Sunday, July 31, 2011

The Goddess Archetypes: The Vesta Myth

by Milky Way Maid

Recently I posted some brief entries on the asteroid goddesses; one was on a historical note regarding responsibilities held by the Vestal Virgins. Today I want to go back to the original myths and try to tease out some themes pertaining to each of these goddesses. (For this series of articles I am using the excellent Goddesses in Every Woman, by Jean Shinoda Bolen, M.D.)
Next up: Vesta, aka Hestia. Let's go up close and personal with Vesta, as we trace her life from birth onwards.

Vesta was the oldest Olympian, just as Mercury was the youngest. She was the first to be swallowed up by her father, and the last to be disgorged when Zeus rescued them all (Bolen, p. 118). Therefore she spent the most time sequestered away from the world, and this became her preferred milieu you might say.

PEDIGREE: First child of Rhea and Cronos. Was oldest sister to first-generation Olympians, and maiden aunt to the second-generation (including Mercury). She had a claim to a home on Mount Olympus yet was never found there; her spot was eventually claimed by the upstart Dionysus, but she did not protest.

HABITAT: At home, always at home. Never shopping in the agora, I mean mall. Quite happy puttering around the house doing chores, or focusing on her own spiritual development. Lets the world go away, far away. As the spirit of the home, she represents home and family as a sanctuary from the cares and stresses of the world.

FASHION STATEMENT: Never depicted in in human form, at least, by painters or sculptors, so we have no portraits per se; she is more a spirit than a living goddess. Young girls' heads were clipped when they first entered the temple, and all of them were dressed in the same simple robes. Sorry, no fashion plate here, no jewelry, no nothing. We could call it ashram chic, I suppose.

SYMBOLOGY: Her symbols are often found together with those for Mercury aka Hermes. Often her symbol, a circle, hearth or ring, became a symbol for the feminine principle itself, while the pillar (adorned with male genitalia, the pillar was called a herm) became the paired symbol for the masculine principle. (Hearths and her first temples were round.) A Hindu counterpart that expresses this yin-yang pairing is the yoni (ring) and lingam. Hestia is the soul, and Mercurius was the alchemical spirit envisioned as elemental fire; together the represent spirit setting the soul on fire. This mystical fire “was considered the source of mystical knowledge, symbolically located at the center of the earth” (Bolen, p. 115).
She might be thought of as a candle in the wind, lighting her little fire one at a time to bring warmth, order and light to every household. She is a spirit yet grounded in the reality of earth-bound life, grounded by her rituals that make what would be drudgery, into sacred duties.
Another symbol besides the circle is the mandala, an aid in meditation to take one further into one's real, inner self.
Animals: Deer and donkey. Bird: Nightingale, ibis. Insect: Spider. Tree: Laurel and oak. Emblem: Tripod. Pictured as nun or monk. Chakra: Pineal gland. Color: Ruby or lilac/amethyst. Direction: North. Element: Fire. Number: 144. Ray: First ray of will to do good, or the seventh ray of ritual. Icon: five-pointed star (which also happens to be Venus' symbol).

RULERSHIPS: Hestia-Vesta is the goddess of the hearth, or more specifically the sacred fire itself in the hearth. A house or temple was not consecrated until the sacred fire (Vesta) entered. A bride's mother lit a torch from her hearth, which was carried to the bride's new home to consecrate it as it lit the home's first fires. Another ritual was conducted when infants were five days old, followed by a huge banquet.

In my earlier brief post, I related how the Vestal Virgins also had the duty of guarding the wills of citizens. Final testaments were stored all over their temple, with different sections for Romans, Italians, and those further afield. Furthermore, the VV's guarded the absolute privacy of the contents of these documents; no one could get a sneak peak at who was getting what from rich old Uncle Ned. So rather than security being under the domain of Vesta, I prefer to think that privacy itself was held inviolate by her maidens.

What other duties did she have? Geez, you can only do so much sweeping; but then again she finds a Zen-like harmony in putting a house in order. She also meditated; she focused on the “inner subjective experience” to use the words of Dr. Bolen. Like nuns, she performs all her work in the service of God. But we need to be able to get in touch with our real, inner selves to keep from being swept away in the onslaught of stimuli, phone calls, emails, advertising, and everything else that assaults our senses and judgment. Tranquility and solitude are preferable to the hustle-bustle of our cities. As the spirit of the home, she represents home and family as a sanctuary from the cares and stresses of the world.

MARRIAGE: Well, here it gets sticky. A Vestal Virgin who had relations with a man was guilty of desecrating the goddess, and was buried alive. Yikes! Hestia was courted by both Poseidon and Apollo, both suitors having had spells cast on them (by Aphrodite) to find demure Hestia desirable. But Hestia said nay to both and vowed to forever stay celibate.

