Ram Daas' Fixed Stars

Ram Dass’ Fixed Stars

Let’s look at fixed stars in natal astrology analysis via the life of Ram Dass. Ram Dass’ birth data is 4/6/31; 10:40 AM; Boston, MA. 

Ram Daas’ Helical Rising Star, which tells of the soul’s destiny, is Rukbat, the foot of the Archer. It has a very steady, solid, long term energy that can be quite stubborn. Bernadette Brady says of Rukbat as Helical Rising: “To lead a life that is unswerving from what is held to be the true path.” This is what his life is all about: following a spiritual path in search of Truth above all else steadily for 40+ years.

His helical setting star, which shows his spiritual path, is Zosma, the back of the Lion. This is a star of victims or one who works with victims/the destitute. Brady says as Helical Setting: “Independent, to prefer death then servitude to an unloved career.” Ram Daas, as Richard Alpert, broke from a stodgy career as a college professor, to something much more independent because of his spiritual calling.

We’ll use parans to find connections between stars on angles at the same time planets are at the time of birth, rather then just Ptolemaic aspects. Rising stars influence youth; culminating influence the prime years; setting, the latter years; and on the nadir, what one is remembered for/legacy. Since most of what we know about Ram Daas occurred during his prime and latter years, let’s focus on those times of his life. He has 3 stars culminating when planets are on angles. Vega in the Lyre, as his Sun was rising: “Seeing the magic in life, touching another world.” (Brady) Indeed, his exposure to psychedelic drugs and Hinduism opened up magical, new worlds to him. Vega also gives great vision and the ability to be eloquent and convincing in relating it to others. Ram Daas did this through his books and lecture tours. He also has Vindemiatrix, the Gatherer, in the Virgin, culminating and in curtailed passage (giving it a “fated power boost”, so to speak) as the Sun is rising: “The one who gathers information, things or people.” (Brady) During this time of his life, Ram Daas collected and absorbed many spiritual teachings, and also gathered people to form ashrams to spread his guru’s (Neem Karoli Baba) words. The last star in paran during his prime years is one of the Royal Stars of Persia, Aldebaran, the eye of the Bull, a star of fate that the heavens dictate strongly through him. Aldebaran speaks of great success as long as one maintains integrity in dealings with others and has a solid plan. Ram Daas has the Moon on the nadir as Aldebaran culminates: “Physically gifted, or a lover of nature.” (Brady) Indeed, Ram Daas had a talent/gift that shined very brightly and cast him into the spotlight/fame that Aldebaran will bring.

Ram Daas has 4 stars setting, while planets are on angles, directly influencing his latter years. Alkes, in the Cup/Crater, is setting as Mars is setting. Alkes has long been associated with religious/spiritual leaders who hold something sacred for the Collective (in the cup/chalice). Brady says of this combo: “To take action to achieve and protect one’s ideals.” - exactly what he has done. Phact, the bow of the Argo, is setting as Mercury is setting. Phact is a risk-taker, an adventurer, going to places where others have not. Brady says: “An original thinker (or a foolish mind), always seeking new ideas.” Ram Daas has continued to write and lecture in his latter years, though slowed down by health issues. He also has one of the Twins, Castor, setting as Mars is setting. This is someone who is eternally curious and always positive-minded. Brady says of this combo: “A person who plans, a thinker, a solver of problems.” This backs up what’s already stated above, and Ram Daas is known for his incredibly genuine positive outlook on life by those who have met him personally. The last star setting with Venus setting is Sadalmelek, one of the lucky stars in the Waterbearer. This is “the lucky one of the king.” -  someone who takes a chance at some point in their life and is rewarded by being in the right place at the right time. Brady says: “A sense and appreciation of beauty.” I bet Ram Daas would agree with that!

