Preface
If your birthday does not
fall during the Sagittarius time frame for the year you were born, this DOES NOT
mean that you do not experience the energy of Sagittarius, 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.
The Sun began its transit of the sign of Sagittarius on November
21, 2013 at 7:48 p.m. PST.
Sagittarian Energy at a Glance
Here are some terms used to describe Sagittarius
characteristics:
Ø Curious
|
Ø Explores & Journeys
|
Ø Philosophizes
|
Ø Teaches
|
Ø Student & Scholar
|
Ø Storyteller
|
Ø Freedom-loving
|
Ø Expansive
|
Ø Generous
|
Ø Enthusiastic
|
Ø Exaggerates
|
Ø Argumentative
|
Ø Blunt
|
Ø Impatient
|
Ø Pontificates
|
Ø Self-indulgent
|
Ø Risk taker
|
Ø Hot-headed
|
Sagittarians Speak
Pope Francis
Sagittarian Leader of the Roman
Catholic Church
Born December 17, 1936
"Proselytism is solemn
nonsense, it makes no sense. We need to get to know each other, listen to each
other and improve our knowledge of the world around us."
Ann Pachett
Sagittarian Author
Born December 2, 1963
“Never be so focused on what you're
looking for that you overlook the thing you actually find.”
Mark Twain (birth name: Samuel L.
Clemens)
Sagittarian Author
Born November 30, 1835
“Travel is fatal to prejudice,
bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these
accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be
acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.”
Barbara Morgan
Sagittarian Educator and Astronaut
(Mission Specialist on STS-118)
Born November 28, 1951
“Explore and
discover. Learn and teach. Build and share. It’s what NASA and
teachers and
parents do.”
Former Army Private Bradley
Manning (now going by Chelsea Manning)
Sagittarian Whistleblower
Born December 17, 1987
“With my
insatiable curiosity and interest in geopolitics I became fascinated with them.
I read not only the cables on Iraq, but also about countries and events I found
interesting. The more I read, the more I was fascinated by the way that we
dealt with other nations and organizations. I also began to think that the
documented backdoor deals and seemingly criminal activity that didn’t seem
characteristic of the de facto leader of the free world.”
Margaret Mead
Sagittarian Anthropologist
Born December 16, 1901
“Anthropology
demands the open-mindedness with which one must look and listen, record in
astonishment and wonder that which one would not have been able to guess.”
What Astrologers Say About Sagittarius
Sagittarius Symbolism And Rulerships
The glyph for this sign, shown
above, displays an arrow and the central portion of a bow. In Latin, “sagitta”
means arrow and sagittarius means archer, personified in the medieval painting
that precedes this article The archer is a centaur, a mythological creature who
is part horse and part man, as well as part mortal and part divine. The centaur
holds the bow and an arrow pointed toward a target. The arrow of the glyph
points upward into the sky, representing high ideals and aspirations, says
astrologer Bruce Nevin. He explains that the disparity between the lower and
higher natures, between the limitations of the body and the freedom of the mind
and spirit are the dynamics experienced by the sign of Sagittarius. Nevin
points out that this disparity manifests in physical terms as an intolerance of
restriction and a love of travel or adventure. This disparity finds expression
in mental and spiritual terms as openness to new ideas and a love of learning.[1]
The planet Jupiter rules the sign of
Sagittarius. Through its influence, Sagittarius displays acceptance of
diversity, respect for freedom, broad vision, joviality, optimism, enthusiasm,
generosity, and aspirational vision. Less attractive qualities include
self-righteousness, arrogance, inappropriate bluntness, overextension,
excessive optimism, unhealthy indulgence, and unrealistic visions.
Sagittarius is a mutable fire sign.
The Sagittarian symbol of the dual-bodied centaur aptly describes the adaptable
nature of a mutable sign.
