But broached it has been, thanks to three eclipses
in row and the inadvertant proddings of other
astrologers (who inkled forth that surprising
occurrences would be rife); and I have, over these
past few weeks, swung my astral butterfly net all
over the place. So now, I suppose, I should show
my collection.
When 203 nations are involved, although only 32
compete in the glorious finale on the last day of
June, 2002, the scope of the action is global if
not quite cosmic. The ultimate game and victor may
be the only things that attract most attention but,
as with most appearances, these comprise merely
the tip of a fairly huge iceberg.
Lovers of obscure points and obversity, who prize
undersides as well as upsides and the knowledge
that nadirs always accompany zeniths, will of
course know that on June 28, far from crowds near
Japanese sea-level, there is another crowd,
substantially smaller, in Himalayan Bhutan watching
a slightly different game as that remote nation
plays the volcanic Caribbean island of Monserrat
for the title of the world's worst team. That is,
for the 203rd position in World Soccer. [NB:
American Samoa, #200, was beaten 30-0 by Australia,
who did not qualify for this year's championships].
I wish I could do the WHOLE soccer scene justice,
but I'm afraid this must wait for another day.
Still, let us note in passing that Bhutan, as well
as being the youngest team in the world soccer
federation (FIFA) -- a member since 2000, with
access to tv only since 1999 -- is also the only
country with a wilderness park dedicated to the
preservation of Abominable Snowfolk.
The Joker is wild. No doubt about it. But this is
serious. Earlier this year, in April, the BBC sent
a troup of researchers to Bhutan in the hope that
they'd return with some soul-stirring footage of
Yeti.
No such luck, but they did bring back one long
black hair, (aside from photos of a footprint,
and a very strange tale about an old lady who
used to 'sleep out' in a cave with her Sasqatch
paramour. But that's old hat or a messy toupee
in the annals of cryptozoology). The hair is
much, much better, mainly due to the follicle.
It was still attached. Not great television,
but for science a magnificent boon.
They took the hair to Oxford where geneticist
Brian Sykes, ("The Seven Daughters of Eve"),
analysed its DNA. The whole Department was puzzled.
It had never been presented with a sample that it
could not identify. The hair was neither ape nor
human, not even primate. Not bear nor any of the
other usual suspects. No round-up was possible.
Is this a tangent? A worm-hole in soccer space?
Leading, perhaps, to a greater game in some hyper
dimension? It probably is. But we shall leave
these ramifications to their own warped devices
in order to pursue some basic mundane astrology
-- a much safer domain for old ladies, Eves of all
kinds, and (let's hope, some day), for geneticists
as well.
Did I say "basic"? And mean it? Never mind, I'm
sure it's basic for some even though it's like
an Harappan riddle to others. The main thing is
to plough ahead and damn the torpidoes of an
early summer heatwave.
PART ONE
A Sidereal Survey Of The Championship Game
DATE: 30-Jun-02; TIME: 8:02pm-9:52pm (JST+9);
PLACE: Yokohama, Japan, 35N27 / 139E39.
RESULT: Brazil-2 Germany-0
PLAY-TIME: 109' (Local Japan Time;pm)
8:02= 00' Start
8:48= 46' Half-Time (+1' extra time)
Intermission 15'
9:03= 47' 2nd Half begins
9:52= 94' End (+3' extra time)
FIVE KEY GAME-EVENTS
8:46 Germany (Kleberson) misses, hits cross-bar.
8:50 Germany (Neuville) misses, hits post.
9:24 Brazil (Ronaldo) scores.
9:36 Brazil (Ronaldo) scores.
9:52 Game ends.
MUNDANE REFERENTS
For this simple reading I use only the seven basic
and primordial directions ("Earth-Sky Points") of
the Sphere applied to Local Space, which here is
centered at Yokohama, Japan. The main plane of
reference is horizontal, circumscribed by the
horizon and its four cardinal azimuths: Points East,
South, West, and North; plus the local Zenith and
Nadir.
These Seven Directions of three-dimensional space,
whether considered in an historical or psychological
context, comprise the cosmic archetype of spatial
existence and experience which makes all orientations
possible. They are also the source of all meanings
and definitions of angles and directions in astrology.
GENERAL MEANINGS
Zenith: Highest awareness, ideals, spirit, Deity.
East : Awakening, enlightenment, challenge, giving.
South : Clarity, attainment, glory, activity peak.
West : Reception, rest, impermanence, healing.
North : Isolation, peace, wisdom, rulership, plans.
Nadir : Lowest being, not-knowing, mystery, support.
