Some Genius or Spirit (Ch.9) with Patrick Curry & Jodey Collorick.
Patrick will be discussing two interlinked phenomena: the nature of the daimon and the practice of divination, both in relation to divinatory astrology as against a Machine of Destiny model. The ideas of Alby Stone, quoted in TMoA chapter 9, will figure strongly.
Jodey will take up the theme of the machine of destiny as the curse on astrology.
Please read Chapter 9 in advance.
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Since the adoption of the 20th amendment to the US Constitution in 1933, the Sun is always in Aquarius for our Presidential inauguration. The Sun in the sign of its detriment perfectly symbolizes the ultimate sovereignty or source of supreme authority for that office (indeed for the entire government), which resides in the Constitution’s opening phrase “We the people…”. This year, the Sun’s applying conjunction to Pluto symbolically suggests Trump’s naked grab for power and desire to dominate his opponents. Pluto in Aquarius aptly symbolizes a deeply divided public, the splitting of the body politic in a process that is rapidly accelerating. This transformation of Presidential power also reveals the American Id, another Plutonian concept: ugly urges to annihilate or eliminate the Other, those people or institutions which are perceived as a threat to national unity. This is seen in the demonizing of immigrants, gay and trans people and anyone opposing Trump’s extreme agenda.
It is hard not to see the rising Uranus in Taurus as the tech bros: Musk, Zuckerberg, Sam Altman (Chat GPT) Bezos, Cook, et al, as using this moment to further enrich themselves: Mercury trine Uranus with Gemini on the 2nd. Within one day, Trump announced the US government would be investing $100 Billion in AI, specifically to build large data centers. Jupiter in Gemini on the cusp of the 2nd house is the perfect symbol for this undertaking. Among the tech giants, there is an implicit understanding that tech can be used to remake social norms and erase the line between public and private. The Venus/Saturn conjunction seems key, since Saturn disposes the Sun (also Mercury) and Venus disposes Uranus. Tech and the Executive Branch merge; Tech has become socially conservative with Venus/Saturn in the 11th.
Mars in Cancer on the IC symbolizes both nativism and isolationism.
Mars sextile Uranus suggests the opportunity to employ AI to fashion a Cancerian shell to protect the US, like the “Iron Dome” of Isreal. The ultimate Cancer fantasy is the notion that we can be shielded from all of our enemies.
Lastly, the cardinal T square with the Moon/Chiron opposition squaring Mercury suggests a re-wounding of women in the social sphere, but intercepted Aries/Libra in 6th/12th means it is kept out of sight, denied. The female Bishop who asked Trump to reconsider the effect his actions are having on marginalized groups embodies the 9th house Mercury in Capricorn as social and moral conscience. The Moon is separating from Mercury and moves to the opposition to the 12th house Chiron. Her words will have no lasting effect on the President.
Sun conjunct Pluto Aquarius. “The Golden Age of America has begun”. Has it? Sun, planet of gold, detrimented in Aquarius, heading to Pluto’s underworld.
Venus conjunct Saturn Pisces. “I was saved by God to make America great again”. Venus exalted, chart ruler, possible significator of Trump, conjunct Saturn, lord of deity 9th and authority 10th, in Pisces, sign of Christ and salvation. Lilly suggests an exalted significator can “present a person of haughty condition, arrogant, affirming more unto him then his due.”
Mars Cancer on IC, southern point. Emergency on southern border – send troops. Mars retrograde and in fall. Mars at 24 Cancer falls between Trump’s Saturn-Venus conjunction at 23/25 Cancer. Note also: Mars transits Mercury at 24 Cancer 11 in the Sibly America chart. This Sibly Mercury is opposite Sibly Pluto at 27 Capricorn 31. The Sibly Pluto is conjunct the Inauguration MC (26 Capricorn 31).
Each month an astrologer will present and discuss a chapter or extract from Geoffrey Cornelius’ book, The Moment of Astrology. Published in 1994, Rob Hand thought it to be “one of the most important astrological books of our time”. Historian Patrick Curry recognised it as “an extraordinary book … within the astrological tradition it is the most important since the great flowering of European astrology more than three hundred years ago.”
Throughout the text, Geoffrey asks the question “What is the moment of astrology?” When astrology comes to life for its practitioners, when it works, they are obliged to confront anew the problems of time, objectivity and the interpretation of symbol. The Company of Astrologers welcomes experienced astrologers and astrological historians to lead discussion on these themes.
