Skyscript Astrology Forum

Martin Gansten wrote: Right. To each his (or her) own. Probably good to get that clarified, though, in case someone trying to learn standard primary directions should see your examples and get confused.

Yes, would have be been better if I had titled the thread "Investigating Directions, Profections, and Lots" rather than "Investigating Primary Directions,...".

Edit: Oh cool, I was able to change the thread title; hopefully it will cause less confusion.

Martin Gansten wrote: I think I agree with you on the more metaphysical idea (what Robert Zoller called 'our personal constellation'). But I have found that microcosm to mirror the natural motions of the macrocosm quite well.

lol...well, the ascensional motion I'm using is natural but specific to the microcosm in question and the other 360° motions are also natural but again, confined to the specific microcosm being examined; when John Donne said "No man is island" I think he should have continued with "but every man is a universe and a nativity maps it"

Ouranos wrote:I am still amazed by all the variations of Primary Directions we find in astrology literature.
And I am not saying your calculations are wrong Janegca. But in your example, you start with the Local Sphere and you switch to a... symbolic view!

No worries Ouranos, hijack away

My choice of words may not have been the best. What I started to think about while reading Omar is the idea that perhaps we actually carry around with us our own microcosm or little universe that is a clone of the energies mapped at our time of birth; a little universe that embodies the three basic motions involving the Earth, Moon, and Sun in the zodiac as it was when viewed from our specific time and place of birth. Our birth set it in motion.

Zain makes the point that a soul is only able to be born when the energies of the celestial sphere match the pattern of energies of the soul in question; the idea from which my own musings likely sprang. I was also thinking that, while its very easy for us, today, to calculate the exact positions of the planets, Asc, and MC it was for most early astrologers an exacting science. I think it's possible a fascination with the mechanical/mathematical side of things often took precedence over the astrological side; I know at various times I have become bogged down in technicalities, sometimes to the point of throwing my hands up and walking away. Although as I said, I always come back

I also think some techniques were developed as short-cuts to make it easier to identify possible trouble periods in the life hence all the various time-lord techniques. And various primary direction techniques and house systems, not as short cuts but in search of a technique that will work within a chart and across a variety of charts. And just as there are usually multiple ways to solve a math problem so there are probably multiple ways to solve timing problems.

Expanded Speculum


This woman was alive at the time Worsdale published his book. He used the chart as an example of finding the correct birth time by checking the directions to the Asc and MC to events in the life and stated that he used three events:

Age 27 - she had a lingering illness that lasted 6 months and also suffered an
injury when she fell off a horse

Age 41- two months before her birthday she had a severe and intermittent fever which she was not expected to survive. She was also beset with a number of other calamities and troubles

Age 54 - when she was nearly 55 she was afflicted with another severe illness
which her medical advisors thought would cause her death but after two months her health was restored

Worsdale said he correlated the events to the following in mundo calculations:

• Asc opposition Saturn at age 26 years 11 months
• Asc opposition Sun at age 41 years 11 months, and
• Asc opposition Mercury at age 54 years 10 months

Investigation:
This investigation is slightly different than the last one as it involves three separate but similar events with only the year, no actual dates, supplied which means I can't check the maiora or minora esse. As well, I am

• listing all the directed aspects for each year and then attempting to identify the most relevant to the event and why they might be deemed so
• attempting to understand the interplay between the directed radix and the profected chart
• trying to understand when directed aversions (semi-sextiles and inconjunctions) might produce an outcome or not
• an experiment in considering antiscia by sign (not degree as is the usual practice) for the mitigation of aversion aspects. For reference, a summary I made of aspects and averse aspect mitigations can be found here Power Of Aspects.pdf.

Event details to follow in 3 posts.

Edit: Fixed link to Power of Aspects, again.

Age 27
Directions on her 27th birthday when Worsdale says “…the life of the Native was in imminent danger from a lingering illness, which continued up to six months.??? She also suffered an injury from falling off a horse.

Lot Formulas

Lot of Accidents Asc + Saturn – Mars (Janus 5.0)
Lot of Death Saturn + 8th House Cusp – Moon (Olympiodorus)
Lot of Illness Asc + Mars – Saturn (Dorotheus)
NN = North Node

Profection
The profection is in the 4th sign, Pisces, Jupiter as Lord of the Year. Neptune (2Vi) is opposed to the profected Asc (2 Pi) and Uranus (2 Ta) is sextile so both likely share in ruling the time.

Directions

Dir. 12th 25 Li inconjunct dir. Sun 25 Ta (mitigation. by like-engirding)
Dir. 12th 25 Li trine rad. Saturn 25 Ge

Dir. 3rd 20 Cap inconjunct dir. Mars 20 Ge (mitigation by equal ascension)

Dir. Sun 26 Ta conjunct rad. Lot of Death
Dir. Sun 26 Ta semi-sextile rad. Saturn 25 Ge (no mitigation)

Dir. Jupiter 12 Le trine dir. Lot of Illness 12 Sag
Dir. Jupiter 12 Le inconjunct dir. Uranus 12 Pi (no mitigation)

Dir. Saturn 15 Ta sextile rad. Mercury 15 Ca

Dir. Uranus 12 Pi square dir Lot of Illness 12 Sag (mitigation by like-engirding, double power)

Dir Neptune 27 Ca trine dir Lot of Death 27 Pi
Dir Neptune 27 Ca square rad Lot of Accident 27 Li.

