The astrology of Oscar Pistorius

February 21, 2013 By
Oscar Pistorius astrology

The Bionic Man

Oscar Pistorius is in jail right now awaiting trial for the Valentine’s Day shooting of his girlfriend, Veena Steenkampf.  Previously he rose to fame as the first double amputee to win a medal in an able bodied world track event.

Pistorius is a Bionic Man as befits a transhuman athlete in the Aquarian Age – fitted with artificial limbs that some argue give him an unfair advantage over mere mortals.  (See my posts on Transhumanism here.)

Pistorius was profiled in the New York Times last year in a piece that described him as “more than a little crazy” – a risk taker who was fearful of intruders and an excellent shot at the firing range.  This fear is captured in a tweet from November: “Nothing like getting home to hear the washing machine on and think it’s an intruder.”

The astrological chart of Pistorius offers interesting clues into his character.  The French website Astrotheme offers a birthtime of 10:30 am on November 22, 1986 (source: email from family member) which indicates Aquarius rising.  Aquarius is the sign of detachment and reason, technology and innovation.  We can’t be 100% sure of this birthtime, of course, but an Aquarius ascendant is  the perfect mask for a Transhuman-type athlete; someone who seeks to shatter the paradigms of what is possible for human beings to accomplish.

His Sun is at the very last degree of Scorpio, often called the “critical” or “anaretic” degree.  In medieval astrology the “anareta” was a planet of destruction.  While modern astrology doesn’t take these significators literally, the 29th degree indicates a completion of some kind of karma and needs to be taken seriously.  The Sun is on the Scorpio/Sagittarius cusp where the Sagittarian longing for freedom begins to interweave with the Scorpionic pressure to remain fixed and complete an uncompleteable task.  There is tension there, and this tension is exacerbated by a challenging square to Mars in Aquarius.  The Sun/Mars square evokes tremendous aggressive energy that requires an outlet, something he has presumably found through athletics.

Pluto, the planet of death and regeneration, sits atop the chart at the Midheaven if this birth time is correct.  Scorpio is on the Midheaven – the sign of power that is ruled by Pluto – beaming out a signal that this individual has an intensely focused and dramatic destiny that could involve a series of endings/deaths and regeneration.  Four planets are in Scorpio, and five if we include Ceres, along with the Midheaven.  This is a very intense lineup of Plutonic energy which confers with it a darkness that must be confronted and challenged.

The Moon is in Leo, signifying Pistorius’s need for attention and acclaim.  However, that Moon (also representing the mother) is squared by Pluto, a challenging aspect that suggests intense emotions and challenges in the maternal relationship (his mother died when he was thirteen).  A tattoo on his arm commemorates for all eternity the dates of his mother’s birth and death, very fitting for a Moon/Pluto aspect although it would tend to make the release required by Pluto very difficult if not impossible.  Under Pluto’s tutelage we hold on fiercely to the things that frighten and haunt us in an effort to retain some sort of control, but Pluto’s lesson is the letting go and learning the art of trust in a higher purpose.

Pistorius’s romantic life is further complicated by the fact that Venus (in Scorpio) conjoins Pluto and joins in to the Pluto/Moon square.  I have something like this in my own chart and I can attest to the terrors of abandonment (Pluto/Moon) and fears of rejection (Pluto/Venus) that this dynamic evokes.  Again, we see the theme of struggle to control one’s fears and the necessity of letting go and releasing those fears in trust.

With transiting Saturn moving across all of his Scorpio planets, life for Oscar would not have been very pleasant over the past few months.  Between Thanksgiving and New Year Saturn made the first pass over his Venus/Pluto conjunction and then crossed the Midheaven.  Saturn is after all the Celestial Taskmaster, and he requires that we do the work our soul needs in order to progress.  When Saturn transits Pluto, the planet of fear and obsession, the fears and anxieties that we normally may be able to overcome erupt into consciousness where hopefully we will address and deal with them.  However, that Sun/Mars square has a tendency towards reckless and impulsive action that can become problematic.

Pistorius tells  a story of fear and anxiety over intruders, and describes the vulnerability of being in bed without his prosthetic legs, unable to flee or protect himself.  That story bears up under the burden of Pluto in his chart.  There are no particular planetary events that would have motivated an act of domestic violence such as the intentional shooting of Ms. Steenkamp.

