NOVEMBER 2013 ASTRO FORECAST

The intensity of this phase will involve many experiencing losses on one or more levels

 of materiality

 - be that people, things, resources, finances.

This is a process of rebalancing or reconsidering values and attachments
 with alternate notions arising about
 the underlying essence of things, people & existence in general

Everyday Scorpionic intensity is heightened further in November 2013 :

November 3 Scorpionic Total Solar Eclipse
line-up of Mercury-Nodes-Sun-Moon-Saturn
but also the Mercury-Nodes-Sun-Saturn group retriggered in Scorpio on Nov 6
and the Scorpio-Taurus Full Moon [Nov 17-18] activating Pluto-Uranus effects

The lunar nodes
are significant destiny-karma indicators so what happens in this time 
frame is profoundly meaningful both for individual experiences and 
on a collective or mass destiny level. 

SCORPIO and TAURUS essentially identify the non-physical versus physical
 energy polarity so both are involved in standout events of Nov 2013
 & beyond into 2014

TAURUS
physical concerns are about security & survival - food, shelter, 
money being prominent in contemporary terms. Tactile, earthy, sensory
things are the territory of this sign.
Objects and possessions & the attachment to same.

SCORPIO
is the metaphysical = what lies beyond the physical 
-the territory many associate with death or an afterlife. 

It is also the contrast to the physical-sensory
-tactile existence so loved -and needed by Taurus.

SCORPIO
connects to the territory of pure energy,where objects cease to exist
 -the realm that pervades our entire existence from the local
 to the universality of deep space. 
The unseen forces that are comprised of vibrating wave patterns.

The human mind  [and likely that of other sentient life] -
when tuned into the Scorpionic wavelength - has the capacity
to transcend and transform material reality
by accessing the energy fields we are embedded in.

The contemporary master [magician] Dynamo -  Steven Frayne
demonstrates this ability in a manner most commonly seen in Eastern
spiritual masters, shamanic practitioners and their equivalents
in diverse cultural communities across the continents of the world.

November 2013
 - and sustained during the eclipse phase till late April 2014

is likely to bring to the fore issues contrasting the Scorpio-Taurus 
differences.

The opportunity is given to transcend or at least reduce attachment
to Taurean materiality, physicality,sensuality on account of
its transient and illusory nature.

To understand this issue in depth, a study of Buddhist philosophy
is informative - or the concepts uncovered through quantum mechanics
regarding the hidden nature of reality.

SCORPIO

confronts us with endings, often actual physical deaths or decay in our personal or
collective networks - as a reminder of the limited, transient existence of all
material forms.

This leads many to consider the energetic trace left by a person & 

their life of achievements, relationships and actions both positive
and negative.

The energy exchange that occurs in sexual activity

& the apparent 'loss of self' and 'little death' experiences

mean that sexual issues are Scorpio's concern

Scorpio's
capacity to access powerful unseen forces and to manipulate or 
transform energy means that power use and abuse in general
arise in discussion under Scorpio periods of influence

Issues arising re collectively held or any shared resources such as trusts 
safeguarding family property are a Scorpio arrangement versus the 
personal property, possessions or cash which is a Taurus matter 

For those wishing to operate more on an energy level as opposed to the 
base level of materiality this is an excellent period for developing 
mastery of metaphysical skills - the practices of accessing and utilising your 
personal energy potential in order to operate effectively and flowingly 
- and claim your place in the world - instead of facing perpetual defeat 
& discouragement - the hallmarks of blocked personal energy.

For environmental & extreme weather implications of the 
full eclipse pattern go to this related post

SCORPIO-TAURUS themed news items in November 2013:
NZ -  farmer jailed on multiple charges including sex slavery of wife for 22 yrs
NZ -Air NZ share sell-down seen as "volatile"
NZ- Christchurch policeman on power abuse & sex charges
NZ- early in the month news features a string sexual and violent attacks
      within a few days
NZ- Underage females allege stupefied for sex
NZ- Rape Crisis urges action
World -Sex scandal in India
NZ- Auckland Mayor's mistress talks to media
NZ- Teacher trainee dies after violent assault
World -Computer animation traps 1000 paedophiles
World- Much death and loss associated with typhoon
 Haiyan -Philippines & cyclone in Somalia - detailed in
Extreme Weather post
World: tornadoes related destruction across Midwest US states
World: Apocalyptic storm floods Sardina, Italy

ENERGY - a metaphysical description

LIBRA profile: Veteran troubadour Shona Laing

Veteran troubadour Shona Laing is set to enter the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame on November 21 2013

Shona Laing   Henderson 2009

Shona Laing won the APRA Silver Scroll for Mercy of Love in 1992, another highlight in the singer-songwriter's career which had a stellar beginning as a New Zealand teenager winning acclaim for her talent as early as the age of 17, in 1972
In this video viewers will see the symbol of SATURN drawn on Shona's left cheek representing the intensity of painful feelings she has known in intimate relationships

              A sample of her live, unaccompanied talent, 2009, Titirangi Auckland

Shona [October 9 1955 New Zealand] is another female LIBRAN in the news for creative achievement and like Eleanor Catton {The Luminaries Man Booker Prize} this period is a career peak - one in the latter period and one in the beginning time.

Shona's time and place of birth are not known but on her birthday this collection of Libra planets prevailed:

Sun-Venus-Mercury-Neptune all in Libra. These positions are activated every year from October 8 to October 20 so prominence for creative expression -whether that be in the arts or music is highly likely in that time frame.

