1) thezodiac.com/notworth.

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Destiny's Gate
Boring Intro Remarks
The Vertex I !ike to ca!! the Vertex "Destiny's Gate"... #ccording to the dictionary$ a Vertex is
"the s%mmit$ the highest &oint reached in the a&&arent motion o' a ce!estia! (ody or other &oints.
Taken 'rom the )atin *ertere$ meaning 'to t%rn.' "
In the horosco&ic chart$ the Vertex is ca!c%!ated as (eing the &oint !ocated at the intersection o'
the +c!i&tic ,&ath o' the -%n) and the .rime /eridian$ a &!ane that di*ides the ce!estia! s&here into
'ront and (ack. ,I' none o' that m%m(o 0%m(o chart ca!c%!ation st%'' makes any sense$ then don't
worry a(o%t it. It's on!y here 'or those 'ew certain eggheads who know what to do with it and !ike
to think a(o%t s%ch weighty things.)
The Vertex is act%a!!y &art o' a two &oint axis com&rised o' the Vertex and #ntiVertex... #s an
axis i' yo%r Vertex is !ocated in 11 degrees o' -cor&io$ then yo%r antiVertex is !ocated in 11
degrees o' Ta%r%s. -ome astro!ogers ha*e de*ised distinctions (etween the two &oints$ with the
#ntiVertex genera!!y ha*ing the more negati*e e''ect. In &ractica! ex&erience$ I ha*en't noticed a
di''erence. D%e to the "nat%re o' the (east" in any astro!ogica! chart$ the Vertex is norma!!y
'o%nd !%rking aro%nd in either the 2th$ 3th$ 4th$ or 5th ho%se.
In #stro!ogy ,the 6itty Gritty)
-o anyway$ (ased on the Vertex (eing astronomica!!y !ocated on a "t%rning &oint" in the sky$ then
it &ro(a(!y has something to do with "t%rning &oints" in yo%r !i'e. It does. Based on it (eing !ocated
in the 2th thro%gh 5th ho%ses$ then yo% can (et it 7%ite o'ten has something to do with "meetings
o' &eo&!e." It does.
8ere's my astro!ogica! r%!e o' th%m( de'inition o' the Vertex9 the Vertex is a sensiti*e &oint on the
chart ,any chart) that d%ring %n%s%a!$ extraordinary times 'ee!s !ike a 'ort%nate "t%rning &oint" or a
meeting with "Destiny's Gate."
The Vertex o'ten 'ee!s !ike a com&%!si*e$ yet 'ort%nate ex&erience and meeting %& with destiny
that yo% co%!dn't a*oid ,e*en i' yo% wanted to). #ccording to Bi!! /eridian ,/o%ntain #stro!oger$
:%ne/:%!y ;111)$ astro!oger$ <har!es #. :ayne who ,a!ong with )orne :ohndro) 'irst came %& with
%sing the Vertex$ "'e!t this &oint was 'ated and that it re&resented matters (eyond o%r contro!."
8ere's how I ty&ica!!y %se the Vertex ,and the antiVertex)9
Destiny's Gate can (e9
= a &erson ,and how they e''ect yo%)
in synastry$ the most e''ecti*e when another &erson's nata! -%n$ /oon$ #scendant$ Ven%s or
/ars con0%ncts yo%r nata! Vertex or antiVertex. I'*e gotten a wee (it stingy in my o!d age and I
on!y ,>1? o' the time) %se con0%nctions when !ooking at the Vertex and antiVertex. #!so$ the
s!ower a &!anet is... the more narrow my or(s tend to get when !ooking at cross as&ects with the
Vertex and antiVertex.
= a time ,when yo% meet a s&ecia! &erson)
when a transiting &!anet es&ecia!!y the -%n con0%ncts yo%r (irth Vertex or antiVertex.
Be <are'%! @hat Ao% @ish Bor
Thro%gh the years$ I'*e disco*ered that it's a who&&ing (ig mistake to o*er!y romanticize the
Vertex and/or the &eo&!e that it (rings into o%r !i*es. In this regard$ I es&ecia!!y !ike what my good
'riend #%ssie astro!oger :%dy <richton @eeks has to say a(o%t the Vertex. In a n%tshe!!$ she 'ee!s
that the Vertex is a "re!ationshi&" &oint and a "wish '%!'i!!ment" &oint. @hen the Vertex is in*o!*ed$
we may get exact!y what we wished 'or$ (%t then again we might ,or might not) get it in a
"&er*erse manner."
