Harmonics

NATAL PORPHYRY CHART

   

Yay! This one will be short and sweet. The above chart is the natal chart cast in the Porphyry house system, which I prefer to use for harmonic charts. It looks exactly like the old chart, cast in the Placidus system. The Natal Chart was delineated HERE. 



Eclipses, Transits, and Secondary Progressed Aspects to this chart were discussed HERE.

18th HARMONIC


Harmonics are said to be the most accurate form of prediction. They are read very differently from other charts. As harmonics go, this one is a little more complicated than I'm used to, but I'll give it a go. It represents our guy's 18th year of life.


It is so hard for me to describe what is going on in a chart when I am limited to doing it in such a linear fashion, when what I really need to help make it clear is more of a family tree.

I not only need the family tree, I need it to be 3-dimensional.


There is an order for things to look for, but this chart tends to defy rules, just like a certain young man who suffers from Uranus issues. And like Neptune on the natal ascendant, it has no clear signature. As with our guy, there is a lot going on, but it lacks clear direction.


To begin, when reading a harmonic chart, it is the closest aspect that describes an event. Because this is the 18th Harmonic, we're not looking for a single event, but at a one-year period of time. That's what all these charts have been about: zeroing in on a particular period of time in a young man's life, and so far, they've all seemed related to a "boiling over" type of event to come around the middle of May. But this...this chart has something entirely different in it, something so far out there in left field that I'm thrown off balance. This already has me on yellow alert. We'll take these aspects apart and examine them, but the really big question is In What Order? The closest aspect isn't necessarily the most urgent. It's rare, but it happens. This chart has quite a few dire aspects, and one that's so complex, it's going to take a book to explain. And then, I think I'll leave the surprise twist for the end.

"YOD" INVOLVING THE DESCENDANT

A yod is a complex configuration that becomes more complicated with every factor thrown into it.

Disclaimer: Officially, a yod is created only when there are planets at each end of an aspect. Parts and points don't count. But harmonics are a different breed of chart, and there is little reason to doubt that the 18th harmonic chart has one big configuration lying right across the ascendant / descendant axis. It's going to count for something. Even if in the most lax sense of the definition you flat-out reject this as a yod configuration, there is still a sextile between Uranus and Ceres, and there are still quincunxes between each of them to the descendant.


We'll examine this one in three parts: 

Uranus
Ceres
The Moon's Nodes, Floating Midheaven and Descendant


The yod always reminds me of three colors that don't go together.


Uranus and Ceres comprise what I shall forevermore think of as the "common sense" sextile thanks to legendary astrologer, Alice Portman, who inspired me to relearn yods altogether. I thought I understood them completely, but maybe I didn't. She says that they are "an entirely practical aspect pattern requiring common sense and flexibility in the areas activated by the planets involved." That makes common sense because quincunxes (a/k/a inconjuncts) have always been described as "a need for compromise and adjustment between the planets and houses involved." And it seems very logical that sextiles could indicate the application of common sense to a matter. They've never been as flamboyant or promised as much as trines.



URANUS

Uranus is the agent of change. It is a disruptive force that is currently very active in our guy's other charts:


In the natal, it squares the midheaven (impulsive changes in goals, disruptions in career and home life, irate temper, premature actions, erratic behavior, big upsets, sudden changes in fortune).


In the progressed, it conjuncts the ascendant (fiercely independent, rebellious, disruptive, unpredictable).


By transit, it conjuncts the natal moon (change of residence, unusual events involving the mother, separation from mother, home, domestic life), and it's not even close to complete. It hasn't even made partile yet, and is already wreaking havoc on his domestic and family situation. Uranus will come within minutes of completing the conjunction to the natal moon and then turn retrograde (Rx) in mid-July. This could indicate another change of address, this one a return to a former place. Uranus will change to forward motion in mid-December and all natal, progressed, directed, return and harmonic charts should be checked then for anything that's at 8 degrees, where it makes a station, for more insight into yet another change of address. And still Uranus is not done with him. His home and domestic life will not begin to settle down until the spring of 2015.


And now, in the 18th harmonic, Uranus is part of a configuration that will play an important part in our guy's destiny. It's a very strong planet by virtue of being exalted in Scorpio and accidentally dignified in the 11th house. In addition, it's in mutual reception with Pluto, although they make no aspect to each other.

CERES

Ceres is the Roman equivalent of  the Greek goddess Demeter. Remember the mother of Persephone? She is the only deity to go up against Hades and win. Or at least, draw. It is a testament to the strength of the feminine principle in general, and a mother's love, in particular. Ceres is a nurturing earth mother.


