Greece, Eclipses and the Euro crisis

(photo: John Kolesidis - Reuters)

                                                          (by Sharon Knight)

Looking at the forthcoming between November 2012 and May 2013 and comparing two charts for Greek Independence, one as given by Nicholas Campion in World Horoscopes and the other, a rectification by Thomas Gazis. Both charts use the same date of 13th January 1822 but with a time difference of 4 hours and a slight location difference. 

The rectified chart by Thomas Gazis has an Ascendant of 6 Pisces, MC 17 Sag, Moon at 1 degree Libra and the house axis of 1st/7th are weighted. This does indicate a permanent pull between countrymen and others. 

The Campion Chart has 5 Taurus Ascendant, MC of 20 Capricorn and Moon at 3 Libra. This chart has shifted the planetary emphasis from the 1st/7th axis to a more scattered chart. 

As we know Greece has undergone massive financial restructuring and immense deprivation for the majority of its people due to the constraints imposed by the EU. There have been many rumours throughout the past year or so, that Greece may have to leave the Eurozone in spite of the efforts made by the people to cut their deficit. So far, Greece and its various Governments have managed to cleave to the conditions laid down by Brussels, but will they continue to be able to impose more cuts in order to receive more bailouts. Will the bailouts stop after the German elections in either September or October 2013? 

Before 2012 is out, there is a Solar eclipse on the 13th November, followed by a Lunar eclipse on the 28th November. In 2013 the eclipses occur on the 25th April (Lunar), 10th May (solar) and the 25th May (lunar). 

The Solar eclipse on the 13th November, set for Nea Epidavros has an Ascendant of 26 degrees and 27 minutes Leo and an MC of 21 degrees and 05 minutes Taurus. The eclipse itself at 21 degrees 56 minutes Scorpio falls in the 7th house of the Campion chart and the 8th house of the Gazis chart. 

Neither chart has any traditional planets in Taurus or Scorpio, so one would think this eclipse would pass Greece by. There is a bond repayment due on the 16th November and it will be down to the Eurozone finance ministers if they agree the measures have been met and they will release more funds to enable Greece to both stay afloat and remain in the Eurozone. However, the Lunar eclipse on the 28th November does pick up the 2nd - 8th axis of the Campion chart within less than one degree, as the eclipse occurs across the Gemini/Sagittarius axis at 6 degrees 46 minutes. 

 At this same time, Jupiter is currently retrograde in Gemini at 11 degrees 54. Jupiter is significator of  the 8th house of others money. Furthermore, Jupiter stations direct at 6 degrees 19 minutes Gemini on the 30th January 2013. If we go with the Campion chart, this date (30th January 2013) is perhaps when the Eurozone starts to tighten its purse strings and may impose further demands on Greece. 

Following on with the eclipse theme, the next set of eclipses occur in April and May 2013. We have two lunar and one solar eclipse. The lunar eclipse on the 25th April occurs at 5 degrees and 45 minutes of the axis Taurus/Scorpio and has both of the malefics within 3 degrees of both Lights. But as noted earlier, Greece does not have any planets on this sign axis. Behold though… Jupiter will be closely conjuncting by then the MC of the Gazis chart!

Traditionally Jupiter rules both the Pisces Ascendant and Sagittarian MC of the Gazis chart. Could it be the people choosing to take matters into their own hands – to their detriment? Moving on to the Solar eclipse chart of the 10th May 2013, we still have the eclipse happening in Taurus, but with an 11 degrees Pisces ascendant, echoing the Gazis chart with an Ascendant at 6 degrees Pisces.

In this instance, using Placidus house cusps, this eclipse falls in the 2nd house of finance suggesting major issues arising - as not only do we have the Sun and Moon in Taurus but also Mars at 14 degrees and Mercury at 17 degrees of Taurus and, as above Jupiter closely conjunct the Gazis MC. Actually during this eclipse a whole Taurean stellium "falls" over the "Pars Fortuna" (Lot of Fortune) of the Gazis chart! So, Greece might be rescued in this instance...

The following Lunar eclipse (25th of May) is at 4 degrees Gemini/Sag echoing the 28th November 2012 eclipse - and by default affecting the 2nd/8th House axis of the Campion chart. 

I think going by the eclipse cycle, whatever occurs between now and the end of the year will be resurrected or concluded around the end of May, early June 2013 but it is very difficult to see which chart will show the events as it is only the Angles and Pars Fortuna that are different – of course it goes without saying the house placements of the planets will also differ in rulerships and meaning.

Before finishing it may be worth considering the time for when Greece adopted the Euro. I have taken my information from the following site: http://www.eubusiness.com/Greece According to it "Greece joined the European Union 1 January 1981, and adopted the euro in 2001 in time to be among the first wave of EU countries to launch euro banknotes and coins on 1 January 2002. Greek Currency: Euro since 1 January 2001 (formerly Greek drachma, GRD . Fixed conversion rate: €1 = 340.750 GRD)."

"Adoption of the euro: The euro banknotes and coins were introduced in Greece on 1 January 2002, after a transitional period of one year when the euro was the official currency but only existed as 'book money'. The dual circulation period – when both the Greek drachma and the euro had legal tender status – ended on 28 February 2002. Exchange of former national currency: The "Τράπεζα της Ελλάδος" (National Central Bank of Greece) exchanged drachma coins until 1 March 2004 and will continue to exchange drachma banknotes until 1 March 2012."

If we look at the chart set for Athens on the 1st January 2001 we find the Moon at 17 degrees Pisces, Mars, ruler of this 2nd house at 4 degrees Scorpio, Jupiter at 2 degrees Gemini Retrograde and Saturn at 24 Taurus. Naturally, owing to the fact that we are examining charts set for 12/13 years after joining the Euro, we would expect to find a Jupiter return and a Saturn opposition. Venus at 26 degrees Aquarius is closely conjunct the Nodal axis of the 1822 "foundation chart". Perhaps it is the combination of the transit of Saturn (2012/13) over the Mars of the 2001 chart and the transit of Mars on the 25th May 2013 over the Saturn point of the 2001 chart that will be ultimately responsible for bringing matters to a head. It does seem highly unlikely Germany will want to “lose” Greece prior to their election but perhaps the stars are showing us the Greek people will take matters into their hands and force the issue. Time will tell.

Sharon Knight

Copyright: Sharon Knight

Recollect your Astrology Knowledge! Online Astrology Courses 2012 - 2013

Chances are you are a beginner in astrology. You would be surprised then if I told you that you already know astrology (all the more so on an advanced level)!