LIBRA of course is the partnership sign and the people born with that energy are very driven to find themselves through relationships - but in a balanced way - not to be consumed or overwhelmed - but to retain the sense of self - as identified by the polarity sign ARIES which all Librans have to come to terms with.

Peace and war are the Libran-Aries balancing act -how to keep harmony and how to resolve conflict are constant concerns.

Shona Laing is blessed with a powerful creative capacity courtesy of the Jupiter-Pluto-Mars- Venus -Mercury-Neptune connections

Jupiter and Pluto are in Leo at the base of this chart fragment at 24'36 & 27'56

Mars in Virgo at 27'08

Venus-Mercury-Neptune at 24'59, 25'11, 27'29

All of these planets will be working synergistically

Leo is creative but add Jupiter and Pluto and you get a big and powerful dose

Mars provides a strong drive and is in Virgo -a sign of writing and analytical skill

Venus in Libra gives aesthetic creative ability 

Mercury in Libra is the processing of creative information

Neptune in Libra gives imaginative, escapist, dream-like or fantasy elements to the creativity

Shona is a painter as well as a singer-songwriter.

Like most highly creative [ = extremely sensitive] people she has had to deal with many demons based on a profound discontent and discomfort living in a world so ravaged with suffering and evil doers.
Moon is in Cancer - soft centre with protective shell exterior -most likely in range of Saturn in Scorpio - ongoing challenges re feelings of disempowerment
Neptune accentuated means overwhelming sensitivity which is dealt with by choosing options such as drug/alcohol abuse, escapism, fantasy, retreat. Living life based on spiritual foundations is the antidote and creative expression is central in the life

It is excellent to see her star rising again in 2013

November 21 2013
Shona inducted into NZ Music Hall of Fame -Herald report on her career 

Extreme Weather from the Galactic Centre

The GC -galactic centre -the rotational centre of the Milky Way galaxy - at 27 Sagittarius is an energy point of unimaginable potency
Magnetic structures spreading across vast distances have been observed emanating from the core of our galaxy

Significant events on earth expressing the power of natural forces can be seen to cluster in the time frame of a GC activation.

This includes major movements or quantities of fire, earth, air and water and can include floods, landslides, earthquakes, volcanic activity, tornadoes, typhoons, hurricanes, torrential rain, tsunami, wildfires, explosive events - as well as including events of this type perpetuated by human activity [ Hiroshima-Nagasaki 1944].
The Double Helix nebula near the galactic centre is mirrored in the shape of double helix DNA -as found in almost all living organisms -human, animal and plant species, even viruses.

The discovery of intense magnetic forces at the galactic centre gives rise to the notion that magnetic torsion twisted the original pair of connected spirals into this shape. So now we have a magnetic resonance component to the idea that what happens at the core of our galaxy reaches us on Earth not only through atmospheric, environmental outcomes but directly through our DNA.

Typhoon Haiyan has slammed Philippines -an example of GC generated extreme forces
 update Nov 8 2013

Observations [above] made October 21 2013 re the roles of Saturn in October [12 Scorpio] & the November Scorpio eclipse [11 Scorpio] in activating by semisquare the Galactic Centre position of 27 SAG

• The June and December solstice points at zero Cancer and zero Capricorn have been considered for millennia to be potent activation points of cosmic energies.

• above are further potent activators of Galactic Centre energies, stepped down into the environment of Earth, with 27 SAG as the actual position of the galactic centre and all points at 90 and 180 degrees of that being significant, as well as all positions midway = 12 degrees in all 4 fixed energy signs [Scorpio, Taurus, Leo, Aquarius] Any one occupied position has an equal capacity to trigger any or all others

The GC gets activated annually by the Sun around December 19
In 2013 only Mercury  [Jan 17] and Venus [November 2] make the same exact conjunction to 27 SAG. But these alone do not give rise to major activations.
My energy analysis method always includes the GC activations by the remaining signs of the mutable quartet - PISCES VIRGO GEMINI as well as the semi & sesqui squares = 12 degree position of any of the fixed signs SCORPIO TAURUS  LEO AQUARIUS.

When the 27 MUTABLE or 12 FIXED sign positions feature in a New, Full Moon or Eclipse the likelihood of extreme forces arising to a significant extent in diverse earth locations is worth considering

Milky Way Galactic Centre

It so happens from late 2013 into 2014 there is a run on these relevant factors with strong activations of the GC energy delivered by:


September full moon 27 PISCES
October lunar eclipse SATURN at 12 SCORPIO
November solar eclipse at 11 SCORPIO being midpoint of MERC-NODES-SAT
December full moon at 25 GEMINI
January new moon 11 AQUARIUS
March full moon 26 VIRGO

Exact positions at 27 or 12 are strongest but + or - 2 degrees is well within range of effect - giving a range 25-29 Mutable and 10-14 Fixed to consider.

Full and New Moons begin to be effective days before exactitude and until the following new or full state.

Eclipses belong to a six-monthly cycle so the effects can spread ahead that far - as well as being pre-triggered -one of the qualities of space-time that defies the limited linear logic of manufactured earth-time.

The period September 2013 - May 2014
is likely to be notable for many more extreme weather events and major environmental events which reveal the potency of the forces of nature.

The role of the paired transformers Pluto & Uranus locked at a 90 degree angle is undeniable in accentuating or aggravating the situation.

