The White House -

As I walked past the White House last night and saw it decorated for the Holidays, I renewed my oft-repeated but never followed up on pledge to do some research on the House and the people responsible for it. Well, no time like the present.


The Cornerstone for the White House was laid on October 13, 1792 after a parade from Georgetown. By the way, I have read so many conspiracy Mason theories on their "take over" of our early government which state that this was a Friday. Oh, Friday the 13th well see how that links it to the Cathar's and the original evil connotations of Friday the 13th...... Wrong, it was a Saturday!

Anyway, the first thing that struck me was that Capricorn was "rising" - on the Eastern horizon at that time. That is a great time to dedicate a structure that you hope will endure. Capricorn is the sign that gives form and structure - it keeps things in place. What a great start for a grand house. Capricorn's ruler, Saturn is in the 4th house - the house of home and home-life. However, it is in Aries, a fiery warrior sign and in retrograde, a pause for karma. This is a harbinger of the burning at the hands of the British during the war of 1812.

Now look at the 10th house, the house of government and leadership in society. The Sun, Vesta, Neptune and Mercury are all there in Libra. Sun and Vesta together is a very powerful placement. It combines our internal energy drive with the devotion of Vesta - the burning heart's desire. This was intended to be a house that would dominate the world scene. Mercury indicates our thought process - how we learn and communicate. And Neptune is a symbol of our dreamy idealism. All of these are in Libra, the sign that while it may go to extremes from time to time - seeks balance This tiny country that just defeated the worlds’ largest military power, was holding itself out to a new experiment of freedom for all (well some anyway - but at least we continued to extend those benefits albeit slowly). Yes, it has gone to the over-board at time but we still have that candle of belief that we are dedicated to freedom and pursuit of happiness.

In the future I will look at the men who made the house a reality from Washington, who never lived there, to Adams, who was the first, to Hoban, the architect behind it all.