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Re: Degree Structures Articles
Dear Robin, …… I really like what you are doing up there!
I have a short comment re: your Degree Structures Article in Vol. 1 #4 (and Vol. 1 #3).
1. I know you folks in Canada are familiar with kilometers (a tacky measurement if ever there was one!) but here in the US we are more used to miles — so it would be nice to put in both, it would really help. Kilometers are such a scientific measurement, so earthbound, at least the mile is partially based on ancient cosmic measuring systems. Check out “The Dimensions of Paradise” by John Mitchell, the English writer, for some in depth stuff on measures, for one.
2. You should however note that a degree going out from a centre has an area BUT it takes 2 degrees, from 2 different points in the same field to have VOLUME. ie. your latitudinal degrees need a longitudinal degree to give it its volume, or in other words the degree of a circle has area — the degrees of a sphere have volume. I know that this may sound nit-picking but it is important. You’d be surprised at how much misinformation gets picked up and then passed on to the unsuspecting as “Gospel” truth.
Anyway, enough said, I really do appreciate what you are all doing and wish you all the very best. Keep up the good work!
Yours, Iain McLaren-Owens.
Editor’s Note: Iain, Thanks for your comments and the copy of your book for our library. To respond to your concerns:
1. In most of the world kilometres are the standard measurement in use. Certainly I would rather see a more cosmically aligned set of measurements in use, but the fact remains that the US is already involved the change over process to metric. Believe it or not! However most Americans are indeed used to miles as a measurement form, and I will try in the future issues to include both miles and kilometers. For the meantime, I will leave you with the conversion formula:
1 km = 0.62137119224 miles, 1 mile = 1.609344 km.
In layman’s terms 1 kilometre is a little less than 2/3 of a mile.
2. With regard to a degree of latitude only having volume if it is within a longitudinal degree it is a good comment but not exactly correct. One degree of longitude covers 180 degrees north and south. One degree of latitude covers an entire circle or 360 degrees east and west. There is an infinitely expanding volume to a degree of latitude whether or not we divide the latitudinal degree into 360 single longitudinal divisions. A degree of latitude occupies space and volume within a sphere independent of longitudinal degrees. It does however give more specific detail when looking at a square degree (1°) and a much smaller area and volume of space.
Re: Rectification by degrees.
AN EXPERIENCE BY DEGREE
(Elizabeth is a long standing professional astrologer in the Toronto area. She has long been active in the advancement of astrology. She was elected president of the now defunct Toronto Guild of Astrologers, and she had a very active role in the successful development of Astrology Toronto mc, of which she was also elected president. Elizabeth is also well known for her work with corporate astrology.)
After twenty odd years experiencing self as an astrologer, I thought I had my chart rectified. One bright day it occurred to me to look at 00º Virgo in Marc Edmund Jones degree meaning book (Sabian Symbols). Whoops.. . . gotcha! Seems the degree (21+) that I thought was rising on the ascendant, is on the Midheaven with 29+ degrees Leo rising.
In that chart we have the 18th degree of Leo as the eastpoint which was an early favorite of mine for the ascendant.
Coincidence number 1.
My husband died with Saturn at 17+ degrees Leo.
The eastpoint has a lot to do with relationships.
My relocated ascendant is on the eastpoint in the town that I grew up in (Ft. Lauderdale, Florida).
After a lifetime away from that town; upon returning, I found an incredible affinity to the land itself.
Now one day in the seventies I dropped in to see Robin Armstrong. He said, “Are you sure you don’t have Virgo rising? There have been a string of Virgo rising people here this afternoon.”
Coincidence number 2.
This ascendant is mighty close to Regulus. I have found that the Ascendant describes circumstances at birth. My father was the chief of the obstetrics department in a New York hospital. He was in the delivery room in the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal when I was born advising on the sewing up procedure for my mother’s episiotomy. Also my mother was a graduate nurse of the Royal Victoria Hospital. Now don’t you think that baby was considered a little princess?
Coincidence number 3.
With 29+ Leo on the ascendant subsequent events fit with every rectification method I’ve ever seen.
Coincidence number 4.
One difficulty with event oriented rectification arises when there are two or more sensitive points on the same degree. In these cases degree meanings can be a useful tool.
Editor’s Note: I don’t remember making this specific comment. It was some years ago. However Elizabeth Austin has always maintained a prominent and distinctive presence in Toronto’s astrological community. She has been a leader and has maintained her own practice specialising in corporate clients. It seems quite possible to me that she would have Regulus on her ascendent.
It is interesting to note that my own relocated Ascendent for Toronto, (where both Elizabeth and I work) is conjunct Regulus in the 30th degree of Leo.
Coincidence number 5?
Degree symbols are also very useful in clarifying distinctions in the lives of twins and for you pet lovers out there, they can provide for distinctions within a litter. You would of course have to have the exact times to enable some movement of the horoscope angles between the births. If anything changes from one degree into the next it allows for degree differences, even if the angles only moved a few minutes. The I Ching degree symbols go into very small divisions of a degree. (10 minutes or even at 1 and 2/3 minutes of a degree at the third level). They could be used even in cases of rapid C-section deliveries of multiple births 15 seconds apart.