Alex's Asteroid Astrology

By now we’ve all heard of the tragic events at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas last week, on May 24^th, where Salvador Ramos killed 19 fourth-graders and two teachers, after shooting his grandmother.  Ramos used two AR-15 assault-style weapons on his rampage, which he had purchased within days of his 18^th birthday the week prior.  It’s taken far too long for accurate details of the crime to emerge, with conflicting, not to say contradictory, reports about Ramos’ entry to the school, and a mystifying 40-minute delay in active response by law enforcement before terminating the gunman as a threat, exposing an astounding level of incompetence.

Over the past two decades, I’ve chronicled more of these types of stories than I care to remember, and normally I would approach this from the perspective of the day and the victims, but frankly, these details are just too disheartening, and the data load too overwhelming, to focus my attention and make sense of it all.  So I decided to concentrate primarily on Salvador Ramos himself, and the natal cosmic factors which brought him to this point.

Born 16 May 2004 (no time available), Ramos’ chart is challenging in ways tailormade to prompt this type of atrocity.  The Sun at 25 Taurus conjoins asteroid Gunn at 20 Taurus, homophone of gun.  This is a sign that Ramos identifies closely with weaponry; guns form a central part of how he sees himself, acting as a means of self-expression, an avatar of his core being.  One has only to look at his Instagram postings of his new toys and the almost sexual placement of the magazine in his lap to see how much he prizes his arsenal.  The Sun also conjoins TNO Chaos at 3 Gemini, so Ramos saw himself as a source of disorder, confusion and anarchy, with a purpose of disseminating these qualities to the community at large.

The Sun anchors a Grand Cross composed of elements that put flesh onto the bones of his solar contacts, providing a roadmap for his actions at Robb Elementary.  The close opposition to centaur Pholus at 24 Scorpio is perhaps the most powerful.

Pholus is named for a centaur friend of Heracles, one of only two “civilized” centaurs, the other being Chiron, and the rest of the band barely more than intelligent beasts.  When Heracles was engaged upon his Fourth of Twelve Labors, the capture of the Erymanthian Boar, he took advantage of the proximity of Pholus’ cave during his journey to visit his old friend.

As a good host, Pholus offered the hero some meat and drink, but Heracles begged a taste of a large jar of wine which had been the gift of the god Dionysos to all the centaurs of the region, and was entrusted to Pholus’ care.  Pholus was reluctant to grant Heracles’ request, but eventually yielded.  Upon opening the jar, its heady aroma wafted through the surrounding forest, prompting the other centaurs, enraged by the violation of their joint property, to charge the cave.

Heracles drove them off, killing many with his arrows poisoned by the Hydra’s blood, and pursued them for miles.  In his absence, Pholus began preparing the dead for burial, and, fascinated that such a small thing as Heracles’ arrowheads could bring down so great a creature as a centaur, he removed an arrow for further inspection.  The weapon slipped from his grasp and penetrated his foot, its poison killing him instantly.

Astrologically, Pholus represents many things.  Noted astrologer and centaur researcher Melanie Reinhart uses the key-phrase “the lid comes off”, referring to the uncorking of that wine that caused all the trouble, to express Pholus’ ability to shake things up quickly, and in a big way.  Themes of poisoning, accidental death, being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and fatal fascination or curiosity all emerge, and all (save poison) have a bearing on this case, but for our purposes in defining its effects on Ramos’ psyche, the most potent aspect of his story is the emphasis on multiple deaths.

Pholus shows regularly in the charts of multiple casualties by whatever cause, but has been particularly active in the charts of mass shootings since 2008, when its extended conjunction with TNO Ixion began.  Ixion is noted as the first murderer in Greek myth, and their union has given rise to the age of the multiple homicide.  In a particularly unfortunate twist of cosmic timing, these two bodies will remain within ten degrees of each other for 35 years, until 2043, and then continue to reverberate in the psyches of billions of individuals born during their conjunction, for decades after they have separated, promulgating their deadly effects far into the foreseeable future.

In Ramos’ case, the attraction for a high kill count is apparent, and Pholus’ curiosity may also have affected his treatment of his victims after fatally shooting them.  Reportedly, some of the children were so mutilated by gunshots as to be identifiable only by DNA; one can well imagine Pholus’ keen curiosity adding an element of inquisitiveness to Ramos’ atrocities, as he probed the full possibilities for destruction of his deadly playthings.  Regardless, “the lid comes off” certainly seems to describe the suddenness of Ramos’ rampage and the violence it unleashed, and being in the wrong place at the wrong time is indicative of the random individuals he killed, none of whom were specifically targeted, just in his sights.

