When interpreting a horoscope to other people, that is, clients, those who have been genuinely pursuing astrology for a longer period of time soon realize that there are horoscopes which can be easily read like an open book, while there are those difficult to fathom, for the interpretation of which one needs to master the astrological SKILLS.

To learn about these skills and acquire a thorough knowledge of planetary energies you need to be gifted for astrology.

	A good example for this is a horoscope of Zeljko Joksimovic, our singer, who represented us so successfully at the Eurovision competition in Istanbul. I try to make my lectures topical and often analyse the horoscopes of people who are in the centre of public attention. Thus, six days before the final competition in
Istanbul, I presented my students with the horoscope of Željko (20 April 1972, Belgrade, 20E30 44N50 12:45 PM CET-1).

His horoscope served as a good example for the influence of Ascendant and its ruler. He was born under the sign of Taurus (singing) with the Ascendant at the 26^th degree of Leo. This 26^th Ascendant also conveys the symbolic of Taurus- song, singing. Ascendant in Leo (ruler, the Sun-to be the best) conjunction fixed star Regulus ( to be the winner, the best); the ruler of Ascendant, the Sun, is placed in the 9^th house (foreign country) in Taurus-singing. However, this is also the aspect of Asia Minor, Istanbul, Turkey (in genetic horoscope). All of this prompted Željko to state:'' I’m going over there to win''. I was in the middle of explanation of this statement when one of my students suddenly asked me: ''And what place will Zeljko take?''

Having paused for a few seconds, I answered that he would win the second place. And he did. Of course, since this accurate forecast was not published in a newspaper or a website before the competition, I will not include it in the list of my accurate forecasts to be published, however, I am going to explain how I reached this conclusion.

The position of the Sun  (his ruler) as well as the 10^th house, ruler of this house, and the planets in this house, if any, tell us about someone’s greatest success.

In his 10^th house Željko has three planets: Saturn, Venus and Mars. Venus and Mars rule his 9^th house (foreign country), which speaks about his success (both planets are placed in his 10^th house –success, victory in a foreign country). In addition, his 10^th house begins in Taurus (song, singing) at the 17^th degree which bears all characteristics of Leo (to be the best, to be the winner). Venus is placed in  the 10^th house, which it also rules. Every time when the ruler of the 10^th house is placed in his native house and, in addition, if the aspects are favourable, success and victory are inevitable. His Venus (song) is in the exact conjunction with Mars, ruler of the 9^th house (in a foreign country) and, additionally, in the exact trine (the best aspect by far) with Uranus (something new, modern) in the 3^rd house (communication, telephone). This brought about new voting system through SMS messages which increased Željko’s chances of winning. However, despite these brilliant aspects, Željko took, as many would think, only the second place. How come?

The answer lies in Željko’s Saturn. When there is more than one planet in a house, THE PLANET CLOSEST TO THE CUSP OF THIS HOUSE WILL PLAY THE CRUCIAL PART.

It can be seen that the planet closest to the cusp of his 10^th house (victory, success) is Saturn. As we know, this planet always deprives us of something and almost never allows the complete triumph: the ruler of the 10^th house, Venus in the 10^th house, had soared him. However, Saturn, as the closest planet to the MC, the cusp of the 10^th house, pulled him one step back, on the second place. It is certainly a STEP back because Gemini is the sign ruling corridors, balconies, stairs...

Now let us take a look at the horoscope of Bogoljub Karić, a man who took the third place at the recent presidential elections in Serbia and, by media attention he captured, certainly surpassed his two competitors, the winner of the elections, Boris Tadic, and Tomislav Nikolić. Bogoljub was born on 17 January, 1954 in Peć(20E18, 42N39) at 6:19 AM. I got these details from one of my students who, for some years, worked as his private assistant.

In his 1^st house there are three planets: the Sun, Venus and Mercury. Strong influence of the first house, particularly the Sun, made him a leader in their family business. This was bound to be a family business because Venus rules his 4^th house (family); this also shows his 6^th house (people with whom we do a particular job). This house begins in Gemini (brothers) with the Moon in Cancer, which also speaks about the fact that he likes to have the members of his household as his closest associates.

