Mundane astrology
Encyclopedia
Mundane astrology is the application of astrology
to world affairs and world events, taking its name from the Latin
word Mundus, meaning "the World
". Mundane astrology is a branch of Judicial astrology
and is widely believed by astrological historians
to be the most ancient branch of astrology. In the Middle Ages
mundane astrology was more commonly known as the study of Revolutions - meaning the study of the revolutions of the planets in their apparent orbits around the Earth
, as they were then believed to do.
Political astrology is a branch of mundane astrology dealing with politics
, the government
, and the politicians/laws governing a particular nation
, state
, or city
. A wider definition of mundane astrology focuses also on natural and man-made disasters.
There are two major approaches to the study of mundane astrology. One is the focus on national horoscopes. It is held that certain countries have astrological charts
(or horoscope
s) just like a person is said to in astrology. For example, the modern state of India is widely considered to have come into being at midnight on August 15, 1947. This time gives rise to a national horoscope for this country, which can be analyzed in terms of the natal potential and the impacts of transiting planets in the horoscope at any given time. The other approach is the ancient practice of finding correlations that exist between geological phenomena
(such as earthquake
s, volcanic eruptions
, etc.) and astronomical phenomena (the movement of celestial bodies in the Solar System
). This approach is based on the horoscope of the astronomical placements at any given time, without reference to a national horoscope.
, looking for patterns and a sense of some greater purpose in apparently chaotic events such as the rise and fall of empire
s or religion
s. The other was to predict the future
. Some philosophers believed that the world could be saved from disaster if future troubles could be predicted – and subsequently averted.
Although it was originally developed in ancient Babylon
there have been three subsequent major periods of developments. In 120 AD
the Greek
astrologer
Claudius Ptolemy set down the fundamentals of mundane astrology in his famous treatise on astrology, the Tetrabiblos. In the ninth and tenth centuries the astrologers of the Islamic world added many more techniques, particularly the use of the cycles of Jupiter
and Saturn
to identify the rise and fall of states
and religions. The twentieth century saw a major proliferation of techniques mainly based on the use of planetary cycles
rather than, as had always been the case the interpretation of planetary positions in horoscope
s or natal chart
s.
An approach to studying longer-term history through astrology is through the use of "precession of the equinoxes
" indicators, providing a source for the idea of Astrological Ages.
Many astrologers have been interested in the area of mundane or political astrology, including the noted British astrologer Charles Carter who proposed that specific areas of life and politics can be correlated to each of the planets. In general, the following associations of areas of society with each of the planets are generally accepted by most astrologers:
In many cases the correct date is not so clear, and in most cases a nation or country has multiple birth charts. For example, many astrologers take the date of England's horoscope as Christmas Day 1066 - the day when that William the Conqueror had the crown set upon his head. There is also a chart set for midnight on 1 May 1707 (Old Style), the time of the Union of England and Wales with Scotland creating Great Britain. The Union then grew again on 1 January 1801 with the Union of Great Britain and Ireland. A further change took place as the Republic of Ireland left the Union, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was created.
Another example of a country/state that has multiple 'birthdays' is France, which regained its independence after the occupation of the Second World War as the Fourth Republic on 10 October 1946, while the present French system came into being as the Fifth Republic after a referendum held on 28 September 1958. Similarly in Germany the present state system came into effect with the enactment of the Basic Law in August 1949, yet it is also considered by most astrologers that a new state has come into being with German re-unification in October 1990.
In principle, any organisation or object can have a chart cast for the moment of its 'birth'. For example, the ship Titanic's horoscope is generally cast for noon on 10 April 1912 when the ocean liner first set sail. The ship's chart showed its ascendant in opposition to Uranus, and Neptune (ruler of the sea) was squared to the Sun, both aspects indicating the potential for danger. The chart also contains a 'Void of course Moon', a period in which the Moon does not make any applying major aspects with any of the planets before it enters the next sign: this is said to be a period in which new ventures are not likely to succeed.
and on the other when they formed a lasting union.
was adopted http://www.astrodatabank.com/NM/usa.htm. Of the many charts proposed for that day, the most widely accepted continues to be the Sibly chart, set for 5.10pm on 4 July 1776 in Philadelphia. This chart was generated using medieval techniques which signified the event, rather than purporting to represent the actual time. (See Nick Campion's Book of World Horoscopes p417).
Other dates also configure in this event. The document, formally entitled The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America, explained the justifications for separation from the British crown, and was an expansion of Richard Henry Lee
's Resolution
(passed by Congress on July 2), which first proclaimed independence. An engrossed copy of the Declaration was signed by most of the delegates on August 2.
with its own constitution.
David Solte's chart is based on November 15, 1777, when the Articles were approved by the Continental Congress
to be sent to the states for their ratification. Solte rectified the time as 12.46pm. It bears noting that the Articles had at this time not been ratified by the 13 still sovereign
or independent states.
The SAMVA USA (Perpetual Union
) chart http://iipa.net/IIPA2010DH/usa_chart.htm is based on the event when Maryland
became the 13th and final state to pass an Act ratifying
the Articles on February 2, 1781. The Act provided the requisite unanimous consent for the formation of a perpetual union of the thirteen states. The chart was rectified using the techniques of ancient vedic astrology, notably the Systems' Approach
, determining that the signing of the law
took place at 5.00pm on that day.