SCHEDULE
12 Jan Astrology as a Gift of the Soul (Ch.16) Maggie Hyde
2 Feb The Question of Horary (Ch.6) & Appendix 3 Pat Blackett
2 Mar An Anti-Astrology Signature (Ch.2) Kirk Little
6 Apr Some Genius or Spirit (Ch.9) Patrick Curry & Jodey Collorick
4 May Science and the Symbol 1: Humpty-Dumpty (Ch.3) Garry Phillipson
1 Jun The Fourfold Symbol II: Water into Wine (Ch.15) Jan Seward
No meetings July and August
7 Sep The Fourfold Symbol l: Divination and Allegory (Ch.14) Jane Farrer
5 Oct Case Study: Stella (Appendix 7) Simao Cortes Plus Mark Flaherty (Ch. tbc)
2 Nov Appearances: The Symbol in Context (Ch.11) Graeme Tobyn
7 Dec Katarche: The Line of Descent from Augury (Ch.7) Dorian Gieseler Greenbaum
Geoffrey Cornelius (1945-2024) was a founding member of the Company of Astrologers and a past president of the Astrological Lodge of London. He helped develop MA programmes in divination at both the University of Kent and Christ Church University, Canterbury. His major work, The Moment of Astrology, seeks to establish astrology as a form of divination.
TO BOOK: £10 per month (£7 unwaged), online at coa.org.uk after 1 January 2025.
From teaching you how to spot the major and minor constellations, to revealing the fascinating starlore from around the world, this stunningly illustrated reissued hardback will bring star-gazing vividly to life.
Originally published as The Starlore Handbook but recently lovingly repackaged by the late Geoffrey Cornelius for a new generation of budding and experienced stargazers, discover the mysteries of celestial mythology with this comprehensive introduction to the constellations and the stars that comprise them. This fascinating practical guide unveils the myths, legends and symbolic significance that the stars have assumed in many cultures and ancient civilizations across the world. No craft horoscopy, readable by non-astrologers.
COA Zoom Seminar on the Israel-Hamas war: Monday 20th November 7:00-8:15pm GMT. Now fully booked Link for pdf used in Seminar (v1) >>>
Following the fall of the Ottoman Empire in 1918, the League of Nations defined the boundaries of Palestine, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan (chart for this decision below). Provision was made for a Jewish homeland in Palestine (Research by Michael Baigent cited by Nick Campion in appx. 6 of his ‘Book of World Horoscopes’ 1996.)
Sarina Wiegman is favoured by the exact conjunction of the Moon of the match with her dignified Venus. Her own Moon should benefit from the Jupiter-Uranus-Fortuna combination in Venus-ruled Taurus, and her earthy and ambitious Mars-Pluto trine is reflected in transit Mars and Pluto. The day looks difficult for Wiegman’s counterpart, the Spanish head coach, Jorge Vilda. Awkwardly squaring the Mars-Neptune of the match, he has a close opposition of Mars and Neptune (23 Gem-Sag) with Mercury at 27 Gemini (July 7th 1981 Madrid, time not known).
This coronation anointing chart is rich in its symbolism. Mercury retrograde screens us, we are not allowed to view the key ritual moment. The screen was put in place at 11.45 am with the MC at 27 Aries 04 and it was removed at 11:48 am with the MC at 27 Aries 54. During these three minutes, Jupiter at 27 Aries 37 crossed over the Westminster meridian. With spiritual Jupiter also lord of the 9th of deity, this passage marks the moment of Divine Right, the King as mediator between God and human, sacred and secular. The true moment of the coronation can be taken as Jupiter partile the MC.
At this moment the King is anointed with Chrism oil from the Mount of Olives (Jupiter), consecrated by the Patriarch at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. In the chart, the anointing oil is revealed in the grand trine in water, especially Neptune, dignified in Pisces on the 9th cusp. The Moon in fall separates trine Mars in fall and applies trine Neptune. In the Christian Mysteries, fallen humanity seeks redemption. Through the anointing, Holy Spirit descends from the Father (Jupiter) and enters the temporal realm in the body and being of the King. Dedicated to God, the King serves the divine.
Leo rises and the King, Sun in the 10th, applies to Uranus, planet of modernity and the secular. His reign walks a fine line between monarchy and republic.
The hereditary nature of this succession is shown by Moon-Mars trine. The Moon at 24 Scorpio 41 is conjunct Queen Elizabeth’s Saturn at 24 Scorpio 26 and her MC at 25 Scorpio 32; in the sacred moment of the anointing, Charles takes on the mantle of his deceased mother. This fallen Scorpio Moon is in mutual reception with a fallen Mars at 22 Cancer 00 but when received by degree, Mars moves to 22 Scorpio 00, conjunct Charles’ natal Sun at 22 Scorpio 25. The contact mirrors the close natal synastry between the two monarchs (Elizabeth’s Sun 0 Taurus 12 and Charles’ Moon at 0 Taurus 25). With the received Mars on his Sun, he can now act as monarch.
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The coronation of Queen Elizabeth took place on 2 June 1953, starting at 11:15 am. In Astrology Quarterly, Vol 27:4 p.122 Charles Carter records a time of 12:32 pm for the coronation moment with an MC of 5 Gemini 25 and Jupiter at 5 Gemini 35. Again, Jupiter on the MC! (Note also that Venus was at 27 Aries 42, ruling the 9th). – Maggie Hyde
