FOI Astrological Chart and Progressions

The Founding of the FOI
An Astrological Analysis

According to Lady Olivia, the Fellowship of Isis was founded on the “exact occurrence” of the Spring Equinox in 1976 by her brother, Lawrence Durdin-Robertson, his wife, Pamela Durdin-Robertson, and herself. The birth of a new organization creates a pattern in the Greater Reality that we can analyze using astrology. The chart establishes intentions and potentials that then begin to manifest over the years.

The Cancer ascendant indicates how the Fellowship is perceived in the world, which manifests as a new feminine religion based on ancient traditions and the maternal energies of Isis. Saturn in the first house adds an element of structure to the organization, but can indicate a tendency to pursue structure at all costs. The ways in which the Fellowship's structures will tend to color its perception by the outside world, whether friendly or overbearing, depending on how those structures manifest.

The Sun in Aries in the 10th house indicates that this is a new birth that presents itself out into the world. The organization tends to have a great deal of strength, pride, and energy in its manifestation, driven by its mental focus (Mercury on the midheaven in Pisces) to bring forward spiritual mysteries into a modern context. The Pisces midheaven emphasizes this occult focus on the ancient mysteries, psychic powers, dreams and visions.

The Moon in Sagittarius in the 5th house emphasizes the Fellowship's need to establish new philosophies that are multi-cultural and diverse. There is a strong indication of travel between many lands, and the networking of people of many backgrounds and cultures. The Moon placement also provides a source of strength in the Fellowship's diversity, and focus on the Goddesses of many cultures. This is an organization that does not believe in being secret, hidden, or exclusive, as so many occult organizations have been in the past. In the 5th house, the Fellowship relies a great deal on luck, creativity, and its "children," who carry forward its dreams and goals.

There are several major patterns within the chart that organize the planetary energies towards accomplishing the Fellowship's key goals. The first (#1 in the chart diagram, colored green) is a Grand Trine in fire between the Sun, Saturn, and the Moon. This pattern enables the manifestation of the spiritual energies of the Fellowship through its structures and emphasis on the many faces of the Goddess. It emphasizes the energetic warmth of the organization and its desire to be open to all people who choose to follow its manifesto (Saturn).

The second major pattern (#2, colored blue) is a yod or "Finger of God" between the Moon, Mars (in Cancer in the 12th house), and Jupiter (in Aries in the 11th house). The yod pattern tends to bestow on the organization a special blessing when we remember our focus on the Divine Goddess and seek spiritual riches. The Moon, as the focal point of the yod draws energy from traditional, feminine sources (Mars) and expands outward into many different groups within the organization (Jupiter), such that we find both common spiritual expression in the worship of the Goddess, but also diverse manifestations, through the many lyceums, Iseums, and other subordinate group structures. (The conjunction of Jupiter and the Goddess asteroid, Vesta, emphasizes our group focus on service to the Goddess.)

The third major pattern (#3, colored teal) is another Grand Trine, this time in water, between Uranus (in Scorpio in the 5th house), Venus (in Pisces in the 9th house), and Mars. As an organization, we are breaking new spiritual ground (Uranus), in bringing to focus the mystical feminine (Venus) through our activities in the Greater Reality (Mars). The energy of this pattern emphasizes our spiritual, mystical, psychic, and Feminine gifts, and helps us find new ways to manifest them.

The fourth major pattern (#4, colored red) is a Grand Cross in the mutable signs, between the Moon, Venus, and two of the Goddess asteroids, Ceres (in Gemini in the 11th house) and Juno (in Virgo in the 3rd house). One of the challenges of our organization is to balance its Feminine focus, such that we communicate our wisdom and power (Juno) in a nurturing and supportive way (Ceres). Ceres emphasizes the Fellowship's focus on Goddess as Mother, and tends to emphasize a "mother figure" (Lady Olivia) as the figurehead for manifesting the Moon's goals and ideals. Venus draws on the mystical wisdom of Juno to create a context for communicating and exploring the sacred Feminine. Because of the tensions between these asteroids and the Moon and Venus, indicated by the Grand Square (#4), Juno can also manifest in possible problems arising between members, if not moderated by the loving kindness of Venus. Ceres can manifest as a lack of nurturing each other, if not modified by our understanding of the Goddess within each of us, signified by the Moon. Balancing these Goddess energies harmoniously is a major challenge facing the Fellowship.

Neptune in the 6th house in Sagittarius focuses the organization on spiritual growth, mysticism, psychism, and service to the Goddesses of all cultures. It sets the tone for how the organization will manifest in the world, as a new, mystical religion. Pluto in Libra in the 4th house establishes a balanced foundation for transforming the way we think about ourselves, and our relationship to the Goddess.

Chiron in Aries in the 11th house, and Pallas in the 10th house emphasize a need for new teachings, and healing of the old wounds of the patriarchal culture. This is something into which the organization puts its time and energy, creating a context for a new spirituality to heal the earth. Chiron can also indicate that wounds arise within the group due to overly impulsive actions of its members, but through wisdom and understanding, we can heal them and learn better ways to relate to one another.

Finally, the part of fortune, which lies in the 10th house in Pisces conjoined with Mercury, shows that our fortunes lie in maintaining our mental focus on spirituality, healing, and psychic gifts. The Moon's North Node (in Scorpio in the 5th house) again draws our Fellowship into creating new ground in the development of the spiritual mysteries and transforming the way that we believe in the Goddess and ourselves.