Ae&C Ao% may 'ee! !ike yo%'*e !itera!!y "wished" this destined meeting with a &erson into existence.
8owe*er$ !ater on ,a'ter e*erything's said and done)... -he... er$ I mean... "Destiny's Gate" may
not 'ee! 7%ite as "'ort%nate" as yo% origina!!y tho%ghtC DkayE This destined meeting o'ten 'i!!s one
%& with the sense o' needing to (ring something ,or someone) to "com&!etion." Ao% may e*en
'ind that yo% sim&!y can't !et go o' that Vertex &erson ,may(e 'or years or e*en decades) %nti! the
(%siness (etween to two o' yo% is 'inished and/or somehow 'e!t to (e com&!ete.
Bina! @ord D' <a%tion
#s I mentioned &re*io%s!y$ the Vertex is a sensiti*e &oint on the chart ,any chart) that d%ring
%n%s%a!$ extraordinary times 'ee!s !ike a 'ort%nate "t%rning &oint" or a meeting with "Destiny's
Gate." @hen 'o!ks 'irst disco*er the Vertex$ they %s%a!!y go a !itt!e "hog wi!d" with itC It seems !ike
most %s ass%me anything and e*erything a(o%t %s and o%r chart is going to (e %n%s%a! and
extraordinary. It's not and we're not.
-o... yes$ there are those "%n%s%a!$ extraordinary" times when the Vertex ,and/or the #ntiVertex)
on a chart gets "!it %&" and (ecomes *ery &ower'%!. Then$ it seems$ that in e*ery s%(sidiary chart
cast ,in re!ation to that origina! chart) the Vertex is e7%a!!y strong and "!it %&."
B%t then$ there are &!enty o' other times when it ,the Vertex) ain't doing a (!essed thing... there
are &!enty o' times when ,'or exam&!e) the transiting -%n or Ven%s is going to &ass o*er yo%r
(irth chart and yo%'re not a(o%t to meet a new and exciting !o*er ,and/or yo%'re not going to come
into easy money). Dther times... it means exact!y that.
8ere's one sma!! concrete exam&!e9
I'*e got in*o!*ed with two o' the !i'e changing ,and g%t wrenching) "!o*es o' my !i'e$" a!most
exact!y at the *ery moment the transiting -%n or Ven%s was &assing o*er my (irth ,nata!) Vertex
and/or antiVertex. There$ o' co%rse$ was other !ots o' other st%'' going on in my chart and in their
charts ,inc!%ding$ in one case$ where the transiting 6orth )%nar 6ode was exact!y con0%ncting her
(irth 6orth )%nar 6ode at &recise!y the moment we !aid eyes on each other and that "&%&&y"
on!y ha&&ens once e*ery 15.2 years or so).
The &ro(!em is that the -%n ,and Ven%s) has a!so$ once each year$ &assed o*er my (irth ,nata!)
Vertex and antiVertex ,so 'ar$ >1 some other times) when I didn't meet one o' the !i'e changing
,and g%t wrenching) "!o*es o' my !i'e."
Th%s$ 'or those 'o!ks who &re'er so!id$ 'irm ,1$ ;$ F) de'initions o' astro!ogica! &oints and sym(o!s
that yo% can a!ways co%nt on and %se the Vertex can (e 'r%strating and e!%si*e. G%estions
arise$ s%ch as9 "8ow do I %se itE" "8ow do I know when to %se itE" "8ow do I know when not to
%se itE" GoodC I'm g!ad it 'r%strates and con'%ses yo%. Ao% may act%a!!y (e on the *erge o'
!earning something *ery im&ortant a(o%t the nat%re astro!ogy and working with !i*ing$ acti*e
sym(o!s...