Looking at the stars on the nadir while planets are on an angle show two. We already have a great sense of what this man’s legacy is and will continue to be. Vindemiatrix is still with the Sun: so he will be remembered as someone who gathered a large body of information and people. The other star on the nadir is Alhena, one of the feet of the Twins, with the Sun rising. Alhena is all about one who is willing to sacrifice their life for a cause. This doesn’t mean they lose their life, but that they give up things others do not in order to advance their beliefs. Brady says: “A leader with a mission, a person who is identified with a cause.” That’s about as succinct as one could get about this man’s life.

Once again, fixed stars can be quite revealing as a tool in the astrology basket. Ram Daas’ natal chart is equally powerful and combined with fixed stars is a much larger article then this.

I am available for fixed star readings.

Thoughts on Sect and Diurnal/Nocturnal Charts

Comments on Sect article by Chris Brennan in Mountain Astrologer December 2010 issue

Chris, I read with great interest your take on the use of sect, and the Hellenistic method of using it. I use Medieval methods to help grade the strength and effectiveness of planets in a chart for several years now, and I feel sect is of moderately strong influence on how a planet manifests in a person’s life.

Your first consideration is the main reason I’m responding, for I feel it is not a “minor” consideration, but actually quite important. I realize this is from a Medieval standpoint (as you mentioned), but it is rooted in Hellenistic astrology. I agree a chart is either diurnal or nocturnal based on the position of the Sun either above or below the horizon. However, its positioning in the chart determines which hemisphere is the diurnal or nocturnal one, and thus which planets are in or out of sect. In other words, if the Sun is below the horizon, it is a nocturnal chart, but the southern hemisphere of the chart is the diurnal hemisphere. Or to put it another way, the Sun is always in sect whether the chart is diurnal or nocturnal. And following that, in a nocturnal chart, Jupiter and Saturn would be in sect if they were in houses 1-6, and out of sect in houses 7-12 (actually above the horizon). (Aside from that: the Moon always rules the nocturnal hemisphere, but is not necessarily in sect in that hemisphere if it is a nocturnal chart. It is actually out of sect in this situation.) Why is this so important? Using my chart as an example: Sun is in 1^st making it a nocturnal chart. Using the Hellenistic method in the article, all of my planets except Saturn would be in sect. Using the method I mention above, the exact reverse is true! (except for Mercury which is in sect in both methods due to it rising after the Sun) Saturn is the only other planet in sect! Now after 20 years of astrology, I feel I have a pretty good handle on how effectively my planets work for me (or I work for them). There is no doubt that my Saturn works very well/strongly despite being in a cadent house and retrograde (it is in rulership and has some beneficial aspects), as does Mercury in rulership and exaltation. But, I also feel that the planets that are out of sect are all somewhat amiss in their effectiveness (granted, there are other factors to consider with them as well). Not only that, but when I graded all my planets to find almutens, etc, it throws the whole grading system off if all the other planets are in sect and Saturn is not, and I end up with different almutens, etc. that make no sense in my life. I actually did a detailed analysis of this several years ago for a completely different reason, and one that I also feel well worth mentioning to the professional astrology community at large in response to both your and Kennet Gillman’s articles in this current issue of Mountain Astrologer. That is, how do you determine when a chart is truly nocturnal or diurnal for dawn or dusk births? We know that the ancients used the empirical sky as their palette in determining why to use certain methods of reading the stars. Based on this knowledge, one could ascertain that as long as there was daylight they would call it a diurnal chart whether the Sun was actually visible itself or not. However, my own experience has led me to believe the opposite actually. I am a pre-dawn birth less than a half hour before actual sunrise, yet my chart acts like a nocturnal one as far as I’m concerned after detailed study of the condition of my natal planets and how that has played out in my life. This really enforced in me the importance of the Ascendant and is one of the reasons why I prefer to use the Equal House System: to honor that importance. Kennet’s way of determining diurnal or nocturnal births in unknown birth time charts also indicates my chart is nocturnal, as when I was 24¼ or so, the company I was working for got bought out, I was offered severance pay, and used it to move across the country to SF Bay Area and I was introduced to astrology not long afterwards. When I was 18¼, my grandfather did pass on, but it did not alter the course of my life.  From what I have seen since then in other dawn and dusk charts, I feel very solid now in just drawing a line right on horizon and if Sun is below, whether there is daylight or not, it’s a nocturnal chart as far as astrological analysis is concerned. However, I would like to hear what others’ experiences are.