Another chart is based on the formal ratification ceremony of the Articles on March 1, 1781, when the constitution
of the new Confederation
entered into force.
provides an overview of real-time historical perspectives. Each planet has a tropical period (the time it takes to transit the complete tropical Zodiac) from 0 degrees Aries to 0 degrees Aries, and each of those periods of time reveals a complete cycle of expression on Earth, in keeping with the key astrological principles of that planet. A related field of study is the Aspect
cycle, which combines the principles of two planets (or more) in aspect, from one conjunction to the next conjunction. The Aspect cycle provides much additional detail to a single planetary cycle, because of the "easy" and "difficult" expressions indicated by each aspect, as well as the relative positions of each aspect within Zodiacal signs, and retrograde motion applying during aspects. Sun/Moon eclipse
cycles are also studied by some astrologers, together with examination of their Zodiacal positions later, at the Midheaven
and Ascendant
positions of actual event locations (usually disasters).
The Astrological Ages provide another astrological technique for examining the correlations between historical events on a large scale with Ages such as the Age of Aquarius
, that are generally linked to precession of the equinoxes
. One complete precessional cycle (Great Year) is approximately 25,600 years, and the average length of an Astrological Age is approximately 2160 years.
Many astrologers believe that the world is currently on the cusp of the Age of Pisces, passing into the Age of Aquarius
. Archetypes traditionally linked to Pisces
include Christianity
, salvation and faith-based religions, slavery
, drugs
(especially tobacco
, but also including all forms of drugs both legal and illicit), oil
, pharmaceuticals, corporations, psychic phenomena, all esoteric subjects and massive problems that humanity has created for itself. Archetypes associated with Aquarius include democracy
, freedom, technology
, electricity
, computers, space travel
, flight
, dictators, freedom fighters and revolutionaries, excitement and the effects of mental instability upon societies.
Throughout history many astrologers have made predictions about the future course of world events, and these are often remarkable either for their fulfillment, or for the ruin and confusion they brought upon their authors.
A favourite topic of a minority of astrologers around the world has been the immediate end of the world. As early as 1186 the Earth had escaped one threatened cataclysm of the astrologers.
Stöffler predicted a universal deluge for the year 1524, a year, as it turned out, distinguished for drought. His study of the heavens told him that in that year three planets would meet in the aqueous sign of Pisces. The prediction was widely believed and President Aurial, at Toulouse
, built himself a Noah's ark
--a curious realization of Chaucer's merry invention in the Miller's Tale.
The most famous predictions about European and world affairs were made by the French astrologer Nostradamus
(1503–66), however many astrologers dispute whether many of his prophecies were based on astrology. Nostradamus became famous after the publication in 1555 of his work Centuries , which was a series of prophecies in cryptic verse. The obscure predictions have been interpreted as relating to a great variety of events, including the French and English Revolutions, and the Second World War
. In 1556 Nostradamus was summoned to the French court by Catherine de Medici and commissioned to draw up the horoscopes of the royal children.
According to Francis Bacon
in his essay Of Prophesies Nostradamus foretold the death of King Henry II of France
: "When I was in France, I heard from one Dr Pena, that the queen mother, who was given to curious arts, caused the king, her husband's, nativity to be calculated, under a false name; and the astrologer (Nostradamus) gave a judgment, that he should be killed in a duel; at which the queene laughed, thinking her husband to be above challenges and duels; but he was slaine, upon a course at tilt, the splinters of the staffe of Montgomery going in at his beaver." Although Nostradamus later fell out of favour with many in the court and was accused of witchcraft
, Catherine continued to support him and patronized him until his death.
Tycho Brahe
was devoted to astrology, and adjoining his observatory at Uranienburg, the astronomer-royal of Denmark had a laboratory built. The astronomer Kepler
, who in his youth made almanacs, and once prophesied a hard winter which came to pass, made an astrological interpretation of the disappearance of the brilliant star of 1572, which Tycho had observed. Another prediction of Kepler
was the appearance of a comet in 1577. Brahe wrote that in the north, in Finland, there would be born a prince who would lay waste to Germany and vanish in 1632. Gustavus Adolphus was in fact born in Stockholm, Sweden, overran Germany, and died in 1632. Brahe predicted this Finland not Sweden, but the partial fulfillment of the prophecy is cited as evidence of astrological accuracy. Brahe, appeared to foresee the advent of some great northern hero; he was likely well acquainted with an ancient tradition, that heroes generally came from the northern frontiers of his native land, where they are hardened struggle with soil, climate, and barbarian neighbours.
Theodore Beza
thought that this star, which in December 1573 equaled Jupiter in brilliancy, predicted the second coming
of Christ
. Astronomers were only then beginning to study variable and periodic stars, and disturbances in that part of the heavens, which had till then, on the authority of Aristotle
, been regarded as incorruptible, combined with the troubles of the times, must have given a new stimulus to belief in the signs in heaven.
Montaigne (Essais, lib. i. chap, x.) related a singular episode in the history of astrology. Charles V
and Francis I
, who both bid for the friendship of the infamous Pietro Aretino
, surnamed the divine, both likewise engaged astrologers to fight their battles.
In Italy
those who prophesied the ruin of France
were sure to be listened to. These prophecies affected the public funds much as telegrams used to in 1911. "At Rome," Montaigne wrote, "a large sum of money was lost on the Change by this prognostication of our ruin."
The Marquis of Saluces, notwithstanding his gratitude to Francis I for the many favours he had received, including his marquisate, of which the brother was despoiled for his benefit, was led in 1536 to betray his country, being scared by the glorious prophecies of the ultimate success of Charles V which were then rife.
