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NeptuneCafe Presents
Eris, The Goddess of Discord and Chaos
In recent times, thousands of Trans-Neptunian Objects (TNOs) have been discovered using high-tech telescopes. Eris, the largest of these, had a hand in demoting Pluto to dwarf planet status. What does she add to the horoscope? Is it all bad?
Eris and the Apple of Discord
NewsScope, September 20, 2006; On September 13, the IAU declared that the distant planet originally referred to as Xena has been officially named Eris after the Greek goddess of discord. The IAU was nearly unanimous on the decision and had the approval of the object's discoverer, Mike Brown, who said that the name was an obvious choice, and "too perfect to resist."
The astronomers' awareness of Eris's symbolic value verges perilously close to astrology, and gives us a starting point for understanding the metaphysical significance of Eris in the horoscope. "Eris" is perfect because her discovery started a squabble among scientists when she was refused planet status, despite being larger than Pluto. Eris was responsible for the demotion of Pluto, and also reflects the IAU's snubbing of popular opinion regarding Pluto.
These events reflect Eris's primary myth as the goddess who was not invited to a wedding feast. Feeling snubbed, she mischievously tossed a Golden Apple into the party with the inscription "For the Fairest". The goddesses Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite each assumed the apple was for her and her alone, which led to a squabble, and eventually the Trojan War. From this ancient tale, we can associate Eris with vengefulness, strife, mounting chaos, and the feeling of being snubbed.
Eris's greatest joy is trouble-making, and when she throws her Apple of Discord, friendships end and wars begin. In geopolitical developments, Eris can bring bad news, since her archetypal pattern resonates with the bomb thrower, and any actions stemming from feelings of being rejected. The Greek poet Hesiod described Eris as "she who is only a little thing at first, but thereafter grows until she strides on the earth with her head striking heaven."
“Far across the distance and space between us….”
Astrologically, a number of alignments and parallels link these two disasters. The Titanic disaster (April 14, 1912; 11:40 pm; 41ºN46’, 50ºW15’) features Neptune (king of the seas) exactly squaring the lunar node axis at 21º Aries/Libra, which is the primary signature for this event. The Costa Concordia disaster (January 13, 2012; 9:15 pm; Porto Giglio, Italy) took place just as Eris was turning direct at 21º Aries, and only 0º10’ from the Titanic North Node.
Eris is directly associated with chaos, and expresses how minor, seemingly insignificant events can turn into large scale spectacles. Striking an iceberg or some rocks seems tiny, considering the colossal size of these cruisers. Chaos Theory is often explained by this metaphor: a butterfly flapping its wings in East Africa can create a hurricane in the Caribbean. The planet Eris came into astronomers’ view just as Chaos Theory was being accepted as a valid scientific model.
The Moon in the Titanic chart is at 26º Pisces, exactly conjunct Eris. In the Costa Concordia chart, the Moon is conjunct Mars, trine the Sun and quincunx Eris, creating a four-planet configuration that activates the Eris link to the Titanic. More than a coincidence, this is synchronicity, and a message from the collective unconscious. What is the lesson, or warning?
Jackie Evancho, #1 Classical Artist of 2011
NewsScope; December 26, 2011; One of the busiest entertainers in 2011 was a relative newcomer to the scene, since she’s only 11 years old. Jackie Evancho has had a stellar, non-stop career since her stunning 2010 performance in America’s Got Talent.
NewsScope for October 11, 2010
by Michael Wolfstar
Eris Sows Discord in Iran
When astronomer Mike Brown discovered a trans-Neptunian object larger than Pluto, he named it Eris – after the goddess of strife and discord – because of the trouble it created around the planet classification system and the eventual demotion of Pluto. In political astrology, Eris is well represented by Iran (April 1, 1979; 3:00 pm; Tehran), which has a natal Sun-Eris conjunction in militant Aries.
Iran's nuclear power ambitions have been the cause of much discord, and the likely target of the Stuxnet computer worm. Last week, the New Moon at 14º Libra was exactly opposite Iran's Eris (orb: 0º09'), when intelligence officials announced the arrest of nuclear spies and complained that 30,000 computers had been infected as part of "electronic warfare against Iran".
