Establishing the Sign of a City

1
I have been working on Traditional Meteorological techniques for my location (Bend Oregon US) and am beginning to discover the importance of establishing the correct charts for the correct events related to the location in question by Medieval Period standards.

The importance of "Root" charts is described by Abu Mashar in various places and most cycles of Mundane astrology must fit within the framework of a root chart, usually based on Saturn-Jupiter conjunctions and Aries Ingress charts. Though "Foundation" charts were used, they often were regarded within the Ingress of the year or were sensitive to degrees where Superior Conjunctions took place or were to take place in the future. Of course the particulars of this summary are still being worked out in translations and are open to speculation and interpretation, but this is how I view the methods and their cooperation with each other.

Whether looking at the Ingress/Foundation/Eclipse chart for a country (based on its capitol) or for a city itself, there must be a sign and ruling planet established for the region (not just the LOY), based on the root chart, that can give base indications for the region that can be compared with later charts. Many older authors give lists of particular signs and planets that rule this or that country/city/religion and give judgments based on the disposition of that planet/sign when considering Ingress charts. Many of Ezra's descriptions of planetary dispositions in Mundane charts suggest that only areas ruled by the particular signs/planets involved are likely to be affected.
So how does one establish the ruling Sign/Planet of a particular region?
Dynasties and Religions are usually "rooted" in Saturn-Jupiter conjunctions (in particular the "Great Conjunctions") and the sign they occurred in (or planets associated with the conjunction). Cities and Countries can be rooted in SJC's as well the Ingress that occurred prior to the Conjunction. The founding of a city or country can be linked to the rise of the first leader of that region as well or even his Nativity.

Easy enough, right?

As I began to work through the different charts I noticed similarities and patterns in significations that offered a way to choose a sign and planet for my city.

Bend Oregon was first incorporated as a town in January 1905. We recently celebrated our Centennial and it was then that I began researching various Mundane technique to employ with the dates that I had.
Bend, like most of Oregon, was a frontier town when settled. Abundant land and lumber provided investors an interest in the location for years. With an established Lumber Mill there were both settlers and transient mill workers who lived in the small community of local houses. Due to the unruly activities of the mill workers when they were given paychecks and days off, the citizens of Bend gathered petitions to incorporate the town, so that a police force could be established with tax revenue to bring some order to the local saloons and their patrons.
While our local Historical Society is amply stocked with notes and minutes from the founding meetings, the actual times are often absent. Nevertheless, it is these lost particulars that are the reason for the use of the Ingress charts. Before considering the previous Aries Ingress of 1904 there are some interesting dates that should be noted.
On January 5th 1905 votes were gathered and counted by the established county judges (Prineville Oregon, no time offered) to incorporate the township of Bend and appoint its first Mayor and aldermen. On January 11th 1905 the county clerk sent a sealed affirmation to the State Commissioner at the Oregon Capitol that the votes were verified (no time offered). However, on January 10th 1905 at 8:00pm the mayor and elected officials gathered to establish a recorder who could then grant funds to successive initiatives (the next topic was establishing a Town Marshall). This would be considered the first executive act of the elected ruler.
The Aries Ingress chart for the previous year had the Mutable sign Virgo rising, which traditionally indicates that another chart be drawn for the Libra Ingress. Upon inspection of that chart (Libra ingress) you will notice that not only does Virgo rise in that chart again, but the sign ruler Mercury is there as well.
While we should investigate all Ingress charts to determine weather changes and fluctuation in commodities prices, the Capricorn Ingress for 1904 is of special note because it precedes the actual Founding. In this chart, Virgo is rising again and Mercury is the closest planet in aspect from Capricorn.

From the above l take Virgo as the sign of the City of Bend and Mercury (especially in Capricorn) as its ruling planet.

