UAC 2012: THE MOST TIRING CONFERENCE YOU’LL EVER LOVE (Part 3)

Life at UAC 2012 in New Orleans...Hospitality Girls Rock! We kept this conference on its toes.

From left: Christine Thomas, Susan Scott, Kelley Hunter, our lovely boss, and this author, Monica Miller (aka Sunny Dawn).

This is my FINAL ARTICLE on UAC workshops that I personally attended. I hope my readers enjoy the whole series.

The next couple of workshops shown below reflect two different approaches to timing transits which bring on lucky financial increases. Both astrologers look at the charts of lottery winners to show these techniques in action, but both also stress that lucky configurations often mean some other form of luck than a lottery win.

Joni Patry’s Vedic technique is simple to understand. David Beazley’s technique is more complex and requires special software. Beazley also provided an extensive handout – without this, context will be lost on recording.

JONI PATRY – How To Predict A Sudden Rise In Life

Patry is especially easy to understand, and her presentations are very well-organzied. She has found that when transiting Jupiter and transiting Rahu (North Node) form a trine, and when a third planet just happens to be in a natal position which completes the formation of a grand trine, this brings on a better paying job, or a lottery win, or some other luck.

Looking at lottery winners’ charts, she emphasizes that the transit is slow enough to encompass both the date of the ticket purchase and the actual date of winning. Her feeling is that the Nodes represent a change in destiny and the beginning of new life experience, so that somehow these two dates will be related.

DAVID BEAZLEY – How To Find A Winner

Beazley’s technique involves looking at “midpoint pictures” formed by transiting trans-Neptunians. Regarding lottery wins, he feels the technique works best for the day the ticket is purchased. Having a lucky natal horoscope isn’t essential – not everyone has the traditional lucky natal aspect between Jupiter and Uranus. Even if you don’t have a “big winner” natal chart, you can still improve your odds and chances of smaller wins using the Nova Chart Wheels software to follow trans-Neptunian transits, and if you can’t figure it out, you can always pay him to do it for you.

Evening on Jackson Square in the French Quarter, with the iconic St. Louis Cathedral in the background.

JOSEPH CRANE – Why Did Dante Put Astrologers In Hell?

Crane takes us to spy on the astrologers of Canto 20 in the Inferno, who imitate the motions of the planets as they walk in never-ending circles, and whose bodies are twisted because they twisted everything in their predictions.

He shows us Dante’s ambivalence toward the astrologers. Dante selects examples of famous diviners such as Tieresias and Manto, and mixes them with astrologers like Figulus and Guido Bonatti, in an effort to show why the entire profession stands accused and condemned. But some of the stories are false, and Crane says that Dante’s well-educated contemporaries would have perceived this.

Crane also points out that Dante rarely, if ever, made mistakes in the Comedia, and suggests that Dante knew his audience would recognize the inaccuracies and interpret accordingly. So Dante delivers the necessary double-speak, as well as an authentic and genuine warning against astrologers who deliberately falsified their predictions, or who gave council they knew was wrong.

Crane does an in-depth and thorough look at one of the more puzzling cantos in the Inferno. This is a nice recording for history buffs, because he treats his famous and obscure classical sources with equal care.

POST CONFERENCE

RICHARD “RICK” TARNAS - The History Of Rock And Roll

Let me say that I am more than a little in awe of Rick Tarnas, author of the best-selling “The Passion of the Western Mind”. He really conveys passion for the subjects he finds most fascinating – and he’s so darn smart on top of it. Few people who attended UAC managed to stick around for a post-conference, but this one was totally worth it. As Tarnas himself put it, it was a very select performance – almost as if he was giving a private concert.

Folks waiting for their own concert on Frenchman St. in Marigny, just outside the French Quarter.

He begins with the premise that astrology helps you understand the music, and music helps you understand the astrology, because music conveys the archetypes more directly than other arts. He also points out that rock-and-roll begins with the convergence of European and African cultures – so New Orleans is the perfect city for this presentation.

