Taylor Caldwell's Literary Journey Through the Lens of Evolutionary Astrology

Mercury Skipped Steps

Taylor Caldwell's passion for storytelling ignited early. By twelve, she'd completed her first fantastical novel, a tale of lost civilizations hinting at her lifelong fascination with weaving grand narratives set against the backdrop of history. However, her creative fire wasn't fueled solely by factual fidelity. Caldwell desired to craft narratives that resonated deeply with readers' emotions, sparking a captivating tension that would define her prolific writing career. Over four decades, she penned over forty novels that traversed genres, leaving an undeniable mark on the literary landscape.

Evolutionary Astrology: Shaping Caldwell's Storytelling

Evolutionary Astrology helps shed some light on the forces that shape creativity. In this system, Pluto represents past life desires carried into the present, while the Lunar Nodes depict our past experiences and future direction. The South Node signifies familiar territory and past strengths, while the North Node points towards growth potential and areas for development.

Let's delve into Taylor Caldwell's chart to see how these forces influenced her captivating storytelling.

Pluto, the planet of transformation and power, reveals one’s past life intentions and desires carried forth into the present life. In Taylor Caldwell's chart, Pluto resides in Gemini, the sign of communication, within the Second House (values, possessions, self-worth). Furthermore, Pluto squares her Sun in Virgo placed in the 5th house of creativity. This aspect intensifies the transformative power of storytelling in her life, pushing her to create narratives that challenge and leave a lasting impact.

This archetype suggests that in past lives Caldwell honed her communication skills but struggled to make a lasting impression. Perhaps her voice wasn't heard, or her message lacked depth. In this lifetime, she possesses a deep desire to use her storytelling for something transformative - stories that not only entertain but spark conversations and challenge perspectives. This is evident in Caldwell’s historical fiction.

However, this focus on emotional impact can lead to a potential drawback. There's a risk of prioritizing reader engagement over complete historical accuracy. Striking a balance between the two becomes a challenge, with the possibility of sacrificing some factual details for a more captivating narrative.

Caldwell's chart reveals further complexity. Pluto's polarity point, in Sagittarius within the 8th House, resonates with a yearning for exploration and unveiling hidden truths. This potent combination likely fueled her desire to delve into profound themes and explore the darker aspects of the human condition, evident in works like "The Captains and the Kings," where characters grapple with power, betrayal, and the weight of history.

This internal struggle, likely fueled by the transformative influence of Pluto in Caldwell's chart, manifested through her collaboration with Jess Stearn. Stearn's deep interest in the paranormal, the unseen forces that shape our reality, resonated with the placement of Pluto's polarity point in Sagittarius in Caldwell's 8th house. This house is associated with death, rebirth, and the exploration of hidden truths, aligning perfectly with Chiron, the wounded healer, also present in Sagittarius within the 8th house.

In Evolutionary Astrology, Chiron represents a wound or vulnerability we carry from past experiences, but also possesses the potential for healing and growth. Placed in Sagittarius within the 8th house, Chiron suggests a deep yearning to find meaning and purpose in life, perhaps through exploring existential questions or even past lives. This resonates with Caldwell's initial skepticism towards past life regression.

Caldwell's initial skepticism towards past life regression is intriguing in this context. Perhaps it reflects a resistance to confronting this very wound, the vulnerability associated with the unknown and the search for meaning. Stearn's regression techniques, aimed at unlocking past lives, likely tapped into the very essence of Pluto and Chiron's energies in Caldwell's chart. Interestingly, Caldwell initially approached past life regression with skepticism. Perhaps she harbored a deep curiosity about past lives, yearning to understand the wellspring of her creativity and the profound themes that permeated her work. However, her initial motivation for undergoing hypnosis with Stearn was to disprove the concept of past lives altogether. What transpired, however, was a surprising journey. Stearn's methods led Caldwell to uncover a multitude of past lives, with accounts suggesting a staggering number exceeding 37. This experience, whether literal or metaphorical, may have unexpectedly offered her a framework to explore these questions, providing a glimpse into the unseen forces that shaped her as a writer.

