Male: May 26, 1956, 1:30 PM; Lat. 41N Long. 74W.

  Signs on Cusps of Houses: ASC/Virgo 16:17; 2nd House/Libra 11; 3rd House/ Scorpio 11; 4th House/Sagittarius 14; 5th House/Capricorn 18; 6th House/Aquarius 20.

  Positions of the Planets: Uranus/Leo 8:17; Pluto/Leo 29:48R; Moon/Virgo 11:53; Jupiter/Libra 22:35R; Neptune/Scorpio 2:36R; Dragon's Head/Scorpio 29:40; Saturn/Sagittarius 23:45R; Mars/Pisces 21:41; Venus/Aries 23:47; Mercury/Taurus 12:38; Sun/Gemini 4:57

   One of the points which becomes evident after studying this chart for a little while is the strength of the emotional nature which yearns for expression. The ordinary powers of expression would hardly suffice to meet his natural inclination to talk, as shown by the Moon in Virgo on the ASC and Sun in Gemini. Instead of the fluent speech of Mercury in Taurus (which rules the throat) the instrument is flawed — the boy stutters badly. He hesitates and stumbles spasmodically in speaking, due to the difficulty in pronouncing initial consonants caused by a spasm of the throat muscles. This is the result of Mercury square to spasmodic, erratic Uranus. Many people have Mercury in detrimental aspect to Uranus, but all do not stutter. Aquarius, which is ruled by Uranus, is on the cusp of the health (6th) house, indicating the aspect manifests as a physical disability.

   Uranus is also square to Neptune in Scorpio, intensifying the feelings, and when afflicted as in this case, tends to secrecy and quick temper. This tension could also affect his heart.

   Another powerful aspect which reflects his emotional reactions is Mars in Pisces square to Saturn in Sagittarius. This aspect is the embodiment of temper; there is no relief in his violent reactions because the native resents anything which does not fall in with his desires (Mars).

   Here is an individual with a powerful, uncontrolled energy, denied the full ability to express it. Naturally he is terribly frustrated. How can we expect him to become relaxed enough to learn to control the spasmodic action of the throat muscles? Unless he realizes that his inner tensions and resentful temper must be turned into selfless expression, he will not overcome his stuttering.

   Incidentally, in his case, the stuttering is not due to his parents' attitude toward him; the Moon (mother) is trine to Mercury, and the Sun (father) is sextile Uranus. The stuttering is innate in himself.

   An interesting facet of this chart is the outstanding quality of his "mental" planets:

   Moon (instinctual mind) is square Sun and trine Mercury;

   Mercury(reasoning mind) is square Uranus and trine Moon;

   Jupiter(higher mind) is opposition Venus and sextile Saturn;

   Neptune(spiritual mind) is square Uranus.

   All but Neptune have a good aspect. If he learns through his frustrations how futile it is to respond so destructively and seeks to harmonize these forces within himself, the tension will lessen and he can minimize his problems.

   Our behavior in a previous life determines the kind of experiences and opportunities we have this life. The Lords of Destiny give us parents who will provide the kind of body necessary to challenge the lower will of the person. it is likely this boy has refused to acknowledge that his tempestuous emotions should be disciplined, so he was limited in such a way that he himself suffered most from the cauldron within.

   Male: February 21, 1952, 7:15 PM, Lat. 43N, Long. 88W.

  Signs on Cusps of Houses: ASC/Virgo 24; 2nd House/Libra 19; 3rd House/Scorpio 19; 4th House/Sagittarius 23; 5th House/Capricorn 27; 6th House/Aquarius 28.

  Positions of Planets: Saturn/Libra 14:16R; Neptune/Libra 21:27R; Mars/ Scorpio 12:59; Moon/Capricorn 16:5; Venus/Aquarius 1:10; Dragon's Head/Pisces 00:40; Mercury/Pisces 2:19; Sun/Pisces 2:22; Jupiter/Aries 14:34; Uranus/Cancer 10:10R; Pluto/Leo 19:35R.