Please do not consider this a cheap argument aiming at boosting the student’s Ego! It is a rather thorough argument coming straight out of the mouth of two of the greatest philosophers in the history of mankind: Socrates and Plato. These two Greek philosophers professed that we humans carry inside us a primordial “super knowledge” of all things - although on a somehow fuzzy state. Thus, the only thing we have to do is bring to focus and make conscious in our brains this fuzzy knowledge we already possess!

As a Greek I am following the teachings of Socrates and Plato, so in these courses I will not “bombard” you  with complex concepts and complicated astrology jargon. I will rather assist you in the process of recollecting and clarifying the “fuzzy” astrological knowledge you already possess! Because ultimately you don’t need to “be taught” astrology, you don’t need to painstakingly memorize hundreds of properties, qualities and attributes of signs, planets and symbols! You already know astrology and the only thing you have to do is simply “recollect” it! Are you ready then to begin this “recollection” process?

We willl start our beginner's course with some simple concepts you are dealing with in your everyday life (the simplest concepts often being the most profound ones)! Take men and women for example. Most probably you see around you men and women all the time. Isn’t kind of strange that all of us, our eventual family members, our acquaintances, the people we deal with, the people we meet out in the streets they all exist under the form of a particular gender? I will introduce you to such a simple "key-elements" and then by building on them I will assist you while you will be recollecting your Astrology knowledge!

The Thomas Gazis Online Astrology courses begin on Wednesday September 19, 2012 (with the option of choosing among three different time zones: 11 AM UT, 17 PM UT and 23 PM UT). For additional info please send an E-mail at: astrologhia@yahoo.com

Thomas Gazis has been teaching Astrology since 1987! He has extensively lectured all over Europe and was invited as a lecturer at the UAC 2012  in New Orleans (the top Astrology Conference world-wide). He has written articles for some top USA astrology magazines such as "American Astrology" and "Horoscope Guide".

Neil took the ultimate "giant leap"...(his horoscope)

Neil Armstrong, the first man who stepped on another celestial body, departed today for the "long journey" at age 82. He was definitely an extra-ordinary human being (NASA wouldn't have picked up an Average Joe as their first astronaut to land and step on the Moon). Before becoming an astronaut Neil was a fearless test pilot and on many occasions he exhibited his proverbial nerves of steel (he literally saved a couple of missions as he managed to properly maneuver the vehicles under extreme and life-threatening conditions)!

So, where all this power and intrepidness comes from? You will understand it on your own. Just put your palm on the above picture of Neil and cover the right half of his face (right from your own perspective). What do you see in his uncovered eye? I see the eye of a lion! Of a fierce, determined, intrepid lion! Do the same trick with his left eye and you will realize that his left eye is much more human. It actually encapsulates the agony of a human being in front of a titanic mission! Still though, Neil Armstrong's right eye is the eye of a lion and this speaks volumes of the extraordinary power, self-confidence and determination of this man! And what a coincidence, a Leo he was astrologically speaking!

Actually, both the "Luminaries" of Neil Armstrong are located in a fiery sign. Not only he has a brave an heroic Leo Sun but his Moon too is in the expansive and optimistic sign of Sagittarius (another Leo Sun, Sagittarius Moon historic figure is Alexander the Great - according to this research of mine). His Ascendant is in the versatile sign of Gemini. Planet Mars in his First House (and in a sextile aspect to his Sun) makes him even more energetic, dynamic and pioneering! Saturn in his Eighth House contributed to his cold-blooded nature. All in all, Neil was a gifted commander and leader - although a little bit harsh at times.

Armstrong has an Aquarius M.C. that perfectly suits him - being an astronaut - and so does his Uranus (ruler of his Tenth house) in his Eleventh House and in a grand Trine to his Luminaries (Sun and Moon).

Regarding now his proverbial reclusive side (he was living in his farm in Ohio, generally avoiding journalists and interviews), Neil has a strong planetary emphasis in his Fourth House. His Sun conjuncts Ceres - and his I.C. too - in his Fourth House and even the ruler of his  horoscope, Mercury (who forms a conjunction to Neptune) is located in that very same reserved, private, "shelly" House. His family apparently was very important to him and his partner too (having a Seventh House Moon - although his Moon - Venus square speaks of a certain difficulty in him contacting women figures...)

Traditionally the sign of Leo rules the heart. And Neil died out of a heart failure (when his progressed Moon had just entered his Eighth House - for the third time in his life).

Thomas Gazis   

Saturn in Scorpio (and echoes of a plague)...

                                                                          (William Blake - "La Sconfitta")

In certain respects, the celestial vault resembles a "roulette". The planets are moving orderly in it and every now and then they are passing into a different "segment" (call it "sign"), ever creating new configurations and "celestial dynamics". Thus, the moment a planet shifts into a new segment (sign) is very significant. The most significant, though, to humanity planetary shifts are the ones produced by the so-called "outer" planets (the slow-moving ones, from Jupiter on), which necessitate entire months or even years to completely transit a sign. Now, depending on the sign they are in (and the aspects they are forming), the outer planets are the ones dictating the particular "spirit" (or "zeitgeist") that will prevail worldwide, as long as they are forming those particular configurations.

Maybe you understand now why the imminent shifting of the planet Saturn to the sign of Scorpio (that will take place on October 5, 2012) is so important! Saturn will exit then the sign of Libra and it will enter Scorpio (where it will remain until the end of 2014 - regressing back to it in the summer of 2015). What kind of new events will Saturn in Scorpio bring to humanity in the next two years? Very many for sure, but I fear none of them will be truly "new". By no means the effects of Saturn in Scorpio will provoke surges of excitement and enthusiasm to the masses. On the contrary, they might aggravate the climate of austerity that Pluto in Capricorn has already triggered (with the help of the infamous Pluto - Uranus square, which is tinging the best part of the 10's decade).

You see, Saturn and Pluto will be somehow acting now in unison, as they will form a "mutual reception" (Pluto - who traditionally rules Scorpio - is now in Capricorn and Saturn - who traditionally rules Capricorn - will move to Scorpio). Actually, in this “mutual reception” the most austere, fatal and harsh planets and signs  are implicated! Therefore, a period of utter austerity and harshness may lie in front of us, a period where we may face trials and tribulations (similar to the ones we faced from 2008 on - but on a much bigger scale now). On the other hand, many things may be put in order now and our societies and countries, our governments and political systems may be radically changed and transformed. We will start "building" on more solid foundations and we will create more durable structures. I personally believe that we will intensely experience both sides of the “coin”, with its harsh side prevailing initially. We will definitely evolve - both as human beings and as societies - but only after we experience on our skin some harsh and probably extreme conditions (that’s the most direct way people and societies evolve, anyway).

