Algebra of the Soul

Jim Bakker’s chart is an example of how the essential dignities appear more straightforward in the sidereal zodiac. The Ascendant is in Aquarius with Saturn fallen in Aries in the 3rd House of communications in opposition to the 9th House of religion where it can function as an exalted Saturn and Bakker became a religious (9th) leader (Saturn).  His religious education is also partly shown by Venus, ruler of the 9th (religion, higher education) also ruling the 4th (academic degree). Saturn is conjunct the South Node which, according to James Braha,  “can ruin significations in an uncommonly awful and devious way”. Any conjunct planet is “terribly spoiled, as are the houses it rules”.  As Saturn is the Asc ruler, the life gets spoiled.

The North Node signifies worldly desires, it is in the 9th of religion and aspected by the fallen Saturn; a good Saturn would make the native somewhat of an asectic and leaning towards non-attachment to material goods, the fallen Saturn leans the other way, he has a strong desire for worldy goods and it is largely this desire which contributes to bringing him down.

The 9th is ruled by Venus who is posited in the 12th in Capricorn. His religious (9th) partnerships (Libra) and desire for worldly goods (NN) involve him with women and money (Venus) and lead him to prison (12th); however, he gets out as Venus is disposited by Saturn in the 3rd.  He went to jail on counts of fraud (Neptune, fraud, with the Moon, ruler of 6th of litigation in opposition to the 2nd), the charges were triggered after a scandal concerning an alleged rape (Venus opp Pluto) broke but he ended up with a drastically reduced sentence and is once again broadcasting (3rd) his ministry.

The chart is also fairly clear in showing how he earns his money. Mars in the 2nd (wealth) rules the 10th (career) and 3rd (communication) so “wealth (2nd) from public (10th) communications (3rd)”.  And these communications are aggressively (Mars) religious (Jupiter). The 2nd also rules speech and that aspect is emphasized by Mars, ruler of the 3rd of communications, in the house of speech.

That the money comes from the public is shown by Jupiter ruling the 11th (unearned money) and Moon (public) in 8th (other’s money) in opposition to Mars/Jupiter. That his wife helped him in obtaining the money is shown by Sun, ruler of the 7th (spouse) in the 11th. The large volume of money is shown by Jupiter (wealth) in domicile (strong). That he retains this wealth is shown by Jupiter ruling the 2nd in domicile in the 2nd; it does not escape.

Much of the above can be picked out using the tropical zodiac; however, what is lost is the strong connections with the 3rd / 9th axis (religious communication, worldly desires in a religious context)  and his being released from prison to once again pursue his religious broadcasting since Saturn and the nodes fall across the 2nd/8th axis. You can still see that his spouse is involved in his career as Virgo is on the 7th with Mercury in the 10th but you lose the star quality that Tammy Fay had and how good she was at bringing in the money.

His problems started on December 6th, 1980, when he allegedly raped Jessica Hahn, during a Saturn/Saturn Dasa/Bhukti, but the incident did not become public (Venus hidden in the 12th) until 1987 during a Saturn/South Node period. And on May 27, 1987, the exact date he moved into a Saturn/Venus period, he appeared on Nightline to deny the rape and allegations that he was a homosexual; he was convicted and imprisoned during this same period and later paroled on July 1, 1994 under Saturn/Jupiter. In June, 2003, under Mercury/Venus he returned to television broadcasting.

A month or two back I was introduced to Vedic Astrology through Richard Houck’s The Astrology of Death, a fascinating book. I moved on to read his Digital Astrology which led to me searching the web and AstroAmerica.com for further books on Vedic astrology. The subject is wide and deep and my first impression of it was “Wow, this is the Arabs on steroids!”.  If you’ve spent any time grumbling over the calculation of planet dignities and almutens using the Medieval/Arabic methods hold on to your hats as there is an absolute explosion of Vedic techniques for measuring every facet of planet, house, sign and chart strength and not only for the radix but for a multiplicity of derived charts as well.

If you’ve only studied modern astrology you may be surprised to discover that harmonic charts are nothing new, nor are planetary patterns in the signs and houses. Think Vedic astrology doesn’t use aspects? Think again. Think they have no use for Lots or Parts? Think again.  Even my cursory review of the subject has turned up age old techniques relating to all these areas. Yet, they still have the same problems Westerners have: how do you know exactly when an event will happen? They don’t appear to have anything akin to Western Primary directions, Secondary, minor, or tertiary progressions; relying for the most part on transits and various releasing systems, the main one being the Vimsottari Dasa which is very similar to the  Firdaria of Persian astrology. And just as Hellenistic, Arab, Medieval and modern astrologers argue and quibble over the basics of astrology, Vedic astrologers argue and quibble over many of the traditional techniques. What I’ve found to be so intriguing is where the two schools, Western and Vedic, appear to both mesh and diverge.

Tropical vs Sidereal Zodiac

Of course, the main difference is the actual zodiacs used; Westerners favour the tropical zodiac, measured each year from the spring equinox and Vedic astrologers favour the sidereal zodiac; ironically, this is also measured from the spring equinox each year and then an ayanamsa is applied. The ayanamsa is basically an adjustment for precession and there are almost as many ayanamsa’s as there are house systems in Western astrology!  The official or most widely accepted ayanamsa is the Lahiri which pushes the tropical zodiac back 22° 27′ 55″ as at January 1, 1900. Corrections for later years add roughly 1° for every 72 years so the adjustment for January 1, 2000 is 23° 51′ 11″. This puts the two zodiacs in synch at around 293 AD, approximately the same time Ptolemy decided to fix the 0 Aries point to the spring equinox each year.

It may surprise some astrologers to know that Ptolemy was responsible for the tropical zodiac as we know and love it today; prior to his Almagest Babylonian and Greek astronomers used various bright fixed stars to define the positions of the planets and, on occasion, one or other of the equinox or solstice points. The two most popular ascension tables used for measurement purposes, Babylonian System A and System B, placed the spring equinox at what we would call 10 Aries and 8 Aries respectively. System A is believed to be the older of the two systems but both were widely used between roughly 250 BC and 50 AD. It’s not clear if these differences were due to precession adjustments; although it is feasible if they were using a bright fixed star as their reference point.