Dir. N. Node 0 Cap square rad. MC 0 Li

Why illness and accident but not death?

The lady was ill and did have an accident but did not die possibly because the Lord of the Year, Jupiter, while weak and harmed in the radix, being cadent in the 9th and square Saturn in the 7th and in detriment in Virgo, is angular in the profected chart. It is also involved in a trine to the Lot of Illness, which possibly reduces the harm of directed Uranus square the Lot of Illness.

The directed 12th (illness) being averse to the directed Sun (life) appears to reinforce the above. An aversion is said to not produce an outcome but here it is acting as an opposition, being mitigated by the cusp and Sun being in like-engirding signs (Taurus and Libra are both ruled by Venus).

The injury due to a “fall from a horse??? is most likely being shown by the directed 3rd (short trips) inconjunct directed Mars (accidents). This is another case of a mitigated aversion as the directed positions by sign (Gemini-Capricorn) are equally ascending and Gemini exerting more influence. So why did a direction involving the 3rd House cusp and Mars have a 12th house flavour? Possibly because Mars is exerting more power being in Gemini and is the ruler of the radix 12th of large animals, hence the horse?

That the accident did occur may also be related to Neptune square the Lot of Accidents. In the radix these two points are averse however they are also in signs of equal ascension (Virgo-Libra) and radix Neptune throws his opposition to the profected Asc. He also has determinations to the 3rd where Pisces is intercepted in the radix. Neptune (planet of illusion, drama) is also trine the directed Lot of Death. Why not death? Possibly because the directed trine between Neptune and the Lot of Death perfected the natal trine, the illusion of death was prominent but not the actuality?

Edit: Added mitigation conditions.

Age 41

Directions just prior to her 42nd birthday when Worsdale says “Aged forty-one Years and ten Months, she was not expected to survive the Effects of an intermitting Fever, which attacked her with unusual violence, during several weeks; this Direction at the same time produced several other calamities and troubles.???

Lot Formulas

Lot of Accidents Asc + Saturn – Mars (Janus 5.0)
Lot of Death Saturn + 8th House Cusp – Moon (Olympiodorus)
Lot of Illness Asc + Mars – Saturn (Dorotheus)

Profection
The profection is in the 6th, Taurus, with Venus as Lord of the Year. As radix Venus at 16 Leo makes a partile square to the radix 6th house and radix Jupiter 16 Virgo makes a partile trine I will use 16 Taurus as the Profected Ascendant (I've found this to work best whenever there's a partile aspect to a cusp that falls in the sign acting as the profected 1st place). And its probable that both planets are acting as Lord of the Year.

Directions

Directed MC 16 Leo conj radix Venus (Lord of Year) , semi-sextile radix Jupiter 16 Virgo (no mitigation), sextile directed Moon 16 Gemini

Directed 11th (prof. 6th) 19 Virgo inconjunct directed Saturn 19 Aries (mitigation by antiscion)

Directed 12th 14 Libra inconjunct directed Mercury (mitigation by like-engirding)

Directed 3rd 6 Capricorn conj radix Lot of Illness and trine directed Sun 6 Taurus

Directed Venus 16 Gemini semi-sextile radix Lot of Death 26 Taurus (no mitigation)

Directed Mars 6 Gemini inconjunct radix Lot of Illness (mitigation by equal-ascension)

Directed Jupiter 29 Cancer inconjunct Lot of Accidents (no mitigation)

Why an intermittent, violent fever?

Intermittent fevers are ruled by Mars. (Book of Rulerships by Dr. J. Lee Lehman, Ph.D. p.93 gives Lilly and Ptolemy as sources). Directed Mars is inconjunct the radix Lot of Illness where it has the power of an opposition (Gemini-Capricorn are equally ascending). Venus, as Lord of the Year, rules both the radix 6th (Taurus) and profected 6th (Libra), an indication the native may have to deal with illness during the year.

Worsdale says “she was not expected to survive???, this fear could be signified by directed Venus semi-sextile the radix Lot of Death; that death is avoided may be shown by the lack of mitigation between Taurus and Gemini, the semi-sextile could not provide an outcome.

And as in the earlier event, Jupiter, by falling in the profected 10th, an angle, and being in trine to the profected Asc (and probably co-ruling the year) may have been temporarily strong enough to avert death.

Age 54

Directions for the 54th year, according to Worsdale “When the Native was nearly fifty-five years of age she was afflicted with another violent Illness, accompanied with delirium, and hysteric affections, which according the opinion of her Medical attendants, had every appearance of terminating in death; but after two Months of severe sickness, she was restored to her former state of Health.???

