries.  Maybe there is more to come.  Wherever we see Gemini, we should look at its boss, Mercury. Sadly, Mercury is strong, at home, in it’s own sign, Gemini.

Lilly said that “Ill rumors shall vanish to nothing, and shall be converted to good; if the Lord of the Ascendant be under the beams or combust.” Combustion is the worst condition a planet can be in. Like Icarus, whatever gets too close, is swallowed up in his fiery force. With Leo rising, and Sun the ‘star’ of this chart, this is impossible.  However, if we shift our focus to the 3rd, the house of the news, we see Venus,  ‘star’ of the 3rd,is so close to the deadly  Sun, that she has been burnt to a crisp! This is very positive news, because not only does this burnt out Venus rule the message, it also rules the messenger! With Taurus on the 10th, Venus rules the police!!  Perhaps, just perhaps, the police were wrong.

The Moon is the most important parts of the chart, because being the quickest in the map, she makes happen. Lilly said that it was important to keep a close eye on the Moon, and the planet to whom the Moon applies. “Ill rumors shall vanish to nothing, and shall be converted to good;  Here we see the Moon in a moveable sign, but also heading towards the deadly modern planet, Pluto.

Saturn rules time.

Placed in the news house, the ringed planet casts a shadow on the message. As details of the deadly 1:a.m., crash emerged, Melody grew suspicious.  “As soon as he said that, I knew something was wrong. I had seen my husband at 7:00 a.m.” she said.

“It was instant disbelief because it’s the worst thing anybody can say to you – that your husband has been killed, this morning.” She then got up and took the officers to the garage.

“Sure enough, the door to our shed was open, and the lock was missing off of it.” Her husband’s motorcycle and helmet were no where to be seen.

Piecing the puzzle, together, a neighbor decided to go for a midnight joy ride, stealing the bike as the couple slept, running headlong to his end. Evidence of the theft is shown by Uranus exactly opposite the 3rd cusp, and at the same time, the activity ruler, the Moon applies by square.

“Police determined the motorcycle had been stolen, and the thief — whom police have not yet named, but Halls said was a neighbor — died in the accident. ‘ “Although efforts were made to identify the victim of the collision based on the information available at the time, the Medicine Hat Police Service sincerely apologizes for the distress that was caused to the family of the motorcycle owner, when they were incorrectly notified,” ‘ Medicine Hat Police Service Deputy Chief Richard Wigle said in a news release.” more info http://abcnews.go.com/US/police-wrong-family-motorcycle-death/story?id=16511897

June 5, 2012  *   The Transit of Venus

by Kathy Watts

When you stargaze in the daytime, you can see only one star — the Sun.  On June 5, 2012, though, you can see something extra special.  You can watch the planet Venus move between the Earth and the Sun as it drifts right across the face of our star.

Transits of Venus only happen when the orbits of the Earth and Venus are lined up exactly right. The orbit of Venus has to cross the ecliptic (the Sun’s path in the sky) and Venus must be exactly between the Sun and Earth (astronomers call this an inferior conjunction) at exactly the same time.

Since the disk of Venus is only 1/30th the size of the disk of the Sun, the planet doesn’t cover much. It looks like a large perfectly round sunspot drifting from one side of the Sun to the other. Basically, Venus is creating an annular eclipse of the Sun. It’s still exciting to actually see it happen.

These transits occur very rarely. Two transits will happen within eight years, then the next two transits won’t happen for another 100-plus years.  After this 2012 transit, it won’t happen again until December 11, 2117.

In 1769, Captain James Cook sailed to Tahiti in the HMS Endeavour to observe the transit of Venus.  People all over the world observed and carefully timed this transit. From their observations, the distance from the Sun to the Earth was first accurately calculated, giving us the real scale of the whole solar system. The distance from Sun to Earth is a very important number, with its own name, the astronomical unit (AU).

Only the inner planets Mercury and Venus can transit the Sun, as seen from Earth.  If we were on Saturn, then Earth, Mars, and Jupiter would be able to transit the Sun, too.

Here in the East Bay, Venus will first touch the limb of the Sun at 3:06 pm. The Sun will set before Venus comes out the other side. Of all the United States, only Alaska and Hawaii will get to see the entire event.