During World War II
the British and German governments (among others) hired astrologers to make predictions about the opposing side. One Swiss astrologer, Karl Ernst Krafft
, attracted the attention of the Nazis due to his predictions.
that will occur in summer 2010 when Pluto, Uranus and Jupiter and Saturn and Mars will be at 0-3º Capricorn, Aries and Libra, respectively, while inner planets transit at 0-3º Cancer. This is assumed by astrologers studying mundane astrology that it shall be a time with many great challenges and dramatic changes. This aspect resembles another grand cross that occurred during the 1930s. Mundane astrologers trace back these cycles to decades and even centuries before, when Uranus transited Aries last time in 1930s and 1840s, and Pluto transited Capricorn last time in 1760s and 1770s, which were decades of many revolutions and changes. The cardinal alignment of 2010 includes a 90° square between Pluto and Uranus. Both planets conjoined in the 1960s, thus many astrologers expect a return to themes from that decade. Uranus and Pluto were last square in the 1930s. Before that, Uranus and Pluto squared between 1875 and 1877 during the Long Depression, suggesting a theme of economic downturn, The most recent one occurs between 2010 and 2014. Mundane astrologers predict dramatic changes (economic, social, military, scientific) to occur again in the years ahead.
Astrology
Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...
to world affairs and world events, taking its name from the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
word Mundus, meaning "the World
World
World is a common name for the whole of human civilization, specifically human experience, history, or the human condition in general, worldwide, i.e. anywhere on Earth....
". Mundane astrology is a branch of Judicial astrology
Judicial astrology
Judicial astrology is the art of forecasting future events by calculation of the planetary and stellar bodies and their relationship to the Earth...
and is widely believed by astrological historians
History of astrology
Astrology, the belief in a connection between the cosmos and terrestrial matters has played an important part in human history.Regional branches of astrology include Western astrology, Indian astrology, and Chinese or East Asian astrology.-Early origins:...
to be the most ancient branch of astrology. In the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
mundane astrology was more commonly known as the study of Revolutions - meaning the study of the revolutions of the planets in their apparent orbits around the Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
, as they were then believed to do.
Political astrology is a branch of mundane astrology dealing with politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
, the government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
, and the politicians/laws governing a particular nation
Nation
A nation may refer to a community of people who share a common language, culture, ethnicity, descent, and/or history. In this definition, a nation has no physical borders. However, it can also refer to people who share a common territory and government irrespective of their ethnic make-up...
, state
State (polity)
A state is an organized political community, living under a government. States may be sovereign and may enjoy a monopoly on the legal initiation of force and are not dependent on, or subject to any other power or state. Many states are federated states which participate in a federal union...
, or city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
. A wider definition of mundane astrology focuses also on natural and man-made disasters.
There are two major approaches to the study of mundane astrology. One is the focus on national horoscopes. It is held that certain countries have astrological charts
Natal chart
In astrology, a natal chart is a stylized map of the universe with the "native" at the center. It is calculated for the exact time and location of the native's birth for the purposes of gaining insight into the native's personality and potential...
(or horoscope
Horoscope
In astrology, a horoscope is a chart or diagram representing the positions of the Sun, Moon, planets, the astrological aspects, and sensitive angles at the time of an event, such as the moment of a person's birth. The word horoscope is derived from Greek words meaning "a look at the hours" In...
s) just like a person is said to in astrology. For example, the modern state of India is widely considered to have come into being at midnight on August 15, 1947. This time gives rise to a national horoscope for this country, which can be analyzed in terms of the natal potential and the impacts of transiting planets in the horoscope at any given time. The other approach is the ancient practice of finding correlations that exist between geological phenomena
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
(such as earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
s, volcanic eruptions
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
, etc.) and astronomical phenomena (the movement of celestial bodies in the Solar System
Solar System
The Solar System consists of the Sun and the astronomical objects gravitationally bound in orbit around it, all of which formed from the collapse of a giant molecular cloud approximately 4.6 billion years ago. The vast majority of the system's mass is in the Sun...
). This approach is based on the horoscope of the astronomical placements at any given time, without reference to a national horoscope.
Overview
Mundane astrology had two purposes: one was to look back and explain historyHistory
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
, looking for patterns and a sense of some greater purpose in apparently chaotic events such as the rise and fall of empire
Empire
The term empire derives from the Latin imperium . Politically, an empire is a geographically extensive group of states and peoples united and ruled either by a monarch or an oligarchy....
s or religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
s. The other was to predict the future
Future
The future is the indefinite time period after the present. Its arrival is considered inevitable due to the existence of time and the laws of physics. Due to the nature of the reality and the unavoidability of the future, everything that currently exists and will exist is temporary and will come...
. Some philosophers believed that the world could be saved from disaster if future troubles could be predicted – and subsequently averted.
Although it was originally developed in ancient Babylon
Babylon
Babylon was an Akkadian city-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which are found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq, about 85 kilometers south of Baghdad...
there have been three subsequent major periods of developments. In 120 AD
Anno Domini
and Before Christ are designations used to label or number years used with the Julian and Gregorian calendars....
the Greek
Roman and Byzantine Greece
The history of Byzantine Greece mainly coincides with the rise and fall of the Byzantine Empire.-Roman Greece:The Greek peninsula became a Roman protectorate in 146 BC, and the Aegean islands were added to this territory in 133. Athens and other Greek cities revolted in 88, and the peninsula was...
astrologer
Astrologer
An astrologer practices one or more forms of astrology. Typically an astrologer draws a horoscope for the time of an event, such as a person's birth, and interprets celestial points and their placements at the time of the event to better understand someone, determine the auspiciousness of an...