Lots

Lot of Accidents Asc + Saturn – Mars (Janus 5.0)
Lot of Death Saturn + 8th House Cusp – Moon (Olympiodorus)
Lot of Illness Asc + Mars – Saturn (Dorotheus)

Profection

The profection is in the 7th sign from the Ascendant, putting the Profected Ascendant at 2 Gemini, Mercury is Lord of the Year. Neptune (2 Vi) is square the profected Ascendant and so possibly shares rulership of the time with Mercury, as does Uranus (2 Ta) via semi-sextile although the aversion is unmitigated so influence may be weak.

Directions

Dir. MC 2 Le sextile dir. Moon 2 Ge (mitigation sees/perceives, power of trine)
Dir. MC 3 Le semi-sextile dir Neptune 3 Ca
Dir. MC 2 Le square rad. Uranus 2 Ta (mitgation by antiscion, square effective)
Dir. MC 2 Le semi-sextile rad. Neptune 2 Vi
Dir. MC 2 Le opposition rad. N. Node 2 Aq

Dir. 11Th 7 Vi inconjunct dir. Uranus 7 Aq
Dir. 11Th 7 Vi square dir. N.Node 7 Sag

Dir. Asc 24 Li inconjunct dir. Saturn 24 Pi (mitigation by antiscion)

Dir. 8th 21 Ta conjunct dir. Mars 21 Ta

Dir. 3rd 25 Sag square dir. Saturn 25 Pi (mitigation by like-engirding, strength doubled)

Dir. Moon 2 Ge trine rad. N.Node 2 Aq (Gemini commands Aquarius)
Dir. Moon 2 Ge semi-sextile rad. Uranus 2 Ta
Dir. Moon 2 Ge square rad. Neptune 2 Vi (mitigation by like-engirding, strength doubled)

Dir. Jupiter 16 Ca sextile rad. Jupiter 16 Vi

Dir. Saturn 25 Pi square rad. Saturn 25 Ge

Why a severe illness and the likelihood of death?

These directions are quite a bit different from those active during the earlier illnesses. For one, there are no directions to the Lots, involving Mercury (LoY), or to the 6th or 12th houses of illness. Instead we have the directed Ascendant (24 Li) inconjunct directed Saturn (24 Pi), which would harm the life/body especially as radix Saturn is in the 7th, “the setting place??? which is acting as the profected first. Libra and Pisces are antiscion signs so the aspect is mitigated. We also have directed Mars (violence, ruler of radix 12th, posited in the radix 8th) conjunct the directed 8th House Cusp (death). So both malefics in contact with the place of life (Asc) and (death).

The North Node contacts, especially to the directed MC (with ties to the profected 4th, end of life), would indicate a critical period in the life as does directed Saturn in square to his radix position. And the directed Moon (body) square Neptune (who is possibly sharing rulership of the time by his partile aspect to the profected Ascendant) could indicate a dramatic epsiode in the life.

So why only the threat of death? In the other periods Jupiter was strengthened so possibly protecting the life. This time he is not directly involved in any aspects, except a sextile to himself; he is, however strengthened by being in the profected 4th, an angle. Saturn, however is quite strong, being angular in the profected 1st. In the radix, the two are square, in like-engirding signs (Gemini-Virgo) with Saturn in Gemini having the upper hand, being in the overcoming postion and also ruling the profected 8th. Is it all down to that Asc/Saturn inconjunct?

Mitigated inconjuncts are evident during all three events. The older texts do not consider this an aspect, but an aversion which may, under certain conditions (mitigations), act with the power of an opposition. Yet I can't help but think that Zain's (Elbert Benjamine's) definition of the inconjunction is closer to the reality; he says “The aspect itself has the tendency to bring the things denoted by the two planets into some prominence, but to force them apart rather than together.??? and that “The Inconjunct seldom brings matters to fruition??? (which is inline with earlier texts aversion description); he also says they often influence the native's health, which seems to be case in all three of these events; the woman's health was affected, the situation was thought to be dire but in the end the fears proved unfounded.

Edit: Added mitigation conditions.

The birth time in the text is given as December 20, 1799 18:55 PM but the resulting chart does not match the one in the text. The above chart has been corrected to match the MC, Asc and planet positions, as closely as possible, to the actual chart used in the text.

Extended Speculum


Directions
Worsdale's Primaries
Worsdale tells us the native died on July 26th, 1822 at age 22 years 7 months and 5 days from breathing in poisoned air; at least, I think that's what he's telling us:
“[T]herefore my previous and impartial Judgment was, that the Native's Death would be occasioned, either by the baneful Effects of improper Medicine, or, by poisonous Effluvia, received by respiration into the Lungs, which would corrupt the Blood, and ultimately produce Death, the latter of which was the case...???

Worsdale goes on to say
“Venus in Scorpio, indicates poison, both by position, and Direction, as she is in square to Saturn in the Radix, and both their Directions fall in the Mortal train to the give of Life [Moon]...???

