Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay summited Chomolungma or Mount Everest on May 29, 1953 at 11:30 a.m. It is this moment that describes this mountain by her true name. For a mountain known as the “Goddess Mother of the World”, it is no surprise that she would allow her first visitors to see her world under a stellium in Gemini. The zodiac sign of Gemini is about the natural effects of the short and continuous circling of your immediate world. It was first described by the thirteen trips of Selene the Moon Goddess around earth while her brother Helios the Sun God appears to conclude only one long journey. In modern astrology, Mercury, the ruler of Gemini, continues this short circuit around the Sun against Jupiter’s longer journey as ruler of Sagittarius. Gemini is the sign of the Goddess and Sagittarius the sign of the God.
In our own Gemini circle of our local community, we receive and give thirteen times the information. This is why the zodiac sign Gemini is known for small talk, learning and your thoughts, facts, and communication including gossip. Lots and lots of words. As a child, it revolves around our neighbors, our cousins, and our local school so long as we go home each night. As an adult, it also relates to our siblings who now live in their own homes. It is also about communication between just two people, the twins.
In the horoscope, Chomolungma is the 10th house. The actual summit moment is at 7° Cancer. The symbol is “two nature spirits dancing under the moonlight.” This is the moment Torgay grabbed Hillary in a boisterous hug to celebrate the ascent. There on that exact spot is the asteroid Parsifal. The news of the feat became known the morning of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and the events are directly linked together in the horoscope.
Britain’s Own Archetype – Percival and the Grail Quest
Sir Edmund Percival Hillary is much like his namesake the naive Percival who wants to be a knight. Percival is a backward youth raised in the forest and he wants to have adventures and become a knight. He travels to the court and manages to prove himself and sets off for his adventure. He comes across the Fisher King, who needs to be healed, who leads Percival straight to the grail. The Fisher King has the holy grail but needs someone to ask him a certain question so he can be healed. Percival doesn’t ask any questions and fails to complete the quest and must seek the grail castle again but he does become a knight.
In the horoscope, Capricorn Chiron (the wounded healer or Fisher King) is sesquiquadrate the Midheaven but true to his forebear, Hillary asks no questions. He doesn’t stop for his picture to be taken although he documents the feat and Tenzing Norgay holding his ice ax aloft with a flying Union Jack. The whole event seems to completely pass him by with him leaving no trace of his own personality nor even capturing his presence there. He instead leaves a cross given him by John Hunt, the leader of the expedition, who at least has considered the potential meaning of reaching the summit and considered the need for a bit of ceremony to mark the event. Tenzing Norgay, who truly seems to be in touch with the true spiritual meaning of this moment, leaves an offering of sweets, probably British goods. The final adventure of the British Empire comes and goes with Percival beholding the grail but ignoring the quest.
The British Empire Ends Before Queen Elizabeth II is Anointed and Crowned
Just below the final summit lies Gemini Jupiter in the 9th house. Here is the British expedition made up of almost all military men and citizens of the British empire. The Sun never sets on the British Empire is a Jupiterian outcome. Jupiter rules Sagittarius and the long journey, expansion and organized religion. One simple way to read Gemini Jupiter is the King expands commerce. The Empire would come to expand to all parts of the earth. The colonies were to sell raw materials to Britain and purchase finished goods from Britain. This made Britain very rich at the expense of the colonies. The British army and navy were used to make sure that colonists did not forget their place and were often used not only to conquer new territory but put down any colonial revolts. In America, the Acts of Trade and Navigation made the colonists resentful but not rebellious. When Britain then also decided that the colonists should pay for its own defense, this turned the loyal colonists into revolutionaries.
“To found a great empire for the sole purpose of raising up a people of customers, may at first sight, appear a project fit only for a nation of shopkeepers.” Adam Smith, Wealth of Nations, 1776
The British Empire existed with a decided focus on military conquest for the purpose of commerce. The alliance between shopkeepers and national military might reached its final limit at the summit. Britain’s empire had come to span the entire known world and on this day in May the final territory was reached. There were no more customers to be conquered. This moment is the final destination of the British Empire and without expansion it could no longer embody Sagittarius but the shopkeepers remain and their patron god is Mercury. Mercury as in commerce, merchandise and merchant.
Queen Elizabeth II learned of this final act of the British Empire on the morning of her coronation. Of course it was seen as a great moment when in fact it was the final epilogue. Chomolungma the “Mother Goddess of of the World” and the British Empire are at their heart similar creatures. Once they rejoined the expedition after their successful summit, Edmund Hillary said “Well George, we knocked the bastard off.” He meant the mountain but he could easily have been referring to the British Empire. Edmund Percival Hillary was made a knight and most fittingly, Tenzing Norgay, buried shop goods on the summit and waved the Union Jack. It was the final hurrah.