Westerners tend to believe the tropical zodiac is the real zodiac; however, its validity stems solely from Ptolemy. While his method of fixing 0 Aries at the spring equinox made mapping the sky simpler for astronomers there is no empirical evidence, to my knowledge, proving its superiority over the sidereal zodiac for astrological purposes.  Personally, I am finding that the essential dignities and MR of planets shows itself with much more effect in the sidereal vs tropical zodiac. For example, in the tropical zodiac my Sun is at 19 Aries, the exact exaltation degree, yet my life has produced no events in accord with an exalted Sun either in terms of my career (Sun rules 10th), father (Sun as general significator of father) or spouse (Sun exaltation ruler of 7th). In the sidereal zodiac the Sun is in Pisces and much more descriptive of my actual experience with solar matters.

Retrograde Planets

Western astrology universally considers a retrograde planet and any planet slow in motion to be a debilitated or weaker planet. In Vedic astrology, a retrograde planet or a planet slow in motion is a stronger planet; a complete reversal of Western thinking. The Western notion of slowness and retrogradation as a debility is based on the actual motion of the planet; it turns around on itself and is not direct so the events signified are convoluted, tricky and slow to develop. The Vedic notion of retrogradation as a strength is connected to the astronomical fact that a retrograde planet is physically closer to the Earth and therefore more capable of influencing events on Earth; its significations are, presumably, more certain.

Dignities

Both schools use the same rulership and exaltation schemes. Vedic astrologers do not appear to use triplicity or term rulers; they do use decans but I don’t believe they use them as additional rulers (I could be wrong on this as so far I haven’t read much on vedic decans).  Vedic astrology also has an additional dignity, moolatrikona. This is somewhat similar to the Hellenistic concept of a planet having a preference for one domicile over another ie Saturn is better (less malefic) in Aquarius than Capricorn; for vedic astrologers, Saturn is moolatrikona in 0 to 20° of Aquarius where his dignity is somewhere between domicile and exaltation strength. Vedic astrologers also measure a planets benefic or malefic tendencies based on whether the planet is moving from its fallen degree to its exaltation degree or its exaltation degree to its fallen degree; something not seen in Western astrology.

While the vedic system does not appear to include triplicity rulers, per se, they do pay a lot of attention to planets ruling signs in trine to the Ascendant (5th and 9th house positions) particularly as they are related to the rulers of the Asc or other angles. This struck me as interesting since Valens spends a good deal of time talking about the triplicity rulers providing support for the life and Morin (who I don’t believe had access to vedic texts) emphasized the 5th and 9th as being important to the life.

Both traditions have techniques for gauging the friendship or enmity between various planets but Vedic astrologers have carried it much further having a well-defined method for determining planetary friendship involving natural friendship and temporary friendship. For example, they consider the Sun and Jupiter to be natural friends but if Jupiter is in the 8th from the Sun it becomes a temporary enemy making its effects, with regard to the Sun, neutral overall.  Natural friendship and temporary friendship can turn planets into great friends while natural and temporary enmity can turn them into great enemies.

Aspects

Vedic aspects are very similar to Hellenistic aspects; like the early Greeks, aspects are primarily sign based and there are no aspect orbs. For example, a planet in Aries opposes any planet in Libra regardless of which degrees the planets occupy in their respective signs. Both schools consider the aspects effect to be stronger the closer the planets are in degrees but whereas the Hellenistic astrologers considered any planets within 3° to be in a true aspect the vedic tradition does not appear to set this as a qualifier. The vedic tradition also includes a condition described as planets at war; it occurs when both planets occupy the same degree, ie Venus at 10 Aries 15 and Mars at 10 Aries 01. The planet with the lower longitude wins the war so in the example, Mars would win the war with Venus. I’m not sure if they extend this concept to aspects other than conjunction.

Vedic astrologers consider two basic categories of aspect: full and partial.  For example, all planets mutually or fully aspect a planet in the same sign or in the 7th sign (opposition) from it.  They then assign full aspect capability to only three other planets: Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. Mars fully aspects any planet in the 4th and 8th sign from its position; Saturn fully aspects any planet in the 3rd and 10th sign from its position, and Jupiter fully aspects any planet in the 5th or 9th sign from its position.

Every planet can also make partial strength aspects: 1/4 (60° and 270°), 1/2 (120° and 240°) and 3/4 (90° and 210°).  Note that all these aspects are defined by the same spatial relationships: 3/10, 5/9, 4/8, 7 and the full aspects of Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are exceptions in that a square involving Mars is always full (100% not 75%); a trine involving Jupiter is always full (100% not 50%) and for Saturn, a sextile measured in the order of the signs is always full (100% not 25%) and a square measured against the order of the signs, is always full (100% not 75%).

The full and partial aspects also apply to signs; a planet in the 4th sign can aspect the 10th sign from its position even if no planet is in the 10th (the Greek astrologer Paulus also discusses aspects in this manner, saying a planet that does not aspect a sign has no part in the affairs of the sign). The overall strength of aspects is measured in a technique called Drik or Drig Bala and a theory of Planetary Rays for measuring the combined effects of all aspects in the chart.

Houses

Vedic astrologers, for the most part, use whole sign houses, just as the early Greeks did. They place much more emphasis on the Ascendant and Ascendant ruler (very similar to Morinus’ approach) and appear to have no concept of an MC/IC axis. The middle of a sign/house is considered to be its strongest point.  If I’ve read things correctly, there has been a movement, in the last century, to the use of equal houses but it does not appear to be part of the original tradition.

Nodes

Vedic astrologers pay alot more attention to the nodes and the nodal axis than Western astrologers; there appears to be quite a bit of literature on the topic and the nodes, for the most part, are treated as shadow planets which are just as real and capable of producing effects as planets.

Yogas

This is perhaps the most intriguing and confusing aspect of all vedic astrology. Yoga essentially means combination and there is a long history involving the study and definition of planetary combinations in vedic astrology. B. V. Raman details some 300 important combinations, all gleaned from earlier scriptures. In one sense, they remind me of the combinations listed in Firmicus but vedic astrologers have taken them much further, giving each combination its own name, definition and expected result; however, like the combinations in Firmicus, I get the sense that they cannot be applied literally, instead, one must always consider the overall effect of the radix itself and then judge how the various yoga’s are apt to play themselves out.  As an example, the Kemadurma yoga is defined as “no planets in the 2nd or 12th from the Moon” giving the result that the native will be “dirty, sorrowful, doing unrighteous deeds, poor, dependent, a rogue, a swindler”. But we are warned that this yoga is cancelled if there are planets in the angles.

While we are not given specific cancellation conditions for all the yogas it is only sensible to expect that not every yoga found in a chart will play out to full effect. And indeed, Mr. Raman tells us we must know (a) the good and evil planets in the chart, (b) the inherent strengths of the planets (Shad Bala) and (c) the residential strengths of the planets (the percentage of results a planet is capable of giving based on its position in a house) if we are to accurately predict the effects of particular planetary combinations (yogas) in the life of the native.

