This article comes from Noel Tyl's site. Every month there are 3 new essays put up, and usually, one is written by a guest astrologer. http://www.noeltyl.com/techniques.shtml

The Vertex Axis: A Special Doorway

by guest astrologer Alice McDermott
Alice McDermott is an eminent Australian Astrologer who, as Alice Portman, has consulted and taught professionally for 35 years. In 1984, she received her Professional Member of the Federation of Australian Astrologers (PMFAA) qualification and became an Examiner for the FAA in 1986-1988. She first spoke on the Vertex at the FAA International Conference in 1986.

The late L. Edward Johndro (30 January 1882, 12.30 am, Franklin Center, Canada – Vertex conjunct South Node in Gemini) was first to present the Vertex for consideration by the astrological world. He reasoned that if the Ascendant was determined by the intersection of the Great Circles of the Ecliptic and Horizon and the MC was determined by the intersection of the Great Circles of the Meridian and Ecliptic, there should also be a very sensitive point of energy at the intersection of the Great Circles of the Prime Vertical and the Ecliptic. He called the western axis of this point the Vertex and the eastern the antiVertex. He felt that the Vertex was the electrical axis, the Ascendant the magnetic axis, and the MC the gravity axis in a natal chart.

The late Charles Jayne of New York (9 October 1911, 10.53 pm, Jenkintown, PA, - antiVertex conjunct Mars in Gemini) also deduced that the Vertex was a very important point in a natal chart. He and his students researched this further and came to the conclusion that the Vertex axis seemed to describe fateful or karmic encounters with others, which completely changed the lives of those concerned. He felt that the western point, the Vertex, was the stronger side of the axis.

I first discovered the Vertex around 1976-77. To explore how it worked I adjusted the calculations to the Southern Hemisphere and then studied its effect on my clients when it was activated by transits, Solar Arcs and Progressions. This has given me a whole Saturn return period of “hands on” research with thousands of people.

My conclusions are:

· The Vertex axis is not an especially strong point in a natal chart unless it has a planet or Node conjunct it or in close to exact aspect with it.

· If it has a planet or Node conjunct, it often becomes an over-riding force that makes the Vertex and that planet stronger than anything else in the chart, including a planet conjunct the Ascendant or MC.

· If it has a planet in close aspect it enhances that planet’s nature, its sign and house to a considerable degree, making that planet a very strong focus in the chart.

· A planet conjunct or in a close to exact aspect to the Vertex tends to give a specific and often intense destiny – something the person is required to do or experience for greater soul development, or must do in order to find meaning in life – or both!

· Therefore Vertex stimulation can have an almost compulsive effect that overrides all other considerations.

The Vertex axis can have such a strong effect because it is the third and most powerful axis in the life development process.

The Ascendant axis describes the physical body and brain and the environment in which a child is reared. A child does not see herself or himself as an individual, but as a part of a family and the environment.

As this child grows into an adult, s/he develops a sense of self as an individual, and eventually moves into the world to “make a mark”. This process is described by the MC axis, and in our cultures this process is mainly experienced through a career or avocation.

The Vertex axis stimulates Cosmic Awareness, an understanding that an individual is an integral part of the Universe, not just an isolated, separate entity. This is an enormously important and deeply freeing realization, but it can often require intense experiences (pleasant and/or unpleasant) to awaken someone to this understanding. This doesn’t mean that people without planets on angles in connection to the Vertex don’t have cosmic awareness, but it does mean that there is not such a strong stimulus to develop this awareness in this lifetime.

The Vertex axis can be likened to a doorway that gives access to other realities. It is usually highly emphasized, with a planet conjunct (orb 8°), in the charts of people who have this ability. The doorway is of the nature of the sign and house where the Vertex resides and powerfully emphasizes that sign, making it at least as important as that of the Ascendant and MC.

Astrologers often have Uranus and/or Neptune in close contact with the Vertex. Our own host, Noel Tyl, has Vertex in Scorpio quindecile Uranus in the 11th house. It seems he was destined to re-discover this very important aspect (the quindecile) and present it to the astrological community.

Following the Vertex as guide to other realities opens the door to subtle aspect measurements (harmonics). Septile (7th harmonic) patterns give the ability to understand other realities, the Vertex gives the ability to access other realities and so the combination of a septile pattern and a planet conjunct the Vertex is common in the natal charts of inspirational people, psychics and magicians. Uri Geller (20 December 1946, 2.00 am, Tel Aviv, Palestine) has Vertex conjunct North Node-Uranus in Gemini in a septile pattern with Moon-Venus-Jupiter-Saturn – surely a clear indication of his exceptional nature and gifts and the extraordinary experiences in his life.

Intensely creative people often have a planet conjunct the Vertex axis together with a quintile (5th harmonic) aspect or pattern.

Some exceptional people have a novile (9th harmonic) aspect or pattern connected to the Vertex. As the novile series of aspects are connected to initiation, this combination gives an intense initiation during this lifetime. It also gives the ability to act as an initiator for others.