The Pluto-Uranus conjunction of the 1960’s dominated the birth of rock-and-roll. Pluto represents submerged and simmering anger and sexuality, and Uranus is electric and revolutionary. With the sextile to Neptune, shocking and sinful music emerged.
Tarnas delineates each period of development, beginning in the mid-1950’s, with the corresponding secondary conjunction or other aspect which most influenced events.

The Jupiter-Uranus conjunction from the summer of 1954 to the summer of 1955 lasted just 14 months, but Elvis Presley had his first recording, Chuck Berry released his first record, Kerouac publishes “Howl”, Ferlinghetti’s poems are released, and all three of James Dean’s movies come out during this brief period.

From there, Tarnas follows the conjunction of Uranus and Pluto, which really gets started around 1962, and shows how developments in rock-and-roll occurred each time the conjunction made an aspect to other planets. Even secondary aspects were magnified by the unleashed flood of energy – for example, John F. Kennedy was assassinated under the Saturn-Neptune opposition of 1963.

Tarnas also does a sweeping critique of the Beatles, careful analysis of the natal charts of Elvis, Bob Dylan, and Mick Jagger (along with plenty of music clips), and shares insight into why the majority of stars of this period did their best work before turning 30. It isn’t possible to do this presentation justice within the scope of this blog, so I recommend the recording and accompanying video if it is available.

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In honor of today's Venus Occultation, here's a picture of Venus in the arms of her Mars...

UAC 2012: THE MOST TIRING CONFERENCE YOU'LL EVER LOVE (Part 2)

Life In The Big Easy...Great music with no cover charge at BMC on Decatur St. near Esplanade.

UAC 2012 LECTURES – WHAT SHOULD YOU BUY?

Attendees spend a considerable amount of time trading tips on the lectures and presenters they liked, because folks find that the lectures they most wanted to attend occur in the same time slot as one or two others that were also on their bucket list. So everyone wants tips on what recordings are worth the price at the end of the conference, as well as which ones might be worth skipping.

Here’s a continuation of what I’ve liked so far:

CHRIS TURNER – Suddenly I’m Old. How Did That Happen?

“I think I believe in reincarnation, but even if I don’t, I’ve lived a lot of lives.”- Chris Turner

Chris Turner, a spunky and opinionated 70 year old Australian, designed this workshop because she felt there is only limited structure for interpreting the horoscopes of clients past age 60, and even less for those past age 75.

As one of the youngest people present, I learned a lot from this presentation, and not only from Turner, but from the audience. Comments from the audience will enhance this recording if they are preserved.

Turner talked about the Pluto-in-Leo’s insistence on demanding change on social issues – from feminism to divorce – and says they will continue their demands into old age, requesting not to be abandoned in nursing homes, and voluntary euthanasia for those who want it. These are older people who hope to return to live with their families, even though Pluto-in-Aquarius suggests the death of the conventional family.

She also mentioned that the Pluto-in-Leo’s born in the late 1940’s and 1950’s will experience a Pluto opposition between the ages of 85 – 90, the first generation to experience this transit since the planet was discovered, and also the first cohort to experience it at such a young age.

It used to be that a lot of people died around the Uranus return at age 84, but this age is increasing for many people. Elderly people still have a tendency to die very close to their birthdays, indicating involvement from the Solar Return.

Turner bluntly states that living longer than age 84 may not be all that desirable for many of us. She feels a widow in her early 80’s may not have that much to live for – the relationship with the great-grandchildren is nowhere near as close or special as it is with the grandchildren – and it is the relationship with grandchildren which sweetens the lives of the elderly.

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QUIK RESTAURANT TIP: Palace Cafe on Canal St. near the Marriott has amazing pecan catfish for $17.00.

Venus descending a staircase during busy lunch at Palace Cafe.

ONE MORE RESTAURANT TIP: Domenica in the Business District has a great half-price happy hour. Spicy lamb meatball pizza, and very good desserts. Don't miss!

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PRISCILLA COSTELLO – Playing The Hand That Pluto Has Dealt

This presentation was a scattered grab bag of many different ideas – Plutonian spiritual practices, shielding techniques in Plutonian situations, Pluto’s natal aspects to the Sun, and Pluto’s transits were all covered.

