Please note: In 2015, long after I wrote this article, my understandings of the quindecile, a 24° aspect, were born out of the new–mathematically accurate–name for the 165° aspect, now called undecaquartisextile. Please read about the Undecaquartisextile as its related aspect patterns which can be found in the Pluto – Full On series. You’ll find the Pluto – Full On series under the subcategory of Undecaquartisextile, located in the Feature Articles tab. Thanks for your patience with the modification of the name.
I’m often nearly chastized for what many see as incorrect information when I develop Pakistan’s Solar Return chart every year, and perhaps even historian and astrologer Nicholas Campion would do so as well. Personally, I don’t think so. Let me explain:
Campion, in his commentary on Pakistan’s birth as an independent nation, offered three charts and differentiated between them in The Book of World Horoscopes (©Nicholas Campion 2004): Chart 238 was created for when “legal independence was achieved at 00.00 hrs [IST] on 15 August 1947 in the capital, Karachi,” and “chart 238A shows “August 14, when Lord Mountbatten, the viceroy, addressed the Constituent Assembly.” He used 9:30 am IST while noting that Pakistani astrologers use either 9:15 or 9:30 am on that date. And he shows chart 239 as 23 March 1956 at 7:05 am in Karachi although he points out that one Pakistani astrologer stated “while [the proclamation of the Republic] was a significant moment at the time, if it is seen as no more than the introduction of a new constitution, the constitutions of 1960 and 1973 supersede it.”
I have, on the other hand, consistently used a different chart all these years, and I found the second reason for my having done so in Campion’s book:
“Salman Rushdie relates this story in Step Across the Line (London: Vintage 2003, p. 429). Citing an uncle who was ASDC to Field Marshall Claude Auchinlech, Rushdie wrote:
Midnight 13-14 August 1947: the partition of the Indian subcontinent, and the creation of
the new state of Pakistan, took place exactly twenty-four hours before the independence
of the rest of the former British colony. India’s moment of freedom was delayed on the
advice of astrologers, who told Jawarhalal Nehru [the future Indian prime minister] that
the earlier date was star-crossed, and delay would allow the birth to take place under a
more auspicious midnight sky. Astrology has its limitations, however, and the creation of
the new frontier ensure that the birth of both was hard and bloody’.
The story, though, appears to be apocryphal. All contemporary accounts place Pakistani independence at the same moment as Indian, 00.01 hrs on 15 August, and, according to Indian astrologers, Nehru, being a moderniser and westerniser, disapproved of astrology.”
The time I use–and the date–are based on Rushdie’s account. However, I heard audio and saw the video of Jinnah speaking on the night of the 13th of August 1947, and this reference remains the sole proof I have left now. The audio and video were removed sometime after my having seen it. I don’t know who owned the recording and video, but a trusted Pakistani friend (more than 10 years of friendship) had shared it with me.
Switching now to the focus of this article, Campion offers one chart although he mentions other dates and times going back to 1521. “Chart 247 for the Philippines,” he writes, “is set for 9.15 am on 4 July 1946, in the capital, Manila. The New York Times carried a report that the flag-changing ceremony took place at 10.00 am, but the reason for the difference between this and the above time is not clear. The principle has been followed here that a report of the National Historical Institute should be taken as more accurate than a foreign press report.”
Like Nicholas Campion, I moved away from the standard accounts often used for Pakistan’s chart in favor of the account that seemed more precise. It has never failed me. And so I will work with Campion’s 9:15 am chart for the Philippines because, simply put, it speaks to me.
When I first began writing the returns for India and Pakistan, I knew very little of either nation, its politics or anything else, but the feedback I received from citizens of both nations was heartening and supportive and told me to keep going. So I did. And again, I’m faced with another nation I know little about but another friend who happens to be a colleague as well came to me and asked me to look at the returns for the Philippines. In all fairness, I wouldn’t have thought of the Philippines yet had John Davenport not pointed me in this direction. I’m grateful to you, John, because those red flags you felt going up triggered mine as well.
The Philippines is more independent in many ways than other nations in their quests for independence. The chart reveals a completely Eastern dominance with a fourth quadrant above-the-horizon emphasis. The chart focuses on a Mercury-Sun-Moon heartbeat with Mercury in Leo–the 12th house chart ruler–as part of a Mercury-Pluto-Venus stellium (3 or more planets and/or luminaries [Sun and Moon] conjunct within a reasonable number of degrees considered to be 0° of orb). It’s a mouthful, I know, but the structure of such a chart forms the foundations of a nation in which the idea of self-sufficiency rings true.
While this is a land steeped in spiritual traditions and values, one doesn’t get the feeling that a spiritual focus necessarily guarantees peace and quiet. In this case, there’s just too much action going on especially with Mars placed in the first house as the rising planet–and conjunct the Ascendant. Not that this is really surprising, mind you: The Philippines has frequently been the site of mass protests and violence as well as being well acquainted with martial law at times.
The Philippines shows 9th house rising in this year’s Solar Return (SR). It’s really not all that surprising to me, especially with the SR Moon so obviously conjunct the Midheaven (MC) in opposition to both the positions of natal Saturn and natal Mercury. Now natal Saturn and Mercury are not conjunct, but they will be felt as a conjunction this year because of the Solar Return Moon at the apex of the chart. Mercury is, however, already part of a natal stellium with its conjunction to Pluto and Venus. In the natal chart, this stellium shows in the 12th house; but in the SR, the focus turns to the 4th house, and that appears to be more than a little problematic now. Take note as well that the SR shows a Venus-Jupiter conjunction in the 4th, and it appears that this won’t be pleasant at all. With SR Saturn in square from the 7th house, I suspect we’re going to see trouble here as well.
