Twins - reunited (Garth Allen)

[Jim Eshelman]

(A story of the reuniting of long-separated twins, told by Garth Allen in "Your Powwow Corner," American Astrology, July 1964)

An unusually happy event (rare in astrological case studies) occurred September 28, 1962, around 11:00 PM EST, at a roadside restaurant in Miami, FL that changed the lives of Tony Milasi and Roger Brooks, identical twins (genetically identical and born five minutes apart) who had been separated for the first 24 years of their lives. They were born May 28, 1938, 8:31 (Roger) and 8:35 (Tony) PM EST, 75W55, 42N06 (which, on investigation, turns out to be Binghamton, NY).

To avoid double the charts, Bradley used the midpoint of their birth times, calculating their charts for 8:33:30.

Both boys knew they'd been adopted. Roger had intimations (and a dream) had exerted some effort with avail to follow leads, etc. Tony was told his twin had died at birth. Then, a friend of Tony's from New York saw Roger and thought it was Tony...

First, the birth charts: At a glance, one sees Saturn on IC, "the cusp of home and filial ties," as Bradley wrote. Their parents couldn't afford them, "so the boys' first real 'experience' in life was to be rejected by their parents. This lower-culminating Saturn also was to have its psychological impact in that, as adopted children, the boys had to bear the burden of umbral knowledge about their apparently impenetrable origins."

[An aside: Saturn is in Pisces, and there are plenty of Neptune words in this. I don't think the Saturn-sign is usually important, but I do think the sign of an angular planet merges into its meaning, so I take this as having characteristics of a Saturn-Neptune conjunction on IC. There is also important symbolism comparing the cord connecting the Pisces fish to the intrauterine umbilicus, which here is shown severed.]

Predictably, there is no 3rd House activity or theme for these "brother" driven brothers - this sort of house laxity is pretty typical in real cases, as Bradley was quick to note - but there is another side of their relationship where the charts get downright verbose:

Look at their 7th house, however, and a possible way out of the contradiction begins to take shape. The 7th is the house of partnership, of one's alter-ego, of the "other self" one seeks to find in the outside world. For most people, this psychic completeness through "otherness" is found in mate-seeking and marriage. At least, in the Milasi-Brooks story, the 7th is clearly the busiest zone of the chart, and with appropriate planetary arrangements to boot.

The 7th house (Campanus),using their average birth time, has Mars in Gemini 3° above Descendant, Venus in Gemini 12° above Descendant, and Pluto in Cancer barely into the house, 28 1/2° above horizon or, to put it another way, 1.5° below the 8th cusp. Note the sign that Venus and Mars share! (PS: This puts Mars on Descendant and Saturn on IC in almost partile mundane square. separation and severing seem to be to be important starter themes for these nativities.)

Their natal Venus in Gemini, in particular, arrests our attention as we scan the map. Not only is it in the sidereal sign of the Twins but Venus is without doubt the key planet of the "brotherness" motif which is so vitally central in this case/ [See his Kid Gloves installment on Venus. - JAE] It is axiomatic in astropsychology that Venus' symbol of the mirror, the image reflector, is replete with far more meaning than might be suggested by the bromidic assignment of Venus to the rulership of love in its B-picture or girdle-ad sense.

Your natal Venus in the last analysis is "what you see in the mirror," your image and sense or social identity as a person who needs and wishes to be needed. This would surely symbolize the special link of relatedness that their destinies unavoidably saddle them with by virtue of their single-egg origin and same-chemistry make-up. They're a set. And the psychic pressures are still there, in the subconscious whether their conscious minds are aware of each other's existence or not.

[Jim Eshelman]

Next, something happens that, from the point of view of the article, is most unfortunate. He turns to the Sidereal Lunar Return for the event, which is one of his show-piece charts for the article, and... he miscalculated the chart. (Oops!) He got the time of the chart right, to the exact minute - not an easy task in 1964 - and then made a one-hour difference in the Sidereal Time of the chart. (You may not know what that is if you aren't experienced in calculating charts by hand.) Almost everything he wrote about the SLR is wrong. - I'll come back to the real SLR later, but, for now, I'll move on with the article.

A little more on the SLR first, though: As secondary factors, he noted Mercury on MC and, in fact, it exactly squares Ascendant in the real chart. He interpreted this as an event bringing a message and stunning information, and that's as valid in the real chart as in the erroneous one. Though it is quite background, he noticed transiting Uranus 044' from opposite natal Jupiter, and that's still exactly right. He wrote of it "being the planetary token of unexpected elation, of happy discovery, of sudden fulfillment for a spiritual quest."