He lists the directions making up the “mortal train??? :
“the Moon to the Parallel of Mars in Mundo by the Rapt Motion, followed by the semiquartile of the Sun in the Zodiac, the square of Mercury, in Mundo, by a right Motion, and by a Converse Direction, the Hyleg [Moon] was directed to the Mundane square of Mars, succeeded by the Parallel of Saturn's Declination, and also by the Parallel of Mars???

These directions took place during the 22 to 29 years after the native's birth. Worsdale ignores a fair number of other directions that also took place over this same time period. Oddly, he leaves out the list “the Moon to the Body of Venus in the Zodiac??? which starts the “mortal train??? when the native is 21 years 7 months.

Edit (2023-09-10):
Doing a review of this chart and discovered some errors that need correction, will mark the affected places in red, here are the corrections.
Corrections:
Moon (radix L8) critical at 0 Libra in the profected 1st, not Venus

Corrected Lots
Lot of Death was not conjunct Pluto, it was square 2nd/8th radix axis.
Directed Neptune was trine directed Accidents.
Directed Saturn was inconjunct (CA-SAG equal-ascension signs so power of opposition) Peril.

My Investigation


Lot of Death (Saturn + 8th Cusp – Moon) [Day & Night]
Lot of Accident (Asc + Mars – Saturn) [Night]
Lot of Peril (Asc + Saturn - 8th Cusp) [Night]
--------------------------------------------------------------------
dir. MC sextile rad. 8th House Cusp
dir. Mars conj rad. Neptune trine dir. Lot of Death conj dir. Pluto
dir. 8th House Cusp opp Mercury inconjunct rad. Mars
dir. Venus (LoY) sextile dir. Uranus
dir.Venus in a critical degree, 0 Libra
dir. Saturn semi-sextile rad. Saturn

dir. Lot of Accidents conj. rad. Pluto
dir. Lot of Peril semi-sextile rad Venus

Directed Mars is conjunct radix Neptune (16 Sc). Mars is in sect, strong in his domicile, Scorpio, a malefic by nature posited in and ruling a malefic house (12th) and the end of life (Aries on the 4th). Neptune is in the 11th in Scorpio and disposited by Mars. A malefic planet in his own domicile without the aspect of the benefics (both Venus and Jupiter are averse to Mars) is said to be certain to manifest what is promised. An accident (Mars) of evil fortune (12th) could well manifest.

Omar tells us “…the eleventh in the twelfth is evil???; this may be an example of what he is talking about. The 11th House (a good place) has its good overridden by being in the 12th sign (Scorpio) from the rising sign (Scorpio covers both the 11th and 12th house cusps in the Placidus chart).

The directed Lot of Death was conj directed Pluto at 16 Pisces and the pair were trine directed Mars conj radix Neptune. Venus, the lot of Death's ruler, is in her own bounds which are also occupied by Neptune and Venus is Lord of the Year. Venus and Neptune are both significators of poison.

You could say the configuration indicates an unfortunate (12th) accident (Mars) connected with something that deceptively (Neptune) has the appearance of a good (Neptune in 11th).

The directed MC sextile the radix 8th House Cusp could indicate the native’s actions (MC), or possibly his job, threaten his life (8th). We have no way of knowing if this was the case as Worsdale does not give enough detail.

Profection
The profection is in Libra (11th whole sign from the Ascending sign), ruled by Venus who is the Lord of the Year. The MC and the Moon are conjunct in Libra (within 3°). The sign also holds the South Node. Venus is active by direction and in a critical degree (another indication the year may hold an important event). Using the Asc degree of 11 Sag as the starting place, both Venus and Neptune appear in the radix 12th (profected 2nd), with Mars.

Maiora Esse
The event occurred 217 days after the birthday. 217/(365/30) gives roughly 17.8 degrees. Adding this to Venus (LoY) puts her at 0 Sagittarius (a critical degree). Adding the same to the Moon (body) gives 4 Scorpio (just passed the conjunction of the radix South Node), and adding the same to Mars (accidents) and Uranus (unexpected event) gives 14 Sagittarius sextile 14 Libra. Uranus is in the profected 12th.

Adding the same to the Lot of Accidents yields 11 Aries in opposition to the Moon (body) in the profected 1st.

Adding the same to the Lot of Peril yields 14 Aquarius trine the MC (actions) also in the profected first.

So this does not look like a good period, with both the lots active along with Mars and the lord of the year and Uranus indicating something could result from an unexpected human activity.

Minora Esse
Adding 217 degrees to the Venus, LoY, puts her at 19 Virgo, square the directed MC.
Adding 217 degrees to Saturn puts him at 16 Pisces, trine Neptune in the profected 12th.

Adding 217 degrees to Mars puts him a 3 Cancer, trine the South Node
Adding 217 degrees to Uranus puts him a 4 Taurus in opposition to the Moon in the maiora esse

Adding 271 degrees to Neptune puts him at 23 Aquarius trine the Lot of Fortune

Summary
With the 8th house active by direction along with the lots of Accidents, Peril, and Death and the Lord of the Year being in a critical degree while Mars (in and ruling the 12th) conjuncts Neptune it is unlikely this would be a good year for the young man.

