Solunars by Aldebaran Sidereal Academy

Jody, Feb 14, 1965, 3:16 AM EST, Portland, ME
Almost died the evening of May 9, 1969 [age 4]. Sister of Tim discussed here:
viewtopic.php?f=73&t=7461

Dr. Millard wrote:...Judy and Johnnie, who stayed with them when his mother worked, were playing doctor and nurse. They found some pink pills in her mother's handbag and administered them to each other. A few minutes later, Jody's mother realized that her bottle of tranquilizers was empty.

"He ate them," said Jody. "I didn't eat them... he ate them." They were... driven to the nearest hospital. The little boy, who had a pink tongue. was given some syrup of ipecac and his stomach was washed out. Jody, who strictly maintained that she had not had any, was given some ipecac, but did not vomit. They believed her, and did not lavage her stomach.

On the way home, she had a convulsion, and he mother took her to the other hospital, where... I was left on duty. She was becoming drowsy, and it was obvious that she would soon be in coma... I called the drug company... By the time I reached him, Jody was deeply in coma... He had some good news and some bad news. The good news was that they had not lost a child with this kind of tranquilizer poisoning. They bad news was that... she would certainly be in coma for two or three days.

Meanwhile, Jody began to have seizures. We did not know it at the time, but this was the beginning of her epilepsy, which later showed up in her brother also. She hung between life and death, and we had some very, very anxious moments.

Tjhe drug company representative was quite right. She did recover, as we said she would, and after four days she was as good as new.

I'll discuss both the event timing and the overall health profile below. Here is a summary of the things that draw my eye about her natal chart's health situation:

Moon in Cancer - I can't see that it's involved in this case. Moon's most important aspect is a mundane opposition to Venus (middleground), showing her formative life/parent profile was marked by a loving, caring mother, but no health problems unless affecting hormonal and "feminine" issues. These are less likely, since it's middleground.

Mars in Virgo might show a vulnerable body part.

Background Jupiter opposite Neptune, both square Mercury ecliptically (Mercury-Jupiter 13'). Jupiter-Neptune square Saturn mundanely (Jupiter-Saturn is 12'). The title of Millard's chapter is interesting, since Jupiter-Neptune, and perhaps especially Mercury-Jupiter-Neptune, is a warning of misdiagnosis. Jupiter opposite Neptune (background) is in Aries-Libra, the only focus in the chart on the Aries-Libra "head" axis that I would have guessed for epilepsy and migraine. Some theories to examine:

• Mercury-Jupiter. Interactions of nervous system and digestion. Proper nutrition for nervous system (fatty acids, B-complex vitamins, antioxidants). – State of mind conducive to healing, or intelligent medical intervention.
• Mercury-Neptune. Atrophy, weakening, or paralysis of the nerves, loss of sensory or perceptual ability. Disorientation, misperception, distortions of data and communication. Psychiatric disorders.
• Jupiter-Saturn. The accretion-excretion balance (digestion, assimilation, elimination). Digestive system ailments, liver disease. Good bone and joint health. Orthodox treatment, healing through passage of time (effective survivors).
• Jupiter-Neptune. Deep relaxation of abdominal muscles. Weakness or atrophy affecting digestive organs. Liver disease (toxins). Water retention. Eating disorders (gastroparesis). Misdiagnosis, errors in treatment.
• Saturn-Neptune. Chronic, often disabling physical or psychological afflictions (dark, troubled states, depression; chronic pain or weakness; physical immobility, paralysis, or other frailty e.g. Guillain-Barre syndrome). Bone weakening (osteopenia, osteoporosis).

Background Mars-Pluto mundane conjunction.

• Mars-Pluto. Cell inflammation. Catabolic processes. Accelerated energy generation. Stress or strain injuries (hypertension?). – Radical healing approaches (cell regeneration or cell damage). – May be a key to some forms of cancer.

Dr. Millard wrote:...the main health problem of her life. She has severe migraine headache as well as epilepsy.

Two children in one family developed epilepsy. Can we find astrological patterns they share that seem reflective of this?

