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| {{Short description|Branch of astrology dealing with politics, government, and law}} | |||
| {{Astrology}} | |||
| ], ''Harmonia macrocosmica'', plate 15, 1661]] | |||
| '''Mundane |
'''Mundane astrology''', also known as '''political astrology''', is the branch of ] dealing with ], the ], and the ] governing a particular ], ], or ]. The name derives name from the ] term {{Lang|la|mundus}}, 'world'. | ||
| Certain countries have ] (or ]s) just like a person is said to in astrology; for example, the chart for the United States is widely thought to be sometime during the day of ], ], for this is the exact day that the ] was signed and made fully official, thus causing the "birth" of the United States as a nation. Indeed, ] is a major national ] in America and unequivocally thought of as the "]" of the entire nation. | |||
| Many modern and ancient mundane ]s also find that correlations exist between ] (such as ]s, ], etc.) and ] phenomena (the movement of celestial bodies in the ]). | |||
| ==History== | |||
| Mundane astrology is widely believed by astrological historians to be the most ancient branch of ].{{sfnp|Baigent|1994|p={{page needed|date=November 2022}}}} Early Babylonian astrology was exclusively concerned with mundane astrology, being geographically oriented, specifically applied to countries cities and nations, and almost wholly concerned with the welfare of the state and the king as the governing head of the nation.{{sfnp|Koch-Westenholz|1995|p=19}} Astrological practices of divination and planetary interpretation have been used for millennia to answer political questions, but only with the gradual emergence of ], from the sixth century BC, did astrology develop into the two distinct branches of mundane astrology and ].{{sfnp|Baigent|Campion|Harvey|1984|p={{page needed|date=November 2022}}}}{{sfnp|Broecke|2003|pp=}} | |||
| ==Techniques and principles== | |||
| ==Overview== | |||
| Astrologically, the affairs of a nation are judged from the horoscope set up at the time of its official inauguration or the birth chart of its leader, or various phenomena such as ], ], ]s, planetary stations, ] and ].{{sfnp|Raphael|1996|pp=15-17}} | |||
| Mundane Astrology had two purposes: one was to look back and explain ], looking for patterns and a sense of some greater purpose in apparently chaotic events such as the rise and fall of ]s or ]s. The other was to predict the ]. Some ] believed that the world could be saved from disaster if future troubles could be predicted – and subsequently averted. | |||
| The techniques of the subject were discussed in detail in the 2nd century work of the ]n ] ], who outlined its principles in the second book of his ]. Ptolemy set this topic before his discussion of individual birth charts because he argued that the astrological assessment of any 'particular' individual must rest upon prior knowledge of the 'general' temperament of their ethnic type; and that the circumstances of individual lives are subsumed, to some extent, within the fate of their community.{{efn|{{harvp|Ptolemy|1940|loc=II, 2: p. }}: "And since weaker natures always yield to the stronger, and the particular always falls under the general, it would by all means be necessary for those who purpose an inquiry about a single individual long before to have comprehended the more general considerations".}} The third chapter of his work offers an association between planets, zodiac signs and the national characteristics of 73 nations. It concludes with three assertions which act as core principles of mundane astrology: | |||
| Although it was originally developed in ancient ] there have been three subsequent major periods of developments. In ] ] the ] ] ] set down the fundamentals of mundane astrology in his famous treatise on astrology, the ''Tetrabiblos''. In the ninth and tenth centuries the astrologers of the ] added many more techniques, particularly the use of the cycles of ] and ] to identify the rise and fall of ]s and religions. The ] saw a major proliferation of techniques mainly based on the use of ] rather than, as had always been the case the interpretation of planetary positions in ]s or ]s. | |||
| # Each of the fixed stars has familiarity with the countries attributed to the sign of its ecliptic rising. | |||