The crossbars of the Grand Cross yield further insights into Ramos’ motivations and how they were directed.  Squaring the Sun from Aquarius are asteroids Icarus at 20, Tantalus at 24 and Rip at 26.  Icarus refers to rash, reckless acts taken without heed for the consequences, a “shoot from the hip” (in this case, literally) mentality with no regard for others or the probable effect upon oneself.  Note that Icarus exactly squares Gunn, for the reckless gunplay in which Ramos indulged, reportedly shooting at anyone who came in his way, even mourners at a funeral home across the street from the school. 

Tantalus is a symbol of heinous crimes, for which he was punished by being chained in a lake in Hades, with fruit boughs overhanging.  But Tantalus’ punishment was to experience eternal hunger and thirst, for whenever he reached for the fruit, the branches would sway up and out of his reach, and whenever he bent for a drink, the waters of the lake receded.  Tantalus’ name has come down to us in the form of the word “tantalize”, meaning “to torment or tease with the sight or promise of something that is unobtainable.”  Eerily, Tantalus’ most notable crime is one which resonates to Ramos’ specific actions, for he killed his own young son Pelops, cutting him to pieces to serve in a banquet for the gods, to test their omniscience.  They saw through the ruse, and condemned Tantalus to his fate.  Note that Tantalus exactly squares Pholus, directly uniting the themes of killing and mutilating children and multiple casualties.

Rip is an asteroid which functions reliably as a death indicator, in the form of the acronym “RIP”, “Rest In Peace”, a common tombstone inscription.  Its inclusion in this pattern signifies death as a theme central to Ramos’ being (Sun), a part of how he sees himself.

The final arm of the Grand Cross is filled by asteroids Salvadoraguirre and Requiem, both at 21 Leo, and Robbia, at 25.  Salvadoraguirre is one of two asteroids that can be taken to represent Salvador Ramos.  There is no stand-alone Salvador asteroid, but two CNAs (Compound-Name Asteroids) which begin with that name; CNAs are asteroids comprised of first and last names strung together as one word (a common practice among astronomers when naming these objects), but can be separated into their component parts and used for either.

As squared his Sun, Salvadoraquirre follows the conventional placements most common for one’s own PNAs (Personal Named Asteroids), which typically aspect the Sun, Moon, Ascendant or Mercury in a natal chart.  PNAs act as alternate foci for self-identity, mini-Suns, as it were.  With asteroid Requiem, which is named for the funeral mass for the dead, exactly conjunct it, we have another indicator of the importance of the theme of death to Ramos’ self-image and identity.  But Requiem is not an ordinary death indicator; it also carries the sense of a memorable death, or being remembered because of a connection to death, both of which apply in Ramos’ case.

The final point is asteroid Robbia, closest celestial marker to Robb, the name of the school where Ramos perpetrated his crimes.  Note that Robbia is exactly squared the Sun, further embedding locales that resonate to this name into Ramos’ psyche, and making them a prime feature of his biography. 

Having all these key factors linked with the Sun is perhaps enough to explain Ramos’ propensity for heinous acts, but there is much more to be revealed.

An opposition from Jupiter at 9 Virgo to Uranus at 6 Pisces suggests someone who seeks fame (Jupiter) via acts that are shocking, volatile or controversial (all Uranus), and sets the stage for asteroids to refine those propensities, producing this outcome.  Uranus also rules shootings, and with it is asteroid Atropos at 11 Pisces, named for the mythic Greek Fate who severs the thread of life at death.  Together, these spell “fatal shootings”.  Also here is asteroid Carrozzo at 7 Pisces; Robb Elementary School lies at the corner of Old Carrizo Road and Geraldine Streets in Uvalde.  The cosmos has provided the actual street address of the fatal shootings (we’ll also be looking at Geraldine in a moment). 

A Grand Cross is formed, with squares to TNO Chaos at 3 Gemini, the pandemonium he unleashed there, and TNO Ixion with asteroid Texas, at 9 and 11 Sagittarius.  This provides backdrop for the event, with Ixion named for the first murderer in Greek myth, and Texas as the general venue of the attack.  Note that Ixion exactly squares Jupiter, another indicator of celebrity via homicide, while Texas exactly squares Atropos, again linking death and the Lone Star State.

Let’s take a look now at that second street name, Geraldine.  There is a Geraldina asteroid, which at 13 Capricorn is at station, embedding its energies in Ramos’ psyche and exerting a strong pull toward a person or location with that, or a similar, name, and making it a key component of Ramos’ biography.  Geraldina turned retrograde nine days before his birth, and is involved in a T-Square, opposing Mars (violent death, attacks, guns) at 5 Cancer conjoined Saturn (ancient lord of death) at 10 Cancer and asteroid Karma (Fate, the results of our actions) at 18 Cancer.  At the fulcrum is asteroid Salvadorsanchez, our second CNA referent for Ramos, at 17 Aries.

