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Astrologer's Notes:
Carin Martin, Astrologer:
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Diva Divinity
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by Carin Martin |
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"Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else." Judy Garland
"Cherish forever what makes you unique, 'cuz you're really a yawn if it goes." Bette Midler
If by the time this is in print the weather is as soul chilling as it has been for most of this winter, it will have been for the best that at the last minute I changed my topic for this column. The original topic might be too much after all these dark and cold nights. I have spent the last month researching genocide, and then searching through the data for what astrology can do, if anything, to enlighten this dark subject. At this moment I feel that I have looked too long into the abyss. Whether this research lends itself to any enlightened conclusions remains to be seen, but I do know that after this winter many of you, like me, need a mental health break. Thus my change of subject matter from the dreadful and dreary, to the divine and delightful.
Divinity is a fine froth of sugar and egg whites for the sweetest tooth, a favorite of southern cooks. And these two divinity divas can sweeten any reality-soured psyche and warm the most weather-wearied soul. These two legendary performers can make you laugh, cry, or want to march in a parade wearing a feather boa. I grew up in the atmosphere of the New York theatre so at an early age I was blessed to see many legendary performers. But when it comes to the numerous concerts I have seen, there are two performers that are like no other. Judy Garland and Bette Midler.
When I was a child I saw Judy in a small venue during her last of many comebacks. At that age I was hardly a fan of pop music and had never seen a Garland movie except on television. I was totally unprepared for the magic of that moment and the electrical charge that ran through the audience. As wonderful as her movies may be there is only a hint of what a dynamic stage performer Garland was when viewing her on film. Of her movies, "A Star is Born" is the closest performance that gives one a hint of her live performances. May I recommend a recent release of video/CD of her television programs? Several moments on these tapes come closest to the magic of her live performances and are definitely well worth watching.
The only other concert experience that comes close to this Garland concert is one I attended in the 70s. I had never heard of Bette Midler and was persuaded to go along with a friend to a small theatre in Berkeley, CA. Prior to the performance I was entertained by the audience. The majority of the audience consisted of gay men and a percentage of that population were drag queens dressed as divas. I sat next to "Miss" Diana Ross and near to "Miss" Ethel Merman- not to mention glimpses of "Miss" Barbra Streisand, "Miss" Jeanette MacDonald, "Miss" Joan Crawford, "Miss" Marlene Dietrich, etc. Oh my, what an evening, a night of stars!
Bette's concerts since have all been excellent-but there is no magic like that first concert in a small venue with such a colorful audience. I've seen the tapes of her concerts that are available, and if you have no way of attending one of her live concerts, then the tapes are well worth it. But even if you have to travel, try to see the Divine Miss M live on stage.
Critics and fans all agree that few concerts compare to the concerts of these two performers- they are indeed legendary for a reason. At first glance when you look at their natal charts there is little in common to explain such special ability, but there is, as always, more in a chart than meets the eye at first perusal.
Judy Garland
Judy had several master gestures when she sang that were her trademark. At one point at the height of a ballad she would bring her two hands up in front of her gamin face and hold them a few inches apart as if cupping something, or about unite them in prayer. A supplication to the anguish of the song, this gesture had the audience feeling as if she were literally cupping their hearts in her hands. She had that mastery over a lyric and an audience as well. But in between sets she was funny, witty, and even adroitly acerbic. I wish more people would listen to her daughter Liza Minelli on the subject of Judy as the "tragic figure". Liza has said many times that despite Judy's many hardships, she was always funny. She never saw herself as a victim or tragic figure.
"If you have to be in a soap opera try not to get the worst role."
