Preface
If your birthday does not fall during the Aquarian timeframe for the year you were born, this DOES NOT mean that you do
not experience the energy of Aquarian, because somewhere in your natal birth
chart, it is present. All twelve signs of the zodiac are expressed in your
being, although some signs, and therefore their corresponding energies, may be
more emphasized than others.
The Sun sign is about your essence, your
vitality (what makes you feel alive), and your self-image. Whatever your Sun
sign, you are on a life-long journey to discover and fully embrace this sign’s
energy. You may be tested in life to experience the meaning of your Sun sign’s
energy.
The Sun began its transit
of the sign of Aquarius on January 19, 2013 at 1:51 p.m. PST.
Aquarians Speak
Alice Walker
Aquarian and
Award-winning Novelist, Essayist, and International Activist
“The
foundation of everything in my life is wonder…You have to go to the places that
scare you so you can see: What do you really believe? Who are you really?
Source: http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/its-your-body/alice-walker-go-to-the-places-that-scare-you
Michael
Apted
Aquarian and
Filmmaker (who recently released 56 Up,
the latest installment of his longitudinal documentary series)
“Generally,
what I like about the project is that it’s one of the few things that gives
ordinary people air time... What other film would have spent 50 years, as we
nearly will have done, examining somebody’s journey through life? To me, what’s
moving about it is everybody has a story and every life is sort of heroic —
what people go through, decisions you have to make — and the “Up” films sort of
celebrate that…”
William
Shockley
Aquarian and
Stanford University Professor of Engineering Science known for his controversial
theories of race and eugenics
“Nature
has color-coded groups of individuals so that statistically reliable
predictions of their adaptability to intellectually rewarding and effective
lives can easily be made and profitably be used by the pragmatic man in the
street.”
Source: Ashley Montagu, Editor. “An Affluent Society’s
Excuses for Inequality: Developmental, Economic, and Educational.” Race & IQ. Oxford University Press,
2002, p131.
Germaine
Greer
Aquarian and
Feminist Author
“Human
beings have an inalienable right to invent themselves; when that right is preempted
it is called brainwashing.”
Aquarian Symbolism and Rulerships
Like the medieval painting shown at the beginning of this article,
the symbol for Aquarius typically shows a human, either female or male, pouring
water from a vessel. The Latin term “aquarius” means water bearer. The sign’s
glyph, show directly above, consists of two rows of wavy lines. Among
astrologers, there are varying interpretations about what these lines
represent. Going back to its traditional representation, these lines reflect
rippling water, which can carry its force over a large expanse of ocean, or
other body of water. Deborah Houlding, a practitioner of traditional astrology,
says that Aquarius may be a forgotten water sign, and the libation it offers
the world is to cleanse, illuminate, and purify.[1]
Some astrologers view these lines as electromagnetic energy. Astrologer Bruce
Nevin says these lines represent the “water of life,” or what the Theosophists
refer to as “forhat,” the vibrating electromagnetic impulses that constitute
the Universe.[2]
On the other hand, astrologer Steven Forrest claims these lines symbolize the
Biblical serpents of knowledge, which tempt Eve to eat the fruit of the Tree of
Knowledge. Forrest says that in her rebellious act of eating that infamous
apple, Eve gave birth to the precious resource of human freedom.[3]
Aquarius is a Fixed Air Sign, and as such reflects a nature that
emphasizes the use of the mental faculties in a focused way. Air signs show
strong capabilities for analysis, communication, and networking. Fixed signs
demonstrate the ability for steady and attentive energy directed to whatever
endeavor the sign undertakes.
Traditional astrology assigned the planet Saturn as the ruler of
Aquarius. Modern astrology, on the other hand, views the transpersonal planet,
Uranus, as its modern day ruler. Herein rests a tremendous struggle. Saturn, as
a force of containment, often symbolizes tradition and conservatism. Uranus
represents the force of rebellion and unexpected change. Do Aquarians choose to
align with the energy of one planet over the other? Are Aquarians a combination
of these forces? Or, are some Aquarians on a journey to shed the Saturnian
elements in order to claim the Uranian elements? In true Aquarian style,
perhaps this is a question each of us must answer for ourselves in
understanding the meaning of Aquarius.