Claudius Ptolemy set down the fundamentals of mundane astrology in his famous treatise on astrology, the Tetrabiblos. In the ninth and tenth centuries the astrologers of the Islamic world added many more techniques, particularly the use of the cycles of Jupiter
Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest planet within the Solar System. It is a gas giant with mass one-thousandth that of the Sun but is two and a half times the mass of all the other planets in our Solar System combined. Jupiter is classified as a gas giant along with Saturn,...
and Saturn
Saturn
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System, after Jupiter. Saturn is named after the Roman god Saturn, equated to the Greek Cronus , the Babylonian Ninurta and the Hindu Shani. Saturn's astronomical symbol represents the Roman god's sickle.Saturn,...
to identify the rise and fall of states
Sovereign state
A sovereign state, or simply, state, is a state with a defined territory on which it exercises internal and external sovereignty, a permanent population, a government, and the capacity to enter into relations with other sovereign states. It is also normally understood to be a state which is neither...
and religions. The twentieth century saw a major proliferation of techniques mainly based on the use of planetary cycles
Orbital period
The orbital period is the time taken for a given object to make one complete orbit about another object.When mentioned without further qualification in astronomy this refers to the sidereal period of an astronomical object, which is calculated with respect to the stars.There are several kinds of...
rather than, as had always been the case the interpretation of planetary positions in horoscope
Horoscope
In astrology, a horoscope is a chart or diagram representing the positions of the Sun, Moon, planets, the astrological aspects, and sensitive angles at the time of an event, such as the moment of a person's birth. The word horoscope is derived from Greek words meaning "a look at the hours" In...
s or natal chart
Natal chart
In astrology, a natal chart is a stylized map of the universe with the "native" at the center. It is calculated for the exact time and location of the native's birth for the purposes of gaining insight into the native's personality and potential...
s.
An approach to studying longer-term history through astrology is through the use of "precession of the equinoxes
Precession of the equinoxes
In astronomy, axial precession is a gravity-induced, slow and continuous change in the orientation of an astronomical body's rotational axis. In particular, it refers to the gradual shift in the orientation of Earth's axis of rotation, which, like a wobbling top, traces out a pair of cones joined...
" indicators, providing a source for the idea of Astrological Ages.
Planets and areas of life
- SunSun (astrology)The sun is considered a very important part of astrology. It, as well as the Moon, are the most important of the astrological planets, and the two of them are often referred to as the luminaries. In Greek mythology the sun was represented by Apollo, the god of light, and Helios, the god of the sun...
: Supreme authority in the State (the President/Prime Minister/Chancellor). Eclipses often signify the death or displacement of the head of state. National character and identity, major events, overall Weltanschauung.
- MoonMoon (astrology)The Moon is the Earth's companion satellite. The Moon is large enough for its gravity to affect the Earth, stabilising its orbit and producing the regular ebb and flow of the tides. The Moon is also familiar to us for its different phases, waxing and waning in appearance in an unchanging cycle...
: The population, the popular mood; national security needs, basic necessities, women's issues, agriculture.
- MercuryMercury (planet)Mercury is the innermost and smallest planet in the Solar System, orbiting the Sun once every 87.969 Earth days. The orbit of Mercury has the highest eccentricity of all the Solar System planets, and it has the smallest axial tilt. It completes three rotations about its axis for every two orbits...
: News media and the Press, literature, all schools leading up to higher education; the post office and means of communication; political speeches, opinion polls, transportation.
- VenusVenusVenus is the second planet from the Sun, orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days. The planet is named after Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. After the Moon, it is the brightest natural object in the night sky, reaching an apparent magnitude of −4.6, bright enough to cast shadows...
: Sufferers, disease, arrogance, defeat in war, death, anger, jealousy
- MarsMarsMars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
: The armed forces and police; violent crime, war, industrial concerns; when associated with Uranus may cause explosions, terrorism; with Neptune, treachery. Divisive elements in society.
- JupiterJupiterJupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest planet within the Solar System. It is a gas giant with mass one-thousandth that of the Sun but is two and a half times the mass of all the other planets in our Solar System combined. Jupiter is classified as a gas giant along with Saturn,...
: Clergy and churches, religion, judges, law and court system, higher education, prosperity, publishing, banking, insurance; the 'upper classes'; philanthropic institutions (especially in association with Neptune).
- SaturnSaturnSaturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System, after Jupiter. Saturn is named after the Roman god Saturn, equated to the Greek Cronus , the Babylonian Ninurta and the Hindu Shani. Saturn's astronomical symbol represents the Roman god's sickle.Saturn,...
: Property, the system of government, institutions and bureaucracy, economy, conservatism, infrastructure, law, control
- UranusUranusUranus is the seventh planet from the Sun. It has the third-largest planetary radius and fourth-largest planetary mass in the Solar System. It is named after the ancient Greek deity of the sky Uranus , the father of Cronus and grandfather of Zeus...
: Administration, revolutions, progressive or radical movements, countercultures; power in its physical sense - electrical and nuclear, new technology, innovation.