However, Vesta-Hestia and Mercury-Hermes had a very unusual partnership. His pillar stood at the doorway, just as nowadays an intercom or some kind of communication or alarm system marks the threshold of public and private space. In many homes the family dog is the furry alarm, barking to announce a visitor. Mercury-Hermes not only announced visitors but kept distraction away so she could focus on her duties.
Taking care of her house and family provides meaning for Vesta; she notices that children are calmer and do better in school when the house is run in an orderly fashion. She is not generally ambitious for herself or her husband, but is content with what they have. She is not a servant to her family, let me make that clear. She serves but is not a servant. She does not need a husband or children to be fulfilled, and yet family life is fulfilling for each member of the family.
Dr. Bolen notes that “many contented traditional marriages are unions of a Hermes husband, who is a businessman-traveler-communicator-entrepreneur agilely negotiating the outside world, and a Hestia wife, who keeps the home fires burning” (Bolen, p. 123). Each spouse is allowed to do what makes them happy and trusts that their partner is holding up their end of the deal.

PERSONALITY: A Vesta-like girl may be very good at not being noticed! She may seemingly disappear even when in the same room with you. These daughters may seem to be pliable and compliant; they will do their chores and homework and then amuse themselves in their rooms quite happily.

Parents would do well to allow her some solitude, but also coach her in manners and deportment. Tell her what to say to Uncle Joe when they go visit, and so forth. She is quite capable of learning to be comfortable in any social situation, with people of all ages. She just doesn't get too worked up if someone appears to not like her. She appears to be detached, sometimes even apathetic, but what she is, is centered in herself.
Assuming she does not enter a convent or ashram, a modern Vesta-type woman needs to acquire other skills and personas, usually via another goddess archetype like Ceres, Juno, Athena, Aphrodite, etc. The goddess Hestia, as Dr. Bolen points out, did not compete for golden apples or choose sides in the Trojan War. Now it can be very useful to be the one person in the office who stays above the fray; the office politics will probably not target you, and you can gain the trust of all your coworkers.

No one person is a pure example of any one goddess archetype. We are all combinations of two or three major components and possibly some secondary modes. Vesta women do need to learn how to express those other aspects of themselves in a healthy way in order to feel at home in the world. Parents should given their children a variety of experiences, including outdoor sports, summer camps, hobby clubs, music, academics, and creative outlets.
But Vesta will ever be in the world, but not of the world. And there is nothing wrong with that.

How might Vesta, the asteroid, operate in the various houses? The question becomes, where does she sacrifice herself in service to others? First House: Insecure in her own ego, Vesta in the first is self-effacing and self-abnegating. May give all the credit to her staff or crew or assistants. Second House: May be better at managing other people's money than her own, because it is a sacred trust. May be good at being club treasurer, accountant or banker for that reason. Third House: Often gives the impression of being very solemn as a child, or older than her years. Becomes a good scholar as she matures. May teach children with learning disabilities. Fourth House: This is where she prefers to be, where she can uphold the traditional values of home and family. May wind up taking care of a senior or invalid family member at some point. Fifth House: This position may deny one children or the pleasure of children. If she has children, is kept too busy with work or other commitments to spend much time with them. May lose the ability to have fun, becoming less interested in amusement parks, spectator sports, etc. as she gets older. Sixth House: These natives will serve and sacrifice for their work. May be involved in remedial education, public health, visiting nurse, etc. Is usually very dedicated to her students/patients/wards. Seventh House: May take on the responsibility for the success or failure of a relationship, rightly or wrongly. Quite willing to be the silent partner in marriage or business. Eighth House: Spiritual lessons in relying too much on pooled resources (insurance, estate bequests, lotteries, the partner's money). Again, may be better at managing others' money than one's own. Ninth House: Less likely to travel for pleasure; this is the type who will give away her boarding pass to someone who has to go somewhere on an emergency. Has ability with philosophy, law, and higher education, generally turned toward civil rights and fighting for the poor and down trodden. Tenth House: More likely to go into public service rather than the private sector, and non-profit or service organizations rather than manufacturing, etc. Eleventh House: Is willing to sacrifice personal ambitions and pleasures for humanitarian goals, for a group or club or organization. Twelfth House: May be involved in hospice or hospital service corps. May visit prisoners or people in other kinds of confinement.

PLEASE ALSO SEE: Article on the Pallas Athena myth and archetype at http://milkywayastrology.wordpress.com/2011/07/28/the-goddess-archetypes-the-pallas-athena-myth/

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Started Job on Void of Course Moon, Oh My!

