Creating A Crisis if You Don't Have One

What I have learned, I know this much is true.

The 8th house represent crisis, and with the Moon here it represents one crisis after another. You could say it is in your nature to live with crisis. You could say that it is your world and if you ain't got one, you go out and make one. Any planet in this Pluto ruled house is trying to transform I read. I get it. The Moon is emotional, so here is our emotional landscape and we are creating as well as being created. A Virgo midheaven strives to analyze and understand, and we think we are done once we understand something. Unfortunately, understanding does not necessarily solve problems, it just means you understand the problem that you have. This is, after all though, the basis for psychotherapy. You are supposed to holler Eureka! and everything fall into place! Oh, I felt guilty 'cause I wanted my dad for myself or some other foolish nonsense. (Or not so foolish, what do I know?)

A midheaven or the 10th house with Pluto sitting there in your chart means you want to transform your job and have the career that will make you happy. What I do is get so unhappy with my job that I quit, sometimes quite suddenly, without knowing what I am going to do to support myself. I force this crisis on myself so that I have to transform and find something else to do for a living.

Possible blog readers, this ain't so smart.

Besides almost starving to death and having anxiety attacks, these attempts to transform just don't work, but now I understand myself much better.

And understanding something, like seeking a crisis, is something I want to do.

What we Don't Know

What we do not know is difficult to quantify and it is how we are that we try to. A truly smart person is the person smart enough to know how stupid they are and if that is true then I must be highly intelligent. If the South Node is what we do know then the North Node is what we do not know. Each of the houses the nodes are in show the area of life of what we know/don't know.

Elizabeth Spring has a wonderful site about the Nodes of the Moon by the way.

Since the 12th is about the unconscious and the collection unconsious, magic and deeper realms not reached by reason, then it stands that my North Node cannot be reached by reason or thinking about logically. Darn. As much as I want to connect the dots here it is not possible for me to do so it seems. However nodes still help me when doing the charts of other people.

My joy is in doing creative things so there is 12th house Nodes and Venus. They've got to do their secret and hidden 12th house things as this house symbolizes. Sometimes truth is not being smart, but rather just listening for the high notes.

The Polarity of Pluto and What You Already Know

I was reading Evolutionary Astrology: Pluto and Your Karmic Mission by Deva Crystal Green, parts of this are online. What a great book this is! This is the sort of deeper astrological knowledge I long for. What interests me here (out of many interesting things) is the truth of how the South Node is what you already know. Since all I really know with confidence is myself, then it is myself that I look for. Okay, so I have South Node in Taurus in the 6th house. Here, the text says, the left brain is very developed. I understand a left brain ability is that of language. The book says "the ability to organize information in a linear manner." whatever that means.

If you have your birth chart done and you see the North Node but no South Node, the South Node is directly opposite the North in your chart. So with my North Node at 28 degrees Scorpio I know my South is at 28 degrees of Taurus.

The 6th is the house of servitude. There is a focus on self-improvement. I am that way! Here we learn humility, and I have had a double dose of humiliation in my life so I must have humility. Okay so we know where we have been and with the North Node, we know where we are going, or what we are growing towards I guess.

What we are growing towards is also Pluto's polarity point, or the point directly opposite Pluto.

My polarity point is Pisces and my North Node is in the 12th house, corresponding to Pisces and ruled by Neptune.

The North Node, and the planet ruling the North Node can transmute you to new levels of expression says this wonderful book.

We transmute when we travel from childhood to adulthood, we are ourselves but forever changed. I think that is what transmute means, (maybe).

I would guess, that since astrology is so much about balance, that I need more spirituality in my life and that is what I am supposed to be striving for.

Mercury is said to show in what area of life this striving takes place, so mine is in the 2nd house of what you hold dear, possessions and what you possess. Okay, I am going to take a wild guess here in regards to myself and what I think this means. I was not thought well of by others as a child, I was teased and mocked a lot. My self-esteem has taken a horrible beating in my life. I would guess my karma is getting some of this self-esteem back and thinking more of myself than I did before.

For in psychiatry, there are triggers for depression. These main triggers seem to be humiliation and loss. In the human mind, humiliation is as powerful as loss. We need to think well of ourselves it seems. When being humiliated is as soul destroying as losing a loved one, that makes it very bad. We need a certain amount of confidence to be able to do things, and if we cannot do anything then we are in a terrible condition. Part of the draw of astrology for me is to say Yea! I have talents just like anyone else and I am just like anyone else, strange as it sounds. I have been standing outside looking in, astrology tells me I belong inside with everyone else. I have been somewhat isolated, and though I enjoy being by myself a person still needs to be a part of things.