A natal Pluto-Sun aspect may make us especially vulnerable to seduction or being overwhelmed by a member of the opposite sex. A Pluto transit to the Sun (or a transit to the progressed Sun) may indicate the possibility of surgery or weight loss – it can really change one’s appearance. Diets done during this year have a greater chance of success.

Listeners who are hoping for a focused presentation may become somewhat frustrated by this lecture. Those who are comfortable piecing together many different topics as they listen will probably enjoy it.


GLENN PERRY – Oppositions: The Scylla and Charybdis of the Birthchart

Perry has a smooth, melodious speaking voice (he’s a professional therapist) and is reliably focused throughout the presentation, so this recording should be worth the money.

The take-away lesson is that natal oppositions reveal the essence of what one achieves in terms of a career or contribution to society. For example, Mark Zuckerberg’s chart is full of oppositions. His Venus closely opposes Saturn, Mars, and the Moon, and he has another tight opposition between Mercury and Pluto. The oppositions manifested with his creation of Facebook – Zuckerberg designed it for those who want to have relationships (Venus), but want to be in control of the dynamic (Saturn). Facebook also allows us to dig out (Pluto) information (Mercury) about others with whom we might be in relationship.

Perry does equally insightful analysis of the T-Squares in the natal charts of Bill O’Reilly (Fox News) and George Lucas (creator of Star Wars). Listeners will be thinking about how they express their own oppositions in terms of career or personal ambitions by the time they finish this recording.

ARLAN WISE – An Astrological Look at Internet Dating

Wise first does a run-down on the houses from a dating perspective, and then surveys the on-line dating landscape with cautionary tales about romance fraud, and other mistakes that Internet daters tend to make. She is protective and reformist - her current relationship is with someone she met through on-line dating – but in her own words, Internet dating can be a “playground for overactive Uranus and projective, wishful Venus”.

A number of topics are covered – 1st meeting charts and the value of particular transits. Long-term and important relationships often begin under Venus Rx, while there are more likely to be a lot of false starts under Mercury Rx. A strong Pluto transit will change your life situation, and may also bring about a relationship with someone totally different from anyone you have ever dated before.

Anyone single or in a relationship with someone he or she met on the Internet is likely to enjoy this presentation – it’s a very occult Venus topic!

***

Certain cities express astrological polarity in a very visible way. Polarity is a pair of opposite signs, like Aries and Libra.

TIP FROM MY ROOMMATE: New Orleans is a purely Scorpio city, but they eat like Taureans (foodies all the way).

TO BE CONT'D.

UAC 2012: THE MOST TIRING CONFERENCE YOU’LL EVER LOVE (Part 1)

LIFE IN THE BIG EASY…...Post-Katrina New Orleans on Frenchman Street in Marigny...

For anyone who may be thinking of doing UAC in the future, the first thing to realize is how exhausting this week can be. There are so many tracks, with 15 different workshops running simultaneously in every time slot. Most days run four time slots back to back (with some breaks in between for lunch, and such) from 9:00 am to 5:45 pm.

And for the eager and energetic, there is a whole separate selection of yummy workshops offered during lunch – the “Brown Bag Lunch” workshops offered by young, up-and-coming astrologers which an attendee does not find out about until they arrive (they were not available in advance on the website). Unfortunately, I haven’t had a chance to attend a single one – too tired. I was wiped out by allergies before I got here, and I have been coughing a lot here.

Prior to UAC, I signed up for an 11 hour commitment on the hospitality desk. I’m glad I took the opportunity to volunteer because this desk is a central hub – a lot of information about the conference flows at you while you are on the desk, and a lot of speakers come over to say hello and chat a bit, and the whole experience made me feel far more “connected” than I would have ever felt if I hadn’t volunteered. Plus, I got the opportunity to work with some wonderful people, and when I needed to switch rooms and find a new roommate for the last night of the conference, I found her among my peers on the hospitality desk, of course.

A lot of the fatigue has to do with the fact that New Orleans is such an amazing city, and it’s a real juggling act to decide how much time to allocate to the conference, and how much time to spend goofing off in the French Quarter or in Marigny.