By Milky Way Maid

In the course of discussing the Royal Wedding earlier this year (please see http://milkywayastrology.wordpress.com/2011/06/15/that-big-fat-royal-wedding-and-whether-william-will-ever-be-king/) I mentioned that I once started a job on a void-of-course (hereinafter referred to as VOC moon) and that it worked out all right.

I finally managed to dig up the start time for that position and here are the pertinent details:

Start of Job, May 15, 2000, 2:30 pm CDT, Milwaukee, WI.
Curiously enough, the Moon was in Libra, not a sign where a VOC moon is favored for some events. Traditionally, the Moon functions OK if the VOC occurs in the signs of the Moon or Jupiter: Cancer, Taurus, Sagittarius, and Pisces.

One major factor in this chart, folks, is that the ascendant happens to be on my natal Jupiter, 21 degrees Virgo. I had forgotten that.

Moon, as I said, is in Libra at 26 degrees and in the second house. Pluto and Chiron are in the third house at 11 and 16 degrees, respectively, of Sagittarius; Pluto is on my natal Saturn. The fifth house is pretty crowded with the South Node (26 degrees Capricorn), Vesta (29 Capricorn), Neptune (6 Aquarius), Uranus (20 Aquarius), Part of Fortune (22 Aquarius) and Juno (22 Aquarius).

The ninth house is also supercharged with Venus at 18 Taurus (very close to my Sun), Jupiter at 19 Taurus (conjunct my Sun), Saturn at 21 Taurus, Sun at 25 Taurus, Mercury strong in Gemini (3 degrees), and Mars at 8 Gemini.

North Node is alone at 26 Cancer in the eleventh house, along with Pallas Athena at 14 Leo. Transpluto, for those who use those points, is at 24 Leo in the twelfth house.

Aspects to natal planets: Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn clustered on my natal Sun, as I mentioned above. Sun near my natal Venus. The Moon is inconjunct the Sun, and therefore also inconjunct my natal Venus.

Critical degrees: North Node at 26 degrees of Cancer is on a critical degree; I think this was an example of my being in the right place at the right time when applying for this job. I had just completed a couple classes in introductory computer and in medical terminology, intending to go on for a diploma in allied health science. However, I had to wait a terribly long time for a practicum to be scheduled, about three months, and there was just no way that I could see how to survive that long without an income. So I applied for a couple jobs and this one opened up.
The Node is at the midpoint of the Ascendant in Virgo, and the Sun-Saturn conjunction in Taurus. It also opposes Vesta, and is sesquiquadrate Pluto in the third house. Pluto in the third is I think reflective of our actual work handling 'paperwork' for an insurance company.

It was extremely helpful to have Mercury in Gemini for this job, which required one to be able to ramp up your production to keep up with paper submissions. I have found thru experience that three degrees of most signs is very positive for me, due to a key natal planet and ascendant at that degree.

Needless to say the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in Taurus defined a new era for many people, and with several natal planets in Taurus, it really gave me a jump-start to a materially successful period like nothing I had ever had before. The conjunction squared Uranus, where virtually ALL the work was done on computer and the submissions had been imaged into the system.
The Sun and Moon are inconjunct. Hmmm, have to think about how that was reflected in the job. Well, there were difficulties dealing with other women in the department. Uranus is square the Sun, separating; it was continually stressful for me to deal with the job in general. I just wanted to hole up with my computer and forget the rest of it. The nodes are square the Moon; again, difficult women.

The Midheaven trines both the Moon and Uranus, all in air signs. Oh, this favored the handling of numbers and data and rules about handling different kinds of submissions. We had to calculate payments, line by line, very quickly.

Pluto opposes Mars. Hmmm again. Sounds like a lot of backstabbing and office politics, and there is always that no matter where you go or what kind of business you are in. Mars trines idealistic Neptune, tho, and I like to think that I helped change the attitudes of the girls from a close-mouthed, competitive environment to one where we shared tips freely.
I cannot say that this job was without rough spots. It was hard to work with the first supervisor that we had, who was rather, shall we say, a demanding and sharp-tongued woman. Our group was later transferred to the supervision of a younger woman when our shift was changed (start of new schedule Oct. 2, 2000, 7:30 am); in other words our group was merged with the regular day crew. There was difficulty getting used to the quality control team, who were not always professional about how they pointed out errors or demanded corrections. There were many days in the early going when I thought I would be let go along with others in our training group who did not make the final cuts.

To sum up, I stayed for six years and learned a great deal about the business, about getting used to modern phone networks, emails and other interoffice communications, and about dealing with meetings and updates in procedures. I was not happy being on the day crew, however, since I really did not care for the usual office “stuff” (food days, passing around memos and birthday cards, etc). You would think that with all those planets and asteroids in the fifth house that this would a party-type job, but I cannot think how that could possibly apply to this position.
Well, that's all I can think of right now to tell you about this supposedly disastrous job. It worked out just fine for me and I only left due to personal matters that were pretty much separate from the job or company.

