This is a report of a paper published in The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (1967 Vol. 98 p 1002) on an analysis by Dr. Walter Menaker of patterns of births in New York City between January 3rd 1961 and the end of 1963(n = approx 250,000 births). 1.01% more births occured during the half cycle centred on the Full Moon.

The grasshopper cycle is discussed along with other 9 yr cycle phenomena, e.g. business failures and stock prices, number of years between especially thick tree rings in California, and thick deposits of mud laid down in lake bottoms in the Pleistocene and pre=Pleistocene epochs. The article emphasises the importance of understanding the diverse areas that are subject to cyclical patterns.

The findings presented are taken from an intensive study of 10 cases of severe cerebral palsy that is, at prsent, in progress. These findings are published at this stage in order to further direct researchers attention to the extreme importance of considering midpoints together with degree areas.

The four triplicities or elements—Fire, Earth, Air, and Water—are said to influence or determine the typology and character of the native. This influence may have the quality of a bidirectional affinity, where (i) the element (determined from the sign of the native) may influence the native at birth and is therefore related to the native’s typology, and (ii) the native in turn may be drawn, or show an affinity towards his/her element environmentally (i.e., towards concrete forms) or psychologically (i.e., towards abstract forms). There is evidence supporting case (i), but for case (ii), the depth or extent of that affinity needs to be determined. In the present pilot study, it was hypothesised that if a native is to suffer an accidental death, then the native’s element indicates the nature of that death. Online databases of accidental deaths of prominent individuals were analysed to determine proportions of signs and elements. There was statistical evidence that the Water-related signs have a greater affinity for water-related deaths (i.e., drowning), but no specific evidence was found for the other elements. It is argued that Water signs are not accident prone, nor are they necessarily predisposed psychologically to water-related fates more often than the other signs, but merely suffer from over-representation in the relevant population (i.e., drowning victims) due to their astrological affinity for water.

This article seeks to present an outline of opinion on the region in which the Sun’s magnetic field is the dokminant influence. References are presented with summaries of content by the author.

A survey comprising 500 pedigree dogs was realised in the Paris region. For each dog six behavioural traits were determined and ten of their astrological traits were retained. A statistical interpretation of the possible relationships between the two sets of traits was performed with permutation tests. Two strong associations were detected between the angular positions of Jupiter and the Sun, and the extraversion dominant trait. Other associations were also suggested. Remarkably, these associations are similar to standard indications proposed by astrology for humans.

This is a critical comment on the work of Professor Edward Dewey (see “The 9.22 year cycle on grasshopper abundance, Correlation old edition 5 Autumn 1969) on sunspot influence where Dewey concluded from a study involving the analysis of economic and sociological cycles, that the main sunspot cycle was 22.22 years, double the length that had normally been hitherto assumed. Gillman exhorts astrologers to give attention to the intervals occurring between successive planetary conjunctions in this new sunspot cycle as this may lead, eventually, to an explanation of how planets are able to exert an influene upon life on earth.

The literature on cyclic variations in birth rates is reviewed with special focus on material not cited by Michel Gauquelin. This is considered together with the literature on variations in the geomagnetic field and on the Schumann Resonance (SR), with a view to identifying points of interest for further studies of the Gauquelin heredity and professional databases. It is concluded that SR is unlikely to be a candidate for explaining the Gauquelin Effect but that the so-called Solar Quiet Day Variations are worthy of further investigation. With this in mind two studies have been undertaken, the first of which is reported here: an investigation of seasonal factors in the professional database using the sun’s zodiac position. Each professional group as a whole shows annual or semi-annual variations in birth rates near the solstices, while subsets filtered by the sector position of a Gauquelin planet reveal strong and unexpected variations close to the equinoxes.

A detailed c ompoarison is presented of available birth charts of all haemophiliac and haemophilia carrier descendants of Queen Victoria. Non-haemophiliac siblings are also included. Saturn and
Mars/Saturn midpoints are dscussed for their relevance to the findings, and further research into a possible correspondence between cosmic factors and genetic structures is recommended. (See also “Queen Vctoria and her 9 children: Charles Harvey, Correaltion 6 Winter 1969-70 pp8-9)

Review:
Astrologers of the reviewer’s generation, who drew on the works of Addey, Harvey and Ruperti, will at once recognise the central theme of Scofield’s thesis: that an understanding of planetary cycles is an essential prerequisite to an understanding of human development. But there is an important difference: the Platonic/Spiritual ideas that informed these writers are substantially replaced by the demands of biology. Scofield asks us to consider whether biological development in both human and non-human subjects is causally entrained with the planets. He proposes that the cycles of the planets actually trigger developmental changes within us in a factual, rather than a symbolic manner, and offers a variety of evidence to support his claim.