Should one split for a tour, or take a leisurely stroll down to Café du Monde for breakfast beignets, or take a trolley out to the Garden District, or soak up some sun by the pool, or get drunk on old-fashioned cocktails, or actually go and attend the workshops?

This is an expensive conference – most people didn’t come to simply hang out in New Orleans. However, I will say that New Orleans competes for our time and attention the way Denver never did (Denver was where UAC 2008 was held, and is a very boring city by comparison).

Bourbon Street on a weeknight...where every night is Mardi Gras, and the lead-up to the Memorial Day weekend is kind of crazy.

But there are other fatigue factors. The high heat and humidity is one of them. Unless you’re actually coming from the lower South, there is nowhere else in the United States this hot and humid in May. As soon as I arrived, I started feeling the need for “siesta” – there’s a reason why it’s such a central part of life in tropical places like New Orleans (NO).



Mermaid looking for a siesta...

NOTE TO THE WISE: In tropical places, siesta doesn’t often get used for siesta. Only children really get a siesta. In siesta cultures, adults in relationships are often using siesta for something else. And conference attendees almost never get a real siesta, even if they aren’t busy at hanky-panky. Bring Vitamin C or B 12 sublingual for additional energy throughout the day.

UAC DRAWBACKS

As my roommate noted, there’s a huge number of women over 50 here. Not a lot of cute, straight guys. Not a lot of men, period. And not as many young people as one would hope – even with the scholarship program, a lot of young people under 35 find it too expensive to attend UAC.

Whitney Houston, our favorite older lady, on the altar at the witch shop, Hex, on Decatur Street.



This isn’t a specific UAC drawback, but I was surprised how many attendees I spoke with who do not read astrology books, or who own a lot of astrology books and admit to having never read them. People who have hang-ups about doing a lot of reading are the ones who tend to come to conferences – these are audio learners, or folks who need a teacher who will guide them through excerpts and worksheets because they aren’t the type to sit down and read books on their own.

Most of the speakers present new material at conferences at UAC, so being well-read isn’t essential to getting a lot from the conference. Still, as someone who is self-taught, and who not only reads but also takes notes on most of the astrology books that I own, this attitude leaves me a bit cold.

UAC HIGHLIGHTS SO FAR…

ROCK-N-BOWL

The conference organized shuttle buses to take us out to Mid-City for a NO institution – Friday night bowling with a dance floor and live music. UAC attendees only had the place to ourselves for a couple of hours – 7:30 – 9:30 pm, before it was opened to the public. But there was plenty of free wine & beer, and a New Orleans style buffet, and the lanes were all full. I can’t bowl to save my life, but a fellow hospitality volunteer, N., added me to her team, and, let’s just say they all took pity on me.

GOOD CONVERSATION

N. and I went out to a well-known hole-in-the-wall called Green Goddess before we caught the shuttle for Rock n Bowl. Located a few blocks behind our hotel, the place has outdoor seating, and some wonderfully strong, old-fashioned cocktails (plus a reputation for an excellent cheese plate). Like a lot of places in the French Quarter, it features ladies in a greater state of undress than one would ever see them at home. Many of these are black or mixed-race (NO has a very long history of non-white courtesans shaping the culture).

QUIK FASHION NOTE: I’m seeing a lot of women wearing thin, translucent lace in New Orleans – a great way to beat the heat and look feminine. I love this look. Don’t see much of it in DC.

QUIK PRALINE TIP: Evans Candy Factory in the French Market on Decatur Street makes a wicked creamy rum praline.

So N. and I sat around and talked a bit. We talked about our horoscopes – this is something that ladies at astrology conferences do a lot. N. had a very strong horoscope, with Regulus and Spica tightly conjunct two of her planets, in addition to a few other goodies. I have a very weak horoscope. So I talked about my sense that astrology stops one from playing the blame game – some of us draw a good horoscope with our first breath, and some of us don’t – but the native needs to make choices and move forward with what they get. Afterwards I reflected that the people with crappy horoscopes sometimes get far more interesting lives.