| # The time of the first founding of a city (or nation) can be used in a similar way to an individual ], to astrologically establish the characteristics and experiences of that city. The most significant considerations are the regions of the zodiac which mark the place of the Sun and Moon, and the ] – in particular the ]. | |||
| # If the time of the foundation of the city or nation is not known, a similar use can be made of the horoscope of whoever holds office or is king at the time, with particular attention given to the ] of that chart.{{sfnp|Ptolemy|1940|loc=II, 3: p. }} | |||
| ==Practice== | |||
| The first English astrologer for whom we have evidence of astrological practice is Richard Trewythian,{{sfnp|Page|2001|p=193}} whose notebook is largely concerned with mundane astrology. He constructed horoscopes for the Sun's ingress into Aries over thirty years, and recorded general predictions for twelve of those years between 1430 and 1458.{{sfnp|Page|2001|p=201}} His notebooks demonstrate how he recorded the logic for his conclusions: | |||
| {{blockquote|Pregnant women and boys will incur harm and severe dangers. This conclusion is drawn from the trine aspect between Saturn and Venus on the day of the ingress. {{Clear}} | |||
| == Planets and areas of life== | |||
| Concerning the wars of this year: they will be caused by the aspect of opposition of two heavy planets, which will occur on 27 March. And the time of the beginning of the war will be on the first day of May. This conclusion is drawn by the application of the greater luminary to Saturn. Merchants will be well disposed this year.{{sfnp|Page|2001|p=202}} | |||
| The noted British astrologer Charles Carter proposed that specific areas of life and politics can be correlated to each of the planets. <ref> Charles E. O. Carter, ''An Introduction of Political Astrology'', L. N. Fowler, 1951 </ref> Carter's scheme is as follows: | |||
| }} | |||
| He also made several predictions concerning the king (Henry VI), such as one he made in 1433 where he noted: "it seems that the king will be sick this year because Saturn is lord of the tenth house".{{sfnp|Page|2001|p=202}} | |||
| *'''Sun''' : Supreme authority in the State. Eclipses often signify the death or displacement of the head of state. | |||
| *'''Moon''' : The population, the popular mood; also agriculture. | |||
| *'''Mercury''' : The Press, literature, education; the post office and means of communication; political speeches. | |||
| *'''Venus''' : Art, high society, fashion; contributes to national happiness. Victory in war. | |||
| *'''Mars''' : The armed forces; violent crime; when associated with Uranus may cause explosions; with Neptune, treachery. Divisive elements in society. | |||
| *'''Jupiter''' : Clergy and churches, judges, law; banking, insurance; the 'upper classes'; philanthropic institutions (especially in association with Neptune). | |||
| *'''Saturn''' : Property | |||
| *'''Uranus''' : Administration; power in its physical sense - electrical and nuclear. | |||
| *'''Neptune''' : Hospitals, charitable institutions; the navy. Under affiction associated with muddle, crime, scandal; brewing and alcohol; chemicals, oils, footwear; the arts. | |||
| *'''Pluto''' : Mines; criminal detection, but under affliction the criminal underworld. | |||
| ==Notes== | |||
| ==Houses and Signs== | |||
| {{notelist}} | |||
| Carter also associated each of the houses and signs with different aspects of politics and the state as follows: | |||
| *'''1st House-Aries''' : The nation as a whole, its self image and how it projects itself to the world. | |||
| *'''2nd House-Taurus''' : The economy | |||
| *'''3rd House-Gemini''' : Education; periodical publications; the post office, radio and transport; communications in general; science. | |||
| *'''4th House-Cancer''' : Land and housing; agriculture; the opposition in parliament | |||
| *'''5th House-Leo''' : All forms of national pleasure and entertainment; sports, general amusements; Society, children | |||
| *'''6th House-Virgo''' : The 'working classes'; left wing organisations; public health. The armed forces and civil service. | |||
| *'''7th House-Libra''' : Foreign affairs generally; war as well as treaties. | |||
| *'''8th House-Scorpio''' : Financial relations with foreign countries; public safety and crime. | |||
| *'''9th House-Sagittarius''' : The law; religion; philosophy; and science. | |||
| *'''10th House-Capricorn''' : Heads of state; government; national prestige. | |||
| *'''11th House-Aquarius''' : Parliament, especially the lower house. Local government. | |||
