How to Work in Mundane Astrology — Mundane Astrology

Inspiring Words

Charles Carter said, “if the restoration of public honor to Astrology be his goal, it would seem that this can be attained in no better way than by acquiring the power to foresee correctly the things of national moment”.
The repetition of past patterns indicates what lies ahead.

Thursday, January 18, 2024

How to Work in Mundane Astrology

Overview of Tools and Techniques  

In mundane astrology we look for tendencies, not certainties and it is vital to look at charts dispassionately. You will sometimes see dismaying probabilities, but it would be ridiculous to lie to yourself and say it will be utopia because that is what you want.

In order to journey into mundane astrology, it helps to get perspective. First understand the focus in each branch of astrology.

The focus in natal astrology is the Sun. 
The focus in horary or election astrology is the Moon.
Uranus, as ruler of societies, should be the mundane focal point. (more in-depth)

The lens is then inverted from the individual natal (Sun), or the horary (Moon) to the larger society (Uranus) as the focus in mundane astrology with different techniques used in each branch.

Mundane astrology encompasses broad areas of political, economic changes and natural disasters that affect nations. It's the bigger picture, an entire nation, not a single individual or the reading of an individual's chart. 

But if one does not focus on individuals in mundane astrology, what charts do you work with? Here are some of the components used in mundane astrology work.

Moments in Time (more in-depth)
Significant moments in history are essentially a transit recorded as an event, a snapshot of that instant which can then be compared to a later transit in the course of movement, like plots on a map. In this landscape of events, we will find moments of history that connect to celestial occurrences. 

By studying connected past events in history, we can locate the repeating patterns, anticipate the probable course to trend, and the signals of shift. It helps to let go of the concept of a 'birth chart' for a nation, a carryover from natal astrology, and look instead for significant moments in the foundation of a nation. 

Basic tools and techniques: 

It helps to list the great conjunction cycles, eclipses and station points as sensitive points on yearly worksheets by using the ALT codes for astrology symbols in a document file for each year. (making yearly event page)
That year you can see that Jupiter would be stationary in October in its return to the Jupiter-Uranus cycle, King George II would pass away less than two weeks later. (more in-depth)

When a planet returns to the cycle as stationary the effect can be profound. 

An event chart can later have a transiting planet 'return' to the degree of the event; Mars in two years, Jupiter in twelve years, Saturn in twenty-nine, such as the Monroe Doctrine to the Paris treaty chart. (more in-depth)

Stationary Retrograde Returns 

Stationary retrograde returns are different as they do not involve an event chart, the planet is returning near where it had previously been stationary. These returns are completing a cycle rather like an echo from the past.    


Venus stationary retrograde eight-year cycle returns little over two degrees away.

General Taylor reached the Rio Grande and raised a flag on March 28, 1846. Venus was stationary at 04 Pisces. When Venus was stationary eight years earlier, the Republic of Texas and the United States were negotiating a treaty that was signed in April 1838.
(more in-depth) (example)
Mercury stationary retrogrades return two and a half degrees away in thirteen years. (example) (example)
Mercury stationary retrogrades one and a half degrees apart in thirty-three years cycles. 
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Mercury stationary retrogrades at forty-six-year returns are closer to a degree. (example) (example)
Mercury stationary retrogrades at seventy-nine years are closer to thirty minutes apart. (example) (example) (example) (example) (example)
Mars stationary retrograde returns are three to four degrees apart in seventy-nine years. (example) (example) (example) (example) (example) (example)
Saturn retrogrades return in cycles of fifty-nine years roughly two degrees apart. (example) (example) (example) (example) (example) (example)
Jupiter stationary retrograde returns every eighty-three years often within minutes. (example) (example) (example) (example) (example) (example) (example) (example)

I allow stationary planets an orb, not just the moment they were at station point. The orb used was formulated according to the planets maximum speed and cycle length rather than just allowing a period of days.

Stationary Mercury orb was allowed two degrees from station. 
Stationary Venus orb was allowed one and half degrees from station. 
Stationary Mars orb was allowed one degree from station. 
Stationary Jupiter orb was allowed thirty minutes from station. 
Stationary Saturn orb was allowed nine minutes from station. 
Stationary Uranus orb was allowed three minutes from station. 
Stationary Neptune and Pluto were allowed one minute from station. 