Judy Garland
I am focused here on her talent and rare showmanship rather than the usual emphasis on the trials of her short life. Her Sun, Mercury, and Pluto in the 12th house are one indication of potential addictions to prescription drugs and alcohol. Her Mercury in sensitive Cancer in the critical degrees of 00 squared by Saturn in also the critical degrees of 00 Libra are indications of possible suffering from depression and the tendency to self medicate. Since Saturn is in the 4th house of family and can represent the father, it is an indication that this began not only with a physical susceptibility but also with an event regarding her father. It is well known that just as she was about to attain her meteoric stardom in "The Wizard of Oz" her father, with whom she was close, died suddenly. Note also the Uranus conjunct the Midheaven indicator of sudden fame. Her harsh Moon conjunct Mars aspect in the sixth house of work is an indication of her ambitious, driving mother. But more importantly to our subject matter is, where does this unique show stopping ability reveal itself.
Her Cancer rising gives her that emotive gamin face and the ability to "wear her heart on her sleeve" when projecting a song. Cancer rising is well known for attracting the projection of other people's emotions. A Cancer rising can be sitting in an airport when a total stranger will strike up conversation and in minutes reveal deepest sorrows. Cancer is ruled by the Moon, the mother, the symbol of nurturance. Apparently this was so of Judy since she was known in the business as a "soft touch" <such a Cancerian expression! > for those in need.
Also she has Venus the planet of love and beauty in the sign of Cancer in the 1st house. Venus in the 1st is a classical indication of beauty and attractiveness. Judy never thought she was pretty since she worked at MGM with beauties such as Lana Turner and Ava Gardner. But watch her in "Meet Me in St. Louis" in her prime and see how lovely she was, gentle, womanly and warm as befits her Venus in Cancer in the 1st house.
Mars conjunct the Moon can be an indication of one who is often defensive and touchy due to the hard influence of Mars to the Moon emotions. But here it is in the sign of Sagittarius, the jokester and, though I have no doubt that Judy felt every sling and arrow with the acuity of her 12th house Cancer placements, she reacted with wry humor rather than with bitter defensiveness. Jupiter ruled Sagittarius is known for its truthfulness and Judy's Sag Moon gave accuracy and fairness to her wit, which made her most cutting comments acceptable rather than offensive.
An important element in Judy's appeal was that you always wanted to take her home and care for her. Cancer rising and Venus in Cancer often bring out these feelings in people without even trying to elicit them. Of course, the reversal is also true, people will yearn for this Cancerian placement to adopt them and care for them as well. Judy like most Venus in Cancer people <men or women> married spouses who were protective and nurturing. But her witty Gemini Sun and independent Sagittarius Moon did soon rebel from any long-term parental control.
Her performances in non-musical dramas such as "The Clock" and in later years "Judgment at Nuremberg," showed what an excellent straight actor she was as well. Many great actors are "12th Housers." That is, they have planets in the 12th house the natural house of Pisces of dreams and the subconscious. Placements there lead people to deep soul searching and often supernatural abilities to lock into the subliminal motivations of others. This true acting ability-which is not the ability to feign emotions but to feel them truthfully and dredge them up at will for others to view, was not reserved just for her acting. Each song was a vignette in, and of, itself in her concerts. You would literally be pulled into a movie in your mind becoming the protagonist of her song. There is an ancient show business expression that one can "really sell a song." This harks back to the days prior to recordings when the money to be made from music came from the sale of sheet music. A music store would hire a singer whose emotive and phrasing ability could literally sell the sheet music. Well, no one could "sell a song" like Judy Garland.
Judy danced in some of her movies and was in fact in "For Me And My Gal" with dance master Gene Kelly. It was Kelly's first film role, and he was eternally grateful for the extreme generosity she showed him. After this film, Kelly was her staunch supporter throughout her difficult years. He had also danced with supreme dancers such as Cyd Charisse yet he said that Judy, who was not a dancer, was excellent. That she was agile and quick as befits her Gemini and Sagittarius placements. This dancing ability is seen in the ethereal quality of her physical appearance and the grace of her movements on stage. An inherent ability to know when to move and when to be still is one of the most difficult things for any stage performer to learn.