These two energies are very representative of Galactic Centre forces so their current activation provides a double-whammy effect whenever our solar system is zapped by a blast from the GC 

A torus of super-heated dust surrounding the galactic centre black Hole -artist's conception

Updates
Prior historical example:
CYCLONE Yasi formed January 26 2011.
Dissipated Feb 3 2011
GC activation came via URANUS  in conjunction with JUPITER  =  both at 27 Pisces on January 4 2011. The process was set in motion weeks before the cyclone formed.
[ 27 Pisces is at exact 90 degrees to the GC & therefore a very strong trigger - made stronger by the combined mega force of Jupiter blended with Uranus the force of change.]

The etymology of the word typhoon is of interest in terms of the most likely link back to Greek mythology
TYPHOEUS aka TYPHON  was a monstrous immortal storm-giant...so huge his head was said to brush the stars..

He appeared man-shaped down to the thighs, with two coiled vipers in place of legs. Attached to his hands in place of fingers were a hundred serpent heads, fifty per hand. He was winged, with dirty matted hair and beard, pointed ears, and eyes flashing fire. According to some he had two hundred hands each with fifty serpents for fingers and a hundred heads, one in human form with the rest being heads of bulls, boars, serpents, lions and leopards. As a volcano-daimon, Typhoeus hurled red-hot rocks at the sky and storms of fire

 boiled from his mouth. 

-from theoi.com where extensive detail is available

Relevant news October 2013
Britain braces for worst storm of 2013
M7.1 quake off Japan  after sun pumps out a swarm of M and X flares

                     
time frame October 23, 24, 25,26 2013 shown though 3 M flares also occurred on Oct 22 -see flare calendar
This amount of sustained output has not been seen for some time & has a relationship to extreme weather and natural events on earth including large quakes.

Summary of late October- early November sustained solar activity -
+ November 5 saw an X3.3 flare [3rd biggest in current solar cycle - and biggest for 2013]

November 2013
The biggest storm of 2013 slams the Philippines from November 6 [Typhoon Haiyan]
Lethal cyclone devastates Somalia

Solar activity remains high with two weeks of sustained M flares & the occasional X flare - while according to standard observations, no geomagnetic effects at storm level as a result of all the CME's sent from the sun up till Nov 12

M-flares abundant. X flare on Nov 8

December 2013
Around Dec 8
Heavy snowfall across Northern Hemisphere & in unusual places -Egypt, Hawaii, Middle East -all due to a jet stream snaking much further southwards in a meridional pattern rather than zonal

The Full Moon at 25 SAG-GEM was within range of the GC & thus geoeffective in the time frame of a lunar month into January
 The Sun reached the Galactic Centre point late on Dec 18 UT at 27 SAG and Mercury too on Dec 22 - allowing for a conjoined activation of the GC forces in the period around Dec 20-22 
The important seasonal markers at zero Cardinal [Capricorn-Cancer, Aries-Libra] are also likely to be caught up in the timing of GC activations since 27 SAG is just 3 degrees from 0 Capricorn and the whole spectrum is activated at all other seasonal markers in March, June, September as well as in December
December 2013 is particularly worth observing for the added complexity of the Sun-Pluto-Mercury-Mars-Uranus synergistic activation from even as early as Dec 29 then strengthening in days to New Years Eve, January 1 & 2 2014
Natural forces [i.e. expressed as weather] & biological behaviour -human & other species vulnerable [with variation dependent on individual susceptibility] to disturbed, volatile & stress effects which will be evident in a range of news reports
From Weather Action :

Dec 21

Piers Corbyn from Weather Action says the North Atlantic jet stream reached a record 275 mph on Dec 22 2013 -consistent with the long range prediction of wild jet stream events in the shift to a Mini Ice Age circulation pattern.
Corbyn's methodology is centred around solar activity which impacts Earth. 
His analysis also targets the end of Dec 2013 & into January 2014:
"Newly erupting active sunspot regions are coming round to be Earth-facing (below) when we predicted and will drive dangerous weather conditions around end Dec and start Jan in USA, Brit+Ire, Europe and the whole world."
"This 'Mini-Ice-Age increase in wild and extreme events will continue for the next 20 years" 
Dec 22 UT In my locale the weather has undergone a sudden change from an unusually warm start of summer to cooler temps due to squally gusts of wind

2014 updates
Extreme flooding UK -January torrential
Massive landslide Washington State - March disaster in Oso
M8.2 quake Chile big offshore event was fortunately low in fatalities

2017 updates
MARCH
With the Galactic Center 27 SAG being activated by exact alignment from transiting Saturn at 27 Sagittarius, beginning effectiveness from start of March 2017 intense outcomes anticipated soon began to be evident. 

One planet alone is usually not significant enough to bring the worst extremes. [severe quakes, colossal tsunamis]

In March 2017 Saturn at 27 degrees links with any other activating factors at 27 and 12 degrees. 
The Sun and Neptune match these positions during March: Neptune [water indicator] for most of the month and the Sun at/in range of 12 degrees from March 2-4. 
From March 6 [UT] Mars at 27 Aries energises Saturn at 27 Sagittarius - extending over several days

The probabilities for heavy rain with flooding and destructive conditions creating losses and obstructions will also be very high in this time frame.
Just as March began [3rd] an indicator of extremes was in place -the exact opposition of Jupiter and Uranus. This opposition has an effective time frame of just over 2 weeks [until at least March 19] in which to keep generating more systems. This energy combination generates unbalanced energies and would have contributed significantly to extreme atmospheric conditions and the creation of disturbed, destructive weather systems. 
The Sun reaching 21-23 degees in the March 11-March 13 period synergises with this potent energy.
Then importantly 17-20th March when firstly the Sun is at 27 degrees, soon joined by the Moon on the 20th of March.