| *'''12th House-Pisces''' : Prisons, hospitals, homes for the aged; philanthropic societies; secret societies; monasteries and institutional religion. | |||
| ==Mundane Horoscopes== | |||
| Just as a person has a horoscope cast for the moment of their birth, so too can states and nations have horoscopes cast for the moment of their beginning. <ref> Derek and Julia Parker, ''The New Compleat Astrologer'', pp184-5, Crescent Books, New York, 1990 </ref> Sometimes the choice of date is obvious - for example the United States of America first came into being on 4th July 1776 with the Declaration of Independence. In other cases the correct date is not so clear, and in most cases a nation or country has multiple birth charts. | |||
| For example, many astrologers take the date of England's horoscope as Christmas Day 1066 - the day when that William the Conqueror had the crown set upon his head. There is also a chart set for midnight on 1st May 1707 (Old Style), the time of the Union of England and Wales with Scotland creating Great Britain. The Union then grew again on 1st January 1801 with the Union of Great Britain and Ireland. A further change took place as the Republic of Ireland left the Union, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was created. | |||
| Another example of a country/state that has multiple 'birthdays' is France, which regained its independence after the occupation of the Second World War as the Fourth Republic on 10th October 1946, while the present French system came into being as the Fifth Republic after a referendum held on 28th September 1958. Similarly in Germany the present state system came into effect with the enactment of the Basic Law in August 1949, yet it is also considered by most astrologers that a new state has come into being with German re-unification in October 1990. | |||
| In principle, any organisation or object can have a chart cast for the moment of its 'birth'. <ref> Derek and Julia Parker, ''Ibid'', p184 </ref> For example, the ship ''Titanic's'' horoscope is generally cast for noon on 10th April 1910 when the ocean liner first set sail. The ship's chart showed its ascendant in opposition to Uranus, and Neptune (ruler of the sea) was squared to the Sun, both aspects indicating the potential for danger. | |||
| ==Some historical predictions== | |||
| Before reading this section it should be noted that in modern Mundane Astrology it is a matter of considerable debate whether the purpose of astrology is elucidation of meaning, or a tool to make predictions about events. These 'noted' predictions are not particularly 'noted' at all; many astrologers will not recognise them. | |||
| Throughout history many astrologers have made predictions about the future course of world events, and these are often remarkable either for their fulfilment, or for the ruin and confusion they brought upon their authors. | |||
| A favourite topic of a minority of astrologers around the world has been the immediate end of the world. As early as ] the Earth had escaped one threatened cataclysm of the astrologers. | |||
| This did not prevent ] from predicting a universal deluge for the year ] - a year, as it turned out, distinguished for drought. His aspect of the heavens told him that in that year three planets would meet in the aqueous sign of ]. The prediction was believed far and wide, and President Aurial, at ], built himself a ] - a curious realization, in fact, of ]'s merry invention in the ''Miller's Tale''. | |||
| The most famous predictions about European and world affairs were made by the French astrologer ] (1503 - 66), however many astrologers dispute whether many of his prophecies were based on astrology. <ref> Derek and Julia Parker, ''Ibid'', pp201-2, Crescent Books, New York, 1990 </ref> Nostradamus became famous after the publication in 1555 of his work ''Centuries'' , which was a series of prophecies in cryptic verse. So obscure are the predictions that they have been interpreted as relating to a great variety of events since, including the French and English Revolutions, and the Second World War. In 1556 Nostradamus was summoned to the French court by Catherine de Medici and commissioned to draw up the horoscope of the royal children. | |||
