The Astrology of Bond – James Bond – B/W paperback edition

I’m definitely not a James Bond fan, but I really enjoyed The Astrology of Bond.  Why?  It’s the astrology!  Hollywood astrologer Ra Rishikavi Raghudas has given us lots of charts, with well-drawn interpretations that only someone who’s spent a lifetime practicing astrology can do.  And I no longer see many in-depth horoscope portraits elsewhere, making this book valuable indeed.

The Astrology of Bond cover blurb says it’s “suitable even for those with little or no astrological knowledge,” and while there are clear explanations throughout and much of a non-astrological nature, I personally think readers should have the basics to best appreciate the book.

Ra has done a tremendous amount of research and I especially enjoyed reading about the history and back story of the Bond works.  We’re treated to the horoscopes of Queen Elizabeth’s astrologer Dr. John Dee, Rudolf Hess (yes, he’s connected), creator Ian Fleming, his mentors, his wife, the American ornithologist whose name was borrowed for the character, the producers, all of the actors who played the title role and more.  For film and electional astrology buffs, all of the horoscopes for the movie premieres are included too.

I also found the section on the alchemical myths that relate to the Bond story fascinating, as well as Fleming’s friends in occult circles (and their horoscopes).  It’s ironic how such a self-destructive man as Ian Fleming (who died at 56 from a heart attack due to chain smoking, drinking and a generally unhealthy lifestyle) created what became a seemingly indestructible man.

Ra is living in the 21^st century, and while James Bond may have been an old-school, misogynistic alpha-male, the writer certainly is not, and also considers the shifting cultural climate and how the series adapted to succeed throughout the years.  He also notes the 1962 Solar Eclipse in Aquarius (with seven planets in that sign) and the Uranus-Pluto conjunction of the 1960s as initiating the new social norms that helped the Bond archetype take root.

Ra Rishikavi Raghudas is a seasoned astrologer who brings a depth of experience to his book.  He’s a wonderful writer with an easily accessible style, who presents sound, solid astrology while also touching on many tools to use and ways to look at a chart.  If you’re an astrologer who’s interested in film or its history, you’ll enjoy this fun and informative book.  But if, like me, you crave compelling horoscope interpretations of real people and events, you’ll find much more.

Karen Christino www.karenchristino.com

This may have been a very biased but innocent review if I wrote it at age 18. I was about to graduate from High School with high grades when I caught the bug for the James Bond books after seeing Goldfinger at Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood. I binged on the books instead of doing anything except the absolute minimal homework required in my classes. Such was the drawing power of the sexy and sophisticated, but lethal spy with license to kill, who in Her Majesty’s Secret Service saved the world from Communism and other evils and conspiracies over and over.

I first met author Ra Rishikavi Raghudas at an Astrology Conference in Ann Arbor, MI when he gave a fascinating lecture on The Astrology of James Bond matching the Role of 007 to the natal charts of the actors who played the role in eras of the monumentally popular franchise of films now on the cusp of fading or transforming. Now I read the book that Ra must have been planning for a long time to finish. The book really is much more than the lecture I enjoyed.

The study of Ian Fleming’s life and chart is the main feature of Part I of the book. With this historic and biographical foundation, Ra has included a textbook on metaphysics and astrology by including charts and interpretations for key events, beginning as far back as the time of Queen Elizabeth I, and the mysterious Dr. Dee, a ‘real life’ respected scientist, great mathematician, a mystical alchemist, suspected sorcerer, self-proclaimed summoner of angels, renowned astronomer, plus an amazingly accurate astrologer.” — and a prototype secret agent – a spy in the service of the Queen.

Certainly, I learned how Ian Fleming created a fabulously successful alter-ego and archetype of his own psyche fitting into a Cold War environment, thus an archetype of the kind of hero/warrior for the healing and reconstruction of the West after World War II, needed to assuage the terrors of a real possibility of Nuclear annihilation. Part II focuses on the most accepted theoretical chart for James Bond with a birth date chosen on Nov 11, British Remembrance Day established after “The Great War” ended. On page 122, Ra states: “The character of James Bond is virtually created from a cosmic archetype.” — a cultural archetypal Hero that Ra skillfully defends and interprets.

Part III describes the “eras’ of each leading actor that took on the 007 world, astrologically examining their charts in relation to Bond’s chart and the events of the novels, films, and other details that spell out the iconic stories of this male Scorpio spy. As astrologers, we can enjoy and discover through the mindset of creator Ian Fleming the material of cultural and historical context rich in the metaphysical and astrology, even as it takes on the new Pluto era into Aquarius.

In conclusion, Ra speculates about what is next for this literary media and meta-media phenomenon. Already, some of the language that reveals the humanity and foibles of the times and this archetype is planned to have a textual “whitewashing”, unfortunately, by the publisher. In our current highly transitional time, sexual ethics, as well as the polarities of wars in the not too distant past are running hot again on the world stage. The Astrology of Bond – James Bond by Ra Rishikavi Raghudas is a fine read intended and designed to intrigue, excite, inform, and inspire us to think astrologically for a more complete education.