Judy's has her Sun and Moon in opposite signs, which adds to her uniqueness. Sun/Moon polarity people are always unique-it depends upon the other placements in the chart as to whether they come off as unique and appealing, or merely strange and off putting. When one's ego core self <Sun> and one's emotional nature <Moon> are opposites the person is difficult to predict. This is because their ego needs <Sun> are contrary to their emotional needs <Moon>. With Judy's other appealing placements, her Sun/Moon polarity made her uniquely special but still appealing approachable.
The placement of Uranus the planet of the unique and unusual is directly conjunct her Midheaven, thus her career <Midheaven> projected her to others as a rare and unique personage. And more importantly, Uranus represents the collective unconscious, thus people recognized themselves in her, and identified with her emotions. Also with Pluto conjunct the ascendant in the sign of Cancer, she projected the aforementioned Cancerian vulnerability and familiarity but also a Scorpionic sexiness <the sign ruled by Pluto>. Pluto on the ascendant often gives people intense and deeply emotive eyes. This conjunction is famous for its mesmerizing quality. In some, it can be intimidating as well. But since the Ascendant and Pluto are in the sign of Cancer, her eyes are soft Cancerian eyes. They pulled you into her well of joy or pain, which were reflected in her large moon <ruler of Cancer> eyes.
There is a T Square of her Uranus, Midheaven, Sun and Mars. The struggle in her life of this T Square involving fame, work, and sense of identity was projected in the pain of confliction and loss in her performances as well. Another T Square involving Saturn, Moon, and Mercury indicate her ability to project loss and loneliness in her words. Her phrasing and styling of a song is expert. Frank Sinatra who was known for his phrasing, greatly admired Judy's phrasing ability. I think of the song "The Man Who Got Away." Frankly I view this song as "corny" and was never pulled into it, until I heard Garland sing it. "The road grows rougher. . .its lonely and its tougher. . .suddenly your older. " Judy's T Square put the lyrics together in a way where you heard each word and saw each image.
Her Grand Trine of Mars, Neptune, and Chiron indicate her ability to project the image of wounded healer to her audiences. Many have spoken of her concerts as being cathartic for them; she was a healer as well as a performer.
Bette Midler's chart indicates that she has had to work much harder to win her audience than did Judy.
Bette Midler
No youthful over night fame from Uranus conjunct the Midheaven as in Judy's chart. Instead, Bette has a determined hard working Capricorn 10th house of career. Though as dynamic a performer as Judy, the well of talent springs from a different source here. Whereas, Judy was the Judy you saw on stage, Bette is only partly her stage creation. Ms. Midler is far more reserved and cerebral than her alter ego the Diving Miss M.
Both performers are icons of the Gay community and for different reasons and different seasons. Judy performed during the days when homosexuality was considered either a crime or a mental disorder. Life for gay people was filled with danger, guilt and potential ruin and the secrecy that all that entails. Judy's ballads reflected the loss and loneliness that society created for many gays, and her up beat songs projected the sophisticated ability for wit and celebration amongst the sorrows. Bette's career began in the bath houses in New York and during the 70s when gays were coming out of the closet, when Stone Wall proclaimed they were "mad as hell, and weren't going to take it any more," and sexual expression was celebrated. The creation of the bawdy Divine Miss M is a drag queen's personae of grit, wit, and self-proclamation. But Miss M speaks to the tough broad in everyone regardless of gender or life style. She is audacious, raucous, and heart rending all in the same tiny frame.
Both performers share the sign Sagittarius. With Judy it is her Moon, and with Bette it is her Sun. It certainly blessed her with the famous Sagittarius irreverent playfulness. Judy's playfulness was demonstrated verbally as befits her Gemini Sun, but Bette's is both verbal and visual. Ever notice your Sagittarius friends often are in style way beyond their 40s? Sag loves to be eternally young and often are-and due to this they love to be in style. To be in style beyond the age of 25 is often less about style and more about costume. But a Sag can carry it off. And Bette's a Sag who carries off all her outrageous costumes.
