Demetra George Astrology News

March 2016 Newsletter

The 2016 U.S. Presidential Candidates and Mercury Phases

Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton debate 2016 In the 116 days of Mercury’s synodic cycle, Donald and Bernie share the very same day when Mercury first makes its evening rising appearance, while Hillary and Ted both were born when Mercury made its heliacal set disappearance. What did the ancient astrologers have to say about the unique qualities of planets appearances and disappearances relative to their phase? And what does this suggest about each of the candidate’s ability to sell their message to the American people?

Mercury, the fleet-footed messenger of the gods, was the patron of travelers and merchants who frequented the roads and byways buying and selling their wares. He was also the patron of liars and thieves ever on the alert to con and swindle the gullible. The fast-talking salesman is one essential component of the Mercury archetype. The synodic cycle of Mercury, also known as its solar phase cycle, contains four critical moments when Mercury shifts from one phase to another as it alternately appears after having been hidden and disappears after having been visible. These are the heliacal morning rise and the morning set in the eastern sky, and the evening rise and heliacal evening set in the western sky.

December 2015 Newsletter

Making Pizza at Fondo Galetea

Postcards from a Spiritual Journey in Siren Land

We have all returned safely home from another wonderful Starlotus Sacred Sites Tour immersing ourselves in the mythical landscape of the sirens, sibyls, and ancient seers in Southern Italy.

Tiberius’ Palace atop Capri

Astrology at Villa Jovis

On one of the two peaks of the island of Capri, Emperor Tiberius passed the last decade of his life with his life-long friend, advisor and astrologer Thrasyllus. Thrasyllus was one of the key figures in the transmission of Hellenistic astrology to Rome, via Alexandria and Rhodes and most likely was a direct source for Manilius’ Astronomica. Our group made a circle at the end of the ambulatio near the Specularium, the astronomical observatory where Tiberius and Thrasyllus would observe the stars and then cast and discuss the charts.

Walking on the footseps of Thrasyllus

We read aloud Thrasyllus’ Pinax as a word offering to one of the ancient seers of the astrological lineage in gratitude for inspiring the current renaissance of traditional astrology.

In an upcoming webinar, I will share the teachings from this day revealing the scope of Thrasyllus’ influence in the power and politics of the early Roman Empire.

September 2015 Newsletter

Donald Trump Batters His Enemies – A Medieval Perspective

In July, I was preparing my 12th House webinar, and looking for example charts for the topic of enemies. Throughout the Hellenistic and Medieval eras, the main concerns of 12th House inquiries were, “Will I have many enemies or few?” and “Will I be victorious over my enemies or will they destroy me?”

While scrolling through my Facebook news feed, I came across a quote by Donald Trump that began, “Over the years I’ve participated in many battles and have really almost come out very, very victorious every single time. I’ve beaten many people and companies, and I’ve won many wars…”. These words seemed to promise an interesting chart to work the medieval methods of analysis.

In the 12th House webinar, I go through many more details than what I will present here, but I wanted to give you the basic approach to delineating this topic, so we can all watch the campaign events that are unfolding in a classic Roman spectacle style.

July 2015 Newsletter

Astrologer King Celebrates Venus Jupiter in Leo in 62 BCE

Today (June 30, 2015) we are blessed with a conjoining of the two benefics, the Venusian goddess of love, beauty, and desire with lordly amorous Jupiter and his far-reaching wisdom and justice. In 2015 this conjunction marks the legalization of same-sex marriage. In ancient astrology, fortunate fertile prosperous noble marriages that give birth to good children are among the significations of the co-mingling of these two planetary deities.

The astrological community is no doubt initiating all sorts of auspicious events today under this fortuitous electional day, including many long-awaited marriages around the nation. But I want to tell you about another Venus-Jupiter conjunction in Leo that occurred over two thousand years ago whose marital blessings showered upon the lives of several illustrious ancient astrologers who are the ancestors of our tradition.

January 2015 Newsletter

Is This Archeological Artifact the First Astrology Computer?

Freeth Model of Antikythera Mechanism Discovered at the start of the 1900s as part of the Antikythera shipwreck, the so-called Antikythera mechanism could be the first world's first astrological "computer." New research sheds light on the inner workings of the mechanism, which is now known to be used to calculate planetary positions and eclipses. This month, Demetra is pleased to offer you an extensive article about the device's history, and its importance in filling in some of our knowledge gaps about the formation of astrology during the Hellenistic period.

This exciting discovery gets us a little closer to understanding the "quantum leap" astrological theory took at the time, as well as insight into some of the great thinkers who may have invented and/or used the device.

November 2014 Newsletter

Ebola in the U.S. and Hellenistic Maltreatment Aspects

The nation has been gripped with concern for the well-being of the American public over the arrival of the Ebola virus to our homeland. On September 20th Thomas Eric Duncan came to the United States from Liberia to visit family. On September 24th Duncan went to Texas Presbyterian Health Hospital in Dallas with a fever and told a nurse he has been to Liberia. But he was sent home with antibiotics and Tylenol. On September 28th he returned to the hospital in an ambulance and was isolated; two days later on September 30 the CDC confirmed that the first patient on U.S. soil had been diagnosed with Ebola. In the days following his hospitalization and eventual death, two nurses involved in his direct care were diagnosed as also having contracted the virus.

