Mars in Scorpio

The astrology of Joe Rogan

I often like to profile controversial characters in the news as I find them interesting. These profiles should not be construed as being necessarily supportive of the subject’s politics or actions, but they are a useful tool to demonstrate how astrology works in the real world. For that reason I try to be as neutral as possible although I do have opinions and sometimes they leak through.  If you haven’t watched Joe Rogan’s YouTube channel you likely have a very different impression of him than if you have.  If all you read is the headlines, you see a crazy man who embraces conspiracy theories and radical ideas. This is certainly a piece of the man, but if you dive into what he has produced as I have, you see a much more nuanced picture.

Joe Rogan was born with the Sun in Leo conjunct expansive Jupiter – a very fortunate placement which virtually ensures success, especially since these planets are in his 10th house of career and vocation. Leo is the sign of the Self – under the influence of Leo we need to be “seen” and recognized, but also, ultimately, to be the best person we can be.  Aquarius on the Midheaven, a powerful point of vocation and public expression, denotes a detachment and a willingness to consider all points of view  Saturn, planet of hard work and success, forms a harmonious trine to the Sun and Jupiter which helps to facilitate the discipline needed to work towards a goal. The main drive here is for fame and recognition, but there’s more.

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Rogan was born in 1967 at the height of the conjunction of Uranus and Pluto, the […]

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By |2022-09-01T14:27:15-04:00February 3rd, 2022|People|18 Comments
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Mars in Libra: Striving for balance

art by Kate Monkman

When the planet of drive and desire, anger and frustration travels through the sign of peace and harmony it’s not always easy.  Mars in Libra craves harmony and true partnership- the equanimity that occurs when everything in our lives is in balance.  Libra is the sign of love and beauty, certainly, but the underlying energy here is the sense of harmonious integration which is experienced when we are surrounded by beauty and feeling the comfort of love. The love and beauty are means to an end rather than the end itself.

Mars is none of those things. Mars is easily frustrated when needs aren’t met, and eager to achieve desires and goals. It cares nothing for harmony but instead seeks personal satisfaction. Mars is therefore often disrespected by astrologers as a “bad” planet – a malefic, one that is up to no good. But as my readers know, an effective Mars is essential for a healthy personal eco-system. Our needs must be met, and our truths must be spoken.

Mars is the ruler of Aries, Libra’s opposite polarity so Mars is said to be in its detriment in Libra, where it is less easily able to find its full expression as the planet of aggression and self-direction.  Under Mars in Libra we sometimes tend to sacrifice who we are and what we ourselves need in order to find that peaceful integration that will soothe our jangled nerves – we yearn to find balance and integrate the confusion of opposites into one complete whole of understanding and compassion.

Mars will be in Libra until it moves into Scorpio on October 30th.  Scorpio is the other Mars-ruled sign, and Mars is intense and passionate in Scorpio.  […]

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By |2021-09-15T07:03:02-04:00September 15th, 2021|Planetary news this week|1 Comment
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The astrology of Dr. Anthony Fauci

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Dr. Anthony Fauci has become, for many, the most reliable face of the Coronavirus pandemic in the US – the trusted family doctor to whom we look for answers.  Dr. Fauci has a long career as an immunologist, having served on a national level since joining the National Institutes of Health in 1968.  But for many, his most remarkable achievement has been serving a president who has not always been able to sustain long-term relationships with his staff and associates.

Dr. Fauci (born December 24, 1940, time unknown) has the Sun in Capricorn, a signature of a personality dedicated to hard work and achievement.  His Sun is harmonized by a trine to both (expansion) which denotes great confidence, and Saturn (restriction) which encourages the hard work and discipline of the Capricorn Sun.  This in itself is a great cocktail for success.  Jupiter and Saturn are conjunct, however, so the expansive qualities of Jupiter and the self-criticism of Saturn are always in conflict, especially in a young individual.  This is especially true of Dr. Fauci because Jupiter and Saturn oppose his Scorpio Moon, leading to potential isolation and feelings of loss.  In addition, his Moon is squared by both Pluto (destruction and regeneration) and Chiron (wounding and healing), and these two planets of crisis and renewal also form a challenging square to Jupiter and Saturn.  And then Mars (drive and desire) is also strongly placed in its own sign of Scorpio, a position of power and influence, opposed by Uranus the rebel.  Fauci is not and could not be a “Yes Man” – he is wired to forge his own way and speak his own truth, something which likely led to his voluminous research (the Institute for Scientific Research states that he is […]

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By |2020-04-20T09:55:31-04:00April 17th, 2020|People|5 Comments
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Planetary news this week! Mars in Scorpio, Mercury direct, and more

There’s a lot to unpack this week, and some of these will need their own blog posts.  Here’s an overview to help you prepare for the week!

Mars enters Scorpio on November 19th, and for a few weeks (until January 3rd) Mars will be roaring in its own sign.  Mars actually rules two signs: Scorpio and Aries, both of which are fiery signs of passion and adventure.  Scorpio’s fire is in the realm of water – deep and intense emotions which take us into the very core of our being.  Expect these next six weeks or so to be times of passion and fury, highly energized, and times when the Truth becomes critical and secrets are revealed.

We also have a stationary Neptune period, since Neptune is preparing to turn direct on November 27th.  When any planet is preparing to change direction its motion slows down in anticipation of the turn, but when that planet is a slow mover like Neptune the stationary effect lasts a long time as we receive the energies of that planet like a laser beam.  Neptune’s laser drives us into a longing for a connection to soul, and we process that longing in different ways.  Too many hot toddies perhaps, or a Netflix bingewatch like I did yesterday – or, on a higher level, spending some time in meditation or walking in the woods.  A heavy Neptune influence can also affect our physical energy and dampen the immune system, so take extra care over the next few weeks.

Mercury, having been retrograde for the past three weeks,  turns direct on November 20th.  Many have reported that this retrograde period was more difficult than some others, as I predicted due to the fact that Mercury is […]

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By |2019-11-18T08:12:01-05:00November 18th, 2019|Planetary news this week|0 Comments
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The astrology of Marianne Williamson

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My original plan was to continue profiling the candidates (see other posts in the series here) in their polling order, and I frankly didn’t think Marianne Williamson would stay in the race as long as she has.  But she continues to raise money and attract voters to her events and she has said that she will continue her run for the presidency.

Williamson is an unlikely presidential candidate, which is what makes her interesting.  After a youth spent, as she says,  “mired in a series of unhappy love affairs, alcohol and drug abuse, a nervous breakdown, and endless sessions with therapists,” she discovered the book A Course in Miracles and became a spiritual teacher.  She has written 13 books and was a favorite of Oprah.

Williamson’s chart shows a heavy emphasis in the sign of Cancer, with Sun, Venus and Uranus all conjunct in that sign which is focused on family and tribe.  Cancerians tend to feel the troubles of the world more deeply than most, and a strong desire to help others runs through the archetype of Cancer.  Her Cancer planets form a challenging square to Neptune, suggesting early challenges in forging an identity and a high level of creativity combined with a tendency to be more idealistic than realistic.

We are fortunate to have a birthtime for her which reveals an ascendant (rising sign) in Gemini.  The ascendant describes the way in which we move through the world, which is different from the Sun which tends to show instead the individual’s personal quest.  Those with Gemini rising (like me!)often find it difficult to focus on any one thing, and we can see this with Williamson’s personal history.  Her Wikipedia page includes over ten different vocations which she has […]

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By |2019-10-31T14:23:56-04:00October 16th, 2019|Politics|2 Comments
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