The maiora esse appears to step up the danger with Venus (LoY) in a critical degree on the day of his death along with Uranus sextile to Mars and the lot of Accidents moving to oppose the Moon (body) in the profected first.

The minora esse on the day in question also had a number of active aspects, the two keys ones appear to be Venus (LoY) square the directed MC and Uranus opposition the Moon in the maior esse.

While hindsight is always 20/20 the symbolism does appear to fit the event.

Edit: had the 'dir MC conj the radix 8th', should have been 'dir MC sextile radix 8th'. Had Neptune and Venus in the profected chart as being in the profected 12th but should have said they 'appear in the radix 12th (profected 2nd) with Mars'

Extended Speculum


Event
Joseph Kent was a young boy who “drowned at the Age of seven years, one month, and six days???. Worsdale tells us that the boy went missing one evening and his relatives “applied to me, on the morning of the following day, requesting my judgment???. He judged the boys life was destroyed by the direction of “the Moon Hyleg, to the Body of Saturn, by Converse Motion, [6y5mo] and also the parallel Declination of Mars [6y10m], and body of that Malefic in the Zodiac, and Mundo [7y]??? and advised the relatives that the boy had drowned; the event was dated to July 11-12th, 1824.

Investigation


Inner Chart = radix, house numbers based on whole signs, 1st = ascending sign
Gray Shading=Placidus Houses with cusp degrees (profitable degrees/quadrant houses)
Green=Profected Asc, medium green=prof. Angles, light green=profected succedents
Outer Ring=directed planets, cusps in brown, lots in purple
Circled “D??? = Lot of Death
Circled “P??? = Lot of Peril

Edit (2023-09-10):
A review of this chart turned up some errors. The corrections are below, and the errata have been marked in red in the original text.
Corrections:
Missed directed Sun conjunct radix IC
Overlooked directed directed Mars (LoY) critical at 29PI and directed Pluto critical at 29AR
Directed Lots were wrong
dir. Death trine radix Venus (L8)
dir. Accidents square radix Jupiter
dir. Illness semi-sextile dir. Ascendant
dir. Peril sextile dir. Venus (L8)


Profection

The profection is in the 8th sign, Virgo, Mercury is Lord of the Year. In the radix he is harmed by being retrograde in the 4th (end of life) and combust being within 8° of the Sun. Mercury is further harmed being in partile opposition to Neptune in the radix 10th with a retrograde Uranus who is within 2° of partile opposition to the Sun.

Virgo marks the 8th (death) from the ascending sign in the radix chart but is intercepted in the Placidus 7th (setting place). The oppositions fall across the 4th (end of life) and 10th (actions) house axes in both the profected and radix charts. Mercury being in domicile (Gemini) in an angle (4th) in the radix and in the profected is certain to produce what he promises.

Uranus would indicate an unexpected event resulting from human activity while Neptune could indicate activity near water, especially as both are in fire (action) in the radix 10th (actions). The Sun is a general significatior of life and rules the 7th (setting place) in the radix which acts as the 12th (evil fortune) in the profected chart.

Directions
dir. 12th conj dir Uranus sextile rad Saturn (rules 12th)
dir. 8th critical at 0 Libra
dir. Sun trine dir Neptune, Prof. Asc (8 Vi)
dir. Moon square rad Mercury
dir. Moon square dir. Jupiter conj. rad. Neptune while they oppose Mercury (LoY)
dir. Mars semi-sextile dir Pluto (mit. Like-engirding)
dir. Lot of Death (24 Vi) trine dir. Mercury (24 Ta)
dir. Lot of Peril (24 Ge) conj rad. Mercury (23 Ge)

The key direction appears to be directed Jupiter (Asc co-ruler) conjunct radix Neptune with the pair in opposition to radix Mercury (LoY) who is almost partile conjunct the directed Lot of Peril while the directed Lot of Death trines directed Mercury. We also have the directed Moon (ruler of the Lot of Peril) square radix Mercury and the directed 8th (death) critical at 0° with Uranus conjunct the directed 12th (evil fortune).

The texts say that the ray of a benefic will remove the malice of an evil aspect. It does not appear to have been of any help here, possibly as in this chart radix Jupiter is weak (cadent in the 9th), harmed by retrogradation, receiving Saturn, ruler of the 12th, by trine. He is also a co-ruler of the 1st (Pisces is intercepted in the radix 1st) and the ruler of the 10th (actions) and it is the body of Jupiter rather than a ray that is at work here.

The square by direction in connection with Neptune might indicate poor judgment (Jupiter) with the native being unrealistic (Neptune) and acting (10th) in a manner that will harm (square) his life (co-ruling 1st). Possibly made easier by the grand trine (ease) formed by the directed Sun (8 Ta), general significator of life, trine directed Neptune (8 Cap) trine the profected Ascendant (8 Vi).