July 2014 Newsletter

Maleficient, Angelina Jolie, and the Winged Goddess Asteroids

When films, or any piece of theater or art, reflect archetypal themes derived from myth or fairy tales, they can have a universal appeal and evoke a catharsis in the observer. Arising from Jung’s ‘collective unconscious,’ these motifs speak to the resolutions of the dramas of the human condition. Many Asclepian healing sanctuaries in antiquity contained Theatres of Dionysos, which suggests that viewing the timeless Greek tragedies was part of the healing cure.

Maleficient, starring Angelina Jolie in a critically acclaimed performance, is “the untold story of Disney's most iconic villain from the 1959 classic Sleeping Beauty." A beautiful, pure-hearted young woman with stunning black wings, Maleficent has an idyllic life growing up in a peaceable forest kingdom, until one day when an invading army of humans threatens the harmony of the land. Maleficent rises to be the land's fiercest protector, but she ultimately suffers a ruthless betrayal - an act that begins to turn her pure heart to stone. Bent on revenge, Maleficent faces an epic battle with the king of the humans and, as a result, places a curse upon his newborn infant Aurora. As the child grows, Maleficent realizes that Aurora holds the key to peace in the kingdom - and to Maleficent's true happiness as well.

June 2014 Newsletter

Amazing Asteroid Tales

This coming Saturday on the Summer Solstice, I will present the next webinar in the ongoing series on each of the twelve astrological houses. The Seventh House illuminates the relationships that we have with the ‘other’ – whether that person is our mate, business partner, opponent, or even our open enemy.

The symbolism of the Summer Solstice, which marks the culmination of the growth of the light force from its awakening at the Winter Solstice, is an apt metaphor for a discussion of the seventh house which likewise marks the polarity point of the growth of the individual’s awareness of self from its emergence in the first house. Deeper reflection about this sector brings us to consider how love and marriage can easily turn into strife and enmity – the dynamic dance of Venus and Mars.

June 2014 New Release Update

New Webinar Date and New Audio Releases!

We're pleased to announce the date for Demetra's next webinar on the 7th House. Join us Saturday, June 21. Details below.

This month we're also releasing three new audio programs, including the recent lecture Demetra gave to the New York NCGR chapter on Teresa of Avila.

In this very special program, Demetra does a wonderful job sifting through the remarkable details of Teresa's life to uncover the footprint of the asteroids Vesta, Juno and Psyche. She take an extensive look at her transits and secondary progressions in what proves to be an engaging and illuminating lecture. More details below.

March 2014 Newsletter

The Underwater Realm of Malaysia Flight 370

One week after the mysterious disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight 370, its fate remains unknown. Our prayers are with the passengers and their families in the midst of their tragic grief and unanswered questions. What clues can be found in the chart of the take-off time that might point to where it is and whether the passengers are dead or alive? (March 8, 2104, 0:41 am, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

With each passing day, our hopes for their survival are lessened. Looking to the traditional approach, there are three places in a chart that are the significators of death – the eighth, seventh, and fourth houses.

The first place to look is the eighth house of death and fears. Here we see the presence of Jupiter, the ruler of Ascendant which indicates that the life of the event chart (1st house) is intimately connected with death and immersed in fear of death. While a general rule of thumb is that a benefic planet in good condition (Jupiter is exalted in Cancer) can suppress or prevent the difficult events of an unfortunate house (8th is in aversion to the Asc.), in this case Jupiter does not belong to the sect in favor (this is a nocturnal chart as the Sun is below the horizon), so its benefic power is lessened. In addition, an especially malefic Mars (detriment and retrograde) is applying to a square with Jupiter that will become exact during the Cardinal Cross of April 20-23. Around this time more information, disturbing and frightening in nature, may be revealed to the public about what really happened. Jupiter’s exaltation in Cancer speaks to the prominence of the event captivating the attention of the entire world and the passengers being honored after death or lauded for their courage if alive. Jupiter’s exaltation points to the continued hopes that the passengers have survived and the matter will turn out well in the end.

February 2014 Newsletter

The Day After… Valentines: Mercury in the Heart of the Sun

Many people both within and outside of the astrological community are aware of Mercury’s retrograde transit several times each year and heed the warning to refrain from signing contracts or buying cars or computers. But there is less awareness of the magical qualities of this time out of mind which culminates at the midpoint of the retrograde passage when Mercury enters into the heart of the Sun. This potent planetary alignment occurs on February 15th, the day after Valentines.

Mercury is the swiftest planet in the solar system, and ancient astrologers placed him under the auspices of Hermes, the divine messenger who was the patron god of travelers in both the upper and under worlds. Archetypal Mercury could manifest as the mischievous youth, the wise sage, or the psychopomp – guide of souls into and out of the underworld. For several weeks each year when the planet Mercury turns retrograde, he embodies the qualities of the psychopomp traveling deep within to the heart of the great mystery of death and renewal.