It’s understandable that we astrologers want to demonstrate that our techniques provide accurate results. Astrology is castigated by the more respectable sciences as a pseudo-science, a quasi-science, or worse.

However well-intentioned, we do astrology a disservice when we “stretch the truth” in the evidence we marshal to support a particular technique.

I’ve been studying for the Astro*Carto*Graphy Certification Exam. There are two case studies that are very common in the written literature on Astro*Carto*Graphy. The first is the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy (JFK) in Dallas, TX on 22 November 1963. The other is UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Both cases contain misstatements.

Dallas and JFK

JFK was born at 3:15 PM in Brookline, MA on 29 May 1917. The Rodden Rating for this birthdate and time is an “A.”

The common claim is that JFK’s Pluto MC line runs right through Dallas, TX. No less than Michael Harding and Charles Harvey make this exact claim in their chapter “Astro*Carto*Graphy” in Working with Astrology: The Psychology of Harmonics, Midpoints, and Astro*Carto*Graphy by the same authors. They even present a map with a line marked Pluto and a dot for Dallas in the center of the line.

The truth is, JFK’s Pluto MC line doesn’t even run through Texas at all. It runs through Eastern Louisiana and it doesn’t come closer to Dallas than approximately 200 miles.

To make the portentious case even more compelling for Dallas, they claim that two parans run through Dallas. One a crossing of Sun IC and Uranus ASC near Tehran and the other in mid-Atlantic (a crossing of Uranus IC and Mars DSC). These parans are supposed to be on the same longitude as Dallas. Again, this is an exaggeration, as neither paran comes near Dallas, TX. The Sun IC and Uranus ASC comes closest and can best be described as running approximately over Phoenix, AZ. The other is much further away and could best be described as running approximately over New Orleans, LA. In other words, the parans don’t even share the same longitude at all.

If we apply a reasonable orb to the Pluto Ascendant line in Eastern Louisiana, we could argue for a weak Pluto effect in Dallas. The effects of parans quickly dissipate. A weak effect for the Sun IC and Uranus ASC paran was possible, too.

So, why all the effort to paint an astrological bull’s eye on Dallas with Astro*Carto*Graphy? Since Harding and Harvey understand the technique, a reasonable conclusion is that they wanted to bolster the case for Astro*Carto*Graphy.

One cannot make a compelling case that Dallas, TX was an ominous location for JFK using Astro*Carto*Graphy. In fact, a complementary method called Cyclo*Carto*Graphy shows Dallas free and clear on the day of his assassination (and several months previous).

A C*C*G  map applies transits to the slower planets and secondary progressions to the to faster planets. The only line even approaching Texas near the assassination was JFK’s Mars ASC and that just brushes the westernmost tip of Texas — a long way from Dallas.

Margaret Thatcher

There are two cases typically presented for Margaret Thatcher. One exaggerated. The other, quite accurate. It is the latter case that is the more compelling, too.

Margaret Thatcher was born at 9:00 AM on 13 October 1925 at Grantham, England. Grantham is approximately 100 miles north of London.

Harding and Harvey make the claim that she has “her Saturn in Grantham.” Not even close, I’m afraid. The closest her Saturn IC comes to any major UK city is Edinburgh, up in Scotland.

A reasonable orb would include Grantham. Most likely a weak to moderate Saturn effect. And, Harding and Harvey did place the claim in quotes. So, they had to know that the Saturn effect was a bit overstated.

It’s important for astrologers to be precise about our claims when we describe our methods and our techniques.

The really compelling case for Margaret Thatcher and Astro*Carto*Graphy is the Falklands War.

Her Mars ASC comes close to both the Falkland Islands and Buenos Aires. The same for her Sun ASC. Those lines bracket both the Falklands and Buenos Aires.

In addition, her Mercury ASC line is well within orb for at least a moderate effect with the Falklands. Her Saturn DSC line slashes through Western Argentina.

I haven’t seen anyone produce a C*C*G map of Argentina and the Falkland Islands for the start of the Falklands War (2 April 1982).

At the start of the War, Margaret Thatcher had both ASC Saturn and ASC Moon bracket the Falkland Islands. Well within orb for major effects.

Just as we consult a natal chart for the impact of progressions and transits, the C*C*G is evaluated together with the A*C*G. The C*C*G activates  lines in the A*C*G. In the case of Margaret Thatcher her C*C*G lines would activate the Mars ASC and Sun ASC lines in her A*C*G map.

Margaret Thatcher gambled her Prime Minister post and won big in British public opinion, propelling her to another term as Prime Minister.

Conclusion

I’m not criticizing Astro*Carto*Graphy, I find it to be an extremely useful tool for relocation astrology and for mundane astrology. It’s my go-to technique.

I believe a sound case has been made for Astro*Carto*Graphy. We don’t need to exaggerate our claims to make that case.

I don’t believe Astro*Carto*Graphy is the most egregious example of exaggeration and misstatement in astrology. It just happened to be the example I had conveniently within reach this morning.

We all need to take care in our claims for astrology. We need to avoid misstatements and  exaggerations as we try to present a compelling, logical case for our preferred astrological tools and techniques.

PLEASE NOTE: Astro*Carto*Graphy and Cyclo*Carto*Graphy are registered trademarks of the Astro*Carto*Graphy Trust.