As a curious aside, Reeva Steenkamp’s Mars sat exactly on Pistorius’s Sun.  That is a placement in chart comparison that can bring about an exciting sexual attraction, but it generally signifies a great deal of conflict between the individuals.  Or perhaps in this case it simply denotes an act of violence, whether intentional or not.

Dawn Bodrogi taught me to look for Pallas in progressions for important events.  I found that at the time of my mother’s death Pallas had returned to its place in my own chart.  Dawn’s research finds Pallas, the asteroid of creative intelligence, in sigificant alignmnents when significant events occur.  In the case of Pistorius, Pallas by progression is within minutes of an exact alignment to his natal Pluto/Midheaven placement.

In any case, this tragic story has many interesting psychological dimensions that will be interesting to observe as the trial unfolds.

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Jodie Foster opens up

January 14, 2013 By

On Facebook today I read both lavish praise and harsh criticism for Jodie Foster’s speech in which she finally opened up about what everyone already knew, that she was in a 20-year relationship with another woman, her “ex-partner in love but righteous soul sister in life, my confessor, ski buddy, consiglieri, [and] most beloved BFF of 20 years.”

Ms. Foster has a few things going on in her chart: her Chiron return which occurs for everyone at around age 51 and which brings up old wounds so that they can be processed and released, has been culminating for the past week or so.  And just in time for her speech, transiting Jupiter (planet of confidence and optimism, inspiring expansion and a life of meaning, made a harmonious trine to her progressed Ascendant, the evolving image that she presents to the world.

Transiting Uranus, the planet of sudden change and events which force us to be authentic and true to ourselves. has been running over the IC of her chart, opposite the Midheaven of public life.  This transit generally opens up our inner world (the IC) first and then that opening by necessity expands to the outer world (Midheaven).  Ms. Foster alluded to retirement in the speech:

“The actress, who began appearing in TV commercials when she was three, also sparked rumors that she was retiring. “This feels like the end of one era and the beginning of something else,” Foster said. “Scary and exciting and now what? Well, I may never be up on this stage again, on any stage for that matter. Change, you gotta love it. I will continue to tell stories, to move people by being moved, the greatest job in the world. It’s just that from now on, I may be holding a different talking stick.”

In addition, a strong square from Mars (the aggressive instinct)  in her progressed (evolving) chart to Mercury (communication) in her natal chart ensured a powerful and unapologetic speech.

All of this happened for Ms. Foster personally just as the two liberation planets (Jupiter and Uranus) harmonized with each other in the sky.  Freedom and liberation are highlighted now, and she was well poised for that ride.

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Taylor Swift and the “freedom/closeness” dilemma

October 31, 2012 By

Taylor Swift is loaded with charm and talent as well as the kind of exceptional beauty that is very helpful in today’s visual age, and she has made millions of dollars writing songs about her love life.  Still, she was recently quoted as saying “I don’t really know that much about love as it turns out.”

We could argue that this is not that uncommon for a young person just shy of 23 years old, but her astrological chart does show some interesting things that offers insight into the complexity behind the relationships that make such interesting material for song lyrics.

Ms. Swift (December 13, 1989) was born with the Sun in Sagittarius, the lucky and optimistic sign that can be somewhat fickle. Her Sun is unaspected, meaning it doesn’t interact with any of the other planets in the chart.  People with unaspected Sun’s tend to have a path that is more solitary, even though they may (and frequently do) engage in relationships with others and even marry.  But still, singleton Sun people make their own way and tend not to merge their lives with anyone else’s (Brad Pitt has a singleton Sun).

The Moon in her chart is in emotional Cancer, revealing her inner sensitivity and desire to nurture and care for others.  The Cancer Moon can be moody and reactive to emotional hurt, and with her Moon conjunct Jupiter, also in Cancer, the emotionality of her inner world is amplified which comes out in her song lyrics.  The Cancer Moon longs to attach and find emotional security, but her Moon is opposed by Uranus, the planet of individuality and autonomy, revealing an opposing need for distance and independence.   This is intensified by the fact that Venus, the planet of love and attraction, is in the sign of Aquarius which is ruled by Uranus.   In Aquarius, Venus seeks relationships that offer plenty of freedom and the ability to continually bring fresh new energy into the partnership.