At the beginning of this article, I mentioned how unique - and important - the current planetary "combinations"  are. Two years ago I was doing some research on the major epidemics and pandemics that have struck mankind. Specifically, I was studying the horrendous "Plague of Justinian" that struck Byzantium in 542 CE and caused the death of tens of millions of people! Suddenly I noticed that this terrible pandemic occurred under a unique astrological "combination" which will be repeated (almost exactly the same, for the first time ever after approx. 500 years) in October 2012!

It's not my wish to become a harbinger of bad news. I merely list the astrological facts - and I expand a little bit into history, in an attempt to track down past periods with similar astrological configurations (because according to the fundamental astrological maxim "as above, so below" whenever similar astrological configurations appear in the sky similar events occur down here on Earth). In 542 CE Pluto was again in the sign of Capricorn, Neptune in the sign of Pisces, Saturn in Scorpio and Jupiter in Gemini (from May on). These are the very same zodiacal positions the planets will share after the 5th of the coming October! With such a critical astrological configuration pending over our heads, I would not exclude the possibility of a major flu epidemic (or some other pandemic) occurring in the years to come.

The plague was not the only evil suffered by the Byzantines in 542 CE. Almost equally nightmarish to them were the Justinian’s tax collectors - sent by him to every single corner of his empire in order to collect money (Justinian had squandered every single coin in the imperial treasury). The requirements of Justinian were so irrational and his tax collectors so tough and unyielding (if a family was wiped out by the plague then its neighbors were forced to pay the taxes ought by the perished family!) that people were publicly disinheriting their children - so that in case they die their children would not be stripped by the tax collectors but secretly keep their parents' fortune. During the reign of Justinian, a gigantic economic collapse and savage taxation occurred and I am afraid that these two phenomena will be repeated again from next autumn on…

One last thing: we will somehow estrange ourselves from the wider society! We will become more distant with our fellow humans - both physically and psychologically - and even suspicious of them! You see, Scorpio is the sign (and its ruler Pluto the planet) of the "in-depth intimacy". Thus, the entering now of the "cold", "granitic" and "restrictive" planet Saturn in Scorpio (and the simultaneous presence of Pluto in Capricorn) will entail a certain restriction over this fundamental Scorpionic / Plutonian function (so that it better structures it, in the long run). Thus, we will now become more cautious as to whom we come close and "open up", as to what kind of people we are allowing in our personal space.

Consider the fact that during the plague that struck Byzantium in 542 CE (when Saturn was again in Scorpio. Pluto in Capricorn and Neptune in Pisces) the individuals were utterly reluctant to engage in any sort of intimacy with the people around them! Therefore, we will now become pickier and we will open our souls to fewer people - mostly within the relatively safe environment of the people we know the best. Certain strong bipolar stratifications of the type "s/he is poor" - "s/he has money", "s/he is one of us" - "s/he is not one of us" might prevail now within our societies, ultimately leading to some rupture of the very societal web!

All in all, we are headed now towards some “dark ages” kind of epoch! But this will be an epoch of “grandiosity” too (with some “Greek tragedy” tinge in it, though). At times, things might get pretty nasty. But ultimately a new world will emerge out of the woes, the confusion, and the chaos! Some of the most important years of our life are lying ahead, years of profound maturation, "distillation" and empowerment - both on a personal and on a collective level!

Thomas Gazis
Copyright: Thomas D. Gazis

(P.S. I have slightly edited the article in February 2020. I was expecting a pandemic mainly during the four - year period 2012 - 2015. I could clearly see that those were pandemic-prone years. Actually, I evaluated the entire 2010's decade as being pandemic-prone. I had not particularly focused back then on the 2020 Cap Climax (as this climax was seen in 2012 as a "remote future" event). The dynamics though of the 2020 "Capricorn Climax" phenomenon are eerily analogous to the ones of the 2012-2015 period).

The eternal inexistence of a Greek Astrological Association!

                                                         (photo by Victor Bayon)

If "actions talk louder than words" then inactions should talk loud too! A single "inaction" is describing vividly the current situation of astrology in Greece: it is 2012 and we still don't have a national Astrological Association (Federation, Union e.t.c.) in our country - which is actually considered the cradle of the modern horoscopic astrology! It has never been formed one, although astrology is extensively practiced in Greece at least for the last 40 years. Why this phenomenon of the "eternal inexistence" of a pan-hellenic association within the Greek astrological community?

Greek painter "Tsarouchis" (an Aquarian) once said: "In modern Greece you are (professionally, socially) whatever you claim to be". Laws are rather loosly applied in my country. Combine this with the fact that Greece is the poorest country in Western Europe - going now through a titanic crisis - and with the fact that astrology renders VERY WELL in Greece - twice to thrice the average wages and in several cases 5 - 10 times the average wages!) and then you will realize why so many crafty people claim today TO BE ASTROLOGERS in Greece! Thus, a huge circuit of lucrative, uncultured "astrologers" is dominating the scene, putting aside, marginalizing, calumniating and even intimidating the (actually few) cultured Astrologers (who are seen as a major threat to these people's' interests).

Maybe you begin to understand now why there is no national Astrological Federation or Association in Greece. Because such an "inexistence" is utterly convenient to the many powerful and largely self-proclaimed "astrologers" and to the various cliques in Greece!

In 2009 an (apparently not very honest - as you can see here and here) attempt was made to establish a pan-hellenic Greek Astrological Association. A seven members preliminary committee was elected in order to pave the way for the establishment of the Association and I was voted - by the Greek astrologers that were present there - as a member of this committee. When we discussed the crucialncertification issue I advocated the view that only those astrologers who would pass the relative exams - proving thus their knowledge and their general formation - should be certified. But the majority of the committee was opposing this proposal of mine, claiming that the basic premise for an astrologer to be certified should be him/her working for more than 5 years in the astrological phone line services or seeing clients for more than 5 years. If somebody covered this premise then s/he should automatically be certified as an astrologer without taking any kind of exams!

The funny thing is that after a few days the (opposing to me) majority of this committee issued - on their own -  a resolution expelling me from the committee on the (utterly false) ground that "Thomas Gazis was not collaborating with the committee but was only promoting his personal interests"! And although they expelled me substituting me with another Greek astrologer, in consequence, this committee did not accomplish any kind of work at all! Instead, after a while, it was "dissolved in silence"  by its members (who in this way they actually sold out the vision of a national Greek Astrological Association)!

I autumn 2011 the very same individuals who were responsible for the "silent dissolution" of the seven members committee established (together with some close "friends" of theirs) a private - and apparently lucrative - astrological club named "Pame Astrologia" (you may read about it here).

The unnerving reality is that there are so many crafty people and "cliques" today controlling the greek astrological scene - and so huge financial and "domination" kind of interests at stake - that I don't think a true/democratic national Greek Astrological Association will be established in the near future - at least not within the the next 20-30 years!

