september11

World Trade Center Tragedy Revisited

Posted by Beverlee Wednesday, September 10th, 2003 4:54 pm

With the second anniversary of September 11th, 2001 looming on the horizon, I've recently been pondering that perplexing and cataclysmic event yet again. Each of us has methods for making sense of what occurs in life, and one of my methods is to filter personal and world events through the symbolic sieve of astrology.

I had the chart for when the first plane struck the Twin Towers at 8:46 AM EDT, but I had never run a chart for the opening of the World Trade Center. I discovered that the ribbon cutting ceremonies for the opening of WTC took place on April 4th, 1973, and, using that date as the birth of the WTC, I erected a noontime chart to see what it would tell me.

Any astrological chart has the capacity to hold my interest, but I believe these three charts: the WTC ribbon-cutting ceremonies (or birthchart for the WTC), the savage attack on September 11, 2001, and the combination of the two--the transits to the WTC birthchart on 9/11--could easily hold my interest for the rest of my life. Individually and collectively they are extraordinarily revealing, and of course, the more you peruse a chart, the more you observe.

The first thing that jumped out at me, however, when I began to examine the charts was that on 9/11 the WTC was experiencing its Saturn Return. That is, for the first time since its opening in 1973, Saturn had returned to the position it occupies in the WTC birthchart. Saturn's cycle varies from 28 to 30 years and when it returns to its own place in a chart it invariably creates a life-changing event in its wake, as we've seen in the case of the Twin Towers.

Now the life-changing event can be for better or worse, depending upon how things have been going for the person (or in this case, the entities--the Twin Towers) up until its return. But the event is always permanent in its effect. This understanding of Saturn's role in one's life is arguably the most important instruction astrology has to offer because it helps keep you on track with your destiny. To test its significance, you have only to review what occurred in your life between the ages of 28-30, 58-60 and (if you should be so fortunate) 89-90. So the WTC Saturn Return was my first observation concerning what was significant about the brutal attack on the Twin Towers. (To learn more about Saturn Returns click here.)

Next I more thoroughly analyzed the WTC's birthchart, and was again struck by a curious reality: Mars is the final dispositor of the chart, which, simply put, means that all the other planets in the chart reduce to a single point, in this case, Mars. So when the World Trade Center opened for business, Mars was the most significant, dominant, and powerful planet operating in the world.

In order to underscore the import of Mars being the sole dispositor in this chart, I need to specify its astrological associations at some length. Among other things the planet Mars rules: aggressors, buildings, burning, casualties, concussions, crimes of violence, sudden death, destruction, explosions, fires and fire departments, invaders, intolerance, police, massacres, murder, steel, spires, and Tuesday. (If you recall, the attack on the WTC occurred on a Tuesday; the other inferences are obvious.)

It's important to understand, astrologically, that nothing happens to us that is not anticipated by our natal chart. The point I'm making here is that as soon as these buildings opened, the potential for disaster was already conspicuous. We didn't need Nostradamus to instruct us in this. (By the way, in spite of what you may have heard, he didn't!)

Let's explore the birthchart further. What was the ostensible purpose of the World Trade Center? Other than as a monument to David and Nelson Rockefeller's money, power, and influence, what did it actually stand for, or imply to the world by its presence in downtown New York City? Well, according to comments and observations made on American Experience, on PBS the other evening, the World Trade Center was meant to be symbolic of New York City itself; furthermore, it was intended as a step towards economic globalization. If you missed this program you can view transcripts here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/newyork/index.html

So let's see if the birthchart actually portrays this intention. If astrology is not just a parlor game played by the superstitious, there should be evidence of its intention in the WTC birthchart. Well, I'm convinced that this intention is shown in the chart. First because the Sun conjuncts Venus in the 9th house, very close to the Midheaven, the most public part of any chart and that which shows the direction of the entity. Moreover, the 9th house, where we find the Sun/Venus conjunction rules foreigners. This is a picture of the spirit of the WTC being to create a place for friendly economic ventures among nations. Furthermore, the Moon, symbolizing the public, is in the sign of Taurus--the sign ruling money and material things, and it's posited in the 10th house--showing the WTC's intention quite clearly. Also, the Moon is exalted in the sign of Taurus--in other words, it's the best sign for the Moon to be in.

Meanwhile, we find Saturn in the 11th house of group interaction, goals, and the results of efforts made in the 10th house. Saturn in Gemini, as I've mentioned in a previous post, wants to be known and respected for its ideas, so that was another part of the original intention of this highly unusual building complex.

This is an extremely ambitious chart; exuberantly enthusiastic and idealistic, consisting of planets in mostly air and fire signs, indications of creative ideas. So with the exception of that exalted Moon in Taurus in the 10th house, there was little earth in the chart to give it a foundation, and so it took a long time for the WTC's lofty ambitions to actually materialize. It wasn't until the early 90's that it began to be a paying proposition, according to the panelists on PBS's American Experience. How did this happen?

