posted June 02, 2007 05:37 AM
I just found some more info in degrees in astrology...some of the writing might repeat itself a little bit but its all pretty interesting this degree stuff...Classic critical degrees are 0, 13, and 26 degrees of the cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn); 8-9 and 21-22 degrees of fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius); and 4 and 17 degrees of mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces). These are considered sensitive, and sometimes strengthening, points. If a natal planet is found in a critical degree, that planet is emphasized and assumes more power in the life of the native due to its placement.
Many astrologers consider 0 and 29 degrees of any sign critical degrees as well. The 0 and 29 degrees are more crisis-oriented points, especially in predictive work.
If a natal planet is found at 29 degrees of any sign, also known as the Anaretic degree, there can be some real issues with decision-making in that part of the personality represented by the energies of the planet. The native may evaluate and re-evaluate situations before making a move one day, and the next day, jump into the action without listening to himself or herself! For example, if Mars is at 29 degrees, the native may devise many plans of actions, worry excessively about the possible actions and different routes to take, and then execute a spontaneous action that is contrary to the decision!
I know of a woman whose Juno is at 29 degrees, and despite the fact that she has many theories about taking relationships seriously, jumps into them quickly. A man with 29 degrees of Mercury agonizes over decisions in his life, and vacillates between talking too much and too little.
Besides decision-making problems, vacillation, and jumping into situations blindly, the 29th degree is also associated with a sense of urgency. It's the last degree of the zodiac sign, and there can be a real sense of urgency surrounding the characteristics and associations of the particular sign.
In progressions, when, for example, the Sun enters the 29th degree, the native's year can be crisis-oriented. If the Sun progresses to 29 degrees of Libra, for example, the sense of urgency and crisis can surround relationships. Divorce or jumping into a new partnership rather blindly may be the result of this urgency. If the Sun progresses to 29 degrees of Virgo, a big change might be made in work. Generally, decisions made at the time of the 29th degree can be hasty.
Because the progressed Moon moves the fastest of the planets, we encounter more Anaretic degrees of the Moon than we do with other planets and luminaries. The secondary progressed Moon makes a complete circle of the chart and the signs approximately every 28 years, so we encounter 12 Anaretic degrees of progressed Moon per 28-year period (every 2-1/2 years or so).
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Taken from the Hindu concept of Vedic Astrology, it is believed that there are degrees of a sign at which it is most fortunate to have a planet positioned.
Critical Degrees are derived mathematically by dividing the Zodiac by the Moon's average daily motion. These positions within the Houses are known as the Lunar Mansions.
The Cardinal Signs -- Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn -- can smile if there's a planet in their birth chart positioned at 0, 13 or 26 degrees. The Fixed Signs -- Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius -- will be happy to see a planet sitting at 9 or 21 degrees. The rest of the Signs are Mutable; Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces are quite fortunate to find a planet in their natal chart hovering at 4 or 17 degrees.
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29th Degree
From Let’s Give it the 29th Degree by Eric J. Uberseder.
Also known as the Anaretic Degree, defective vision is noted with this degree. It’s the weakest point in the sign it represents; tired and often showing more of the next sign than the sign it’s in. The planet and house placement is always getting ready to make a change and the 29th degree adds a decision-making complication to the house. Able to see both sides of an issue, there is oscillation between one view and the other and a struggle to make any decision at all. Decisions are put off or there is a continuous re-evaluation due to new information. At the end of his rope, the individual may make a quick decision, simply to do something, but this takes on the characteristic of Too Much or Too Little. Metaphorically, he may dive into the pool before checking to see if it has water.
A placement of a planet in the 29th degree in a house automatically makes the ability to manifest the characteristics of that house structure more fuzzy, and the interaction with the people of that house more vague and less decisive. Sun in the 29th degree often causes a major career change in mid life. This position can slow down career success because of poor decision-making skills. Women with their Sun in a 29th degree have a tendency to marry men who are ineffectual in some way: trouble keeping a job, born followers, too passive, emotional problems. Again this is related to the concept of poor decision-making (both on the part of the woman and on the part of the husband).
A 29th degree in a progressed chart often stimulates the characteristics, either positive or negative of the relationship, and a last fling jump for the characteristics of the sign, in the house that it is in. Saturn in 29th Capricorn is the degree of the workaholic. The individual can’t seem to get enough hard work. But s/he runs into obstacles in getting it, and often vacillates between working to death, and no work.
Link to Eric's site and full length article, Let's Give it the 29th Degree. Excerpted/Edited and posted on the Moon Valley Astrologer with Eric's kind permission.
Note: The 29th degree takes a measure of its reputation from the fixed star group called the Pleiades in the final degree of Taurus.