In the longer term, Eris by transit will continue to stir up trouble in Iran. Currently, Eris is at 21º Aries, and over the next few years remains in the 21º-22º range. Iran's progressed Mars, symbolizing its evolving military aspirations, is now at 20º Aries and will catch up with transiting Eris in late 2012. Oppositions to this complex (progressed Mars and transiting Eris) might indicate attacks from Iran's enemies, as last week's New Moon suggests.
A date hidden in Stuxnet's code indicates that it will shut down after June 24, 2012. Are Stuxnet's programmers aware that this is the date of the first Uranus-Pluto square? Comparing Stuxnet's self-destruct date with Iran's chart shows that the Uranus-Pluto square hits Iran's Saturn, pointing to a radical shake-up of Iran's institutional structures. Transiting Saturn will oppose Iran's progressed Mars and transiting Eris, which may indicate a more serious attack, cyber or otherwise, on Iran's military resources.
Click here for an ephemeris of Eris
Eris in China's Horoscope
China's horoscope (October 1, 1949; 3:00 pm; Beijing) reveals another nation strongly shaped by Eris. China's Libra Sun is in a close opposition to Eris (orb 0º51'), giving its leadership (Sun) an intense awareness of troublemakers (Eris), those who would upset the Libran need for harmony. The problem for China is that the Sun also squares Uranus, which quite naturally opens the door to radical social change.
When Liu Xiaobo (December 28, 1955; Changchun; time unknown) won the Nobel Peace Prize last week, transiting Saturn was right on China's Sun, and naturally the leaders responded in an authoritarian way by censoring all news about the jailed dissident. Liu's Capricorn Sun fits right into China's T-Square (Sun-Uranus-Eris), so that he personally activates all China's phobias, even though Liu has long advocated moderation and compromise.
Astrologers traditionally use a 3:15 birth time for China, but a 3:00 pm birth time seems to work better*. Liu Xiaobo's Uranus at 1º Leo represents his imperial sense of human rights, one that helped him forge Charter 08 - a
human rights manifesto. Liu's Uranus happens to sit exactly on China's Descendant, so that he exemplifies radical dissent against the status quo.
Over the next two weeks, China's progressed Moon at 21º Aries will conjoin transiting Eris, marking an interval when we can expect much fallout from this event. However, China's progressed Jupiter is emerging from the 12th house, where it's been ever since 1949. Over the next few years, China's progressed Jupiter in Aquarius will arrive on China's Ascendant, when human rights and individual freedoms will certainly find expression, and perhaps redefine China's national image.
This bi-wheel close-up shows Iran's natal Sun-Eris conjunction on the inner wheel, with the progressions to December 21, 2012 on the outer wheel, plus transiting Eris on this date on the outside
Bob Woodward, Troublemaker
As one of the nation's preeminent investigative reporters, Bob Woodward has made a career out of fomenting trouble. He's best known for his original news stories about the Watergate scandal that eventually brought down President Nixon. His latest book, Obama's Wars, re-creates the same chaotic scene as found in Eris' myth, although here the apple of discord ws what to do about Afghanistan.
Bob Woodward (March 26, 1943; 6:35 pm; Geneva, IL) was born with his Aries Sun exactly conjunct Eris (orb 0º14'), allowing him to personify most directly the Eris inclination for stirring things up. The Sun-Eris conjunction trines Pluto in Leo and his Sagittarius Moon, making an intensely resourceful and creative Fire Grand Trine. His 15 best-selling books have made him the ultimate Washington insider.
Woodward's Sun-Eris opposes Neptune, which is conjunct his Virgo Ascendant. This angular configuration has made Woodward himself an apple of discord. The prominent Neptune has immersed Woodward in illusion and deception for his entire career. While this worked to his advantage during the Watergate years, he wrote four books on Bush's misadventures, and firmly believed that Iraq actually had weapons of mass destruction.
Stylistically, Woodward has developed a passive tape recorder presence during high level meetings, which is characteristic of the self-effacing Neptune. Critics complain that he collects and writes about endless trivia without drawing any conclusions or showing their relevance, which is also very Neptunian. One thing is for sure, though, with several outer planets and his progressed Mars all activating his natal Sun-Eris over the next two years, Bob Woodward will be raising a lot of eyebrows.