Ms. Swift was recently quoted in Rolling Stone magazine: “You have to make it work by prioritizing it, and by falling in love really fast, without thinking too hard. If I think too hard about a relationship I’ll talk myself out of it..”  The Cancer Moon feels all of the emotion, and the Uranus influence wants to jump right into the relationship without thinking.  But after a short time the stress between the need for emotional connection (Cancer Moon) and the desire to flee and be free (Venus/Uranus) creates a schism that requires a breakup.

This is a classic “freedom/closeness” dilemma that Liz Greene talks about in her series on psychological astrology and which I see every day in my practice.  A part of us longs to be connected and find our true partner.  Another part of us sabotages our relationships at every turn.  This dynamic tends to operate on the subconscious level, which makes it difficult to resolve, especially for someone in their 20s.

It has been said that relationships take 100 days to solidify – after that point the initial flush of being in love begins to fade and the truth of the relationship becomes more visible.  Ms. Swift’s relationships have all lasted approximately three months: She dated Joe Jonas from July to October 2008, and Taylor Lautner from October to December 2009.  She dated John Mayer from December 2009 to early 2010, and Jake Gyllenhall from October to December 2010.  I suspect that for Ms. Swift, the early days of the relationship offer the overwhelming emotional connection of the Cancerian Moon/Jupiter conjunction combined with the excitement of Uranus and the newness of the connection.

The intensity of Hollywood’s goldfish bowl makes relationships even more difficult than they are in regular life, but Taylor Swift’s Sagittarian luck has helped her turn heartbreak into songs that are loved by millions of people.

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The astrology of Lance Armstrong’s demise

October 22, 2012 By

Lance Armstrong astrologyLance Armstrong was an incredible success story.  He was the second American ever to win the Tour de France bicycle race.  His first win was July 25, 1999 just three years after he recovered from testicular cancer which had spread to his lungs, abdomen and brain.  He won again the following year, and then again for each consecutive year until he retired in 2005.

A Virgo, Armstrong (born 9/18/1971, time unknown, Plano Texas) has four planets in that sign including Mercury and his Moon.  Virgo is concerned with matters of health and healing, and can be meticulous about nutrition and exercise. Lance Armstrong is known in the sporting world for his diligence in training and technique, but rumors of doping and steroid use have dogged him throughout his career.

Pluto conjoins his Sun so the personal transformation that Pluto brings is crucial for Armstrong’s personal development.  Pluto/Sun combinations can bring intense passion combined with an obsession with power dynamics, and often people with these placements have intense experiences which force them to surrender something so that they can become transformed.   But Jupiter, ruling expansion and optimism, is in Sagittarius in his chart which tends to denote an individual whose confidence knows no bounds.  Jupiter conjoins Neptune in his chart, enhancing creativity but also offering the potential for self-delusion.

Armstrong is in the middle of what we call the “midlife crisis transit series.”  Transiting Neptune has begun to form a square to natal Neptune, and with it that overconfident Sagittarian Jupiter.  With Saturn entering Scorpio and pressuring that natal Jupiter/Neptune conjunction to do the responsible thing, the guillotine fell on Armstrong’s career when he was dropped from his lucrative endorsement contracts and resigned as head of the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

Pluto demands that he become all-powerful (just as it did in Michael Jackson’s chart where the pressure to remain on the throne of the King of Pop arguably led to his death), and Jupiter and Neptune whisper in his ear “You SHOULD be king.”  Yet Virgo is a far more modest influence which inspires that we serve others, and Armstrong has been an extremely generous philanthropist. The Phoenix bird, reborn from the ashes of their own self-destruction, is the symbol for Pluto/Sun people.  I predict Lance Armstrong will emerge from this scandal with renewed energy and focus, ready to take his life in a new direction.

 

 

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The astrology of Felix Baumgartner, the world’s fastest man

October 18, 2012 By

“Austrian daredevil” Felix Baumgartner fell to earth on Sunday from a capsule lifted by a helium balloon above New Mexico, traveling over 24 miles in four minutes, at times faster than the speed of sound.  From the New York Times article:

He broke altitude and speed records set half a century ago by Joe Kittinger, now 84, a retired Air Force colonel whose reassuring voice from mission control guided Mr. Baumgartner through tense moments. Engineers considered aborting the mission when Mr. Baumgartner’s faceplate began fogging during the ascent, but he insisted on proceeding and made plans for doing the jump blind.

