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Mundane Astrology (or political astrology) is the application of astrology to world affairs and world events, taking its name from the Roman word Mundus, meaning "the World". Mundane astrology is branch of Judicial astrology and is widely believed by astrological historians to be the most ancient branch of astrology. In the Middle Ages mundance astrology was more commonly known as the study of Revolutions - meaning the study of the revolutions of the planets in their apparent orbits around the Earth, as they were then believed to do.
Many modern and ancient mundane astrologers also believe correlations exist between geological phenomena (such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, etc.) and astronomical phenomena (the movement of celestial bodies in relation to the Earth).
Overview
Mundane Astrology had two purposes; one was to look back and explain history, looking for patterns and a sense of some greater purpose in apparently chaotic events such as the rise and fall of empires or religions. The other was to predict the future. Some philosophers believed that the world could be saved from disaster if future troubles could be predicted – and subsequently averted.
Although it was originally developed in ancient Babylon there have been three subsequent major periods of developments. In 120 AD the Greek astrologer Claudius Ptolemy 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 Islamic world added many more techniques, particularly the use of the cycles of Jupiter and Saturn to identify the rise and fall of states and religions. The twentieth century saw a major proliferation of techniques mainly based on the use of planetary cycles rather than, as had always been the case the interpretation of planetary positions in horoscopes or natal charts.
Planets and areas of life
The noted English astrologer Charles Carter has proposed that specific areas of life and politics can be correlated to each of the planets. Carter's scheme is as follows:
- 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.
Houses and Signs
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 an 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. Sometimes the choice of date is obvious - for example the United States first came into being on July 4th 1776, with the Declaration of Independence. In other cases the correct date is not so clear. For example, most astrologers have taken as the time for England's horoscope as noon on Christmas Day, 1066 - the moment that William the Conqueror had the crown set upon his head. However, others have used a chart set for midnight on May 1st 1707, at the time of the Union of Britain and Scotland. Which of these is more accurate is open for discussion. Other countries and states can also be argued to have multiple 'birthdays'. France, for example, regained its independence after the occupation of the Second World War as the Fourth Republic on October 10, 1946, yet 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 can also be argued that a new state has come into being with German re-unification in October 1990.
In principle, any organisation or object can have a horoscope cast for the moment of its 'birth'. For example, the ship Titanic's horoscope is generally cast at noon on April 10, 1910 when the ocean liner first set sail. The ship's horoscope showed its ascendant in opposition to Uranus, and Neptune (ruler of the sea) was squared to the Sun, both aspects indicating danger.
Noted predictions
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. We may begin with one taken from Bacon's Essay of Prophecies:
"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 nativitie to be calculated, under a false name; and the astrologer gave a judgment, that he should be killed in a duell; 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 Mongomery going in at his bever."
A favourite topic of the astrologers of all countries has been the immediate end of the world. As early as 1186 the Earth had escaped one threatened cataclysm of the astrologers.
This did not prevent Stöffler from predicting a universal deluge for the year 1524 - 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 Pisces.
The prediction was believed far and wide, and President Aurial, at Toulouse, built himself a Noah's ark - a curious realization, in fact, of Chaucer's merry invention in the Miller's Tale.
The most famous predictions about European and world affairs were made by the French astrologer Nostradamus (1503 - 66). 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. 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.
Tycho Brahe was from his fifteenth year devoted to astrology, and adjoining his observatory at Uranienburg the astronomer-royal of Denmark had a laboratory built in order to study alchemy, and it was only a few years before his death that he finally abandoned astrology.
We may here notice one very remarkable prediction of the master of Kepler. That he had carefully studied the comet of 1577 as an astronomer, we may gather from his adducing the very small parallax of this comet as disproving the assertion of the Aristotelians that a solid sphere enveloped the heavens.
But besides this, we find him in his character of astrologer drawing a singular prediction from the appearance of this comet. 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 1632. Gustavus Adolphus, 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 Denmark 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.
Kepler explained the double movement of the earth by the rotation of the sun. At one time the sun presented its friendly side, which attracted one planet, sometimes its adverse side, which repelled it. He also peopled the planets with souls and genii. He was led to his three great laws by musical analogies, just as William Herschel afterwards passed from music to astronomy.
Kepler, who in his youth made almanacs, and once prophesied a hard winter, which came to pass, could not help putting an astrological interpretation on the disappearance of the brilliant star of 1572, which Tycho had observed.
Theodore Beza thought that this star, which in December 1573 equalled Jupiter in brilliancy, predicted the second coming of Christ. 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 Aristotle, been regarded as incorruptible, combined with the troubles of the times, must have given a new stimulus to belief in the signs in heaven.
Montaigne (Essais, lib. i. chap, x.) relates a singular episode in the history of astrology. Charles V and Francis I, who both bid for the friendship of the infamous Pietro Aretino, surnamed the divine, both likewise engaged astrologers to fight their battles.
In Italy those who prophesied the ruin of France were sure to be listened to. These prophecies affected the public funds much as telegrams used to in 1911. "At Rome," Montaigne 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 1536 to betray his country, being scared by the glorious prophecies of the ultimate success of Charles V which were then rife.
References
- Charles E. O. Carter, An Introduction of Political Astrology, L. N. Fowler, 1951
- Derek and Julia Parker, 'The New Compleat Astrologer', pp184-5, Crescent Books, New York, 1990
- Derek and Julia Parker, Ibid, p184
- Derek and Julia Parker, The New Compleat Astrologer, p201, Crescent Books, New York, 1990
External links
- Mundane Astrology - A very cogent introduction to Mundane Astrology, the most ancient branch of astrology.
- Vedic Mundane Astrology Discussion List - The Systems' Approach to Mundane Vedic Astrology (SAMVA), with a focus on predictive accuracy.
- Weekly NewsScope - 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
- mundaneastrology.net - Comprehensive information covering mundane astrology ranging from 4500BCE through 2384. Also covers history, politics and social studies past present and future.