As the ruler of the 9th
House of the astrological chart, Sagittarius oversees institutions of higher
learning, publishing, religious institutions, travel, philosophy, as well as
foreign languages, foreign lands and foreigners. This house is concerned with
the activities of the social collective.
Sagittarius rules the buttocks,
thighs, hips, and sacroiliac region. Because of this anatomical correspondence,
persons influenced by this sign in key areas of the natal chart experience
vulnerability to illnesses and ailments in these regions of the body.
Often associated with the Temperance
card in the Tarot, Sagittarius from this perspective more closely reflects the
mature stage of development in this sign, where one’s adventures and
experiences have cultivated wisdom. This is Sagittarius the philosopher,
teacher, and sage. The mutable quality provides Sagittarius with ability to
“balance” the established energy of the fixed signs and the fast-moving direct
action of the cardinal signs. Nevin says that the angel depicted in the
Temperance tarot card moves between heaven and earth, symbolizing the effort of
Sagittarius to connect the spiritual realm with earthly existence.[2]
The Transition From Scorpio To Sagittarius
Sagittarius represents the final
phase of autumn, the realm of time bridging two seasons. Both Scorpio and
Sagittarius search for the truth, and both can be brutally frank, although the
Archer often conveys its blunt remarks with wit or humor. Both are keen
observers, but Sagittarius is more inclined to look at the big picture. Scorpio
relies on gut reactions, but may be more deliberate in its actions, while
fire-sign Sagittarius uses its intuition to behave spontaneously, often causing
the natives of this sign to act first, and think later.
While Scorpio concentrates its
energy inward and delves into the great depths of the mysterious, Sagittarius
explores the unknown as well, but it journeys in a more expansive way,
participating in a variety of experiences. Scorpio may explore the depths of
the psyche, while Sagittarius studies cross-cultural customs and religious
belief systems.
Astrologer Dana Gerhardt observes
that Sagittarius, by its position “sandwiched between Scorpio and Capricorn, …
separates the two most ambitious (some would say the grimmest) signs in the
zodiac.” Gerhardt continues with this analysis: “If Scorpio is the Dark Prince
and Capricorn is the Old King, Sagittarius is the Fool, the court jester who
tricks the world into dropping its chin so he can flick its nose. The Fool
Lightens things up so that wisdom can enter the room. With his merry allusions,
the Fool utters tough truths to the King without getting his head chopped off.
His playfulness saves the world from destruction. His perspective brings the
kingdom new life.”[3]
While I am of the opinion that
adjoining signs continue a theme, I see them also reacting to the qualities of
the sign before them in order to balance personality weaknesses. In the
transition from Scorpio to Sagittarius, I can almost hear the Archer say,
“Enough already, Scorp. You have spent too much time down in the underworld
swimming in the cesspools of human depravity. Humanity should be better than
this. I dare you to look up into the sky, and dream big with me. I know human
behavior can be disgusting, but it is up to us to make it better. I have faith
that humans can take care of business here on earth with a higher purpose, if
they acknowledge their connection to the divine.” To survive as individuals and
as a species, I believe that we need faith and hope to carry us through life.
Perhaps I should say that I, as a Sagittarian, require this perspective.
The Purpose Of Sagittarius And Some Myth-Busting
Sagittarius wears many guises in
living life as an adventure, whether physically traveling or engaging in the
internal journey. Astrologer Steven Forrest says that the common denominator
among the diverse expressions of the Sagittarian personality is the motivation to
engage in actions that expand awareness through the gathering of unfamiliar
experience.[4] He
capsulizes the three destinies of Sagittarius as:
Ø The Gypsy: physical gathering of experience
Ø The Student:
intellectual researching of experience
Ø The Philosopher: intuitive collection of experience
So what is the purpose of
Sagittarius? Forrest says that the native’s wandering represents the pursuit of
the ultimate meaning of life. The Archer is on a quest, he says, to uncover the
Truth, as well as personal destinies. Forrest maintains that Sagittarius uses
the strategy of living life as an adventure to reach this endpoint. The
Sagittarian characteristics of faith, adventurousness, humor, and enthusiasm
are resources in the functioning of this zodiac sign, claims Forrest.