 

That proved unnecessary, but a new crisis occurred early in the jump when he began spinning out of control in the thin air of the stratosphere — the same problem that had nearly killed Mr. Kittinger a half-century earlier. But as the atmosphere thickened, Mr. Baumgartner managed to stop the spin and fall smoothly until he opened his parachute about a mile above the ground and landed smoothly in the New Mexico desert.

 

“It was harder than I expected,” said Mr. Baumgartner, a 43-year-old former Austrian paratrooper. “Trust me, when you stand up there on top of the world, you become so humble. It’s not about breaking records any more. It’s not about getting scientific data. It’s all about coming home.”

This last sentence got my attention: “It’s all about coming home.”  Normally we would expect a daredevil’s astrological chart to have lots of fire, or a square of Mars (action) to Uranus (rebellion) which can be somewhat different.  Baumgartner’s chart shows a different motivation.

Baumgartner (born April 20, 1969, Salzburg Austria, time unknown) has the Sun in Taurus, the sign that more than any other is connected to life on Planet Earth and the natural world.  This idea of ascending into the heavens and then returning to Earth is reflected in his chart by the an awkward aspect (quincunx) between the Sun in Taurus, representing a grounded existence, and Uranus, the planet of innovation and rebellion but also the broader view.  Uranus was the Sky God, and the idea of an elevated viewpoint in which we can see all things and detach from our emotional viewpoints is a significant piece of the Uranian archetype.  Astrologers, before you argue with me about my use of the word “quincunx” please read this article. This awkward aspect makes it difficult to find any real integration between life on Earth (Taurus Sun) and life from the sky (Uranus).

Reinforcing the grounded practicality of Baumgartner’s chart is the conjunction of Saturn to the Sun which not only demands a grounded approach to life, but acts like a monkey on the back of the individual to continually prove that he is good enough.  But Baumgartner also has Mars in Sagittarius which says “don’t fence me in.”  There is a fierce need for freedom with this placement which struggles continually with the earthbound aspects of the chart.

We also see a conjunction of Jupiter to Pluto with the South Node.  Jupiter represents our effort to find meaning in life, and when it conjoins Pluto, the planet of life and death, there can be a somewhat rigid viewpoint.  Often we find this aspect in the chart of religious zealouts and political operatives who desire to impose their will on others.  The alignment with the South Node in Virgo (mundane reality) suggests a past life component that requires resolution so that a more natural inner peace (North Node in Pisces) can be attained.  The combination of Jupiter and Pluto denotes a fair amount of personal power that can be used for good or for ill.

This is the chart of someone who is struggling against himself- fighting the weaker aspects of his chart in order to find the power that lies within.  Baumgartner has five retrograde planets which is found in only four percent of the population according to John McCormick’s astrological research.  A strong retrograde emphasis denotes an individual who finds it difficult to express themselves outwardly and much of the processing goes on internally.

This is a powerful time for Baumgartner since Pluto, retrograde in his chart at birth, is changing direction by progression.  When Pluto, the planet of power and transformation, does something dramatic in the chart like this it is a time to face our demons and come into our true power.

He is also undergoing a series of very significant Jupiter transits.  Jupiter brings expansion and confidence and often helps us to liberate ourselves from barriers that have previously held us back (like the sound barrier?).  These began back in June with a trine from Jupiter to his natal Jupiter, and there was a pileup of Jupiter events in July and August which is when the launch testing began.

Read more about the “Mission” here, and watch the video below.

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A birth time for Tom Cruise and his very bad year

September 8, 2012 By

Tom Cruise is not having a very good year.  First his wife Katie Holmes left him secretly and suddenly, although not, for many of us, surprisingly.  Now a revealing article in Vanity Fair reveals something that many of us suspected: that Scientology conducted auditions for a mate for Cruise.

Previous articles I have written on Tom Cruise have used a noon chart because a birth time is not known.  Astrodatabank is the scholarly source for astrological data, and their website says, essentially, you might as well use a ouija board than the times that are out there.