In doing so, he draws mainly on the developmental theories of Freud, Piaget and Erikson, but also includes Percy Seymour’s work on resonance, Bowlby’s attachment theory, and also the work of Timothy Leary. This is a heady and complex mixture, which Scofield acknowledges. Although the psychologists frame much of his argument, they are far from a solid foundation. Freud’s psychosexual stages, as originally described, have very little use within current psycho-analysis, and in his later years Freud was far more interested in the seven-year dentition cycle, with which he associated his own creative process, and also constantly returned to Wilhelm Fliess’ hypothesised 23/28-day cycles, which were the precursor of biorhythms, and which Freud believed could predict illness and even death. As the moment of birth determined the start of these cycles, they should hold an interest for astrologers. However, with so many models on offer, there is a surfeit of cycles. Erikson’s extension of Freud’s epigenetic principle postulated eight developmental stages, beginning with Trust vs. Mistrust up to age one, to Integrity vs. Despair at 50 and beyond, and mixed biological functions with more culture-dependent interpretations. While Piaget makes more precise observations, and has tighter time periods, there are still stages such as the Intuitive Phase, from four to seven years, which gives an enormous orb of time relative to the child’s age, and for which a wide range of planetary cycles could be invoked as causal agents. Jung’s work is also drawn upon, but profound as it is, does not really lend itself to temporal analysis, as concepts such as ‘youth’ and ‘middle-age’ are open to endless re-definition.

While those influenced by Freud and Jung have their own interminable arguments, they do share a central theme, echoed by both Erikson and Piaget: that of the developing ego, or self. Here, Scofield readily admits that there is a philosophical problem at the core of his work: there is no real understanding of what might be meant by ‘a self’ (the development of which is the theme of his book), and here seems to come down on Adler’s side, who suggested that the concept of an ego may not be needed. Freud, Jung and Adler each owed a debt to Nietzsche, who first suggested that the concept of the ego was primarily a consequence of language, that we are now stuck with – an observation taken to heart only by the Lacanian and Existential schools of psychotherapy. However, nothing illustrates this problem better than the oft-repeated claim that the planets revolve around the sun: the classic ego symbol. In truth, they revolve around an empty space, the centre of mass, which the sun occupies for erratic periods. As good a symbol of the ‘self’ problem as one could hope to find.

Leaving such observations aside, Scofield’s picture is a challenging one. The cycles of planets literally switch on various developmental processes as they resonate to their natal positions, much as the function of a gene may be switched on by a chemical agent. With so many personality variables, and so many different ways of developing, we must be in train with innumerable cycles, some of which may coincide with others and bring early development, or slip out of phase and delay growth, depending on the specific natal arrangement. While this thought may offer a reason for the wide time frames observed by the psychologists referred to above, it also raises a perplexing question: why has Scofield omitted any reference to the work of John Addey, even though he uses the term ‘harmonic’ and asks us to pay attention to phase angles? This is particularly puzzling, as Addey’s method of work would seem to offer an ideal template for exploring the complexity of interlocking cycles. Interestingly, Addey was pursuing a similar direction – the possibility of a relationship between astrology and genetics – and was studying for an MA in genetics at the time of his death.

All of the above might suggest that the reviewer has great reservations about this book. Not so. Scofield has had the courage to engage with a massive raft of influential ideas, many of which have never been properly addressed by astrologers, and which form the basis of acceptable theories of human development. No less a figure than Darwin acknowledged that many creatures have lunar-related developmental periods. He felt that the full moon made successful mating more likely, and thus this factor became selected. For him (and for Freud) current examples are the product of evolution, which are now genetically embedded. If the moon were to disappear, the rhythms would presumably remain, for they are not currently caused by the Moon but are a consequence of evolutionary history. In the field of chronobiology, such arguments continue. Do we have inbuilt biological clocks, or do we actually respond to external factors such as the sun, moon, or the rotation of the earth? Scofield’s thesis pushes this discussion towards the astrological paradigm with commendable honesty, recognising that his book is ‘work in progress’ and that he may ‘have published too soon’. But such is the case with many scientists; indeed the constant re-drawing of ideas is virtually the paradigm for scientific exploration, and should be no less for the astrologer.

This is a book that will provoke many thoughts and reactions – as it has done here – for it opens up new ways of thinking about the astrological paradigm, and it does so with a clarity that is admirably ‘waffle-free’. I would urge all astrologers to read it for themselves, and engage, thoughtfully, with Scofield’s ideas.