Timing

Western astrologers rely on primary directions, progressions, directions, profections, firdaria, return charts, and transits for timing events; vedic astrologers mainly rely on dasas and transits. There is an entire technique, known as Ashtakavarga, used solely for dealing with the effects of transits. It is far more sophisticated, and complicated, than anything available in the transit literature of Western astrology although it does not appear to have been used extensively by the average vedic astrologer due to the amount of time the calculations take.  Neither group appears to agree, within their own schools, on which timing methods provide the most accuracy.

Summary

The above only skims the surface of both Vedic and Western traditional astrology. People often describe Vedic astrology as event based and Western astrology as character or personality based. I find this to be far from the truth. Yes, modern Western astrology has become personality based in the last 100 years or so but prior to 1900 this was not the case, it was event based. And neither Vedic nor non-modern Western astrology is solely event based, both traditions have, as an intrinsic part of their teachings, a spiritual element emphasizing the character, ethics and morals of the astrologer and humanity as a whole.

At first glance, I had thought the Vedic system had it over the Western for the sheer mass of technique; in retrospect, taking into account all the progression systems in the Western tradition along with midpoints, uranian astrology, etc, the two are probably on equal footing. The large store of techniques is both a boon and a bane to the subject; the greatest problem being that regardless of what is said about a chart and the actual events that manifest in a life, one can always, in hindsight, find a technique to explain the event. Which, essentially, makes all astrological techniques moot.

Richard Houck was of the opinion that a select mix of Western and Vedic techniques provided the most effective timing for future events and that the final proof of any technique was in “successful forward forecasting“. I’m inclined to agree with him. The examples in his books certainly appear to indicate that a blending of the two schools will lead to more accurate overall forecasting but it isn’t the first book on astrological technique that has looked promising; is it the last?  Who knows, but I’m willing to give his methods a go, first by testing a variety of charts and second by attempting some forward forecasting. We’ll see how it goes.

When an event as tragic as the January 12th Earthquake in Haiti happens professional and hobby astrologers always ask themselves if it could have been foreseen. Sadly, it is much simpler to see the harm after the event; after more than 40 years of study I still can’t decide if this is a failing of Astrology or astrologers.

The following is a review of the Mundane Cycle charts constructed for Port-au-Prince with an eye to the active elements in each chart. The system is described by Zain in his 10th book Mundane Astrology. While I use the charts he describes I tend to look at them as interconnected and layered.

The planetary cycle charts are erected for the moment a planet moves from South declination to North declination.  In each chart, the cycle planet is directed, by transit, to the other planets. Events indicated are described by the cycle planet determinations and transit aspect. The Sun Cycle charts are ingress charts for the Sun moving into each cardinal sign. The Aries Sun Cycle chart is descriptive of the year, the remaining Sun ingress charts modify but do not supersede the events shown in the Aries Sun Cycle chart. The Lunar Cycle chart is for the closest New Moon to the event.

On December 25, 2009 Pluto moved to conjunct Mars. Pluto in this chart is posited in the 2nd of people’s money and possessions in square to Mercury, ruler of the chart Ascendant. Pluto transits can be expected to create problems (square) and either financial risks (Mercury in 5th of risks) or harm to children (5th is children). As Mercury is in Aquarius, a human sign, the harm is more likely to be to children.

The conjunction with Mars is very harmful as Mars rules the 8th (people’s deaths) and it is with two violent planets (Saturn and Uranus) in the 4th House of homes and property; all three planets in an Earth sign, Capricorn. Mars co-rules Scorpio, with Pluto and it opposes the Moon (common people). The conjunction would indicate all these planets co-operating with one another to harm the people and their children in their homes. In a cardinal sign, the event would come on suddenly.

There are no active transit aspects in the Neptune Cycle chart.

On January 12th, the day of the earthquake, transit Uranus moved to conjunct Mercury and oppose Pluto in the Uranus Cycle chart. Uranus is in the 12th in the Uranus cycle chart so all his transits will carry some element of suffering for the people of Port-au-Prince. It co-rules the 5th House of children or the places where children congregate and Pluto co-rules the 2nd so the indications are similar to the Pluto Cycle Chart: harm financially and to children. It opposes the Sun in the 6th of injury and is conjunct the South Node; all these contacts increase the possibility of harm from its transits.  Mercury rules the 9th of foreigners and is in Pisces, an indication the event would be widely publicized and attract the attention of foreigners.

The only active aspect in the Saturn chart was Saturn parallel the North Node. Saturn is in Fall in Aries in the the 4th House of homes in partile opposition to Mars and partile square to Pluto; the parallel intensifies this destructive T-square, promising to harm the people (1st) and their property (4th). Pluto co-rules the 12th (suffering) and Mars rules the 5th (children) so again we see these elements being emphasized.

In the Jupiter Cycle Chart, transit Jupiter was parallel Mars. Jupiter is in the 1st house of the people, disposited by Mars who is in the 8th of death. An indication that a large number (Jupiter) of  people will be harmed, possibly killed, while this transit is active.

Oddly, the Mars Cycle Chart has no active transits. The trigger appears to be in the Mercury chart where we have Mercury in the 5th in partile opposition to Uranus and with Saturn. At 3:59pm Mercury moved into contra-parallel with the chart Ascendant. In the chart, the Ascendant is ruled by Venus posited in Virgo (Earth) in the 4th; transits of Mercury put the people, their children (5th) and their homes (4th) at risk (5th); high risk because of the violent nature of Saturn and Uranus.

Also of note in the chart is Pluto in Capricorn (Earth) in the 8th (death) sextile the Sun, ruler of the 4th (homes).

The indications in the cycle charts are, on the whole, violent, for Port-au-Prince. The Solar, New Moon and Eclipse charts are also not positive looking. The Aries Solar Ingress chart has Aries on the Ascendant and Scorpio on the 8th, both ruled by Mars who is with Mercury and Uranus in Pisces in opposition to Saturn in the 6th of injury.

The New Moon chart has Mercury in the 1st in Capricorn trine Saturn in the 8th with Uranus in the 2nd opposing Saturn. And the Solar Eclipse chart for January 15th has the eclipse in Capricorn (Earth) in the 2nd with Pluto, Mercury and the North Node with Pluto and Mercury conjunct and sextile Saturn and Uranus in and co-ruling the 4th sextile the eclipse. Mercury rules the 8th House of death and Pluto co-rules the Ascendant (people). There appears to be a layering of harmful indications beginning with Pluto down through all the planets and culminating with Mercury who appears to have acted as a trigger, releasing the energies of the upper planets.