So the name of the school itself, and the street intersection where it is located, all show prominently in Ramos’ chart, linked with death indicators and specific markers of himself.

Also at station are asteroids Lachesis at 20 Virgo and Osiris at 24 Virgo, both additional death indicators, enhancing that theme for Ramos.  Lachesis is named for Atropos’ sister, the Fate who determines the span of life, while Osiris is named for the ancient Egyptian god of the dead.  These square Pluto, modern lord of death and planetary ruler of homicide, at 21 Sagittarius, and together they form a Thor’s Hammer, a fated pattern similar to a Yod, by sesquiquadrate aspects to Mercury exactly conjoined asteroid Child at 0 Taurus.  Here we see the first suggestion that children would be the focus of Ramos’ death obsession and homicidal tendencies, with Mercury ruling not only young children, but also primary education and teachers.  Mercury/Child also widely squares asteroid Anubis at 8 Aquarius, named for the Egyptian deity governing funerary rites, another death indicator.

Let’s now take a look at the day of the massacre, which was also the day Salvador Ramos himself died.  The revisionism of the official version of events has been staggeringly egregious, with such major elements as the presence or absence of a school security officer variously represented at various times.  I’ve had to revise the chart for the event three times to keep pace with current timelines, but it seems, almost a week later, that the time of entry into the school has been confirmed as 11:33 AM CDT, and Ramos was shot to death at 12:50 PM CDT.

Before we dive into this, let’s backpedal a moment to the birth chart to explore the genesis of the day’s carnage, the initial violent act, when Ramos shot his grandmother Celia Gonzalez in the face before embarking on his rampage.  Remarkably, Gonzales survived, but there are clear indicators in the nativity and the transit sky of Ramos’ intent to murder her.  

Celia Gonzalez is represented celestially by asteroids Celian (closest to Celia) and Gonzalez (an exact match).  Natal asteroid Celian at 25 Capricorn is also at station, indicating that his abuela was a pivotal influence in Ramos’ life, easily generating love or hate, possibly both in turn.  Celian opposes natal asteroid Apophis at 26 Cancer, named for the ancient Egyptian personification of pure evil (note that Apophis is also closely sextile the natal Sun at 25 Taurus, further predisposing Ramos to malevolence).  This could refer to her actual influence on Ramos’ life, his perception of her, or simply his enactment of that energy directed toward her.  Remarkably, at her shooting, transit asteroid Gonzales had come to exactly conjoin natal Apophis, opposing natal Celian, and bringing transit asteroid Rip at 23 Cancer in tow.  Transit asteroid Celian at 17 Virgo conjoined transit asteroid Gunn at 14 Virgo when Ramos shot her in the face.

Natal asteroid Gonzalez at 29 Pisces conjoins asteroid Nemesis at 4 Aries, a point representing retribution and vengeance, ruin or downfall.  Again, this could represent her effect upon his life, his upon hers, or both.  Gonzales opposes natal Osiris and Lachesis and widely squares natal Pluto.  And once again, we witness the perfection of celestial timing:  transit Mars at 29 Pisces for the shooting, ruling guns, violence and attacks, exactly conjoins natal Gonzalez. 

To return to the event chart: at 11:33 AM, 8 Leo was rising in Uvalde, 8 Aquarius setting.  That Descendant degree matches Ramos’ natal Anubis exactly.  The Horizontal Axis also squares transit asteroid Salvadoraguirre at 8 Scorpio exactly, which is itself angular on the 3 Scorpio IC, representing the foundation of the situation.  Transit asteroid Carrozzo at 29 Cancer (for the Old Carrizo Road location) had recently risen on the Ascendant and was still widely conjoined, but more closely conjunct Ramos’ natal Apophis at 26 Cancer, also highlighted by transit Rip at 23.  Transit asteroid Tantalus at 27 Aries, that other indicator of heinous crimes, is still conjunct the 3 Taurus MC, the focus of all eyes, and is squared Carrozzo.  It is the most elevated point in the chart, and conjoins transit TNO Eris at 24 Aries, a dwarf planet noted for representing disaffected persons, individuals who perceive themselves to have been wronged and are seeking redress (reportedly Ramos had dropped out of school the year before, after being repeatedly bullied for his clothes and his family’s poverty).  Tantalus also forms a T-Square with Carrozzo and transit Pluto, modern lord of death, at 28 Capricorn.  Asteroid Robbia, for Robb Elementary, falls at 19 Leo, and will pass over the Ascendant as the protracted event unfolds.