This collaboration likely intensified the internal tension within Caldwell. On one hand, her meticulous research grounded her in historical detail (Gemini influence). On the other hand, the influence of Pluto's polarity point and Stearn fueled her desire to delve into the mysteries of the past and explore the potential influence of past lives on her present reality. This interplay between the grounded and the mystical became a hallmark of Caldwell's work, blurring the lines between historical fact and emotionally charged fiction.

Let's delve deeper into the placement of Pluto in Gemini within the 2nd House of Caldwell's chart. The 2nd House is associated with our values, sense of self-worth, and our relationship with material possessions. With Pluto residing here, it suggests a deep-seated desire to make a lasting impact through something she valued immensely – her writing. This placement hints at a past life where her voice wasn't heard or her message lacked depth. In this lifetime, she possesses a powerful drive to ensure her writing resonates deeply with readers, leaving an indelible mark.

However, Pluto in Gemini also introduces a twist. Gemini is the sign of communication, ideas, and intellectual pursuits. This placement can manifest as a desire to not just leave an impact, but to challenge and transform through her writing. This aligns with the emotional resonance Caldwell prioritizes in her historical fiction. While meticulous research grounds her narratives (Gemini influence), the influence of Pluto compels her to weave a deeper meaning into the tapestry of historical events.

By blending Evolutionary Astrology with Caldwell's biography, we gain a deeper understanding of the forces that shaped her captivating storytelling. The tension between historical accuracy and emotional resonance becomes not just a literary challenge, but a reflection of a deeper yearning for transformation and lasting impact.

The Storyteller's Skipped Steps

In Evolutionary Astrology, a concept called the "skipped step" emerges when a planet squares the Lunar Nodes. This suggests a past life where the energies of both Nodes were present but not fully integrated. In the present life, this unresolved tension manifests as a struggle related to the specific planet and Nodes involved.

Taylor Caldwell's astrological chart reveals a captivating interplay of forces that shaped her storytelling. The key lies in the "skipped step" between her Mercury, the planet of communication, and the Lunar Nodes. Mercury squares both the South Node in Gemini and the North Node in Sagittarius. This placement highlights the tension between her meticulous mind, drawn to historical detail (South Node in Gemini), and a yearning for something more – a desire to evoke emotionally resonant narratives that transcend pure factual accuracy (North Node in Sagittarius). This "skipped step" creates a constant push and pull in her work.

Further intensifying this tension is the aspect of Mercury squaring Uranus in Sagittarius within the 7th house. Uranus, the planet of rebellion and innovation, disrupts established norms. In this context, it suggests a desire to break free from traditional historical narratives and inject a sense of originality and emotional depth.

However, there's another significant aspect that fuels Caldwell's storytelling fire. Jupiter, the planet of expansion and abundance, sits conjunct her North Node in Sagittarius. This powerful conjunction amplifies the themes of exploration, seeking meaning, and the desire to create a lasting impact (all associated with the North Node in Sagittarius). Additionally, her North Node trines Venus in Cancer in the 4th house. This trine suggests a harmonious flow between her desire for exploration and meaning-making (North Node) and a deep yearning to connect with her audience on an emotional level (Venus in Cancer).

Caldwell's meticulous historical novels, like "Dear and Glorious Physician" with its vivid portrayal of Roman Judea, showcase the depth of her research (South Node in Gemini). However, her North Node in Sagittarius, further amplified by Jupiter's conjunction, urges her down a different path. This yearning for exploration and the bigger picture manifests in fantastical works like "The Romance of Atlantis" and the way she breathes life into historical characters. From Luke in "Dear and Glorious Physician" to Genghis Khan in "The Earth Is the Lord's," they wrestle with universal themes, resonating with the Sagittarius influence's search for meaning.

This interplay of astrological forces fuels Caldwell's captivating storytelling. Her meticulous research grounds her narratives in historical detail, yet the yearning for emotional resonance and the urge to break free from convention compel her to weave these details into stories that spark the imagination and touch the hearts of readers.