Orson Welles was legally married on three different occasions:

December 20, 1940 to Virginia Nicolson
September 7, 1943 to Rita Hayworth
May 8, 1955 to Paola Mori

All three of his wives were actresses (note Jupiter ruler of the 7th in the 10th of career: partner through the career) with Rita Hayworth being his most famous spouse. The first marriag both occurred under an 8th House profection with Saturn acting as Lord of the Year.

Virginia Nicolson

The active directions for the 1st marriage, in 1940, were:

Moon square the 12th/6th axis (profected 11th/5th)
Mercury conjunct Mars sextile Uranus
12th conjunct directed Mercury sextile radix Uranus
Neptune conjunct Pluto

Lot of Men’s Marriage (Asc + Venus – Saturn) directed to trine of directed Neptune and radix Pluto
Lot of Marriage Contracts (Asc + 3rd – Venus) directed to square radix Neptune and sextile radix MC

The first thing to strike me here was “Why no directions to Jupiter, ruler of the 7th of marriage?” The answer is in the profected chart.

The profected 7th is the 2nd with Cancer on the cusp, Moon ruling and Neptune in Cancer.  The Moon is the general significator of the wife. She does not rule the radix 7th, aspect or disposit Jupiter, ruler of the radix 7th; however, she does throw a sextile (opportunity) to the 7th which determines her, at times, to the 7th and, by analogy, the wife.  The radix Moon is also in the radix 9th which is concerned with religion and law, so she is determined, in the 9th and by sextile to the 7th, to a legal marriage and she is in Aquarius, disposited by Saturn in the 1st House; another analogy to the native, at some time in his life, taking a wife in legal marriage.

During this year (1940), she rules the 7th and can act based on her radix deteminations to the spouse and marriage.  By direction she is also in square to the profected 5th (romance) and 11th (hopes and wishes); in combination, all these are strong indications, for the year, that the native will be romantically involved and possibly marry. We also find Mercury, ruler of the radix Ascendant conjunct radix Mars and sextile Uranus from the profected 5th. Mars is the planet of male sexual desire and haste, Uranus, the planet of unexpected, sudden events and this marriage was an elopement. Neptune, planet of ideals, was in the profected 7th while directed Neptune was conjunct Pluto, co-ruler of the profected 11th of hopes and wishes and two of the Lots of Marriage were involved in aspects with Neptune so odds are the entire marriage was begun with high hopes and romantic ideals.

As to why the marriage failed, the significations were only strong for the year. The radix indications are much weaker and the profected 11th/5th axis falls across the radix 12th/6th access or evil places in the chart with the profected year itself also in an evil house, the 8th. Once the year ended it is likely the planet significations turned to other ends and the underlying radix chart reasserted itself.

Rita Hayworth

His most famous marriage, in 1943, to Rita Hayworth, took place in a 5th House (romance) profected year involving similar connections plus an aspect involving Jupiter, radix ruler of the 7th.

MC sextile 11th trine 5th
Moon conjunct 9th
Sun conjunct Lot of Fortune and trine Neptune
Jupiter conjunct North Node
Saturn sextile Neptune, sextile Lof of Fortune
Uranus trine Pluto
Neptune trine South Node
Directed Mercury conjunct the directed 12th
Directed Sun sextile directed Saturn
Directed Jupiter trine directed Neptune
Lot of Marriage (Asc + 7th – Venus) sextile directed Moon

Once more we have  the Moon, general significator of the wife, active, being conjunct the radix 9th which, this year, is the profected 5th of romance. Plus, Jupiter, ruler of the radix 7th and the profected 7th, conjunct the North Node in the profected 5th; strong indications that romance is in the air. This romance received alot of publicity, as indicated by Neptune in the profected 10th, Moon conjunct radix 9th (publicity); possibly spurred by financial considerations as Mercury and the Sun are in the profected 8th of partner’s money, with the directed Sun trine Neptune and directed Jupiter trine directed Neptune. The Sun, in feminine Taurus, indicates an illustrious woman and Rita Hayworth was that, being a star and famous in her own right.

What’s missing here are the Venus and Mars contacts seen in the earlier marriage; instead we have Uranus in the profected 5th trine Pluto in the profected 9th. Uranus contacts can create strong sexual attraction and Pluto, planet of compulsion, in the profected 9th, may have compelled Welles to marry. Uranus attractions rarely last however and again, the underlying radix houses are not favourable as Mercury (Asc ruler) is conjunct the 12th, the profected 9th is in the 12th and Jupiter, ruler of the profected 7th, is in the profected 12th and as ruler of the radix 7th, is square Saturn in the radix 1st in opposition to the 7th of marriage.

Paola Mori

The directions in 1955 also happened under an 5th House profection but with different directions and chart emphasis and, as in the 1st marriage, no directions involving Jupiter, the ruler of the 7th.

The profected 7th is again in Pisces with the radix Moon sextile Mars in the profected 7th and the directed Moon sextile the directed Lot of Marriage Contracts and directed Mars square Mercury, ruler of the radix Ascendant and the profected Ascendant. We, again, have an aspect involving Neptune: directed Sun sextile directed Neptune. Of interest here is the status of the romantic interest; the Sun in the feminine sign Taurus, would represent a woman with an illustrious background and this was the case, Paola Mori, while an actress, was also an Italian Countess.

Romantic love is also indicated as the 11th (profected 7th) is conjunct Venus and directed Mars is square Mercury and the Lot of Men’s Marriage (Asc + Venus – Sun) while Saturn, Lord of the Year and signifying the native, is sextile the Lot of Men’s Marriage and trine the Lot of Marriage (Asc + 7th – Venus). The combined indications in the profected chart for the year lean towards marriage; legal marriage as Mercury rules the profected 9th (radix 1st).

Yet Welles chart presents a problem.  Looking strictly at the 7th, one would judge that he would marry as Jupiter rules the 7th and has a strong analogy favouring marriage. It is in the 10th so one could predict marriage to a woman involved in his career and also an illustrious (elevated) marriage. One could also predict multiple marriages as both Sagittarius and Pisces are mutable, not fixed signs. However, Jupiter in domicile in Pisces would seem to indicate a lasting or continuous relationship; yet none of his three marriages lasted. He did however have just such a relationship, with Croation actress Oja Kodar, whom he lived with for the last 24 years of his life without the benefit of matrimony; in fact, he was still married to Paola Mori when he died, the two never having divorced.