You see, Aquarius is the sign of the zodiac that rules authentic associations (the genuine, democratic ones). Aquarius is a humanistic sign that symbolizes unwavering brotherhood and that represents in general a quite elevated and enlightened state of mind. Thus, when Aquarian associations are absent from a country or community, it suggests two things:

1. that certain vested interests (which represent Capricorn's lower side) are over-dominant in that country, at the expenses of the collective!
   
   
2. the absence in that "community" of a "fraternal spirit", which in its turn implies the absence of elevated and enlightened people within that "community"!

Thomas Gazis
Copyright: Thomas D. Gazis

James Holmes' (the "Joker") horoscope - and the Virgonian Moon of the 3 recent mass murderers!

                                                        (James Holmes at court)

If your astrological idea of a mass murderer is that of a "Martian" individual having a very tough Moon then you should rather revise that idea! James Homes, the 24 years old man that recently killed 12 persons in the Aurora Colorado movie theater apparently has a "placid" horoscope! Very appropriately, the (solar) sign of this so called "Joker" (the fictitious personality Holmes was identifying himself with) is Sagittarius! Sagittariuses are famous for being "good guys"! They are depicted as extroverted, exuberant, moral, well intentioned and ever forgiving to their fellow humans! Apparently, Holmes bears some of these characteristics. As a high school acquaintance of his stated: "Holmes was A SUPER NICE KID!" Well, that description perfectly fits a Sagittarian!

Could his Moon sign be then the culprit? Not really! Actually, neither his Moon nor his Sun sign are the "culprits" - on their own. Although we don't know the exact time of his birth, the "Joker's" Moon is most probably in the sign of Virgo! But Virgo is again considered as one of the less aggressive and belligerent signs of the zodiac! Some even describe it as an "angelic" sign! We are getting confused here! The two basic Holmes' signs are rather "innocent", "refined", frail, placid, moral! How comes then this man turned to be such a monstruous murderer?

In my opinion the "pivotal" configuration in Holmes' chart is the square aspect (90 degrees of distance) between his Sun and his Moon! No matter what time Holmes was born, his Sun is definitely forming a harsh square aspect to his Moon (or the reverse)! And the square aspect between the "Luminaries" (Sun and Moon) is considered one of the heaviest aspects in a chart - because it somehow blocks the energies that should be flawing unhindered in the individual and it causes a clash between the conscious and subconsious layers of him/herself! Under this aspect a sort of "rupture" may manifest within the invidual, a rupture between his core personality and his "psyche" (his inner "Universe" of feelings and states of mind)! And this might ultimately breed a profound sense of alienation in him! (Please note: this does not mean that if you have a square aspect between your Sun and Moon you are going to get "alienated" or become a mass murderer. It means instead that you have to work with yourself in order to transform this difficult aspect and convey such an "expenditure" into creative outlets! You might enormously enrich yourself then and perform miracles!)

Holmes' chart brought to my mind the chart of another mass murderer: the Norwegian's Anders Breivik who in 2011 killed - on a single raid - 77 people! They both have Moon in Virgo - forming a harsh aspect to Saturn! The Virgonian Moon is an earthy and realistic one - not particularly sentimental. And when this Moon forms a harsh aspect to Saturn it becomes even less sentimental - while the person becomes more cold-blooded, somehow loosing - in the most extreme cases - the very human trait of empathy!

The common Virgonian Moons of these two mass murderers contributed to another fundamental attribute of theirs: the high level of their technical expertise! Both Holmes and Breivik became - on their own - two skilled bomb technicians - and that's no easy task at all! Actually, Holmes's apartment was rigged with so many small bombs that his whole condominium could be blown apart!

The similarities between these two mass murderers do not end here: they both have a Mars - Pluto contact! In particular Holmes has a rather "deadly" conjunction between his Mars and Pluto, a conjunction that produces - unless given some creative outlet - TITANIC anger and aggressiveness in an individual's soul! Breivik has a Sun - Mars conjunction and that kind of aspect produces a lot of anger  too (and rebellion in Breivik's case, since both these planets are located in the unconventional sign of Aquarius).

Thomas Gazis
Copyright: Thomas D. Gazis  

P.S. 1) As I said before, if you have any of the here mentioned aspects and configurations it does not mean you will become an unstable person or a mass murderer. If we work with ourselves and maturily deal with our harsh configurations - finding positive outlets for them - then we might turn them to our advantage!

P.S. 2) A couple of weeks after the Aurora tragic event we got to know James Holmes' time of birth. It is 9:04 Pm.  He has a Leo Ascendant (you may see his chart below):

Thus James Holmes has a strong Sagittarius - Leo emphasis. This fact brought to my mind a controversial historical figure that had too a strong Sagittarius - Leo emphasis in his chart: Nero! Apparently, they both exhibited paranoid / megalomaniac traits! They even look alike:

                                                             James Holmes

                                                                     Nero

P.S. 3) This James Holmes article somehow turns into a study on mass murderers. Just two weeks after the Aurora theater tragic events another manic shooter, Wade Michael Page, entered a Sikh temple in Milwaukee and  started shooting indiscriminately the people around him killing 6.

Apparently, Michael Page is joining the "Virgo Moon" club! If he was really born on November 11th (on the veteran's day), 1971 he has then a Virgo Moon - most probably in a square aspect to his Saturn! Actually Page (apart from belonging to an ultra "fixed" sign like Scorpio) has a "mega" T-square - formed between his Moon, Saturn, Mars and Neptune.

As I explained above, the other two recent mass murderers James Holmes and Andres Breivik have their Moon in Virgo too! How comes the placid and "angelic" sign of Virgo is so prominent in the charts of the three recent mass murderers? Maybe because Virgo is "too placid"! Remember we are talking about a "young maiden" here, about a little girl! A young girl has not yet gone through the "full maturity process". It is full of insecurities and it somehow stands on a fragile and unstable soil (no wonder Virgo is a mutable sign).

Virgoneans are in general  ultra-sensitive to the other peoples' criticism. We are dealing here with a "feminine", sensitive, discreet sign that in critical issues prefers to remain deadly implicit rather than become explicit about them! Thus, ultimately a Virgo Moon absorbs any kind of "negativity" stemming out of its environment in a rather "passive way", without RE-ACTING the very moment it receives the negativity (as most people do - and that's quite healthy if properly done)! This means that in the long run the anger in a Virgonean Moon person builds up! And if s/he doesn't "dissipate" this constant anger in a rather healthy manner (usually through hard work and in general by serving his/her fellow humans) the person might reach a point where a morbid layer of "meaniness" forms in his/her soul. And if this is combined with other "volatile" elements in his/her chart (like Mars, Saturn, Uranus, Pluto harsh aspects) then a very explosive mix will be produced!

