ASTROLOGICAL DESCRIPTION OF A SUICIDE

Keywords: astrology, 15 degree dial, natal chart, transits, solar arc, directions, Uranian astrology, suicide, planetary pictures, midpoints, new moon, moon phase, harmonics, 12th harmonic, 24th harmonic, harmonic theory, Mars, Saturn, Uranus, Admetos.

Moderator's Comment
The post below is interesting, not only does it deal with a suicide and the use of a new moon chart, but also since Peter chose the 15 degree dial, which of course includes soft aspects as well as the usual hard ones. 
Thank you, Peter, for providing this excellent material. 

Case Study follows:

This is a brief examination of a recent suicide that occurred in the Boston, Ma. area. The 42 year old male subject was found dead of suicide by hanging. Family and friends became alarmed when the subject failed to follow his normal daily schedule. They made a series of telephone calls on Dec 19, 1998 in an attempt to locate him. A later message confirming the suicide was telephoned to me on Dec 26 or 27th. The coroner's report indicated that the subject had probably died around the weekend of Saturday, Dec 19. 

Subject’s data: born 28 Aug 1956, 1:20pm EDT, Boston, Ma (71W04x 42N22). Directions and transits for 18 Dec 1998 10:43:23 PM GMT new moon at subject’s place of residence (42N05x71W01). 

I put up the natal, solar arc and transit charts on the 15 and 360 triple dial options of the ASTROLOGIC program. I used the 15 degree dial for this investigation in order to illustrate the utility of the 15 degree modulus in event work. Having read Adele Conrad's "From the Grand Trine to the Small Angle" a few years ago, I have been looking at charts on the 30 degree, and more recently, the 15 degree dial. 

In my opinion, the 15 degree dial is useful because all pictures commonly used in midpoint work (22.5,45,67.5,90,112.5,135, 157.5 and 180 degrees) show as DIRECT PICTURES. This is in contrast to the 90 degree dial where the direct pictures show up on the main axis as dial conjunctions and oppositions (at 6 and 12 o'clock) and indirect pictures appear as dial quadratures (at 3 and 9 o'clock). 
My question has been: "Will events show well on dials that are not strictly 'HARD' harmonics” (divisions of the zodiac by 2, 4, 8, 16, etc.)? Until I began using dials that combined soft (multiples of 3) and hard (multiples of 2) such as 30 degree (2x2x3=12th harmonic), and 15 degree (2x2x2x3=24th harmonic), I didn't know. 
I have always understood aspects in terms of the following: divisions by two equal "action" and "event". Divisions by three equal "states of being" or "status quo". What happens when the two are combined? Is it possible that "action" joins with "states of being" in the 12th and 24th harmonic to give the astrologer a fuller picture of a situation? 

Additionally, consider that the 15 degree dial shows hard and soft aspects and pictures on the main axis. 0,15,30,45,60,75,90,105,120, 135,150,165 and 180 degree aspects and pictures appear at 12 o'clock on the dial and 7.5,22.5, etc appear at 6 o'clock on the dial. Therefore, the 15 degree dial creates a "synthesis of hard and soft aspects" (p.116-117, "The Language of Uranian Astrology" by Roger Jacobson, 1975, 1990). 

I used the 18 Dec 98 new moon as the transit chart for two reasons. First, moon phase (new, 1st qtr, full, last qtr moon) charts generally do a good job describing events and circumstances. Moon phases are the "triggers" or "timers" of events. Second, the time of this event (subject's death) could not be set more accurately than within 2-4 days of the actual occurrence. The 18 Dec new moon was the closest phase. 

I used the following formulas in this investigation: MA/HA, MA+HA-SA, MA+HA-UR, M+M-AD, AD+AD-M. 

I looked at natal, directed and transiting versions of these pictures on the direct axis of the 15 degree dial. These 2 and 3 element formulas combine with the subject’s natal planets, personal points to create a bleak picture: for example: (MA/HA)t= MOn. ( M+M-AD)d and (MA+HA-SA)n = NEt and SAd. (MA+HA-SA)t and (MA+HA)d =(ME/CU)n , (AS/HA)t and (SU/MO)n. (MA+HA-UR)t, (MA+SA-UR)d and (M+M-AD)n all equal ARd. 

I also drew the following picture on the dial: (M+M)d - ADn. It described an appropriate scenario: (M+M)d-ADn= (M,SU,MO,MA,SA)t= ARd/VUn=SAn= (MA+HA-SA)d=VE/URn=APd= ZEt. 

I interpret this combination picture as follows: 
"At the time of this new moon, my present preoccupation with feeling hopelessly stuck in my life is reinforced by feeling depressed and frustrated. I am thinking of death. These things represent powerful parts of my world-view. Also, these things are connected to my sense of individual taste and sense of unique self- expression. Death is a creative option for me at this time". 

Looking at the house placements of elements of this picture reveals the following: The transiting new moon is in M, A and NO hse 1, Moon hse 4, near cusp of Moon hse 5, Sun hse 7. My interpretation is that around the time of this new moon, the subject may have been preoccupied with his self-image in relation to others and emotionally influenced by family-of-origin issues and matters of self-expression. ( I’m not sure what to make of the new moon in Sun hse 7). 

Transiting Saturn: 8th Moon hse near 9th moon hse cusp, recently conjoining natal Admetos, opposing natal Neptune and directed M: More indication of possible preoccupation with death, illness and depression (subject was an artist who had been suffering from serious liver disease for the last 10 years). Transiting Saturn in M hse 5, sequiquadrate M: subject may have been experiencing difficulties with his creative/expressive process. This, after directed Uranus conjoined M around August, 1997 (shocks/upsets in career along with challenges to sense of self, resurrected disturbances from the past (URd opp IC) affect subject’s outlook for his personal and professional (URd con MC) future). 

Transiting Mars: in M hse 10 + Moon hse 2 square directed moon in M hse 6 + Moon hse 11. Transiting Mars also equals directed Mars and natal Saturn. More indications of frustration and depression in the areas of career, sense of personal resources/money, health and relations with friends/peer group. 

In conclusion, I think that this brief delineation is a good example of the efficacy of the 15 degree dial. I hope to be able to present future examples in graphic form. The situation is VERY clear on the 15 and 360 degree dials! 

Peter Ashe