Conversely, Forrest observes that traits like bad judgment, over optimism, and
overextension are the Archer’s shadow.[5]
The late astrologer Dane Rudhyar
says that with the sign of Sagittarius, the night-force has reached its maximum
intensity, and collectivism overpowers individualism, society dominates over
the individual personality, and the far takes precedence over the near.
Sagittarius becomes completely absorbed by social or mystical factors, and
yearns for distant connections. This, he says, enables the complexities of
society to operate satisfactorily.[6]
Astrologer Deborah Houlding offers a
radically different theory about Sagittarius. She contends that modern
astrology downplays the bestial quality of Sagittarius. The Mars-like qualities
of Sagittarius are rarely recognized, says Houlding, and she proposes that the
fiercer aspects of this sign must be acknowledged to truly understand the
symbolism. As a fire sign, Houlding observes that Sagittarius reacts
spontaneously and intuitively, hence their love and talent at sports. This
sign’s instincts are to act first and think later.[7]
With this tendency, Sagittarius expresses its bestial nature. Rudhyar, on the
other hand, sees Sagittarius as a mental sign. I have read only excerpts from
his works, so I do not know how he reconciles the traditional association of
Sagittarius as a fire sign with his assessment of its mental qualities.
Sagittarius is associated with the
centaurs of classical mythology, known for their crass and irresponsible ways.
Centaurs are warlike and fierce. Houlding says that Chiron, the gentle wounded
healer, has been associated erroneously with Sagittarius. She informs us that
Chiron extricated himself from the wild, savage, and lustful ways of his race
of centaurs. Houlding suggests that Chiron provided a “tempering” energy to
quell the natural bestial qualities of the centaurs.[8]
Can these
astrologers all be right? As a Sagittarian, I personally identify with both
that ferocious quality of wanting to engage others in verbal battle. Yet, I can
also relate to that very mental place that Sagittarians go to frequently. I
think this reflects the “mental processing” that is needed for Sagittarius to
“make sense” of all of the diverse experiences in which they are engaged.
ENDNOTES
[1] Nevin, Bruce (1982). Astrology Inside Out. Rockport,
Massachusetts: Para Research Publishers, p.87.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Gerhardt, Dana
(December/January 2010). The Noisy Birds of Sagittarius. The Mountain Astrologer,
Issue #148, pp.11-15.
[4] Forrest, Steven (1988). The
Inner Sky. San Diego: ACS Publications, pp.76-80.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Rudhyar, Dane (1963).
Twelve Phases of Human Experience. The Pulse of Life: New Dynamics in Astrology.
Retrieved from: http://www.khaldea.com/rudhyar/pofl/pofl_p2s9pl.shtml
[7] Houlding, Deborah
(February/March 2007). Sagittarius the Archer. The Mountain Astrologer,
Issue #131, pp.25-30.
[8] Ibid.
THE ASTROLOGICAL CHARTS OF SAGITTARIANS JANE
FONDA AND TOM HAYDEN: COMING TOGETHER WITH A COMMON VISION
Recent photos of the former
power couple (Wikimedia Commons)
Introduction
This month I am deviating
somewhat from my monthly sign profiles of a single prominent individual. I
decided to select a couple (in this case, a long-divorced couple) who have Sagittarius
Sun Signs. Jane Fonda and Tom Hayden married in 1973 and officially divorced in
1990.
My knowledge of the marriage
between Jane Fonda and Tom Hayden primarily derives from what Jane has written in
her 2005 autobiography, entitled My Life So
Far. Several years ago I read Tom’s autobiography, entitled Reunion, but that work was published when
the couple were still together.