It is interesting that if Pluto squares the Nodes then we have skipped vital steps in our development. I have this aspect. Pluto rules transformation and the 8th house. We are running back and forth between the North Node and the South Node with Pluto squaring the nodal axis. Growth as children actually happens this way, with leaps forward and leaps backward so this seems rather a natural thing to me.

This is a great book and I have a deep desire to own it and have it on my bookshelf. It may be astrology can help us become better than we were before, with an understanding and who we are and what path we walk upon.

Sabian Symbols

The Sabian symbols were created in 1925 and are widely used in astrology. The clairvoyant Elsie Wheeler who was in wheelchair for much of her life was the one receiving these images. Marc Edmund Jones was the author of the book but it was Elsie Wheeler who saw the images in her mind's eye. She had clients and was tired of the same old questions such as how do I get rich or when will I meet the love of my life? She wanted to make a more lasting contribution. She said herself that on some of the symbols she felt she had lost focus, so these symbols are be taken as something that may or may not be true. They are to inspire you and if they don't, discarded as useless.

The Sabians were an ancient race living in Mesopotamia, where astrology is said to have originated. The ancient Chaldeans then took up astrology.

Each degree of the zodiac has a Sabian symbol. If your degree is exact at 15 degrees 0 minutes then you read the 15 degree symbol, if it is 15 degrees one minute then you read the symbol for 16 degrees. I found this on a site on the internet, hope this is right!

For example, the Sabian symbol for 15 degrees of my Mercury is, "In a hospital, the children's ward is filled with toys." I think this reflects how words, and a love of language, is healing for me. It links the childlike wonder and the powerful imagination of children at play with their toys with the planet of communication. Reading books was my way out of a terrible childhood, it was like removing myself from the pain of my world into another.

My Mars has the Sabian symbol, "A man expresses himself in 2 worlds at once." To be sure, I have loved books about entering other worlds such as Narnia, the Amber books, and Lord of the Rings.

The planet of inspiration is Uranus and mine has this strange Sabian symbol that seems to sum everything up.

Uranus 7 degrees: The wonder of the constellations of stars in the night sky.

Nodes of the Moon

The nodes of the moon are called the Dragon's Head and the Dragon's Tail. They are mathematical points in space where the Sun's path crosses the Moon's orbit. This brings up reincarnation because it is said the North Node is where we need to grow towards, and the South Node what we already know all about from past lives.

The Moon has some associations I don't understand. The Moon is said to be a lot about memories. The Moon also represents the public, like if your Moon is at the midheaven you will be famous. The Moon is our emotional response. The Moon is how we nuture others. The Moon represents motherhood and the feminine. The more aspects other planets make to the Moon, the more likely you will be famous.

If a planet in your birth chart is in the same degree, the same place as your North Node then this is showing your special ability or talent. Lunar power is flowing through this planet. Transiting nodes hitting a natal planet can magnify that planet in your life. The transiting nodes are telling you where you are going.

There is some tie with relationships with the Nodes of the Moon. It is thought the North Node is important in synastry, or the comparison of romantic partners.

I have North Node in Scorpio and South Node in Taurus. Now this can be considered to be about money, for Taurus is always accumulating things and money. Taurus corresponds to the 2nd house of money. It could also mean in past lives I did everything myself and need to learn to work with other people. Now this is contradictory because my North Node which is telling me to work with others is in the 12th house of doing things alone. I have stars that say I enjoy solitude and a Venus in the 12th also to make sure that I do enjoy being alone. Then Jupiter is in the sign of partnerships, Libra. And then my part of fortune is in the house that corresponds to Libra, the 7th house. My Moon is in the 8th house of how others see me. (The 4th house is how you see yourself) Somebody, call me in a real astrologer!

Okay, so maybe my chart is telling me that no man, (or woman) is an island. We do need other people. I don't know why, but we do.

And yet Taurus is so much more than money and the security they crave and try to satisfy by accumulating money. A Taurus is capable of working so hard for those they love and can sacrifice everything for others. I know Taurus so well, I don't understand Scorpio. Maybe that is the meaning of the Nodes for me, to learn what Scorpio has to give.

