Solunars by Aldebaran Sidereal Academy

(I wrote the following letter, which appeared in the November 1973 issue of American Astrology under the above title. I had just started my freshman year at DePauw University a couple of months earlier, although the letter is postmarked Rochester, IN which I had left in May.)

In the follow-up of Garth Allen's proposal that the Novien or Navamsa solar return (the natal Sun projected every 40°00'00" throughout the year), I've been examining the idea rather extensively, especially because of the potential significance of the ancient theme, as reflected in the Bible, of 40day recurrences.

I've been studying some ancient and medieval manuscripts lately in university libraries to which I have access. I came across Kroll's rendition of ancient descriptions of Hadrian's radix wherein a similar principles seems to be operating. In part it reads, "Mercury and Saturn were morning phase and in the 12th locus. Mars, the ruler of the Midheaven, is in Pisces, in its own triangle and degree. Jupiter with Sun and Moon in the Horoskopos. Saturn at morning rising. Mars at evening rising. After 40 days the Moon in Cancer, Mars in Aries, Saturn in Capricorn in opposition to the Moon in Cancer, Mars in trine". (My italics.)

Apparently the chart was recomputed for 40 days later. Neugebauer seemed to read this the same way. In his Greek Horoscopes he writes: "Thus, in the discussion of the horoscope of Hadrian (No. L76) 'not only this has to be considered but also the 3rd, the 7th, and the 40th day after birth' and indeed all positions are recomputed for a date 40 days later."

In another example from the same source (No. -3) dated October 2, 4 B.C. we find some very risky things, such as Scorpio rising with Mars in Virgo opposite Moon in Pisces, aspecting Saturn in Taurus. The Lot of Fortune was placed in Aries which, with the given Horoskopos, put it in the apoklima and bad fortune. All in all, the ancient astrologer found this sufficiently malefic to write, "There are dangers. Take care for 40 days because of Mars." Such references indicate that the ennead, te NSR, or whatever you might to call it, may have been known to Greco-Roman astrologers.

Jim, what is apoklima?

Greek for "cadent." It was in the 6th house, considered quite an evil house because it had no aspect to the 1st house, and was the Joy of Mars.

I spent some time following my Enneads and noted they reflect pretty good timing symbolism with partile Moon 0,90,180 aspects and/or partile planetary aspects with at least one of the planets tight cnj angles. Outside of this criteria, I ignore the the other Enneads. What is your take on Enneads Jim?

I've been ambivalent over the years. I have bursts of paying more attention to Enneads. Some of them are quite extraordinary, e.g., a critical event in Marion's and my getting together occurred under an Ennead with a very close Venus-Jupiter conjunction on my Sun on Ascendant - Sun, Venus, and Ascendant all to the degree, Jupiter within 2°. Her Ennead for the same event had Jupiter at MC (on the degree of my Sun), her Jupiter on IC, life-changing Pluto rising, and a Quarti-Enny with (among other things Sun conjunct her Moon-Pluto (and opposite transiting Uranus), her Uranus exactly angular, Pluto angular... quite striking. I left Indiana, boarding a plane for the first time and heading to California, under an Ennead with Mercury exactly on MC and my Pluto rising.

What keeps drawing me back isn't the day-to-day performance so much as Bradley's original statistics. They passed statistical examination (especially of his accidents collection) with sterling results - stronger results than the SLR. It was his opinion at the end of his life that the Ennead was a more powerful tool than the SLR, if you had to pick one or the other.'

I'm not at all suggesting we overlook the SLR and its Demi, of course - it's our mainstay. And, adding day to day transits, it's so satisfying that I rarely need to look at anything else. At the same time, it would be technically correct to say that the Ennead is the statistically strongest return type ever studied, with results (at least in the categories examined) exceeding those of the SLR.

Bottom line (since you asked), we probably all should be paying a LOT more attention (routinely) to Enneads (I still like the term Navamsa Solar Return or NSR). It might be a good thing to revisit threads with recent discussions / analyses of events in our personal lives and add the Enneads to the discussion.

In Solar Fire, use the Advanced option under returns to pick a 9th harmonic solar return or, for the 10-dy charts, a 36th harmonic. For example, Steve, your new quarti-enny (occurred yesterday) has your Jupiter partile square Ascendant, with both Moons + Venus on angles. Having fun yet? <vbg>

Are angularities here to be measured in mundo?

Same as with all returns, yes.

My long summary is in the early chapters of SMA, but boils down to: Squares to Asc & MC are inherently ecliptical. Conjunction with horizon and meridian measured in prime vertical longitude (mundoscope). EP/WP in RA.

Jim wrote:

Steve, your new quarti-enny (occurred yesterday) has your Jupiter partile square Ascendant, with both Moons + Venus on angles. Having fun yet? <vbg>

Never analyzed a quarti-enny, but over the years of my life I have been told by two different psychics universal solar principles are all around me, and it started with your book ISR. AND, loads of “fun” started today with long meeting with Kelly who invited my wife and I to her wedding and for us to join their Friday Nights supper club with her friends who want to ask me lots of questions about Sidereal Astrology and your book ‘Interpreting Solar Returns, since her friends all now see with her current SSR and your book ISR, I forecasted Ebertin’s Principle of Venus-Jupiter on Kelly’s SSR Asc which says:

The joy of love, happiness in love. Probable Manifestation: The stage of falling in love, becoming engaged or marrying.

Nothing like good word of mouth selling something!
Jim, you have me very intrigued with a this ‘quarti-enny.’ How is this calculated with SF?

Danica wrote:

I'll definitely add them to the ongoing list of factors-observed.