Going back to sect: your second minor consideration is whether the planet has fallen into a masculine or feminine sign with diurnal preferring the former and nocturnal the latter. When a planet is in sect and in the best type of sign, it is then in Hayz and is considered even more effective. Both planets in my chart that are in sect are also in Hayz, and like I said before, they are the “smoothest” areas of my life in general. In addition to these considerations, Ptolemy, Maternus, Hand, and Brady all point out other considerations like masculine/feminine quadrants of the chart, what planets rise before and after the Sun, and what planets the Moon is applying to as affecting the strength of the in sect planets. I have not looked into these considerations in depth yet myself. They are also all very specific as to why each planet is given sect or not in diurnal or nocturnal charts based on the planet’s temperaments and how that mixes with the Sun and Moon’s temperaments – fascinating stuff!

Winter Solstice Chart: A Look at 2011 for USA

Winter Solstice Chart: An Indication of What’s Ahead for USA in 2011

I have used the Winter Solstice chart set for Washington, DC as a tool successfully to see what main issues will be facing our nation in the year ahead.

(see chart below)

As we are all aware, this solstice/ingress had a lunar eclipse on the same day for the first time since 1638. To top that off, it was at the critical 29^th degree (the subject of an article in and of itself!). The ingress was about 15 ½ hours afterwards, with the Moon still in full phase, but having moved on to Cancer. Looking at the chart, Cancer is on the Ascendant, so that very Moon is the ruler of the chart! It is in the 12^th house still conjunct the South Node and opposite Mars/Pluto conjunction in Capricorn in the 6^th house, and trine Venus in Scorpio on the 5^th house cusp. The people (Moon) are tied down to the past (South Node) having to confront the nation’s dirty laundry (12^th house), or what had been hidden from them by the institutions they have handed their power over to (cadent houses), and who are backed by the military, (Mars in 6^th) and those who control them (conjunct Pluto), who are the true powers and drivers of the country’s destiny (exalted Mars; conjunction to North Node; square an exalted Saturn in angular 4^th house). Mars/Pluto indicates continued war and military excursions. It is possible that authorities could use force against frustrated workers right at home (square Saturn in 4^th). The Sun’s conjunction to North Node/Pluto (whole stellium really), and Mars rulership of 10^th house indicate President Obama and the military’s goals coincide. Incidentally, Moon/South Node shows Wikileaks will likely continue to expose how down and dirty politics can get and be a real eye opener to the people of the nation on how our government keeps much from us that is not pleasant when revealed.

Moon trine Venus in Scorpio (detriment) continues to show a nation deeply divided ideologically with different ideas on where the nation is headed that plays out through the two political parties in Congress (Venus rules 11^th) and how each defines nationalism (Venus rules 4^th). However, the trine indicates skillful intense negotiations could move forward some issues that would benefit the people. Venus on 5^th cusp shows dark cynical humor, interest in the macabre, and more intense expressions of sexuality and our mortality will dominate the entertainment world. Expect more scandals from Hollywood and the world of sports exposing our heroes’ shadow sides.