Aquarius rules the 11th house
of the astrological wheel of life that relates to one’s hopes and wishes and
personal goals. Traditionally it relates to our circle of friends. It
encompasses memberships in groups and associations, and the networks that
relate to our affinities. This is the house of “our crowd.”
According to Nevin, Aquarius
rules the ankles, circulatory system, and the aura.[4]
Houlding says Aquarius governs the shins and ankles, and by its association
with its Saturn rulership, relates to the bones, teeth, joints, and skeletal
structure. She maintains that as an air sign, it rules the circulation of the
blood and the breath.[5]
The Transition from Capricorn to Aquarius
In the sign of Capricorn, the
human strives to acknowledge its own authority, and it often does so by long
periods of solitude. Capricorns possess gifts for leadership, but they may also
have blind spots that lead to excessive authoritarianism and adherence to the
preservation of outdated systems. When we come to the sign of Aquarius, humans
seek not only to become self-reliant, but to define who they are outside the
indoctrination of their society and the social programming from their families.
Capricorns offer the gift of
initiating action and building concrete structures, systems, or processes.
Aquarius asks whether these ways of conducting business still fulfill a need,
and whether they should continue to exist. Aquarius has no problem with continuing
that which works, but sign natives also demonstrate the willingness to tear
down institutions that serve no function. Because Dana Gerhardt demonstrates
the gift of explaining the essence of concepts in beautiful terminology, I
often quote her directly. Here she explains what Aquarius accomplishes in its
phase of the zodiac:
“Capricorn kings inevitably get
stuck in their own ideas and can’t relinquish their own authority. Creativity
is stymied. Problems pile up. Fortunately, the limitations of every sign always
take us to the next one’s gifts; thus Capricorn leads us to the genius of
Aquarius. Altruistic, progressive, and unconventional, Aquarius brings the leap
in consciousness that keeps our world from getting hopelessly hopelessly mired in old
dung.”[6]
Aquarius moves beyond the
reclusiveness of Capricorn, and it extends its energy externally. As an air
sign, Aquarius naturally wants to network with others. Aquarius
communicates on a mass scale, and this sign rules all electrical types of
communication, including high tech and the Internet. Among the social air
signs, Aquarius especially gravitates toward group activities with like-minded
individuals. The challenge for Aquarians is to become their unique selves while
flourishing within groups for which they have affinity. While Capricorn thrives
on conformity, Aquarius wants to break out of this mold for its own
individuation and to move society in the direction of progress.
More about the Purpose of Aquarius
Bruce Nevin says, “The
reception and dissemination of insight for the betterment of the world is highest expression of Aquarian energy.”[7]
Perhaps this statement gets to the essence of Aquarius, and we don’t need to
concern ourselves with any more details about the sign’s struggles, goals, and
paradoxes. But what fun would that be?
Steven Forrest sees freedom as
Aquarius’ endpoint. In order to achieve their state of freedom, Aquarius must
constantly withstand the forces of peer pressure and conformity. Forrest
says that Aquarius uses both stubbornness and genius to become their true
selves. He uses the term genius to mean the independence of mind to view old
problems from a fresh perspective, unhindered from preconceptions. Forrest
identifies the various expressions of Aquarian energy, which are outlined below[8].
- · The Genius
- · The Revolutionary
- · The Truth Sayer
- · The Scientist
- · The Exile
The following descriptions are
my own elaborations of the types outlined by Forrest. When I think of Aquarius
the first type I think of is The Scientist archetype. The scientist
is often a detached individual who utilizes his intellectual prowess to think
up radically different approaches to tackle a problem, and this leads to
inventions and innovations. They appreciate the body of knowledge that has been
developed over time, but they are challenged by the goals of overcoming
present-day problems with new knowledge and strategies. Scientists often work
in teams, and they often attend symposiums and conferences where they share key
findings in their field. Aquarians help their respective fields by putting
forth visions of how things can be, because their thinking can be so far ahead
of everyone else’s.