- NeptuneNeptuneNeptune is the eighth and farthest planet from the Sun in the Solar System. Named for the Roman god of the sea, it is the fourth-largest planet by diameter and the third largest by mass. Neptune is 17 times the mass of Earth and is slightly more massive than its near-twin Uranus, which is 15 times...
: The arts, glamor, hope, idealism, covert actions, socialism; hospitals, charitable institutions; the navy. Under affliction associated with muddle, fraud, crime, scandal; brewing and alcohol, drugs; chemicals, footwear.
- PlutoPlutoPluto, formal designation 134340 Pluto, is the second-most-massive known dwarf planet in the Solar System and the tenth-most-massive body observed directly orbiting the Sun...
: Financial or political power, factions, oligarchies, big business, nuclear energy, mines; criminal detection, but under affliction the criminal underworld, death, catastrophes, dictators.
- Ceres : Native needs to feel loved and nurtured, the reproductive issues of an adult woman, pregnancy, family bonds and relationships. Deals with grief, worry, negative emotions and places of perceived imprisonment.
Houses and Signs
Carter also associated each of the houses and signs with different aspects of politics and the state as follows:- 1st House-Aries : The nation as a whole, its self image and how it projects itself to the world.
- 2nd House-Taurus : The economy
- 3rd House-Gemini : Education; periodical publications; the post office, radio and transport; communications in general; science.
- 4th House-Cancer : Land and housing; agriculture; the opposition in parliament
- 5th House-Leo : All forms of national pleasure and entertainment; sports, general amusements; Society, children
- 6th House-Virgo : The 'working classes'; left wing organisations; public health. The armed forces and civil service.
- 7th House-Libra : Foreign affairs generally; war as well as treaties.
- 8th House-Scorpio : Financial relations with foreign countries; public safety and crime.
- 9th House-Sagittarius : The law; religion; philosophy; and science.
- 10th House-Capricorn : Heads of state; government; national prestige.
- 11th House-Aquarius : Parliament, especially the lower house. Local government.
- 12th House-Pisces : Prisons, hospitals, homes for the aged; philanthropic societies; secret societies; monasteries and institutional religion.
Mundane Horoscopes
Just as a person has a horoscope cast for the moment of their birth, so too can states and nations have horoscopes cast for the moment of their beginning. Sometimes the choice of date appears to be obvious.In many cases the correct date is not so clear, and in most cases a nation or country has multiple birth charts. For example, many astrologers take the date of England's horoscope as Christmas Day 1066 - the day when that William the Conqueror had the crown set upon his head. There is also a chart set for midnight on 1 May 1707 (Old Style), the time of the Union of England and Wales with Scotland creating Great Britain. The Union then grew again on 1 January 1801 with the Union of Great Britain and Ireland. A further change took place as the Republic of Ireland left the Union, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was created.
Another example of a country/state that has multiple 'birthdays' is France, which regained its independence after the occupation of the Second World War as the Fourth Republic on 10 October 1946, while the present French system came into being as the Fifth Republic after a referendum held on 28 September 1958. Similarly in Germany the present state system came into effect with the enactment of the Basic Law in August 1949, yet it is also considered by most astrologers that a new state has come into being with German re-unification in October 1990.
In principle, any organisation or object can have a chart cast for the moment of its 'birth'. For example, the ship Titanic's horoscope is generally cast for noon on 10 April 1912 when the ocean liner first set sail. The ship's chart showed its ascendant in opposition to Uranus, and Neptune (ruler of the sea) was squared to the Sun, both aspects indicating the potential for danger. The chart also contains a 'Void of course Moon', a period in which the Moon does not make any applying major aspects with any of the planets before it enters the next sign: this is said to be a period in which new ventures are not likely to succeed.
Horoscopes for the USA
There are many contending dates and times for a national horoscope for the United States of America, but the primary events considered are on the one hand when the states declared their independence from Great BritainGreat Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and on the other when they formed a lasting union.
Declaration of Independence (1776)
Most astrologers view the birth of the USA as having occurred sometime during the day of July 4, 1776, when the Declaration of IndependenceUnited States Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which announced that the thirteen American colonies then at war with Great Britain regarded themselves as independent states, and no longer a part of the British Empire. John Adams put forth a...
was adopted http://www.astrodatabank.com/NM/usa.htm. Of the many charts proposed for that day, the most widely accepted continues to be the Sibly chart, set for 5.10pm on 4 July 1776 in Philadelphia. This chart was generated using medieval techniques which signified the event, rather than purporting to represent the actual time. (See Nick Campion's Book of World Horoscopes p417).
Other dates also configure in this event. The document, formally entitled The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America, explained the justifications for separation from the British crown, and was an expansion of Richard Henry Lee
Richard Henry Lee
Richard Henry Lee was an American statesman from Virginia best known for the motion in the Second Continental Congress calling for the colonies' independence from Great Britain. He was a signatory to the Articles of Confederation and his famous resolution of June 1776 led to the United States...
's Resolution
Lee Resolution
right|thumb|[[Richard Henry Lee]] proposed the resolution on June 7, 1776.The Lee Resolution, also known as the resolution of independence, was an act of the Second Continental Congress declaring the United Colonies to be independent of the British Empire...
(passed by Congress on July 2), which first proclaimed independence. An engrossed copy of the Declaration was signed by most of the delegates on August 2.
Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union (1777-1781)
In recent years, some astrologers and historians consider the formation of the country to have occurred with the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union when the country became legally a nation-stateNation-state
The nation state is a state that self-identifies as deriving its political legitimacy from serving as a sovereign entity for a nation as a sovereign territorial unit. The state is a political and geopolitical entity; the nation is a cultural and/or ethnic entity...
with its own constitution.
David Solte's chart is based on November 15, 1777, when the Articles were approved by the Continental Congress
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
to be sent to the states for their ratification. Solte rectified the time as 12.46pm. It bears noting that the Articles had at this time not been ratified by the 13 still sovereign
Sovereign
A sovereign is the supreme lawmaking authority within its jurisdiction.Sovereign may also refer to:*Monarch, the sovereign of a monarchy*Sovereign Bank, banking institution in the United States*Sovereign...
or independent states.
The SAMVA USA (Perpetual Union
Perpetual Union
The Perpetual Union is a feature of the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, which established the United States of America as a national entity...
) chart http://iipa.net/IIPA2010DH/usa_chart.htm is based on the event when Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
became the 13th and final state to pass an Act ratifying
Ratification
Ratification is a principal's approval of an act of its agent where the agent lacked authority to legally bind the principal. The term applies to private contract law, international treaties, and constitutionals in federations such as the United States and Canada.- Private law :In contract law, the...
the Articles on February 2, 1781. The Act provided the requisite unanimous consent for the formation of a perpetual union of the thirteen states. The chart was rectified using the techniques of ancient vedic astrology, notably the Systems' Approach
Systems' Approach (astrology)
The Systems' Approach for Interpreting Horoscopes is the title of a book by V.K. Choudhry, a well-known author on Indian astrology. The approach is now also referred to as SA in the modern literature of the subject. SA has been used to a significant extent in mundane astrology investigations...
, determining that the signing of the law
Thomas Sim Lee
Thomas Sim Lee was an American planter and statesman of Frederick County, Maryland. Although not a signatory to the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation or the US Constitution, he was an important participant in the process of their creation...
took place at 5.00pm on that day.
Another chart is based on the formal ratification ceremony of the Articles on March 1, 1781, when the constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
of the new Confederation
Confederation
A confederation in modern political terms is a permanent union of political units for common action in relation to other units. Usually created by treaty but often later adopting a common constitution, confederations tend to be established for dealing with critical issues such as defense, foreign...
entered into force.
Planetary Cycles
In contrast to Mundane horoscopes, which provide individual snapshots of moments of time and interpretations of the potential developmental possibilities of those snapshots, the study of planetary cyclesOrbital period
The orbital period is the time taken for a given object to make one complete orbit about another object.When mentioned without further qualification in astronomy this refers to the sidereal period of an astronomical object, which is calculated with respect to the stars.There are several kinds of...
provides an overview of real-time historical perspectives. Each planet has a tropical period (the time it takes to transit the complete tropical Zodiac) from 0 degrees Aries to 0 degrees Aries, and each of those periods of time reveals a complete cycle of expression on Earth, in keeping with the key astrological principles of that planet. A related field of study is the Aspect
Astrological aspect
In astrology, an aspect is an angle the planets make to each other in the horoscope, and also to the ascendant, midheaven, descendant, lower midheaven, and other points of astrological interest. Aspects are measured by the angular distance in degrees and minutes of ecliptic longitude between two...
cycle, which combines the principles of two planets (or more) in aspect, from one conjunction to the next conjunction. The Aspect cycle provides much additional detail to a single planetary cycle, because of the "easy" and "difficult" expressions indicated by each aspect, as well as the relative positions of each aspect within Zodiacal signs, and retrograde motion applying during aspects. Sun/Moon eclipse
Eclipse
An eclipse is an astronomical event that occurs when an astronomical object is temporarily obscured, either by passing into the shadow of another body or by having another body pass between it and the viewer...
cycles are also studied by some astrologers, together with examination of their Zodiacal positions later, at the Midheaven
Midheaven
The midheaven is a point of definition in the ecliptic coordinate system. It aims to find the part of the ecliptic that corresponds to the highest point in a celestial object's apparent daily traverse of the visible sky, midway between its ascension on the eastern horizon and descension on the...
and Ascendant
Ascendant
The ascendant , or rising sign, is the zodiacal sign and degree that was ascending on the eastern horizon at the specific time and location of an event. According to astrological theory, celestial phenomena reflect or determine human activity on the principle of 'as above so below'...
positions of actual event locations (usually disasters).
Astrological Ages
Age of Aquarius
The Age of Aquarius is either the current or new age in the cycle of astrological ages. Each astrological age is approximately 2,150 years long, on average, but there are various methods of calculating this length that may yield longer or shorter time spans depending upon the technique used...
, that are generally linked to precession of the equinoxes
Precession of the equinoxes
In astronomy, axial precession is a gravity-induced, slow and continuous change in the orientation of an astronomical body's rotational axis. In particular, it refers to the gradual shift in the orientation of Earth's axis of rotation, which, like a wobbling top, traces out a pair of cones joined...
. One complete precessional cycle (Great Year) is approximately 25,600 years, and the average length of an Astrological Age is approximately 2160 years.
Many astrologers believe that the world is currently on the cusp of the Age of Pisces, passing into the Age of Aquarius
Age of Aquarius
The Age of Aquarius is either the current or new age in the cycle of astrological ages. Each astrological age is approximately 2,150 years long, on average, but there are various methods of calculating this length that may yield longer or shorter time spans depending upon the technique used...