Oja Kodar

The two met in 1961 under directed Saturn square directed Jupiter, perfecting the radix square; so here, finally, is the promised relationship. Interestingly, none of the Lots of Marriage were active. The profection was in the 11th House, Pisces, with Jupiter ruling. The directed 3rd (profected 5th) was trine the North Node. There are far fewer aspects than those found active during the earlier marriages; however, the Saturn/Jupiter contact is enough to bring a wife (Juipter) to the native, even if no legal marriage ensues. In fact, one could interpret the square and Saturn’s rulership of the radix 9th as indicating an impediment from a past (Saturn) marriage.

Oja Kodar outlived Orson Welles and inherited his estate as Paola Mori, his legal wife, died a few days before her case contesting the estate reached court.

On June 29, 1940 Orson Welles began the filming of Citizen Kane, his greatest film success and nearly the ruin of  his career.  The film was loosely based on the life William Randolph Hearst, a powerful newspaper magnate; Hearst took offence not only at how he was depicted in the film but more so for the way his mistress, Marion Davies was depicted; he did everything in his power to stop the release of the film and destroy Welles, he nearly succeeded, almost ruining himself in the process.

Welles was 25 years old when he began the project, the profected year was in the 2nd House with Cancer on the cusp and the Moon in the 9th of publishing.  The 2nd contains Neptune which has an analogy to films and Cancer being a cardinal sign, indications are for a new (Cancer) film (Neptune) property (2nd). The Moon has significations for fame and notoriety and is sitting in the profected 8th, an indication any fame she brings him during the year will do him more harm than good, also shown by the Moon being inconjunct her own sign. The Moon is in Aquarius, a human air sign, and with Uranus (unexpected, radical); indications the notoriety will be connected with women and the public(Moon), involve publications (9th), and will be unusual in some fashion (Uranus). Aquarius is a fixed sign, an indication the notoriety will be long lasting.

The above is supported by directed Uranus conjunct the cusp of the 9th House, indicating something unusual and sudden connected with public opinion or publications will occur during the year, will having a lasting effect (fixed sign) and will most likely be unfavourable (9th is profected 8th). And the directed Lot of Forutne is conjunct Uranus, another indication whatever occurs will have a strong impact in the life and fortunes of the native.

Looking at the other directions, the 3rd House cusp is conjunct Venus in the 11th, Venus is in her detriment in Aries. The 3rd has to do with writing, communications, rumours; these will be connected with a woman (conjunct Venus) of less than stellar repute (Venus in detriment); this will out in the area of his career and reputation as the 11th is the profected 10th.

The radix 3rd is ruled by the Sun in the 12th and Venus rules the 12th; indicating a powerful (Sun) established (Sun in Taurus) enemy (12th); all this will impact whatever the native achieves during the year as the 12th is the profected 11th (achievements).  Taurus is a fixed sign so this is a persistent enemy and as the 3rd is the profected 2nd it is repeating the indications of the profected chart in that the matter will having something to do with a property belonging to Welles.

At the same time, directed Jupiter is trine directed Neptune. Radix Jupiter is in domicile in the 10th of the career, honours and reputation in trine to the profected 1st House showing good things for the native in connection with his career and Neptunian pursuits (films).  And we see the 9th House being emphasized again as Jupiter is in the profected 9th.  Directed Jupiter and the Lot of Secret Enemies (Asc + Mars – Saturn) are conjunct and square the Ascendant so this good is also a cause of problems in the life. Jupiter is also the ruler of the Lot of Fortune and sitting in 12th House position with reference to it; in domicile so having the ability to mitigate or release or reduce the harm caused by secret enemies. Perhaps this is why Hearst could not completely destroy Welles.

In the end, he creates his masterpiece but ends up with a powerful lifelong enemy, a magnate of the publishing business, primarily because of the way he depicted Marion Davies (Venus) in the film. As well, the initial push to stop the film came from two powerful Hollywood gossip columnists, both women: Louella Parsons and Hedda Hopper.

I chose this chart because the birth time is one of public record; however, all the texts tell us not to predict without checking the directions. As Mr Welles passed away on October 10, 1985 I decided to check the directions¹ for that date. The Age Arc is 70°26′ which puts the Moon at 23 ♐ 35, conjunct his Descendant, and Saturn at 23 ♓ 47, square the Asc/Desc axis.  If he was born slightly earlier, at 6:57, rather than the 7 AM recorded time, the Ascendant would be at 23 ♊ 40 and the directed Moon, when he was 70 years, 157 days old, would be at 23 ♐ 40, conjunct the Descendant with directed Saturn at 23 ♓ 48, square the Asc/Desc axis and the directed Moon. And his directed Lot of Death (Asc + 8th – Moon) was at 27 ♑ 47 in the 8th opposing Neptune.

He was in an 11th House profection, the 11th is in Pisces and Neptune co-rules. Radix Saturn is partile square to the 11th, I’ve usually found that such a planet usurps the natural ruler of the cusp (in this case, Jupiter) but that doesn’t appear to be case here as on October 10th, Saturn would be directed, in the profected chart, to (89 + 157d) 6 ♐, no hits but adding the same to Jupiter gives 27 ♌, conjunct the IC (end of life).  Jupiter is strong in this chart being in domicile and overcoming Saturn by square so, possibly, Saturn cannot usurp him.

One direction isn’t enough to verify the time but it will do as a starting point. It does raise the question of why the Moon would time his death rather than a direction to the Sun, given that this is a diurnal birth. Also, why didn’t Saturn in the 1st and ruling the 8th of death take his life when it was directed to the Asc? or conjuncted Mercury, Asc ruler? or when it conjuncted the Sun?

Technically, if the Greeks were correct, Saturn is not in aspect with the Asc as it is beyond 3°. Neither is it in the same terms as the Ascendant; this could possibly be why it did not cause difficulties at birth.

Saturn crossed his Ascendant when he was 4, at the same time, directed Jupiter was square the directed Ascendant and Saturn was in Jupiter’s terms so this possibly warded any harm.

In 1949, Saturn moved to conjunct Mercury. Radix Jupiter and Mercury are in a partile sextile so possibly this averted the harm although he did make a poor business decision that year, he was given an option to take a portion of the receipts for The Thin Man and chose a lump sum advance instead; the film was a smash hit. Saturn rules the 10th of honors as well as the 9th (foreign travel) and the 8th (partner’s money). He was overseas, in Britain, when he made the film.

In 1953, Saturn moved to conjunct the Sun. He returned to the US for a brief stint on CBS television, the IRS kept him confined (12th) to his hotel room, prevented him from making any purchases and took his earnings for taxes (8th). Welles returned to England when the broadcast ended.