The Goddess Archetypes: The Pallas Athena Myth

by Milky Way Maid

Recently I posted some brief entries on the asteroid goddesses; one was on a historical note regarding responsibilities held by the Vestal Virgins. Today I want to go back to the original myths and try to tease out some themes pertaining to each of these goddesses. (For this series of articles I refer to the excellent Goddesses in Every Woman, by Jean Shinoda Bolen, M.D.) First up, Pallas Athena. Let's go up close and personal with Pallas Athena, as we trace her life from birth onwards.

PEDIGREE: Most of us know that Athena sprang full-grown from her father's (Zeus's) head. Most of us do NOT know that she did indeed have a mother, Metis, who had been swallowed by her father. So while Athena had a nonexistent relationship with mom, I am going to posit that her father incorporated some feminine or nurturing qualities in order to be a complete parent to his daughter. He carried her to term, he suffered labor pains, presumably he felt a parental bond. One might say that Zeus gave her life twice, once in impregnating her mother, and second when birthing her. That's a powerful bond.

Her mother, Metis, was the first consort to Zeus. She was known for her wisdom, a trait passed on to her famous daughter. By swallowing Metis, Zeus not only took on the role of mother to his daughter, he also made wisdom part of his own personality.

HABITAT: Definitely a city girl, Athena is not found wandering the wilderness or forests like Artemis, nor tending the hearth (and home) like Vesta, nor playing with the wild animals, nor the cultivated fields like Ceres. Her special city is Athens, the most civilized and democratic city of its time.

SYMBOLOGY: Often shown carrying an owl, a symbol of wisdom. Animals: Unicorn. Birds: Owl, cock. Insect: beetle or scarab. Emblem: shield or lance. Chakra: Heart center, representing philosophy. Colors: Indigo and lilac. Direction: East. Element: Water. Number: 72. Ray: Second ray of love and wisdom. Icon: six point star with a small triangle centered inside the inner pentagon.

FASHION STATEMENT: The only goddess portrayed wearing armor, she was charged with protecting her city, Athens. Only the visor of her helmet is pushed up to show her classically beautiful face. Therefore I feel that security matters are under the rulership of Pallas, in addition to military strategy. Does armor represent emotional invulnerability? Keeping her personal problems under wraps? I suppose it is akin to the general professionalism expected of most people in the workplace, ie no temper tantrums, no yelling or other outbursts, no talking about stuff outside the job, and all that.

She carries both spear and shield, with the other hand holding a spindle in the other (denoting her rulership of weaving and other domestic arts). This is an odd combination: martial and domestic arts, but she took civilization to a new level.

RULERSHIPS: Athena is the goddess of weavers, goldsmiths, potters, dressmakers. She invented the bridle to tame the horse and the yoke for oxen, plus taught the human race how to plow, build ships, and drive the chariot. She is also the goddess of hygiene, safeguarding public health. She is one smart cookie. And on top of that, she gave Athenians the olive tree.

SMARTY JONES: Athena took on her parents smarts, and became a sort of military advisor, counselor, campaign strategist, and personal cheering section. She helped Perseus, Bellerophon, and Jason to become the heroes that they are. She was involved in the strategy for fighting the Trojan War--- and she was not above planting a bit of misinformation to the other side.

WOMEN FRIENDS: Now, since she is completely her father's daughter, she rarely has close friendships with other women --- not with her mom Metis, not with any mother figure like Persephone with her mother Ceres, not with sisterly women like Artemis does. There was only one exception: Pallas. Pallas was a sisterly companion who was the victim of an unfortunate accident. They were playing a competitive game, and Athena's spear accidentally hit and killed her friend Pallas. After that, Athena took her friend's name as part of her own. Dr. Bolen feels that Athena's competitive drive can be fatal to her female friendships; she needs to find another gear, you might say, when hanging out with her women pals.

MARRIAGE: Athena types may or may not get married. Career women flock under her banner, whether they have their own business, work for a corporation, work in the political realm, or are in the halls of academia. But they do often get married to an up-an-comer type in business or politics, in which case they sublimate personal ambitions to provide key support in their husband's career. Jacqueline Kennedy was an example of the behind-the-throne type.

SISTERHOOD?: Dr. Bolen is quite clear that despite Athena's career ambitions, she is frankly NOT a women's libber type nor does she feel any sense of sisterhood with other women. That is the province of Artemis. Moreover, Dr. Bolen feels Athena is very much a supporter of the social/political status quo, as evidenced by her vote to acquit Orestes in the murder of his mother Clytemnestra. Back to that in a moment. She also condemned Arachne to life as a spider after she submitted her weaving in a contest with the goddess. This punishment was not meted out because of Arachne's temerity to challenge Athena in a contest of skill; it was because of the controversial subject matter of her tapestry. It depicted Zeus' peccadilloes in seducing Danae and Leda and Europa. How dare she point out the feet of clay of her personal hero, Zeus! So not only does Athena worship her father, she also has no sympathy whatsoever for whistle-blowers in general.

