It's Gemini season (and a Gemini New Moon). And in the spirit of this and it's ruler, Mercury, a planet that is all about liminality and transition, I've decided to change things up a bit. So instead of focusing on yet another astrological transit, I’ve chosen to do an astrological profile on the life and legacy of a famous Gemini and larger-than-life figure in British astrological history - the 17th-century magus and alchemist, Elias Ashmole. Rather than repeat the details of his biography, I've decided to concentrate on the influence of the planet Mercury - and the trickster-like figure of the magician - on Ashmole's life and thinking for this particular blog post. For a fuller biography and some details of his astrological profile, listen to the latest episode of the Astro-Insights Podcast on Spotify or Apple podcasts. Highlights include: * Ashmole's Saturn Return and his initiation into freemasonry, * His friendship with the astrologer, William Lilly; and * His membership of the Royal Society. The YouTube video version, complete with supplementary historical and archival graphics, is available at: https://youtu.be/qqOXbI3hjbs. Or watch the embedded version in the full text of this blog post.