. Archetypes traditionally linked to Pisces
Pisces
Pisces may refer to:*Pisces , a constellation*Pisces , an astrological sign*Fish , as an obsolete taxonomic term*OZ-09MMS Pisces, a fictional mecha in the Gundam Wing anime...
include Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, salvation and faith-based religions, slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
, drugs
DRUGS
Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows are an American post-hardcore band formed in 2010. They released their debut self-titled album on February 22, 2011.- Formation :...
(especially tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
, but also including all forms of drugs both legal and illicit), oil
Oil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
, pharmaceuticals, corporations, psychic phenomena, all esoteric subjects and massive problems that humanity has created for itself. Archetypes associated with Aquarius include democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
, freedom, technology
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
, electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
, computers, space travel
Spaceflight
Spaceflight is the act of travelling into or through outer space. Spaceflight can occur with spacecraft which may, or may not, have humans on board. Examples of human spaceflight include the Russian Soyuz program, the U.S. Space shuttle program, as well as the ongoing International Space Station...
, flight
Flight
Flight is the process by which an object moves either through an atmosphere or beyond it by generating lift or propulsive thrust, or aerostatically using buoyancy, or by simple ballistic movement....
, dictators, freedom fighters and revolutionaries, excitement and the effects of mental instability upon societies.
Historical predictions
In modern Mundane Astrology it is a matter of considerable debate whether the purpose of astrology is elucidation of meaning, or a tool to make predictions about events.Throughout history many astrologers have made predictions about the future course of world events, and these are often remarkable either for their fulfillment, or for the ruin and confusion they brought upon their authors.
A favourite topic of a minority of astrologers around the world has been the immediate end of the world. As early as 1186 the Earth had escaped one threatened cataclysm of the astrologers.
Stöffler predicted a universal deluge for the year 1524, a year, as it turned out, distinguished for drought. His study of the heavens told him that in that year three planets would meet in the aqueous sign of Pisces. The prediction was widely believed and President Aurial, at Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
, built himself a Noah's ark
Noah's Ark
Noah's Ark is a vessel appearing in the Book of Genesis and the Quran . These narratives describe the construction of the ark by Noah at God's command to save himself, his family, and the world's animals from the worldwide deluge of the Great Flood.In the narrative of the ark, God sees the...
--a curious realization of Chaucer's merry invention in the Miller's Tale.
The most famous predictions about European and world affairs were made by the French astrologer Nostradamus
Nostradamus
Michel de Nostredame , usually Latinised to Nostradamus, was a French apothecary and reputed seer who published collections of prophecies that have since become famous worldwide. He is best known for his book Les Propheties , the first edition of which appeared in 1555...
(1503–66), however many astrologers dispute whether many of his prophecies were based on astrology. Nostradamus became famous after the publication in 1555 of his work Centuries , which was a series of prophecies in cryptic verse. The obscure predictions have been interpreted as relating to a great variety of events, including the French and English Revolutions, and the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In 1556 Nostradamus was summoned to the French court by Catherine de Medici and commissioned to draw up the horoscopes of the royal children.
According to Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St Albans, KC was an English philosopher, statesman, scientist, lawyer, jurist, author and pioneer of the scientific method. He served both as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England...
in his essay Of Prophesies Nostradamus foretold the death of King Henry II of France
Henry II of France
Henry II was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559.-Early years:Henry was born in the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, the son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany .His father was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 by his sworn enemy,...
: "When I was in France, I heard from one Dr Pena, that the queen mother, who was given to curious arts, caused the king, her husband's, nativity to be calculated, under a false name; and the astrologer (Nostradamus) gave a judgment, that he should be killed in a duel; at which the queene laughed, thinking her husband to be above challenges and duels; but he was slaine, upon a course at tilt, the splinters of the staffe of Montgomery going in at his beaver." Although Nostradamus later fell out of favour with many in the court and was accused of witchcraft
Witchcraft
Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft...
, Catherine continued to support him and patronized him until his death.
Tycho Brahe
Tycho Brahe
Tycho Brahe , born Tyge Ottesen Brahe, was a Danish nobleman known for his accurate and comprehensive astronomical and planetary observations...
was devoted to astrology, and adjoining his observatory at Uranienburg, the astronomer-royal of Denmark had a laboratory built. The astronomer Kepler
Johannes Kepler
Johannes Kepler was a German mathematician, astronomer and astrologer. A key figure in the 17th century scientific revolution, he is best known for his eponymous laws of planetary motion, codified by later astronomers, based on his works Astronomia nova, Harmonices Mundi, and Epitome of Copernican...
, who in his youth made almanacs, and once prophesied a hard winter which came to pass, made an astrological interpretation of the disappearance of the brilliant star of 1572, which Tycho had observed. Another prediction of Kepler
Johannes Kepler
Johannes Kepler was a German mathematician, astronomer and astrologer. A key figure in the 17th century scientific revolution, he is best known for his eponymous laws of planetary motion, codified by later astronomers, based on his works Astronomia nova, Harmonices Mundi, and Epitome of Copernican...
was the appearance of a comet in 1577. Brahe wrote that in the north, in Finland, there would be born a prince who would lay waste to Germany and vanish in 1632. Gustavus Adolphus was in fact born in Stockholm, Sweden, overran Germany, and died in 1632. Brahe predicted this Finland not Sweden, but the partial fulfillment of the prophecy is cited as evidence of astrological accuracy. Brahe, appeared to foresee the advent of some great northern hero; he was likely well acquainted with an ancient tradition, that heroes generally came from the northern frontiers of his native land, where they are hardened struggle with soil, climate, and barbarian neighbours.