Breivik's, Holmes' and Page's Virgo Moons are all forming harsh aspects to their Saturns! All the three recent mass murderers having the very same Moon configuration, well that's quite rare!!

Thomas Gazis
Copyright: Thomas D. Gazis

A "birth" on the Moon (Moon-centric astrology)!

The chart above might look pretty ordinary to you. In reality though it is a chart that - most probably - you have never seen before! It refers to a momentous event that took place in 1969 on the Moon: the first step of a human being on another celestial body! What you see above is a "snapshot" of the lunar sky, that shows the configuration of the planets the very moment Neil was stepping on the powderish lunar surface! So, we actually have here the first "Moon-centric" horoscope, an horoscope calculated not with terrestrial but lunar co-ordinates (the ones of the Tranquility Base - "Statio Tranquillitatis")!

As you can see, there is no Moon in this horoscope (the Moon is symbolically located at the center and the "energies" of the entire horoscope are focused on it)! There is an "Earth" instead (you can see it at the top right, in the Eighth House. Its symbol is a cross incribed in a cycle)! But how do we interpret the Earth astrologically? This question has never truly bothered the astrologers of the previous generations. As they were standing on the Earth they were not perceiving it as a celestial body floating in space. Thus, no astrologer ever was forced to figure the astrological properties of the Earth! But we are in the 21st century, things have radically changed and the events have already surpassed us! Twelve human beings have already visited the Moon (four decades ago in fact), they walked and lived on the Moon (some of them for four whole days). In a couple of decades babies will be born on the Moon. And we earthlings have not yet developed a Moon-centric astrology! Thus, we are confronted now with the chart of the first human step on the Moon but we cannot interpret it properly because we actually ignore the astrological meaning of the Earth in a Moon-centric horoscope! All of the sudden our old tools grew inadequate...

It takes a giant leap to move from the Geocentric astrology to the Mooncentric one (and a far smaller leap to move then to a Mars-centric, Plutocentric etc. astrology. Our eventual grandchildren will be accustomed to this kind of astrologies)! Still, we will need another giant leap when we will move to the "Exo-astrology" - the astrology for the planets of those strange Solar Systems we are currently discovering. How will we deal with the alien planets of these systems and their eventual alien zodiacs? But ultimately the zodiacs of these remote to us solar systems are they alien or are they identical to our zodiac? Most probably, when we will go there we will confirm our current assumption that the zodiac is an omnipresent universal principle, exactly the same in every single corner of the Universe...

For the time being, our imperative need is to determine the astrological properties of the Earth! Is the Earth a sort of "Moon" to the Mooncentric astrology, a planet associated to the "cradle", to the roots of the "Mooners", to their past, their "inner world", their soul's particular features? This "riddle" is one of the first we have to solve in order to formulate a proper mooncentric astrology...

To turn back to our horoscope, this "first human step on the Moon" event has (according to my calculations) a Leo Ascendant. A brilliant, regal Ascendant which is further strenghthened by the ultra-propitious trine aspect that the Earth and the planetoid (planet to astrology) Eris are forming with it! Ultimately, this Leo Ascendant is not irrelevant to the fact that the first moon-landing turned to be a glamorous TV show that attracted the largest number of viewers till then - 600,000,000 across the globe!

There is an oddity though regarding the Ascendants of the future Mooners. This oddity stems out of the fact that the Moon is not rotating around its axis as fast as the Earth. It takes almost 28 days for it to perform a full rotation. This fact has some strange implications. I.e. a "day" on the Moon lasts almost fourteen of our days (for 14 whole days the Sun is located constantly either below or above the horizon)! And what is astrologically more important, all the children born within a frame of two days and a half bear the very same Ascendant, ALL of them (that's an interesting "synchronicity" with the fact that - seen from Earth - the Moon spends two days and a half in each zodiacal sign)!

The "synchronous" rotation of the Moon (it rotates around its axis in about the same time it takes to orbit the Earth) produces another paradoxical effect: in any given Lunar location the Earth seems to be eternally fixed at approximately the same point of the lunar sky, as if it were "stuck" there! This implies that the Earth is changing alright zodiacal signs every two days and a half but not Houses - in the lunar horoscopes! Therefore, all children born in a particular lunar location would have their Earth in the very same House of their horoscope or - on few occasions - in an adjacent one! And as a result of this "fixity" the Earth almost never "transits" in a Mooncentric horoscope (it does transit actually but just within a few degrees frame)! All these "oddities" must have their own intrinsic astrological meaning which we should decipher!

Why is there - for example - such a "spatial fixity" of the Earth in the Mooncentric horoscopes? Why is the Earth permanently emphasizing a particular House in all the horoscopes of the people born in a particular lunar zone? Why i.e. all the people born in a certain lunar zone should have an Eight House Earth in their horoscopes - regardless of the time period they were born? Is that lunar zone particularly dangerous and life threating, invoking thus the presence there of strong, risky and sexy inhabitants - meaning with an Eighth House Earth in their horoscopes? And how the majority of these "Eighth House people" will be treating the eventual minority of the "Seventh or Ninth House people" living in their zone? These are interesting - probably vital - questions and we must find adequate answers to them.

The position of the Earth in a Mooncentric horoscope can be easily found: it is the opposite of the position that the Moon has in the corresponding Geocentric horoscope. Thus, the first thing we have to do is to cast a Geocentric horoscope for the same "Universal Time" (U.T.) our lunar event took place. Then we should note and write down the position of the Moon in it. In the corresponding Mooncentric horoscope the Earth will be located at the diametrically opposite sign, at about the same degree (i.e. if the terrestrial Moon is in the 11th degree of Libra then the corresponding lunar Earth will be in the 11th degree Aries)! I said "at about the same degree" because on Earth's surface the Moon's position may vary up to a whole degree, depending on the particular terrestrial location we are observing it from. You see the Moon is very close to us - in comparison to the other planets - so its zodiacal position changes slightly if we observe it from two distant terrestrial locations. On the other hand, the zodiacal positions of the Sun, Mercury, Venus and Mars seen from the Moon are almost the same as seen from the Earth. They vary only by a few tens of minutes. The other planets are so far away that they do not present significant differences.

For the rest, I think we should interpret a Mooncentric horoscope the same way we interpret a Geocentric one. We cannot fail to notice i.e. in this "first human step on another celestial body" chart the tight Jupiter - Uranus conjunction (both planets are in the same degree)! We couldn't get a more ideal planetary configuration for this unique event, a configuration expressing so neatly the expansion of the human species in space! And this conjunction becomes even more important if we observe that it coincides with one of the "fingers" of an impressive planetary formation called "Yod" - composed in this case by Sedna (on the base of Yod), by the Jupiter - Uranus duette at the one "finger" of the Yod and by Mars at its other. All these planets are located at about the first degree of the signs that they are in and they mutually activate each other, participating in the formation of two powerful quincunx aspects (Sedna is forming a quincunx - 150 degrees - aspect to both Jupiter-Uranus and to Mars!