In this chart, Ceres is in Capricorn, so our guy's expectation of unconditional love from his mother is challenged, and he has to adjust to the notion that her love is indeed conditional. What she may want is for him to simply take responsibility for himself and his choices. What he hears is that if his achievements are great enough that he will win her love and approval. His own self-acceptance and confidence is now tied to whatever acquisitions he attains and can point to as being achieved through his own effort. This will be a year when he learns to equate his personal worth with his material and financial achievements, and his focus will be on how to impress others in order to gain recognition and approval. In the first house, it is related to male nurturing and fathers. It almost sounds like a male rite of passage. I know very few men who don't associate their value as a man with their ability to provide.


Uranus and Ceres are joined by the sextile aspect, and so our guy could use its highly intuitive ability to come up with original, innovative ways to do things that involve nurturing, care-taking, or adding branches to the family tree. He has to learn to trust his own intuition and follow his own gut instinct. 


Some of his childhood experiences have resulted in difficulties creating emotional bonds. As the product of a broken home and one who rebels against his parents, he experiences conflict between his personal freedom and closeness to his family. That is active now, while Ceres makes a quincunx to the descendant.  
   

Ceres is associated with the need to let go of attachments, whether emotional, physical, or spiritual. These separations are karmic lessons. The dark side of Ceres is the experience of being separated from what you believe is life-sustaining. There are feelings of abandonment and rejection. I highly recommend Asteroid Goddesses by Demetra George and Douglas Bloch.



AND NOW AT THE OTHER END OF THE QUINCUNXES: 

Uranus, that frustrated planet of freedom and rebellion that's been behaving like a bull in a china shop will be involved in intense confrontations and separations that will have a profound effect on our guy's life. He has to compromise, adjust and bend to the will of someone represented by the descendant. These events will teach him awareness and give him a different perspective. But it will likely be at the School of Hard Knocks and will not be pleasant.


THE FLOATING MIDHEAVEN, DESCENDANT AND MOON’S NODES


THE FLOATING MIDHEAVEN indicates the area of life where the events of the harmonic energies are centered. Understanding the floating midheaven is something I still struggle with. When I look at a death chart and the fMC isn't in the 4th, 8th or 12th, or at a wedding chart and the fMC isn't in the 7th or 10th, I get flustered. I especially get peeved if there's not enough information provided to understand its relationship to the house where it was posited by the Big Clockwork in the Sky.


In this case, the floating MC (technically) is in the 6th house (health, nutrition, small animals, duty, service, obligation, employment, routine). This is the house of the Daily Grind, the work we are required to do to pay our way in life, the duties, service and obligations we must give, the care and feeding of animals, and our own health and nutrition. These are the basic non-glorified jobs we must perform on our way to the Great Career and Life Path indicated by our midheaven.


THE DESCENDANT    

While technically the fMC is in the 6th house, it is only one degree from the descendant  - a conjunction- and so an important goal (fMC) will be connected to one relationship in particular (DSC), or other relationships in general. The descendant is not only the cusp of the house of marriage and business partners, but also any "Others" who are not ourself. The ascendant is "I"; the descendant is "Not I. Someone else." Sometimes “the Others" are opponents, such as plaintiffs and defendants or other contestants.


MOON’S NODES


Whichever kind of relationship this is, it is connected to both Nodes of the Moon, (timing indicators, turning points, karmic ties, family matters). By both nodes being conjunct, there is unfinished business from the past that is tightly interwoven with the future, like a braid, or a knot that must be straightened, and which must be resolved not before going forward, but by going forward. If you are a believer in reincarnation, you can see how this is not the first lifetime in which this lesson has been offered. It is a repeat class for those who still need to work on it.


Being in this position greatly intensifies the power of the descendant and the importance of the person represented by it. It suggests major changes and adjustments between the people or circumstances described by Uranus, Ceres, and the mystery person known as "Other."

Like the fMC, technically, the moon's nodes are in the 6th house, but should also be read as a conjunction to the descendant. Being angular, they are particularly strong, and they are timing energies involving the 7th house of relationships, where there is both a past and a future karmic connection to the person or situation represented there. It indicates a powerful time in the life.

One thing that bothers me about it is that the descendant is often aspected at the end of life. Symbolically, it is where the sun sets. It's probably no big deal because we all have aspects to our descendants all the time. If it meant certain death, we'd all be gone by the middle of next week.


So, yod or not, the configuration lying across the ascendant / descendant axis is intense and calls for common sense and flexibility. It has to power to transform the life.



MOON SQUARE PLUTO

Key phrases for this aspect might be: emotional manipulation, compulsive behavior, internal demons, emotional confrontations, and power struggles.

