posted March 17, 2008 03:58 AM              

Please take a look at this chart and tell me what stands out the most and why. Obviously there's a grand cross/square there, but the astrology experts amongst you may be able to tell me more than the obvious (I hope).

I'm not going to say much yet about this person, other than that he is very close to me and that I worry for him, especially in terms of his future. Is there cause for my worry, based on his chart? And how can I help him?

Thanks very much for any response!

The chart:

posted March 17, 2008 04:30 AM              

I'm glad you didn't notice anything (beyond the normal challenging aspects) that is a huge cause for concern.

Maybe a little bit of backstory would give a clearer picture.

This is my younger brother's chart. He recently was duped of most of his savings by a "business partner", and may be declared a bankrupt soon if he is unable to pay off his (many) loans. The thing is my parents do not know how deep in financial sh*t he is in, because he hardly tells us. He gives us the impression that everything is fina and dandy, when it clearly isn't. He seems to easily fall prey to unscrupulous people who promise him big dreams. He starts a project only to lose focus and move on to whatever people around him say is the next big thing. He quit a perfectly decent job 3 years ago to pursue these big dreams of his. It's good to be ambitious (which he is), but another to be completely impractical. He doesn't seem like the typical cancer - financially-savvy.

Besides career issues, or lack-of, there's an addiction issue that I'm worried about. He hasn't admitted to it, but I fear he may be alcohol-dependant (to put it mildly). Currently, he works as a bartender to make ends meet. Not a good idea, I've told him, but he doesn't feel he has a problem ("I can hold my drink very well, thank you very much").

My mother's getting worried about him, hence my worry.

posted March 17, 2008 04:56 AM            

that indicates the potential for oversensitivity,overly imaginative,addictions,deception,confusion,uncertainty,dreaminess,overidealism,
impracticalness.
with the Moon involved in that grand cross, there could have been significant problems with mother that might have some of the aforementioned issues. Also those issues that he has can affect his relationships with important women...especially with his Moon in 7th house.

BTW..Bartender is the worst job for a person with highly challenged Neptune which indicates potential for alcoholism and other addictions.

Grand Cross indicates a great deal of developmental tension,stress.
A grand cross is very challenging by itself.

His Moon is also quincunx Pluto which indicates emotional intensity,obsessiveness as well as power struggles with women including especially the mother. There are usually trust issues with that aspect...seeing that he has the very challenged Neptune..the trust issues can stem from being betrayed by people he trust because he can be gullible,naive(the very challenged Neptune). Moon quincunx Pluto can indicate potential health problems because quincunx is a health aspect.

His Sun is quincunx Neptune too,and that can uncertain identity,self expression..possible confusion,deception......can indicate those can be issues connected to the father(Sun). Sun quincunx Neptune can indicate potential health problems because quincunx is a health aspect.

He has Sun square Pluto which indicates an intense ego,identity...can be obsessive and too intense for his own good. This can power issues connected to the father too.

He has to try to be practical and keep his feet on the ground to resolve that grand cross.

His Mercury-Jupiter in Leo in 12th also can indicate potential for deception,secrets(12th house stuff)square Uranus (unexpected,instability in 2nd(finances,money). Mercury-Jupiter in Leo in 12th square Uranus in 2nd looks like potential to get involved with "get rich quick" schemes. Chiron in Taurus in 8th(shared resources,others money) is also square Mercury. There could be some feelings inadequacy that affect how he communicates and he might not feel smart even though he is because of being an outside the box thinker with an alternative learning style.
His Saturn-North Node-Ascendant in Virgo can also indicate that.

his chart shows considerable issues with the parents....if he doesn't have a good relationship with his parents, that can really affect his relationships with others.
Pluto square Sun and quincunx Moon indicate that there can be betrayal connected to his parents. it could just be a perception of betrayal that that manifests into trust issues and keeping secrets from his parents. There could be resentment issues connected to his past that he might need to sort out.