Regions of New Zealand's North Island beginning 7 March experienced extreme flooding followed by forceful winds -with conditions enduring several days after a brief lull between systems.

Other global locations showed related effects in this time period -as reported March 9 - India, Pakistan, Atlanta US...

Memphis and UK heavy rain news

Britain gets March warning

NZ reports from: 
Coromandel region  Waiheke Island
Clevedon  summary of damage

NZ Metservice forecast 9 March

March 11 Coverage of NZ North Island extreme weather

March 2017 Fatalities recorded in Madagascar cyclone

Wiki entry for Cyclone Enawo

March 12 2017
further extreme rainfall on Sunday has deluged nearly 200 properties across Auckland City

mid-March saw  blizzard conditions in north-east US regions

March 14 saw the start of extreme rain, flooding and mudslides in Peru. This follows an intense period of extreme weather since early in 2017

By 28 March 2017 Queensland Australia was subject to Cyclone Debbie. The initial effects were followed by extreme widespread flooding affecting an even larger landscape than initially affected -even by April 2 more flooding was anticipated

Saturn on GC 2017
With Saturn's transiting position in Sagittarius remaining within the 27-28 degree range throughout April and still within the 26-27 degree range for most of May 2017 it is anticipated that activation of Galactic Centre [GC] energies is creating exactly the turbulent forces that generate extreme weather. The higher potential for this looks to be increased in April 2017 with Neptune [the water indicator] also highly activated [Uranus+Sun transits through Aries]
The 3rd factor [and there is always more than one] is that imbalance underlies the generation of these extreme forces. Energy related to extreme unbalanced forces was generated at the end of March [Pluto+Jupiter] and the triggers spawned at that time were given the force to unfold in days ahead...ready to merge increasingly from April 4 with Saturn barely moving from its transiting position, intensifying through the first week of April to lead into the developing Saturn-Venus energy at 28 Sagittarius and the Sun-Jupiter-Pluto energies combining from April 7.
Extreme forces remain locked in for a lengthy period, with many different manifestations - weather or environmentally related as well as human induced - with a likely time frame from April 7-19 2017
So this is a big package of extreme and destructive forces which will be manifested in many global locations 

April 2017 - tropical storm Arlene

September 2017  In the contact of the long-range of total solar eclipse in August, with sun, moon and Uranus at 28 degrees, a sequence of hurricanes in the Caribbean was unleashed.
Advancing Jupiter and retrograding Uranus led to the two due to meet in exact opposition at 27 degrees on September 28 -just a week after the 27 degree New Moon -  Hurricane Maria reached Cat 5 close to New Moon

December 2017
Historical Example 1: the North Sea Storm and Flood of January 31 1953
When I discover the date of an historic extreme weather event it is totally appropriate to see how closely the energy of that event matches up with the original theory proposed by the author of this blog.

• A lunar eclipse on 29 January was at 10 degrees - also activating the 25th degree
• Venus and Mars conjoined at 26 degrees
• Saturn and Jupiter conjoined at 25.5 degrees
• Jupiter at 12 degrees also activated 27 degrees
• lunar nodes at 12 degrees also activated 27 degrees

As often found an eclipse is involved here and any eclipse in the range [10-14 degrees] activates the most sensitive Galactic Centre degree range [25-29 degrees.
Therefore by reference to a planetary ephemeris such extreme events are predictable in advance and researchable back in history.
This example happens to be a very good fit for the theory. Others require more gymnastics but the order of significance is mathematics first, followed by planet/luminary or energy. Of least significance is zodiac signs though these can be seen to reinforce the picture.
Historical Example 2

Over 200 years prior a very similar storm hit the same region:
The storm and massive flood across northern Europe Dec 24-25 1717 featured wind and waves with devastating ferocity.

• Pluto and Neptune joined forces at 14 degrees which activated 29 degrees
• the lunar nodes were at 29 degrees
• Saturn was at 29 degrees
• Moon reached 29 degrees on Dec 24

This event was not associated with an eclipse nor any lunation -it was occurring midway between full and new moon - with moon at 90 degrees to the Sun late on the 24th -

• Sun and Moon at 3 degrees activated 18 degrees -being the trigger for the Chiron-Uranus synergy
• Jupiter at 2 degrees activate 17 degrees

Effectively there were two energy entanglements which accounted for virtually everything in play.
With Moon being the fast mover and common trigger it had a direct role to play in activating both sets of energy

• Sun-Moon-Chiron-Uranus-Jupiter
• Pluto-Neptune-Nodes-Saturn-Moon

Though possibly only minimally relevant, given the colossal amount of energy firing by late on Xmas Eve, Mercury -past 29 degrees, Venus at 17 and Mars at 11 all match up with the energy sets outlined.

Since these two events were referenced in the one article published Dec 28 2017 - due to the similarities in place and scale one planetary factor often regarded as the one that emphasises karma was virtually in the same position despite the 200+ years separation - Saturn was at 29 degrees in Libra at Christmas 1717 and was at 27 Libra on January 31 1953.