Continuing with the SSR:

The solar return for Roger in Florida and Tony back in Binghamton also has unmistakable auguries of a happily climacteric year in which a miraculous quality was bound to play a big part. And where, whether Miami or Binghamton, is also clearly pointed to. Notice the way their natal /sun id on Miami's Nadir [IC] only 0°11' square Pluto, with 1st-house Jupiter completing the T-square. Many times in past Powwows we've discussed the role of Pluto in precipitating odds-defying, astonishing quirks of fate. Here we have a prize example of what we have tried to convey to student readers. It was only "by chance," as they say, that Roger canceled a date that night and thereby got into a social situation which brought him to the short-order restaurant where [Tony's friend] Mike Frattalone was to hail him with "Tony?"

One can't live through a year with an angular Sun-Pluto aspect that close and not have a likelihood-challenging experience which in turn leads to life-change experiences. Perhaps the return of Venus to its natal position in Gemini the Twins, for their 24th year, also had relevance (though Venus does this for everybody every eight year of life). In passing, let's not overlook that transiting Uranus on the 7th cusp of the Miami solar return [1°+ above Dsc] - it was inescapably to be a year of surprises and revolutionary changes. [In the mundoscope, Sun is 1°42' before IC, Uranus 1°16' before Dsc, and they have a 0°26' mundane square. - JAE]

The boys discovered they had a partner - as simple a delineation as you could wring out of the chart. What began with their Saturn on the 4th cusp, "the end of the matter," ended the year the Sun assumed this same position - and flooded the darkest corner of their live with Sun-light. This was the situation at Miami; shift the chart's meridian to Binghamton and there is Jupiter exactly 90° from the up-down axis of the chart. What a breathtaking testimony to astrological truth the Brooks-Milasi adventures proves to be!

Here are the positions to which he is referring in the SSR:

11°58' Sco - MC (Miami)
13°09' Tau - Sun
13°20' Leo - Pluto
16°00' Sco - MC (Binghamton)
16°40' Aqu - Jupiter

1°27' Aqu - Asc (Miami)
2°27' Leo - Uranus

I would add:

s. Moon 15°20' Pisces
s. Venus 13°08' Gemini

[Jim Eshelman]

Now let us wrangle with the "systems" of astrology where the timing of the Frattalone-Brooks crossing of paths is concerned. Which o the several chart techniques called the turn mot lucidly and exactly, in point of date-fixing for the encounter? The PSSR method yields an interesting map but does not seem to capture the excitement or the magnitude of the event. Saturn is unaccountably strong for the weekend and perhaps points to elements in the story which we do not know about. Maybe the restaurant episode had its overtures of embarrassment and discomfiture, or perhaps the date-breaking which enabled Roger to be on hand entailed a little "subplot" in the script (which would be none of our business). Then too, Roger was in the company of a rabbi and his wife, he having sung earlier that evening at a Rosh Hashana service in a local temple. One can thus envision several interesting possibilities for presence of Saturn on the scene. Suffice it to say, PSSR in this situation may not be contradictory, after all. n any event, we are duty bound to mention its seeming "failure" to describe the major eventuality of that weekend.

Not so, the Quotidian Q2 map. It's a doosey, as you can see. At the very hour of the meeting, the Q2 Midheaven was 8°50' Aquarius, advancing at the rate of about 1° per day. Why get excited over this? Well, for one thing, transiting Uranus was 8°49' Leo at the same time, and the twins' natal and progressed Jupiter were 7°30' and 10°05' Aquarius, respectively. That, my friends, is worth getting excited about.

That SNQ2 is more complicated that he mentions. While he gave the best, clearest, strongest part, we also have p. Asc square natal and progressed Neptune, and - the biggie, in some respects, and needing to be mentioned and, perhaps, some digging into its psycho0-dynamics... progressed Moon conjoins natal and progressed Saturn. But for this case, I want to give both the Q1 and Q2 Moons because they both tie into the same pattern in an interesting way.

21°01' Pis - r. Saturn
21°35' Pis - p. Moon (Q1)
22°20' Pis - p. Moon (Q2)
22°55' Pis - p. Saturn

If one were comparing the Q1 and Q2 to see which was better, they'd both have a partile Moon-Saturn progression, so - whether you regard that positively or negatively (I tend to think that it means "dredging up of a lot of old feelings" of a particular type), they are the same; but the Q2 angles are outstandingly, magnificently better. (The Q1 only has t. Neptune on WP.)

