Tag: American History

1881: A Pivotal Year in History–Did a ‘New Era’ Begin?

by Jude Cowell

Have you heard that the year 1881 was a ‘pivotal year in history’, a turning point of great significance for humanity? Perhaps only esoteric sources over the last few centuries have promoted the idea that an era begun in 1525 would close in 1881 with great changes afoot. Some writers gush over the Age of Aquarius or a New Age while others quote the 15th-century abbot and occultist Trithemius von Nettesheim who predicted just such a turning point in 1881, the year of President Garfield’s Inauguration–and assassination.

Now adding to the esoteric brew in the 19th century, Rosicrucian writer Thomas Henry Burgoyne intrigued his readers with tales of a mysterious hypothetical planet, the “Dark Satellite”, which he said was shadowing the Earth and was “linked with the undeveloped parts of humanity.”

Now that fearful tale must have sold quite a few publications for old Trithemius! For he went on about what we now call the ‘Golden Age’ when the Dark Satellite was distant from Earth (out of sight out of mind?) but once the Iron Age dawned, the satellite moved too close to our planet and its “dark shadows became more and more bewildering.” However, Burgoyne made his readers a promise: that in 1881, this Dark Age would lift because its malevolent influence had “passed its darkest culmination point” and a new *Age of Gold would begin. Whew! Seems we’re well out, right?

*As for an ‘Age of Gold’, the Gilded Age of the 1870s leading into the plundering Robber Barons and the Industrial Era of resource exploitation certainly could be called that but all were much more on the materialistic side than the esoteric or spiritual side, agreed? In fact, some refer to that era as a Generation of Materialism.

We current day astrologers have quite a varied mix of such dark and hypothetical objects at our disposal for those who have the time to add them to horoscopes. Fill in the picture with quasars, pulsars, and black holes and we have a Solar System simply bulging with mystery, even without ‘UFOs’. And apparently, the ‘Dark Satellite’ of olden days is same as the ‘Dark Knight Satellite’ we hear about today–view the video below for more information.

As for the ‘New Age’ in this much-touted ‘New Millennium’, there have been many promoters such as Rudolf Steiner, Manly P. Hall, and Madame Blavatsky with her famous Secret Doctrine which really kept (and keeps!) the esoteric fires burning along with Unveiling Isis, an intriguing title, I agree. Perhaps you’ve delved into her work and beliefs and if so, you’ve spent more time on her than yours truly who always thinks ‘charlatan’ whenever her name comes up in conversation (and it doesn’t, not in Georgia anyway). Now I have no wish to disparage anyone’s honestly held beliefs especially if that’s You, dear reader, but this blogger tends toward Biblical beliefs along with a practical use of Astrology as determined by the planetary cycles our Creator set in motion for us–there’s a time and season for everything, as you know.

Though admittedly I have been investigating The Book of Enoch lately which is partly due to the Essenes being depicted on the TV show Dig which some reviewers say Travels Far But Not Deep. Well, the ancient Archaeology attracts!

So let’s see what major historical events in America colored the year 1881 which could have had the power to drastically change the course of things. How about the Inauguration and subsequent assassination of James A. Garfield? As with Abraham Lincoln’s assassination (and that of JFK–President Andrew Jackson, central bank opponent, survived the attempt), some such as myself tend to suspect the involvement of monied groups and individuals since financial issues were on each president’s to-do list. Read the text of Garfield’s Inaugural Address of March 4, 1881 for his remarks about backing US money with silver and gold, racism and voting ballots, inequality, education, American traditions promised in our Freedom Documents such as the US Constitution, getting over the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction, and other remarks were sure to rile certain factions in this country.

And if you wish, read the Eye Witness to History account of the assassination and death of President James A. Garfield. The March 4, 1881 Inauguration Horoscope shows the Pisces Sun (leader; president) at Midheaven at noon opposed by disruptive Uranus @11Vir37 Rx–conjunct the IC (Endings, Partings, The Drain) and both conjoining fixed star Zosma, keywords: ruthless or The Victim, with Virgo-Pisces the victim-savior polarity. It’s a tragic picture as is a midpoint picture formed in the chart: Saturn-Pluto = Neptune: fraud; lies; desire to harm others secretly; immorality; instability (Ebertin) — all of which may apply.