MEANINGS SPECIFIC To THIS GAME
Zenith: Picture
North : Germany
South : Brazil
East : Start
West : End
Nadir : Yokohama
------------
-=Technical Summary=-
KEY CONSTELLATIONS
START
Zenith: Bootes
North : Perseus
East : *Aquarius
South : Lupus
West : Hydra
Nadir : Fornax
END
Zenith: Hercules
North : Camelopardalis
East : *Aquarius
South : Ara
West : Sextans
Nadir : Caelum
CONSTELLATION CHANGES
As far as picking the winner goes, azimuths NORTH
and SOUTH are key. These directions signify Germany
and Brazil, respectively, if we apply obvious
geographic criteria. Germany is in the northern
hemisphere; Brazil is southern.
EAST & WEST are not useful signifiers of teams in
this case for at least two reasons. The meridian
of Brasilia, the capital of Brazil, is opposite
Yokohama's, nullifying the East/West distinction.
More crucial, East-West represents temporal process,
the passage of time and stars due to Earth's
rotation.
ZENITH & NADIR are poles of the vertical axis that
pertains mainly to place rather than process (time)
or players. In general, these Points reflect
supporting or underlying conditions (Nadir), and
the overall appearance of the event, globally
perceived (Zenith).
NORTH (Germany)
8:02- *PERSEUS, demon-slayer, rescuer of Andromeda.
8:37-> The Giraffe, CAMELOPARDALIS.
9:22- Mu PER, the last star in PER. Until the end
of the game, NORTH passes through a relatively
empty portion of CAMELOPARDALIS, near the
border of PERSEUS.
SOUTH (Brazil)
8:02- The Wolf, *LUPUS, or The Sacrificial Offering.
8:20->NORMA, The Mason's Square & Level.
9:23- The Great Attractor in TRIANGULUM AUSTRALE
passes SOUTH about 6 degrees below the horizon.
This is the direction in space towards which
all galaxies around our own are travelling.
9:43->ARA, The Altar.
COMMENT: Although Brazil's LUPUS is the brighter
constellation, Germany's PERSEUS is the hero with
the better potential for scoring during the first
half. But this advantage diminishes when North
leaves PER for very faint CAMELOPARDALIS after 35',
and all but vanishes during the last 30' of the
game after the last notable star in PER has passed
due North and below The Giraffe's hooves.
Brazil's NORMA is also faint, and a much smaller
constellation than Germany's CAM, but South
entering "The Level & Square" implies an
opportunity to improve organisation, size things
up better, and apply skills more effectively.
Furthermore, the passage South of The Great
Attractor just below NOR, 18' into the second
half of the game, empowers that skill.
It seems that, psychologically, Brazil enters this
championship game with some humility as well as
hope -- offering its bright 'stars' sacrificially,
as it were. LUP is often seen as some kind of
sacred offering, whether the carcass of a recent
kill (wolf or boar) or a full wineskin. In any case,
as South reaches The Altar, nine minutes before the
game ends, it's apparent that this reverent act is
acceptable and will be honoured by the gods.
EAST
8:02- *AQUARIUS, The Cup-Bearer.
9:12 to 9:43- The Cup (Urn or Pot) of AQUARIUS
rises due EAST from the moment that Sadalmalik
passes this Point exactly, to the risings of
Zeta & Eta Aquarii, also due East.
9:57->PISCES, The Fish.
WEST:
8:02- *HYDRA, The Water Serpent.
8:51->SEXTANS, The Sextant.
COMMENT: The Eastern constellation does not change
during the game, and this is the only Direction
where constancy persists. AQUARIUS symbolises the
main theme of the event, insofar as it relates to
the principle item of this constellation -- the
Cup or Vessel held high by its Bearer. And the
theme, of course, does not change. The World Cup
is a competition that has endured for 72 years,
and the goal of winning it persists throughout.
In this game, the prospect of winning persists
from start to finish, but also before and after.
The moment of triumph is fleeting. Archetypically,
it's about victory and loss as the generators of
a never-ending story.
East may be understood as the summation of all
previous related events, and its constellation
as a reflection of the overall situation at the
beginning of the game. No other star-group
symbolises The World Cup as well as The Cup-Bearer.
There is CRATER, another cup or goblet, but it
lacks celestial prominence and fame.
At the start of the game West is in HYDRA,
indicating the obstacle to victory. Only one head
is obvious in the constellation, but the mythical
Water Monster has many heads that are self-
regenerating. They can symbolise the 30 other
teams in previous games that had to be bested.
The starry head had set just prior to 8pm, and
all remaining stars of the serpentine body set,
one by one, during the first half of the game.
