Additional Layers of Meaning in the Horoscope of Joni Mitchell, Using the Decans and Dwads
1. Modern Triplicity Systems of Decans and Dwads:
The native’s SUN residing in the Neptune Decan of Scorpio fits very well with the idealistic, artistic, and visionary dreamer that she is known to be. However, it is the predominance of Pluto and Venus as Decan-rulers here suggests an underbelly of unsettled-ness or disturbance; a below the surface rumbling of relentless shifts in strategy for the ultimate end of attaining a sense of security, rest, and self-sufficiency in the native. With the Pluto Decan influence on three Southern Hemisphere subjects in Water signs (the Moon and MC in Pisces, and the ASC in Cancer) one could wonder whether the native’s penchant for powers of attracting and attraction have been used for good or for ill. This query then, carries over to Pluto’s placement conjunct the native’s North Node in Leo in her House of income, security and possessions, which are all at the brunt of a rather stern scolding by way of a Square from the emboldened courage of the Mercury-Sun conjunction in the 5th House.
Venus presiding over the Decans holding the two Earth signs on the “setting” points of her birthchart (DSC in Capricorn and IC in Virgo) displays the native’s varied insecurities and codependences in the material realities of interpersonal affairs (7th House) as witnessed in her serial unions beginning with her early marriage to Chuck Mitchell and later to Larry Klein, as well as her many notorious affairs with the likes of David Crosby, Graham Nash, Leonard Cohen, Jackson Browne, and Sam Shepard, to name a few. Her life-long self-doubt and critical view of her own work in writing and painting, lands on the shaky-ground of a Venus-tinged Virgo IC in the 3rd House.
Regarding the Dwads in the Modern System: The Mars Dwad of the Sun in 5th House Scorpio seems to be igniting passion and courage, initiative, allowing the native to forge ahead in creating a concrete reality; lest the cavernous well of her dream-world remain latent inside her. This doing- spirit is further supported by the Mars rulership of her Sun’s more generalized tone – that of Scorpio. The additional influence of Mars here aids in the much-needed drying element of the amorphous slurry that is the artist-essence of the Neptunian Decan of the native’s Sun.
In further distillation characterized by the Dwads, a more varied influence is presented. The items of note in this context are the two Lights whose Dwads are each in their rulership – the Sun in Scorpio in the Dwad of Mars, and the Moon in Pisces in the Dwad of Jupiter. Even a cursory familiarity of her overarching narrative confirms an indisputable spotlight that has shone on the native throughout her entire life; be it on her work itself - center stage in musical performance, or the more inward reflection of her heart and mind in her personal life. It is no doubt a boundaryless emission of both of those, and much else.
2. Evolutionary Triplicity Systems of Decans and Dwads:
Applying the Evolutionary Systems of Decans and Dwads to the same birthchart maintains some elemental characterization of the sub-terranean, interior, and reflective nature of the native. However, it does so not through a Plutonian infiltration of dominance, but rather with a decidedly lunar, receptive, mutable sensitivity. Present at the fore is the strong need for inner nurturance, emotional security/safety, as well as the comforts and protection of feeling at home inside one’s self. This speaks to the native’s reclusion upon her retirement from performing which is further substantiated by the Saturnian emphasis of the Decan and the Dwad of the native’s IC in 3rd House Virgo, and the Saturn influence by Decon in 7th House Capricorn both allude to the external melancholic crust that has been expressed frequently in the native’s song writing, and indeed embodied in experience throughout her life, particularly in her 7th House arena of relationships – namely romantic ones.
In Summary:
Overall it is the opinion of this writer based solely from the synthesis of this particular individual chart, using these specific Systems in the Decan/Dwad methodology, that the Evolutionary Triplicity System of Decans and Dwads delineates a more accurate representation of the personality and tendencies of the native to that of the more common Modern Triplicity System. With that said, I heartily embrace a willingness and openness to continue to explore a larger subset of individual charts, in future examination on this topic.
© Melissa Greener & Waxing AstroLogic; October 5, 2020
Originally submitted for Kepler College Professional Certification in Natal Astrology