Taking office on March 4, 1881, James Garfield was shot on July 2nd and dead on September 19th so there was precious little time for the American people to make up their minds about him before Charles Guiteau shot him twice (at 9:30 am LMT, arm and abdomen) as the president boarded a Baltimore & Potomac train for a sojourn to the Jersey Shore. In hindsight, the 1881 Inauguration Horoscope shows chart factors which may interest one or two readers and bore others. So if Politics, Assassinations, US presidents, US history, and/or Political Astrology are not your thing, perhaps you should mosey on along and no harm done!

Now astrologically speaking, Uranus in Mercury-ruled Virgo indicates potentials such as good intellectual capacity, skill, and a preference for one’s own work methods. On the level of presidential assassinations, it may also indicate the urge to reform, foolish aspirations, and teamwork made more difficult by misplaced criticism or tactless frankness (Ebertin).

Given the shocking tendencies of planet Uranus with its ‘sudden events’ vibe and its instincts toward reform and making progress, the above description seems to me full of possible (imagined or real) justifications for someone taking the pistol of anarchy in hand. Plus, Uranus (discovered in 1781) is the planet of revolution, freedom, and independence–and is what I call America’s totem planet.

So did certain opponents of Garfield’s policies, already unhappy with the direction of his presidency, decide to gain their independence from his proposed reforms? Or was Guiteau only what is now called a ‘lone wolf’ assailant…not mentally or emotionally stable, so…oh well. And the American people are saddled with just another unlucky president who po’d the wrong misguided idiot. For with Mars oriental in the 1881 Inauguration chart, we find someone who toots his own horn perhaps a bit too loudly and is always ‘on the stump’ to promote himself, or in this case, his policies (Tyl). (Oriental = planet rising just before the Sun, clockwise in the horoscope).

Additionally, wounded Chiron in Taurus, sign of the throat and voice, hints that Garfield’s wounding may have been the result of his own words disgruntling powerful opponents. Politics as a practice, after all, is only an “organized system of hatreds.” (paraphrasing Henry B. Adams)

So what happens when Uranus opposes the Sun? The solar ego guides and may be bruised or wounded by erratic circumstances with unpredictable outcomes, and people within the environment are uncontrollable. Changes and situations during this transit–such as being inaugurated US president–are not apt to last long and as we know, they did not. In fact, a total reversal of what has been accomplished is in the offing and a new direction is indicated–which is the topic of my post today–the new and significant direction that humanity embarked upon which is allegedly timed by the beginning of a new era in 1881.

Plus, anarchist Uranus is the handle planet of a Bucket planetary pattern in the influencing Solar Eclipse chart (see details, below) and is also the handle of a Sling pattern in the Inauguration chart and as such, denotes an uncompromising direction, allegiances that are adapted to where efforts count the most (a replacement president?), and represents an inspirational instructor–or, a malcontent and agitator (Jones, The Guide to Horoscope Interpretation).

Well, you may guess that this American doesn’t fully buy the official version of Garfield’s assassination and death though malcontent Charles Giteau (represented by Uranus) could have simply become a patsy for larger forces once he had wounded President Garfield. Then (purposefully) incompetent doctors probed around in Garfield’s abdominal wound thereby accomplishing the rest through infection which helped trigger the heart attack that put an end to the man before his term had barely begun–not that the practice of medicine itself was reliably competent in the 19th century.

And by ‘larger forces’ I refer to elements ticked off by certain of his inaugural speech remarks–on racism and inequality in education and at the voting booth (Southern secessionists such as the Knights of the Golden Circle–‘golden’ as in, gold, ‘knights’ as in Klansmen), and on backing US money with actual gold and silver which points toward bankers and certain enabling members of Congress.

Perhaps the precisely timed and tragic Death Horoscope of President James Garfield could be useful for setting up a horoscope of the new ‘Age of Gold’ as a pivotal point in history, if one were so inclined.

~:~

President Garfield died September 19, 1881 at 9:30 pm LMT, Jersey Shore (historical record).

James Garfield’s brief presidency and assassination occurred under the influence of the Solar Eclipse of December 31, 1880 @10Cap20, sign of government, law, and business. The eclipse conjoins the natal Sun of the UK’s January 1, 1801 natal chart and opposes America’s natal Jupiter and Sun in Cancer. It belongs in the 9 New North Saros Series with themes of: violence, accidents, physical concerns, and great physical efforts undertaken; caution is advised (Brady).

Speaking of charlatans, here is an 11-minute presentation debunking the myth of an Earth-orbiting “Dark Knight Satellite”:

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