FORECASTING

When the Vertex and the planet(s) it conjoins move to exact aspect by Solar Arc, key periods are clearly marked in childhood. There is usually a year made crucial through a major event, if there is also a transit or eclipse trigger, or through internal discovery of an unusual facet to your nature. From then on, all transits, Solar Arcs and Progressions to this point are highly sensitive, though not all will bring events in the outer world. The year that Solar Arc or Progressions bring together the Vertex and its ruler is also a powerful period.

Transits, Solar Arcs and Progressions involving the Vertex rarely have a huge effect on those who do not have planets stimulating the natal Vertex angle. It can just mean meeting those who in some way have an unusual influence on you, and often only for the duration of the transit or direction.

However, for those with a natal Vertex highlighted there is usually one powerful period of destiny in the life that is designed to awaken the person to a wider reality. During this period the Vertex can bring very big events indeed. Christopher Reeve (25 September 1952, 3.12 am New York NY) had natal Vertex conjunct Chiron in Capricorn in wide novile to his Descendant. The natal bi-novile between the Vertex and Saturn (its ruler) described the likelihood of a deep initiation this lifetime. When Vertex-Chiron moved by Solar Arc to his Descendant, and Saturn moved to novile his Vertex, he had an accident that left him paralyzed from the neck down. Christopher Reeve then became a powerful force for stem-cell research that has the potential to radically improve our ability to repair severe injuries.

There is usually only one powerful period of destiny in the life, but many Vertex activations. The other times the Vertex is triggered usually indicates meeting people, animals or even computers who have a profound or unusual long lasting effect.

I became quite interested in the Vertex this past Winter and I had been looking everywhere for literature on it. What a pleasant surprise to finally come across something--someone who has experience with it.

"A doorway to another reality"--one of the most intriguing sentences I have come across in my study of Astrology. After reading that article I felt forced to resurrect a time in my life where I most CERTAINLY felt like I was temporarily in another reality. Taken away by this surreal force.

It was around December/January, going into the New Year of 2003 when I went through something I can only remember as unnatural--I was taken away by fantasy, living in a fantasy. During this time I had become obsessively interested in fiction, in South African adventure especially. I decided to write a book during this time. I wrote day and night, obsessively for a month straight, submersed in my own world, as if I were really on an adventure in the Kalahari desert--the location of my plot. I was still living with my parents at home during this time and of course my parents were bewildered by my sudden manifestation with writing, and the way I locked myself in my room, sometimes not coming out for a whole day. I had been a 60 percent average English student up until this time when I suddenly fell in love with writing, with literature, and from then on, over the next year, my English grades boosted up to an average of 85, and then 90 in my last semester, all because of this 1 month period in which I was writing non-stop ALL day long.

I concur then, with specific aspects to the Vertex creating long-lasting circumstances (especially aspects between the Vertex and it's ruler), as mentioned in the article, because during this time:

- Solar Arc Vertex squared my natal Mercury (Dec 15th 2002). My natal Vertex is in Virgo, square my Jupiter-MC conjunction in Sagittarius!!

- Solar Arc Vertex semisquares my natal Mars/Neptune midpoint (Jan 2nd 2003)!!! Fanatsy, much?

By Feburary sometime, I had returned to normal, and I stopped writing my book, temporarily. But, none-the-less I have kept creative writing, and the desire to write fiction, close to my heart ever since. I was indeed opened to a different reality. And it made me question what I was doing, studying Commerce. I dropped out of college a few months later triggered by Uranus and Pluto over my MC and such, to pursue something with meaning. I then found astrology, which seems to fit so well with my desire to write, to cast a character. All of this, born from that period in which the doors opened, and exposed me to another reality, an opportunity.

So you have found some use for this Vertex thing, huh?

Chris Wrote:
So you have found some use for this Vertex thing, huh?

Seems as if it were so. After reading this, I am less skeptical about it. For sure.

I guess it should be treated like any other non-traditional introduction to astrology. That is, push it to it's limits with skeptisicm and we'll see how it stands up for itself. I have not completely given myself over to it, but I do not question that it is very much there.

Good enough.

Let me know if you find some crazy examples, because I was left pretty discouraged about its relevance after my summer of studying it a couple of years ago. I think that we talked about this at one point..

So yeah, let me know.

Will do. Will do.

I was also pretty discouraged by it when I got into a while back, and yes we had talked a bit about it at that point.

I found this article helped quite a bit though. Every planet, sign, and angle has it's own mode of behavior, and perhaps it should be treated likewise, "different". I guess, traditionally speaking, we have HOW many years (over 2000 for sure), to back up our very basics? I mean, it's taken thousands of years to get to where we are today, or will be in the near future, which I hope will be the pinnacle of astrology by the way, and that is that the establishment of objectivity is being spread throughout the entire field. There is little debate about what the Moon signifies, what the Sun signifies, and all the traditional planets that have been around for god knows how long.