His Neptune conjunct the Imum Coeli involved in his t-square indicates a possible dysfunctional family,homelife,roots that involve deception,confusion,escapism.....like if he's an alcoholic, it could be connected to a family history of alcoholism.

with his Neptune involved in the grand cross,I'd say that being spiritually oriented could help him resolve his issues. He needs to find a spiritual center in himself with a strong Neptune influence like he has. With the strong psychic sensitivity indicated by that that strong Neptune influence(Moon in Pisces is psychic emotional sponge..so is Moon square Neptune), he needs to stay away from negative people. He needs to be able sort out his feelings and distinguish his feelings from others' feelings.

the grand cross is the strongest challenge theme in his life. Aspect patterns are very important. I focus more on planetary geometry than I do on zodiac sign,house placements.

He definitely has major challenges in his chart, but he can work them out.
Free will is the ultimate factor. The future is what he makes of it by the decisions and actions he makes.

Luckily, he has a water grand trine,and that could help him. There is an emotional self sufficiency that can work for him if he trusts in it. The Moon,Sun,Uranus grand trine can be very innovative,independent. There can be intuitive flashes and brilliance. with Uranus in 2nd involved, he could end up making money from unusual things and/or have financial independence...an entrepreneur. That's a great grand trine to have for an astrologer if he ever decides to go that path. Professional astrologers are always self employed as its an unconventional profession.

btw...I never read anything about Cancers being financially savvy.....also...there is things that will modify any way like your brother's Moon in Pisces square Neptune and his overal highly challenged Neptune.

my maternal grandfather had Sun in Cancer and had Moon in Pisces, and he sucked at handling money. my maternal stepgrandmother took care of the money,and she has Sun in Virgo and Moon in Taurus.

posted March 17, 2008 06:27 AM            

Grand Cross -> there's a Grand Cross on my synastry chart. Some of what is written below is true - constant trials and obstacles. Not always caused by our own bad judgement - random bad luck exists in the universe and we have had some of it. But we have got through it and are closer now than ever.

Although it is a tough configuration, it doesn't spell disaster and doom. And like Glaucus says, your brother has been handed the gift of a Grand Trine, it's almost a cosmic consolation prize. Thinking about it, we have one of those on our synastry chart, too. I think that plays out as the ability to live through the tough times and hold it together. Maybe that is what your brother is like, as well. He might well end up a stronger person when he sorts out the problems he's got right now.

If I recall correctly, the Grand Cross is present on the natal charts of Henry Kissinger and Albert Schweitzer, two men who were very successful in different ways. It may present the kind of personal challenge and inner conflict that pushes to excellence.

http://www.astrology-numerology.com/configurations.html

The Grand Cross consists of four or more planets spread at intervals of approximately 90°. Thus, a cross or two oppositions is formed in the chart. This configuration generally indicates a person living under continuous stress and facing a seemingly never ending series of challenges. Likewise, the Grand Cross is also representative of the individual is never able to rest until his purpose is actualized. This aspect places your life in a constant state of tension and upheaval.

If the configuration is made up of planets in Mutable signs:

posted March 17, 2008 10:31 AM              

Glaucus,
Most of what you stated are so close to home, it's eerie...
"... there could have been significant problems with mother that might have some of the aforementioned issues" - my mother has never been the touchy-feely/affectionate type. Don't get me wrong, she took good care of us, never neglected us, but she was a strict disciplinarian. As far as issues with her... my brother was packed off to a boarding school when he was 12, he really did not want to go and for the next few months, kept begging my mother to let him come back home. I'm not too sure if it was that traumatic for him, but as you say, he is a very sensitive person, so he might have felt "unwanted". But otherwise, he's quite close to mum.

"He has Sun square Pluto which indicates an intense ego,identity...can be obsessive and too intense for his own good. This can power issues connected to the father too."

This seems more accurate as there seems to be this huge need to prove to our father that he can and will make it big. This is the reason he's living/working in another country - he felt he was destined to succeed on foreign soil. He told us when he decided to move that the next time we see him, he'll be a dashing multi-millionaire with incredible stories to share. Ambitious or illusions/delusions?