The Astro-Databank natal
charts of Jane Fonda and Tom Hayden appear at the end of this article, and are
followed by a list of sources utilized for this article. I used my own
astrology software to calculate synastry charts. Because my astrology software is on an
old computer, I am unable to upload these charts into this article. (Yes, I
need new software in 2014!)
Brief Biographical Sketches
As the daughter of actor
Henry Fonda, Jane Fonda has been in the public eye since her childhood,
although she did not become a prominent celebrity until her film appearances in
the 1960s. At her birth on December 21, 1937 in New York, she was named Lady
Jayne Seymour Fonda. (She later dropped the “y” in her first name). Her mother,
Frances Ford Seymour was a socialite who had been widowed before she met Henry
Fonda, who himself had been previously married. Jane recounts in her
autobiography, My Life So Far, that
although there was mutual affection between she and her father, she felt that
he was very emotionally distant from his children. Because of his acting
commitments in film and theater, he was physically absent a great deal. Prior
to her marriage to Henry Fonda, her mother had been a very engaging and
socially active individual, although Jane did not see this side of her mother’s
persona. In her marriage, Frances Fonda grew increasingly depressed and spent
many days in rehabilitation centers, eventually committing suicide. Although
not conscious early on of the impact of her parents’ emotional distance, Jane
struggled as a young adult with issues such as anorexia and bulimia.
Nevertheless, she experienced success, first as a fashion model, and then as a
stage and film actor. In the mid-1960s, she starred in a French film directed
by Roger Vadim, with whom she fell in love and married, and gave birth to their
daughter. Jane began appearing in popular American films, such as Cat Ballou and Barefoot in the Park. Although giving a powerful performance in They Shoot Horses Don’t They, it was not
until 1971 that her acting was rewarded with an Oscar for her role in Klute.
It was in the early 1970s
that Jane radically changed her life. She left the notoriously unfaithful Roger
Vadim and became deeply involved in politics and in activities to protest U.S.
military involvement in Vietnam. In 1972, Jane visited her nation’s enemy,
North Vietnam, and was promptly dubbed “Hanoi Jane.” Although popular on the
silver screen, Jane faced significant hostility from Americans who supported
the Vietnam War. Jane continued her involvement with the GI anti-war movement. It
was at this time that she met Tom Hayden and the two began a relationship that
ultimately culminated in marriage. In 1973, Jane gave birth to their child,
Troy.
Tom Hayden was born in the
Detroit, Michigan area, the son of middle-class Irish Americans. He attended
the University of Michigan, where he became editor of the school newspaper and
participated in political activities. He later became involved in forming the
left-leaning Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). With his first wife
Casey, he joined the freedom riders civil rights movement in the South. He is
credited with drafting the Port Huron Statement, a manifesto about
participatory democracy that would serve as a foundation for organizers in the
New Left in the 1960s. In addition to his work in poverty-stricken inner city
New Jersey, Hayden would become active in movements to protest the Vietnam War.
Before the visit by Jane, he and other anti-war leaders visited North Vietnam
in the 1960s. His anti-war activities were extensive, and he became one of the
key figures in the “Chicago 8,” leading anti-war protests outside the
Democratic Convention in 1968, for which he was indicted on charges of
conspiracy and inciting a riot. After charges were dropped on appeal, Hayden
continued his activities, visiting North Vietnam once again in 1972. Tom and
Jane originally met after an anti-war event, and they later become reacquainted
when Tom approached her after a speaking event hosted by Jane.
During the early period of
their marriage, Tom and Jane founded the Campaign for Economic Democracy
(CED), an organization that sought to build a progressive coalition of
neighborhood organizations and trade unions to counter the influence of big
business and government bureaucracy in the U.S. He
ran for, and was successful in winning, seats to the California State Assembly
(1982-1992) and later, the California State Senate (1992-2000).