The regressed or "R2" chart hat we have been championing lately also comes off with a gold medal. Regressed Sun 19°421' Aries, regressed Uranus 19°49' Aries, natal Mercury 19°58' Aries - all at the Midheaven of the R2 map! This too is worth getting excited about.

This is one of several examples showing me that Bradley accepted much wider quotidian angle contacts that I'm inclined to. Sometimes he treated them nearly like lunar return angles in terms of orbs, more in the sense of "this aspect is occurring in a stronger place, rather than a weaker place." In this case, the R2 MC is 22°11' Aries.

Ah, now her discusses that progressed Moon aspect. Let's start another post...

[Jim Eshelman]

Now comes the good part, for you advocates of the standard system of progressions which we also prize highly. Traditional modern astrology has always attached much importance to the progressed Moon's role as a cyclic timekeeper. Observe that this progressed Moon is 21°28' Pisces, conjunct the natal and progressed Saturn at the Nadir of the boys' birthchart.

An interruption here. This is simply wrong. It's neither the Q1 nor (what I'm sure he meant) the Q2. We all made more mistakes like this in hand-calculation days, and it's regrettable this didn't get caught. However, I've given the real positions above, and his interpretive point remains as valid as he intended. Notice he is paying at least as much attention - maybe more - to this Moon crossing the natal IC as to its conjunction with Saturn.

Indeed, this was the end of an old and the beginning of a new cycle, a new direction in life, for both of these fellows, and interestingly enough the Saturnized Nadir, which caused their separation in the first place, was the focal point of their progressions.

He noted that the regressed Moon was at 21°02' Gemini, triggering the same pattern from another quarter of the lunar orbit.

He observed that the usual way of calculating progressed angles failed this time, showing nothing remotely significant for this year of their lives. He used Naibod in RA in this, which I abandoned a few years ago (after decades of use) for Solar Arc MC and derived other angles. By this means, there is indeed an important "hit" - but one that Bradley also would have missed in 1964, since the importance of the Eastpoint wasn't then known.

Here (using the SA method) is the striking "hit," using Right Ascension to measure the EP (or, rather, WP) hit for Miami:

121°06' - r. Pluto
121°10' - p. WP
121°40' - p. Pluto

However, using the same "progressed angles" approach regressed, he noted, produced a clean hit, with MC conjunct natal Neptune. (I'm less impressed because I no longer think the Naibod rate is correct, and the converse SA rate has MC 27°12' Leo, almost 3° from the Neptune. Nonetheless, the anaclitic Neptune emphasis would be excellent symbolism for the reunion of those who shared a womb.

His conclusion:

We've hit only the high points of the Brooks-Milasi saga, the inquisitive student can find plenty of other things in the charts to ponder and wonder about. When it comes to learning astrology, nothing beats an actual case of something involving real people and undoctored birth data.

[Jim Eshelman]

Here are some notes on other charts not discussed above.

SIDEREAL LUNAR RETURN
Bradley miscalculated the SLR. In looking at the right SLR, I find it more complicated, probably fitting, but less appropriate for a 1960s popular magazine - too complicated to dig into fully. I think it also touches back to something he didn't even mention in the natal, that I consider important.

It's not just the 7th house Venus in Gemini that shows the twins' pre-programmed attitudes, but Mars in Gemini in the 7th - and closely conjunct Descendant - is at least as important. The natal especially plays up Mars and Saturn angular, on 7th and 4th cusps, and in close mundane square (paran). I think the severing, separating message of this is likely quite important in their respective psyches, especially for Venus-driven double Tauruses who, I think, would feel the separating all the more keenly.

Venus, as Bradley mentioned, shows the filial bond - "brotherhood" - and sibling identity. Venus-heavy twins I've known are more likely to emphasize their similarities and their bond. Mars, on the other hand, is sibling rivalry, and I think both of these dynamics are likely active in these brothers' psyches.

I mention this because the most angular planet in the SLR for Miami is transiting Mars, once more in Gemini and < 3° below Descendant - a recreation of the natal conditions of Mars. I have no actual knowledge of how this news and encounter affected Roger, but I suspect Mars-Gemini=Descendant, as in his natal chart, is a big part of it.