Sirius The Brightest Star in the Sky

Sirius is the brightest of all stars, brilliant white and yellow in the constellation of the Greater Dog. At -1.46 magnitude, it is given a 5 degree orb because of it's power. It is said to correspond with 12 degrees of Cancer. In ancient times it marked the hottest time of the year, which we still call today the dog days of summer. It makes it's natives custodians and guardians says it's star page. Ptolemy gave this star the nature of Jupiter and Mars. The Mars part of the star causes problems especially if this star is in conjunction with Mars. It can be too strong an influence if on the Ascendant. The dangerous passions of Mars I understand can come from outside of you also, as in someone trying to kill you. That could be considered bad luck I say but Sirius is considered fortunate. It brings passions, resentment, devotion and honor.

In astrology the left side of the chart represents self and the right side represents others. One way to read a chart is to see how many planets are on one side or the other. This is revealing in my case. It is the Moon and my Uranus that comes to the fore, the planets on the right side of my chart, in my dealings with other people. I have an emotional response first of all, and others inspire me.

The brightest of all my stars at the same degree as my natal planets is Bungula or Toliman. It is conjunct my Venus in the 12th house. Now the 12th, 8th and 6th are considered "unfortunate" houses. Venus is the bound lord of every planet in my chart as she rules my impudent Mars and with a more powerful star to boot. According to which tradition of astrology you follow, these houses are very bad or not bad at all though. Venus at 2 degrees away from the Ascendant, is she considered powerfully on the Ascendant or not? That depends on who you ask also.

The 12th represents things that are hidden, all things like artistic talent and sensitivity and all things beautiful are ruled by Venus. This star itself gives friends, musical and artistic abilities. Who would've thunk it? I've friends I've not realized I have until something bad happens to me and I need help and I find I do have friends. My ability to write well doesn't show up when I talk, in fact I stammer and stumble over words. I talk badly in fact. I can write well only when alone, it is a fact that most writers must be alone to create. I express myself badly in public, I find I am misunderstood a lot. I don't dress well, reality doesn't agree with my inner vision. Somehow people think of me in a lot of different ways it seems. I guess it depends on what mood I am in when they meet me. First impressions often seem to be permanent impressions. As the Moon constantly changes so things the moon touches in our charts constantly changes. (My daughters have the Moon in the 2nd house of money, I am terrified their finances will be up and down like the phases of the Moon) I have a Moon in Cancer, the sign the Moon rules and it causes one to have constant shifts in temperment. A bad mood or a good mood either one doesn't last long, and sometimes these moods overlap each other. A Moon in Cancer is extremely sensitive, mine in the 8th house of others means I am sensitive to other people. I feel other's disapproval almost like a force striking me, like a gust of wind. Weird. I can feel other people too darn much. When someone is in the same room as me when I write, I can feel their mood and it influences my writing. Not a good thing, as I want my writing to be pure me and no one else. The Moon rules my chart too.

There are ways that astrology is not true also, for all I write about how it is. For instance the 6th house is supposed to be about our health and illness and I find little about the 6th to be about this. (Much more sure is Saturn, Saturn lames. Mine is in conjunction with my Sun in the 1st, so I guess it is my conscious will that is lamed and to be sure, no one has more problems than me asserting myself or making up my mind) Another astrologer and I cannot remember who, is on the internet saying the same thing. My Taurus in the 6th rules the throat, and my throat is fine so far in my life thank you very much.

Still, so much is eerily true. That so much is true is still amazing.

Sadalsuud, Luckiest of the Lucky

What is the luckiest star in the sky? It may be Sadalsuud at 23 degrees of Aquarius. According to a fixed star book, this star culminates at 26 degrees Aquarius which is where my asteriod Pallas is and where my Arabic part of Luck is. Cooincidence? Ancient texts say that the part of fortune at 9 degrees of Gemini indicates loss and poverty so that is not so good for me, as that is where my fortune is in my chart. I have wondered if I would find poverty in my chart as it seems no matter what I do my financial state is a sorry one. I do seem to get by, just barely sometimes.

So why look at stars? The difficult mathematical formulas are beyond me, you must do longtitude and latitude and other things I do not know how to do. I don't know why I study stars, I need something to occupy myself I suppose. Regulus is a star close to the epileptic, whatever that means, so it is more certain it resides at 29 degrees of Leo and is a star of the 1st magnitude, very bright and powerful.

The star that is a Rock Star is Vega or Wega. It makes people it influences refined and inclined towards music and intellectual pleasures but also wantonness and shamefull indulgences. Doesn't that sound like a rock star? A star prominent in the chart of Shelley the poet, astrologers say this star shows up more in the charts of writers than any other occupation. In spite of the danger of gluttony Vega is called a fortunate star. It resides at 15 degrees Capricorn.