He does have a very sweet disposition about him that makes him (in my opinion) easy prey - the recent case is the 3rd failed "joint venture" in 2 years. He always get super excited when he meets someone whom he believes can help him succeed, and these people almost always turn out to be very sophisticated, worldly, educated, and rich. He falls in love with their world and wants to live like they do. Time and time again however, these smartly-dressed guys offer him empty promises. He cannot be that gullible! He's a uni-educated, smart kid who has travelled half the world.

Maybe it's just the elder sister in me - it pains me to see him moving from one thing to the next without much focus. Or maybe it's just my Virgo moon.

I really hope, as you both say, Glaucus & blue moon, that the grand water trine will work to his advantage. Maybe it'll take him a while before he truly tastes success.

As far as the alcohol-dependency issue... it's hard to see how bad it is since we're in different countries and I can only go by with what his friends tell me. They beleive he has a bit of a problem. He was fired from a previous job when he kept showing up hungover. He's very social and attends a lot of parties for the free drinks. I'll be visiting him in May, I haven't seen him in over a year and I need to make sure he's OK.

posted March 17, 2008 11:13 AM            

He also seems to have an entrepeneurial spirit which many ADHDers have.

BTW..I am just saying that he seems to have some ADHD traits. I don't even view ADHD as a disorder. I just believe that it's an alternative way of being,thinking,and learning that doesn't fit mainstream educational institutions and people's views of what normal is as very misunderstood by others who aren't similar to them. Some believe that ADHD is a gift.

The traits that you described fit my 2 maternal uncles and me for that matter.
They are gifted in their own way. One of my uncles was singled out for his hyperactivity as a child,and he was recommended to be medicated,but my stepgrandmother refused because she didn't want the drugs to mess up their brain. My uncles definitely had problems in relationships. My other uncle had so many jobs including he was also a bartender and even got to run a club owned by Olivia Brown,an actress from Miami Vice.
that uncle has Mercury square Uranus and Moon square Neptune like your brother. He finally settled down and is married with 4 children. My other uncle has a wide Moon square Neptune along with Moon in Aquarius oppose Uranus-Ascendant. He had a short-lived catering business,and he had drug/alcohol problems. He was married young,twice divorced,and 3 children.

Your brother seems gifted,but he needs to learn discipline to channel his gift into something constructive.

I have Moon in Pisces square Neptune in 3rd like your brother.
BTW....I am diagnosed inattentive type ADHD at the age of 32 years old. I went and got diagnosed because I was misdiagnosed Bipolar which many ADHD adults are misdiagnosed as having because the symptoms overlap. I don't take medication for ADHD either. I got a B average in my Massage therapy class with perfect attendance without the use of any ADHD medication. It was my discipline and willpower. As a person with ADHD,I have a strong ability to hyperfocus as well as think outside the box. I even think that my Dyslexia,Dyspraxia,ADHD outside the box thinking helps me as an astrologer as well as creative writing when I was school. Creativity is common thing for all 3 neurodivergent conditions.

Thom Hartmann has site that talks about the Edison Gene: ADHD: Gifted and Creative

Interestingly in India, ADHD types are seen as people who are old soul souls, near the end of their karmic cycle.

What exactly defines those bearing this genetic makeup? Edison-gene children and adults are by nature:

* Enthusiastic
* Creative
* Disorganized
* Non-linear in their thinking (they leap to new conclusions or observations)
* Innovative
* Easily distracted (or, to put it differently, easily attracted to new stimuli)
* Capable of extraordinary hyperfocus
* Understanding of what it means to be an "outsider"
* Determined
* Eccentric
* Easily bored
* Impulsive
* Entrepreneurial
* Energetic

All of these qualities lead them to be natural:

* Explorers
* Inventors
* Discoverers
* Leaders

Those carrying this gene, however, often find themselves in environments where they're coerced, threatened, or shoehorned into a classroom or job that doesn't fit. When Edison-gene children aren't recognized for their gifts but instead are told that they're disordered, broken, or failures, a great emotional and spiritual wounding occurs. This wounding can bring about all sorts of problems for children, for the adults they grow into, and for our society.

