“My question
has to do with a 28 degree Sun in Pisces and Saturn/Mars
on the Midheaven. Do you think this falls under the ‘weeping
degree of Pisces’ that foretells possible death by
drowning/murder/suicide? This person is in the U.S. Army.”
Kevin Answers:
Sheila,
The reason 28 degrees of Pisces is considered
the “weeping degree” is because that is the current
position of the fixed star, Scheat. As fixed stars go, Scheat
is, well, pretty “Scheatty”—if you get my
drift. Traditionally Scheat was blamed for extreme misfortune,
murder, suicide and drowning.
Fixed stars were a staple of ancient astrology
because, well, they were fixed stars, and it was pretty obvious
when they were involved. Ancient astrologers weren’t
able to calculate precise charts or to base their predictions
based on transits in the way we do today. They had to rely
on other systems, including making avid use of the fixed stars.
The nature of the fixed stars was determined from centuries
of observation of the kinds of events that occurred when the
planets came into contact with the fixed stars. Evidently,
Scheat showed up in a number of very unpleasant circumstances.
Now, if I had a client with Sun, Mars and
Saturn on the Midheaven conjunct Scheat would I be particularly
concerned? Not really. On the other hand, if I were electing
a chart for a cruise, I probably wouldn’t want that
configuration. Why tempt fate?
Look on the bright side—compared
to Algol, Scheat is a picnic. Algol (around 25° Taurus)
is the most vilified fixed star of all. It represents the
severed head of Medusa in the constellation of Perseus, and
if your Sun happens to be conjunct Algol, you are supposed
to be doomed to die by beheading, maimed, and mangled. If
Mars happens to be in Gemini or Pisces at the time, your hands
(Gemini, presumably) or feet (Pisces) will also be cut off,
not that you’ll notice, being headless and all.
Now, before I send every person born in
the middle of May into a blind panic, when was the last time
you heard of someone being beheaded? Torn limb-from-limb?
How many millions of people have the Sun conjunct Algol? ’Nuff
said.
Weeping degree, schmeeping degree. You
don’t have anything to worry about.