CRAFTY N SAVVY: Athena was the go-to person if you had a riddle or problem that your poor, feeble human brain could not figure out the solution to. She told Perseus how to master the fearsome Gorgon (look at it only via a mirror). She gave the equestrian and general, Bellerophon, a golden bridle to tame Pegasus with. She helped Jason and his crew build the famed ship Argo (no, not nailing boards together; with technical advice). She whispered tips and encouragement to Achilles. Like I said, she is one smart cookie. Athena might be compared to the frontier women who not only helped plow the fields but also wove the fabric for their clothing, as they and their mates wrested the land from the wilderness into a homestead.

LEGAL EAGLE: Now, back to that trial of Orestes. This is a very muddled issue in my mind because unfortunately Athena did not write a legal opinion on the case explaining her reasoning. Did she vote to acquit because this was a revenge killing? (Orestes' mother had killed his father) Did she sympathize with anyone who was faced with the death of a father? Did she think that perhaps Orestes was crippled by temporary insanity, and let him off on that plea? Or did she think that women should never strike out against their own husbands, no matter what the provocation?

A closer look at the story of Orestes: The house of Atreus was one of those supremely dysfunctional families. Orestes' mother, Clytemnestra, was cheating on her husband, King Agamemnon. Agamemnon returns from the Trojan War with his booty, the girl Cassandra. King and Queen go into the palace and the queen comes out all bloody after killing the king, saying it was revenge for his killing one of their children. Son Orestes is in the same boat as Hamlet, wondering if avenging his father extends to even the crime of killing a mother. So he goes to the oracles of Delphi, where Apollo himself tells him to kill both mom and her lover. Orestes does so, then wanders for some time in the wilderness before he goes to Athena to explain himself. Apollo is beside him to vouch for the fact that he ordered this vengeance killing. Athena, establishing a new order of mercy, acquitted Orestes, and the curse on the Atreus family was lifted.

So by looking closer at the story of Orestes, I believe we can say that Athena's brand of justice was tempered by MERCY, and that she realized the only way to end a cycle of murder was to stop the shedding of blood, both illicit and licit. She realized that even legally sanctioned murder must stop. Oh, it just occurred to me that Athena would be against the death penalty for that reason.

So there you have an overview of the legendary goddess Pallas Athena: smart n savvy, a skillful weaver and crafter and shipbuilder, a tamer of large animals (animal husbandry), a merciful judge, a military strategist, a political analyst, an ombudsman or consultant, city girl, ambitious career woman, competitive athlete and business-woman. Not a warm, fuzzy type with a dozen cats, and not a fashion plate who lives for the New York fashion shows. But a smart, wise woman of the world.

So many modern women who eschew marriage or just do not set a priority on getting married and having kids are accused of trying to be men. That is NOT TRUE. They follow another drummer, a female drummer who loves the challenges of trying to uphold civilization with laws, industry, education and high-quality craftwork. Oh, and olive trees.

Dave at AstroAmerica stated in a recent newsletter that Pallas Athena represents how we gained the father's approval. I might add that clues to HOW we were rewarded with that approval may be gleaned from the sign and house position of the asteroid. For example, my Pallas is in Aries; I feel that part of the meaning of this placement is that I was rewarded for taking the initiative in some things, in my childhood. For getting on that bike and learning to ride, for venturing down to the corner park alone, for upholstering that old chair, etc.

How might Pallas, the asteroid, operate in the various houses? First House: you feel rewarded for speaking up for yourself, for putting yourself out there and introducing yourself. Sometimes spread self too thin over too many projects. Second House: Pallas is not interested in wealth per se is good at saving and conserving. Will never sell out their reputations for personal gain. Third House: Pallas here might prompt you to go into education but probably not in the primary grades. Third House also rules the city, her favorite place, so you may be quite involved in local politics.

Fourth House: Pallas is not very domestic but she does run an organized household, like a military operation. She may be the pioneer type who not only weaves the fabric for clothing but also puts up food and helps with the plowing. Also rules security systems. May start a home-based business. Fifth House: Geez, Pallas is not much into fun n games nor into romance, so that leaves the arts. Particularly textile arts, but any work that is equal parts skill and craft like shipbuilding. Enjoys strategy games like chess and bridge rather than golf, etc. Sixth House: OK, now you're talking. Pallas is very much at home with any career where one wears a uniform: the military, nurses and doctors (especially public health personnel), and police. Also working in civil service may be the sort of Confucian duty that appeals to her.