   This brave individual chose through destiny to draw his first breath in the bitter depth of the long Korean War, when the atmosphere was permeated with feelings of futility and depression. Consequently, it is hardly surprising that he should manifest similar qualities in the personality during the impressionable years of childhood and youth. Saturn rising indicates a careful, worrisome disposition, greatly lacking in confidence, especially during childhood. Virgo rising adds to these tendencies: a nervous tension and personal doubt produce awkwardness and a weak, soft-spoken mien. Regarding this phase of the character we find Mercury, the lord of the Ascendant, and the Sun, significator of the individuality, posited in Pisces. This intensifies the tendencies to diffidence and timorous fancy, strongly inclined toward personal and individual self-abnegation on the positive pole, and lack of self-respect and shameless indulgence in "martyrdom" on the negative pole. The Spirit is probably learning objectively some very harsh lessons in this respect through humiliation during his younger years, and he well may have borne the brunt of the derision, unpleasant nicknames, and ridicule that youth so freely can pour forth. The net result is that he sinks further within himself in a protective world of imagination.

   However, underneath the protective dreaminess is the potentially explosive grand square from cardinal signs. An afflicted Moon in Capricorn can indicate a certain melancholy and hardness, or at least some unresponsiveness; square Saturn places restrictions upon the feeling nature, and square a fire sign Jupiter and opposition an angular Uranus indicate poor and erratic judgment and probably at least occasional open rebellion, perhaps manifest later in life. Worse yet is the latent capacity for brooding over hurts (Saturn square Moon) to the extent of dreaming subtle ways (Neptune square Moon) of wreaking vengeance; though the boy perhaps would not, except under extreme provocation, have the self-assurance to carry the ideas into action.

   Besides the obvious lack of confidence (Mercury and Sun in Pisces and Saturn in the 1st) the native is troubled with frequent colds and chronic congestions and allergies. The Sun (and likely ruler) in Pisces and the 6th generally indicate a low vitality, possibly due to voluntary non-participation and laziness in the past, that is liable to "chronic colds" (Saturn). Virgo and Saturn rising also indicate physical frailty and sickliness, with the latter in its long-suffering application indicating chronic conditions. Saturn, as part of the grand square, especially is significant because of its cardinal and angular location, strongly afflicts the other Hyleg, the Moon, and is blocked by a very strong opposition from its planetary opposite, Jupiter.

   However, as most doctors, therapists, and healers know, attitude plays an important role in health and healing. In this case all the 1st and 6th house conditions indicate that much of the problem is self-protective or defensive hypochondria, the products of a highly imaginatory mentality which also might be the source of the allergies. The effects of the egocentric and indulgent rationalizations (Virgo and Pisces) seem to run far deeper, for Mercury is in its fall combust the Sun, indicating that the concentrative faculty already had been damaged by these self-deceptive and delusive tendencies. It is interesting to note how and where these tendencies are most manifest. Saturn's position, or its opposite (in this case almost exactly occupied by Jupiter), generally indicates one of the weakest parts of the body. Jupiter, which because of elevation and the Piscean flavor of the chart possibly has a slight edge in strength, is opposite Saturn, signifying a fundamental inability to balance judgment between expansion and contraction, between optimism and caution. This position from Aries, the brain and head sign, expands our previous observations of the boy's egocentricity by showing an extreme and almost blind pride that he is likely to hide. This tends to manifest the positive Jupiterian quality of expansion as congestive (Saturn) swelling or enlargement — in short, sinusitis. It also seems significant that the seed atom of the mind and the seat of the Silent Watcher are close to the sinuses, symbolically in the self-centered Aries.

   Fortunately, as usual, destiny provides the perfect compensating factors: in this case we find the ingenious and driving Mars-Uranus traits and the strongly motivating drives to material and professional responsibility indicated in the 2nd, 6th, and 10th houses.

   The Scorpio Mars sextile the Capricorn Moon also gives an abundance of energy which can be used for constructive work, and the sextile of Saturn and Neptune to Pluto can add stable spiritual direction to the efforts. Moreover, all the 1st and 7th house negative tendencies can be regeneratively directed into channels of service. Humanitarian volunteer work, professional discipline and constructive work therapy are the keys to the fulfillment of this life.