Theodore Beza
Theodore Beza
Theodore Beza was a French Protestant Christian theologian and scholar who played an important role in the Reformation...
thought that this star, which in December 1573 equaled Jupiter in brilliancy, predicted the second coming
Second Coming
In Christian doctrine, the Second Coming of Christ, the Second Advent, or the Parousia, is the anticipated return of Jesus Christ from Heaven, where he sits at the Right Hand of God, to Earth. This prophecy is found in the canonical gospels and in most Christian and Islamic eschatologies...
of Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
. Astronomers were only then beginning to study variable and periodic stars, and disturbances in that part of the heavens, which had till then, on the authority of Aristotle
Aristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology...
, been regarded as incorruptible, combined with the troubles of the times, must have given a new stimulus to belief in the signs in heaven.
Montaigne (Essais, lib. i. chap, x.) related a singular episode in the history of astrology. Charles V
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
and Francis I
Francis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
, who both bid for the friendship of the infamous Pietro Aretino
Pietro Aretino
Pietro Aretino was an Italian author, playwright, poet and satirist who wielded immense influence on contemporary art and politics and invented modern literate pornography.- Life :...
, surnamed the divine, both likewise engaged astrologers to fight their battles.
In Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
those who prophesied the ruin of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
were sure to be listened to. These prophecies affected the public funds much as telegrams used to in 1911. "At Rome," Montaigne wrote, "a large sum of money was lost on the Change by this prognostication of our ruin."
The Marquis of Saluces, notwithstanding his gratitude to Francis I for the many favours he had received, including his marquisate, of which the brother was despoiled for his benefit, was led in 1536 to betray his country, being scared by the glorious prophecies of the ultimate success of Charles V which were then rife.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the British and German governments (among others) hired astrologers to make predictions about the opposing side. One Swiss astrologer, Karl Ernst Krafft
Karl Ernst Krafft
Karl Ernst Krafft was a Swiss astrologer. He worked on the fields of astrology and graphology.-Astrology career:...
, attracted the attention of the Nazis due to his predictions.
Modern predictions
Many studying the area note historical cycles which involve the transit of outer planets through the zodiac and the different aspects they form. One particular example will be a grand crossGrand cross
In astrology, a Grand Cross is said to occur when four planets are all separated from each other by Square aspects . A Grand Cross can also be viewed as two oppositions separated from each other by a square...
that will occur in summer 2010 when Pluto, Uranus and Jupiter and Saturn and Mars will be at 0-3º Capricorn, Aries and Libra, respectively, while inner planets transit at 0-3º Cancer. This is assumed by astrologers studying mundane astrology that it shall be a time with many great challenges and dramatic changes. This aspect resembles another grand cross that occurred during the 1930s. Mundane astrologers trace back these cycles to decades and even centuries before, when Uranus transited Aries last time in 1930s and 1840s, and Pluto transited Capricorn last time in 1760s and 1770s, which were decades of many revolutions and changes. The cardinal alignment of 2010 includes a 90° square between Pluto and Uranus. Both planets conjoined in the 1960s, thus many astrologers expect a return to themes from that decade. Uranus and Pluto were last square in the 1930s. Before that, Uranus and Pluto squared between 1875 and 1877 during the Long Depression, suggesting a theme of economic downturn, The most recent one occurs between 2010 and 2014. Mundane astrologers predict dramatic changes (economic, social, military, scientific) to occur again in the years ahead.
Further reading
- Michael Baigent, Nicholas Campion & Charles Harvey, Mundane Astrology , The Aquarian Press, London, 1984
- Nicholas Campion, The Book of World Horoscopes, The Aquarian Press, London, 1988
- Stan Barker, The Signs of The Times - The Neptune Factor: America's Future and Past as Seen Through Planetary Cycles, Llewellyn Publications, St Paul, MN USA 1986
- Dhruva, Astrological analysis of Indian Affairs (1947–2050), New Delhi: Readworthy Publications (P) Ltd., 2008 (ISBN 9788189973025)
- "America is Born: Introducing the Regulus USA National Horoscope", Regulus Astrology LLC, Princeton, NJ, 2008. (ISBN 9780980185621)
- Richard Tarnas, Cosmos and Psyche , Intimations of a New World View, New York, 2006 (ISBN 9780670032921)
External links
- SIDERUM NUNTIUM - Astrodata, Event, Politic Personality, Nation and City
- Mundane Astrology - A very cogent introduction to Mundane Astrology, the most ancient branch of astrology.
- Weekly NewsScope - A weekly column which, since 1998, has applied Mundane Astrology to interpreting news events from around the world.
- - A Forum to discuss scientific astrology as a cause of earthquakes and other natural events
- Mundane Vedic Astrology Discussion List - A forum for the discussion of the application of vedic astrology based on the Systems' Approach by V. K. ChoudhryV. K. ChoudhryV. K. Choudhry is a well known Indian Vedic astrologer. His major contribution to Indian astrology is the Systems' Approach for interpreting horoscopes. This is also known as SA in the modern astrological literature. V. K...
to mundane questions with a focus on predictive accuracy. - Waves - Measuring History's blog with additional pages that use Outer Planet Waves to interpret history and provide an astrological foundation for the future. Measuring History's sole focus is Mundane Astrology.