Pluto is in the 2nd house of money and possessions. That’s what these behaviors are about.


Certain harmonic-teaching astrologers refer to Pluto as “the destroyer,” and say that it brings sex, death, crime and destruction wherever it goes. Of course, we all have it in our chart somewhere, and it could just as easily be referred to as something less sinister, like “the transformer.” In this chart, it rules over the 12th house of things that are secret and clandestine, and will somehow involve 12th house matters (clandestine meetings, secrets, isolation, confinement, solitude, institutions, hospitals, zoos).  It is a place of endings and one of the houses of endings.


The moon is in Scorpio, so there is a woman, or maybe emotional or sexual issues surrounding women, or a possible sex partner because she rules the 8th house of sex, rape, crime, surgery, and other people’s money, who occupies the 11th house of friends, groups and associations.

She can bring emotional issues, domestic matters, family matters and emotional disturbances to the surface. In fact, she can dip deeply into the well of past slights and hurts for material to rehash. This is the stage for the emotional welling (and wailing and gnashing of teeth).

This can also be the house of hopes, wishes and aspirations, and the house of sudden unexpected and accidental events.


One or more of these things will play a role in events. Don't forget this is one of the houses of endings. Three, and you're out. Not really, but they count.



MARS SQUARE SATURN

And then we come to Mars guy (young, brash, hot-tempered, impatient) going head-to-head with Saturn (mature, patient, conservative, authority figure, father). This is like rowing against the tide. Everything our guy does this year will be harder and require more labor and more practice and patience.


Key phrases for this aspect could be:  Frustrated apprentice, racing with the brakes on, burning rubber, stop go stop go, self-doubt, inadequacy, lacking in necessary skills, humiliation, steely anger, discouragement, confrontation.


Here we are, back at Mars anger and action around the home. He usually rules the 4th house; now he’s in it. He’s also in the sign of Aries, where he rules. He brings assertion, effort, and determination. Anger is unleashed on the family. If he’s going to bang around the house this much, maybe he should use a hammer. Notice how this repeats the natal aspect of the moon in Aries in the 4th house.


In this chart, Mars rules the 5th house (children, creativity, risks and pleasures) and some of these topics will be brought into events when Mars is activated.


Mars also co-rules the 12th house, so there may also be clandestine elements, secrets, isolation, confinement, solitude, institutions, hospitals, or zoos. This is the third house of endings (the others being the 4th and 8th).


Again, think of the square aspect as an action verb that describes mood swings between depression and determination.


Saturn is equally as strong in his own sign, Capricorn, as Mars is in Aries. Lord Capricorn is an authority figure, and Mars doesn’t like him. Mars sees him as old, parsimonious, dull and the keeper of the bank keys because he is Lord over the 2nd house of money.  With Saturn found in the 1st house (personality, physical body, first impressions), our guy may try to appear older or more experienced than he is. But haven’t we all done that?



And now, the surprise twist:


To begin, when reading a harmonic chart, it is the closest aspect that describes an event. Because this is the 18th Harmonic, we're not looking for a single event, but at a one-year period of time. That's what all these charts have been about: zeroing in on a particular period of time in a young man's life, and so far, they've all seemed related to a "boiling over" type of event to come around the middle of May. But this...this chart has something entirely different in it, something so far out there in left field that I'm thrown off balance.


All I can do is interpret it as I see it, and hopefully later, learn how it turned out. So here goes.

The closest aspect is (drumroll please)

NEPTUNE TRINE PLUTO

I know, right? 

It's an easy flow of spiritual power. Or maybe mystical powers. Or clairvoyant ability. Prophetic dreams? Healing power? I don't know, maybe he is picking up radio waves in his dental fillings, but he's tuned into something somewhere. This is a combination of vision (Neptune) and destiny (Pluto) and gives the ability to use a psychic gift for the benefit of humanity. Discovering compassion and empathy inside himself, he tries to spread tolerance and oneness with the universe among his peers. He believes in justice for all (backed by Uranus liberty and Neptune idealism on the ascendant) and suddenly abhors violence and H8. He may become vegan because  it's bad karma to degrade, oppress, kill or eat another living thing. He has also decided he is against the use of animals for testing. Huh? Where did this come from? There is more.