The website Astrotheme, which uses a variety of databases to come up with birth data for known personalities, cites a birth time of 3:06 pm for Cruise.  Using this birth time gives us a Scorpio ascendant which is very believable considering Cruise’s fetish for secrecy and power.  However, the birth time is unsupported and where we would expect a significant series of planetary events at a time like that, especially to the angles which are dependent upon an accurate time of birth.  A chart using this birth time does give us a square from Chiron to the ascendant right now which would reflect the wounding to Cruise’s image which is occurring under the intense scrutiny of his life right now.

I also found an unsourced 12:05 pm birthtime out there which provides us with a Virgo ascendant and Gemini on the midheaven.  This birth time, however, offers absolutely no astrological clue to the important events that are occurring now in Cruise’s life. With no source and no planetary impact I am inclined to discard this one completely.

In any event, regardless of birth time, the chart for Tom Cruise has a surprising number of Jupiter transits for someone who is experiencing what appears to be such a terrible year.  (Geeky astrological details: Jupiter conjunct the progressed Moon and squared the progressed Sun, Jupiter trine Saturn and squared Pluto, Jupiter squared the Jupiter/Chiron transit in Cruise’s own chart that necessitates a journey for healing, Jupiter in a trine to the progressed Venus. ) 

When we see so many Jupiter events in a person’s chart there is some kind of unwinding going on.  We tend to think of Jupiter as being a planet that always brings good fortune, and so it does but not always in the way we might imagine.  Jupiter can liberate us from situations that are hampering our ability to grow and evolve, whether we want to be liberated or not.  Hence, Jupiter events are often found in death charts and the charts of divorces, when a parent or spouse dies, or when we lose a job.

When someone lives as buttoned down a life as Tom Cruise has done, the dissolution of the protective wrapper can be a liberation of a sort, even though I’m sure it’s excruciatingly painful for him.  In any case, with Jupiter acting as his Ruling God at the moment, the opportunities for growth right now are everywhere.

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The astrology of Kristen Stewart’s latest act

July 31, 2012 By

The beautiful and talentedKristen Stewart young actress Kristen Stewart has been in the news lately after being photographed in an intimate embrace with the married director of her latest film, Rupert Sanders, who is 41.  Kristen’s romance with her Twilight costar Robert Pattinson has been the talk of the tabloids for years has appeared to be one of the steadiest in the young Hollywood set.  However, a purported affair with Rupert Sanders has apparently ended her relationship and put her in the limelight, a place she intensely detests.

Kristen Stewart (see chart here) was born with the Sun in independent Aries, but according to Astrotheme’s chart data she has the emotional sign of Cancer on the ascendant (rising).  Individuals with Cancer rising tend to be extremely self-protective and vulnerable, which sets up a bit of conflict with her adventurous and fiery Aries Sun.  To complicate matters, she has Saturn, the planet of self-doubt and hard work, in a challenging square to her Sun which makes her a hard worker and dedicated to career, but it also suggests that she puts herself under a great deal of pressure from which that Aries Sun must get some relief.

Her Moon (emotional security and safety) is in Libra, giving her a yearning for peace and harmony and a safe connection with others, but Saturn is also in a challenging aspect to the Moon which adds to the pressure of Saturn.

Neptune, planet of creativity and spirituality but also deception and confusion, is tied in with both the Sun and Moon as well.  This is a difficult aspect that makes for an excellent actor because of the shapeshifting quality of Neptune, but it is challenging in a young person who is trying to find out who she is. The square of Neptune to the Moon makes it more difficult for others to see you as you are, as I wrote in this earlier post.

The age of 21 is a challenging one astrologically – competing cycles of Saturn (conformity, maturity) and Uranus (rebellion, change) apply tremendous pressure to follow the rules and make something of yourself (Saturn), but also to find your own way and destroy the status quo of your life (Uranus).  Kristen has achieved great success already in her short lifetime, but she is only 21.  At a time when other young people are exploring a variety of relationships and lifestyles, Kristen has been acting since she was eight years old and has filmed eight movies in the past three years.  That is an incredibly Saturnian lifestyle.