Richard Smoot for the ISAR member journal

Get this book. I’m sure you enjoy astro-histories, although I’m not sure how you feel about James Bond: the movies, the books, and the whole franchise. Then there’s Hollywood and the backstories of celebrities – my guess is most of us have some interest in that. But it really doesn’t matter if this is or isn’t your favorite topic, because The Astrology of Bond – James Bond is so well written and so interesting that you’ll appreciate it even if your idea of an ‘old’ Bond movie is one that stars Pierce Brosnan.
When the book arrived, I was very surprised to find that it was hardcover, and a stout volume at that. The cover art harks back to the 1960s, and I mean that in the best retro-friendly way. It’s the kind of book that you want to leave out on the coffee table (assuming you have one) before it finds a prominent place on the bookshelf. Don’t wait to save a few dollars with a paperback edition or, heaven help us, Kindle. Own the hardcover and be proud.
Yet this book is about content much more than appearance. The author takes us deep into the backstories of Bond’s creator, Ian Fleming, as well as the key players in the Bond story and the many serendipitous events that led to a successful series of books and a film dynasty that has rounded the sixty-year mark – a veritable genre in itself.
Balancing astrology and historical narrative is always tricky. Too much astrology and you get a little bleary-eyed at the endless stream of aspects and placements, too much history and you begin to wonder if the astrology is relevant or needed. The Astrology of Bond – James Bond maintains a perfect balance between the two. The overall narrative of Bond’s inception, development, and eventual popularity is supported by clear astrological interpretation that never overwhelms the reader. Even without the astrology, the story is quite interesting, and one of many in which great success is plucked from the jaws of defeat – just as The Beatles couldn’t find a record label, the first Bond film was in doubt. And you’ll never guess who was considered for the title role!
Astrologically, there are a good number of charts (in color!), including biwheels, that support the clearly written text. There are also many photographs and illustrations that help to demonstrate important points (and are a lot of fun). Ra places Bond within the context of the 1960s and the cultural revolution that was taking place at the time. He correctly points out that although James Bond is hardly a politically correct character, the Bond films – like Playboy magazine – were instrumental in opening up a society that was quite closed with regard to sexuality. He relates this in part to the great conjunction in Aquarius of early 1962, which preceded the release of the first Bond film, Doctor No, in October. But as much as there is an Aquarian theme to the times, the author anchors Bond in Scorpionic energy, which is prominent in all essential elements of the story.
The Astrology of Bond – James Bond, is a great book.
Arguably, it would be of interest to Bond fans who don’t even care about astrology, but if you’re into astrology (and you are if you’re reading the NCGR Memberletter) it’s going to be an absolute joy. Order it today, and pay a little extra for faster shipping. I suppose you could have a cup of coffee ready as you begin to read… or maybe a Martini, shaken… (well, you know the rest)

Armand Diaz NCGR Memberletter

The cultural icon that is James Bond has from the start been perceived as a figure of moral ambiguity. A svelte, tuxedoed alpha male with a killer instinct and taste for sexual opportunism and shaken martinis, he nonetheless is top bulwark – as double-oh-seven! – in the British Secret Service against deranged, cat-loving global visionaries and Russian intriguers. He is a defender of all that is held dear in Old Blighty and other liberal democracies – a redemptive role for all the death and broken hearts he leaves in his wake.
Ra Rishikavi Raghudas’ astrological study of Bond, the Bond movies and their personnel as well as author Ian Fleming – who created the character in the early 1950s – presents entirely fresh perspectives on our hero. Raghudas writes as a very informed fanboy (read our interview with him in this issue). But the range and scale of his insights far outweigh any of my concerns. This is a history of the esoterica of the humongous Bond industry, starting with Elizabeth I’s astrologer, alchemist and likely spy, Dr John Dee, whose secret sign name for the Queen’s eyes only was…007. Fleming – a wartime cryptographer – adopted this code number for Bond, bestowing a licence to kill from the mists of Renaissance divination.
Thereafter, Raghudas takes the reader on a well-structured journey that dovetails astrology and notable people. The Bond franchise is rooted in our zeitgeist: the very first Bond film, Dr No, was made as many planets transited Aquarius in the early 1960s, a zodiac sign marking a period of so-called sexual and moral liberation. We have no formal birthtime for Bond, but Raghudas makes a persuasive case for a Scorpio action hero, based on a random nativity created by a Fleming colleague. Secretive, sexy, a death-dealer, sharp-witted, psychically blighted, emotionally distant – in short, the Mars/Pluto archetype in outline.
What really makes this book such a tremendous read is Raghudas’ gift for storytelling. Between the horoscopic analyses, encounters and scenes are deftly set up. It’s surprising to learn that Fleming suffered indignity en route to the big screen. Then came along movie producer Cubby Broccoli and showman Harry Saltzman who owned the Bond movie rights. The two men bonded to make Bond movies, so to speak, and the rest is film history. Saltzman’s Part of Fortune sits on Broccoli’s Jupiter in the 2^nd: a professional marriage made in heaven.
Among myriad people examined are the actors who have incarnated Bond, starting with Sean Connery – a Raghudas favourite. He notes that Connery’s Sun/Neptune conjunction in Virgo sits on the Moon of the first American production of Casino Royale in 1954, “making an energetic lineage apparent when he was chosen to be James Bond.”
In the “Aquarian zeitgeist” of the present, there is much for James Bond to adapt to, such as “female empowerment”, as Raghudas puts it. The franchise must stay relevant yet not be politically correct, he argues. Judi Dench as M did much to relocate power to a female figure, but the challenge remains to coalesce societal notions of femininity with independent power and commercial sexual allure. Bond is not there yet despite attempts at ironic feminist knowingness in the Daniel Craig era – the challenge has yet to be properly met. But remember: Neptune is still in Pisces: old ideas of gender are being challenged; assumed boundaries are turning liquid. Bond himself may yet wonder as to his gender and orientation.
There’s no index in this book but the Notes & References towards the back offer enlightening commentaries. Birth details of the lead players in the whole Bond experience are also a welcome addition.
Raghudas has the smooth, watchful style of his Bond hero, unaffected and articulate, and this approach makes for a book that will appeal to both Bond fans (who know nothing of astrology) and astrology fans (who may want to know a lot more about Bond and his cosmic place). An extraordinary publishing and literary achievement.
Victor Olliver for the AA Journal