In 1972, Saturn moved to conjunct Mars. He was given an honorary award by the academy which he had his friend (11th) John Huston accept; Huston upbraided the academy for giving Welles an award but not willing to give him work. In 1975, it conjuncted Venus and he was given a Lifetime Achievement award by the academy. In 1983 it was conjunct the Lot of Fortune and he was given an award by the British Film Institute.

During these periods there were no harmful aspects to the Moon or his Ascendant. All of Saturn’s directions involved honours, awards or work  of some kind (10th), combined at times with travel (9th) or other people’s money (8th), all areas of the life ruled by Saturn.  What is interesting is the way they combined.

Saturn is posited in the 1st House so he is a significator of the native. He rules the 10th and so has a signification of honours coming to the native but, being Saturn, always with difficulty and, being peregrine, of mediocre quality.  Saturn, by nature, works against life and against honours however he is overcome by the square of Jupiter in the 10th of honours so he cannot completely deny them.  He also rules the 9th of foreign  travel, publications and the 8th of death, taxes, partner’s money.  The directions always combined in a manner which directly involved the native (1st House). When the direction was to a 12th House planet, the planets combined the meanings of the 12th and 8th houses. The direction to Mercury (the ruler of the Ascendant) involved a bad (12th) decision (Mercury) with regard to partner’s money (8th). When it came to the Sun the native was confined (12th) by powerful men (Sun) who took his money for taxes (8th).

The directions to the 11th house planets involved honours (10th) for achievements (11th); to Mars, it involved a friend (11th) who battled (Mars) for him. When it came to Venus, the award was for life time  achievement (11th) from artistic (Venus) associates (11th).  The last aspect was to the Lot of Fortune in the 10th and was recognition (10th) from foreigners (9th).

The unfavourable signification applied only when the 12th was involved and the house position of the promittor trumped the significations of the houses they ruled; with the houses ruled appearing to be the source or reason for the event. For example, with Mercury, ruler of the Asc, the native was the source. With the Sun, ruler of the 3rd and 4th, the native’s homeland was the source; with Mars, ruler of the 11th and 6th,  his friends and work associates were the source; with Venus, ruler of the 5th, entertainments and pleasure were the source.

Looking at directions for two events in his life which affected him but did not directly involve him, the directed planets (significators) tended to combine there more general significations with those of the houses they ruled while the promittors did the same with the effects being felt in terms of the house the promittor occupied in both the natal and profected charts.

His father died when he was 15, at the time directed Uranus was square the Sun, ruler of the 4th (father) and the directed Sun was sextile directed Pluto (co-ruler of the profected 4th)  in the profected 11th (parents death). The directed Lot of the Father’s death was square Mercury (Asc ruler).

His mother died on May 24, 1924 when he was 9 years, 18 days old. Directed Venus was conjunct the 11th (parents death) and square Saturn, ruler of 10th (mother) while the directed MC was conjunct the Moon (general significator of the mother). Directed Moon was trine the Asc, directed Uranus (co-ruler of 10th) was square Mercury (Asc ruler) and Jupiter, ruler of 11th (parents death)  was square Ascendant.

In these two directions, if the directed planets are the significators and the aspected radix planets are the promittors, the promittors other than the Asc and Mercury, Asc ruler, produced events according to the houses ruled vs the houses they were posited in. For example, Uranus to the square of the Sun produced an event involving the father (Leo on 4th), Venus to the square of Saturn produced an event involving the mother (Aquarius on 10th).  The directions involving his father’s death reinforced the Sun’s connections as ruler of the father. The same occurred for the directions when his mother died,  the MC to the conjunction of the Moon occurs in the mother’s 12th and the Moon is the natural significator of the mother. That these events impacted the native is shown by the contacts with Mercury, the Asc ruler, in the 12th of sorrows but they did not resolve into events affecting his physical self.

A critical event occurred in his life with the filming of Citzen Kane, his most famous film. Next post, I’ll concentrate on the active directions for that period.

1. This is using the system I’m experimenting with [↩]

Rush Limbaugh, while vacationing in Honolulu, was admitted to hospital on December 30th with chest pains and the political blogs are having a field day; with many hoping he will die. The pure idiocy and meanness of those remarks is, imho, just another indication that we are no longer a civil society; I was raised with the notion that “civility costs nothing” which is, I guess, why we have lost it, who today values anything that costs nothing?

His chart, at the moment, has a number of directions active. At age 58 his profection is in the 11th, Jupiter ruling. The house contains Mercury in Capricorn, ruler of the radix 8th of death so it’s not surprising there is nasty (Capricorn) talk (Mercury) concerning his death (8th). This is being reinforced by the directed Moon (publicity) sextile directed Mercury and the 11th House Cusp (profected Asc) and the directed Lot of Death (Asc + 8th – Moon) at 14 ♉ opposing directed Mercury (ruler of the radix 8th). On the day he was admitted the profected Ascendant squared Jupiter, it’s ruler.

The health problems are shown by the directed 11th (profected Ascendant) conjunct Neptune in the radix 8th, the directed Ascendant conjunct the 12th (hospitalization) and the directed 8th conjunct Uranus (unexpected) in the radix 6th (illness). The 12th holds the Sun, general significator of the heart, Uranus is in Cancer (the chest).

The directed Lot of Spirit is conjunct the Sun. This may be an example of “spirit acting as fortune”. The texts tell us the Lot of Fortune can be directed for bodily harms; in this case it is Spirit that is being activated.  The chart is diurnal (Sun above the horizon) but it is cadent while the Moon is in the 2nd.  Is it possible that the Moon is the stronger light and Spirit is really Fortune? Is this a diurnal chart that should use the reversed formula rather than the diurnal formula for calculating Fortune and Spirit?

Luckily for him, he has the greater benefic, Jupiter, ruling his profected Asc and strongly dignified in Pisces while his directed Asc is sextile Venus, the minor benefic. His directed Lot of Medical Treatment (Asc + Jupiter – Sun) is conjunct Jupiter, an indication he is getting very good medical treatment at the moment. Saturn, the greater malefic, is not involved in any aspects. Mars, the lesser malefic, is sextile itself; in the radix it rules the 3rd (communication, travel) and 10th (career) or the profected 5th of pleasure and 12th of hospitals, confinement. Indications he may have been having too good a time while on vacation, possibly involving alcohol (Mars) although the 11th conjunct Neptune could also indicate drugs. There are no heavy afflictions to either of the lights or his radix Ascendant; however, on his birthday the profection changes to the 12th House, Saturn ruling; he may find himself confined to the hospital for awhile.