Kristen has been under a Saturn transit that began last fall and was at its most intense between May and July.  It’s impossible to say what might have been going on in her personal life because she IS so intensely private, but I would guess that it was during this time that   the pressure began to be unbearable.  At the same time, transiting Uranus was beginning to apply its own pressure to her chart, instigating the restlessness and desire for experimentation that typically comes with a Uranus cycle.

For all the tabloid hysteria over an “affair,” the only evidence that has surfaced are of Kristen and Sanders kissing on July 17th.  An early report that the director’s brother-in-law suggested the “affair” began last year was quickly shot down.  I would be surprised if this whole event was more than, as Kristen herself said, a “momentary indiscretion.”

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Katie Holmes: Free at last

July 5, 2012 By

Katie Holmes astrology by Lynn Hayes

Katie Holmes has filed for a divorce from Tom Cruise.  Evidently she filed Thursday as Cruise was heading to Iceland to shoot his new movie.

I wrote a profile of Katie Holmes in 2006 when she and Cruise first became a couple.  In that article (snarkily entitled “Run Katie Run!”) I wrote:

She has both Moon and Jupiter in Leo, showing a strong need for admiration and attention and a need to develop the personal ego. Her Venus is in Scorpio, indicating someone who has strong passions and emotions, and craves intensity in relationships. Yet her Moon is square to Venus, a configuration that often indicates a conflict between the maternal archetype (Moon) and the sexual nature of the goddess Venus. Women with these conflicts tend to have difficulty integrating these two archetypes and tend to swing from one pole to the other.

In addition, Katie’s Venus is conjunct rebellious and independent Uranus, showing that she craves freedom and resists convention. The combination of Venus in Scorpio, which craves an intense bond, with Uranus sets up an inner conflict that is difficult to manage, particularly for a relatively young person who may lack a deeper level of self-understanding.

You can read my profile of Tom Cruise here.  Friends of Katie’s have evidently reported, not surprisingly, that Cruise dominated the relationship, dictating the clothes that she wears, the parts that she played and even the name that she used.

The astrology of Katie’s rush to freedom begins back in January with a series of Jupiter transits throughout January and February that would have inspired courage and confidence to expand her life.  A challenging aspect of Saturn to the progressed Moon in early March could have created some depression, followed by the beginning of a transit of Uranus, the planet of liberation and breakthroughs, in a strong aspect to her Mars, planet of will and assertion.

In addition, her progressed Sun and progressed Mars align this year, giving her the fuel that she needs to assert herself in the world with greater force.  She’ll need it, because this is likely to be a battle not only with her soon to be ex-husband, but the forces of Scientology as well.

for daily planetary cycles visit my Facebook and Twitter pages.

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The astrology of Multiple Sclerosis: Jack Osbourne

June 22, 2012 By

Jack Osbourne MS astrologyJust a few weeks ago I did a reading for a client with MS and wrote about it here in a discussion of the correlation between “warrior energy” and immune system disorders including MS.  Shortly thereafter celebrity Jack Osbourne announced that he has been diagnosed with MS.

Osbourne is known primarily through the television reality show The Osbournes in which he is portrayed as the rebellious and drug addicted son of metal rocker Ozzy Osbourne.  Jack Osbourne was dyslexic as a child and put on Ritalin for an ADD diagnosis as a teenager.  His use of drugs escalated when his mother was diagnosed with cancer in 2002, and in 2003 at the age of 18 he was admitted to a psychiatric ward for an oxycontin addiction. Shortly thereafter he attempted suicide by cutting his wrists after being rejected by a girlfriend (according to his new book; most accounts report that the suicide attempt occurred after his mother’s cancer diagnosis).

Jack Osbourne’s astrological chart reveals some interesting clues.  If the birthtime sourced by Astrotheme is correct he has Leo rising, with the Sun in Scorpio and a Virgo Moon.  Someone with a Scorpio Sun is meant to live life intensely and with emotional fearlessness – to challenge themselves and others in a relentless journey to the ultimate Truth.  But Leo seeks joy and happiness in life, and has a great need to be loved and appreciated.  These two signs conflict with each other, resulting in a challenging inner debate.  Scorpio is secretive and private, and Leo desires publicity and recognition.