Another important factor in this chart is the tight conjunction of the Earth to the planet Eris (planetoid Eris is actually considered a "planet" in astrology). Although we can make some assumptions, in reality we ignore both the astrological properties of Earth and Eris, thus we cannot say much about this pivotal conjunction. All we can say is that this is a VERY significant conjunction - especially if we take in consideration the fact that Pluto is forming a square aspect to it! Pluto and Eris are two "universal" and somehow "fatal" planets, harboring very strong and "transforming" energies in them. And indeed enormous energies have been consumed for the first man to reach the moon - not to mention that this has been a very transformative event, an event of unprecedented proportions in the evolution of the human species!

Thomas D. Gazis
Copyright: Thomas D. Gazis

P.S. Since there is no Mooncentric astrology program - as far as I know -  I had to calculate the positions of the Mooncentric planets on my own. As I explained before they do not differ much from their - same Universal Time - Geocentric positions. I am using the Equal House system.

Higgs Boson: the astrology of its discovery

An historical scientific discovery was made yesterday, 4th of July! The nuclear physicists of the C.E.R.N. collider confirmed the existence of a mysterious - vital to the fabric of our world - particle called "the Higgs Boson". This particle is actually the agent that bestows mass to the constituents of an atom - thus it is ultimately bestowing mass to all of us humans, to the celestial bodies, to the very Universe! This might be a once in a century discovery!

You can see below the chart set for the moment this remarkable discovery was announced by the "Reuters" news agency: 

The two main astrological factors that "bred" this discovery are - in my opinion - Pluto in Capricorn and Uranus in Aries. Pluto has a lot to do with the nuclear particles and its presence in the "scientific" sign of Capricorn would definitely bring out a new discovery regarding the sub-atomic particles (note that the Moon was too in the scientific sign of Capricorn). Uranus in Aries on the other hand is ever bringing forth new and exciting discoveries (especially when Uranus is perfectly trining Mercury, like it does in our case)! This discovery was made during a perfect (partile) square aspect between Pluto and Uranus (both in the 8th degree now of the respective signs they are in). I don't thing that's a coincidence. This historical Pluto - Uranus configuration is unleashing now tremendous, ground breaking energies!

Another pair of planets that played a fundamental role in this discovery is Saturn - Eris. Eris is an "ultra-universal" planet and its current contact with Saturn (they form a perfect opposition aspect, both being in the 22nd degree of the signs they are in - Aries and Libra) ultimately brought an elusive universal element into our earthy, tangible, laboratory dimensions.

Neptune in Pisces (in the very sign it rules) has its share too in this discovery, since the "Higgs Boson" is the very constituent of the so called "Higgs sea" that permeates the entire Universe - and seas (all kind of them) have a lot to do with Neptune! 

Neptune was squaring both Nodes and Jupiter at the moment of the discovery.

Thomas Gazis  

Modern Greece's national horoscope - natal chart

For many years now I have been conducting a study on the national horoscope of Greece. My conclusion is that modern Greece was born on January 13th 1822 (NS), on the very day the Greeks declared their independence from the Ottoman Turks (who had militarily occupied Greece for 4 whole centuries). You may read my relative article and see modern Greece's natal chart (its "national foundation chart") here

There is a number of astrologers though (mostly in Europe) favoring a rather recent birthday for Greece (placing the birth of this country in the period following the fall of the Greek military junta, in 1974). Some of these astrologers are claiming that modern Greece's national horoscope should stem out of the date of its most recent "Constitutional amendment" (on June 11th, 1975 - soon after the collapse of the military dictatorship). But how proper it is to assign as the national horoscope of a country the one based on a posterior Constitutional "amendment" and not on the pivotal date that its very first, original Constitution was drafted (and the declaration of its independence was proclaimed)?

If somebody studies the January 13th 1822 Constitution s/he will realize that it is essentially as democratic and advanced as the "Constitutional amendment" of 1975. Thus, in 1975 we did not experience a major constitutional shift in regard to the VERY Greek Constitution (the Constitution upon which Greece was founded on). We just experienced a rather momentaneous shift imposed by the military junta regime - a regime that barely lasted 7 years, not so many to alter the "soul" of Greece and its original constitution.

Some other astrologers are claiming that modern Greece's horoscope should stem out of the moment its first post-junta Prime Minister took office - on the 24th of July 1974. But as I explained before, the seven years military junta did not change either the "soul" or the Constitution of Greece. Why should we then consider the July 24, 1974 chart as the "national horoscope" of Greece and not the original January 13, 1822 one? If we follow the same reasoning then we should argue that a person is not born when s/he comes out of his/her mother's uterus but when s/he gets married for the second time!

Finally, the vast majority of the Greek astrologers believes that their country was founded on February 3rd, 1830 - when the foreign powers recognized the independence of Greece and established the "Kingdom of Greece" (imposing a Geman king on the Greek throne). Thus, they believe that the national horoscope of their country stems out of the February 3rd, 1830 "London protocol". And if you ask today a Greek astrologer whether s/he uses this chart out of some thorough study s/he will probably answer you: "Well, I am using it because everybody says that this is Greece's chart"... 

Actually, this is a rather bizzare fact: the Greek astrologers keep obstinately making predictions on the basis of the (actually outdated) 1830 "tributary kingdom of Greece" chart while monarchy has been abolished in Greece almost 40 years ago (by a national referendum in 1974)!

Thomas Gazis
Copyright: Thomas D. Gazis

Latent Synastric Elements: The Secret Fuel of Love!

                                                 (Wallis Simpson and Duke Edward VIII)

What is it that makes two people come close and eternally stick together? The obvious assumption, “because their signs are compatible,” is rather inconclusive. There is ample evidence of relationships that went wrong even though the couple had compatible charts. On the other hand, we often encounter incompatible elements in so-called happy, long-term relationships. Thus, the supposedly standard astrology rule—“to have a happy relationship all we need is many harmonic elements between the two partners’ charts”—is too simplistic, and often contradicted. 

In reality, astrology and synastry (the branch of astrology that specializes in human relationships), are more complicated than this. Just survey the people you know, and you will realize that in certain happy relationships, the Lights of the partners (their Sun and Moon) are found in mutually discordant signs. That’s not a “bad” thing on its own. When the Lights of partners are found in discordant signs, an energizing pattern is formed that carries the potential of forging deep bonds. 