For what its worth:

 Libra indicates imbalances needing to be corrected

Further reading:
Galactic Centre activation in the Galveston Hurricane in September 1900

Galactic Centre astronomy

Ellie Catton & astrology of the Luminaries

"I'm over the Moon"

As soon as I heard of Ellie Catton and her shortlisting for the Man Booker literary prize It was very intriguing to find out how likely her chances were of winning - since astrological analysis is the focus of this blog -and her winning novel has a very structured astrological theme

Google searching only delivered a 1985 year of birth so I scoured images of her face for clues. I picked up the energy of Venus-Libra - but in an astrological chart we have all 12 signs activated to a greater or lesser degree -so any prominent factor can jump out.
Because the Cardinal signs [Aries, Libra, Cancer, Capricorn] are highly emphasised during the period 2012-2016 many people born under those signs are having major life-changing events arising.
I was left to ponder whether Ellie is in fact a Libran.
On Tues 15 [Weds 16 a.m. NZ time] the Canadian born New Zealander was confirmed as the Booker winner for English language literature.
She gave an extended speech which was played perhaps in part on Radio New Zealand:

Accepting the award, Catton said the prize is all the more incredible because her book has been a publisher's nightmare from the very beginning.

"The shape and form of the book made certain kinds of editorial suggestions not only mathematically impossible, but even more egregious, astrologically impossible," she said.

Oct 15 the BBC website gave Eleanor Catton a birthdate of 24 September 1985  born in London, Ontario in Canada.
The Sun is conjunct Mercury in Libra as this chart for 5 mins past midnight at the start of that day, is showing:

not the exact Ellie Catton chart but a 24 September 1985 chart
This gives relevant positions for Catton - except exact position of the fast-moving Moon and the positioning around the wheel. The AC-DC and MC-IC axes shown here are also not relevant to her-  click to enlarge

[update: clarification: a misheard excerpt form her acceptance speech referred not to herself being a Virgo - but an editor - this error has been removed from this section]

To know the full personal layout precisely needs the critical factor of her time of birth which may never be disclosed

Standout features of those born 24 Sept 1985

• Mercury in tight proximity to the Sun gives the reader-writer energy.
•  Pluto linked by semisextile gives great intensity of mind, even obsession and the urge to delve into taboo and metaphysical subjects.
•  Neptune also closely linked by square gives immense imaginative & creative abilities to the functions of mind.
• Jupiter closely linked by trine to Sun-Mercury adds many advantages derived from the territory of ideas, concepts, thought and communications
• Venus and Mars in Virgo are great tools for producing the writer's craft
• the strong activation of her potentials leading to the Booker win are almost entirely invisible without a precisely timed chart - but one factor does stand out -the destiny indicator -the lunar north node is effectively 10 Taurus - giving a 10 Scorpio South Node - during the run-up to the award the lunar North Node reached 10 Scorpio - Ellie Catton's destiny based on prior life talents was about to blossom. 

I am yet to read the novel but will do so with interest as I have no idea of the level of astrological knowledge that has been used. It is pleasing, for the promotion of astrology that the winner of such a prestigious prize utilised this ancient knowledge despite public sentiment having long ago been scared away by Christian extremism.

UPDATE January 2014
Have just completed reading The Luminaries & am preparing an Alternative Astrology of the Luminaries article, coming soon
Update February 2014
The Astrology of the Luminaries
"There was this large world of rolling time and shifting spaces, and that small, stilled world of horror and unease – they fit inside each other, a sphere within a sphere."

The astrological methodology used by Ellie Catton is by no means traditional - which seems reflected in her introductory reference to star-gazing with her father - which created an overlay of astronomical perspectives -specifically the issue of precession -which says the planets no longer occupy the positions that were originally determined. 
She says she used charts from Sky & Telescope magazine and a software program called Stellarium to plot the stars and planets corresponding to the timeframe of the narrative. 

Though referring to “triple conjunction in Sagittarius, three planets in the same sign” -there is no astrological occurrence of this in the planetary data for the key date 27 January 1866 -The chart she used for this was from astronomical data.

the astrology of January 1866 has no triple conjunction in Sagittarius

Make no mistake: astrology and astronomy inhabit two different conceptual territories. 
Astrology is the wholistic language of quantum reality
Astronomy is the language if the mechanistic model
The two will never agree on the larger nature of space-time reality
So it becomes somewhat confusing to analyse Catton's hybrid version
This extra reference to the mathematics of the Golden Ratio adds another layer of complexity to unpick:
...she based its structure on a device derived from the geometrical idea of the golden spiral.
“I had become fascinated with this idea … can I write a book that has 12 parts, where every part stands in golden ratio in terms of length to the part that comes after it? the Listener

Considering the use of time and the movements of the planets, as portrayed in her precession-corrected astrology charts, Catton proceeds as follows:

27 January 1866

18 February 1866

20 March 1866

then a time shift...27 April 1865

proceeding forward again

27 April 1866

then a time shift...12 May 1865

proceeding thru 1865

18 June 1865

28 July 1865

22 August 1865

20 September 1865

11 October 1865

...a gap. No November

proceeding...