Update: Well, he was released from hospital on Friday, January 1st so no long stay in hospital. Will next year bring him more health problems?  His directed 2nd House Cusp is going to oppose radix Uranus, co-ruler of the Asc, during the next month and his profected Asc will conjunct Sun (heart) around the 27th; with the Sun ruling the profected 8th he may be in for another scare.

I’m not the greatest at systematically going through an entire chart so I’ve set myself the task of working completely through one over the next week or two.

I’ve chosen Orson Welles chart for a number of reasons; primarily because he’s a well known character whose chart has not been over worked elsewhere; second, his birth time is known from his birth certificate, being listed in The Gauquelin Book of American Charts; third, there is a decent amount of public biographical information available on his life: Wikipedia, Google Timeline, Guardian Timeline, BiographyShelf, Encyclopedia.

The method of analysis I plan on using is a mix of traditional and modern; I use the outer planets but am not particularly interested in the psychology of the native; I find the general shape of the life and the events that mark it far more interesting, astrologically.

The first thing of note in his chart is the majority of planets above the horizon; Zain says planets above the horizon  denote qualities that “receive full public recognition”.   The majority of planets in the Eastern half of the chart are an indication Welles would shape his environment, influencing the things that came into his sphere of activity vs being influenced by the activity of others; he would prefer to set the agenda.

There is, as a result, an emphasis on the public (8th, 9th, 10th, 11) and personal (12th, 1st, 2nd, 3rd) houses. An indication that most of his energies were directed towards personal concerns; reinforced by four planets in the trinity of life houses (1st, 5th, 9th) and that many of his actions drew public attention. He has two planets in the trinity of wealth (2nd, 6th, 10th), two in the trinity of associations (3rd, 7th, 11th) and two in the trinity of obligation (4th, 8th, 12th). With three angular and five succedent planets there is a better than average quantity of energy available to the life.

I’m going to use the temperament method described in Cornerstones of Astrology:Volume I Synthesis by Friedrich “Sinbad” Schwickert and Adolf Weiss. It involves classifying the planets and Asc by element and quality with 2 points being given to the Sun, Moon, Mercury and Ascendant, modified to also include the MC.

The emphasis is in the Air signs indicating an active, positive, sanguine temperament; intuitive, an inspired personality with a passion for life; inventive, subtle, quarrelsome with esprit du corps; witty, lively intelligence; artistic ideas and feelings; easily stimulated but superficial emotions; free, liberal spirit, skillful, magnanimous and given to sentiment.

The emphasis in Fixed signs indicates a sense of determination, rigidity, attention to detail, perseverance, patience, there can be a tendency to stubbornness. The Fixed quality corresponds to the heart and vitality; generally, the impression would be one of a character that could be trusted.

Overall, the above appears to fit the man. The brief biographical descriptions in Gauquelin describe him as having “a light hearted way of flinging money around”, being energetic, noisy, expansive, jovial, a bonvivant. Having virtuosity and wit. Although one entry describes him as “having spent himself in too many aimless tributaries”; this may possibly be due the influence of his Gemini (Air) Ascendant and Aquarius (Air) Moon and MC. Too much Air often leads to an overly active curiosity in all things; the person tends to have multiple interests rather than specializing in one particular area of interest. With the emphasis on the Fixed quality it is likely that whatever interest he did choose to pursue, at any given moment, he would pursue it whole heartedly and with dogged determination.

There were four highly active directions in OJ’s chart when Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman were murdered: Directed ♂ ☌Directed MC, ♆☌Asc,  Asc ☌☉,♄□ ☾, ☿△ ♆.

Neptune rising, conjunct the radix Ascendant

In the radix, Neptune sits in the 2nd House of possessions. She is given to idealistic, imaginative thoughts and, if damaged, fanaticism. She co-rules and opposes the radix 8th House of death and partners substance. Being posited in the 2nd, in opposition to the 8th, she has some signification for the spouse’s death (2nd is 8th from 7th). Neptune is in Libra (relationships), overcome by the separating sextile of Saturn. Saturn rules the radix 7th of the spouse and is posited in the 11th (hopes, wishes) from Neptune. The indications are that his life (Asc) was strongly influenced by fanatical, unrealistic hopes (Neptune) to reunite with a former (separating sextile) spouse (Saturn).

Neptune is in opposition to the fixed star Algenib which denotes “strong passions, sexual trouble, many enemies, sudden and violent death” and square to the fixed star Alhena which denotes “indiscreet actions, domestic disharmony, death brought on by own acts”.  The stars emphasize issues with the opposite sex and death. Radix Neptune is in exactly the same degree as Nicole’s radix Moon posited in her 7th of marriage. This strengthens the possibility that he had a possessively infatuated with her.

Radix Neptune is in the Terms of Mercury, an indication he will produce what he promises when Mercury has a share of the times. He is also in Mercury’s monomoira and triplicity with Mercury ruling the cusp of the 2nd (possessions, wife’s death) and 11th (hopes, achievements). Mercury rules Nicole’s 7th (spouse) and is posited in her 2nd in opposition to her 8th, an indication her spouse may be involved in her death; it is also an indication that her spouse has a strong interest in her substance or being.

Directed Mercury trine Neptune

Mercury is Lord of the Year (profected Ascendant having come to Gemini on the 11th); he therefore has a share of the times and represents the native. In the radix, he is posited in the 11th (hopes, wishes) within 1°  of the 12th, threatening imprisonment.  He is conjunct the fixed star Procyon which denotes “trouble and scandal through the opposite sex”.   He is sitting in the profected 2nd, indicating the native is concerned with his possessions, re-inforcing what was seen with Neptune conjunct his Ascendant. His trine to Neptune in the profected 5th (romance, children) emphasizes OJ’s infatuation (Neptune) with Nicole. He likely thought of her as a possession (2nd) that he hoped (11th) to regain. The 11th has Uranus, co-ruler of the 7th, conjunct the cusp; again, re-inforcing the concern with partners, spouse and indicating the year could involve unexpected, sudden (Uranus) events, brought on by a human agency and having a strong impact on the native’s life  (conjunct profected Asc). Uranus is parallel Venus (general significator of the wife) and Pluto (compulsion), the parallel would increase the intensity of events. As Uranus co-rules the 7th and is partile conjunct the 11th (profected Ascendant) the unexpected event will involve both the native and a partner or spouse.

Uranus is conjunct the fixed star Al Hecka denoting “legal difficulties; danger of imprisonment but help from friends; unfavourable for love and marriage” and conjunct Alnilam who denotes “enmity with partners relatives; many troubles and annoyances”.