On this page:
Celebrities with Sun-Eris Aspects:
Madonna and Eris: Chaos as Art
Jackie Evancho, #1 Classical Artist
Liu Xiaobo, Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Bob Woodward, Troublemaker
Eris in Political Astrology:
Eris in Romney's and Gingrich's charts
The Costa Concordia and Titanic Disasters
Eris Sows Discord in Iran
Eris in China's Horoscope
youtube videos: Jackie Evancho's performance on "America's Got Talent" and astronomer Mike Brown lectures on Pluto and Eris
Newt Gingrich’s Eris at 5º54’ Aries, is located in his 12th house of secret activity, and exactly square the U.S. Jupiter (orb 0º00’!). This link describes his close relationship with the American corporatocracy.
Romney’s Eris at 6º03’ Aries is exactly sextile his Midheaven and closely squaring the U.S. Jupiter. Romney has loudly noted Gingrich’s financial relationship with Fannie Mae, while Gingrich has decried Romney’s job-cutting role as the CEO of Bain.
Eris
NewsScope; January 23, 2012; In an eerie twist of fate, diners in the Costa Concordia restaurant were listening to Celine Dion’s hit “My Heart Will Go” from the epic film Titanic when the huge cruise ship struck some offshore rocks. Another coincidence made the news when it was revealed that Valentina Capuana, a grand-daughter of a Titanic survivor, was on the Costa Concordia when it capsized.
Madonna and Eris: Chaos as Art
NewsScope; January 23, 2012; The British media has unequivocally trashed Madonna’s latest project “W.E.”, a film about King Edward VIII and his scandalous relationship with Wallis Simpson. One critic, more conciliatory, wonders about Madonna’s obsession with royalty, which began when she relocated to London in 2000. Madonna explains that she “became transfixed by the idea that a man would give up such a powerful position for love.”
Madonna was born with a Moon-Ceres conjunction right on her Virgo Ascendant (August 16, 1958; 7:05 am; Bay City, MI), which evokes the purity of Mother Mary in Roman Catholic mythology. Madonna has adopted this image for herself, but with a yen for creating taboo imagery in her music videos and public appearances. Astrologers often attribute this overt irreverence to her Mars-Uranus square.
However, the recently discovered outer planet Eris offers a more refined interpretation. Eris is associated with the troublemaker, the one who brings chaos, and can turn small things into huge issues. Eris is closely quincunx her Virgo Ascendant, Ceres and Moon, and is also the closest planet aspecting her Leo Sun (by a trioctile). Madonna is the personification of Eris; she uses Catholic imagery, or anything else she can find that stirs people up, that shakes the status quo.
With Eris as her muse, Madonna has turned her ability to create chaos into an art form, one that has made her the top-selling recording artist of all time. Now, as transiting Pluto is heading into a square to her natal Eris, she’s upset the British press. The film opened over the weekend in the United States as transiting Jupiter trines Madonna’s Virgo planets, so she should do much better in this country. Transiting Jupiter is especially prominent on February 5, when she will perform at the Super Bowl.
Most recently, she released her new Christmas album, appeared with producer David Foster on a PBS special, and became the youngest person ever to give a solo concert at Lincoln Center.
Jackie was born with a well-placed Aries Sun (April 9, 2000; Pittsburgh, PA; time unknown) with a sextile to Uranus and trine to Chiron and Pluto. These favorable links give her plenty of confidence, boldness, and enthusiasm. The only challenging aspect to her Sun is the square from Vesta in Capricorn, which infuses her identity with a sense of purpose and a commitment to developing her innate talent.
A triple conjunction in sonorous Taurus (Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn) adds tremendous determination and physical vitality, and astrologically signals that she might have an amazing voice. But considering the traditional planets and asteroids, there’s not much that sets her apart from her peers. However, her Aries Sun happens to be exactly conjunct Eris, the recently discovered planet that is larger than Pluto.
Pluto was demoted to the status of dwarf planet after Eris was discovered, which goes along with Eris’s role as a troublemaker, as described in her myth. Consequently, with Jackie’s Sun conjunct Eris, we might think of her as a troublemaker, but in a most spectacular sense. Does Jackie make us believe in reincarnation? How could such a young person have such a phenomenally mature and resonant voice? It’s troubling when considering the normal range of human talent.
Eris
For more on Eris and other new planets, see dwarfplanets
Click here for an ephemeris of Eris