To examine this issue of discordant signs further, let’s take a look at one of the greatest love stories of all time: Prince Edward (Duke of Windsor) and Wallis Simpson (Duchess of Windsor). The grandeur of their love stems from the fact that the Prince gave up the throne of England in order to marry the “mortal” (and already twice-divorced) Wallis Simpson. If this wasn’t love, then what is? The two stayed together for 30 years—the rest of their lives. Such hard evidence attests to the fact that theirs was a genuine love. Edward and Wallis stayed together not for some utilitarian convenience, but because they really wanted to, because they enjoyed each other’s presence. For such a sublime, eternal love we would expect a great synastry. 

Much to our surprise though, there is an arresting discordance in the synastry between these two mythical lovers—if we study it following the traditional “synastric” recipies. There is another technique though that delves much deeper into synastry, a technique that I personally call “Latent Synastry.” I believe now that the secret of this illustrious couple’s success lies in their latent synastry.

 

Discordant Signs 

To begin with, their Sun signs are considered incompatible: Simpson is a Gemini and Edward a Cancer. Furthermore, Edward’s Moon is in Pisces, which is in a very discordant position to Wallis’s Sun sign, Gemini. According to astrological tradition, this is a negative factor, because in a man’s chart the Moon represents his inner self, his “anima,” the kind of feminine figure he is ideally attracted to. And, in this case, we have Edward who apparently, and against every rule, “buttons up” his anima to a woman whose personality possesses dissimilar traits to the ones he longs for. 

But there is even more. Wallis’ Moon is in Libra, forming a square aspect (by sign) to Edward’s Sun in Cancer. Again we discover an element of discordance among their Lights, a clashing of the inner world of Wallis to the core personality of Edward. It seems odd for what is considered the most illustrious couple of the previous century to have such discordant configurations. Even their common Ascendants do not actually compensate for this fact (both Edward’s and Wallis’ Ascendants are in Aquarius, although some astrologers claim a Cancer Ascendant for Wallis). The identical Ascendants speak more of some sort of common background and of an attraction that climaxed mostly during the initial stages of their relationship. In any case, identical Ascendants are not an element good enough to firmly bind two people. How then did this couple come to live happily for so long together? 

Latent Element #1: Incompatible Conjunction 

We cannot satisfactorily answer this question unless we apply to this couple the “latent synastry” technique. At first glance, Edward and Wallis’ charts seem to have very little in common. They have no major affinities (apart from their common Ascendants). Their crucial solar and lunar signs are anything but harmonious. But latent elements are crucial aspects that may not easily be spotted at first glance. So we have to plunge deeper into their synastry in order to understand the mystery of their union. 

First of all, their basic signs might not be harmonious, but their respective Suns lie very close in the zodiac—just 3 degrees apart. Therefore, their Suns, although in different signs, actually form a conjunction aspect. This kind of conjunction I call “incompatible” because it contradicts the classic signs-based concept of a conjunction. Incompatible or not, the fact remains that Edward’s and Wallis’ Suns are in conjunction, so they do share some fundamental common energy, some sort of affinity in their core personalities. 

Latent Element #2: Incompatible Trine Aspect 

A second latent element is the trine aspect formed by Edward’s Moon and Wallis’ Sun. This too is an “incompatible” aspect, as the signs of Pisces and Gemini are discordant. Still, his Moon and her Sun are within orb of a 120-degree angle, a much needed aspect in order to “button up” Edward’s inner world to the otherwise discordant (to him) core personality of Wallis. 

Latent Element #3: Reciprocal Fifth House Emphasis 

The synastry of these two legendary lovers becomes more meaningful if we take into consideration the Houses their Lights are in, apart from the signs of their Lights. Wallis’ Sun is in her natal Fifth House, but as the Fifth House corresponds to the sign of Leo (each sign bears a similarity to its respective house) Wallis has a regal, Leonean Sun. But Edward’s Sun is also in his natal Fifth House, so he also has Leonean traits. Since both their Suns dwell in their natural House, we have here two individuals who are radiant, glamorous, and aristocratic. And undoubtedly this reciprocal Fifth House emphasis breeds a strong sense of community between them. 

Wallis’ Sun falls in the duke’s Fifth House. This particular domification further “lionizes” her Sun. Thanks to their synastry, Wallis Simpson was turned into a very prominent Leo (especially when standing beside the Duke!). 

Latent Element #4: Kindred Sun/Moon Traits 

Wallis was born under the sign of Gemini, but she had her Moon in the sign of Libra. Her Moon is also in her Eighth House, therefore she has a Scorpio-flavored Moon (the Eight House corresponds to the sign of Scorpio), giving her a very penetrating and powerful, erotic, and passionate character. But this “Scorpio-tinted” Moon of Wallis perfectly matches both Edward’s Cancerian Sun and Piscean Moon (all three being watery signs, signs that crave deep feelings and a potent binding of the souls). 

Edward’s Sun forms a harsh square aspect to his potent Mars (in Aries), bestowing upon him much energy, dynamism and virility. The same square aspect though is creating in him (along with his Moon in his First House) a very impatient and quarrelsome sub-personality. But Wallis probably had an equally virile and quarrelsome side as her Mars (in Aries) partile opposes her Scorpionic (Libra) Moon. These similar aspects in their charts produced “kindred” traits in their characters (remember that a man functions mostly through his Sun while a woman mostly through her Moon). 

Edward’s Moon in his “cardinal” First House means that he needed a very dynamic, assertive, and independent woman by his side, as Wallis Simpson was. 

Latent Element #5: Prominent Venus 

Wallis had a Sun-Venus conjunction. Thus, both her Lights turn out to be very “Venusian.” Perhaps this explain her irresistible eroticism, her elegance, and her diplomatic ways—all of which enabled her to obtain whatever she wanted. When Duke Edward met Wallis, she was neither young (40 years old, too old back then!) nor really beautiful, and already twice-divorced. Still, Wallis managed to cast a huge spell over him. 

No doubt that Venus is a prominent planet in Wallis’ horoscope. Venus resides at the cusp of her natal Fourth House—a house corresponding to the sign of Cancer. In this way, Wallis turns out to have a strong Cancerian tint in her personality (and, as we remember, Edward is a Cancer). 

Edward’s Venus is well-positioned in Taurus (in the sign it rules). His Venus is in his Third House, which actually corresponds to the sign of Gemini. This position suggests that the ideal other half of him should be an intelligent, youthful, communicative, versatile, woman—in other words, a Gemini, like Wallis. 

At times their opinions clashed and they squabbled (her Mars squares his Mercury). When having an argument, she would easily lose her temper and, in those moments, he perceived her as inexplicably hostile and polemic. In any case, there was a strong intellectual stimulation between them and this too played a key role in their relationship, as Wallis had a whole bunch of planets in Gemini (a Mercurial sign in constant need of cerebral stimulation). 