Shadows periods of stationary planets.
On the 1760 event page above, Jupiter was retrograde at 27 Aquarius 22. Jupiter 'came out of shadow' on January 4, 1761, when it once again reached 27 Aquarius 22.

Jupiter 'went into shadow' when it reached 17 Aquarius 31, the degree where it would later become direct on March 22, 1760.

Aspect orbs of conjunction, opposition, and square was three degrees. 

Eclipses were considered for eighteen months.            
 

Outer planets engaged with faster planets or North Node.

For example, on the evening of May 11, 1801, the United States was warned of impending war with Tripoli after refusing to pay more for protection from pirates.
Transiting Neptune (extortion from pirates) at 17 Scorpio of insurance and transiting Saturn (debt) at 17 Leo 34 were in square to aspect the Paris Midheaven (government) at 17 Leo 28. Slow moving Neptune would aspect a point for a long period. 

When a faster planet or point becomes engaged with the outer planet, matters are then focused, like using a magnifying glass to focus sunlight on a leaf.

Saturn had been sitting at 17 Leo for almost two months in square with Neptune at 17 Scorpio. The Sun (ruler issued command) at 20 Taurus had brought focus to the transiting square of Neptune and Saturn before coming to conjunct the Paris Chiron at 20 Taurus with the threat of war.  (more in-depth)

Mars of an event later aspected by Mars transit in contrast. 



When Tripoli gave its warning, a timed chart, Mars was at 15 Cancer 46. Congress responded (noon chart of time unknown) with Mars at 15 Capricorn 44.

Planetary energy is emphasized when one planet is aspected and the same transiting planet is engaged.  (Bacon's Rebellion)

Congress response was to authorize finances to arm merchant ships with Venus at 07 Aquarius on the Constitution Ascendant of 08 Aquarius as the transiting Chiron at 19 Sagittarius was square the emphasized Constitution Venus at 16 Virgo.

The warning had Venus at 12 Gemini conjunct the Constitution Chiron at 13 Gemini had exposed the vulnerability to defend their (Gemini) merchants. The warning Chiron at 07 Sagittarius 04 (water voyages) would be near perfect to conjunct the Constitution Moon at 07 Sagittarius 10, both Venus and Chiron were emphasized in a battle over money.

Watch for events of consequence in formation of a new cycle.

For instance, on February 24, 1762, there was a significant celestial event as a Jupiter-Uranus cycle formed at 07 Aries 16, just minutes from the Saturn-Uranus at 07 Aries 42 in May of 1761.

It was only ten days after the new cycle formed, on March 6, 1762, that legislators passed a bill with specific rules to the process of gaining a writ which would nullify the broad general writs of assistance that Chief Justice Hutchinson had renewed.

The crown appointed governor vetoed the bill and refused to sign it into law (which would have cut off a personal revenue stream). There was no legal recourse after the veto of the bill. Allow a three-week window either side of formation. (more in-depth), 

Note formation of a new cycle conjunct a foundational chart.

Thirty years after the Pilgrims landed, a Uranus-Neptune cycle formed in 1650 at 16 Sagittarius 11 conjunct the first house Pilgrim North Node at 16 Sagittarius 38. The first house in mundane astrology is the nation's self-image, nation's traits, and characteristics of the population. 

The North Node goals were energized as the Uranus-Neptune cycle conjunction intensified the desire for the individual liberty and freedom of Uranus together with the collective idealism of Neptune to comprise the American dream with an optimistic spirit of creative invention.


Watch for simultaneous stationary of both planets after new cycle.

In March of 1821, there was a Uranus-Neptune cycle at 03 Capricorn. On September 16, 1821, five days after a Lunar eclipse was conjunct the Paris North Node, the Russian Emperor put forth a proclamation, the Ukase of 1821, declaring sovereignty over much of the Pacific Northwest and refusing access to Pacific ports.
The proclamation set for Washington, D.C. had both Uranus and Neptune stationary direct once again. After forming the new Uranus-Neptune cycle in March, they had retrograded together in April. 