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder, causing us to think of Mercury. A seizure is "the clinical manifestation of an abnormal, excessive, purposeless, and synchronized electrical discharge in the brain cells called neurons" (Wikipedia). This sort of brainstorm makes me first think of Uranus, plus the Libra-Aries axis to anchor the location in the head instead of another sort of bioelectrical storm elsewhere. "The underlying mechanism... is excessive and abnormal neuronal activity in the cortex of the brain... The reason this occurs in most cases of epilepsy is unknown." The most common type of seizures (60%) are convulsive, "which involve involuntary muscle contractions" (these make me think of Mars aberrated somehow, but could be just the neurological factors). There are consciousness-aberrating effects such as confusion and loss of normal awareness.

Migraine is a separate affliction, though Jody and Tim had both. It is a particular kind of severe recurrent headache lasting hours to days (with other accompanying symptoms). Causes and underlying mechanisms remain unknown (though several are suspected and tendency seems genetically linked). A hormonal factor is suspected because of when in life each sex most tends to get them and the fact that risk "usually decreases during pregnancy and after menopause." Best current theory is the cause involves "nerves and blood vessels of the brain."

My initial theories about the astrological links to epilepsy in Jody are:

• There is no obvious Uranus involvement, so let's rule that out.
• Mercury square Jupiter-Neptune is, by itself, more benefic than malefic, but the fact that it's in the background makes it immediately suspect (though Mercury itself is middleground).
• Mercury-Jupiter seems a positive aspect by itself. Unless there is (say some interactions of nervous and digestion systems linked to these diseases, I think its main contributor is her constructive state of mind connected to treatment and recovery.
• Mercury-Neptune, though, is suspect. It suggests a variety of Mercury problems, including quite specifically describing some of the secondary symptoms of epilepsy and migraine. So far, this is the best sign!
• A secondary Mercury affliction might be Mars in Virgo. Rather than meaning (say) foot injuries, it might be interpreted as a stormy assault on her neurology. This becomes more important later!
• Jupiter-Saturn is hard to connect to this other than "afflicted Jupiter" if such could be found, e.g., a digestive or nutrient assimilation component. Not obviously connected. For this one incident, Jupiter-Saturn is quite literal with the words, "orthodox treatment, healing through passage of time (effective survivors)."
• Jupiter-Neptune is theoretically suspect as the close background opposition connected to all other involved planets, and falling in Libra-Aries. However, nothing in the usual Jupiter-Neptune profile fits these diseases AFAIK.
• Saturn-Neptune (background) seems quite relevant, though, at least for the condition of a lifetime of chronic problems of this sort. Its usual indications are at least vaguely connected; i.e., epilepsy and migraine could be described as "chronic, often disabling physical or psychological afflictions... chronic pain or weakness... paralysis, or other frailty." This does not seem to be a direct key, though (in the sense that Mercury is.)
• Mars-Pluto conjunction (mundane, remote background). This is promising, though! It simply has the storming, sometimes physically violent characteristics. If this proves a factor, the interpretation would be that the main effect is Mars in Virgo affecting Mercury matters, with the aspect showing the storming physical violence and explosive releases of neuronal energy.

Do any of these factors show in her brother Tim's chart? (He had the same diagnoses.) In Tim's case, I was willing to see his migraine and epilepsy as part of his Libra Moon square Saturn. Let's dig deeper. His main natal health factors as best I currently understand them are:

• Moon in Libra closely square Saturn ecliptically and Pluto mundanely (a primary feature of his chart and life). Moon also moderately squares Uranus mundanely.
• Mars in Leo, presumably affecting the Leo part of the body.
• Mercury conjunct Venus, close and background.
• Mars conjunct Pluto much more widely (5 1/2°), with Mars background.

There is no real similarity here. I thought I'd get a closer Mars-Pluto conjunction but didn't. Moon is quite severe and, in Libra, surely shows his vulnerability (plus his mood and behavior problems). Mercury-Venus as a health aspect means interactions of hormones with the central nervous system, but I'm not quite sure how that works here. (It might have shown a physiological contribution to his psychological problems but doesn't seem connected to migraine or epilepsy.)