Maiora Esse
The event took place 36 days after the seventh birthday. 36/(365/30) gives 2° 57'. Adding the same amount to the radix planets puts Mars (accidents) at 13 Aries trine to radix Uranus (13 Sag). It puts Saturn at 8 Pisces sextile the directed Sun (8 Ta) and directed Neptune (8 Cap). It also puts the Sun (life) at 18 Gemini square the radix Moon (body, and ruler of the Lot of Peril). The trines and sextiles could possibly indicate the drowning was quickly or easily accomplished, difficult to know without more details.

Minora Esse
Adding 36° to the radix positions puts Mercury (Lord of the Year) at 29 Cancer square directed Pluto (29 Ar), Jupiter (ruler of the profected 4th) at 10 Capricorn square radix Mars (10 Ar). Moon at 24 Aries conjunct directed Venus (ruler of radix 8th).

Summary
One thing of note is Mercury, acting as Lord of the Year. He is in his own domicile (Gemini) in the radix 4th (an angle which he rules) and which is the 10th from his other domicile, Virgo, and the Lot of Death, which he also rules, while also being angular in the profected chart making him quite strong. By direction, he is involved in a t-square, being opposed to radix Neptune while squaring both directed Jupiter (co-ruler of Asc) and the directed Moon (body); again, a very strong configuration. And he's conjunct the directed Lot of Peril, ruled by the Moon, all of which builds an inimical pattern set to go off during the year.

Zain (who only uses Secondary Progressions, Tertiary Minors, and Transits for prediction) describes aspects in terms of terminal points, stating that for a Secondary Progressed aspect to manifest at least one of its terminals must be reinforced by a minor aspect, and a transit to at least one of the terminals is needed to trigger the release of the energies. Makes me wonder is something similar occurs here.

The directed t-square has the Moon and Neptune both being reinforced by directions in the maiora esse and the Moon and Mercury are both being triggered by directions in the minora esse.

In any event, there appears to be a layering of placement and directions involving the same planets and houses in the radix and profected charts.

The above chart matches that displayed in the text; the date and time, however, do not agree, the text has June 5, 1790 18:55 PM, the above is at June 6, 1790 6:55 AM.

Extended Speculum

Event

Worsdale tells us the native died on October 16th, 1824 at age 34 years, 4 months, and 10 days (132 days after his 34th birthday) “When in Health, he witnessed the destruction of the Foes of a certin individual; he was cut down in the early part of Life like a Flower in the Field.??? By this I think Worsdale means the man was killed by someone who thought Portwood was an enemy or the friend of an enemy.

Worsdale says the death can be seen in the configuration of “the malignant conjunction of the Moon and Saturn in the Zenith, in Square to Mercury in Cardinal Signs." and attributes the timing of his death to the Moon “directed to the Rapt Parallel of the Sun [34y 3m], followed by his Mundane Square, Converse Motion, [39y 3m] with the other vital significators afflicted at the same time by Malefic Directions???.

Investigation

Profection

The profection is in the 11th sign from the Ascendant, Taurus, with Venus ruling;however, radix Uranus is at 6 Leo in partile square to the cusp of the 11th. Paulus says that when this occurs the cusp ruler has “nothing to do??? and so in these cases I have found it best to assign rulership of the year to the aspecting planet and the Placidus house cusp to the profected Ascendant which gives the following profected chart (many thanks to Astro-Seek for providing a custom chart tool):

This puts the nodal-axis across the 1st/7th for the year and puts Uranus on the cusp of the 4th (end of life).

Lot Formulas
Lot of Death Saturn + 8th Cusp – Moon [Day & Night]
Lot of Peril Asc + 8th Cusp - Saturn

Directions

The Age Arc for the event is 34° 22' (34 + 132/365 = 34.36).

dir. MC square dir. Mercury
dir MC sextile dir. Lot of Peril
dir 11th (prof. Asc) conjunct dir. Peril
dir Asc opposition dir Lot of Death

dir Saturn inconjunct dir Neptune -no mitigation
dir Venus inconjunct rad Uranus – no mitigation
dir Mars inconjunct Lot of Accidents – no mitigation
dir Saturn sextile Lot of Illness
dir Uranus square rad Saturn
dir Neptune square Lot of Illness

The key directions appear to be the directed 11th Cusp (the profected Asc) conjunct the directed Lot of Peril and the directed Ascendant (critical at 29 Ge) to the opposition of the directed Lot of Death (critical at 29 Sag) while directed Uranus is moving to square radix Saturn (ruler of the Lot of Death).

As well, the directed MC is square to directed Mercury (ruler of the Lot of Peril), in and ruling the 12th of enemies, and in sextile to the Lot of Peril.

Note that both the lots rulers are active by direction; believe the directions involving the 11th house cusp re-inforce the use, in this situation, of the Placidus cusp of 6 Taurus as the profected Ascendant rather than the 26 degrees of the radix Ascendant.

