This is a chart done for the period of time in which I treated my strokes as priority number one....the period of time in which I made looking after myself more important than any other priorities.
I have selected a New Moon chart because there is some discrepancy between the way my wife remembers the events and the way I do and a stroke is where large chunks of the brain become useless for a time. I had lost a lot of functionality over that period but, for all that I had lost, my sense of “reading awareness” never went anywhere; I could still read a chart and cards, even as I struggled with English.
As it happened the “gig” I did on that Friday night was to be the last one I would do in America. I had been asked to read at a party which had been scheduled for the Leo new moon. I explained to the hostess that I had endured a number of strokes, that I was speaking very quietly at the time and could she please accommodate that; all of which she did and we had a fantastic night.
I was driving home at “stupid o-clock” in the morning; that was the last time I drove in America. Nothing bad happened on the way home, but I had been increasingly aware of just how much concentration it took to drive on the wrong side of the road and the wrong side of the car; (I originally come from Australia) and the road is not a place for someone who is continually second-guessing himself.
I had a number of strokes in the eighteen months before but I was determined to “heal myself” hoping that I could make new pathways quick enough not to be too inconvenient. My experience driving had begun to teach me that it was getting more difficult, not less, and that if I wanted to fix myself I had to make recovery my top priority.
I had only been to the hospital in America for my very first stroke; (which cost me 8,000 dollars out of pocket for a 60,000 bill) only to be told by the Neurologist that I had not had a stroke and that the symptoms would clear up in a couple of days -over two years have passed and I still have those “short-lived” symptoms.
The second stroke happened while I was ill with a fever and it paralyzed the entire left side of my body. I have most of the ability back, but it worried me for a month or more and my balance has not recovered.
The third stroke happened on my son’s eleventh birthday, and that is the day I could not speak. It was as though my tongue had grown an extra 2 inches in length in an instant... one minute I could talk, the next minute I could not, and no amount of trying made any difference. My wife asked me then if I wanted to go to the hospital, but I refused being that we were still paying for our first visit!
The fourth stroke happened as I was driving and became instantly aware that I was on the wrong side of the car on the wrong side of the road. I very quickly reoriented myself, but from that moment on, driving became increasingly difficult until I had to turn in my keys.
The 4 strokes are visible on my MRI these days.
This is the moon under which I made the decision to take care of myself. So let’s take a look at it. I am reading this as a decumbiture chart, the chart where one takes to one’s bed to get over an illness. I did not actually take to my bed, but I do (and still do) sleep for many hours more than is normal.
Having mutable rising gives a medium-term decumbiture meaning it will neither be quickly resolved (which would have a cardinal sign rising) but nor will it have a long-term detrimental effect (which would have fixed rising).
I can be grateful for that much, because a stroke can leave a person entirely altered. It seems that I will recover from this one. It will take time, but I am lucky.
We notice first that it is a Leo new moon, in close conjunction with Jupiter in 9 and has Sagittarius rising, which gives rulership of this Moon clearly to Jupiter; if I were to rectify any event over the next two weeks Jupiter would feature prominently in it as would the Sun (Leo). Leo is also the 9th house of my natal chart- a quick look at my 9th house in the equal Ascendant chart gives you an idea of just how important 9th house energy is to me.
We then notice that the degree of the Sun-Moon conjunction is 3 Leo, a degree that has the terms of Jupiter and the decan of Saturn. The Ascending degree is 28 Sagittarius which is in the terms of Mars and the decan of Saturn again. The culminating degree (MC, 23 Libra) is in the terms of Venus and the decan of Jupiter. The IC of this chart is in the terms of Mars and the decan of Venus. The chart’s Descendant angle is in the terms of Saturn and the decan of the Sun.
Where timing is concerned, the two beginning angles are the MC and the Ascendant. The two ending angles are the IC and the Descendant
Of all of these, Saturn and Mars are in the 12 house of Scorpio rendering both largely powerless, (12 house means their power is felt rather than seen and Mars in Scorpio is not to be trifled with) though Saturn shares a reception of sorts (by decan) with the Sun, giving the Sun more malevolent energy than is otherwise indicated. Venus is in the 8th house rendering it immobile as well.
An alternative approach to my health is suggested by the 5th harmonic in this chart. Sun, Moon, Jupiter, Ascendant, Uranus, Neptune and Saturn are all part of a 5th axial harmonic (10th traditional harmonic) pattern. With this level of fortitude behind the Sun and Moon, this Moon was bound to make a difference.
Timing in this chart seems to be determined by the MC and its close proximity to the Moon’s nodes. I will look at my Nodal return (June 2015) for a clue.
Beyond that, Saturn’s decan features most prominently
Mercury and Venus in the 8th house suggest neither my fine motor skills nor my musical inclinations will recover without a lot of work
That two week period saw me decide to return to Australia to seek an affordable and sensible health system. I have since made the move and seen a team of neurologists and cardiologists equal to any in the world. In short, as I see it I made the right decision. I now have my blood pressure under control and I am on the “monitoring” list rather than the “urgent care” list.
Once I took my strokes seriously, the way ahead became clear and recovery is ongoing and persistent. My wife and youngest son have since joined me in Australia. I continue to get better, there is not time for feeling sorry for myself.
At the moment I am becoming aware again of the passage of time. I have been “living in the moment” more or less since my last stroke. Living in the moment is something that lots of people strive for. Having been there a while I can assure you that, while living in the moment has its advantages, the is a lot to be said for remaining aware of the passage of time, specifically where living in the mundane world is concerned.
I am now at the point where I can write about this. Along with my speech, I had to learn to type again and write again because all three were fundamentally affected by the stroke. I have never had any problem formulating the words, but the passage out was rough for a while. In November 2014 I performed an hour-and-a-half lecture, and that achievement brought it all back because I perceived a need for it.
Anyway, that is my story, and that is the reason I have been so quiet when Musical Astrology has taken off!!
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