Note how weak Mercury is in this chart: in detriment (Sagittarius), cadent (in 6^th), retrograde, rules the 12^th, and square Jupiter/Uranus in Pisces in 9^th house. Jupiter conjunct Uranus in the 9^th house shows old belief systems (Pisces; 9^th house) are being shaken to the core by sudden events at rapid rates (Uranus) breeding distrust in traditional forms of religious leaders, the law, and the press. New values/belief systems, juries/people taking the law into their own hands, and the use of the internet as a source of alternative voices in the press will continue to make inroads. This will create a crisis in people’s thought processes and communications and will leave many introspectively soul searching what they truly believe, and who they trust to lead them/be a voice for them (square to weakened Mercury; Mercury rules 3rd). Many will feel unable to decide or communicate their thoughts while the plundering and greed of excessive/extremist leaders of corporations, the military, religion and the law goes on around them (Uranus co-ruling 8^th; Jupiter ruling 6^th and 9^th).

Hope lies in Mercury’s sextile to Neptune/Chiron conjunction in 8^th house: an opportunity to see the deceptions and wounding to society from the business practices of multi-national corporations and financial institutions. Although I don’t believe much will change yet, the recognition could bring about the ideas of how to envision a new future that begins to heal the many wounds in the fabric of society. Dialogue must begin on local levels (Mercury ruling 3^rd) on how to change values (Neptune co-rules 9^th) and ultimately institutions (Mercury rules 12^th).

The Sun’s rulership of 2^nd house indicates those in power will continue to consolidate most of the wealth into fewer and fewer hands (Sun Conjunct Pluto) leaving many materially weakened (in cadent 6^th house). A weakened Mercury shows that education, infrastructure, and transportation will continue to feel the pinch of lowered funding and the press will continue to be divided ideologically with many just tuning out the mainstream and seeking alternative voices. A weak Venus ruling the 4^th will continue to drag on real estate values and really show people how low they can sink. It also shows that local communities will suffer the most from the current economic policies. Mars in Capricorn (exalted) ruling the 5^th shows investments may be aggressive but driven by those in power only (conjunct Pluto). Entertainment and sports will continue to be a strong part of the fabric of our culture. Jupiter in rulership rules the 6^th giving strength and power to the military, but many shocks may await it both on and off the battlefield (conjunct Uranus) that force a re-assessment of its values. Workers and civil servants will also continue to have to make sacrifices that were unthought-of in the recent past. Saturn exalted in Libra rules the 7^th and shows relations with allies are in good hands with President Obama, as he is able to negotiate give-and-take well. Saturn also rules the 8^th, showing corporations and banks will continue to have the power over national finances. Exalted Mars ruling the 10^th will give Obama some victories, but the conjunction with Pluto shows the power struggle he will be in against the Republican House. Weakened Venus ruling the 11^th shows once again that Congress is in it for themselves and their cronies, not the will of the people, and many secret deals will be made on Capitol Hill to usurp power from the people and the President.

2011 is only the 3^rd year into the cycle of Pluto in Capricorn and the beginning of 7 years of Uranus in Aries and their square to each other. I know many expect Pluto to transform the way corporations and hierarchal systems do business while in Capricorn. Indeed, after its sojourn through this sign, things will look different, no doubt. However, in my opinion, when Pluto ingresses into a sign, the 1^st 15 degrees of time are spent in turmoil as those in power will struggle to maintain at any cost. Uranus in Aries has traditionally meant right-wing revolution (think of how the Tea Party really got going when Uranus briefly went into Aries in early 2010). Be aware of those who try to create enemies/fear by demonizing certain groups in order to create Fascism: the ultimate display of singular power and control. It has happened many times before in history in similar situations to what the United States is going through today. I believe that the solstice chart backs this up: don’t expect a people’s revolution/massive change in society during 2011. If anything, those in power will attempt to consolidate even more so. However, the seeds of change are also being planted. Neptune/Chiron is the salve needed, and we can see those with more compassionate, spiritual, inclusive ideals making changes on local levels that hopefully will “trickle up.” Will it happen in our lifetimes? Perhaps. Can you/we hang on to the 2020’s? I recommend to be the change you want to see the world become and perhaps you/it will. Indeed, we live in interesting times: be a conscious participant and that will be a life well lived, irregardless of what goes on between now and then.