To watch the transit of Venus, you need a safe way to look directly at the Sun. Filtered glasses (not ordinary sunglasses) or a projection screen can work.  Check out Sunearthday.nasa.gov, or Transitofvenus.org, or even SkyandTelescope.com for observing tips on what you need to protect your eyes.

Easier maybe, you can go to UC Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science. In the plaza they will have a full display and you can watch the whole thing.

Or, easier still, there’s going to be live webcast from the Mauna Kea Observatory atop the Mauna Kea volcano in Hawaii. Aloha, Venus!*

*We wish to thank Ella Levine, and the very generous people at http://firecrackerweekly.com for allowing us to reproduce Kathy Watts’ brilliant work on this very, rare astronomical event! Thank you!!

Heads Up!

The Writer’s Astrological Almanac

by Kathy Watts

June 2012

Spring is turning into Summer! We start June on Friday (the day of the week for Venus) with the Moon entering the sign of Scorpio. Take people seriously, especially friends and loved ones,  this month. Work on relationships, and then let them help you. Midday, Mercury conjuncts Venus retrograde at 17Gem. Let your words (written, spoken or even just thought) come from the heart.  (continue reading…)

Sign Aphorisms by Nicholas Culpepper 1647

Under Aries are born men of thick hair, white or yellowish, curling long visage, crooked nose, hazel eyes, little ears, short legs, little feet, the first 15 degrees gives a more gross body then the later.

Under Taurus are men of a short and thick stature, big broad men, high forehead, wide nose, great mouth, fat short neck, dark ruddy colour, short arms and thick black hair, big buttocks, short legs slow to move but once angered never pleased again.

Gemini gives a delicate, straight, well composed and well set body, good colour, bright clear eyes, good sight, and piercing; long arms and long hands and feet, large brest, brown hair, good wit, fluent tongue, and apt discourse, yet a man of no great fidelity.

Cancer gives but a short stature; yet the later 15 degrees gives a more full body than the former: you know one sprat may be something bigger than another: the upper parts of the body more thick than the lower: disorder in the teeth, little eyes, blackish hair, a low whinning voice.

Leo a rising gives great head and eyes quick sight, a large lusty strong body; full of metal, courageous, stouthearted, thick broad shoulders; yellowish or flaxen hair; a big great voice, resolute spirit, aspiring brain, of generous, free hearted and courteous disposition.

Virgo arising at a nativity, gives a spare body, yet well composed; a mean stature, lovely brown complexion, great eyes, thick black hair, subtle wit, no great fidelity, aiming at self ends.

Scorpio gives but a short stature, yet a big limbed, full and well set body, strong and active; willful, malicious, false, and deceitful; sad brown hair, dark sallow complexion, short neck; quick in motion of body, but reserved thoughts

Twere pity to have missed Libra, the comeliest of person, and uprightest in condition of all the zodiack.

Libra gives a delicate, comely, straight body; a round, fair and well favored face, hair for the most part flaxen or light brown, but sometimes black; a cheerful well sp ken creature: red lips, cherry cheeks, a tall slender body, courteous, impartial, just and upright in all their dealings.

Under Sagittarius are born strait, well proportioned bodies, strong and well set; of a loving cheerful contenance, high color, oval visage, good horsemen, and great shooters; stout hearted brown hair, and quickly bald.

Capricorn gives a very slender, weakly, many dry and [?] in the face and thin black hair and exceeding thick [?] Oblique or pale of beard [?] [?] [?] middle about the brests; long necked, and disproported body, witty, cholerick, and abdiad ?

Under Aquarius are born men of a middle stature, well shaped, clear skin, fair heritage [?], yet more lovely than beautiful, or curious, yet a handsome comely [?] body, a whitish -bright hair, and sometimes yellow.

Pisces gives a short, ill composed body, yet a good face of clear complexion and color; thick shoulders, brown hair, fat and plump in all parts, an idle body else no way hurtful. (continue reading…)

As is fitting for a month on the crest of high spring, this May is classic in its energy, growth, vivaciousness, and colorful glory. You may prefer to work on more serious subjects or even on things nearly engulfed in shadow, and if so you’ll find plenty of help from the sky to do that, too. Take a firm grip on your dreams and plans, and bring at least a small part of one of them to brilliant life. Everything wants to live and grow. That includes you and your work. Let the sun shine on your efforts. Bask in the luxury of doing something that you love.  Heads Up!

(continue reading…)