The last Hydran star, Iota, vanishes just two
minutes before intermission leaving the second
half monster-free. HERCULES has won, again, as
shown by the Zenith's passage into that
constellation at 9:32. (Between the two goals
scored by Brazil).
ZENITH
8:02- As the game begins, the heart of *BOOTES,
The Herdsman, is at the Zenith over Yokohama.
8:39->CORONA BOREALIS, The Northern Crown. The
Zenith Point passes into The Crown (CrB),
although 3 minutes earlier the first CrB star
crosses South near the Zenith, and 4 minutes
later the lucida of this constellation,
Alfakka, crosses South.
9:32->HERCULES.
9:51- As the game ends, Eta & Zeta HER oppose each
other across the Zenith as they pass N & S
azimuths, respectively.
NADIR
8:02- The Nadir is within *FORNAX, The (Alchemical)
Furnace.
8:06- Akhiralnahr (Theta ERI, #3) passes South
within 4 degrees. Although not in FORNAX,
this is the first bright star to pass close
to the Nadir.
8:42- The Nadir begins to move along the border
between ERIDANUS, The Great River, and FORNAX.
8:58->ERIDANUS.
9:38- Faqita (Alfa COL), the lucida of The Dove,
passes WEST near the Nadir, though the Nadir
does not enter COLUMBA until after the game.
9:47->CAELUM, The Chisel.
COMMENT: What people see is a meeting between
rivals, each vying for a single prize and honours:
The Ox-Herder (BOOTES) versus the solar Champion
(HERCULES) with a Crown (CORONA BOREALIS) for the
victor. Zenith stars, however, are best not used
to identify teams, and especially not winners and
losers. Rather, the Zenith brings focus to
principles in play. Yet here we may be tempted to
assume that Germany is the methodical cowpoke,
Brazil the flashier hero. This seems valid, but
who wins would depend on performances -- of Germany
(BOOTES) in the first portion of the game, and
Brazil (HERCULES) in the latter.
There's a whole lot more to any grand competition
than the golden medal, cup, or ball, although this
is what attracts most people and what they remember.
Often, though, there are "incidental" stories that
remind us of greater (or simply other) implications.
Sometimes they are political, but more often personal
and of "human interest".. which provides the media
with high-value tie-ins. The Nadir reflects these
ramifications, but here we will consider only a
few incidents and principles.
That Japan is a bubbling cauldron, hot crucible, or
blazing furnace, can hardly be doubted. Few other
populated venues on Earth have been subjected to as
many earthquakes, A-bombs, and alchemical
trasmutations as Japan has. So FORNAX seems quite
apropos at the Nadir.
The final game may be in Yokohama, but its full
scope includes Japan's partner in these games,
South Korea. And that nation is not a cold turkey.
The movement of the Nadir along the borderline
between FORNAX and ERIDANUS during the first
part of the game resonates at least duply. Not
just with the two missed goals by Germany as the
ball bounced off bar & post, but also with the
military incident involving a patrol-ship from
North Korea over a maritime border shared with
its 'better half'.
"Chiseller's beware!" we may feel compelled to
exhort, though the chisel also carves an enduring
mark.
Ecliptical & Planetary Events
7:00- Sun in constellation GEMINI sets.
7:54- Mars in GEM sets.
7:56- Jupiter in GEM sets.
7:59- Uranus in AQUARIUS passes EAST.
(NB: Uranus is near the border of Capricornus.
During 2002/3 it passes into constellation
Aquarius for the first time in 84 years, but
moves back & forth between these constellations
for several months. It enters AQR on April Fool's
Day 2002, retrogrades into CAPRICORNUS 09-Aug-02,
then re-enters AQR 22-Jan-03).
8:00- AlfLIB (#2) @SOUTH.
8:02- SPICA (alfVIR #1) @Apex of Ecliptic.
8:08- REGULUS (alfLEO #1) @WEST (20^ distant).
8:12- SigLIB (#3) @SOUTH.
8:26- POLLUX (BetGEM #1) sets; BetLIB (#1) @SOUTH.
8:31- CASTOR (AlfGEM #2) sets.
8:48- NEPTUNE rises.
8:54- PLEIADES @NORTH.
9:08- DelSCO (#2) @SOUTH.
9:24- LIBRA @Apex.
9:26- VENUS sets.
9:37- ANTARES (AlfSCO #1) @SOUTH.
9:40- ALDABARAN (AlfTAU #1) @NORTH.
9:45- URANUS rises.
9:52- DelSCO near Apex; PLEIADES @Anti-Apex;
9:52- REGULUS (AlfLEO #1) sets.