Astrologically, the WTC's ideal--its premise, had indeed been realized and recognized by the entire world by 2001 because by then the Sun and Venus had moved by progression out of the fiery sign of Aries into the more solid, tangible earth sign of Taurus, and they had joined the Moon in the 10th house. The WTC was recognized for its excellence the world over in 2001. But beneath the surface of this chart, underlying all this gratifying recognition and success, other more ominous omens had been lurking from the WTC's very inception.

These omens are clearly shown by certain midpoints in the chart. The first one is the midpoint between the Moon and the Ascendant of the chart which falls on Saturn. Hear what Reinhold Ebertin has to say about what this midpoint symbolizes in his book The Combinations of Stellar Influences: "The state of being depressed in the presence of others. Union with others through joint or common suffering; separation from relations" A better description of 9/11 can scarcely be imagined. And it was present from the very beginning, 28 years before an attack on the World Trade Center was conceived or carried out.

If you've read my previous post about charts having an important point at 00 Aries bringing fame, you'll be intrigued to know that the WTC's chart has the Mercury/Venus midpoint at precisely 00 Aries, so fame was ordained by its stars from the beginning. Another important midpoint in this chart is that of the Sun and Moon, which also happens to be in the sign of Aries. I refer to the Sun/Moon midpoint extensively whenever I do a Karmic Chart Reading.

The midpoint between the Sun and Moon creates the Ascendant (also known as the rising sign) of the Karmic Chart--a chart which depicts where one is in his or her evolutionary process. Here's what an Aries Ascendant portends, taken from the notes I use in my Karmic readings: "You must learn the constructive release and proper use of energy. You have access to a great deal of energy which you must learn to direct, channel or focus...you're usually in a hurry, seemingly swept along by burst of energy...you are in a hurry to live, to experience life, and sometimes you are in a hurry to die." I found that augury eerily accurate when I first realized that the WTC had Aries rising on its Karmic chart. (To learn more about Karmic Charts click here.)

But what of the transits on September 11th, 2001--what were they activating in the WTC chart aside from that fateful Saturn Return? Well, Saturn was not only conjunct Saturn but the Sun was also squaring Saturn that day. Here's another eerily accurate translation of this combination by Robert Hand in his book, Planets in Transit: "The events of the day will show up the chinks in your ego structure." Further, here's what Hand has to say about another momentous transit to the WTC's Natal Saturn which was being opposed by Pluto the same day: "Under this transit you will experience changing circumstances and situations that may force you to surrender many things-- material goods, relationships, principles--that you had previously held on to."

So much of what occurred at the WTC on September 11th had to do with Saturn's influence. But there was yet another pivotal transit going on that day. Remember that explosive Mars in WTC's chart--the planet to which everything else reduces, or comes down? Well, it was being exactly conjoined by transiting Neptune, and these two planetary energies are not at all friendly with one another. In fact they're diametrically opposed in purpose and intention. Saturn's purpose is to create structure and reality; while Neptune's purpose is to dissipate structure and reality. And so, as you may imagine, their combination was not at all favorable to the outcome of the events of 9/11. Hear, briefly, what Robert Hand has to say about the transit of Neptune conjunct natal Mars, again from his legendary book, Planets in Transit: "Mars in your horoscope stands for your ego drives, but Neptune manages to pull the rug out from under them." What a sadly foreboding prophecy for the beautiful, idealistic Twin Towers.

We've examined the things that Mars rules. Now let's look at a laundry list of what Neptune rules in order to help us comprehend its impact upon Mars on that lethal, never-to-be-forgotten day in September 2001. Among other things, Neptune rules: asphyxiation, chaos, clouds, collusion, confusion, deceit, deceivers, mass delusion, disappearances, dissolution, gas, hidden opposition, underhandedness, oxygen deficiency, petroleum, religious delusions and fanaticism, scheming and schemers, suffering, and sympathy.

In closing, let me point out that the Moon at 8:46 AM EDT on September 11th, 2001 was in Gemini--the sign of the twins, and the last planet the Moon passed over before the first plane--American Airlines flight 11--crashed into the North Tower was Saturn. Saturn, as you may recall, is in the 11th house of WTC's natal chart. Oh, did I forget to mention that the 11th is also the house of the unexpected? Since Saturn always tests us for the validity of what we're doing I can only conclude, and I truly believe, that Saturn unexpectedly gave a pop quiz and determined that the World Trade Center had achieved its purpose here on Earth.

And so, as we all know, from the indelible images etched forever into our memory, the Twin Towers fell on September 11th, 2001. The ensuing pain was then, is now, and ever shall be, as former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani so eloquently put it, more than we can bear.