I and many scientists, educators, physicians, and therapists believe that when these unique children don't succeed in public schools, it's often because of a disconnect between them — their brains are wired to make them brilliant inventors and entrepreneurs — and our schools, which are set up for children whose brains are wired to make them good workers in the structured environments of a factory or office cubicle.

Those children whom we call "normal" are more methodical, careful, and detail-oriented and are less likely to take risks. They often find it hard to keep it together and perform in the rapid-fire world of the Edison-gene child: They don't do as well with video games, couldn't handle working in an emergency room or on an ambulance crew, and seldom find themselves among the ranks of entrepreneurs, explorers, and salespeople.

Similarly, Edison-gene children have their own strengths and limitations: They don't do well in the school environment of repetition, auditory learning, and rote memorization that has been set up for "normal" kids, and they don't make very good bookkeepers or managers. Genetically these kids are pioneers, explorers, and adventurers. They make great innovators, and they find high levels of success in any field where there's a lot of change, constant challenge, and lots of activity. Such personalities are common among emergency room physicians, surgeons, fighter pilots, and salespeople.

posted March 17, 2008 11:25 AM              

He is a very talented person, very artistic. He used to sketch cartoons all the time when he was younger, and he graduated with a degree in art and film history. He's also very much into fashion and at one point thought he might have enough talent to audition for Project Runway.

posted March 17, 2008 11:40 AM            

I wasn't diagnosed until 32 years old.
Not all ADHDers are hyperactive. Many are the inattentive type(the daydreamer type),and I was diagnosed inattentive type myself. I feel that there is a hyperactivity(fidgeting in my seat,talked a lot in class) that I have, but I turned it inward because I didn't want to get a spanking by my parents. I got spanked as a kid. I was under a lot of discipline and structure by my mother and stepfather.
My parents were very critical of me,and they thought I was lazy and not applying myself. I thought that I was stupid. They didn't understand the troubles that I had with school with my Dyslexia,Dyspraxia,ADHD nor did I. I was in special education for a few years. But since I was mainstreamed from 3rd to end of high school,they seem to forget that I had special needs. I also compensated.
I was always very absentminded and disorganized like the typical inattentive type ADHD,and that really rubbed my parents the wrong way. My mother had her own learning difference,ADHD issues, and my stepfather was very anal. He criticized both of us.

It really felt good to show my mother my diagnoses of ADHD,Dyslexia,and Dyspraxia ( 2005,2006) to show and tell her that I always had problems and that they never went away. I just had some stuff corrected and compensated like many people with learning differences. My weaknesses are connected to my strengths. Like my strong nonlinear,visual thinking(thinking mainly in pictures,vivid imagination,3D visualization ability) led to confusion,distortion,misunderstanding of words,time,and directions. I am very good with writing stories and poetry as well as essays just like my 4 planets(Mercury,Venus,Jupiter,Neptune) in 3rd house suggest

My parents treated me like I was supposed to be leftbrained type when I am very rightbrained type. I wanted to do things that rightbrained people do,and they wanted me to do things that leftbrained people do. They wanted me to fit in the box.

One of my aunts a few years ago told me that she talked to my mom when I was in my early teens about being a screenplay writer because she thought my writing was very good(she even said that I can be right up there with Steven Spielberg...wish that she told me that in my teens!..hahahaha),but my mother told her that I am not going to do that. My mother said that I am going to be a doctor,lawyer,or a scientist.

I had thought about being a lawyer(actually a prosecutor),but I felt that the justice system is kinda corrupt and a lot of innocent people go to prison. As for the scientist,I wanted to be an inventor type which is rightbrained type and not the leftbrained types that are deep into analysis,statistics,skepticism,rationalism. I have always been fascinated with Astronomy even though I was an Astrology skeptic until 1998. I did want to get in show business including screenplay writing,acting,producing,and directing. It turned out that I even was born on the same day(October 29,1971) as Winona Ryder,but I didn't know that until 1998 at the age of 27 from an Astro-Numerology book.

I'd hate boarding school with a passion....especially with it full of structure,routine which are things that I have problems with. I had problems when I was in the Navy for 7 years. I had joined for security reasons and because I was uncertain about what to do in my life.