In my mind a closely related
archetype is that of The Genius. Aquarians
have the gift of looking at problems in new ways and to “think outside the box”
in formulating solutions. Genius is not necessarily a pure IQ factor, but
it is the ability to see issues or problems from a perspective outside the
mainstream. There are certainly geniuses in the scientific field where
inventions abound, but this archetype can be applied to any field or
discipline. Aquarian President Franklin Delano Roosevelt bucked his own
social class to create social programs that addressed the pressing issues of
the country. Even if he did not personally conceive of these programs, he
was open to nontraditional concepts. Artists in the visual arts, dance, and
music frequently explore and shape their creativity in radically different
ways.
Another aspect of Aquarian
energy can be captured under the category of The Truth Sayer. Aquarius energy demands authenticity, and if one
is compelled in this direction, then speaking truth is of prime
importance. Clearly, committing oneself to authenticity is paramount in
any context for Aquarius, whether that is in the scientific community, in the
field of mass communications, in the nonprofit service or advocacy sector, or
in any other aspect of life in which this sign is involved. James Joyce, the
prolific man of letters, said that “Poetry, even when apparently most
fantastic, is always a revolt against artifice, a revolt, in a sense, against
actuality.”[9]
Speaking truth is often not met
with approval by society’s institutions, or even one’s friends. When an
Aquarian finds enormous challenges to one’s perspectives, there may be no
viable alternative than to become The
Exile in one’s society. Countless creative people of means have fled
their native environments to live in a more tolerant community. Examples might
be Josephine Baker, the African-American dancer (often partially clothed) who
thrived in Paris, or perhaps writer and social observer Gore Vidal who spent
part of his year in Italy, where he perceived that news coverage of America’s
international policies were more openly discussed in Europe. The Aquarian
writer James Joyce explained this archetype as follows: “I will tell you what I
will do and what I will not do. I will not serve that in which I no longer
believe, whether it call itself my home, my fatherland, or my church: and I
will try to express myself in some mode of life or art as freely as I can and
as wholly as I can, using for my defence the only arms I allow myself to
use--silence, exile and cunning.”[10]
The last archetype is that of The Revolutionary, where Aquarius
energy can see no other alternative for the growth of society than to call for
radical changes to institutions or ways of life. Clearly, in this archetype,
the planet Uranus is functioning at its purest level. In this context, there is
little regard for convention. The words of Aquarian Angela Davis, the activist
Professor of Philosophy, demonstrate this astrological sign’s sentiments when
she claims “Radical simply means grasping things at the root.”[11]
Although all these archetypes
may be present in individuals whose natal charts reflect an emphasis in
Aquarius, please keep in mind that some members of the “Aquarius Sun Sign Club”
may exhibit only one or two of these characteristics. Some Sun Sign Aquarians
may seem to reflect the Saturnian side of Aquarius. Some examples of these
individuals might be Ronald Reagan and Dick Cheney, who identify with turning
societal structures on their head, but not for the good of the masses, but
rather to fulfill an idealist view of dominance by the elite.
Endnotes
[1] Deborah
Houlding (December/January 2006) Aquarius the Water Bearer. The Mountain Astrologer, Issue #124,
pp.77-82.
[2]
Bruce Nevin (1982). Astrology Inside Out.
Rockport, Massachusetts: Para Research, Inc., p.84.
[3]
Steven Forrest (1988). The Inner Sky. San Diego: ACS Publications, p86-91
[4]
Bruce Nevin, Op. Cit.
[5]
Deborah Houlding, Op. Cit.
6 Dana Gerhardt
(February/March 2010). Aquarius Cleans the Stables. The Mountain Astrologer, Issue #149, pp.13-17.