3 December 1865

14 January 1866

There are 13 dates

But only 12 are assigned as Parts of the tale

12 is the traditional number of astrological Houses, or divisions of the 360 degree astrological circle, or wheel of the heavens

The unassigned date is 27 April 1866 -as if that date and it's anniversary 27 April 1865 become merged in quantum, non-linear time

Of the 13 dates, only two are assigned a location

27 April 1865 Dunedin

27 April 1866 Hokitika

Thus the pairing knits together the two key settings for the succession of interconnected lives

The cycle starting 27 January 1866 [Part 1] ends on 14 January 1866 [Part 12] -another example of non-linear, quantum time - mistakenly conceived of by most as the stuff of nonsense -" you ended up finishing before you started!" - something Lewis Carroll would have been very proud to have constructed. His thinking so clearly revealed in the Alice stories is a clear example of the peculiarities of the quantum domain of reality underlying everyday existence -[ for a watchable version of quantum theory What the Bleep]

Mathematical factors include not only the mathematics of astrology and the assigned Golden Ratio structure but also fundamental mirroring:

There are 3 months using the date the 27th: 

April 1865, April 1866, and January 1866

The use of the 28th as well as in 28 July 1865 is relevant from an astrological perspective since the position of the Sun has a connection to all other similar dates:

27 April 1865 & 27 April 1866 = 6 degrees of Taurus, with Moon in Air -Libra in 1866

27 January 1866 = 7 degrees Aquarius

28 July 1865 = 5 degrees Leo with Moon in Air -Libra

This becomes interesting when graphically portrayed:

These four signs are connected, being part of the set of zodiac energies described as fixed [consistent, stubborn] in their expression.

The 3 dates above feature 3 of the four and indicate determined, willful,forces connected and opposed. 

Other dates repeated are

18 June 1865 = 27 Gemini

18 February 1866 = 29 Aquarius

On both dates the Moon was in the Fire sign Aries

These dates connect as 2 parts of a triangle

20 September 1865 = Sun 27 Virgo New Moon

20 March 1866 = 29 Pisces

These two signs are in near exact opposition - linked as bring similar as well as different in energy.

These are 2 [earth & water] of the mutable set of signs.

The other signs are Sagittarius and Gemini -and as we see 27 Gemini occurred on 18 June 1865.

The 3 combined produce a pattern of opposing and connected changing forces

A slighter looser grouping has:

May 12 1865  = Sun 21 Taurus with Moon in Fire - Sagittarius

October 11 1865 = Sun 18 Libra

January 14 1866 = Sun 23 Capricorn with Moon in Fire - Sagittarius

Taurus and Capricorn link by being both Earth signs

Libra compared to Capricorn & Taurus shows an elemental conflict -Air vs Earth

Then

August 22 1865 = Sun 29 Leo

is an exact [seasonal, energetic] opposite of 

Sun 29 Aquarius which occurred on 18 February 1866

[the variable orbit of the sun means zodiac positions are not an exact match for calendar dates

The seemingly stand alone date is Dec 3 1865

Sun = 11 Sagittarius with a waning Full Moon in Gemini

The Beginning:

27 January 1866 has Moon in Gemini

The End

14 January 1866 has Moon in Sagittarius

These 2 signs are paired opposites -Air & Fire in the Mutable set

When analysing the Sun positions in terms of zodiac sets [Cardinal, Fixed or Mutable] 

the 13 dates have the Moon in

Cardinal [Aries,Libra, Cancer or Capricorn] 2 times

Fixed [Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius] 7 times

Mutable [Pisces, Gemin. Virgo, Sagittarius]  4 times

When analysing the Moon positions in terms of zodiac sets [Cardinal, Fixed or Mutable] the 13 dates have the Moon in

Cardinal [Aries,Libra, Cancer or Capricorn] 5 times

Fixed [Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius] 2 times

Mutable [Pisces, Gemin. Virgo, Sagittarius]  6 times

The dominant Sun energy is Fixed

The dominant Moon energy is Mutable

Sun energy is traditionally associated with hi-profile, directive & male energy

Moon energy is traditionally associated with low-profile, responsive & female energy

In terms of characters in the story

Carver typifies a fixed male Solar energy

Anna typifies a mutable female Lunar energy

though it is said that Emery is paired with Anna as the Solar-Lunar Luminaries, they in fact are two peas in a pod rather than complementary forces.

Reading the book in entirety the overwhelming energy is Neptunian - the planetary energy linked to the zodiac sign Pisces, which is Mutable Water.

The manifestations of Piscean/Neptunian references, themes & characters are numerous: the opium dealer, the chaplain, the shipping agent, the chemist, drugs and medicines, the hermit, being comatose from drug overdose, the mysterious disappearance of Emery, the hidden gold, the stolen gold, the drug-addicted Anna, deceit, impersonation, theft and forgery, multiple identities.

the astrology of the characters
is less interesting to me having some superficial pairings -The newspaperman is a Gemini & the others have escaped me , not having a copy to hand at this time.

In summary:
The book used a hybrid language scantily based on astrology symbolism, more on astronomy data, with some astrological character elements.
I have read several gushing commentaries by astrologers about how wonderful it is to have astrology so prominently profiled but am left wondering if they have actually read and analysed the book.
There is far more to the structure on a mathematical level with quantum aspects of time-shifting and there are interesting links astrologically between key dates -which now seem to have been oblivious to Catton if she was soley using astronomical data

Read this explanation also re the difference between constellations and the zodiac & the nonsense re the so called 13th sign

WIKI entry
Guardian article
BBC birthdate statement
Book extract
Book Review
The astrological structure -some commentary from Catton to a sceptical UK journalist
star sign confirmed - Catton tells me her birthday was last month and her star sign is Libra.

Why Mayor Len Brown Should Resign

Auckland Mayor Len Brown confirmed on October 15 2013 that he had an extra-marital affair of some two years duration

Public opinion is of course divided on account of the range of moral and ethical positions held amongst people of various beliefs, cultures, education

                                                   scroll to end for latest updates

The Personal

Mayor Brown had presented himself as the archetypal family man as befits a high profile politician and the obligatory photo shoots.