Whenever the outer planets are engaged in a long-term dance together, the interpretations are always going to include the "effects on the masses," or "the values of a generation" type descriptions because the aspect can stay in effect for months or years. But this is not that type of chart, and nowhere in the current transits are Neptune and Pluto in trine to each other, and certainly not by minutes from exact. The best the current planets offer is a very wide sextile between the two. So if the the “#mystical and esoteric” are trending Tweets among his followers, I do not know, but there is surely an interest in them from our guy, along with theories of life-after-death, reincarnation, hypnosis, regression, and channeling. Maybe it's not completely out of character considering all the Scorpio and 8th house influences in this chart, but only just awakening? Is this going to be the subject of our guy's fame and fortune - death, life after death, reincarnation, or channeling? His Jupiter and Pluto (Great and Powerful) are in the sign of Scorpio, the "dark side."


I hate to be this way, but I am highly suspicious of this aspect. Usually, I mean in the normal course of the universe, most of the time, ordinarily, the prerequisite to becoming an overnight spiritual avatar is an interest in the uh...spiritual. This feels more like a spell. Or a cult. I guess it could be love. I do sort of remember that feeling of being at one with the universe when in the throes of passion. It's just that I would think that there would have been some sign of a swimming lesson before jumping into the deep end of the holy water. 


Now I can relate it to the Neptune transit over the natal Saturn, the martyr syndrome, the "involuntary detachment" (now the question is from what? The rational mind?) and the"killer fog." This does not seem like the same person with the hair-trigger temper and the Martian tendency to go to battle. So what is going on here? 

One other interesting thing that stood out in this chart is the Arabic Part of Death conjunct the Vertex = a date with destiny at the ascendant (you, here, now). I thought the second time I saw this that everyone must have an Arabic Part of Death very close to the ascendant. I rarely look at Parts. I think when I tried to apply them to a reading, they didn't work that well, and that's why my disinterest. So I did a quick check, and no, as a matter of fact, most people do not have a Part of Death conjunct the ascendant. As I said, I "never" use them, and don't seem very good with them. Yet, I happen to know that one little fact about this particular chart. That might mean something, but I don't know what.

18th Harmonic to the Natal

When we place the 18th Harmonic around the natal chart, we get more information.

The ascending degree on the 18th Harmonic and the ascending degree on the natal chart are only a few degrees apart. The Harmonic ascendant, vertex, and Arabic Part of Death are all conjunct the natal ascendant. That is a little freaky.


Harmonic Pluto (destroyer)  is opposed to natal Mars in the 8th house, ruler of the 4th house (home, mom, family, domestic matters, endings) and they both square the natal sun, ruler of the 8th house (sex, death, reincarnation, money). The Harmonic moon is four degrees before a conjunction to the natal sun. Too wide an orb to count.


The yod that we looked at extensively in the previous chart is still pretty much in the same place, with just a slight increase in separation. The double nodes at the descendant (with the floating midheaven, remember?) are now trine to the natal midheaven, linking our guy to community and family, being in public, being “seen,” publicity, or making the news.

There are two other things I see worth mentioning.

One is the Harmonic Mars conjunct the natal moon. Here is that natal moon in Aries theme yet again. Is it unresolved rage against women in general and maybe his mother in particular? Is it a tendency to act out at home? Is he a pyromaniac? Unless he’s involved in the home improvement business, I really don’t like seeing this much Mars in the home life.


Poor moon. It’s not enough that Mars wreaks violence on it in the 3rd house of communication, transportation and the rational mind, but it’s also being battered by Harmonic Saturn. It's Saturn that forms the ring of ice crystals around the moon and turns emotions cold. Our guy is probably lonely and feels isolated, and with Mars conjunct the moon, Mom is a handy scapegoat for all those hurt feelings. This feels like a confrontation because Saturn rules the ascendant, the moon rules the descendant, and Mars rules the IC.

 

 

 18. 50553

When I followed the clues of the eclipses and discovered May 17th to be the day that our guy, who has Mars issues, will potentially have a very big Mars problem, I cast a Harmonic for that specific day to see what I would find.


This is interesting. At least, to me.


Mars, the planet we've been watching all this time is besieged by Saturn and Pluto. That strips Mars of nearly all his power. He can no longer act on his own. He is the ruler of the 12th house of things that are secret, and places of confinement like hospitals and jails. And those who besiege him appear to be escorting him. Three conjunct planets are noteworthy, but not particularly special. Except when it’s these three. And the order they’re in. And though they are a lot to digest, they still aren’t the closest aspect, which is what we’re supposed to be looking for.


 The closest aspect is The Moon Quincunx Uranus

The moon is in Scorpio in the 7th house (relationships, sexual relationships, business partnerships dealing in goods from the 8th house Short List). It's the ruler of the 3rd house (transportation, communication, rational mind, siblings).


Uranus, the planet of freedom, is in the 12th house of hiding. That's an odd place for it to be when it lights up the Midheaven like a Christmas tree.


There's a need for compromise and adjustment between a relationship and a change in status, reputation, or direction in life.