I really wish the best for your brother. He and I seemed to have similarities that reflect our similar natal charts.
It seems that his parents wanted him to fit in the box which he didn't fit. Hopefully,he won't do the same for his future children.

The similarities that I have with your brother:

Virgo Ascendant
Sun trine Moon in Pisces
Moon in Pisces square Neptune in Sagittarius in 3rd
Neptune in Sagittarius in 3rd sextile Pluto in Libra in 1st
Moon quincunx Pluto in Libra in 1st
Uranus in 2nd
Chiron in 8th
bucket chart(his Moon is handle/only planet in Western Hemisphere,my Saturn is handle/only planet in Southern Hemisphere)
a planet in Gemini in 9th(his Mars,mine is Saturn)
Neptune in 3rd conjunct the Imum Coeli (mine is wider)
He has Sun in Cancer,and I have Sun in Scorpio
He has Venus in Cancer,and I have Venus in Scorpio
He has Sun square Pluto,and I have Sun contraparallel Pluto
He has Chiron trine Ascendant,I have Chiron parallel Ascendant
He has Mercury-Jupiter square Chiron, and I have Jupiter in 3rd trine Chiron
He has Moon square Mars,and I have Moon conjunct Mars
He has Moon trine Uranus,and I have Moon sesquiquadrate Uranus)
He has Mars oppose Neptune,and I have Mars square Neptune
He has Mercury trine Neptune,and I have Mercury parallel Neptune
He has Sun in 11th house,and I have Sun trine 11th house ruler(Moon)
He has a mutable cadent grand cross of Moon,Saturn,Neptune,and Mars, and I have a mutable cadent t-square of Moon,Saturn,Neptune

I view ADHD not as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder but as Attention Difference Hyperactivity Divergence.

Another thing too is that many ADHDers tend to self medicate with alcohol and/or drugs.
Alcoholism/Drug addictions runs strong on both sides of my family. So do the ADHD traits.

I was addicted to caffeine. I think that I self medicated with caffeinated drinks.

I use cod liver oil/fish oil now. I also love listening to music. I also have an audio-visual stimulator aka light and sound and machine.

seeing how his Moon is involved in a grand cross and quincunx Pluto, the developmental tension,friction with the mother seems very likely which would affect his relationships.
that Moon in Pisces square Neptune is very close orbed aspect too, and that's a very challenging aspect.

posted March 18, 2008 02:27 AM              

I'm glad to note that you and my brother share many similarities (astrologically-speaking), Glaucus. Since your family has a history of addiction, it was very wise of you to stay away from alcohol/drugs. Also, it is very admirable how you have managed to work through your challenging aspects (and life, in general). I'm assuming my brother is not much younger than you, and I hope he'll gain the maturity to work through his problems, too.

I've 2 uncles who had substance-abuse problems on my mother's side. One was an alcoholic, he passed away due to liver damage at the age of 49. The other has been in and out of rehab since as long as I can remember. I'm trying to convince my brother to get another job, but he says bartending is the only thing he's really good at and he needs the money to pay off his loans.

Bucket chart - something new to me. I'll look it up.

posted March 18, 2008 02:49 AM            

I empathize with the guy so much, I want to help some more

so...you can email me at fomalhauttis@earthlink.net
I can send you some free reports about him that give you some insight.
heck..I will even include a vocational guidance report to give insights into what could be good occupations for him.

but his chart does show strong potential for Astrology with that Sun,Moon,Uranus grand trine with the Uranus in 2nd. Mercury-Jupiter square Uranus can be good for Astrology because of thinking outside the box. The same with Mercury square Chiron.

His chart seems strong for the healing arts,creativity,art,and metaphysical subjects.

I was in the US Navy for 7 years during a period that I was confused about myself and was ignorant about Astrology.

I have a 720 hour Massage therapy course certificate.

I found my life purpose as a Dyslexia,Dyspraxia,learning disability,neurodivergent,neurodiversity, mental health human rights advocate/activist

Of course,I love doing Astrology whether it's doing readings or doing research.