The Astrology Of "My Secret Life"

The Astrology Of "My Secret Life"
mumin_bey@yahoo.com

4:08 AM 2/26/06 Sun

Because I know at least a few of you have an interest in the subject matter, I'm sending this to you.

As many of you know, Sexuality, and the role that Astrology plays in it, has been something of a pet interest of mine; recently, I've devoted a series of essays to the topic, writing on a variety of subjects and so on from an astrological perspective. In addition, I have collected somewhere over 300 charts of those who in way or another have worked in the Sex Business, & this doesn't count the other charts in my database that speaks to those who, while not working in said business or otherwise noteworthy, have nevertheless a high index of sexual activity and interest.

Some years back I ran accross an online version of the book(s) called "My Secret Life: The Sexual Memoirs of A Victorian Gentleman", written by a man who called himself "Walter". It was first published in 11 volumes of about 23 chapters each, in Amsterdam in 1888 and finally concluded in 1894, the height of the Victorian Era. However, it was immediately banned, and remained so for decades; in New York City in 1932, a publisher was arrested for attempting to introduce the work to an American audience. Finally in 1966, "My Secret Life" was released without censure or rebuke, and came complete with a commentary, which included speculation about who the author really was.

In 2001 yet another book was written about the "My Secret Life" volumes, with yet another commentary given, and had definitively declared that "Walter" was in fact Henry Spencer Ashbee, a Victorian gentleman, publisher, writer and bookseller. According to Wikipedia, Ashbee was born on Apr 21 1834, in Southwark, London, England. No time is known, but the Solarscope says it all:

1. Sun in Taurus, disposed by Venus also in Taurus, which makes it the Final Dispositor of the date; it in turn conjuncts Jupiter

2. Venus in Taurus sextile Mars in Pisces; keep in mind, that Venus-Mars are among the Sexual Aspects in the Magi School lexicon

3. Pluto=Venus/Mars(!!!), AP=Node=Mars/Pluto; these are powerful midpoints denoting an ultra-strong sexual drive; keep in mind, that the Mars-Pluto pairing in particular pertains to what the Magis call a Male Super Sexual Aspect; also, keep in mind that, going back to the Solarscope, Pluto is in Aries, disposed by Mars

4. The Sun squares Neptune, Mercury sextile Neptune (emphasizing "secret lives", etc.)

On the day Ashbee was born the Moon was changing Signs from Virgo to Libra; from what I've read about this man and his own writing (I have all 11 volumes of "My Secret Life") it's my opinion that he could have the Moon in Virgo, joining the other 3 planets in Earth Signs, and putting his birth somewhere between sunrise and about Noon. That would give us several Ascendants: Taurus, Gemini, and Cancer, more specifically. It makes sense that Ashbee could have had a Gemini Asc - it would fit his career and activities, that of writing and so on, and would have put his Taurus planets in the 12th House ("secret lives").

Putting on my astro-thinking cap, I tried my hand at rectifiying Ashbee's chart, while I wrote this, taking about 20 minutes, and using the 3 main events of his life: his marriage in 1862, the publishing of his sexual memoir in 1888, and finally his death in 1900. On the basis of these events, it seems that 6.36AM LMT is a good starting point to narrow down the astrology at work in Ashbee's life. In this option, 9 Gem 58 rises, putting the Sun, Venus and Jupiter in the 12th House, putting Sag on the 7th, putting the late Virgo Moon in the 5th along with Saturn in Libra, and perhaps most important, putting Mercury in charge of both the Asc and the 5th House. The Moon rules the 3rd House of writing, Saturn rules the 9th House of publishing, Gemini on the Asc would suggest an interest in such things overall, made even moreso when taking into account the sharp Mercury-Saturn opposition along the 5-11 House axis.

In 1862 when he got married, transit Jupiter was in Virgo and conjunct his Moon in the 5th, between the months Jun-Aug; he also had SA Venus=Asc; in 1888, when his memoirs were published, Ashbee had transit Jupiter opposed his Asc, with SA MC=Moon (keep in mind, that the Moon rules the 3rd - writing, especially appropriate here: "memoirs"); and in the year of his death, 1900, he had transit Jupiter and Uranus would conjunct his Asc, transit Neptune would square his Moon, SA Saturn=Asc, SA Uranus=Sun (applying) and SA Neptune=Saturn. All of the Uranus and Saturn symbolism suggests death as a result of stroke and/or paralysis that would follow...but the details of his death are not given in the Wikipedia account.

In some of the more classical texts, Mercury in connection to the 5th is considered "kinky"; in my recent piece on the 5th House and Sexuality, I suggested that Mercury in connection with the 5th suggests strongly, that the Mind becomes important; communication and so on, perhaps extensive use of the mouth and/or hands is important. Again, in the option birth time I've selected for Ashbee, we can see that Mercury plays a very prominent role.

The Moon and Venus often give key clues as to what a man finds attractive in a woman, physically and on from there. In Ashbee's writings, he very much likes voluptuous, "zaftig" women, in their au natural state. Venus in Taurus, Moon in Virgo, Venus conjunct Jupiter. It must also be said, as Zam has pointed out, that whenever Venus is connected to either the 6th or 12th House, one must be mindful of STDs, all the moreso if that Venus is in any way connected to the Sexual Houses of the chart (5th & 8th) and/or in association with the other Sexual Planets (Mars or Pluto for both sexes, Uranus for men) and/or in its own or exaltation Signs. Ashbee recounts several bouts with "the clap" and so on in his memoirs. Venus in Taurus in the 12th, etc.

