This is about as technical as it gets, ladies and gentlemen; but the calculations are greatly abetted by Mr. Starkman’s “Polaris Software Program”. Please see prefatory note in the Part I essay, May 30 in the Archives.]

Part II

Having found the correct birth time and corroborated it with all the techniques as I demonstrated in Part I, we can now try to find out the Pre Natal Epoch or the Conception chart.

Since the time of Ptolemy, generations of astrologers have tried to discover a way to determine the date and time of conception. Attempts were made in the 20th century by Bail
ey and Jayne. Many astrologers expressed their doubts and some even derided the possibility to ascertain the time of conception, which usually occurred 1-2 days after coitus.

In 1980, Alexander Marr discovered a simple method for determining the Prenatal Epoch. The following is a summary of the main principles for finding the exact conception moment or Prenatal Epoch:

1. A birth time of the Radix rectified to within 8 seconds of time is indispensable.

2. The Moon’s longitude at Epoch is the longitude of the Radix Ascendant or Descendant, to a maximum orb of 8’ (minutes of arc) and an average orb of 2’. The ancient rule (Triune of Hermes) that the Ascendant or Descendant of Epoch should simultaneous occupy the longitude of the radical Moon is incorrect. A horoscope with well authenticated birth time could not be forced to fit into the ancient mutually dependent conditions.

3. The only info we must know is the mother’s place at the time of the conception. Usually, it is the same place as that of birth but in some cases it could be different. A famous case is Franklin Roosevelt who was born in New York with conception having taken place in Paris.

4. With a normal gestation period, the Epoch date must occur approximately 260-290 days before birth. For gestation periods known to be shorter than normal, we seek an Epoch date accordingly, up to 7 or 8 months before birth.

5. In most cases, the Moon is either waxing in both Radix and Epoch, or waning in both.

6. This is the starting point for refining the Epoch rectification with Primaries, as is done with the Radix.
The Epoch is not a way to rectify a birth chart. First one should rectify the Radix!

The search for the exact time of the epoch is fairlysimple as the time span is always limited.

The radix Ascendant of 6 Sagittarius 26 for Elizabeth Taylor gives a possible Epoch on the following dates:

1. 18th May 1931 11.25 UT Moon 6 Gem 26′
2. 31st May 1931 09.49 UT Moon 6 Sag 26′
3. 14th June 1931 19.15 UT Moon 6Gem 26′

The only way to detect the true date of an epoch is to check each possible date. We start with converse Lunar Cycles. We assume that the gestation period was a normal one and that conception took place at the birth location.

Examples for Epoch casting for 31 May 1931

1. On 25th August 1971 her Grandaugther was born
in the converse: Lunar return Jupiter exactly on Asc, Venus also quite close.

In the demi (2nd harmonic) converse lunar Jupiter exactly on MC.

2. On 26th June 1974 she divorced Richard Burton.
In the demi converse: lunar Saturn and North-Node on Desc.

3. On 4th December she married John Warner.
In the converse: lunar Mars exactly on Desc, very appropriate for a marriage of woman.

4. On 6th August 1957 her daughter was born.
Venus is exactly on Asc in the converse lunar return.

Additional analysis of these lunar cycles with other events and comparison of the results with those from the other possible epoch dates shows that 31st May 1931 must be the correct date for the epoch.

A search with Polaris for the period between 9.30 UT (Moon 6Sag 14′) and 10.10 UT (Moon 6Sag 37′) shows that the true time of Epoch is 09.47.44 UT. Verification of this epoch can then be made using the same techniques that were used for the radix.

With both the Radix and Epoch at hand, we can now able to employ the powerful Dual Test.

There are four possible modes:

R/R: Radix factors directed to Radix factors.

1. R/E: Radix factors directed to Epoch factors.
2. E/E: Epoch factors directed to factors of the Epoch.
3. E/R: Epoch factors directed to Radix factors.

We can perform Dual Test using Primary Directions, Secondary directions and PSSR.

The Dual-Test quadruples the number of aspects, compared with the usual Radix analysis and thus improves the directional system considerably by providing a large number of appropriate aspects for any event. This fact enables us for the first time to make much more accurate predictions.

Event 1: on 10th April 1967 Taylor received the Oscar

Venus opposition MC E/R (orb 10′)
III cusp conjunct North-Node R/E (orb 3′)
Jupiter trine Uranus E/E (orb 3′) (d)
Jupiter sextile Uranus E/E (orb 5′) (c)
Uranus sextile Venus R/E (orb 4′)
MC sextile North-Node E/E (orb 5′)
North-Node conjunct Mercury E/E (orb 6′)

Event 2: On 27th February 1955 son Christopher was born

Asc trine Jupiter R/E (orb 0′)
Venus opposition Asc E/R (orb 8′)
Asc opposition Mercury E/R (orb 7′)
Sun sextile cusp V E/R (orb 2′)
Mars square IC E/E (orb 2′)
In Secondary Directions:
Cusp V sextile Jupiter R/E (orb 0′)
Asc trine Jupiter R/E (orb 9′)
Asc trine Pluto R/R (orb 1′)

Event 3: On 21st July 1968 – a hysterectomy operation

Asc trine Neptune R/R (orb 2′)
Saturn trine Mars R/E (orb 0′)
Pluto opposition Fortune E/E (orb 0′)
Mars opposition cusp XII R/E (orb 9′)
Cusp XII conjunct Asc E/E (orb 8′)
Part of Fortune opposition cusp XII E/E (orb 8′)
South-Node conjunct Neptune E/R (orb 6′)
South-Node conjunct MC R/E (orb 5′)
Mars conjunct Uranus R/E (orb 0′)

An important event will never occur with only one single aspect. Only accumulation of several aspects with appropriate symbolism and with very small orbs will indicate major event.

It has been found that in most cases, analysis of the Epoch can cast a sharper perspective on the destiny of the native. Here are some examples:

1. Maximollien Robespierre
Radix: 6th May 1758 01.55.08 UT 50N17 2E47 Asc 28Aqu21′
Epoch: 1st Aug 1757 08.15.40 UT Moon 28Aqu23′

Robespierre’s role as a leader and mouthpiece of the Terror, his downfall and tragic end are clearly indicated in his epoch by Mars in opposition to Pluto right on MC/IC axis square Uranus.

2. Abraham Lincoln
Radix: 12th February 1809 17.17.40 UT 39N34 85W44′ Asc 1Ari31′
Epoch: 20th May 1808 05.03.04 UT Moon 1Ari34′

The tragic destiny of his assassination can be seen clearly in his epoch: Mars in opposition to Saturn exactly on the MC/IC axis together with Nodes.

3. Frank Sinatra
Radix: 12th December 1915 7.58.49 UT 40N44 74W02 Asc 28Lib08′
Epoch: 18th March 1915 13.55.47 UT Moon 28Ari08′

In his epoch, the triple conjunction of Venus, Uranus and MC gave him his great signing and entertainment talent.

4. Diana Princess of Wales
Radix: 1st July 1961 17.23.49 UT 52N50 0E30 Asc 3Sag01′
Epoch: 8th October 1960 21.13.28 UT Moon 3Gem05′

While in the Radix, Mars Pluto and Node all square Asc/Desc axis explaining much of her tragic life, the epoch indicated sharply her end: Mars opposition Saturn on Asc/MC axis and Pluto very close to IC. The triple conjunction of Mercury, Venus and Neptune in 5th house is much appropriate.

***The Epoch may also explain the mystery of twins. Alexander Marr claimed that twins had a common epoch (corresponding to the radix of the first born) and this could be the reason why twins have so many similarities.