Maiora Esse

On the date in question, the key directions appear to be, in the maiora itself, the 10th moving to oppose maiora Uranus. The maiora Moon (radix Ascendant ruler) square the directed 2nd/8th axis and in opposition to the directed North Node (critical period in the life) while Jupiter (ruler of the profected 8th and 11th, posited in the profected 4th) conjuncts radix Mars (violence). The maiora Moon is also sextile the maiora Lot of Peril. Saturn, ruler of the Lot of Death is sextile the radix Sun.

As well, Venus conjuncts the directed 12th (enemies) (not sure if Venus is acting here as a co-ruler of the profected Asc or ruler of the profected 6th; did a servant/employee betray him? Was he killed while he was working? Don't know.)

Neptune is inconjunct the radix Moon, the inconjunction is modifed as the pair are in like-engirding signs ruled by Mars. Pluto opposes the radix 3rd house cusp across the profected 10th/4th axis. Radix Neptune is in Libra, a Venus ruled sign, possibly another indication there was some deceit surrounding his death? And Pluto implies underworld or coerceive activity. Again, pure speculation on my part as Worsdale gives no details.

Minora Esse

The key directions appear to be, in the minora itself, the 10th opposing minora Uranus while the it sextiles the directed Moon. This sextile acts as a trine as it is mitigated; it occurs in seeing-perceiving signs with Sagittarius (Uranus) being able to see Aquarius (Moon). The minora Moon is square the minora Lot of Peril.

As well, minora Uranus is inconjunct the maiora esse Mercury; the inconjunct acts as an opposition as it is mitigated by the pair being in equally ascending signs. And Neptune is trine directed Uranus.

The minora Lot of Death is sextile radix Jupiter. The sextile acts as a trine as it is between seeing-perceiving signs with radix Jupiter (ruler of the profected 8th of death and posited in the profected 4th of end-of-life) in Leo seeing Death in Gemini.

Summary

Venus, who would normally be the Lord of the Year, does not appear to have had rule over the time; instead we see Uranus involved in the directions at all levels with the Moon, ruler of the radix Ascendant being involved in the maiora and minora esse directions. The Lot of Peril is active in all three direction levels; the Lot of Death is not active (that I could see) in the maiora esse; however, his ruler, Saturn, is.

The overlay of signs in the Placidus houses is really interesting in this chart. The 11th has Venus cusp ruler in the 10th, and contains Fortune, Peril, the South Node, and the Sun which is in Gemini, the 12th sign. So it promises a career (10th) from powerful (Sun) friends who are also his enemies (12th); they will put his life in jeopardy (South Node, Peril).

That his career, and possibly his life, will end violently due to his associates is also indicated by Saturn (ruler of the 8th) and Moon (ruler of the 1st) in close conjunction in Aries, intercepted in the 10th opposition Neptune in Libra.

Venus ruling the 11th of friends in the 10th and co-ruling the 4th through the interception of Libra in the 4th reinforces the connection between the three houses. And while Mars, dispositor of Saturn and the Moon is averse from Aries by both sign (Virgo) and house (3rd) the aversion is somewhat mitigated by Aries and Virgo being antiscion signs. As well, Mars is in the 11th from his other domicile (Scorpio) which is on the radix 5th house, the 8th from the 10th.

Worsdale insisted that the Moon was Hyleg in this chart although his client, Portwood, after reading some of Worsdale's own books, was certain the real Hyleg was the Sun because it was in the 11th. It appears Worsdale was correct; certainly it was the Moon, not the Sun, who was most active in the directions when Portwood died.

janegca wrote:The above chart matches that displayed in the text; the date and time, however, do not agree, the text has June 5, 1790 18:55 PM, the above is at June 6, 1790 6:55 AM.

18 hours 55 minutes after midday is in fact the same as 6 hours 55 minutes after the subsequent midnight. This dating convention is quite common in the older literature.

Hi Martin,

Martin Gansten wrote: 18 hours 55 minutes after midday is in fact the same as 6 hours 55 minutes after the subsequent midnight. This dating convention is quite common in the older literature.

Good to know, thanks.

The chart of Mr. Richard White, born April 25, 1792 3:45 AM LAT 0W33 53N14

Extended Speculum

Worsdale recorded five events occuring in three periods in this native’s life:

Age 16 – illness - he suffered a violent, nervous fever that lasted 2 months, he was not expected to survive which Worsdale ascribed to “the Directions of the Ascendant to the Body of the Sun [15y 9m], and the Hyleg [Sun] to the Mundane Parallel of Mars, by Direct Motion [16y 3m]???

Age 21 ½ – business, marriage - the native (a hair dresser) entered into business for himself and was successful “according to his station in Life???. He also married around the same time. Worsdale says “the Directions then in operation were the Ascendant to the Body of Mercury [21y 4m], the Part of Fortune to the Trine of Jupiter [22y 2m], the Sun to the Sextile of Venus in the Zodiac [23y 2m], and her Parallel in Mundo, by Converse Motion [23y 7m], all of which are benevolent, and agree with those Events???

