Astrological Forecasts

I am so thrilled to have received such an excellent question from a person who has given so much to the traditional astrology movement by his digging up the many ancient books of William Lilly and other’s, John Ballantrae who asked:

Dear Dorothy:

“That chart for the ship leaving the harbor can presumably be applied to anyone or anything beginning a journey in that  location, at that moment. However, car journeys didn’t end in disaster; buses leaving the depot at that time didn’t crash. Etc. How is this chart relevant or what is it about this chart that is valid for showing the outcome of the voyage? The approach reminds me of the charts set for when JFK jr.’s fatal flight took off – but it wasn’t the only flight that took off around that time and from that location that reached its destination safely.”

A brilliant question, indeed. How do we know that this is not just a random event?

Well, as Ptolemy sayeth:

“Since, then prognotication by astronomical means is divided into two great principal parts, and since the first and more universal is that which relates to whole races, countries and cities, which is called general, and the second more specific has to do with individual men….because matters are swayed by greater and more powerful causes than are particular events And since weaker natures always yield to the stronger…”

Ptolemy also tells us we should always look to the greater charts, i.e., Ingresses, New Moons, and Eclipses, because as smaller beings we are subject to the country we live in. I think had we looked into the charts of John his wife, and her sister at the time, we would have seen that each of their charts were in perilous situation, astrologically. In addition, had we looked to the Ingress chart set for the United States, we would have probably seen the tragedy there, as well, because the entire nation was deeply affected by that crash, even though other planes took off and landed safely at their destination. Perhaps, as time allows we can put up that chart, too.

But getting back to Ptolemy, you most likely recall that he suggests that each country in the world, has a natural sympathy, and that much of Europe responds to the fiery triangle of Aries, Leo and Sagittarius, and that Italy, specifically responds to the sign Leo itself. Therefore, whenever we look to any mundane chart associated with Italy, we should always take special care, to look specifically where the sign Leo is. And because the Sun rules Leo, we then look to where the Sun is located and what planets he is associated with and in aspect with. Armed with this information, the Spring Ingress chart set for 2011, will give us great clues as to what will happen in the coming year. Since we are talking about a Spring that took place some months back I am including here the illustration of the Spring Ingress set for Rome, the capital of Italy in 2011. I always use the capital, as that is the main city (except for USA, where I prefer New York ).

The first clue we have that there will be some event that has to do with travel and voyages (or religion) is that we see that Leo is on the cusp of the 9th house in Italy’s Spring Chart, has Leo on the cusp. This is neither good nor bad. However, where the Sun is placed is problematic for travel. This is because as you recall, William Lilly and several ancients were very clear in in warning that we do not wish to have ruler of the 9th in the 4th house when we have travel charts. After all, just as the 4th sector sits on the bottom of the circle, so too the 4th is symbolic with the bottom of the ocean, or ground. This is a warning to both planes and shipping, after all, who wants to wind up on the bottom of the sea?

In addition, the Sun is the natural ruler of heads of state, and in shipping the captain. When the Sun is placed in Aries, the ego is greatly enhanced. Sun in Aries, is also a sign of great masculinity (sign of Mars) and movement (cardinal fire). So we have aggressive shipping moves led by what might be a rather confident commander. Leaders in Italy in 2011 – to early 2012, will have a very dramatic flare, and obviously, think rather well of themselves (Sun in Exaltation), perhaps too well of themselves (conjunct Jupiter) and this ego may lead to their own demise (Sun in 4th), because not only is the Sun in the bottom of the chart, it is in opposition to the traditional planet who gives us the axe, Saturn! If that were not all, the head of the ship, and the heads of Italy in general, may be prone to making some rather erratic decisions, which might lead to accidents because modern astrologers will notice that the Sun also sits with the ever accidentally prone, Uranus!

But just like our ginzu knife sale, that’s not all! As you probably recall, the ancients said that the Moon was the natural ruler of travel, because of her many changes. Notice the Moon is in the 10th house of leaders (i.e., captains), and she is with the leaden Saturn…. all this does not spell well for journeys in the Italian national Spring chart. Add one part ugly Spring Ingress for travel, to one very unlucky launch and stir, and we have one very senseless catastrophe that could have been avoided, had the Costa Concordia’s Captain Schettino been a little less risk oriented.

Also worth noticing, it was not just Captain Schettino who got into trouble due to erratic actions. With Sun in the 4th conjoined to Uranus, this chart, also implies other leaders may lose their job. And well, as you know, but for some who don’t; not only did Captain Schettino stupidly run his ship aground killing many helpless people, but so did the long time president of Italy, former President Berlusconi!