9 James Joyce
(2012) BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved January 21, 2012 from: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/j/james_joyce_2.html
10James Joyce
(2012) Quoteland.com Retrieved January 22, 2012 from: http://www.quoteland.com/author/James-Joyce-Quotes/1834/
11 Angela
Davis. (2012) ThinkExist.com. Retrieved January 22, 2012 from: http://thinkexist.com/quotation/radical_simply_means-grasping_things_at_the_root/343449.html
Profile of a Prominent Individual with Sun Sign Aquarius
OPRAH WINFREY
Born January
29, 1954
Brief
Biography
Perhaps in some obscure place in the world there are
people who have never heard of Oprah Winfrey, but most Americans undoubtedly
recognize her as one of the most successful producers and hosts of a daytime
talk show in television history. Millions of TV viewers have entrusted her to
tell them about books they should be reading, or current topics of the day they
should know about. In fact, Oprah is the interviewer of choice when celebrities
want to confess their peccadilloes (professional cyclist Lance Armstrong, for
example) or reveal their heartaches and rebounds (like Former California First
Lady Maria Shriver). Oprah is the ultimate Aquarian broadcaster of cultural
information on a mass scale. Worth over a billion dollars, Oprah Winfrey
oversees a media empire consisting of Harpo, Inc., her production company; a
monthly publication called O; and, her new cable network, OWN. In addition to
being a smart and savvy businesswoman, Ms. Winfrey is a generous philanthropist
committed to such causes as girls’ education in South Africa, child abuse, and
recovery efforts for victims of Hurricane Katrina.
Born in poverty to a single mother in Kosciusko,
Mississippi in 1954, Oprah Gail Winfrey led a difficult childhood. Her mother
moved North in search of work, and she left Oprah in the care of her
grandmother for five years. Her grandmother taught Oprah how to read at the
young age of three and encouraged her to recite Bible verses at church.
Already possessing reading and writing skills at five, Oprah skipped kindergarten
and moved to a first grade class. However, at the age of six, her grandmother
became ill, and Oprah was sent to Milwaukee to live with her mother. After only
a year, her mother sent Oprah to live with her father, a barber who lived in
Tennessee. Her father had married, and the couple welcomed Oprah to their home
and nurtured her educational aspirations. However, after completing the third
grade, her father took Oprah to visit her mother for the summer, and Oprah
decided to stay in Milwaukee. It was during this period of her life that
Winfrey reports being raped by relatives and friends of the family who bribed
her to keep silent about these violations. After experiencing repeated abuse
and a lack of direction from her mother, Oprah began acting out as a troubled
adolescent. Oprah became pregnant at the age of 14, but her infant son died two
weeks after birth. Once again, her mother sent her back to Nashville to live
with her father.
Oprah Winfrey’s father was a strict disciplinarian who
required that she read and write a book report each week. She credits Maya
Angelou’s book I Know Why the Caged Bird
Sings as having a tremendous influence on her life. At the age of 16, Oprah
became determined to turn her life around and focus on her educational pursuits
and public speaking. In 1970, Oprah won a speaking competition sponsored by the
Elks Club, which offered a four-year college scholarship. The following year,
WVOL, a local radio station, was so impressed with her public speaking skills
that they hired Oprah part-time as a newsreader, a job she held while still in
high school.
Oprah Winfrey majored in Speech Communications and Performing
Arts at Tennessee State University, while continuing to work at WVOL. Soon thereafter,
she quit school to accept a position as a reporter and anchor at another local
TV station. With a promising career in broadcasting, Oprah moved on to become a
co-anchor at WJZ-TV News in Baltimore. At this station, she became a host of
her first talk show, People Are Talking.
Discovering her unique ability to develop significant connections with her
audience, Oprah found her broadcasting niche.
Oprah Winfrey had become a known personality in the
talk show circuit, and she was recruited to fill a host position for a Chicago
morning show TV program. In 1985, this show was expanded to an hour’s program,
and renamed The Oprah Winfrey Show.
The following year, the show started national syndication. By 1987, the show
had become wildly popular, and earned the program several Emmys.
By the time Oprah Winfrey had a nationally syndicated
TV show, she had become known to Americans as Sofia, a character in the film A Color Purple. She earned critical
acclaim in this role, capturing nominations for Best Supporting Actress at the
Golden Globes and the Academy Awards.
Oprah’s love of entertainment prompted her to form
Harpo, Inc. a production company that was ultimately to assume ownership of The Oprah Winfrey Show, which ended in
2011 after 24 seasons. (Since then, she started hosting a nightly talk show, Oprah’s Lifeclass, on OWN). Harpo now
oversees her magazine publishing as well as production of TV miniseries and
films. Oprah also became a partner in Oxygen Media, a cable network committed
to women’s programming. More recently, Oprah has become involved in theater
projects, including the stage production of a musical version of The Color Purple. She has entertained
the possibility of one day performing in an acting role on the stage.