| According to ] in his essay ''Of Prophesies'' Nostradamus foretold the death of King Henry II of France: "When I was in France, I heard from one Dr Pena, that the queen mother, who was given to curious arts, caused the king, her husband's, nativity to be calculated, under a false name; and the astrologer (i.e. Nostradamus) gave a judgment, that he should be killed in a duel; at which the queene laughed, thinking her husband to be above challenges and duels; but he was slaine, upon a course at tilt, the splinters of the staffe of Montgomery going in at his beaver." Although Nostradamus later fell out of favour with many in the court and was accused of witchcraft, Catherine continued to support him and patronized him until his death. | |||
| ] was from his fifteenth year devoted to astrology, and adjoining his observatory at Uranienburg the astronomer-royal of Denmark had a laboratory built. We may here notice one very remarkable prediction of this master of ] from the appearance of a comet in ] . It announced, he tells us, that in the north, in Finland, there should be born a prince who should lay waste Germany and vanish in ]. ], it is well known, was born in Stockholm, Sweden, overran Germany, and died in 1632. | |||
| Brahe's prophecy did not accurately predict Gustavus Adolphus' birthplace - Brahe predicted this would be Finland, not Sweden. But the partial fulfillment of the details of this prophecy - namely, that a prince born in the north would lay waste to Germany and vanish in 1632 - suggests that Brahe possibly had some basis of reason for his prediction. | |||
| Born in ] of a noble Swedish family, a politician, as were all his contemporaries of distinction, Tycho, though no conjuror, appeared to foresee the advent of some great northern hero. Moreover, he was doubtless well acquainted with a very ancient tradition, that heroes generally came from the northern frontiers of their native land, where they are hardened and tempered by the threefold struggle they wage with soil, climate and barbarian neighbours. | |||
| The astronomer ] , who in his youth made almanacs, and once prophesied a hard winter which came to pass, made an astrological interpretation of the disappearance of the brilliant star of ], which Tycho had observed. | |||
| ] thought that this star, which in December ] equalled Jupiter in brilliancy, predicted the ] of ]. Astronomers were only then beginning to study variable and periodic stars, and disturbances in that part of the heavens, which had till then, on the authority of ], been regarded as incorruptible, combined with the troubles of the times, must have given a new stimulus to belief in the signs in heaven. | |||
| ] (''Essais'', lib. i. chap, x.) relates a singular episode in the history of astrology. ] and ], who both bid for the friendship of the infamous ], surnamed the divine, both likewise engaged astrologers to fight their battles. | |||
| In ] those who prophesied the ruin of ] were sure to be listened to. These prophecies affected the public funds much as telegrams used to in 1911. "At Rome," ] tells us, "a large sum of money was lost on the Change by this prognostication of our ruin." | |||
| The marquis of Saluces, notwithstanding his gratitude to Francis I for the many favours he had received, including his marquisate, of which the brother was despoiled for his benefit, was led in ] to betray his country, being scared by the glorious prophecies of the ultimate success of Charles V which were then rife. | |||
| ==References== | ==References== | ||
| {{Reflist|2}} | |||
| <div class="references-small> | |||
| <references/></div> | |||
| ===Works cited=== | |||
| *{{cite book |title=Mundane Astrology |first1=Michael |last1=Baigent |author1-link=Michael Baigent |first2=Nicholas |last2=Campion |author2-link=Nicholas Campion |first3=Charles |last3=Harvey |publisher=Aquarian Press |year=1984 |isbn=978-0850303025}} | |||
| ==Further reading== | |||
| *{{cite book |title=From the Omens of Babylon: Astrology and Ancient Mesopotamia |first=Michael |last=Baigent |publisher=Arkana |year=1994 |isbn=978-0140194807}} | |||
| Michael Baigent, Nicholas Campion & Charles Harvey, ''Mundane Astrology'' , The Aquarian Press, London, 1984 | |||
| *{{cite book |first=Steven Vanden |last=Broecke |title=The limits of influence: Pico, Louvain, and the crisis of Renaissance astrology |year=2003 |publisher=Brill |isbn=978-90-04-13169-9}} | |||
| *{{cite book |last=Koch-Westenholz |first=Ulla |year=1995 |title=Mesopotamian Astrology:An Introduction to Babylonian and Assyrian Celestial Divination |publisher=Museum Tusculanum Press |isbn=978-8772892870}} | |||
| Nicholas Campion, ''The Book of World Horoscopes'', The Aquarian Press, London, 1988 | |||