While Tom was occupied with
CED activities and entering politics and elected office, Jane was continuing
with her career as an actor. After her success with Klute, Jane claims that she was briefly “graylisted” as the result
of Nixon Administration pressure. However, in 1977 she experienced a big
comeback, starring in Fun With Dick and
Jane and in Julia, for which she
gave a highly acclaimed performance. Other successfully films included Coming Home, the China Syndrome, and the engaging comedy, Nine to Five. One of her most memorable films in this era was On Golden Pond, in which she starred
with her father, Henry Fonda, and the iconic actor, Katherine Hepburn. The film
garnered Henry Fonda his only Academy Award. He passed away five months later.
In addition to acting, Jane embarked on another successful venture, the
production and distribution of fitness videos, beginning with the Jane Fonda Workout, which became the
best-selling home video ever.
The Break-Up
On her 51st
birthday, Jane received a rather crummy birthday present from Tom Hayden. On
that day, he told her that he was in love with another woman. Although
experiencing a period of depression after this, Jane soon after accepted a date
invitation from the CNN mogul, Ted Turner. Their romance blossomed, and they
married in 1991, but by 2001 their alliance was dissolved amicably. Tom Hayden
later married Barbara Williams, with whom he has a son.
An Astrological Look at Jane Fonda and Tom Hayden and
Their Marriage
This is a brief review of
this former married couple’s astrological synastry. Typically, astrologers
first attempt to understand the astrological makeup of the individuals who are
in relationship.
About Jane
A greater number of Jane’s
planets are above the horizon, giving us a sense that she is a relatively
extroverted individual, who objectively seeks information and answers from the
outside world. The planets are almost evenly distributed between the fire,
earth, air, and water elements, thereby giving her the potential to draw upon
the strengths of each. Similarly, she has considerable balance in the mutuable,
fixed, and cardinal modalities, with greater weighting in mutable and fixed. Although
she can be quite adaptable, she also has particular needs to be rooted, if even
for short periods of time.
With her natal moon in Leo,
Jane has an instinctual emotional need for dramatic creative expression, which
she has fulfilled, at least in part, through her acting career. In addition to
her fiery moon, her sun is in fiery Sagittarius, a sign that seeks broad
experiences to satisfy its curiosity and for a greater understanding of life. Jane
recounts that film director Alan Pakula once made this observation about her:
“There seems in her some vast emotional need to find the center of life. Jane
is the kind of lady who might have gone across the prairie in a covered wagon
one hundred years ago.”
Jane’s Capricorn ascendant
(ASC) adds a persona of practicality and seriousness to her exploratory nature.
However, Jupiter conjuncts the ASC, adding a joviality and optimistic veneer to
the mix. There is a side of Capricorn that is prone to insecurity and lives
within constraints, often mental images of what is socially acceptable. In
Jane’s case, she felt a compulsion to live up to her family’s value of thinness
as well as society’s expectations that females must please others while
stifling their own needs. Because of the traditional expectations of females,
combined with the Jupiterian ability to make things appear to be okay, Jane hid
the underlying truth of her problems with anorexia and bulimia.
Pluto in Jane’s seventh house
of marriage and partnerships is conjunct the descendant (DSC), and this clues
us in on the fact that Jane’s partners may be catalysts for her personal
transformation. Much more can be said about Jane by analyzing her natal chart,
but these are some of its key points, in a nutshell.
About Tom
Similar to Jane, Tom has the
greater number of planets above the horizon, indicating an objective nature,
consulting with others for information and answers. He has a relatively
extroverted orientation. Although Tom has planets in fire, earth, and water, he
has no planets in the air element. He does have the north node in Libra, which
is an air sign. Air is the element concerned with logical functioning and
relating. Some astrologers say that when we lack an element, that element’s
realm may become an obsession with the individual. In the case of individuals
lacking planets in air, Astrologer Clare Martin observes that they will display
a powerful emphasis on or obsession with education, learning, writing, and
communicating. In fact, Tom has spent many years as an academic, teaching
courses related to politics and contemporary society. He has also written many
articles and several books.