The GIST:
Sidereal Transits During Key Game-Events
FIVE KEY GAME-EVENTS
8:46 Germany (Kleberson) misses, hits cross-bar.
8:50 Germany (Neuville) misses, hits post.
9:24 Brazil (Ronaldo) scores.
9:36 Brazil (Ronaldo) scores.
9:52 Game ends.
---
EVENT #1: 8:46 Germany's 1st near miss.
---
8:37 North -> CAMELOPARDALIS
8:38 Zenith-> CORONA BOREALIS
8:42 Nadir - Starts move along FOR/ERI border.
8:43 Zenith- Alfakka (AlCrB) s-9.5^.
=> 8:46 Kleberson hits cross-bar.
8:46 (West)- LamHYA sets.
8:47 (West)- IotHYA sets, (last HYA star).
COMMENT: The cross-bar of the goal-mouth is the
upper horizontal bar that joins the two posts, one
at each end. Four minutes before Kleberson's kick
at the goal, the Nadir leaves the faint star-field
of FORNAX and begins a 16-minute journey along the
(IAU) border, a cross-bar of a different sort, that
separates that constellation from ERIDANUS.
Also, a new phase in the game has been initiated
several minutes earlier as North shifts to The
Giraffe (from PERSEUS) and the Zenith shifts to
The Northern Crown (from BOOTES). But conditions
are still unstable and CAMELOPARDALIS at North
gives little support. It's one of the sparsest
and faintest constellations.
The Crown can represent a victory wreath, and as
"Northern" could indicate that an opportunity for
success is achieved by the northern team (Germany)
rather than the southern (Brazil). That this game
is being held in the northern hemisphere is another
obvious association, but this does not tell us
where the Crown will go.
Three minutes before the ball is kicked, Alfakka
passes South near the Zenith, and while this star's
alternate name, Gemma -- the brilliant gem or jewel
in the crown -- may certainly conjure a sweet image
of reward, it would seem that its older Arabic name
becomes more appropriate in this case. "Al-fakka"
means "the broken thing", such as an incomplete
circle.
And at the moment when the football bounces back
from the bar into play, the last visible humps of
HYDRA (aka "Nessie") The Water Beast begin to
plunge beneath the local horizon, near West, which
is the direction of Objectives Obtained, or not.
---
EVENT #2: 8:50 Germany's 2nd near miss.
---
8:48 (West)- Neptune rises.
=> 8:50 Neuville hits post.
8:51 North- DelPER; West-> SEXTANS.
8:54 North- Pleiades.
8:55 East - Qitat (AlfEQU) n-10^.
8:58 Nadir-> ERIDANUS.
---
COMMENT: The second near miss for Germany occurs
shortly after the first, by four minutes, so the
situation has not changed much. The Nadir is still
moving between constellations, and another barrier
is struck. But now Neptune is rising -- between
scoring attempts -- and although the grand entrance
of The Lord of Waves precedes the calming of unruly
waters, his influence can take a while to produce
results. And those results, which "level the
playing field", may disadvantage those who do
better under turbulent, less coherent conditons.
Also, virtually at the same time as ball-bounce #2
occurs, West moves into a new constellation,
indicating more instability. This star-group, The
Sextant, is also faint, therefore weak. As a
precision tool, it might also point to the need for
more skill and accuracy, but Qitat passing East a
few minutes later doesn't augur well for improvement.
This star is the brightest in its constellation, but
EQUULEUS is just a pony.
---
EVENT #3: 9:24 Brazil's 1st goal.
---
9:21 South- KapNOR.
9:22 North- MuPER last star,
9:22 East - Sadakhbiya (GamAQR in Urn),
9:22 Nadir- AlfaHOR s-7^.
9:23 South- Great Attractor (in TrA) s-6^.
9:24 Apex - LIBRA.
=> 9:24 Ronaldo scores.
9:26 Nadir- 41ERI; (West) VENUS sets.
9:27 Zenith- TauHER @s, 1st HER star;
9:27 South- GamNOR n-5^.
9:32 Zenith->HERCULES
---
COMMENT: The turning point in the game has to
come in the second half, coincident with a few
remarkable phenomena. Astrologers who restrict
their prognoses to planetary indications would
note the setting of Venus, just a couple of
minutes after Ronaldo's first goal. But when the
cosmic perspective is expanded to include some
deep-space objects as well as stars, we see The
Great Attractor's transit of the Southern azimuth
just six degrees below Yokohama's horizon. This
occurs virtually at the same moment as the goal,
profoundly emphasizing its import and impact.