At my midheaven is Zosma which is unfortunate, sort of. It gives an alert mind but unhappiness and melancholy. The native receives benefits through disgrace. It is the star of victimization, one might be a victim oneself or do charity work with those who are victims. It gives sympathy for those that the establishment makes powerless. I do indeed have a great deal of sympathy for people in dire straits, but then I am often one of those people myself so can be of little help to them other than the sympathy I can offer. I understand how someone can be so confused and so hurt emotionally that they do foolish things, and how working a dead end job can take away one's self-respect. I don't understand how my own disgrace can benefit me, that is for sure. This star resides at 11 degrees of Virgo.

My lucky stars reside at my Mercury, Neptune and Venus, and those themes play out in my life for sure. A strong Mars makes me sometimes combative and want to argue and intolerably frustrated when I cannot get anything done. I feel like I could explode sometimes. A strong Mars is supposed to give one confidence, but the only surety I have is in my writing. I have a perhaps unreasonable belief that my writing is great. Someone can tell me it sucks (and they have) and it doesn't bother me one iota. I have a love of language that is pure music to my ears when I see it on the written page. I wrote a poem about this once called "A Good Ear" and it ends:

and moving fast like whirlpools in my mind

all because of a good ear,

and it may be all I ever need.

The Five Pillars of Fate

A new book by Antoine Garth, and he is offering classes too. The pillars of fate are the Arabic lots of fortune, spirit, basis, exaltation, and the lot of Acquisition. The Lot of Fortune is calculated at astro.com, however I did my calculations of my Lot using the directions at Aquamoonlight. This site gave me Gemini as my Lot of Fortune and Gemini rules writing so no suprise there. Garth is researching 2nd century astrology and they used the lot of fortune as the Ascendant in a new chart. This gives a new horoscope. Your new 11th house is the Lot of Aquisition, which tells you how well and by what means you earn money. Jupiter in this house is very good, or Venus. Mercury is considered neutral. When they say planets such as Saturn and Mars are malefic or bad they are talking about the tendency of these planets to cause trouble. They may not cause you any trouble at all. My Lot of Acquisition is Aries and so is ruled by Mars. Mars it says means I will get money by sports or by robbery! This is when I guess it is good to know your fixed stars and how these stars are a permanent blend with your natal planet when they are in conjunction with them.

I believe the star Algenib in conjunction with my Mars has caused a tendency towards mental gymnastics rather than physical. A Mars in Aries such as I have is a placement of atheletes and people who are very active. I am mentally active rather than physically active. This is okay, this is the Mars drive expressed differently. I have a drive to learn things, to be constantly learning something new that I didn't know before. My Mars has been permanently changed and will forever have that Mercury or mental slant to it. Mercury rules the mind.

For the part of fortune is said to be an unseen force, the path you are forced to walk upon by fate. You didn't choose it, it chose you.

The part of Spirit is that which animates us, ourselves walking the path.

The lot of Basis is said to be the foundational motivation. Can you hold onto what you gain?

The lot of Exaltation I think is where we may be exalted, or raised to higher standing.

This new chart with the fortune as the first house will have a new 10th house. This tells you what social role your occupation serves. This is the job we are supposed to be doing, of course, not what we are doing for a living. Mine is in Pisces, the most sensitive and compassionate of signs, which I suppose means I am supposed to help those less fortunate than I.

These lots are said to tell the fate. There is some interesting videos on Youtube about this new book, not a lot of views though!

For Merury rules Gemini and so rules my part of fortune but my part of Spirit is ruled by Venus. That most important of houses, the 11th holds a Mercurian star. The 11th is said to be the most fortunate of all the houses, representing help from friends and what you gain and what money you make from your career. It is Dreams Coming True.

My husband's chart is dominated by 2 stars that represent him very well, Algol and Procyon. He has the most evil star in the heavens in his 1st house, representing the physical body. He has had a lot of accidents and has had one leg amputed after a car wreck. He prefers older people, he likes them very much. Almost all of his friends are older than him and they help him a lot. The star Procyon says "help from elderly friends" and no, I am not making this up. These stars say "quick to anger" and he is that way. When a young girl ran into him while talking on the cell phone he lectured her so thoroughly about her carelessness that she cried and was shaking. He said he did it for her own good. The poor girl probably turns her cell phone off now!