Age 30 years, 8 months to 33 years – illness, death – the native was afflicted by an illness that weakened him and acted as a precursor to his evenual death on April 18, 1825 at noon just shy of his 33rd birthday. Worsdale says he advised the client of his probable time of death seven years before it happened:

“I judged that at the Age of thirty-three Years, the Native would depart this Life, as the Hyleg [Sun] was then directed to the body of the Moon [33y 2m], Mundane Parallel of Saturn by Converse Direction [34y 3m], and also to the square of the Moon in Mundo, by Converse [listed as Direct] Motion [34y 8m], succeeded by the Apheta [Sun] to his own Semiquartile in the Zodiac [34y 9m], and Parallel of Saturn in the World, by Direct Direction [35y 4m], and likewise to the Moon's Parallel in Mundo, by the Rapt Motion [38y 2m], these were the principal Directions that caused his Death, according to the Judgment I publicly delivered seven Years before his demise???

He goes on to say the true beginning of the end was caused by

“the Hyleg...directed to the Quartile of Mars in the Zodiac, at the age of thirty Years, and eight Months, the Effects of which could not produce any sudden, or serious injury to the Native's Life, owing to the powerful Terms of Jupiter, and Venus in which that direction completed its course; but as it was near the beginning of the deadly train, it caused a slow fever, with a gradual diminution of strength, until the Apheta arrived at the Body of the Moon???

He further states that directions involving Jupiter could not save him due to him being in the 7th and opposite Saturn in the radix and so showed “that an inflammation, and decay of the Lungs (being that part which Jupiter governs) would be the cause of the Native's Death.???

Investigation

Lot Formulas
Accident Asc + Mars – Saturn [Night]
Death Saturn + 8th – Moon [Night & Day]
Illness Asc + Saturn – Mars [Night]
Killing Planet Asc + Lord of the Asc – Moon [Night & Day]
Marriage Asc + 7th – Venus [Night & Day]
Vocation MC + Sun – Moon [Night]

Age 16 – Severe Illness
Worsdale says “When the Native was sixteen Years of Age, he suffered severly by a violent nervous Fever, which continued almost two Months, during which time he was not expected to survive???

Profection
The profection was in Cancer, the 5th sign from the rising sign. Normally this would make the Moon Lord of the Year but the Placidus 5th cusp is at 16 Cancer partile sextile to Mars, making him Lord of the Year. Mars, posited in the radix 6th (illnesses) would incline the native to fevers and, with Uranus, to nervous (Uranus) fevers.

Mars (LoY) (fever, violence) is in the profected 2nd opposite the profected 8th (death), Uranus (nerves) is just inside the profected 1st. Jupiter ruler of the radix Ascendant is ruler of the profected 6th (illness) and is square the profected 1st from the profected 4th (end of life). The profected 1st also holds the Lot of the Killing Planet. The planets connected with life (Jupiter radix Asc ruler, Mars profected Asc ruler) and illness (Mars, Uranus in radix 6th, Jupiter ruling profected 6th) are in profected positions that augment their ability to manifest what they signify. Mars as LoY, Uranus angular, and Jupiter, who is angular in the radix, in a sense, has his angularity 'doubled' by also being made angular in the profected chart.

Directions

dir. MC sextile dir. Jupiter
dir. MC trine rad. Uranus
dir. 3rd conjunct rad Mercury inconjunct rad Jupiter – mit. by like-engirding

dir. Sun trine dir. Uranus

dir. Jupiter sextile rad. Uranus

dir. Venus trine rad. Lot of Illness
dir. Saturn trine dir. Lot ot the Killing Planet

The fact that Mars (LoY) is not active itself by primary direction is an indication the events signified in the year will probably not have a major, lasting influence on the life.

The connections of the Sun (general significator of life) and Jupiter (radix Asc ruler, ruler of profected 6th) with Uranus likely stirred up extreme views in connection with the native's chance of surviving an illness. That the illness was severe and threatened death can also be seen in profected Mars opposition to the profected 8th.

The directed Lot of the Killing Planet is in the profected 1st in trine to directed Saturn. This is most likely contributing to the fear of death. The Lot of the Killing Planet is ruled by the Sun, who is active by direction. Mercury is involved in a mitigated inconjuction with Jupiter. As with the inconjuctions in the chart of the Unnamed Lady, the inconjucts appear to be involved in health issues that get a lot of attention and then wind down of their own accord. The Uranus/Jupiter connection is likely exaggerating the fear.

The radix Lot of Illness is in the radix 8th and is ruled by Mars. It is probably contributing to fears about the native survival but probably not the reality of it as Mars is not active by direction. The trine with directed Venus is likely giving some protection to the body as radix Venus is fairly strong in the 1st even though she is harmed by being with the South Node and Saturn.

That he did not die is likely due to there being no hard directions involving the radix 8th house ruler, Mars. And while Saturn rules the profected 8th, his only direction is a trine to a lot. Although the lot, being in the radix 6th, and ruled by the Sun, ruler of the 6th in the first and general sigficator of life probably also contributed to the fear of dying from an illness.