More information please visit these pages:

The Founding of the Fellowship of Isis

Fellowship of Isis Founders

2007 Outlook for the Fellowship of Isis
An Astrological Analysis

The FOI's year begins on the Spring Equinox, and this is the 31st year of the organization. One way to look at possible lessons, challenges, and opportunities is to generate a "progressed" chart, which moves the planets slowly over time. A solar arc progression chart is given showing the placement of progressed planets against the FOI's Founding natal chart, for March 20, 2007 at the moment of Spring Equinox. The aspects between the progressed and natal planets highlight the year's potentials are given in an additional table.

The overall theme for the year is renewing fellowship, releasing old, outworn patterns of relationship, and organizing new creative and social ventures to benefit the group. Psychic gifts, spiritual healing, and an end to feelings of isolation and rejection are emphasized. During this time of activity, we can establish new bridges toward communicating with each other in an honest and friendly fashion, if we choose to release pride and non-functional patterns and structures.

As we can see, the Sun has moved into Taurus, which heralds a period of stabilization and consolidation within the organization. We are continuing to set down roots and develop traditions as the Sun moves out of Aries. The Sun conjoins Vesta through May 17th to emphasize the continued development of fellowship and spirituality.

The Moon progresses a great deal over the course of a year, starting in the 6th house in Capricorn. This heralds an era of "getting down to business," in which we will be challenged to continue to manifest the ongoing work and service of the FOI. It also emphasizes the establishment of traditions and structures for determining the direction of the group.

Several Lunar aspects manifest over the course of 2007, and into 2008. Prominent among these is an opposition of the Moon to our natal Saturn that lasts from mid-July to mid-September, 2007. This aspect highlights a need to overcome feelings of isolation and rejection that have arisen due to old patterns that no longer serve us and a need towards building bridges of support through new venues. As this period begins during Lady Olivia’s usual set of trips to the US to meet with various groups, it behooves us to have a well worked out network of communication in place prior to her arrival.

The Moon squares natal Jupiter and Vesta from September 28th through November 24th, during Lady Olivia's visits. This aspect amplifies the challenge to overcome pride, develop better philosophies for our mutual relationships, and recognize that everyone has imperfections.

The transiting Moon sextiles our natal Sun and Moon between November and the end of January 2008. This aspect challenges us to release our negative traits that are holding us back, and to develop harmonious relationships with others. We can accomplish this through our self-reliance and creativity, manifesting under our independent ways of operating.

The progressed Moon enters the 8th house just before next Spring Equinox. The 8th house emphasizes reliance on the resources of others and delving into the mysteries of life, death, and rebirth. This period can manifest as a time to renew ourselves by going back to our roots, individual members may feel this is a time of reclaiming those things that make us feel whole and nurtured, and remembering the essentials that make us a Fellowship.

Mercury highlights new mental lessons, especially through opportunities to create new ways of thinking about how we are out in the world, from Spring Equinox through mid-October. This is a time for communication and dialog about where we've been, where we're headed, and where we want to go, as Mercury progresses through Aries. Mercury in Aries also helps to bring clarity into our thought processes, and helps us manifest the dreams and visions that we have developed since our founding. Throughout the year we will have many opportunities to revision how we present ourselves in the world.

Our progressed Venus has also moved into Aries, highlighting the manifestation of our visions of the Goddess and helping us to create new ways of expressing our love, tolerance and care for one another. Venus in the 10th house emphasizes the flowering of our creativity into new public venues.

Progressing Mars has moved into Leo in the first house, which provides us with added energy for working out how we present ourselves in the world and shining forth the light of our creativity and talents in a strongly positive way.

Progressed Jupiter (in Taurus in the 11th house) emphasizes sympathy and charity among the members of the group, and the ability to plan and organize social activities for the enjoyment of the group.

Progressed Saturn (in Leo in the 3rd house) brings forward issues of efficient organization and communication, but can result in feelings of isolation and loneliness if we do not reach out to each other, and allow our individual willfulness to blind us to the creative potentials of the group.

Progressed Uranus (in Sagittarius in the 5th house) highlights creative opportunities by the individuals that can lead to new "philosophical" expansion into outward expression. We will be asked to seek spiritual enlightenment and evolvement through our individual, creative modalities, and to avoid the tendency to rebel against the ideas of others.

Progressed Neptune (in Capricorn in the 6th house) emphasizes our humanitarian ideals, good business sense, and sources of inspiration. We can encounter organizational difficulties if we forget that we are all manifestations of the Goddess, and become overly sensitive or egotistical with one another. This placement helps us to consolidate our vision of the organization as it progresses into the future, while letting go of past issues that no longer serve us.

Progressed Pluto (in Scorpio in the 5th house) presents opportunities for fortitude and resourcefulness, spiritual healing, and the development of psychic gifts. We are challenged to let go of past issues and focus on our responsibilities to one another as spiritual sisters and brothers in fellowship. New modalities for creative expression may manifest as we embrace the spiritual and psychic gifts that are developing at this time.

Chart for Founding of the Fellowship of Isis, Chart for 2007 Progressions and readings, courtesy of Michael A. Starsheen, AU. Thank you Michael!