“Long experience has taught me this about the status of mankind with regard to matters requiring thought: the less people know and understand about them, the more positively they attempt to argue concerning them, while on the other hand to know and understand a multitude of things renders men cautious in passing judgment upon anything new.”

Galileo Galilei: born on 15 February 1564 with Sun in Pisces, Moon in Aries and Ascendant in Leo. His revolutionary studies unveiled the arbitrary nature of the preceding human configuration, and contribuited to the emergence of a novel setting leading to the definitive release of the geocentric view of the universe. During this process he often went before the Inquisition, with Church officials refusing to look through his telescope on the assumption that the Devil would make anything illusory and deceptive. Under torture threats, he was forced to retract his heliocentric view and was then sentenced to house arrest for the rest of his life. After the official renunciation of his theory, he is said to have murmured “Eppur si muove!” (But still it moves!). In order to cover up his discoveries Galileo often used anagrams. For example the discovery of Mars’s two moons was exemplified by smaismrmilmepoetaleumibunenugttauiras, which stands for “Salve umbisteneum geminatum Martia proles” (Hail, twin companionship, children of Mars). The verdict of heresy against Galileo was removed by the Catholic Church only in 1992. What is less known is that Galilei, as documented by research made by Grazia Mirti, was also a passionate astrologer. He wrote at least 14 books on the topic, and was regularly consulted by wealthy clients for whom he would cast horoscopes and rectify charts.

Other celebrities born today:

Axelle Red, born Fabienne Demal in Hasselt, Flanders, Belgium, on 15 February 1968. Sun in Aquarius, Moon in Virgo, Ascendant Scorpio (11.6.8) and Neptune Instrument. Singer-songwriter.

Elodie Frégé (born February 15, 1982) French singer and occasionally an actress. Sun in Aquarius, Moon in Scorpio, Ascendant Aries

Michael Praetorius, (12.8) German composer (1571-1621)

Patricia Monaghan (February 15, 1946, – November 11, 2012) poet, writer, spiritual activist, and an influential figure in the contemporary women’s spirituality movement, author of 20 books on Goddess spirituality, earth spirituality, Celtic mythology, the landscape of Ireland, and techniques of meditation. In 1979, she published the first encyclopedia of female divinities, The Encyclopedia of Goddesses and Heroines.

1705 – Charles-André van Loo, French painter (d. 1765)

Jeremy Bentham, (11,6) English philosopher (1748-1832)

Totò, Italian actor and composer (15 February 1898–15 April 1967)

1928 – Norman Bridwell, American author and cartoonist

1937 – Gregory Mcdonald, American author (d. 2008)

Art Spiegelman, (11.1) American cartoonist, 1948

Jane Seymour, (11.3) British actress, 1951

1958 – Matthew Ward, American singer, (Second Chapter of Acts), songwriter and author

Ali Campbell, (11.2) British singer and songwriter (UB40), 1959

Axelle Red, (11.6.8) Belgian singer and songwriter, 1968

1977 – Brooks Wackerman, American musician

1981 – Olivia, American singer

LUPERCALIA 

ACIM: 46. God is the Love in which I forgive.

Saints: Feria. Claude de la Colombière, Faustinus and Jovita, Quinidius, Sigfrid of Sweden, Vartan (a holiday for Armenians in Lebanon)

Gospel of Thomas: (38) Jesus said, “Many times have you desired to hear these words which I am saying to you, and you have no one else to hear them from. There will be days when you will look for me and will not find me.”

Concise Epitome:  5.4 Now that we are also a Peak of Light, somewhere we have to find a place so as to barter light with darkness (Ora che noi stessi un Picco di Luce siamo, da qualche parte a trovare un sito ove barattare luce per buio abbiamo).