| *{{cite journal |first=Sophie |last=Page |title=Richard Trewythian and the Uses of Astrology in Late Medieval England |journal=Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes |volume=64 |year=2001 |pages=193–228 |publisher=The Warburg Institute |doi=10.2307/751562 |jstor=751562|s2cid=160610768 }} | |||
| *{{cite book |last=Ptolemy |first=Claudius |author-link=Ptolemy |title=Tetrabiblos |series=Loeb Classical Library |translator=Frank Egleston Robbins |publisher=Harvard University Press |year=1940 |url=http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Ptolemy/Tetrabiblos/2A*.html |access-date=2022-11-20}} | |||
| *{{cite book |author=Raphael |author-link=Robert Cross Smith |year=1996 |orig-year=1897 |title=Raphael's Mundane Astrology Or the Effects of the Planets and Signs Upon the Nations and Countries of the World |publisher=Sun Publishing Company}} | |||
| == External links == | == External links == | ||
| * hosted by (accessed 1 July 2012). The complete fourth book of William Ramesey's ''Astrologiae Restaurata'', 'Astrology Restored' (London, 1653), edited and annotated by Steven Birchfield (1.43MB). The Fourth book is entitled ''Astrologia Munda'', 'Mundane Astrology' - said by Birchfield to be the closest thing we have to an accessible textbook on traditional mundane astrology. | |||
| * - A very cogent introduction to Mundane Astrology, the most ancient branch of astrology. | |||
| * - A weekly column which, since 1998, has applied Mundane Astrology to interpreting news events from around the world. | |||
| * [http://www.quakestar.org - A Forum to discuss scientific astrology as a cause of earthquakes and other natural events | |||
| {{Astrology-footer}} | |||
| * - Comprehensive information covering mundane astrology ranging from 4500BCE through 2384. Also covers history, politics and social studies past present and future. | |||
| ] | ] | ||
Latest revision as of 00:35, 28 September 2024
Branch of astrology dealing with politics, government, and law
Mundane astrology, also known as political astrology, is the branch of astrology dealing with politics, the government, and the laws governing a particular nation, state, or city. The name derives name from the Latin term mundus, 'world'.
Certain countries have astrological charts (or horoscopes) just like a person is said to in astrology; for example, the chart for the United States is widely thought to be sometime during the day of July 4, 1776, for this is the exact day that the Declaration of Independence was signed and made fully official, thus causing the "birth" of the United States as a nation. Indeed, July 4 is a major national holiday in America and unequivocally thought of as the "birthday" of the entire nation.
History
Mundane astrology is widely believed by astrological historians to be the most ancient branch of astrology. Early Babylonian astrology was exclusively concerned with mundane astrology, being geographically oriented, specifically applied to countries cities and nations, and almost wholly concerned with the welfare of the state and the king as the governing head of the nation. Astrological practices of divination and planetary interpretation have been used for millennia to answer political questions, but only with the gradual emergence of horoscopic astrology, from the sixth century BC, did astrology develop into the two distinct branches of mundane astrology and natal astrology.
Techniques and principles
Astrologically, the affairs of a nation are judged from the horoscope set up at the time of its official inauguration or the birth chart of its leader, or various phenomena such as eclipses, lunations, great conjunctions, planetary stations, comets and ingresses.
The techniques of the subject were discussed in detail in the 2nd century work of the Alexandrian astronomer Ptolemy, who outlined its principles in the second book of his Tetrabiblos. Ptolemy set this topic before his discussion of individual birth charts because he argued that the astrological assessment of any 'particular' individual must rest upon prior knowledge of the 'general' temperament of their ethnic type; and that the circumstances of individual lives are subsumed, to some extent, within the fate of their community. The third chapter of his work offers an association between planets, zodiac signs and the national characteristics of 73 nations. It concludes with three assertions which act as core principles of mundane astrology:
- Each of the fixed stars has familiarity with the countries attributed to the sign of its ecliptic rising.
