Death
From Astrowiki-en
Modern astrology's treatment of the subject of death largely reflects the dominant cultural norms in the Western world in which the subject has become generally taboo. Predictions concerning the time of death are considered to be unethical and most astrological schools and associations have either expressly forbidden them or consider them to be beyond the bounds of astrological prediction. In most Asian traditions (Indian Astrology, Chinese Astrology), death is far less taboo and astrologers integrate the subject into their work. This attitude exists among astrologers in these countries because these cultures generally have a completely different attitude to life and death. Predictions concerning the time of death are an important aspect of Asian astrology and also known in mundane astrology, although modern mundane astrologers have distanced themselves from this practice.
In the past, Saturn, the lord of time, was the astrological symbol for death. This has changed since the discovery of the outer planets, and Pluto has now come to be most closely associated with death, a fact strengthened by the connection between the sign of Scorpio and the eighth house. Death has come to be interpreted as a deep process of transformation, of letting go, the final farewell or ultimate separation.
Every horoscope has Plutonian and Scorpionic themes which are activated by triggers several times during an individual's life, and for this reason alone, they cannot possibly always mean the actual physical death of the individual. Within the Pluto cycle the square from transiting Pluto to its natal position points to a time of deep and often painful transformation (Cycles of Development). Because Pluto has been moving relatively quickly since the middle of the 20th century, this square has been experienced by people born after 1960 around the age of 40. At 42 years of age, the Huber age point moves into the eighth house and activates Scorpionic themes.
In addition to the symbolic interpretation of Scorpionic and Plutonic themes of deep transformation, astrology can also help to end the taboo surrounding the subject of death in many societies. Psychologists believe this taboo to be linked to a fear of change which has its origin in the trauma of birth. For the newly incarnating individual the process of birth represents a radical, dramatic and often painful transformation of its immediate environment even though the process was necessary for further growth. In this sense, the second house pole of the second house/eighth house axis with its concentration on stability may create a sense of security but will eventually hinder any further growth.
The American astrologer Richard Houck has approached this theme from a completely new angle. He tries to reduce the taboos surrounding death by treating it in a humorous manner. Unlike many Western astrologers he works with the sidereal zodiac and incorporates many ideas from Indian astrology. He is also unusual in working mainly with tertiary progressions I. By referring to numerous examples of deceased persons he uses complex calculations to illustrate how their natal charts indicate the times of their deaths.