Seventh House: You may be a very public person, someone who perhaps investigates consumer problems brought to your attention. You may be more known for the person you marry, and prefer to be the “power behind the throne.” In one case the placement of Pallas in the seventh showed the husband's occupation (Scorpio: he was a police detective). Eighth House: Management of pooled funds such as insurance, state lotteries, joint accounts. Also good for surgeons. Ninth House: Another one of Pallas' fave houses, where she can exercise her Legal Eagle savvy, get involved in academia, national or world politics, or heck, rule the world. She could do that.

Tenth House: Pallas here can easily handle being high in the executive boardrooms of major corporations. Eleventh House: here is a difficult place for Pallas because she is just not really chummy, doesn't hang out at the mall with friends, doesn't care too much for pure socializing. But she does excel at heading, organizing and fund-raising for charitable or non-profit groups. Twelfth House: Hmmm, not likely to be a fave place for Pallas although her rulership of hygiene may help her to run large hospitals or other medical facilities.
Next up: Vesta, aka Hestia.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Formulas for Arabic Parts

by Milky Way Maid

Many of us like to work with Arabic Parts
in addition to the planets and asteroids. For most of us astrologers, the only one commonly used is the Part of Fortune, found on most astrology software.

But there are scads of Arabic parts available. This is only a hefty serving of some of the more common ones, plus some uncommon ones. I have no idea how to use some of them. What does one make of the Part of Deep Reflection and Understanding? Or the Part of Disassociation??? Some would seem to step on the toes of Asteroids, like Eros. There is some duplication and inconsistency but I can only relate them to you as they are listed in my sources.

Parts of Divorce or Infirmities or Hour of Marriage may have some really cool application to our real lives, however. And I sure hope that I can find a way to use the Part of Luck or Part of Success!!!
So anyway, I hereby present a list of the Formulas for Arabic Parts. An explanation of how to calculate the equations follows at the bottom.