Me too D!

SteveS wrote: Tue Jul 10, 2018 6:26 pm Jim, you have me very intrigued with a this ‘quarti-enny.’ How is this calculated with SF?

The quarters of the Ennead period were called decilia by Garth Allen (singular decilium). They are discussed on page 142 of the Astro Computing version of Interpreting Solar Returns.

With Solar Fire, to a 36th harmonic solar return. (An Ennead or NSR is a 9th harmonic. One fourth of this is a 36th.) On the "Returns & Ingresses" screen, click "Advanced & Ingresses," pick Sun, put 36 in the Harmonic field.

Got it Jim. Thanks

Jim Eshelman wrote: Tue Jul 10, 2018 6:09 am Greek for "cadent." It was in the 6th house, considered quite an evil house because it had no aspect to the 1st house, and was the Joy of Mars.

I thought Sidreal did not use houses?
is this because the 6th house is angluar that it is concidered?

I have a lot going on in my 6th house, with mars too, and hearing another reference to evilness in my chart just makes my little heart sigh....

the joy of mars hu?

Veronica wrote: Wed Jul 11, 2018 9:44 am

Jim Eshelman wrote: Tue Jul 10, 2018 6:09 am Greek for "cadent." It was in the 6th house, considered quite an evil house because it had no aspect to the 1st house, and was the Joy of Mars.

I thought Sidreal did not use houses?
is this because the 6th house is angluar that it is concidered?

This was a quote from an ancient horoscope (ancient astrology document).

the joy of mars hu?

LOL, confusing term, yeah? "Joy" is the technical term for an innate "ruler" of a house (the planet that has the most in common with the nature of the house). Ancient Greek and Roman astrologers relied on these as one of the main definitions of the nature of the houses. The Joys are Mercury in the 1st (called Horoskopos), Moon in the 3rd (called Goddess), Venus in the 5th (called Good Fortune), Mars in the 6th (called Bad Fortune), Sun in the 9th (called God), Jupiter in the 11th (called The Good Spirit), and Saturn in the 12th (called The Evil Spirit).

The earliest use of 12 houses relied on these in combination with a model that judged the goodness of a house according to its strength, based on its aspects to the 1st house. Thus, the four angular houses - being conjunct, opposite, or square the 1st house - were the strongest, most powerful, and best. The trine houses, 9th and 5th, were considered the next most powerful and greatly benefic. The sextile houses, 3rd and 11th, were considered next strongest and mildy auspicious, particularly granted the ability to turn evil planets good. The remaining four houses, those with no aspect to the 1st house (semi-sextile and quincunx: regarded as no aspect) were so week as to be considered truly evil and malignant to a planet.

After this framework was established, the next layer added atop was house correspondence to zodiacal signs, based on Libra = 1st, especially in relation to the Greek or Roman gods (not the planets) attributed to them. So, for example, the 5th house was first considered very positive and strong, having the second strongest type of aspect to the 1st house, (2) considered the Joy of Venus - so now it is strong, positive, fun, related to pleasures etc. - and then (3) attributed to Aquarius, the constellation of Hera (Greek) or Juno (Roman), thus corresponding to "women's matters" under Juno's domain, such as childbirth and marriage.

That was intended to be a history lesson, not an instruction in house nature

I have a lot going on in my 6th house, with mars too, and hearing another reference to evilness in my chart just makes my little heart sigh....

You do. Of your 6th house planets, only Moon is truly background, since Mars is foreground and Jupiter-Neptune squares MC. You are correct that house use is not a standard, consistent part of the Sidereal canon, though Fagan and Bradley worked with one or another house system most of their careers. I think it fairer to state that there remains more uncertainty about houses than about any other primary factor in astrology, and insufficient evidence to make a decisive statement. One thing all Sidereal founders outright reject emphatically is any form of "house rulership" - but the idea of meaning from a planet in a house has wandered in and out of favor over the last 70 years or so.

I recently posted a recently-recovered Bradley quote on houses from late in his life. You may find it interesting:
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=2324

Yes, ancient Greeks and Romans would have said that the 6th house is malignant toward your Moon, Mars, and Jupiter (and, if they'd k own about it, your Neptune), as if Mars were assaulting them and they were all made ill (so to speak). An important part of that is that the house was considered too weak to give them any strength (though three of your four 6th house planets are angular).

If houses are meaningful, I would say this powerful 6th house emphasis speaks to how you relate to work and bringing service. More importantly, and connected to issues you've been addressing recently, the 6th house is inherently connected to the idea of finding value and worth in yourself distinct from a left-over, ill-placed instinct to "exist for someone else." That is, a 6th house planet has spent the most time it can possibly spend above the horizon, climaxing in extreme others-orientation in the 7th house and at the Descendant, and then was hurled into the hemisphere where it's "rightful" function is to identify with self rather than other. The planet initially resists this and tries to find ways (no longer appropriate to it) to "live for the sake of someone else" - therefore the 6th house represents a crisis in self-sufficiency and self-care. I have seen people with strong 6th house emphasis have more than their share of pathological relationships or, to state it in a kindly way, to pick up a lot of strays and outcasts and try to give them a (physical or psychological) home.

This is why I have little interest in the so-called "Traditional Astrology" being "recovered" by various groups who are glad to sell you translations of the texts they're using for $$$$. Greek and Roman astrology is a bastardized misunderstanding of what the Egyptians and Assyrians knew.
This is also why I object to anyone but Jim trying to bring any of it here. Jim understands it and can quickly point out mistaken ideas. Most of us can't and are way too easily misled.