The transiting T-square of Venus at 24 Libra, Mars at 22 Cancer, and Saturn at 25 Aries had returned to the Paris Venus at 24 Libra and formed a Grand Cross with the Paris Jupiter at 22 Capricorn. A stalemate. Both the Sun (leader) and Mercury (message) were conjunct the Paris Mercury. 
The Russian Emperor finally agreed to a treaty on April 17, 1824, with both Neptune and Uranus stationary retrograde once again, they had both been direct for the Ukase of 1821.  (more in-depth), 


Planet returning to its cycle brings focus to the cycle theme.

The Pitt policy change toward the colonies would bring unexpected consequences. Jupiter at 16 Aquarius 44 was near perfect in returning to Jupiter-Uranus at 16 Aquarius 40 from twelve years earlier, as transiting Neptune at 17 Leo 24 opposed the cycle. The celestial event of the cycle return would highlight Jupiter policy that was radically changed by Uranus with smuggling Neptune involved.

A double whammy of planetary energy can have a profound effect. 

The Sun and Uranus energies were compounded in a double whammy as transiting Uranus was square the Pilgrim Sun while the Sun was square the Pilgrim Uranus. The freedom the colonies had experienced due to the British neglect in the Pilgrim Sun and Saturn opposition would be changed by Uranus in square as it also opposed the Midheaven.

Watch near eclipse for five days before or after for events of consequence.

The Proclamation of 1763 was issued the day after the first Solar eclipse to aspect a new Aries cycle, Jupiter-Saturn at 12 Aries.  (more in-depth), 

Events shifted direction when stationary planet changed direction.

By July 9, 1764, the furious Newport townsfolk on the Governor’s orders, rowed out to Fort George on Goat Island and fired cannons at the British ship. The first shots of the revolution were over a decade before Lexington.

Mars had turned stationary direct at 03 Sagittarius the day before conjunct the Saturn-Pluto cycle at 04 Sagittarius turning to violent resistance with transiting Chiron at 03 Pisces  (more in-depth), (another example), (example), (example), (example) (example)
 

Some Foundational charts for England:
King William I December 25, 1066, 12:00 LMT London, England. 1
Magna Carta - June 15, 1215, 12:12 pm LMT near Runnymede, UK 51N25, 00W35. 2
Parliament January 20, 1265, 12:00 LMT London, England. 3
England Republic March 27, 1649, 12:00 LMT London, England. 4
Glorious Revolution February 23, 1689, 10:00 LMT Westminster, England. 5
Great Britain May 12, 1707, 00:00 LMT Westminster, England. 6
King George III ascension - October 25, 1760, 7:13 am LMT Kensington, UK. 7
King George III crown placed on his head at 3:30 pm. 8

Some Foundational charts for America:
Pilgrims disembark - December 21, 1620, Plymouth, MA at 6:00 am. 9
First Continental Congress - September 5, 1774, Philadelphia, PA at 10:00 am. 10  
Declaration of Independence - July 4, 1776, Philadelphia, PA at 5:10 pm. 11 
Paris Treaty - September 3, 1783, Paris, FR at 10:30 am. 12
Constitution signed - September 17, 1787, Philadelphia, PA at 4 pm. 13  
Federal government began - March 4, 1789, Philadelphia, PA at 00 am. 14

Notes

1. Nicholas Campion, The Book of World Horoscopes, 337.
2. Ralph Kraum and Ernest A. Grant, Astrological Americana, 13
3. Nicholas Campion, The Book of World Horoscopes, 337.
4. Nicholas Campion, The Book of World Horoscopes, 340-341.
5. Nicholas Campion, The Book of World Horoscopes, 341-342.
6. Nicholas Campion, The Book of World Horoscopes, 342-343.
7. Ralph Kraum and Ernest A. Grant, Astrological Americana, 19. 
8. London Chronicle, September 29, 1761, 1.
9. Ralph Kraum and Ernest A. Grant, Astrological Americana, 15. 
10. Nicholas Campion, The Book of World Horoscopes, 363-364. 
11. Nicholas Campion, The Book of World Horoscopes, 351. 
12. Nicholas Campion, The Book of World Horoscopes, 370. 
13. Nicholas Campion, The Book of World Horoscopes, 371-372. 
14. Nicholas Campion, The Book of World Horoscopes, 371-372. 
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