Oprah Winfrey continues her legacy as an international
opinion-maker, often appearing on lists of the “most influential” people in the
world. Oprah inspires others to assess how they live their lives, and her
enormous wealth helps to bring attention to humanitarian needs.
Some
Observations about the Natal Chart of Oprah Winfrey
(The Astrodienst version of Oprah Winfrey’s chart
appears at the end of this section).
There is no better representative of the Aquarian urge
for mass communication on a grand scale than Oprah Winfrey. Three planets in
her natal chart form a Grand Trine, a configuration representing energy that
works in tandem, often signifying the individual’s talent. These planets are
Mercury, Jupiter, and Neptune. Mercury is the rational mind and the
communication function. By contrast, the planet Neptune is associated with the
abstract processes of imagination and the ethereal realms, the type of energy that
works well in the movie and TV industries. The third planet, Jupiter, provides
the impetus to expand the individual’s horizons and desire for a broad range of
experiences. Although the Grand Trine reflects ease and comfort for the chart
native, it may not necessarily translate into productive action unless the
native is somehow challenged into action.
Where does Oprah experience challenge (represented by
the aspects of the squares and oppositions)? Saturn is the taskmaster planet,
presenting us with learning experiences. In Oprah’s chart, Saturn in Scorpio
squares her Sun in Aquarius, indicating that Oprah may experience intense
experiences that she will devote her resources (2nd House) to
discussing through the mediums of TV and film (Neptune in the 10th
House). This will be Oprah’s journey to finding and realizing her purpose (the
Sun). Neptune also symbolizes the process of dissolving, which in Oprah’s case signifies
her ability to remove barriers between herself and those she interviews. In addition,
the planet Pluto, signifying purification and power, is in her 8th
house, which is ruled by the sign of Scorpio. The territory of the 8th
house covers many issues, including the taboo. With Oprah’s Pluto in this
house, it calls for a purging of secrets and fears so that emotions and
thoughts can be confronted for purposes of self-transformation. Oprah catalyzed
public discussion of sexual abuse and its consequences. With Pluto in the 8th
house squaring her Mars in the 11th house (ruled by her Sun Sign
Aquarius!) of community, Oprah plays the role of the healer and counselor on a
grand scale. Pluto sextiles (creating opportunities) with her Neptune in her 10th
house of career and public standing, indicating that she may imaginatively turn
the spotlight on taboo issues within the venues of television and film. With Pluto opposing Mercury, Oprah can
facilitate transformation by communicating with others (i.e. interviewing) and giving
visibility to issues that require resolution. Furthermore, the planet Mercury
is a focal point in her chart, where it makes aspects with five other planets.
The second house of personal resources is the most
active house in Oprah’s chart. It contains her Sun, Mercury, and Venus. Personal
resources refer to the native’s personal talents that may be used for sustenance,
and it reflects motivations for acquiring resources. The 2nd House spotlights
Oprah’s superb communication skills (Mercury) that make her shine (the Sun) and
attract to her (Venus) monetary resources. In turn, Oprah has utilized these
resources to assist others in communicating their messages (Dr. Phil and Dr.
Oz, for example). These planets in Aquarius also indicate that Oprah is expert
at making valuable connections within the community.
I was astounded to discover that Oprah has no natal
planets in earth. Her North Node (her direction for soul growth), is in
Capricorn, a sign that works hard to bring about accomplishments. Nevertheless,
the fact that she has three significant planets in the 2nd House, considered
one of the astrological chart’s money houses, seems to compensate for the lack
of earth. Additionally, Oprah’s Saturn (ruler of Capricorn) is in her 10th
house, which reflects her tenacity in accomplishing her career objectives.
Oprah Winfrey is a concrete example of one who has
succeeded by adhering to the adage, “do what you love and the money will
follow.” As her audience, we have witnessed the many transformations of Oprah
Winfrey, and the universe willing, we will continue to be close observers as her
full life evolves.
Sources:
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