Advanced Synthesis Study
–Angular Disorientation–

Prerequisite for this study, please see “Analytical Techniques”, November 30, 2003: “Why the Angles are so Important –and some insights about Suicide.”

In this man’s horoscope –June 8, 1810 at 9:20 PM, LMT, in Zwickau, Germany [Asc 4 Capricorn 14]— we see extreme pressure on all four Angles: Uranus is tightly conjunct the Midheaven; Venus, ruler of the IC is conjunct Mercury-rx tightly conjunct the Descendant; and Saturn, ruler of the Ascendant, is retrograde, in conjunction with Neptune and opposed the Sun.

This immediately suggests a challenge in life [time/space] orientation; conspicuous identity development problems to be expected (the Ascendant ruler retrograde and under high developmental tension).

This surmise is lifted a level of intensity by Pluto, ruler of the Midheaven squaring the axis of Saturn-Neptune opposed Sun-Mars. This mighty T-Square involves the rulership reference to six Houses: the identity formation 1st, the self-worth 2nd, the mind-set 3rd, the parental 4th and 10th, the love-received 11th and the 8th (part of the sexual profile). Additionally, the Uranus opposition with Jupiter, brings in the 12th House which, within the accumulating “feel” of synthesis, will suggest self-undoing.

Lifting the orientation to yet an even higher level of identity orientation tension we see the Mars-Sun quindecile to the complicated Ascendant. We should note that the Mars quindecile has an orb of just 5’ and is the closest aspect in the horoscope. This is an intense identity drive out of confusion, through obstacles, in a panic.

The Mars-Sun in Gemini accentuates all the different channels taken up to establish self. The placement in the 6th promises a very, very difficult time cooperating with others.

And on top of all of this: the Sun-Moon blend, tied to Mercury, the dispositor of both, promises high communications skills, with the incisive mind ideally being “everything” to this man. –So often these abilities in their extremity get out of hand. There can be intense feelings of being misunderstood, misdirected, disorientated … and all of these considerations are knotted around the aspect structures. The fighting-back, if you will, is usually obsessive, self-captivating (Mars-Sun quindecile Ascendant).

The Moon is fed directly into the maelstrom through its quindecile with Pluto, a parental ruler. –This man’s mother was extremely influential, intrusive. The father died when this man, Robert, was 16 years old (Mars=Asc).

On the uplifting side of this synthesis orientation, we see Mercury-retrograde –and the contrapuntal signification of the mind-set doesn’t surprise us—conjoined with Venus –idealism in a swoon, the highest romantic— tightly conjunct the Descendant. We note that Venus is trine to Uranus at the MC: this Venus romance factor is piped directly into the profession. –Robert is Robert Schumann, one of the arch-composers of the Romantic Period, with a vast output of compositions to his credit before his early death at Middle-age.

Schumann was brought up by his father to be a writer, connected with books: here is part of the Mars identity-tension syndrome linked to the 3rd House, ruled by Mars. After his father’s death, his mother pressed Robert into the study of law, linked with the Venus rulership of the 9th, the Uranus-MC opposition with Jupiter, disposited by Venus, and Venus trine the Uranus-MC conjunction. Robert’s mother pressed for him to study medicine as well. But Robert obsessively wanted to be a pianist.

Schumann’s mother finally relented, and Robert did become an eminent pianist. He married the famous Clara (Schumann) a grandly recognized pianist and composer in her own right, the daughter of Robert’s teacher. –This fact, that his wife (and the mother of their 7 children) was so celebrated as a pianist and composer gave great competitive disorientation to Robert.

The fourth finger on Robert’s right hand gradually became paralyzed, shattering his performing career, and Schumann turned obsessively to composition, gaining a pre-eminent position in that sphere as well. He drove himself to nervous exhaustion.

But at the same time, these shifts of vocational pursuits (several others not mentioned here), the problems, the struggles, all played into his vulnerability to identity confusion. He showed dramatic absent-mindedness. He found “talking hateful”! He couldn’t be bothered with other people. He attempted suicide twice. And, finally in the two-year period 1849-51 [SA Pluto q=MC to SA Pluto q=Uranus], was judged insane and was committed to an asylum. –He died at age 46 [the accumulated Solar Arc semisquare for a slow-arc].

An excerpt from Schumann’s diary, from correspondence: “I am not altogether clear what I really am. II think I have imagination. A deep thinker I am not. I can never pursue a thought to its logical conclusion, however well I have prepared the ground.”

“My life so far has been twenty years of struggle between poetry and prose, or, if you like to call it so, Music and Law. Now, I am standing at the crossroads and am frightened by the problem of which way to choose.”

“I suffer rheumatic pains with feelings of apprehension, depressing melancholy, bad attacks of giddiness … and unendurable humiliation on account of Clara’s ‘state’.”

This study focuses upon “troubled Angles”, a troubled orientation in the world. Schumann’s father died with SA Mars=Asc. With SA Saturn=Asc, Schumann dramatically founded a music magazine, his brother and sister-in-law died, and he himself attempted suicide. He died with Angles arced to semisquare their natal locations.

The enormous creative thrust in his life was symbolized clearly by the Mercury-Venus conjunction, with the all-important Mercury in Mutual reception andsextile with the Moon. This was captured by MC=Moon/Venus. And the four Quintiles played their role as well: four strong foci of creative energy, centering on the Moon.

There is no doubt that the angles are alive within us in extreme intensity when they are emphasized by planetary conjunctions and/or strong aspects. The symbolisms register in our orientation to our life direction and the developmental pressures through which we live. All of the orientation considerations here in Schumann’s life became the contrapuntal statement of the Mercury-retrograde, the dispositor of the Moon, the Sun, the Mars.