We've only recently, in history, achieved the honor of getting a closer look at the planets. To be able to fly ourselves out to the Moon, and to send space missions out to the very perimeters of our Solar system, and I think that says alot about our relationship with astrology.

I guess I'm trying to say that the Vertex has got along way to go. Or should I say, alot of man-hours to be put into it's observation before we can get to the heart of it, the very core of it's meaning. And then, perhaps we will catch that meaning in a net and not let it dissapear from our site ever again. It deserves potential, methinks.

Oh by the way, I'm not so crazy on the noviles and septiles and quintiles either, but they are interesting.

I always thought, Wouldn't it make sense to look at first harmonic aspects first (conjunction, 360 degree increment), 2nd Harmonic aspects second (opposition 2 180 degree increments), 3rd third (trine, 3 120 degree increments), 4th fourth (square, 4 90 degree increments), 5th fifth (quintiles, 5 72 degree increments), 6th sixth (sextile, 6 60 degree increments), 7th seventh (septile, 7 51.25 degree increments), 8th eigth (semisquare, 8 45 degree increments), 9th ninth (novile, 9 40 degree increments) and so on and so fourth, and then stop when you get to increments of 0 (conjunction)?

Seven seems special in that it is not a whole number, hmmm.


Nevermind.

Alice McDermott (the author of the article at the beginning of this thread) replied to my Vertex story on the Tyl forum. I found it quite enlightening:

"" What a fascinating story John Y. I hope the book does well if you decide to have it published.

I have found very important events, or an inner awareness awaken, when the Vertex and its ruler make contact - and the compulsion you described is so often the case.

When the Vertex "awakens" it seems to override all other considerations.

My memory is terrible with transiting Neptune square Moon, but do you remember the movie where aliens were visiting our planet and contacting people on earth? The hero kept making models (even out of mashed potato) of a certain area? The aliens were drawing people to that place. The hero was compulsively drawn and all other situations in his life (wife, children, job etc) became of secondary importance. Eventually he and others left on the spaceship with them. - That had to be a massive Vertex story!

Alice ""



What a great way to get the feeling of the Vertex across. In one's own world. Nothing else matters. I love that.

Here you go Sarah. And if you want more discussion on it-- http://www.youngastrologers.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=9

About Vesta--I was just doing a little bit more research on that as well. Vesta is my personal asteroid (i've dedicated myself to it). There IS a thread here called "Vesta", but the most amazing discoveries I've made with it are in the AYA forum:

http://www.youngastrologers.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=81&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

;)

Ummmm. Uhhh.

I. don't. know. LOL.

Too much information for my head right now.

I actually haven't been too focused on the Vertex. For now, I'm just letting Vesta tell it's story to me. Though--if someone were to tell me that they had a "surreal" experience that could relate to the Vertex and the way it is described by Alice McDermott, I would definetly look into it. Generally though--if there is a planet tightly conjunct squared or opposed it in the natal chart--I would give it some signifcance--I think that planet would have to do with the person's fate--or destiny in a sense. It sort of describes really meaningful expericences of some sort. I'm honestly not too sure. But yeah--it'd be a good idea to start checking it out in your own charts!

Vertex at 11 degrees Cappy in 5th. Exact sextile Mercury. Sextile Pluto, exact Quindecile Sun. Hmm.

HEY! You've heard of the Quindecile?

You mean the 165 degreee aspect?

Patrick Wrote:
Vertex at 11 degrees Cappy in 5th. Exact sextile Mercury. Sextile Pluto, exact Quindecile Sun. Hmm.

Exact conjunction to my Mercury at 11 degrees Cappy. I never realized our Merc's were sextile each other's. Interesting I guess.

Though I would still go with 4th harmonic aspects to the Vertex--a sextile is a pretty minor thing to me--especially with a minor point such as the Vertex. If Mercury was square, conjunct or opposed your Vertex within 2-3 degrees--than I might say it has somewhat of an influence (you already have a stron Mercury anyways). I would also look at the tightest midpoint configuration to the Vertex--like within a half a degree--But that's just me.

I'm pretty sure that McDermott states that the Vertex is, more often than not, fairly useless as a natal delineation--it's when powerful transits activate it that it comes to life. She also states that there are usually only about 1 or 2 times in a person's life when it is really activated.

NCGR refers to the Vertex as a point in the natal chart as sensitive as an angle. As John has already pointed out, "fated" meetings can occur when the natal Vertex takes a transit. In synastry, conjunctions between Chart A's planet and Chart B's Vertex is considered a karmic point and part of what binds them in relationship. To see it work, look at synastry between family members, there will very likely be Vertex/planet conjunctions. In either transits or synastry, aspects occuring between planet and Vertex other than the conjunction don't seem to yield the same obvious results. In a natal chart, a planet on the Vertex lends its energy as well, but the Vertex does not need a natal planet's influence to potently operate. In synastry, the more exact the orb of conjunction, the more significant the relationship.

~hk