Bette has the daring of Aries rising, which gives her the chutzpah to pull off her many over the top costumes. As does her "in your face" theatrical Mars in Leo. Neptune, the planet of illusion and dreams, in her 6th house of work enabled her stage personae to be larger than life yet fully believable.
Bette's Venus and Moon in Scorpio are voluptuously womanly and sexy placements. She manages to be so despite the often comically degraded words and actions of Miss M. Her Sun and Venus are in the 8th house of Scorpio the house of sex, death and transformation. How perfect for a performer who projects sexiness while at the same time lampoons all our preconceived societal images of the sultry siren. Even in her early days she pretended to be much older a Dolores De Lago, the Rage of Chicago, and lampooned the slow disintegration of youthful allure and the comedic attempts to fight the inevitable. And transformation? Bette transforms from scene to scene and song to song from ribald hedonist, to concerned citizen of the world, to heart broken lover. And she transforms her audience with visions of us as fallible yet lovable losers at this game of love, life, and time.
Bette has Saturn in the fourth house of home. This is often representative of loss and sorrow in the early home life. It is well known that she had a cold, distant, highly critical father with whom she did not get along. Apparently even after her success, he did not attend her performances and did not approve of her career. She also lost both a sister and her mother early in life. These early sorrows are never erased but are eased through creativity and work. Her harsh treatment by her father has certainly added to her understanding and compassion for the outcast of society and her early family losses give her the ability to project love and tragic loss in her performances.
"I always try to balance the light with the heavy - a few tears of human spirit in with the sequins and the fringes. "
Bette Midler
Her Uranus in Gemini in the 3rd house of Gemini gives her the ability to lob one liner zingers to her audiences. As does her Venus and Moon in Scorpio give her the ability to make a ribald joke merely witty and naughty and not offensive. Her Mercury in Sagittarius the 9th house gives a universal quality to her playful, quick wit.
She has Saturn in Cancer, which is in detriment since it is the opposite sign of Capricorn the sign ruled by Saturn. This is well known as an extremely harsh Saturn placement. As well as sorrow from the father and authoritarian figures in general, it gives a loneliness that is often unquenchable. It is this loneliness that is so powerfully evoked in many of her ballads. Since Cancer rules the family and fourth house of home, not only does the ole bug a boo Saturn in Cancer bring sorrow from these sources, but due to this early sorrow and loss, it also often brings disdain for authority and conventionality. If your early nurturance was not the television cliche, then you distrust all authority. And, if like Bette, you have Sagittarius humor, Gemini wit, and a Scorpio stinger, you can lampoon conventional morals and hypocritical stereotypic values.
She too has a T Square, which caused her much sorrow. It is her Chiron, Midheaven, and Ascendant. Here the Wounded Healer <Chiron> and the brash outer self <Ascendant in Aries> direct their energies towards the Midheaven <career>. The divine Miss M's concerts are cathartic in a different way than Judy's, with their irreverence and ribald good humor. Both have turned a few hours of concert experience into a healing experience of magic for the mind, heart and soul.
"For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul."
Judy Garland
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Carin Martin,
Astrologer
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Carin Martin has been an astrologer in private practice for over twenty-five years. She has also taught seminars in astrology as well as lead group workshops in self revelational archetypal astrology.
She has published on several subjects in the field of metaphysics and been interviewed both on radio and for national publications.
Calling herself the "eternal student" she has attended numerous workshops and seminars over years including those of Jungian James Hillman, as well as astrologers Liz Green and Steven Arroyo amongst many others.
Her private practice covers most areas of western astrology but in recent years she has gained a reputation for her work in the synastry of business and creative relationships and for avocational astrology.
An avid animal lover, she is currently working on a book about human and animal communication as well as several astrological projects.
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Send your questions to:
AstroCarinMartin
@aol.com
Please understand that due to time constraints, only questions chosen for the column will be answered.
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