When considering syzygies before Ingresses, especially eclipses (and other weather considerations), Mercury and its disposition will need to be considered, as will the placement of Virgo and the relationship they both have to the malefics and benefics.
I had some references to include, though I will have to edit my post later, this took a bit longer than anticipated :)
Western Predictive Astrology by Estebon Duarte Independent Researcher AMA MACAA
Natal Chart & Annual Solar Revolution Reports
www.organic-astrology.com

2
Hi, Estebon

I only saw your post now. I found your initiative very interesting and I think that this is the king of study that we need in mundane astrology, always so busy with hindsight predictions of current events.

I would like to just add a few comments.

I remember that it was once discussed in Interpres Stellarum the possibility of using also the syzygy as the inicial chart for cities, but nobody really worked the idea.

Should we use the Aries ingress or the previous cardinal ingress (if the ASC is common)? I really don?t have the answer, but I was reading Abu Mashar and I had the feeling that he would use the minor ingresses only for the everyday troubles, not for the big beginning charts. But maybe for cities the rules can be bend a little.

And, Abu Mashar and Mashalah say that one can also use the terms of a sign, rather than the whole sign, as the ruler of a country. So, Iraq is ruled by the terms of Jupiter in Cancer, for instance. Maybe this would be more interesting than just saying "virgo rules the city of Bend", to see if the terms would be afflicted.

But I would use this approach more for big events. Do you have any example that your approach would work on astrometeorology? Would you share these?

Best regards
Meu blog de astrologia (em portugues) http://yuzuru.wordpress.com
My blog of astrology (in english) http://episthemologie.wordpress.com

3
I definitely agree with the term ruler idea yuzuru, I wrote the above introduction for a Local Almanac to introduce the average citizen to Mundane Astrology without having to explain alot of intricacies. Further, with different degrees rising in the various ingresses I didn't want to rectify the chart to such a specific degree yet. Due to this I have yet to specify any one of these charts as the actual "root" chart for the incorporated area of Bend (especially when delineating politics), I am looking at them all to establish planetary patterns for Astrometeorology.
Bend weather is extremely erratic on a daily level, but we are in a high desert, so annual water/snow fall is important and we are susceptible to devastating forest fires in the summer and a high annual death rate on our icy roads in the winter. These trends (along with a volatile, high stakes real estate market, Bend is a resort town) fit into a predictable astrological scheme if the proper traditional techniques are employed. So while I won't be betting the bank on my research, it will be a fruitful project nonetheless.
Western Predictive Astrology by Estebon Duarte Independent Researcher AMA MACAA
Natal Chart & Annual Solar Revolution Reports
www.organic-astrology.com

4
I was recently reading "mundane astrology" by Baigent, Campion and Harvey (yes, I know...) and they were referencing an interesting point: that in traditional works one would pick the transits of the fixed stars to the ASC of the city or kingdom.

So, for instance, they claim that was the way that Lilly predicted the Great Fire of London (I am not that familiar with this prediction so I don?t know if this is correct). Zadkiel I predicted that London will decline in 2077 based on when Rigel will come to its ascendent.

Frawley said that the invasion of Bagdah was when the ASC of the city was transited by Aldebaran or Antares... so he also used this idea, although I believe he used the wrong time for Baghdah :-)

best regards.
Last edited by yuzuru on Mon Jul 26, 2010 11:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Meu blog de astrologia (em portugues) http://yuzuru.wordpress.com
My blog of astrology (in english) http://episthemologie.wordpress.com

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Yuzuru wrote:
I was recently reading "mundane astrology" by Baigent, Campion and Harvey (yes, I know...) and they were referencing an interesting point: that in traditional works one would pick the transits of the fixed stars to the ASC of the city or kingdom.
...Frawley said that the invasion of Bagdah was when the ASC of the city was transited by Aldebaran or Antares... so he also used this idea, although I believe he used the wrong time for Baghdah :-)
Hello Yuzuru,

Thats an interesting point. Its something I have even looked at in natal charts with people with fixed stars close to key horoscopic points. I had been thinking of checking this out for foundational ingress charts and national charts (sorry trads!). Good to see this has considerable precedence in the tradition. This might be an interesting topic to explore further on its own.

Thanks :'

Mark
As thou conversest with the heavens, so instruct and inform thy minde according to the image of Divinity William Lilly