I am trying to make sense of my lots and this new chart. I think it is interesting stuff. My husband having the awfulest star conjunct his Sun has not ruined his life at all, it seems that even Algol is just a bit of bad luck run into along the way.

The star Procyon says, "help from elderly friends".

Midpoints

This is a Hubble image of the star Mira.

The midpoint is exactly what it sounds like, the exact middle point between 2 planets. It is important when a planet is at the midpoint. I've read to use a 3 degree orb. If a planet is within 3 degrees of a midpoint then it is at the midpoint. People who are interested in astrology usually want to know about their love life. So the Venus/Mars midpoint is of special interest to them. Venus being the feminine and Mars the masculine principal. You can go to Astro.com and get a natal chart for free and then there is a site on the internet that will calculate midpoints for you. It is easy to do. If Mercury is at your Venus/Mars midpoint then you are always talking about, and thinking about relationships. If Saturn is there then you will have frustrations and difficulties and constraints on your relationships with the opposite sex. Some of us don't have a lot of midpoints in our charts, I think I have only 2. The midpoint of my Mars/Venus is the asteroid Juno. Juno represents our marriage partner. I tended to look at my romantic partners seriously with a thought for the future. I was thinking about possible marriage all the time, or if the relationship had a chance or if I was wasting my time basically.

Noel Tyl writes great stuff about midpoints at his site. The midpoints of these planets can be, he says, interpreted like this:

Saturn + inner planets = Frustration, Inner Criticism or Self-Mastery and Achievement

Mercury or Jupiter + Saturn, Uranus or Pluto equals intellectual gifts, communication skills.

Mercury, Venus or Neptune in any combination equals Idealism and Perfectionism

Saturn + Outer Planets (Uranus, Neptune or Pluto) = Harsh Realities Shape the Life

Of course, when you know very well the meanings of the planets and you know the midpoint is a blending of the 2 energies then understanding will come to you.

I have my Sun at the midpoint between Mercury and Saturn, so communication skills for me!

I have Jupiter at the Sun/Moon midpoint so I'm kind of stuck with positive thinking, like I have to do it, which is somewhat limiting. If I don't think positive I absolutely cannot do anything. I think that is the problem with this midpoint.

Also interesting is that what you talk about is Mercury. It appears that if you look at aspects to Mercury you can see what comes out of your mouth. The only aspect my Mercury has is to Venus, this planet wants everything to be beautiful and pleasing and this is the semi-square. This is not a major aspect but I'm told it counts.

Also interesting are Egyptian bounds, and if I follow my bound Lords I find that Mars is the Lord of both my Sun and my Moon, but Venus is the bound Lord of Mars.

I have found a puzzle to work with in astrology and if I put it all together perhaps I'll see a picture of myself. I find it to be an uplifting thing to do.

There were various "hooks" along the way which hooked me on Astrology. Each thing I learned verified astrology for me, this is true, yes, this is so, and seeing myself in the planets. Chiron and how it represents wounds and how the 3rd house represents siblings and elementary school and how my brother and constant teasing in school hurt me. This is truly my wound. Astrologers say that your wound is how you can help others, that this is your task. I don't know how to do this. Jupiter is telling you where you have the most room to grow by it's house position. Neptune is telling you where you don't see things too clearly. Venus tells you where you love to be, and Uranus tells you where your purpose and talents may lie. Pluto could be telling you where your personal power is. Mercury tells you how you communicate and what you like to talk about. All of this is potentially very useful information and can lead you to think about yourself.

As one of the ancient Greeks said (which one was it?) "The unexamined life is not worth living."

Virgo the Virgin

Virgo is Latin for virgin. There is a certain cleanliness of the mind when you consider a Virgo. My father was a Virgo, he never told a dirty joke, and never laughed at one either. He would smile and nod to be polite but I knew he was displeased inside. Virgo is an earth sign but it is a very mental and hard working sign. Virgos lack spontaneity and may be overly critical. My father was obsessed with details, things had to be just so. Virgos may make you feel inferior but inside they feel humble and want to help others. Unlike air signs Virgos have a great deal of common sense. There is a certain objective detachment to Virgos. My father was an engineer who built bridges, exacting mathematical work. It is work right up a Virgo's alley you could say.

Any planet in Virgo in a chart will act like it is oppressed. I find this strange but true. Perfection is not something that exists in the world and perfectionists are never completely happy. Restricted by the bonds of Virgo, Pluto will not be so powerful nor Jupiter so abundantly expansive. In emergencies Virgos can stay cool and calm and rational, and who doesn't need that, in an emergency anyway.