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
;) 'a!conastro!ogy.com
8as #nyone -een Vert%mn%sE
<onsidering the Vertex in the 6ata! <hart (y Iim Ba!coner
Vertex Icon @ritten 'or the 6o*em(er #B# B%!!etin ;11;$ Vo!%me 3J K111111
<a!c%!ating the Vertex /ost astro!ogers who ha*e e*er !i*ed s&ent their entire careers
witho%t taking into acco%nt the *ertex. This node!ike &oint was not &ost%!ated %nti! the 1>F1'sJ1'
when ). +dward :ohndro coined the name. 8e$ and his 'o!!owers$ did attri(%te signi'icant meaning
to the *ertex$ a!tho%gh :ohndro a&&arent!y gra&&!ed with its re!ati*e *a!%e more than once. Is the
*ertex rea!!y e''ecti*eE The 'o!!owing artic!e in*ites st%dents to consider this 7%estion$
ex&erimenting with their own charts to 'ind answers 'or themse!*es. <a!c%!ate yo%r Vertex now.
@hat is the *ertexE The *ertex is a theoretica! &oint in the hea*ens where the ec!i&ticthe
a&&arent or(it o' the -%n aro%nd the earthcrosses the &rime *ertica!the &!ane that r%ns at right
ang!es to the meridian and di*ides the ce!estia! s&here 'rom 'ront to (ack. #!ready$ it so%nds
'ishy. # theoretica! &ointE
The *ertex/anti*ertex is on!y theoretica! to the degree that the #scendant and /idhea*en
are as we!!. The #scendant is the &oint were the ec!i&tic intersects the horizon ,instead o' the
&rime *ertica!). The 6orth and -o%th 6odes o' the /oon$ a!so &oints o' theoretica! intersection$
are 'o%nd were the &ath o' the /oon rises and 'a!!s across the ec!i&tic. They are a!! i!!%sory
(eca%se there is nothing rea!!y o%t there at that &oint in s&aceno 'ixed star$ no asteroid$ no
&!anetnot to em&hasize that the ec!i&tic itse!' is the imaginary &ath o' the -%n aro%nd the earth.
I!!%sory or not$ the *ertex 'a!!s on the western side o' the chart$ with the anti*ertex 'o%nd
exact!y 151 degrees away$ on the eastern side. #s with the #scendant and /idhea*en$ an exact
(irth time is necessary to ca!c%!ate the *ertex. There is no &oint working with it %n!ess yo% ha*e
one. That is the 'irst r%!e.
@hat does the word *ertex meanE The word *ertex comes 'rom the )atin root word
*ertere$ meaning to change$ to t%rn$ t%rn 're7%ent!y or s&in. It a!so can mean a crowning &oint$
s%mmit$ to& or crest. @ords ha*ing this )atin root inc!%de *erte(rae$ ,0oint$ ha*ing something to
t%rn on) *ertigo ,dizzy$ disoriented$ s&%n o%t) *ertica! ,'rom to& to (ottom) *ersati!e ,doing many
things at once$ to t%rn 'rom one thing to another) and *ertici! ,a circ%!ar arrangement aro%nd a
'ixed &oint$ a whor!). The common theme here high!ights change or mo*ement$ 'rom one &oint to
another$ where the center remains 'ixed or the same.

<an mytho!ogy re*ea! anything a(o%t the *ertexE Aes. The Roman god Vert%mn%s has
roots in the )atin word *ertere$ to change$ t%rn or s&in. Vert%mn%s was a !esser god o' gardens$
'r%it trees and seasons. Ao%th'%! and a!!%ring$ he had the &ower to change himse!' into *ario%s
'orms$ 0%st as the seed changes 'rom root$ to (ranch to !ea' to 'r%it. Vert%mn%s %sed this a(i!ity in
his a*id &%rs%it o' the goddess .omona.
#s the myth goes$ Vert%mn%s 'e!! in !o*e with a striking!y (ea%ti'%! goddess ,in some
*ersions nym&h) named .omona. #!tho%gh she re0ected a!! s%itors$ he 'ed his &assion with the
sight o' her (y changing his 'orm and &assing her gardens dai!y as a so!dier$ a har*ester$ a
'isherman$ etc. Ignoring him$ .omona remained de*oted on!y to the c%!ti*ation o' 'r%it trees.
Vert%mn%s &ersisted and one day he a!tered his 'orm to that o' an o!d woman$ greeted her with a
&assionate kiss$ and &roceeded to enter her gardens.
