Today I read that Marilyn French, one of the great (anarcha)feminism writers, has passed away. I got interested in her books in my mid-twenties and has been an inspiration to me ever since. She will be greatly missed. She became known for her razor sharp analysis of the suffering of women in a male dominated history and society; undoubtedly catching a lot of wind for it. But her most brilliant remarks have, in my opinion, always been underrated. Some of which I’m sure will surprise coming from the hand of an author of feminism books. Things such as:
“Most big hierarchies are built in the form of a pyramid, with the largest number of people at the base. This form is justified because it is supposed to promote agility, effectiveness and the progress of new talent: it is supposed to be just.”
“The institutional process is known as ‘the system’ and the system is always right. Special procedures take from those people that are supposed to follow them all responsibility and create a mind-numbing feeling of false security. Even when a system is clearly failing, even when it displays gross injustice, failure of communciation and inefficiency, proposals for improvement will find great resistance. The system has become an entity of truth on it’s own, a fact, a goal that is greater than the individual. Even when the organisation is destructing human lives, there are those that still wish to defend it. Exactly like the patriarchy the system becomes a surrogate world and, as nature itself, demands absolute adjustment.”
“Every hierarchy maintains itself by the continuation of fear”.
Attached you will find the natal chart of Marilyn, born 21st of November 1929 [NY], R.I.P. 2nd of May 2009. At this time I don’t have any birth time. I searched all over for it, but didn’t find it so far.
What was surprising to me is that her chart shows ‘the grand trine’; an aspect pattern considered to promote high ideals, optimism and inner faith but also a self-indulgent temperament. That doesn’t match the woman with the sharp tongue that sent many conservatives up the wall. Even though it’s Moon completing this grand trine, there’s a fairly high chance she has it due to the larger orb. When we take a closer look we’ll find that Sun, Mars and Mercury form a Stellium, which could account for her feisty writing style. But the most signifying thing I found in her natal chart is the Yod pattern between Uranus (non-conformity), Jupiter (expansion) and Venus as the apex planet (female principle). Same could be said for Venus (female principle), Neptune (high ideals) and Uranus (non-conformity). Yod, or the fingerpoint of God often is an indication of a task you’re meant to fulfill in this life. Both Sun and Saturn in the anaretic degree tells me she has always had problems with authority figures, especially those male (the fatherly principle of Sun/Saturn).
Another thing I found out is that Marilyn was typed an enneagram 8 (just like I am, self-tested). A lone wolf amidst of the men in this list.
May 6th, 2009
In the years I have practised astrology, I have seen my share of “heavy configurations” but I believe that this year for me the “heavy configurations” are stacking themselves in a way I’ve never seen before. If you ask me what it’s about, I’m surely to have my ideas, but when it comes down to it the only thing an astrologer will be able to tell you for sure is that “x marks the spot” for change. Will it contain a pirates’ treasure or will the chest be empty?