As a child I was often annoyed that I had to tie up the loaf of bread tightly and keep the water jug in the refrigerator completely full, but now I know that my father was a Virgo and could not help himself. Still whenever I needed help I knew who to call, and who would know exactly what to do and be completely calm even after I wrecked the family car. I love you Dad.

Leo, where we play

It is amusing how you can find the area of life in which people play by looking at their charts. Leo is the natural ruler of the fifth house of games and play and love life too. The fifth house is said also to represent our first child. My hubby has Leo ruling his 6th house of work, and he does love to work. My youngest has Leo ruling her 7th house of partners and she does have high times with her love life and also partnering up with her best friend. Mine is in the 9th of higher education and I do like reading books and ideas. I love to think, and maybe that is what Leo ruling the 9th house is, I don't know. My eldest has Leo ruling her 12th house, that house that is so hard to figure out. The 12th is said to represent our subconcious. It is also said to represents institutions like schools and hospitals. My eldest wants to be a teacher. Maybe that explains where she plays is the 12th's tie to any institution. As for the 5th representing your first child, mine is in Aries and I fail to see what that means. One thing I do know is that we have an awful lot of the same points in our charts. Her Saturn is at 26 Sagittarius where my Sun is. Her midheaven is 9 Gemini which is my part of fortune. Her Ascendant is 10 Virgo which is my midheaven. I think this is significant. (Maybe not, 360 degrees and 10 planets, after all) I can't do the math on that one as to the likelihood of sharing the same degrees.

Anyway where Leo is in our charts may be where we are at our happiest, and though we might know that already, isn't it wonderful that the stars can tell us again?

J.R.R. Tolkien

Tolkien and I both have Saturn on the Ascendant. This is supposed to make a person be very strict either with themselves or with others or both at once. He was a strict Roman Catholic. Saturn tests us and makes us wait. Saturn rules old people and when you get older Saturn is supposed to be easier on you. Delays and frustrations of all kinds happen with Saturn transits and an earthy understanding of the house it has just transited. Yet Saturn is often strong in charts of the musicians and the old classical composers, the thought being that Saturn represents structure and organization and that is needed for creative endeavors. It appears that Tolkien's Saturn didn't hurt him in writing great fantasy novels.
For Tolkien fans every detail of his life is of interest.
The first part of the Lord of the Rings that was written was when Gandalf visited Bilbo and told him his suspicions about the ring that he had might be the One Ring.
Authors are often told to keep their work secret until completed, Tolkien often met friends at an English pub and read to them parts of his work in progress.
Tolkien said he first started writing with no idea any of it was about religion, and said it didn't need religion added to it, it was already in the symbolism.
Tolkien could read at the age of four.
The first language he learned, besides English, was Latin.
Extremely talented at languages, he made up imaginary languages just for fun.
He was assistant lexicographer of the Webster English Dictionary.
He suffered poverty when he was a child.
Fans can quote entire passages of these novels, so can I.
We owe publication of The Lord of the Rings to a man named Rayner Unwin. His father was in publishing and at the age of 10 he read The Hobbit. As an adult he became a publisher and was presented with The Lord of The Rings. No one else wanted to publish it, but he did. It was thought that the publishing company would take the loss that the book would surely be. Pirated paperbooks were made in 1965 and by 1968 the books were a huge success. Tolkien was suprised that the books were successful also.
Tolkien used to call rude people, "orcs".
The name "Middle-Earth" came from an ancient poem he translated.
Tolkien insists that the One Ring does not represent nuclear power.
As a child he was bitten by a spider.
My fav, when Frodo turns to Sam and says,
"I wanted to save the Shire and I did save it, but not for me. It is often that way Sam, that some people must give something up so that other people can have it."
I like to think that Middle-Earth exists somewhere, that Tolkien came from there.

Vesta

Vesta is an asteroid in astrology said to show where you may be dedicated. I think Vesta shows where you can focus your energies for the greatest benefit. My Vesta is exactly where my Mercury is. It is in the 2nd house of resources. The meaning couldn't be more clear, my talent for communication is my greatest resource.
Vesta is the Roman goddess of the hearth. Vestal virgins I read swore a vow of chastity for 30 years. A sacred fire burned in the temple that was never allowed to go out. A lot of people I've done charts for have Vesta in the 6th house of work, which means you should work hard at your job.
People interpret this asteroid differently but I think she is a clue to where in life is your place and your way to make your contribution in this life.