The Mayor acknowledges the affair but maintains -having just been re-elected to a second term to lead New Zealand's largest city - that it is business as usual and that this is a private and family matter he needs to resolve with them alone.

Hong Kong born Bevan Chuang has been identified as the woman involved with Brown, allegedly up until July 2013 - on account of the online publication of a sworn affidavit filed on October 15 which provides salacious details of the conduct of both parties from her perspective.

Public opinoin on the morning of October 16, despite the Mayor's mea culpa on Campbell Live TV3 the prior evening - is in favour more of him resigning than staying - and Chuang herself is making this call. Left opponent John Minto also agrees a resignation is appropriate.

The Politics

The politics of it are

• Len Brown is regarded as a Left or Centre Left politician
• The blogger site running the affidavit is run by an extreme right wing muckraker
• the blogger's father was campaign manager for the right wing candidate Palino in the Mayoralty election
• Chuang is described as a right wing political aspirant who unsuccessfully stood as a candidate in the Auckland local body elections as a member of the Communities and Residents group, aligned with the National Party.

These factors have led many to see a conspiracy to undermine Len Brown for political gain.

The Power Equation

This stands out as the crux of the issue

Len Brown is alleged to have pursued Bevan Chang with texts and invitations to meet and eventually he is said to have touched her arm and hand. Eventually this became allegedly a kiss he planted on her unexpectedly and eventually ongoing sexual relations.

Though not employed by the Council itself, Chuang was on an advisory board related to council functioning

She is a political novice

Ms Chuang is 32 years of age and Len Brown is 57

Mayor Brown is in a position of considerable power.

This is a classic case of power abuse in term's of Len Brown's behaviour

His position of authority is unquestionably of major significance in dealing with a much younger female, who also happens to be from an immigrant culture and who had political aspirations.

Chuang herself likens her situation to the Clinton-Lewinsky case.

The Bigger Picture

The purpose of this blog is to put news stories into a broader social context by means of astro-analysis of energies in play.

As noted in many prior posts, the current period 2012-2016 is one of major political, economic, social and environmental transformations as identified by the 90 degree pairing of Uranus and Pluto. October 2013 sees the close approach of these planets to their eventual fourth exact square on the 31st. 

This brings to the fore the energies of significant transformational events and in the process of this societal change, many high profile men have fallen from grace on account of abusing their power.
[Tiger Woods, Lance Armstrong, Berlusconi, Jimmy Saville, the sex allegations against Rolf Harris, William Roche to name a few]

The influences prevailing mean this is the time for the secrets to come out of the woodwork and for those who abuse power to be held to account because human relations are in need of a makeover.

On account of these prevailing energies, the Brown affair having been disclosed in October 2013 means the situation becomes an archetypal example of the rot in the system that needs to be cured. This will not be swept under the carpet by people in the way the Mayor is pleading for

He has learnt nothing from his behaviour and is showing the sort of arrogant blindness that will only trip him up again. His main statement in terms of retaining the Mayoralty is: I love this job. I want to continue my agenda. Me. Me. Me.

Born October 1 1956
Len Brown is a Libran -the sign of partnership

He has Moon and Venus in Leo -the performer, entertainer, and attention-loving qualities

Mars in Pisces - the achilles heel re sexual indiscretions, predisposed to sexual fantasy

Juptiter opposite Mars enhances the sex drive

5 factors connected at 29 degrees [ Saturn-Node, Neptune, Mercury, Pluto - give him great drive, energy and ambition - but this combination  adds even more to the tendency to have a downfall on account of a sex scandal - Saturn is in the sex sign Scorpio and is exact in contact with the destiny indicator the lunar north node.
Neptune adds to the secrecy, fantasy and deceit, Pluto is the obsessive element - all impacting the mental functioning of someone meant to be making billion-dollar decisions and interacting with a broad range of people.

A fatal impoverishment in his judgement is not just a private matter.

Len Brown should resign.

[disclosure: my politics are Left as you can get -and I'm glad I didn't vote for Brown]

addendum October 16
I am advised that some blokes on social media had a collective apoplexy the morning this was posted due to their overly hasty mis-reading of the section about high-profile figures falling from grace in the period 2012-2016.
This italicised aspect of the commentary did not equate Len Brown's behaviour with that of Berlusconi or Jimmy Saville etc per se, but that, like them, he is a high profile figure falling from grace in the context of what seems clearly an abuse of power situation.
For example: today you can also add ex Auckland Mayor John Banks to the list of those falling from grace: he faces a humiliating court trial over allegations of fraud related to electoral donations -and as a consequence within a short time resigned his portfolios.

update October 20
People who have read my post on the Mighty River Power sharemarket float will know that I forewarned that this was a turkey due to the prevailing energies which were in play when the government chose to offer shares.
The same issue arises in the Len Brown case:
what were the prevailing energies when the news broke on October 15?