Pay close attention to the SR Sun-Mars conjunction in opposition to SR Pluto in the 9th house. The Sun serves as a bridge to position a natal/SR Grand Cardinal Cross–again–between that opposition in square to natal Jupiter’s opposition to Uranus coming in at the 12th. This is going to be a situation where you won’t want to allow your attention to be drawn away any time too soon since this area isn’t heating up: the problem is it’s never really cooled off.
I don’t like seeing that kind of energy showing especially in this chart. It speaks of energies that reflect back to the Arab Spring (yes, I really said that), which actually may be related to when ISIL began its run to gain a foothold in the Middle East. From all indications, I’d say they now appear to be aiming for the East and Far East regions of the world.
Please understand if we look at the SR Mercury in the 2nd house, conjunct the natal North Node (NN), SR Mercury also makes an 8-minute partile square to SR Chiron in the 11th house. The second house is not just economic. This house also focuses on values and value systems although certainly economics will play a role. An economic base offers financing for conflicting powers to use whatever means they want to gain their foothold. That’s even obvious by the BBC news today of a small faction in the Philippines to have kidnapped a Dapitan village official and two coast guard personnel in May. The official had been beheaded when ransom demands weren’t met. The group, known as Abu Sayyaf, appears to be an offshoot of ISIL in its methodology and message.
BBC – Abu Sayyaf hostages escape in Philippine raid
I have to focus particularly on the weekend of October 2 through the 4th with an emphasis on the period between 5:51 am and 11:30 am, the earlier point of which appears to start the trigger of a Mutable Grand Cross. The earlier time also points to the development of several undecaquartisextiles (165°). Mercury in Libra to Uranus in Aries focuses on events related to an effort for reaction and recognition. Several other undecaquartisextiles involve Neptune and Chiron in aspect to Venus in Leo, Mercury in Libra and Mars in Virgo, bringing issues of possible martyring to mind, when the self-aggrandizing fantasy gives way to idealistic dreams that potentially outweigh current realities. It’s a tricky series of aspects urging wisdom over pipedreams; but adjusting to these kinds of energies can be iffy at best. The drive to be right, the wish to see oneself as a savior and the disparity between intellect and the heat of the moment could outweigh any hope of sanity at a time like this. It’s possible that we could be seeing “charisma and sizzle in performances” (David Cochrane) in relation to events and the magnetic, riveting moment we’re seeing as powerful and power-hitting, forcing us to take notice.
Lynda Hill‘s 360 Degrees of Wisdom: A Sabian Oracle (©Lynda Hill 2004) points to Keywords in PISCES 8, A GIRL BLOWING A BUGLE, and the words ring true. “Sounding the call. Awakening all to action. Going on and on about something. Loudspeakers, telephones, announcements. Being prepared to state one’s case. Calling attention to one’s self. Blowing your own trumpet… Heralding and proclaiming the dawn. Rise and shine!”
In PISCES 19, A MASTER INSTRUCTING HIS DISCIPLE, she offers the following text that can’t be edited down without losing the impact in this case (Thanks again, Lynda!):
Commentary: ‘A Master’ is ‘Instructing His Disciple’. He is giving his ‘Disciple Instruction’ on how to handle life in the spiritual, intellectual and emotional realms. The ‘Disciple’ must listen to all the ‘Master’ says and teaches and must learn from his example. There’s an old saying, “when the student is ready, the teacher appears”. It could easily also be “when the student is ready, the lesson appears” – there are many ways to learn life’s lessons.
Oracle: This is a time for the transfer of higher knowledge and wisdom. In this situation you may find that you are the teacher, the ‘Master’, or the pupil, the ‘Disciple’. Remember that it is often the teacher that learns and the pupil that teaches. Perhaps it’s time for listening to your own higher wisdom. The teacher can inspire great personal achievements through teaching the wisdom that the ‘Disciple’ is ready and willing to learn. These lessons can be on many levels, from the purest of teaching and education all the way to downright emotional manipulation: the teachings that are being passed on can be used to elevate or manipulate the thoughts and emotions of the ‘Disciple’. People will sometimes believe the message coming from the ‘Master’ without questioning, merely because of his charisma and presence. The ‘Master’ may have an alternate agenda that he wants to fulfill. There is sometimes a need to separate the actual person of the ‘Master’ from that which he is teaching, as they are not necessarily the same. The ‘Master’ is only human, after all. Someone having something worthwhile to say will find someone who will listen to it.
Keywords: To give and to receive. Lessons that need to be well learnt. The transfer of knowledge. Taking time to instruct others. Being willing to both teach and learn. Step-by-step lessons. Passing on information. Instructions and directions. Laying down the law with someone. Manuscripts and lessons. Masters. Gurus. Guiding lights. Reinforcement of knowledge, wisdom and spirituality. Listening and learning. Knowing what questions to ask. Doing homework. Being or setting a good example.
The Caution: Dogmatic instruction by rote. Talking down to others, thinking they know less. Someone having a “know it all” attitude. Manipulating people for one’s personal agenda. Using knowledge as power over people. Feeling above everyone else. Co-dependant behaviour. One-eyed attitudes. Losing oneself in another.
Is it possible that we’re looking at the same kinds of energy I’ve seen in the India and Pakistan Solar Returns for the coming year? As much as I’d like to reassure you that this isn’t the case, I can’t. I’m going to continue to follow up on these returns for more nations to see if I can find a pattern of dates and perhaps a better understanding of what exactly is coming next. I’m not consoled. For that matter, I’ve already peeked at India’s 2016 Solar Return. Forgive me: I’m chilled.
Namaste, I love you.
©2015 Michelle Young