ACCOMPLISHMENT- Ascendant plus Sun minus Jupiter
AGREEMENT/DISCORD- Ascendant plus Mercury minus Part of Spirit
ANCESTORS- Ascendant plus Mars minus Saturn
ART/VENTURE- Ascendant plus Mercury minus Venus
BONDAGE- Ascendant plus Moon minus Moon's dispositor
BROTHERS- Ascendant plus Jupiter minus Saturn
CAPTIVES- Ascendant plus Sun minus Sun's dispositor
CAPTIVES/THE CONQUERED- Ascendant plus Sun minus Sun's ruler
CHILDREN- Ascendant plus Saturn minus Jupiter
COMMERCE- Ascendant plus Mercury minus Sun
CONSTANCY- Ascendant plus Part of Spirit minus Part of Fortune
CONTENTION- Ascendant plus Jupiter minus Mars
CUNNING OF MEN TOWARD WOMEN- Ascendant plus Venus minus Sun
CUNNING OF WOMEN TOWARD MEN- Ascendant plus Saturn minus Venus
DANGER/VIOLENCE & DEBT- Ascendant plus Mercury minus Saturn
DARING,STRENGTH, DOMINION- Ascendant plus Moon minus ruler of first house
DEATH- Ascendant plus 8th house cusp minus Moon
DEATH OF SIBLINGS- Ascendant plus (third house cusp plus10 degrees) minus Sun
DEATH OF BROTHERS/SISTERS- Ascendant plus Midheaven minus Sun
DEEP REFLECTION- Ascendant plus Moon minus Saturn
DESIRE FOR WORLDLY PLEASURES- Ascendant plus Part of Spirit minus Part of Fortune
DESTINY- Midheaven plus Sun minus Moon
DISAPPOINTMENT- Ascendant plus Mars minus Venus
DISASSOCIATION- Ascendant plus Moon minus Mars
DISCORD- Ascendant plus Jupiter minus Mars
DISINTEREST/BOREDOM- Ascendant plus Sun minus Venus
DIVORCE- Ascendant plus Venus minus seventh house cusp
EARTH'S CULTIVATION- Ascendant plus Saturn minus Venus
ENEMIES- Ascendant plus twelfth house cusp minus ruler of twelfth house
EROS or appetite- Ascendant plus Venus minus Part of Spirit
EXCELLENCE, NOBILITY- Ascendant plus Part of Spirit minus Part of Fortune
FAITH, religious- Ascendant plus Mercury minus Moon
FAITH AND HOPE- Ascendant plus Venus minus Saturn
FATHER- Ascendant plus Saturn minus Sun
FATHER'S DEATH- Ascendant plus Jupiter minus Saturn
FATHER, FATE, & KARMA- Ascendant plus Saturn minus Sun
FATHERS-IN-LAW- Ascendant plus Venus minus Saturn
FERTILITY & ABUNDANCE- Ascendant plus Mercury minus Moon
FORTUNE- Ascendant plus Moon minus Sun
FRIENDS- Ascendant plus Mercury minus Moon
GOODNESS OF THE SOUL- Ascendant plus Sun minus Mercury
GRANDFATHERS- Ascendant plus Saturn minus Sun's sign
GRANDPARENTS- Ascendant plus Saturn minus second house cusp
HAPPINESS- Ascendant plus Jupiter minus Saturn
HEAVY PLACE- Mercury plus Mars minus Saturn
HISTORIES, SCIENCE, LITERATURE- Ascendant plus Jupiter minus Sun
HONOR- Ascendant plus 19 degrees Aries minus Sun
HONORABLE ACQUAINTANCE- Ascendant plus Sun minus Part of Fortune
HOPES AND WISHES- Ascendant plus eleventh house cusp minus Moon
HOUR OF MARRIAGE- Ascendant plus Moon minus Sun (same as part of fortune)
HOW NATIVE IS LOVED OR HATED- Ascendant plus Part of Spirit minus Part of Fortune
HUSBANDRY- Ascendant plus Saturn minus Venus
INCREASE- Ascendant plus Jupiter minus Sun
INFIRMITIES, ACCIDENTS- Ascendant plus Mars minus Saturn
INFIRMITIES- Ascendant plus Mars minus Mercury
INFLUENCE- Ascendant plus Saturn minus Moon
INHERITANCES- Ascendant plus Jupiter minus Mercury
INHERITANCES, POSSESSIONS- Ascendant plus Moon minus Saturn
INITIATIVE- Ascendant plus Sun minus Mars
INTELLIGENCE- Venus plus Moon minus Sun
INVESTIGATION- Mercury plus Mars minus Saturn
JOURNEYS (short)- Ascendant plus third house cusp minus Mercury
JOURNEYS BY LAND- Ascendant plus ninth house cusp minus Ruler of ninth house
JOURNEYS BY WATER- Ascendant plus 15 degrees Cancer minus Saturn
KILLING PLANET- Ascendant plus Moon minus ruler of first house
KINGDOM- Jupiter plus Midheaven minus Sun
KINGSHIP- Ascendant plus Moon minus Mars
KINGSHIP AND KINGS- Ascendant plus Mars minus Mercury
KINGSHIP AND VICTORY- Ascendant plus Saturn minus Sun
LABOR AND AFFLICTION- Ascendant plus Part of Fortune minus Part of Spirit
LARGE BODIES- Ascendant plus Mars minus Part of Fortune
LIBERTY OF PERSON- Ascendant plus Sun minus Mercury
LIFE (vitae)- Ascendant plus Saturn minus Jupiter
LONELINESS- Ascendant plus Jupiter minus Venus
LOVE- Ascendant plus Part of Spirit minus Part of Fortune
LOVE, BEAUTY, & PEACE- Ascendant plus Venus minus Sun
LUCK- Ascendant plus Moon minus Jupiter
LUXURY- Ascendant plus Saturn minus Venus
MARRIAGE- Ascendant plus seventh house cusp minus Venus
MARRIAGE CONTRACTS- ninth house cusp plus third house cusp minus Venus
1-MARRIAGE OF WOMEN- Ascendant plus Mars minus Sun
2-MARRIAGE OF WOMEN- Ascendant plus Saturn minus Venus
MALE CHILDREN- Ascendant plus Moon minus Moon's ruler
MALE OR FEMALE CHILDREN- Ascendant plus Jupiter minus Mars
MALE OR FEMALE CONCEPTION- Ascendant plus Sun's dispositor minus Moon's dispositor
MEMORY- Ascendant plus Mars minus Moon
1-MEN'S MARRIAGES- Ascendant plus Venus minus Saturn
2-MEN'S MARRIAGES- Ascendant plus Venus minus Sun
MILITARY DARING- Ascendant plus Moon minus Saturn
MONEYLENDERS- Ascendant plus Mercury minus Saturn
MOTHER- Ascendant plus Moon minus Venus
MOTHER'S DEATH- Ascendant plus Saturn minus Venus
NECESSITIES- Ascendant plus third house cusp minus Mars
NECESSITY, CONSTRAINTS- Ascendant plus Part of Fortune minus Mercury
NEGOTIATION- Ascendant plus Mars minus Jupiter
NOBILITY OR HONOR- Ascendant plus 19 degrees Aries minus Moon
NOBLES- Ascendant plus Sun minus Mercury
NUMBER OF BROTHERS- Ascendant plus Saturn minus Mercury
OCCUPATION & DESTRUCTION- Ascendant plus Mercury minus Saturn
ORATION, PROFUNDITY OF COUNSEL- Ascendant plus Moon minus Saturn
PASSION- Ascendant plus Mars minus Sun
PERIL- Ascendant plus Ruler of eighth house minus Saturn
PLAYS- Ascendant plus Venus minus Mars
PLEASURE- Ascendant plus seventh house cusp minus Venus
POVERTY- Ascendant plus Part of Fortune minus Part of Spirit
REAL ESTATE- Ascendant plus Jupiter minus Mercury
REASON & SENSE- Ascendant plus Mars minus Mercury
RELIGION- Ascendant plus Venus minus Moon
RETRIBUTION- Ascendant plus Sun minus Mars
RUMORS- Ascendant plus Moon minus Mercury
SECRET ENEMIES- Ascendant plus Mars minus Saturn
SECURITY- Ascendant plus Venus minus Mercury
SENTIMENT- Ascendant plus Venus minus Jupiter
SERIOUS MATTERS- Ascendant plus Part of Fortune minus Saturn
1-SERVANTS- Ascendant plus Moon minus Mercury
2-SERVANTS- Ascendant plus Part of Fortune minus Mercury
SEXUAL ATTRACTION- Ascendant plus fifth house cusp minus Ruler of fifth house
SICKNESS & MURDER- Ascendant plus Mars minus Saturn
SKILL OR TALENT- Ascendant plus Part of Fortune minus Mercury
SOLDIERS AND MINISTERS- Ascendant plus Saturn minus Mars
SONS- Ascendant plus Jupiter minus Moon
SOUL- Fourth house cusp plus Moon minus Sun
SPECULATION- Ascendant plus fifth house cusp minus Jupiter
SPIRIT, FUTURE- Ascendant plus Sun minus Moon
STABILITY- Ascendant plus Part of Spirit minus Part of Fortune
SUBSTANCE (goods and possessions)- Ascendant plus second house cusp minus Ruler of 2nd house
SUCCESS- Ascendant plus Jupiter minus Part of Fortune
SUCCESS IN INVESTMENT- Ascendant plus Venus minus Saturn
SUDDEN ADVANCEMENT- Ascendant plus Part of Fortune minus Saturn
SUICIDE- Ascendant plus Jupiter minus twelfth house cusp
SURGERY & ACCIDENT- Ascendant plus Saturn minus Mars
TRADE (buying and selling)- Ascendant plus Part of Fortune minus Part of Spirit
TRADESMEN- Ascendant plus Venus minus Mercury
TRUTH, GOOD WORKS- Ascendant plus Mars minus Mercury
VALOR, DARING- Ascendant plus Part of Fortune minus Mars
VICTORY, HAPPINESS- Ascendant plus Jupiter minus Part of Spirit
VOCATION & STATUS- Midheaven plus Moon minus Sun
WHAT KIND OF WORK THE NATIVE DOES- Ascendant plus Moon minus Saturn
WIDOWHOOD- Ascendant plus fifth house cusp minus Venus
WISDOM- Ascendant plus Sun minus Saturn
1-WISDOM & PATIENCE- Mercury plus Jupiter minus Saturn
2-WISDOM & PATIENCE- Ascendant plus Jupiter minus Saturn
WORK- Ascendant plus Jupiter minus Sun
WORLDLINESS- Ascendant plus Venus minus Part of Fortune

