CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS VISITING CANCER COUNTRY
I was reading Vanity Fair magazine when I noticed an article by one of my favorite, though very controversial, writers, Christopher Hitchens, "Topic of Cancer" for which he has recently been diagnosed. In his usual fashion, he compared his cancer foray to a journey to another country -- one where "the cuisine is the worst of any destination I have visited.
The new land is quite welcoming in its way. Everybody smiles encouragingly and there appears to be absolutely no racism. A generally equalitarian spirit prevails, and those who run the place have obviously got where they are on merit and hard work."
Unfortunately, Mr. Hitchens wrote a book, God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything and he included astrology as a religious hoax. Too bad with all his cleverness and wit, he doesn't understand that astrology has absolutely nothing to do with religion. But since he chose to criticize astrology, let's look at his reasons.
"It gives people the impression they they are the center of the universe and that the constellations are somehow arranged with them in mind." Astrology would argue that the placement of the planets in our charts are positioned to allow us the necessary tools to accomplish various goals -- most notably making a contribution to society
"It suggests that there is a supernatural supervision of our daily lives, and that this influence can be detected and expounded by mere humans." I wouldn't say we are being supervised? But there are geometric angles that can predict how the energy around us will operate at any given time. And mere humans do interpret this.
"It bases itself on the idea that our character and personality are irrevocably formed at the moment of birth or even conception." Definitely not conception. But, yes, astrology does believe character traits are imprinted at birth, but they are not irrevocable. You have free will, and anything you don't like, you can change.
Christopher Hitchens, despite his disbelief in astrology, has a very interesting chart. He has no water or earth planets. Therefore he cannot have a square or a focal planet. It is possible that his rising sign is in water or earth. But generally people with no water are less empathetic than most and less sympathetic. And with no earth, there is a tendency to shrug off mundane tasks and be clueless with finances. All the air in his chart is responsible for his brilliance and an abundance of fire keeps him going even in the face of adversity. His Sun sign is Aries and with three other planets there, he has a stellium. So he is a bit of a perennial child as Aries natives don't want to grow up. The Moon in Libra adds that element of charm to his personality and writing.
Currently, his chart has two progressed inconjuncts (adjustments) from Uranus and Saturn to his natal Jupiter. When Jupiter is in a negative aspect, it is usually excess or legal woes. Since Saturn is health and Uranus is all things sudden, I would surmise Christopher's excess (he is known to be more than a casual drinker and also smokes) has caught up with him in the form of a sudden health issue. (The configuration where two planets are sextile to each other and inconjunct to a third planet is called a Yod -- The Finger of Fate. It is considered a fated turning point. It's interesting to note that Jupiter rules religion and it is the apex planet to which the "finger" is pointing). I do not consider his chart to be a death chart even though his diagnosis of esophageal cancer is quite serious with a 5% survival rate. I predict he will live at least another four to five years until his progressed Venus (in the sign of Cancer) squares Neptune. At that time transiting Pluto will be conjunct that same Neptune and opposition Mars.
Many people are wondering if in the interim, he will trade in his atheism for the help of a higher power.