Latent Element #6: Jupiter Conjunct Neptune 

Another crucial latent element in their synastry is Edward’s Jupiter forming a conjunction to her Neptune—and to nearly all the planets of her remarkable Stellium in Gemini (Jupiter is traditionally considered the major benefic). No doubt that Wallis benefited from her wedding to Edward. The two became a very open and free couple (her Uranus is in opposition to his Venus), a cultivated couple, both spiritually and socially. 

Wallis is a Gemini in excess (she has Sun, Mercury, Venus, Neptune, and Pluto in this dual sign). If an individual has the Geminian traits in excess then, by extrapolation, she somehow lacks the Jovian ones (meaning a sound moral system, spirituality, a faith in a superior force taking care of her and optimism/joie de vivre). Not by chance Gemini is considered the sign of Jupiter’s exile. But the Duke’s Jupiter remedies Wallis’ “frailty” because it actually conjuncts her Geminian Stellium (meaning that Edward is graciously offering her what she lacks). In particular, his Jupiter in tight conjunction to her Neptune brought her a lot of faith and magic in her life—made her literally believe the unbelievable. 

Latent Element #7: Eighth House Synastry 

Wallis’ Moon falls in Edward’s Eighth house. The Eighth House is considered to be an utterly (and fatally) unifying House. Its force of union (or repulsion) is irresistible, and when two persons come together under the urge of the Eighth House, the unitary force produced is of the deepest and most powerful kind. We should not forget, as well, that the Eighth House is the House of the sex drive; therefore, passion and sex must have been paramount for this couple. 

Latent Elements in Progression 

Now let’s take a look at the evolution in time of their synastry during the magical period of their marriage/post-marriage. If we progress Edward’s chart to the day of his marriage to Wallis (June 3, 1937), we encounter his progressed Moon in her Eighth House and in the sign of Libra, in a wide conjunction to Wallis’ natal Moon—and ever more approaching her Moon in the ensuing months. This lunar convergence means that a unique emotional convergence took place between the couple during their marriage/post-marriage period, an attunement of their souls and of their erotic appetites (Eighth House emphasis). 

Then, if we progress Wallis’ chart for the same event, we notice her natal Stellium in Gemini (mainly her Sun, Mercury and Venus) being moved to Leo, into Edward’s natal Seventh House (a strong indication of attraction and integration among the two). 

Furthermore, on the occasion of their wedding, Edward’s progressed Jupiter was forming a perfect trine aspect to her natal North Node (a bountiful karmic aspect), and was simultaneously starting to form a conjunction to her natal Sun. On the other hand, Simpson’s progressed Moon was forming an opposition to Edward’s natal Saturn (which by the way was already opposing Wallis’ natal Moon for a “double-whammy” effect!). So, on their marriage day, both her lights were receiving strong Jovian and Saturnine energies. This means that Wallis experienced her wedding with Edward as a very joyful event, as an event that expanded considerably her horizons and catapulted her socially, but brought her excessive obligations too as the Duchess of Windsor. 

The Lessons of Latent Synastry 

This one example should hopefully give you a general idea of how the latent elements work in synastry, weaving a multitude of invisible patterns of attraction and affinity. Though the process of pinpointing these latent elements may be difficult, it is crucial to dig into the many layers of astrological latency for a real understanding of synastry. Starting from the most obvious and explicit layers, we should dive deep to uncover those layers that require a deeper and more sophisticated analysis. The more we bring to light the latent elements of a synastry the more we can understand the mystery of love.

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(P.S. This article was originally published on the quite popular American relationships' site "Sasstrology".  You may read it here)

(A "Sasstrology" article by Thomas Gazis)

Is the 20 May 2012 Eclipse the "big quake" one (according to Nostradamus)?

There are two specific prophecies in Nostradamus "Quatrains" over an extreme, mighty quake that is bound to hit Earth "in the month of May". Since we live in strange times and somehow the year 2012 carries on a "fatal" connotation, is it possible that these prophecies are referring to the current month of May? Furthermore, are these prophecies referring to the Solar Eclipse of May 20 (May 21 for Europe and western Asia), a critical Eclipse that will take place with both the Lights (Sun and Moon) located in front of the (very "significant" to the Maya) constellation of the Pleiades? Not to mention the fact that both the Lights will be partile conjuncting during the eclipse the rather infamous star Alcyone, a star that is alleggedly causing (among other things) blindness, sickness, epidemics and violent deaths!

Let's see first what exactly Nostradamus wrote (note that the term "Century" corresponds to "Chapter").

"Century" X, Quatrain 67:

"A mighty earthquake in the month of May.
Saturn, Capricorn, Jupiter, Mercury in Taurus: 
Venus also, Cancer, Mars in Nonnay. 
Hail will fall larger than an egg".

"Century" IX, Quatrain 83: 
"The sun in 20 degrees of Taurus, so strong shakes the earth,
That the great theater, repleted, will be ruined;
The air, sky and land, dark and troubled,
Then shall the infidels invoke God and the saints."

Regarding the first of the above Quatrains, the planets Jupiter and Mercury are indeed now in Taurus! Saturn though is not in Capricorn but in Libra. Venus currently is in Gemini, thus neither in Taurus nor in Cancer (there is always some ambivalence in Nostradamus writings). Mars is currently in Virgo, thus neither in Cancer nor in "Nonnay" (that's an enigmatic phrase which many interpret as "zero". But Mars is not now in its zero degrees declination - this would be the most plausible explanation for "Nonnay"). So, the Quatrain X, 67 is largely busted!

Regarding now the other Quatrain, the Sun was in 20 degrees of Taurus almost 10 days ago and the "big one" did not happen. So, this Quatrain is busted too - at least for the current year.

Remains though the fact that this Solar Eclipse occurs at the very moment the Lights conjunct the allegedly "harmful" star Alcyone - while they simultaneously receive a discordant square aspect from the "dissolving" planet Neptune (located in the ultra-dynamic First House, for the co-ordinates of London).

By some coincidence, the path of this eclipse is crossing two of the most quake prone "fault zones" of the world. It starts in eastern China, it goes over Japan, over the northern Pacific Ocean and then it  crosses California and Nevada.

The current Solar eclipse is emphasizing the dual sign of Gemini. This means that some things are hanging in mid-air now, a duality prevails around us, a critical situation cannot be stabilized and is ever changing.

The square aspect of Neptune to the Lights is aggravating further this Geminian fickleness, creating some sort of disillusionment, chaos and decay around us - ever more deconstructing the world we used to know. There is confusion both within us and around us and some form of cheating. We are faced with certain "stationary" and somehow abnormal, "sick" situations that are delaying us and pushing us back. A dramatic event related to the element of water or to the sea or a major earth-quake might occur (in ancient Greece Neptune was the god of earth-quakes).

Thomas Gazis
Copyright: Thomas D. Gazis