Vert%mn%s$ ,as the matron)$ ta!ked to the goddess$ attem&ting to con*ince her o' the
rewards o' re!ationshi& and the dangers o' re0ecting !o*e. The 7%a!ities and integrity o' the
yo%th'%! god Vert%mn%s were disc%ssed. Bina!!y$ "she" to!d .omona the story o' a yo%ng man
who cr%e!!y took his own !i'e a'ter (eing s&%rned (y his hard hearted !o*e. 8e to!d o' how the
gods t%rned the re0ecting woman into stone$ (%t sti!! .omona was not &ers%aded.
Bina!!y in exas&eration$ Vert%mn%s dro&&ed his disg%ise and stood naked (e'ore .omona
in his tr%e 'orm. -he tho%ght she was seeing the s%n immerge 'rom (ehind the c!o%ds and in the
g!orio%s !ight o' Vert%mn%s$ she o&ened her heart and reci&rocated his !o*e. Together sti!!$ they
attend the gardens and 'r%it tress o' the co%ntryside.
The theme o' this myth centers on a seeming!y chance moment where an o%tstanding
e*ent occ%rs. To .omona$ it was !ike an e&i&hany$ a s%dden t%rn o' 'ate$ a radica! awakening o'
&erce&tion. To Vert%mn%s$ it was at 'irst a we!! &!anned strategy$ then 'ina!!y an act o'
s&ontaneo%s des&eration. Imagine his s%r&rise when .omona 'ina!!y recei*ed himC
)o*e$ re!ationshi& and %nion are high!ighted here$ not 0%st in the desire o' Vert%mn%s$ (%t
a!so in the story he to!d o' the yo%ng man's re0ection and the tragic conse7%ences that 'o!!owed.
The imagery o' the gardens$ 'r%it and *ine add to the 'ee!ing o' ri&eness$ an e*ent 'ina!!y ready to
ha&&en$ a 'r%it'%! ex&erience.
8ow signi'icant is the *ertex astro!ogica!!yE8ere !ies the de(ate. -ome we!!*ersed
astro!ogers wi!! say the *ertex means re!ati*e!y nothing. Dthers wi!! say it is a &oint o' great
signi'icance. I' it does ha*e meaning$ what is itE
The *ertex a&&ears as a sensiti*e &oint !inked to 'ate'%! enco%nters with others$ seeming!y
s%dden e&i&hanies$ t%rning &oints in !i'e and a destiny o*er which we ha*e no contro!. #cti*ated$
it can synchronize with an ex&erience o' another whose e''ect registers as some degree o'
&ro'o%nd or extraordinary.
# strong!y &!aced nata! *ertex ,con0%nct the horizon$ in c!ose as&ect to a &ersona! &!anet$
in a critica! degree or in the degree o' the nodes) can indicate more consistent res%!ts.
@hat acti*ates the VertexE Three things can trigger$ coincide or acti*ate the *ertex9
transits$ &eo&!e and &!aces.
Transits to the *ertex can (ring inner and o%ter e*ents corres&onding to a &i*ota! &oint$
signi'icant enco%nter with another or a s%dden change o' &erce&tion. The transiting &!anet
acti*ates the sym(o!ism o' the *ertex$ coinciding with a ma0or or minor e*ent. Iee&ing or(s tight
and sticking main!y to the con0%nction wi!! (ring more consistent res%!ts. # transiting con0%nction
'rom /ars wo%!d !ike!y (e more noticea(!e than a transiting trine 'rom Lran%s$ a!tho%gh
sometimes that is not the case. The magnit%de o' the e''ect de&ends on the &rominence o' the
*ertex itse!'$ its re!ationshi& to other 'actors in the chart and the occ%rrence o' other transits$
commens%rate or dis&arate. #!ong with transits$ st%dents are enco%raged to consider
&rogressions$ con*erse &rogressions and directions.
/eetings with signi'icant &eo&!e$ as seen thro%gh synastry and com&osite charts$ may
a!so !ink strong!y to the *ertex. ,Think o' &eo&!e as constant transits.) @hen one &erson's inner
&!anets or asteroids ,-%n thro%gh to :%&iter)$ ang!es$ nodes$ *ertex or certain #ra(ic &arts
con0%nct the *ertex$ there can (e a 'ee!ing o' 'ate$ destiny$ rightness or wrongness a(o%t the
enco%nter. -omething in the contact with that &erson may ha*e the a(i!ity to create &ro'o%nd
change in the nati*e$ o*er a !ong or short &eriod o' time. The change may (e &ercei*ed as
&!easing or acrimonio%s$ the con0%nction o'ten re'!ecting the 'ormer$ the o&&osition the !ater.