His Virgo Moon can be somewhat fearful and security-driven, and while the Leo ascendant seeks the spotlight his Virgo Moon likely worries about the future and his Scorpio Sun shrinks from all of that attention and exposure of his inner world.  I suspect that while Jack’s Leo ascendant would have been quite excited about the reality show with his family, it was likely very difficult for him and created a great deal of inner stress.

Still, when the original show The Osbournes was over Jack signed up for a new reality show called Adrenaline Junkie.   This is interesting astrologically because Jack has a weak Mars – situated in the peace and harmony-loving sign of Libra, the warrior planet is not easily expressed here.  His Mars is squared by Neptune, a quality that was evident in other charts that I examined for the article cited above.  Neptune is the planet of transcendence and spirituality, and when placed in a challenging aspect to Mars we tend to see individuals who seek to transcend their drive and desire nature (Mars) rather than express it.  Consequently that drive and aggressive force tends to build up in the body where it cannot easily find an outlet and this can result in health problems.  Please note that I am not a trained medical professional and any advice given in this column should be confirmed with your doctor.  

A Grand Trine in Jack’s chart links Mars, Jupiter (abundance and good fortune) with Chiron, the planet of wounding and healing.  Jack began to turn his life around in 2004 when a complete physical makeover prepared him for the new program which pushed his physical abilities to the limit, the perfect thing for a Mars-challenged individual.  With this Grand Trine I think it is likely that the MS diagnosis will not create crippling problems for him.

He does have an opposition from Chiron to Uranus (see more details in this article) which can indicate an unbalanced and extremely sensitive nervous system. This would make him more susceptible to the kind of nerve damage found in MS.

Jack has been going through some challenging transits to his natal and progressed Mars over the past year or so involving Saturn (conjunction to progressed Mars beginning last November), Pluto (square natal Mars beginning in January) and Uranus (opposing natal Mars beginning late May).  Transiting planets hitting Mars in our chart can trigger eruptions of some kind, and since Jack is currently without a physical outlet for his adrenaline  (having become engaged in the fall of 2011 and a recent new dad) he is likely more sensitive to the planetary triggers to his nervous system.

This kind of Mars-related immune disorder drains physical energy and makes it feel impossible to get any kind of physical activity, but it is my hypothesis that this is exactly what is helpful to combat these illnesses. And science agrees:

In the 1970s, there was quite strong prevailing medical opinion that people with MS should avoid exercise, that it could somehow be detrimental. There is now good evidence that exercise improves fitness and function in mild MS and maintains function for people moderate to severe disability.4 There is strong evidence that exercise therapy, including aerobic exercise and resistance training, improves muscle power function, exercise tolerance functions and mobility-related activities such as walking in people with significant disability.5-11Exercise also improves mood and general well-being.7,12,13 Walking distance has been shown to be increased with regular treadmill training.14 Interestingly, some of the benefit of exercise in MS seems to be more pronounced in women.15

I’m very encouraged to see mainstream medicine continuing to exhibit more openness to the body/mind/spirit connections to disease.  Meanwhile, my best recommendation for just about everyone is to get as much sensible physical activity as is reasonably possible.  Not only is it healing for the body, the mind AND the spirit, it is the Fountain of Youth!

 

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Neptune in Pisces: “The future of live entertainment is dead”

April 18, 2012 By

While Neptune is usually considered a planet of spirituality, it also is the ruler of the experience of the masses.  We usually put “entertainment” in that category, and now that Neptune has slipped into Pisces the nature of reality and entertainment is beginning to have the famous Neptunian blurring effect.  Augmented reality will change the way we view our world, and now holographic performances are making an appearance at rock festivals.

Last weekend at the Coachella festival an apparent holographic image of the beloved rap icon Tupac Shakur gave a featured performance.

http://youtu.be/AksK8BoPB5g

The holographic image wasn’t actual footage of Shakur: “This is not found footage. This is not archival footage. This is an illusion, and this is just the beginning, Ed Ulbrich told WSJ. “Dre has a massive vision for this.”

The last time Neptune was in Pisces, beginning in 1848, print magazines were just beginning to bring news to the masses in a more entertaining form.  Plays and vaudeville act attracted the average citizen into theaters around the world and made entertainment itself more accessible.  Neptune’s travel through Pisces this time will no doubt continue to change the entertainment industry.

 

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