So I can't say I see similarities between their charts on this point. I do find it curious that the factors I thought most contributed to each of them are in similar degrees: Tim's 26° Libra Moon overlays Jody's 24-26° Rim Mercury-Jupiter-Neptune, and his 3° Gemini Mercury squares her 3° Virgo Mars. These are very interesting planets! They make me wonder if something else in the environment, such as their mother's planets, aspected these same points and were part of a larger pattern.

Jody's transits for her near-death from tranquilizer ingestion had some very interesting transits:

• t Saturn sq r Moon had just moved to within partile phase. t Saturn octile r Pluto was also in orb, around 40' separating, so Saturn was halfway between them. I take this as showing the severe (almost deadly) health crisis.
• t Jupiter co r Mars perhaps to the minute as this entire thing was happening. This probably saved her: It is strengthening and perhaps also connected to the reckless (ignorant) experimentation with the pills (which surely were just props in two four-year-olds' play). t Jupiter octile r Venus is another positive sign, and also emphasizes the play aspect.
• t Mars sq r Pluto partile all day, and nearly exact the part of the day of the incident. This is important! By itself, it shows an extreme physical event (sometimes these are health-threatening), but also reinforces my idea that her natal Mars-Pluto is intimately connected to her epilepsy.
• t Sun at 25° Aries was in the middle of her Mercury-Jupiter-Neptune T-square, halfway between aspecting natal Mercury-Jupiter (24° Rim) and opposite natal Neptune (26° Libra).

Her SSR shows a mostly happy year - t Venus 1° from IC - but had a 0°00' Moon-Saturn opposition that grabs attention. There are other interesting background partile aspects, including a Mars-Uranus conjunction also 0°00' and a 0°07' Mercury-Neptune square. Do these come up in the unfolding of the SSR?

Her May 4 SLR is complicated, with dozens of foreground aspects. It clearly shows a neurological storm + toxicity, with a Mercury-Mars conjunction on Zenith opposite Neptune, Mars being the most angular planet, natal Sun and protective Jupiter involved! The dual natal AND transiting Mercury-Jupiter-Neptune aspects are interesting for this "missed diagnosis" and perhaps more. Here's the bigger picture of the SLR with Class 3 angularities stripped:

r Neptune on IC -0°30'
-----------------------------
t Mars on Z +0°14'
r Jupiter on MC +1°50'
t Jupiter on Asc +1°52'
r Sun on Dsc +1°54'
t Mercury on Z +1°59'
t Sun on MC +6°18'
t Neptune on N +2°02'

Look at that Sun-Jupiter-Jupiter! Also, it will help to see the longitudes of these:

1°10' Sco - t Neptune
1°11' Aqu - r Sun
1°13' Tau - t Mercury
1°47' Leo - t Jupiter
2°58' Tau - t Mars
3°12' Leo - SLR Asc

Here are the SLR foreground aspects (missing a few by filtering out Class 3 angularities):

t Neptune sq r Sun 0°01'
t Jupiter sq r Jupiter 0°02'
t Mercury sq r Sun 0°02'
t Jupiter op r Sun 0°03'
t Mercury-Neptune op 0°03'
r Sun-Jupiter sq 0°05' M
t Mercury-Jupiter sq 0°34'
t Jupiter-Neptune sq 0°37'
t Mars-Neptune op 1°08' M
t Mars-Jupiter sq 1°11'
t Mercury-Mars co 1°45'
t Mars sq r Sun 1°46'
r Jupiter-Neptune op 1°53'
t Jupiter sq r Neptune 2°21' M
r Sun-Neptune sq 2°24' M

Did any of those SSR red flags (Mars-Neptune, Mercury-Uranus) get red-flagged in the technical unfolding of the SSR? Her May 6 Anlunar played up the 0°00' Moon-Saturn sq by putting transiting Saturn precisely on IC. None of the quotidians brought the two suspect aspects to angles the day it all happened.