The paired eclipses - October 18 [annular lunar] and November 3 [total solar] give the biggest clues in terms of their impact on Len Brown.
[Space-time differs from standard time on earth: related events can arise before, around or after a strong activation like an eclipse if that activation point i.e. zodiac degree is triggered by the passage of another planetary energy across that activation point]

Not only do the eclipse patterns include the over-riding Uranus-Pluto signifier of deep-seated collective change being top of the current global agenda -as detailed above - but Len Brown himself - a symbol of relating conduct that needs to change -  has significant enough links to both eclipses to anticipate that the issues arising from his actions will not disappear quickly.
Indicators in November point to more intense heat being applied to him and a long-unfolding aftermath of self-confrontation and soul-searching stretches even beyond 2015. A man at a moral crossroads with a rather large audience.

update October 21
When a single individual is in the public eye on account of behaviour people find unacceptable, that person serves as a collective learning experience: many will have transgressed in a similar fashion or will be currently & some may just be planning to.
The public response serves as a gauge of what is and what is not acceptable in society in any era.
Lying, cheating, stealing, violence and murder have attracted penalties since forever, but when these actions are highlighted within a political context many other complexities enter the arena.
Len Brown being so recently re-elected to the Mayoralty & with Councillors about to also start a new term, political expediency muddies the morality issue significantly.
Len Brown, above all things, wants to pursue his political agenda.
Councillors who support that agenda have to choose between personal/political loyalty and their own stance on morality issues.
The alternative of a by-election and new vote is totally unpalatable when political ambition is to the fore.
The rationalisation of Brown & supporters that a personal & family relationship crisis has no bearing on the Mayor's administrative capacity is completely fatuous, self-deluding and an attempt to delude others.
The textbook mea culpa on Campbell Live was simply an exercise in politically expedient PR 101 damage control.
Then the advice on page 2 of the handbook is Lay Low for Several Days
Page 3 itemises the Recovery Phase

• Proceed As Normal
• Maintain a Confident Air 
• Smile 
• Make Light of The Issue
• Keep Minimising The Issue when pressed for comment

A highly stage-managed whilst simultaneously highly transparent procedure designed to fool most of the people most of the time.

Abe Lincoln is said to have encountered this phenomenon and observed similarly:

You can fool some of the people all of the time

and all of the people some of the time

 but you can not fool all of the people all of the time

What a sorry state when naked ambition is accepted as more important than honesty, integrity, fidelity and how others are treated.

update October 24 2013
In the wake of what most would consider a week from hell, Len Brown has maintained a pro-active defense strategy to the point of publicly requesting that politicians private lives ought to be protected. This comes in light of a now publicly revealed  hear no evil-see no evil-report no evil pact that has existed between New Zealand media and politicians since whenever.
???
Yes this coterie of almost exclusively men, until recent times, seems to have more in common with Freemasonry or some secretive Lodge - even the Catholic Church with its containment of sexual abuse is a parallel.
Keeping secrets in order to provide protection to a supposed privileged sector is totally unacceptable.
Politicians are the employees of the people.
They are in positions of power over the lives of others.
They ought to be open to full scrutiny.
The fact that Len Brown is asking for this entitlement further reinforces his lack of perspective and faulty judgement.
The Mayor in the wake of his public shaming has made no effort to resign from his  honorary role as President of the Home & Family Counselling organisation

Len Brown is continuing to behave like a man who has lived for 57 years and never truly faced accountability, like he is therefore beyond accountability.
He is tempting fate in the most dangerous of ways.

Updated
December Friday 13 2013
Report released into the Mayor's conduct & where Council protocols or Code of Conduct may have been breached
Primarily failure to declare free hotel rooms and upgrades in hotel accommodation were highlighted - initial report
The Full EY Report of 19 pages is here

December 17
Where is the Moral/Ethical Leadership?

                         
More apologies from Len Brown but this is starting to sound like a man who feels he is untouchable, he can do anything - so long as he apologises. This is a trick children can learn very early in the game when they have overly indulgent parenting.
Andrew Dickens on the ZB site sums up many reasons for the widespread ongoing disquiet -including former supporters within Council calling for an official censure.
Conflict of interest arises re complementary & upgrade hotel rooms provided by Sky City to Len Brown since Sky City is involved in a controversial pokies for convention centre deal with the government
Net closes in aimed to set tight boundaries around Loosehead Len

                                  All credit - save the updates - to 1970's artist Darryl Kirby
December 18 2013
On this day the websites of Radio NZ and the NZ Herald gave top priority to the call for Len Brown to resign.
RNZ pic also showed the print Herald front page:

Despite wide public disapproval, media consensus & public placard-waving Brown continues to stick to his position: I have apologised and I want to move on
December 19 2013
At the meeting of the Council where the issue of censure against Mayor Brown was addressed Auckland Council preferred to stick with the status quo rather than upturn the applecart. This was the wrong decision as time will tell
Only 5 of the 20 wanted to push for a No Confidence vote.
This era -2012-2016 has a theme of bedrock change being required to remove rotten practices & their perpetrators -whether that be in politics, finance, the priesthood, business or amongst the ranks of "celebrities" - to name just some contexts where change - by virtue of exposure - is already being observed.
Surprisingly though it was Councillors on the Right who wanted the more extreme censure: paradoxically they are the voices of the sort of change required and voiced by citizens on the true Left whereas the moderate Left on the council & some right leaning councillors have followed the path of political expediency, in the name of political stability.
This unconscious attempt to go against the flow of change is pointless. Change will happen. People of the type exemplified by Len Brown no longer have a valid place as leaders in our communities, nations or globally
The tide is against them & by choosing to dig in, Len Brown will be struggling offshore against a very strong current

Further Reading:
2015 report on the highlights and lowlights of the Brown mayoralty
Len Brown's family values role

Herald news report

Chuang calls for Mayor to stand down

The Affidavit