Tom has a strong Sagittarian
nature, with both his Sun Sign and Moon in this sign. His ascendant (ASC) in
Aries gives him a driving quality, providing him with the impetus to be a
trailblazer in whatever realm he involves himself. Libra rules his seventh
house of the other, where one finds his North Node. Partnership is very
important to Tom, and his spiritual growth (the North Node) is tied to
mastering this realm.
The Interaspects of the Natal Charts of Jane Fonda and
Tom Hayden
The Sagittarian qualities of
exploration and involvement in international adventures or issues are strong in
both charts and one can see how their mutual interests might have been factors
in forming and maintaining the long-term (but not permanent) relationship
between Jane and Tom. In fact, Jane’s Sun is exactly conjunct Tom’s Moon at 29
degrees Sagittarius. Her essence energy promoted his emotional need for
exploring the realms important to Sagittarius. Furthermore, Tom’s Sun at 18
degrees Sagittarius exactly conjuncts Jane’s Venus, which facilitated her
growth as a modern female, although perhaps more in reaction to his restrictive
expectations. Her Leo Moon is in harmonious (trine) relationship with his Moon
in Sagittarius, reflecting that they share a passionate orientation in their
emotional natures.
Where do these planet
convergences occur in their respective charts? For Jane, the sign of
Sagittarius covers the latter portion of the tenth house and the eleventh
house. Tom Sagittarian’s energy expanded her community of kindred souls (the 11th
house). In Tom’s chart, Sagittarius covers the latter portion of his eighth
house, and the first portion of his ninth house. Her Venus (financial resources
and values) conjuncts his Sun. Jane developed her exercise workout book and
videos with the expressed purpose of funding the Campaign for Economic
Democracy (CED), the organization run by Tom. In fact, the proceeds from Jane’s
projects garnered CED a whopping $17 million dollars! Jane also contributed
significant amounts of money to Tom’s political campaigns. She funded the
projects that allowed him to shine (the Sun). At one point in their marriage, Tom had revealed to Jane, in the presence of other friends, that she was hogging too much of the limelight. He was admittedly jealous of Jane's prominence.
Jane’s Venus and Tom’s Mars
are in a square relationship to each other, indicating the probability for
friction in the realms of relating and obtaining what you desire. This may
reflect incompatibilities in terms of sexuality or role expectations. This
situation may have been more difficult because of communication issues, as shown
in the semi-square between the planet Mercury in the two natal charts. Some astrologers
see the semi-square as a weaker form of the high-friction square, reflecting inflexibility.
On the other hand, astrologer Sue Tompkins views the semi-square as being quite
powerful and tending to force some type of release. Tompkins says that the semi-square
relates to issues that are more deeply buried in the psyche about which we are less
conscious. Jane, with her Mercury in Capricorn, and Tom, with his Mercury in
Scorpio, may have the capability for honesty in their relationship, but their
personal issues may have interfered with actualizing this communication on a
consistent and appropriate way. If one communicates in a Capricorn way, it may
be cautious and practical. A person communicating in a Scorpionic way may be
quite blunt, but may be known to avoid self-revelation, although they have the
capability of exploring profound depths. Nevertheless, there is the potential
for friction in communication. In her autobiography, My Life So Far, Jane identifies the point in her relationship with
Tom when she cut off his discussion about an important issue in their marriage,
which she later realized would have been an opportunity to discuss their values
and relationship boundaries.
The Couple’s Composite (Combined) Chart
Sources for the Jane Fonda and Tom Hayden article:
Jane Fonda (2005). My Life So Far. New York: Random House.
Virginia Meyer and Judy Koons (2010). Secrets of the Old Woman Who Never Dies: The
Ancient Ways of the Moon Phases. Bloomington, Indiana: iUniverse.
Sue Tompkins (2002). Aspects in Astrology. Rochester, Vermont:
Destiny Books.
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