Ascendant, its ruler, planets in the 1^st house – especially if this house is pronounced and crowded with planets – speaks about our FIRST CHOICE, what we are going to do FIRST, about our first step towards something.

The closest planet to the Ascendant (fist step, first choice) is Venus symbolising MUZIC and PLAYING and thus, his first family business was music. Venus is in sextile with Mars (production, factory) in the 10^th house in Scorpio (credits, loans). Therefore, having been granted a loan from the Government they started manufacturing agricultural tools (Venus as ruler of Taurus symbolises agriculture).

In his presidential bid (Sun-to be the President, in Capricorn-in Serbia), at the last pre-election meeting he organised, Bogoljub took lettuce and other vegetables in his hand and  started waving with them – agricultural products. Therefore, again Venus exerted its influence (agriculture) as the very next planet to the Ascendant conjunction Sun – to be the President...they ended the meeting singing.

And why Bogoljub did not succeed the first time? With Saturn at the cusp of the 10^th house, especially if this planet rules the horoscope, no one is able to succeed immediately...it requires more than one attempt. In addition, on the day of the election, the South Nod (loss) transited the cusp of his 10^th house (success, to be the President), which made it impossible to win. Just remember, the transit of the South Nod through the cusp of the 10^th house in the horoscope of Slobodan Milosevic made him loose elections and threw him from power.

Therefore, remember, when there are more than one planets in a house, the strongest influence will have the one closest to the cusp of that house.

Nikola Stojanovic

P.S.

The next morning, after I had written this text, I turned on my computer in order to read it one more time. This reminded me of the details about writing this text. A part of the text about Željko Joksimović was written on the balcony on the new laptop computer. Since I still did not get the hand of this new machine I asked my wife to call our upstairs young neighbour, a computer expert. My wife could not find her so she invited another, also young neighbour, skilful with this machine. While she was trying to resolve this problem, the first young neighbour showed up and very soon got it fixed.

What am I trying to tell you with this story? Every time an astrologer casts a horoscope or writes a text about a person, he is inevitably affected by particular aspects from that person’s horoscope!!!

Please note: I was writing a text about a SINGER, Željko Joksimović. Venus rules Singing and music. His Venus is placed in the sign of Gemini at the 15^th degree which bears all characteristics of Gemini and that is why I wrote my text on the BALCONY (Gemini rule balconies); his Venus is in conjunction with Mars (a problem, breakdown) and thus, I had a problem (Mars) with my writing-typing (Mars in Gemini), on the new laptop (Venus conjunction Mars trine Uranus-something new); TWO YOUNG NEIGHBOURS came (Venus-lasses, girls in Gemini – dual sign, two of them) who quickly and successfully managed to resolve my problem (Venus, Mars –successfully trine Uranus-quickly).

When I started writing, the part of the text describing the influence of  planet which is the closest to the Ascendant in  Bogoljub Karić’s horoscope, a cold wind started blowing and the sky flashed in the distance. I came into my flat and while still having in mind to sit and start writing the text, it occurred to me that I could put some music on. I chose a disk with EVERGREEN music-hits from 50s and 60s. While writing the text, I hummed well-known tunes and my wife joined me; towards the end of my writing we were singing from the top of our lungs turning the volume up.

In Bogoljub’s horoscope Venus (music, song, to sing) is in conjunction with the Sun and Mercury in Capricorn. Mercury – air, wind in Capricorn (cold) produced that cold wind and, in opposition to Uranus, it also produced thunders (Uranus-thunder); Venus-music in Capricorn (something old, from the past) made me play old tunes; Venus (to sing) opposition Uranus in his 7^th house (spouse, wife) prompted my wife to start singing with me; we played music louder and louder, again due to the influence of Uranus (noise, something loud).

Don’t you find this enlightening!