Ashbee also talks about performance anxiety, of impotence and having issues about his penile size, and so on; note Saturn in the 5th, in opposition to chart ruling Mercury, Mercury in turn sextile Neptune (who itself trine the Moon accross the signline). Saturn-Neptune combos can usually have a marked effect on a person's sexual life if they're in someway tied into the 5th or 8th Houses of the chart.

Also, from his writings, Ashbee was very unhappy in his marriage; the ruler of the 7th, Jupiter, is in the 12th House in my rectification option, and is in a Sign completely different from Ashbee's Asc ruler. I've found that when this happens, the native and the people they get involved with are essentially "out of synch" with each other. The 12th House part of it brings in clandestine affairs, letdowns of one sort or another, and so on. A 12th House Venus is also "hard to please"; difficult to find in the real and everyday world, that which finds in fantasy.

Of course, one cannot really take into full account one's horoscope without also taking into account the times in which one lives; Ashbee came along at the time of the Victorian Era, a period of extreme puritanical views and prudery regarding sexuality and so on. It's interesting to note that Queen Victoria had Venus in the 12th in Aries, and while Mars was also in Aries it was much too far for a conjunction. She also had Uranus trine Venus, but the trine from Neptune was closer, and there you go. The Sun, ruling the 5th, was in Gemini (there's that Mercury connection again!) and conjunct the Moon, suggesting a self-absorbed focus; she did remain in mourning for years - and the Sun sextile Saturn, itself in Pisces. Sublimation was the watchword for an entire country, for an entire Era (Queen Victoria May 24 1819 4.15AM LMT London England; Placidus 5 Gem 58, Rodden) .

And we can go further: looking at the chart for England (Dec 25 1066 3.20PM LMT, Westminster; Placidus 2 Can 35, Tyl rect. option) we note that again(!) Mercury rules the 5th, and is trine and in Mutual Recption with Saturn; Mercury is in the 7th and Saturn is in the 4th. Saturn rules the 8th and holds Venus in Aquarius, its only aspect being a sextile to the chart ruling Moon in Aries (at the Aries Point). Venus rules the 12th (which flows along with Queen Victoria's Venus in the 12th). Britain has always presented the "stiff upperlip" to the world, the Victorian Era is the stuff of legend, but beneath it all lies a stultified sexuality, fighting to get out. Even now, over a century after the Victorian Era ended, the UK isn't the first place one thinks of when the subject of love, romance or sex comes up.

Just to add balance to the whole thing, I thought to mention the chart of another very famous writer on sexuality and the role it played in her memoir: Anais Nin, born Feb 21 1903 8.16PM LMT in Paris France; Placidus 3 Lib 19, Rodden. Like Ashbee, she wrote extensive and very detailed accounts of her life and her numerous affairs and sexual liasons, and her chart backs up every bit of the written word: note Uranus, the ruler of the 5th, is square the chart ruling Venus, itself exalted in Pisces and placed in the 6th (and Nin had no kids, suffered a stillbirth in one instance, presumed to have either STD trouble and/or congenital reproductive problems); Venus disposes of Mars in Libra, Rx and ruling the 8th; and Venus square Pluto. Pluto rules the 3rd (in Gemini), holding Uranus in the 3rd, Mercury in Aquarius disposed by Uranus. Like Ashbee, Nin's Neptune is highly elevated, and ties into her 5th House. Venus and Mars are parallel, Asc=MC=Venus/Mars, and Saturn=Venus/Pluto. Again, like Ashbee, Nin had all three primary Sexual Planets connected to each other; again, her track record speaks for itself.

Taking into account the chart of France, we see a very different picture emerging on the sexual front than that of England (France Sep 21 1792 3.30PM LMT Paris; Placidus 25 Cap 33, Campion): Gemini is on the 5th (again!) ruled by Mercury, itself in Virgo, Rx, Peregrine (Tyl designation) AND in the 8th House trine the Asc (Mercury also rules the 8th); Venus is also in the 8th, in Libra, and also Peregrine (again, Tyl), disposing of the chart ruling Saturn in Taurus, itself also ruling the 12th House; and perhaps most importantly, Mars in Scorpio squares Pluto in the 1st, Uranus in the 7th. Jupiter (in Scorpio!)=Venus/Mars. The very words, "Paris, France" is synonomous with erotica, romance, passion, sex. The history of French prostitutes and mistresses and the like are now subject matters at major universities; the "French Maid" costumes and the like are a popular staple at places like Frederick's of Hollywood and so on. Ashbee himself speaks at considerable length his liking for French ladies.

At any rate, I thought again to offer these insights to those who are interested; if you get a chance, checkout "My Secret Life" found online; there's a link to the whole text at Wikipedia.

Suggested Further Reading: The Magis Book on Love & Money; Martine's Sexual Astrology; Sexuality in The Horoscope

Salaam,
Mu