The Sun at 3 Gemini is an exact match for Ramos’ natal TNO Chaos, and is still within orb of his natal Sun, helping to explain the timing chosen for the chaotic attack.  Bringing focus to Ramos for the day, setting him up in the solar spotlight, for good or ill, is transit asteroid Salvadorsanchez, conjunct the Sun from 28 Taurus.  Transit Mercury, ruling children, education and teachers, is retrograde at 29 Taurus, conjoined the transit Sun, the natal Sun and natal asteroid Gunn.  Mercury also squares Damocles, the unseen threat or looming disaster, at 2 Pisces. 

Mercury, Salvadorsanchez and the Sun are further involved in a Grand Cross with transit Damocles, which conjoins transit asteroid Geraldina (the school’s cross-street) at 10 Pisces, also squared transit asteroid Anubis at 9 Virgo and widely opposed transit asteroid Texas at 13 Sagittarius.  This feeds into the natal Grand Cross of Jupiter (with transit Anubis exactly conjoined it), Uranus/Atropos/Carrozzo, Chaos and Texas, with transit Gunn at 14 Virgo also joining this pattern.

The transit Moon, ruling early childhood experience, falls at 27 Pisces, conjoined Neptune (victims) at 25 Pisces and Mars (guns, attacks, violent death) at 29 Pisces; these square a pairing of asteroids Child and Osiris at 21 and 25 Gemini, combining children and death, with transit Child exactly opposed Ramos’ natal Pluto, modern lord of death, at 21 Sagittarius.

Transit Saturn, ancient lord of death, exactly squares the natal Sun from 25 Aquarius, and transit Icarus, the tendency to act rashly or recklessly, is also in square, from 19 Aquarius, just one degree shy of a Return to its natal degree, reinforcing its natal tendencies.  The transit Ixion/Pholus conjunction, the underpinning of this and all similar crimes, currently at 2 and 6 Capricorn respectively, is being augmented and increased by transit Jupiter at 2 Aries, inflating the situation, and itself conjoining Ramos’ natal asteroid Nemesis at 4 Aries, that tendency toward ruin and revenge.  Another T-Square is formed with Ixion/Pholus opposed Ramos’ natal Mars/Saturn at 5 and 10 Cancer, squared by transit Jupiter.

There is one stationary asteroid in this chart, transit Young at 16 Capricorn, squaring transit Apophis at 14 Aries.  This reflects the tender age (Young) of the victims so heartlessly destroyed in this irredeemably evil atrocity (Apophis). 

When law enforcement finally broke through the locked classroom door and fatally shot Salvador Ramos at 12:50 PM CDT, the Ascendant had moved to 25 Leo, exactly conjunct Ramos’ natal asteroid Robbia, also conjoined that exact Salvadoraguirre/Requiem pairing at 21 Leo, and exactly squared his 25 Taurus Sun.  Saturn was exactly conjoined the Descendant at 25 Aquarius, splitting the difference between natal Tantalus and Rip, at 24 and 26 Aquarius.  These transit placements activated the natal solar Grand Cross of Sun/Gunn, Pholus, Tantalus/Rip and Salvadoraguirre/Requiem/Robbia, fulfilling its deadly potential in a hail of bullets, amid a sea of victims.

As noted in the introduction, I couldn’t bear to chronicle the 19 innocent young lives lost in the tragedy, but the story of one teacher who died protecting her students caught my attention, and I’d like to close with this. 

Irma Garcia, 48, was a Fourth-Grade teacher, and had been at Robb Elementary for 23 years.  She married her high school sweetheart, Jose (“Joe”) Garcia, and they were anticipating their Silver Wedding Anniversary this year.  Two days following her death, after leaving a memorial for his wife at the school, Joe Garcia returned home and died of a heart attack, overwhelmed by grief.  Their four children, aged 12 to 23, had lost both parents within a few days.

Exact matches exist for all three of their names; on the day Irma Garcia died, asteroid Irma exactly conjoined transit asteroid Anubis at 9 Virgo, with transit asteroid Gunn at 14 Virgo, in a Grand Cross with the transit Sun, Geraldina and Texas.  Transit asteroid Jose at 20 Sagittarius opposed transit asteroid Osiris at 24 Gemini, T-squared transit Mars at 29 Pisces.  And transit asteroid Garcia at 29 Aries, representing them both, conjoined transit asteroid Tantalus at 27 Aries, squaring transit Pluto at 28 Capricorn and T-Squared transit Carrozzo at 29 Cancer.

Both husband and wife, united in death by markers of the evil, violence and murder which took their lives, and the location where it occurred.  What more can be said?