Also, note the sheer number (ten) of celestial
events that occur during six minutes of play.
The Crown is still at the Zenith, but HERCULES is
about to snatch it. More important: the water-pot
of AQUARIUS -- the World CUP of the Grail-Bearer
-- has begun to rise due East. In oracular terms,
AQUARIUS is by far the most important constellation.
It is the only one that does not abandon its
Direction during the game, and that Direction is
East -- the source of new life and light, and
coincident with this World Cup's being hosted for
the first time in Asia.
[And hosted by two nations while Sun, Mars, and
Jupiter are in the constellation of The Twins
(GEMINI); with one of those nations (Korea)
divided, and while its alienated counterpart
attacks and kills four of its sailors (Tropical
Cancer) during its final game].
---
EVENT #4: 9:36 Brazil's 2nd goal.
---
9:31 East- Sadakhbiya rises.
9:32 Zenith->HER; Nadir- 43ERI @n.
9:34 East- ZetAQR (of The Urn).
=> 9:36 Ronaldo scores.
9:37 South- Antares; East- ZetAQR rises.
9:38 Nadir- Faqita (AlfCOL) @w.
9:40 East- EtaAQR of The Urn).
9:40 North- Aldabaran (AlfTAU).
9:43 (East)- EtaAQR rises; South-> ARA.
COMMENT: The Urn or Cup is a small asterism in
Aquarius comprised of five stars: a Y-shaped
figure of four stars, with one star above it
and another below. Its symmetry is neat, and
its central axis closely aligns with the
Equatorial circle. This means that during the
present epoch, The Cup always rises everywhere
due East.
Sadalmalik, ("The good fortune of the King"), is
the first star of The Cup to rise, and does so
right on the money -- precisely due East on the
horizon. The other stars of this asterism pass
East and rise at different moments separated by
a few minutes. The whole vessel, from Sadalmalik
to Eta Aquarii, takes about a half-an-hour to
rise completely above the horizon.
Both of Ronaldo's goals occur during the raising
of the Cup of Good Cheers. His first goal was
scored between the East transit and rise (9:22-
9:31) of Sadakhbiya ("The Lucky Star of the
Tents"), and the East transit and rise (9:34-9:37)
of Zeta, the spout of the cup or wine-jug from
which thirst-quenching fluid pours forth.
As Zeta rises, Antares passes South, followed
soon after by Aldabaran's transit North. The
"Heart of the Scorpion" and "Bull's Eye" are
the two brightest stars involved in Directional
transits or risings during the game.
---
EVENT #5: 9:52 Game ends.
---
9:43 (East)- EtaAQR rises; South-> ARA.
9:45 (East)- Uranus rises.
9:47 Nadir-> CAELUM, The Chisel.
9:48 Nadir AlfaCAE s-6^.
9:50 Zenith- Eta & Zeta HER, N/S axis.
9:52 (Apex)- DelSCO nears Apex;
9:52 AntApx- Pleiades; (West)- Regulus sets.
=> 9:52 Game ends.
COMMENT: As the last star of the Aquarian Cup rises,
nine minutes before the game ends, the South Point
moves into ARA, The Altar, after passing from LUPUS
to NORMA during the first half. While South
symbolizes achievement and honours, LUPUS is the
sacrificial offering that is being taken to The
Altar by CENTAURUS, often seen as Chiron the pious
Centaur. That Brazilians can be pious is hardly in
doubt, given the donning of "I Love Jesus" t-shirts
by some, soon after the last whistle.
Ronaldo's second goal is his 8th in seven games
which wins him the Golden Boot award. (PISCES,
the ruler of feet, begins to rise just five
minutes after the game ends.
---
A SEMI-CONCLUSION To PART ONE
There are two parts to this analysis, poetic and
factual, and each part could have included much
more detail drawn from a greater variety of
perspectives, but as far as simply "picking the
winner" goes, the most salient factors are the
Southern transit of the Great Attractor and its
link with Brazil. Without this identification,
and this event being noticed, every other
indication seems secondary and more or less
ambivalent.
The value of the astro-poetic or intuitive content
may be most appreciated as a means of leading the
sensitised investigator to a fuller attunement with
the Mundane/Celestial dynamic, and how pervasively
it informs experience when its language is, however
poorly, understood. To the logical mind this may
sounds vague and unhelpful in any practical task,
but intuition, well-directed and focused, can attain
the desired result as surely as disciplined logic
can, and often more quickly.
=======
PART TWO is a detailed consideration of the 60+
games leading up to the Final, including
comparisons of betting odds, geodetic factors,
and planetary transits with results.
=======