Radix Mercury is trine the Moon (general significator of the wife) in the 8th (death), profected 10th, an indication that his career, actions (10th) in relation to his possessions (profected 2nd) will garner public attention (Moon, 10th).

Directed Ascendant conjunct Sun

The Sun rules the radix Ascendant and is conjunct the fixed star Wasat denoting “violence, malevolence and destructiveness”. The direction indicates the native will be concerned with his status and authority (Sun), his personal life (rules 1st), and, in the profected 2nd, his possessions.   Lilly claims the direction can lead to “the publishing of all the secret affairs of his life” which seems an apt indication as the Sun is with Mercury (writing, communications) as well as in his terms.

Directed Saturn square Moon

As stated above, Saturn rules the radix 7th of marriage, the spouse, partners; the Moon is the general significator of women or the wife. The square would indicate difficulties or obstacles because of a woman, or spouse being played out publicly (Moon in profected 10th, Saturn in profected 3rd) and involving death (Moon in radix 8th) and possibly imprisonment (radix Saturn in 12th, Moon rules 12th).

Directed Mars conjunct the directed MC

This is a strong indication of violent (Mars) action (MC). Lilly says, of this aspect, “It stirs up the wrath of powerful men, especially Martialists against him; it threatens banishment, imprisonment, hatred, miserable and fearful consumption of Patrimony by fire, theft, &c. In a Kings or Princes Nativity, it inclines them to war, to wrong their Subjects, to carry themselves proudly and insolently towards them; to murder or to be the occasion of the effusion of much blood.” While OJ is not a King or Prince, he was a well known celebrity and the aspect did produce murder and much blood.

The directions were quite strong and violent, coincided with two murders, involved the native in legal matters (Mars rules 9th) and threatened the native with imprisonment (Saturn, Sun in 12th). The event was widely publicized (Sun, Moon), played out in the media (Mercury, 1st as profected 3rd, news) for months and OJ was eventually acquitted. The radix 12th is ruled by the Moon who is trine Mercury (ruler of profected Asc) and partile trine the cusp of the 12th, he was threatened with prison (Mercury, LoY, conjunct 12th) but escaped it as the Moon is in the 9th (freedom) from the 12th.

He did eventually go to jail, in October 2008, for assault, robbery and kidnapping. At that time, the active directions were again MC ☌ ♂ but this time the Profected Ascendant was in the 1st, Sun Lord of Year. The Moon, ruler of the 12th of prisons, was not active. Directed Pluto (kidnapping) was sextile his radix position in the 12th, disposited by the Sun (LoY) and in aversion to him.

Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman were murdered on June 12, 1994; OJ Simpson was arrested and charged with their murders on June 17; a long, public trial ensued and ended with OJ’s acquittal on October 3rd, 1995.  The influences active at the time of the murders and arrest were:

Profected Ascendant had come to the 11th House, Gemini on the cusp, Mercury ruling; however, Uranus is conjunct the cusp degree, usurping Mercury. Uranus co-rules the radix 7th (marriage, partners); the 7th is the profected 9th (beliefs, dreams, lawyers, journeys) indicating something unusual or unexpected (Uranus) in connection with one or both of these areas of life. Mercury, the ruler of the profected Ascendant, is in the 11th House (hopes, achievement), profected 2nd (substance, possessions).

The directions were:

Directed ♂ ☌directed MC, ♆☌Asc,  Asc ☌☉,♄□ ☾, ☿△ ♆

What is most significant about these aspects is the power they represent: all 4 chart angles and both luminaries are being activated. Mars is conjunct the MC and rules the IC, Saturn rules the 7th and is square the Moon, Neptune is activating the radix Asc and the directed Asc is conjunct the Sun; Mercury, ruler of the profected Asc, is trine radix Neptune. As well, both malefics are active and, although OJ and Nicole were divorced at the time, the Lot of Marriage (Asc + 7th – Venus = 17 ♈ 52) was directed to 6 ♒ 53 trine Mars, it’s ruler, and the Lot of Cunning of Men towards Women (Asc + Venus – Sun) is natally conjunct Saturn at 9 ♌22 and directed to 29 ♊ 10 in the square of the directed Mars/MC conjunction.

All of the directions were active on June 9th, except for the Lot of Cunning of Men towards Women, this lot moved from 0 ♋ 47 to 29 ♊ 16 between June 9th and July 9th.  The target date of June 12th was 338 days from the birthday; adding the same number of degrees to the Profected Asc and Uranus, who is conjunct the 11th, gives 1 ♊, conjunct the North Node;  nodal contacts often indicate crises or turning points in the life.  The NN is in the 10th and corresponds to the June 9th – July 9th time period in the profected chart. The profected Asc would conjunct Mars 5 days later, on June 17th, the day OJ was arrested.

Looking at Nicole Brown’s chart and directions for the same period,  directed Mercury and Venus are sextile with both planets inconjunct Neptune; this is a classic Yod configuration that is often seen as the Finger of God. Radix Neptune is in her 8th house of death and co-rules her Pisces Ascendant. Radix Mercury is in the 2nd, opposing Neptune and disposits Venus, co-ruler of the 7th (conflict, marriage).

The profected year is the 12th, with Mercury ruling her profected 8th (radix 7th). Her directed 11th is opposed to Mars; this opposition falls across the profected 6th/12th axis. The directed Sun, in the radix 2nd, profected 4th (family, end of things),  is trine radix Mars, ruler of the radix 8th. Directed Jupiter (Asc ruler) is trine radix Venus, with Mars in the radix 5th (romance) profected 6th (injury).

As in OJ’s chart, the rulers of all the angles (Jupiter rules Asc and MC, Mercury rules the IC and Desc) are active. The Sun is active by his trine to Mars and the directed Moon is semi-sextile the NN.

Her Lot of Death (Saturn + 8th – Moon = 29 ♑ 36 ) is directed to 22 ♐ inconjunct Mars and sextile to OJ’s directed Mars/MC conjunction. Her Lot of Fate (Asc + Saturn – Sun = 17 ♍ 01) is directed to 22 ♌18, semi-sextile Mars.

She died 24 days after her 35th birthday. Adding the same number of degrees to the profected Asc (0 ♒) gives 24 ♒, no aspect to her radix but in exact opposition to OJ’s radix Ascendant. Adding the same to Saturn, Lord of the Year, gives 0 ♒, conjunct her profected Asc.  Sadly, Nicole’s chart has both her Ascendant rulers in the 8th House of death, often an indication that the native somehow participates in their own demise. Both rulers are disposited by and trine to Mars. The news reports claim that when she answered the door that fateful night, she had a knife (Mars) in her hand; the knife that killed her.