Anaretic Degree
The Destroyer. A planet which destroys form. See: 29th Degree
Aries Point Degrees
The true Aries Point degree is 0 Aries, however, the 0 degree of the four Cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn) are all referred to as Aries Point degrees. This beginning degree of the Cardinal signs has similar connotations to the angles of a chart and is an indicator of eventful times when occupied by a planet or found on a house cusp. These points are indicative of a spectacular out rush of energies. There is frequently an involvement with the world at large. Outsiders or those who’re considered an expert in some area becomes involved in one’s personal matters. Ramifications of events often have a domino effect into each personal area of the life as represented by these four Cardinal points: personal, family, relationships and status. Those with a planet in this degree in the natal chart often have some influence in worldly affairs or at some point they come into public view. As such, the degree is also associated with fame. There is no "orb" involved. The planet must be within that opening degree of one of the four Cardinal signs, not one degree higher or lower. There is substantial information on the Aries Point degrees in my book, Predicting Events with Astrology in the final chapter called Special Points. It is also referenced in Identifying Planetary Triggers and lots more info in Eclipses, Predicting World Events & Personal Transformation. Best wishes, Celeste Teal
Critical Degrees
The Critical Degrees are 0, 13, 26 of Cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn), 9 and 21 of Fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius), 4 and 17 of Mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces). When a Critical Degree falls on a house cusp, it shows stress and climax. The matters of the houses ruled and occupied by a planet in one of the critical degrees is grave, serious, and climactic. See also Aries Point
Nodal Degrees & Fateful Events - True or Mean Node?
In the Degree of the Nodes refers to any planet or significant point that falls in the same degree of the nodes in any sign. It must be the very same degree, not one higher or lower to come within one degree but actually in that same degree, regardless of the number of minutes. This shows a fated appointment or fateful event, possibly some sort of catastrophe. This indicator has been used mainly in Horary Astrology and if such a condition exists, it means the situation is out of the hands of the Querent. According to Anthony Louis in Horary Astrology, Plain & Simple, it is the Moon’s Mean Node to judge by.
The Nodes show where eclipses are occurring and eclipses are powerful New or Full Moons (lunations) associated with major events, sometimes catastrophic in proportion, especially total eclipses where the Sun and Moon are nearest the node, thus the origin of this interpretation technique. A planet in the degree of the nodes takes on the excitability of the North Node as well as the malefic influence of the South Node.
Ivy Jacobson says that, "Any planet or angle in the same degree as the Nodes points to a catastrophe, casualty, fatality or tragedy in a horary or natal chart, the more far-reaching when a malefic is involved." In The Way of Astrology, she further notes that during the year that a progressed angle lines up with a natal or progressed node, there will be some tragedy in the life. I have likewise found this to be quite a reliable prediction tool, however in my experience the term “tragic” should be loosely applied unless there is quite substantial back up from other indicators that also points to tragedy. More commonly, the unpleasant experiences in the life during these years are along the lines of accidents, health problems or surgeries, loosing a job, bad credit, divorce and various “catastrophes” and regrettable situations as a result of poor judgment. One does get through the period but it is more difficult and longer lasting if the progressed angle comes first to the progressed node, soon followed by the angular alignment with the natal node.
Mundane Astrologers commonly use the Moon’s True Node and this is the node I learned to use when working a mundane chart. In the New Moon chart prior to killer Hurricane Katrina, Venus was in the degree of the nodes, sitting in the 6th house and in the sign Virgo. The True North Node was 15 Aries 37 and Venus was 15 Virgo 42. Even by aspect Venus suggested sudden “dis-ease”, falling in the house of public health and well-being, opposed by Uranus. There was a second indicator that critical developments were brewing that would affect not just public health and safety but also impacting the civil services sector and emergency relief care workers such as the Red Cross. Jupiter was in a critical degree in the 6th house, ruling all such matters.
Similarly, the eclipse charts of late 2002 featured Neptune in the degree of the True Node prior to such major events as the beginning of the war in Iraq and the Shuttle Columbia tragedy. The Solar Eclipse prior to the historical blackouts in the eastern US of 2003, featured Saturn in the degree of the True Nodes.
On the other hand, for event charts, it is the Mean Node that should be used, the same as for nativities and horary charts. For example, in his book, Anthony Louis illustrates the event chart for the San Francisco earthquake of ‘89 in which the Ascendant fell in the degree of the Mean Nodes. Similarly, the event chart for the earthquake and tsunami in late 2004 showed the Moon to be in the degree of the Moon’s Mean Nodes.
Examples of just a few nativities with planets or significant points in the degree of the Mean Nodes includes Martha Stewart (Part of Fortune), George W. Bush (Uranus), Bonny Lee Bakely (Venus), Jackie Bouvier (Ascendant/Descendant).
There are always numerous indicators for any one event and this rule of the degree of the nodes should be judged alongside the rest of the factors in any kind of chart. I will continue my research and please feel free to email me of your experience with this interpretation tool using the nodes. Link to The Moon's Nodes for more. Best, Celeste Teal
Part of Fortune
A natal planet in closest aspect to the Part of Fortune indicates an element of the character that can be utilized to bring forth material benefits as well as joy and happiness. If there are multiple planets in aspect to this part, they each represent talents or benefits to bring to the table but the closest aspect is most lucrative. The type of aspect signifies the amount of challenge encountered to bring about this ideal situation but even stressful aspects won’t prevent it.