This "skipped step" becomes Caldwell's signature strength. It allows her to bridge the gap between historical accuracy and emotional connection. While some readers may find her characters simplistic compared to a strictly factual portrayal (like Genghis Khan in "The Earth Is the Lord's"), her approach allows for a deeper emotional connection to the past. Caldwell brilliantly navigates this tension, pushing boundaries with fantastical elements and crafting captivating narratives that inform and engage, even if they sacrifice some factual purity.

Beyond the "skipped step" and Jupiter's amplifying influence, Taylor Caldwell's chart reveals another layer of fascinating tension. Saturn in Sagittarius, positioned in the 8th house, represents a potential struggle between her yearning for grand exploration and philosophical inquiry (Sagittarius) and a fear of venturing too far outside established structures or confronting the darker aspects of the human experience (8th house, Saturn). Opposing this placement is Neptune in Gemini within the 2nd house. Here, Neptune's influence suggests a conflict between Caldwell's intellectual side (Gemini) and a yearning for a deeper, more mystical understanding (Neptune). This opposition creates a dynamic push-and-pull. Caldwell's meticulous research (South Node in Gemini) might be fueled by a Neptunian desire to uncover hidden truths beneath the surface of historical events. The tension could even manifest in her writing style, blurring the lines between historical fact and imaginative interpretation, a choice that contributes to the emotional resonance of her characters even if it sacrifices some historical accuracy. Ultimately, these astrological influences paint a picture of a storyteller who is both grounded in research and driven by a desire for exploration and deeper meaning, a combination that contributes to the captivating nature of her historical fiction.

Caldwell's Novels and Their Legacy

Taylor Caldwell's work continues to be enjoyed by readers around the world, a testament to her enduring influence on the literary landscape. Caldwell's novels ignite a firestorm of debate. Some laud her depth, while others decry the perceived sacrifice of historical accuracy for drama. This very tension, captured perfectly in her New York Times obituary which noted she was "as predictably panned by the critics as she was purchased by her reading public" (New York Times, 1985), is the lifeblood of her work. It compels readers to engage with the past not just as a collection of facts, but as a human drama filled with timeless emotions. This critical divide highlights the essence of Caldwell's storytelling: while some readers crave a strictly factual approach, others are captivated by the way she brings the past to life with emotionally resonant characters and stories.

Caldwell's life experiences likely fueled her thematic exploration of the human condition. Marked by personal struggles and a lifelong fascination with communication, navigating different cultures and identities might have resonated in her portrayals of characters grappling with complex emotions and the weight of history. This yearning to explore the human condition was further amplified by her interest in past lives.

"The Romance of Atlantis" exemplifies Caldwell's willingness to push boundaries. Liberating the fantastical yearnings of her North Node, the novel built a richly imagined lost civilization. While commercially successful and adored by some, critical reception remained divided. However, others lauded its originality and exploration of enduring themes.

Ultimately, Caldwell's enduring legacy lies in her ability to bridge the gap between historical accuracy and emotional connection. While her prioritization of reader engagement drew criticism, it ultimately led to captivating narratives that explored timeless themes. Her novels transported readers, ignited imaginations, and reminded them of the universality of human experience. Her influence on historical fiction is undeniable, paving the way for a genre that entertains while fostering a deeper understanding of the past.

Love them or hate them, Taylor Caldwell's novels challenge readers to confront the past not just as facts on a page, but as a vibrant tapestry woven with timeless emotions. Do her works blur the lines of historical accuracy, or do they breathe life into the human stories that lie beneath the surface? The answer, perhaps, lies within the captivating world Caldwell herself created.

Suggested Reading

• Taylor Caldwell - official website

• The Romance of Atlantis by Taylor Caldwell and Jess Stearn

• The Search for a Soul: Taylor Caldwell’s Psychic Lives by Jess Stearn

• In Search of Taylor Caldwell by Jess Stearn

• Pluto: The Evolutionary Journey of the Soul by Jeff Green

• Evolutionary Astrology: Pluto and Your Karmic Mission by Deva Green

• The nature of Archetypes in Evolutionary Astrology

• Understanding Karmic Complexes: Evolutionary Astrology and Regression Therapy by Patricia Walsh

• Taylor Caldwell nailed it. Here we as humanity go again!