D%r !ocation on the &!anet can awaken the *ertex as seen thro%gh re!ocation charts and
astrocartogra&hy. @hen we re!ocate$ the *ertex may (ecome more &rominent (y changing
ho%se or as&ect to an ang!e. The re!ocation *ertex can signi'y &!aces where meaning'%!
enco%nters o' a &artic%!ar nat%re seem to ha&&en more consistent!y.
@hat a(o%t the sign and ho%se &osition o' the *ertexEThe ho%se &ositions o' the
*ertex/anti*ertex can o''er c!%es as to where we may ex&erience t%rning &oints$ meetings with
destiny or 'ate'%! enco%nters in !i'e. #s noted ear!ier$ the *ertex 'a!!s %s%a!!y (etween the 'i'th and
the eight ho%se$ on the western side o' the chart$ with the anti*ertex 151 degrees o&&osition.
In the 'i'th/e!e*enth ho%se axis$ there co%!d (e a &ro&ensity to ex&erience 'ate'%! romantic
or creati*e enco%nters ,'i'th ho%se) thro%gh contacts with 'riends or gro%&s ,e!e*enth ho%se). In
the sixth/twe!'th ho%se axis$ the t%rning &oint$ or s&in o%t$ co%!d e''ect o%r day (y day !i*ing$ or o%r
!ink (etween &syche and soma ,sixth ho%se) thro%gh contact with those in the he!&ing
&ro'essions$ those !ess 'ort%nate or thro%gh dreams and creati*e 'antasies ,twe!'th ho%se). In the
se*enth/'irst ho%se axis$ s%dden e&i&hanies co%!d radica!!y e''ect socia!!y signi'icant &artnershi&s
,se*enth ho%se) thro%gh an ex&erience o' &ro0ecting o%rse!*es o%t into the wor!d ,'irst ho%se). In
the eighth/second ho%se axis$ destiny may arri*e in the 'orm o' an erotic enco%nter or intense
research ,eighth ho%se) &er&etrated (y a desire 'or &!eas%re$ sec%rity or &eace ,second ho%se).
The *ertex/anti*ertex (y sign can signi'y the way we may ex&erience acti*ation to this
axis. #ries/)i(ra co%!d indicate iss%es (etween &ersona! wi!! and sharing$ where Ta%r%s/-cor&io
may (e a(o%t sec%rity *erses risk. Gemini/-agittari%s co%!d contrast know!edge and *ision$ where
<ancer/<a&ricorn co%!d em&hasize &rotection *erses enter&rise. The )eo/#7%ari%s axis might
high!ight se!'ex&ression as o&&osed to gro%& &artici&ation where the Virgo/.isces might com&are
str%ct%red (o%ndaries and !imit!ess !onging.
<onc!%sions9The *ertex is a &oint in the horosco&e that can indicate a sense o' destiny
working thro%gh another &erson or o%tstanding e*ent. It may (e stim%!ated (y transits$
&rogressions or directions$ other &eo&!e ,synastry/com&osite) or a change o' !ocation. The ho%se
and sign &osition can o''er c!%es as to where the change or t%rning &oint may take &!ace and in
what way. #!! st%dents are enco%raged to watch the *ertex in their own charts$ determining 'or
themse!*es the re!ati*e *a!%e. #'ter a!!$ we ne*er know when Vert%mn%s might enter o%r garden
in the g%ise o' someone e!se$ o''ering an %nex&ected t%rn o' 'ateC
<a!c%!ating the Vertex/ost astro!ogy so'tware &rograms o''er the o&tion o' ca!c%!ating
the *ertex in the chart. To 'ind the Vertex (y hand$ yo% ca!c%!ate the #scendant at yo%r co
!atit%de. ThatMs the #scendant at >1 degrees$ min%s yo%r !atit%de. The I< (ecomes the mid
hea*en and$ %sing the ta(!e o' ho%ses$ yo% !ook %& the N#scendantO ,Vertex) associated with the
new /< and !atit%de.DR$ yo% can go to #stroDienst and inc!%de it in the many chart o&tions$
ca!c%!ating it on !ine 'or 'ree.,I wo%!d do%(!e check the hand ca!c%!ations against their com&%ter
res%!ts at 'irst$ 0%st to make s%re.)