With Uranus in the 12th house (confinement, institutions, hospitals), he’s hiding his light under a bushel (do people still know what that means?) He needs to use common sense and stay flexible. Which sounds like a prescription already. Take two aspirin and call me in the morning. Kidding aside, I'm blind on the partnership question, but the moon to the Uranus quincunx might do something like bring a hidden relationship out into the open.

I'm just now thinking that the quincunx aspect might translate most simply to "deal with it." 

Splat. In your face. Now adjust. Compromise. Stay flexible. Think about more quincunx aspects that you know of, and see if the energy between the planets and situations between the houses was one of “deal with it.” Leave comments; let me know.

Another configuration in the 18. 50553 Harmonic chart are the moon's nodes forming a T-Square with Jupiter  in the 12th house of things hidden or confined. It's not quite the traditional T-square, as Jupiter isn't at the apex as would be expected. Nevertheless, it's the only one to provide many details. It's the ruler of the 8th house of sex, death, crime and money. The south node (a malefic) is on the cusp of the 3rd house of transportation.

 

18. 50553 to the Natal

 
The chart above is the 18.50553 Harmonic chart around the natal wheel. This is a busy chart, so in order to make some sense of it, I'll begin with the angles, where planets are strongest, and where three out of the four have conjunctions.

The midheaven (career, reputation, honor/dishonor, fame/infamy, the spotlights and highlights of life) gets a conjunction from the north node of the moon. This is favorable. This is a timing indicator that seems to show a change in direction or turning point in the life. Family is likely to be involved. But on a deeper look, we see that it is a little tarnished by Jupiter in the 3rd (gossip, hearsay, innuendo) and not liked nor supported by a partner or relationship represented by the south node in the 7th. This is not favorable.

The next angular planet is Saturn conjunct the descendant. The descendant is associated with the sunset of life. To have Saturn in this position does not seem favorable, although it depends on several other factors like the Saturn Cycle of Career Success and whether one is contemplating marriage or suicide. It's the ruler of the Capricorn ascendant, and it's opposing its own home. That's like turning its back on itself. The besieged Mars and Pluto are also in the 6th house of health, routine, obligations and duty to others. This is not favorable.


Finally, we have Uranus on the cusp of the 4th house. You have to know this one by
heart by now. Come on and sing it if you know the words: home, mom, family, domestic matters, endings. Uranus does things quickly, suddenly, without warning, unpredictably, surprisingly. It looks like a disruption, a big change, a sudden end. This is the area of life where our guy has to stay flexible and make adjustments. The harmonic sun conjuncts the natal Saturn, ruler of the ascendant. The sun is the ruler of the 8th house.

CONFIRMATION - OR NOT?

This reading began with the realization that transiting Neptune was conjunct our guy's natal Saturn. It was an Oh, no! What's that doing there? moment. Then there was the progressed new moon and new beginnings but rough starts. Uranus transiting the natal moon in the 4th house brought a change of residence. We know that our guy has a volatile temper because he has a very fiery Mars square his sun, and the moon in Aries in the 4th house. As he gets older, I would warn that he will never be monogamous and domestic violence is a likely possibility. The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior, so I leave it to the family to answer that. Following eclipses in a series of charts for our guy, we discovered the upcoming solar eclipse will square his volatile Mars and oppose his sun, the rulers of the 4th and 8th houses. Then it’s transiting Mars square natal Mars, which is almost always a time of conflict.


We have data for other family members, so I’ll see how their charts look on the day in May for which all the other charts have been read. I did this early on when the question first came up. And I saw something odd that caught my attention and I knew I had to see where it led.

Here is the Harmonic chart for my client, the mother of our guy with Mars issues cast for the day when it looks as if her son might go a little postal:

And here is the Harmonic chart for our guy’s sister on the same day.

Do you notice anything interesting about them? Take another look. Even someone who doesn’t know his own sun sign can find the two things that are alike.

This is what got me: Both of them have Harmonic Mars conjunct their ascendant on the same day. Mars, as you know, and if you don’t, you have not been reading this, is physical energy that when badly aspected, can be angry, aggressive, hostile, and physically violent. The ascendant means the physical body and personality, and as a timing device, means “You. Here. Now.”


So we have three family members who all live distantly from each other. One with anger management issues, and two who suddenly, on the same day, have anger issues hovering around their ascendants. I don’t know about you, but I wonder what that means.

I see something else interesting here, but am not at liberty to say without permission from the chart owners. Maybe at a later date...


The Harmonic charts are interesting, and compared to the natal charts, they are even more interesting, but I have to stop sometime. Charts are like cats. One leads to another and another.