Street musicians playing in the heat on Chartres Street in the French Quarter.

Meanwhile, N. told me about her sense that New Orleans is like a giant purgatory. Couldn’t argue that – NO is definitely a Sin City, more so than Las Vegas. It isn’t just the voodoo and the prostitution and the wild drunkenness on Bourbon St every night that spills over the rest of the French Quarter like a wave. Nor is it just the shadows from the past, those of Marie Laveau, or the rumor that Hurricane Katrina was a punishment for all the black magic practiced in this city. The energy here IS edgy.

That edginess is what draws people. I would love to live here for a winter, but I wonder if I could make it through the monsoon season and the long, hot summer.

Sign on Decatur Street "Voodoo Blues: May the curse be with you."


UAC 2012 LECTURES – WHAT SHOULD YOU BUY?

Attendees spend a considerable amount of time trading tips on the lectures and presenters they liked, because folks find that the lectures they most wanted to attend occur in the same time slot as one or two others that were also on their bucket list. So everyone wants tips on what recordings are worth the price at the end of the conference, as well as which ones might be worth skipping.

Here’s what I’ve liked so far:

GARY CATON – Rahu & Ketu: Transformation via the Cosmic Dragon

He’s a good speaker and a creative, thorough thinker. I know quite a bit about Rahu and Ketu, but Gary thought of some things that never occurred to me. Interesting material on the role Rahu & Ketu play in an eclipse. The recording should be worth buying.

Unfortunately, I did not get to see his, "Cycles of Mercury: Transformation & The Trickster," but I know that Gary was planning on staying two steps ahead of his audience by playing the trickster himself. He was going to give attendees the option of immediate gratification on door prizes vs. delayed gratification that could lead to prizes of greater or lesser value than those offered to the folks who chose instant gratification. Bet this would have been fun to watch!

SHIRLEY SOFFER – Mars & His Children

Soffer is an amazing speaker – her presentation is crystal clear, and she is very aware that she speaks to be recorded. She did a comprehensive run-down of the myths associated with Mars – he wasn’t just a vicious warrior, but also a lover who tended to be more loyal than Zeus, and a passionate defender of his children. She also showed how his children with Venus all represent some aspect of the experience of passionate love.

MICHAEL ERLEWINE – Tibetan Astrology

Don’t bother buying it if you weren’t there. Erlewine forgot his notes, so he decided to sit there and tell stories of his life for an hour. Since he’s had a fascinating life, this was not at all boring for attendees, but I doubt it will make a great recording.

Erlewine is 1960’s aristocracy. He is a musician who hitchhiked with Bob Dylan, counted Iggy Pop as his drummer, and who opened for bands like Cream. He was able to show off some amazing photos – like one of him as a young man interviewing Muddy Waters.

After the wild and crazy musician years, Erlewine founded Matrix software in 1977, one of the oldest software companies in the US. He did well financially with Matrix, and plowed a lot of that money into a compound in Big Rapids, MI known as The Heart Center. At its heart is an 8 bedroom house where many of the famous "greats" of 20th century astrology have spent time on extended retreat, including Dane Rudhyar , Rob Hand, Michel Gauquelin, and Charles Harvey. Rob Schmidt is now a scholar-in-residence there, while he heads up the exhaustive translation endeavor, Project Hindsight.

The multi-talented Erlewine also does photography at a near-professional level. His photos and those of others made this presentation exceptional.

DARBY COSTELLO – From Saturn in Libra to Scorpio: After the Work of Love, What Next?

The first part of her lecture was very strong. She is a dynamic speaker who can be powerful at the podium. The main point of her lecture on Saturn’s upcoming transit into Scorpio is that there will be a “frozen” quality to the experience of the house with Scorpio in the natal chart, and the challenge is up to the native to use the experience beneficially. The example she used is Medusa turning people to stone. No kidding!

Costello went off on tangents when it came time to look at horoscopes, however. She also used charts from her client files rather than focusing on well-known public figures. This presentation strategy is not my favorite, and her lecture was far less focused after this.

TO BE CONT’D.