The next super-angular planet is Saturn, only 0°04' from square MC. On balance, then, this is a rough lunar, and not a "good news" chart at all (so far). Bradley's remarks above about the Saturn-forward PSSR and other components of this event are worth considering.

The third super-angular planet is transiting Mercury, which is partile square Ascendant. This is the "news" element Bradley mentioned, and we would expect it to be good news if we count the 0°00' Mercury-Jupiter sesqui-square.

But the chart keeps getting more and more emotionally (psychdynamically) complicated, because there is also a Venus element - a Venus-Neptune conjunct (1°04') 5-9° from Midheaven. This not only brings in the Venus side of things to interweave with the Mars, but also shows a more complicated emotional tapestry. Whether it is connected to disclosures about his brother or to other things in Rogers personal life, I don't know.

So, ultimately, I don't know that I can read this SLR with certainty because I don't have enough information about the details; but I do think that it shows a more complex psychodynamic tapestry that it would have been nice to be able to dig into.

There was a second twin, of course, and his SLR set up in Binghamton, NY. Here the pieces are the same but the emphasis is different. Saturn is about the same - on Eastpoint half a degree instead of square MC. Mercury is not angular. Mars, Venus, and Neptune, though, all angular, have a rearranged relationship. Venus is most angular, 0°48' from MC. Mars is 2°47' above Dsc, Neptune 4°21' east of MC, and Mars-Neptune form a close mundane square. Consider each of these factors and, again, you get a complicated emotional and psychodynamic fabric.

SIDEREAL ANLUNAR RETURN
The Anlunar activates the SSR Uranus and Jupiter patterns. Jupiter opposes Uranus across the horizon, with Uranus 1°35' below Asc and Jupiter 5°11' above Dsc. Pluto is even peripherally foreground. Natal Jupiter is even closer, being about 1° from Descendant, with natal Moon in the exact degree of Midheaven.

So, in judging the Anlunar, we note that, first, it repeated the SSR symbolism reflecting the type of event and, second, it brought forward the natal Moon-Jupiter square, right on the angles, just in time for the first real family connection of the boys' lifetime.

KINETIC LUNAR RETURN
Fascinatingly, the KLR for Miami much resembles the SLR for Binghamton. Venus is partile conjunct MC, a few degrees from conjunct Neptune. Saturn squares MC, and the Venus-Saturn square (also involving natal Venus) is probably the main part of the chart. This doesn't seem happy at all. I think it is emotionally confused, too many embarrassing emotions to sort through (and occurring the month of the progressed Moon-Saturn conjunction). This seems consistent with "old grief" rearising, but I'm unclear whether it's that, or something else going on in Roger's life. Nonetheless, intellectual honestly and completeness required I mention it.

SOLAR QUOTIDIAN
Wow, there's something about that degree range in Pisces... SQ Moon had reached 20°11', quite close to the secondary progressed Moon of the natal, conjunct natal Saturn, and right on both brothers' IC.

Looking at the SQ angles, we find Ascendant of their averaged birth times to be 21°47' so, for Roger in particular, this SQ Moon would square the Ascendant and, for both of them, it squares natal Saturn. Furthermore, returning to IC symbolism, there is a tight symbolism on SQ IC, with a New Moon there a few hours earlier, and transiting Sun still within 1° of SQ IC.

Plenty here to stir the psyche.

TERTIARY PROGRESSIONS
Want more? Sure! Tertiary Sun (the tert parallel to secondary progressed Moon) is 4°35' Cancer, 09' from square natal Pluto,

On the WTF end of it, though, tert Mars squares natal Saturn within half a degree (and trines natal Uranus). WTF.

On the more pleasant side, tert Mercury is zipping past the square of natal Venus, about half a degree past when the fateful meeting occurred.

SOLAR ARC DIRECTIONS
d. Mercury conj. r. Sun 04'
d. Venus conj. r. Pluto 16'

[Jim Eshelman]

WOW
what a fascinating life story! it gave me shivers over and over while reading this

thank you for taking the time to look into it and present it here in details!

re their natal Saturn being so activated at the time of the event (- discovery of each others existence, leading to their reunion), it actually makes very much sense: it's their most angular natal planet and specifically on IC; and this event seems to have triggered and brought to surface deep life-long emotions; I believe each of them felt the separation, however unconsciously (and pain connected to it, and to the separation from mother) and this event brought light to all that pain - the deep wound was exposed, to full attention of the conscious mind, for the first time in their lives.