- The time of the first founding of a city (or nation) can be used in a similar way to an individual horoscope, to astrologically establish the characteristics and experiences of that city. The most significant considerations are the regions of the zodiac which mark the place of the Sun and Moon, and the four angles of the chart – in particular the ascendant.
- If the time of the foundation of the city or nation is not known, a similar use can be made of the horoscope of whoever holds office or is king at the time, with particular attention given to the midheaven of that chart.
Practice
The first English astrologer for whom we have evidence of astrological practice is Richard Trewythian, whose notebook is largely concerned with mundane astrology. He constructed horoscopes for the Sun's ingress into Aries over thirty years, and recorded general predictions for twelve of those years between 1430 and 1458. His notebooks demonstrate how he recorded the logic for his conclusions:
Pregnant women and boys will incur harm and severe dangers. This conclusion is drawn from the trine aspect between Saturn and Venus on the day of the ingress.
Concerning the wars of this year: they will be caused by the aspect of opposition of two heavy planets, which will occur on 27 March. And the time of the beginning of the war will be on the first day of May. This conclusion is drawn by the application of the greater luminary to Saturn. Merchants will be well disposed this year.
He also made several predictions concerning the king (Henry VI), such as one he made in 1433 where he noted: "it seems that the king will be sick this year because Saturn is lord of the tenth house".
Notes
- Ptolemy (1940), II, 2: p. 119: "And since weaker natures always yield to the stronger, and the particular always falls under the general, it would by all means be necessary for those who purpose an inquiry about a single individual long before to have comprehended the more general considerations".
References
- Baigent (1994), p. .
- Koch-Westenholz (1995), p. 19.
- Baigent, Campion & Harvey (1984), p. .
- Broecke (2003), pp. 185 ff.
- Raphael (1996), pp. 15–17.
- Ptolemy (1940), II, 3: p. pp.157–161.
- Page (2001), p. 193.
- Page (2001), p. 201.
- ^ Page (2001), p. 202.
Works cited
- Baigent, Michael; Campion, Nicholas; Harvey, Charles (1984). Mundane Astrology. Aquarian Press. ISBN 978-0850303025.
- Baigent, Michael (1994). From the Omens of Babylon: Astrology and Ancient Mesopotamia. Arkana. ISBN 978-0140194807.
- Broecke, Steven Vanden (2003). The limits of influence: Pico, Louvain, and the crisis of Renaissance astrology. Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-13169-9.
- Koch-Westenholz, Ulla (1995). Mesopotamian Astrology:An Introduction to Babylonian and Assyrian Celestial Divination. Museum Tusculanum Press. ISBN 978-8772892870.
- Page, Sophie (2001). "Richard Trewythian and the Uses of Astrology in Late Medieval England". Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes. 64. The Warburg Institute: 193–228. doi:10.2307/751562. JSTOR 751562. S2CID 160610768.
- Ptolemy, Claudius (1940). Tetrabiblos. Loeb Classical Library. Translated by Frank Egleston Robbins. Harvard University Press. Retrieved 2022-11-20.
- Raphael (1996) . Raphael's Mundane Astrology Or the Effects of the Planets and Signs Upon the Nations and Countries of the World. Sun Publishing Company.
External links
- 17th Century study in the Ancient Art of Mundane Astrology hosted by Skyscript (accessed 1 July 2012). The complete fourth book of William Ramesey's Astrologiae Restaurata, 'Astrology Restored' (London, 1653), edited and annotated by Steven Birchfield (1.43MB). The Fourth book is entitled Astrologia Munda, 'Mundane Astrology' - said by Birchfield to be the closest thing we have to an accessible textbook on traditional mundane astrology.