This can also be applied in your progressed chart or a return chart. Mary, an astrology student, shares her experience with regard to her progressed Part of Fortune:
“Dear Celeste, I was looking at my progressed chart and noticed that my P. Part of Fortune in the 2nd house was exactly trine my P. Midheaven. So I thought I would test Astrology, so all last week, I started to play the lottery, numbers that I always play, and I hit the number 3 times in 4 days and I had a ticket that I bought a month ago and hit that too, so in the last week I won $ 600. Now I notice that the Part of Fortune is moving away from my P. MC so my little lucky period is over, but it was allot of fun watching the aspect form, and winning like I did. In my Diurnal chart that you talk about in your book Identifying Planetary Triggers, the Part of Fortune also made nice aspects, and Venus conjunct the 5th house cusp for several days must have added to my good luck. The dates I hit the lottery were; Sept.14 $40.00, Sept.15 $80.00, Sept.19 $400.00, Sept.26 $200.00. Even my September Lunar Return had the Part of Fortune trine my natal Venus so all my charts showed my little winning streak.”
To learn more about your progressed chart, your return charts or how to calculate your Daily chart (the Diurnal), refer to my book Identifying Planetary Triggers. If you aren’t utilizing your Daily chart yet, you’re missing out on important advance information surrounding your daily affairs. Best, Celeste
Pleiades
The Pleiades are a group of seven fixed stars, all falling within a degree of one another at the very last degree of the sign Taurus. The leading star, also known as Alcyone is the first of seven sisters, one of whom is lost and invisible. Besides Alcyone, the stars are named Maia, Electra, Merope, Taygete, Celaeno, and Sterope. The group are often referred to as the weeping sisters for when this degree falls in conjunction with the rising degree, MC or another important point, tragedies ranging from blindness to disgrace and ruin or even violent death have been associated. Accidents to the face are particularly noted and the group of stars have a Moon – Mars connotation; never a completely comfortable association.
Visually, the Pleiades was recognized to sit on the shoulder of the Bull in the constellation of Taurus. It was once believed that the Pleiades was the central Sun of the universe and it took the names of the Central One or the Foundation Stone in other regions. Near the beginning of the new millennium, the Pleiades actually began to move into the sign of Gemini, so at this point the sisters are straddling the cusp from the end of Taurus to the start of Gemini. We'll be three quarters into the century before Alcyone reaches 1 degree of Gemini.
In my first book, Predicting Events with Astrology, there's a section in the final chapter devoted to the Pleiades, including the types of events associated with this degree when it becomes prominent in the Solar Return or the progressed horoscope. Best wishes, Celeste Teal
Sabian Symbols
The Sabian Symbols are visual images for each degree of the zodiac. Marc Edmund Jones initiated and led the project to discover the uniqueness of each degree. With the help of Elsie Wheeler, a gifted psychic who channeled the images in the early part of the last century, Jones recorded the images and dubbed them Sabian Symbols in honor of an ancient Mesopotamian occult brotherhood, convinced that they tapped a universal level of consciousness.
Not just a subdivision of the zodiac sign, the Sabian Symbols offer unique significance to each degree. It is one of the most mysterious elements in astrology and a key to deeper levels of interpretation. The images are modern depictions, familiar to and within the scope of experience of the typical student, enabling the student to extract the vital significance of a degree, although this may be a matter of intuitive ability in large part.
Marc Jones explains that symbolical astrology is an art and must be applied as such. Seldom to be taken literally, the symbols connected to the degrees should function as a catalyst to the astrologer’s higher understanding, enabling added content and implications to all areas of life.
Connected with both an individual element and an element of time, the Sabian Symbols of temporal charts such as Mundane ingresses or Horary charts are particularly insightful. For an example, the New Moon following the September attacks on the US fell in a degree that depicted a flag at half-mast in front of a public building. You can apply them to each planet and important point in your natal chart.
To apply the Sabian Symbols, any fraction of a degree must be rounded up to the next whole degree. So, if you have a planet at 21 degrees, 30 minutes of Taurus, the planet is in the 22nd degree of Taurus and that is the Sabian Symbol to apply. A planet at 15 degrees of Aquarius and 0 minutes is read as the 15th degree of that sign but 15 degrees and 1 minute or 15 degrees and 59 minutes is read as the 16th degree. The expression of a cycle of activity is given free-range as soon as it begins. Celeste Teal
Vertex
The Vertex, which is the west end of the true east-west axis through the birthplace, is connected with encounters and experiences over which one has little or no control. The Vertex is somewhat comparable to the Descendant. The degree opposite the Vertex is called the Antivertex.
Edward Johndro, who pioneered research to these points, set out to prove the Antivertex to be the most important end of this axis, noting the quality of destiny to these points. Similar to the Ascendant, Johndro called the Antivertex the Electric Ascendant and observed that while the Ascendant shows free choice and volitional life, the Electric Ascendant showed no choice and involuntary actions.
Later, Charles Jane convinced Johndro that it was really the Vertex that produced the best evidence and showed the greater emphasis as a point of fate. Not only encounters with others, but experiential encounters are noted with the Vertex; it shows appointments with destiny.