HOW TO CALCULATE: First one must memorize the order of the signs; Aries is 1, Taurus is 2, Gemini is 3, Cancer is 4, Leo is 5, Virgo is 6, Libra is 7, Scorpio is 8, Sagittarius is 9, Capricorn is 10, Aquarius is 11 and Pisces is 12.
The first part of the equation is usually your Ascendant, say it is 11 degrees, 44 minutes of Aquarius. The first line will look like this: 11 11 44
Second line, say add your Moon which we will say is 13 degrees, 15 minutes of Aries.
So now it looks like this:
(Asc) 11 11 44
(Sun) 1 13 15
sub-ttl= 12 24 59
THEN we subtract the last item, assume it is the Moon which we will say is 22 degrees, 33 minutes of Cancer.
Subtotal 12 24 59
minus Sun 4 22 33
RESULT= 8 2 26
This translates as 2 degrees, 26 minutes of Scorpio.
Always be careful that the middle column (degrees) is a maximum of 30 so you will have to carry over if you have more than 30 degrees, and also take note that the right column (minutes) is a maximum of 60 so that you will have to account for that, too. I suggest that you WAIT TILL THE FINAL LINE before adjusting for the fact you may have enough minutes to make an extra degree, or a change of sign. And of course if you have more than 12 in the first column at the end of all your calculations, then you just subtract 12 to arrive at the number of the sign indicated.