I just read an article about a child prodigy. You could say he was born to paint. I wonder what his chart would show us. Some months ago, I interviewed some of my astrologer friends and one of the questions I asked them was, “What aspects, house/planets in your chart indicate that this is the chart of an astrologer?” Were they born to be astrologers?
Astrologers are so often busy looking at other people’s charts, I thought it would be interesting to get them to look at their own and share what they saw. Uranus is the planet most commonly associated with astrology. But here Dane Rudhyar proposes Neptune for this role. He makes an interesting case for it, too. Rudhyar himself had prominent Uranus and Neptune aspects in his chart.
I’ve been talking to Dr. O’Grady, and he told me that in traditional Western astrology, we look at the ninth house and Jupiter as signifiers of astrology. He also shared this data with me, “Charles Carter’s says in The Principles of Astrology, ‘Astrology has so many sides and there are so many avenues of approach to it, that it can hardly be said that there is a characteristic astrologer’s nativity. It appears to come largely under the 9th house in its philosophic and also in its prognostic aspects, for Sagittarius is the sign of prophecy. It is also largely Saturnian, on the positive Aquarian side, while Uranus is considered specially the planet of the astrologer. Strong aspects between the Sun and Neptune also occur in the genitures of many famous astrologers, especially the conjunction or parallel of declination.’”
Recently, I think I saw someone associating Chiron with astrology. On the whole, though, the astrological community generally bestows this ownership to Uranus. Personally, I’d like somebody to formulate a couple of hypothesis, examine charts of astrologers and see what they find. But in the meantime, here are the results of the interviews. These interviews were born out curiosity, love and a sense of fun. They should be read in the same spirit.
Julie Demboski: I don’t subscribe to the idea that any particular placements indicate an astrologer, since I think there are many ways to approach the material. I would say that the best astrologers I know are intuitive without allowing feeling to override evidence (Neptune and Saturn both strong?), that they have a great ability to organize material and to reconcile what might be conflicting information into a singular picture (again Saturn and Neptune, possibly Virgo, and a Mercury that isn’t too hampered by other factors). An astrologer must be capable of clear and concise thought (and I believe that’s reflected in clear writing/ communicating). Uranus is the acknowledged symbol for astrologers, though I’m not sure how prominent it needs to be. And a well developed Moon and Chiron (by that I mean, energies that have been worked with and matured) are also essential, in my estimation.
Jeremy Neal: Essentially, the 27 Leo – Aquarius axis (more generally 22-27 degrees of the fixed signs) seem to indicate astrological ability. This was noted by Alan Leo and actually was one of the first indications that I picked up on that I might be pre-configured in the right way to have a knack for astrology. Leo had Saturn on the Ascendant at 27 Leo. 11 Pisces and Virgo, 17 degrees of the mutable signs are also astrologer’s degrees. Uranus rising too is quite prominent in astrologer’s charts. I have Jupiter conjunct Pallas conjunct PoF at 27 Leo, Urania (the astrologer’s asteroid, muse of astrology) at 11 Pisces and Uranus rising. I wrote a post on it once if you’re interested: http://chirotic.wordpress.com/2008/06/16/the-astrologers-degrees-a-study-of-the-evidence/
Frederick Woodruff: Sun widely conjunct Uranus and square Neptune I think; but tempering that is Venus in Gemini trine Neptune in Libra — that’s the Sufi part of me that loves the poetry of astrology. Gosh, Mars in Pisces in the 8th, too. It’s been said that Uranus ‘rules’ astrology, but I’m a good case for Neptune being the governor. Kingsley: The aspects in my chart which describe my potential for astrology are:
- Moon and Chiron in Aquarius in the 3rd house
- Sun trine Uranus in the 3rd house
- Mars and Mercury in mutual reception (rulership)
- Fixed Star Fomalhaut at Midheaven
- Ascendant ruler trine Uranus
Matthew Currie: An awful lot… someone actually listed them out for me once, and I was surprised. I suppose though that having the rulers of my 5th and 8th conjunct in Virgo makes me enjoy demanding tough (and detailed) answers from The Universe… 
Michael O’Reilly: Uranus, the natural ruler of astrology, co-rules my Ascendant. It’s found in the sixth house of work, where it trines the Midheaven, and trines the North Node and Ceres in the 2nd house. Uranus is also conjunct Sirius which brings favors from the Gods and Goddesses.
Fern Feto Spring: Mercury conjunct Pluto, Uranus and the asteroid Urania in the 12th house, all sextile Venus in the 10th and Moon in Aquarius and Sun in the 11th.
Raphael Simons: Mercury is the ruling planet of my chart. It is in positive aspects with the majority of the other planets in my chart. I have Mercury in a stellium in the 9th house. It is parallel Uranus and Saturn in the 9th house; Uranus and Saturn are the universal significators of astrology.
Lucy Goldstein: I’ve never thought about that before! I think a big indicator of an astrologer in my natal chart is my Moon exactly conjunct my Ascendant in Gemini. This aspect has multiple interpretations that all describe me perfectly (fluency in talking and writing about my emotions, over-identification with my mother, being overly stimulated beyond my control by my environment, having a really young-looking face and obscenely extreme T&A like an early-blooming twelve-year-old), but only recently I was told that this kind of a Moon makes me quite psychic. I’ve always been hesitant to use the “P” word, but I can say for certain that I’ve frequently had prophetic dreams and weird senses about imminent danger, which everyone writes off as paranoia until the person I dreamt about is in the hospital or someone’s car gets broken into. Another telling aspect is that this Moon squares my Sun and Mercury in Pisces in my 10th House. Making sense of boundless human possibility is something I want to do for both myself and others, and I want to do it to my and everyone else’s absolutely fullest potential. 
Britt ‘Tejas’ Luneborg: Mercury Sesquiquadrate Pluto, Uranus in Scorpio in 11th house and Neptune Sextile Pluto.
Beth Turnage: Actually, according to the research done by Terri McCartney my chart does not show the markers of an astrologer. This is what she found. This information used to up on Lois Rodden’s AstroDatabank. However, now that Astrodienst took it over her article disappeared:
Terri found:
- 38% had the Sun in Scorpio, Sagittarius or Capricorn and these placements were found in the astrologers charts twice as often as they were found in the control group.
- Sun, Moon or Mercury was found in a fixed house for 70% of astrologers and Venus, Mars, Jupiter or Saturn were placed in an air house for 71%. (Okay, my sun in the tenth in a fixed house, there!)
- 63% of the astrologers had the ruler of the eleventh house direct. (Nope, Neptune Retro all the way)
- None of the astrologers tested had a mutual reception between Sun and Uranus. (But I do. And this is considered traditionally as a signature of an astrologer.)
- Pluto, Chiron or the North Node was placed in one of the Gauquelin power zones in 66%. (OK, my Chiron is in a power zone)
- Uranus was found aspecting the vertex in the control group more often than it was found aspecting the vertex in the astrologers’ horoscopes.
Nothing was found in 100% of the astrologers’ charts.
I think my tenth house Sun in Aquarius in mutual reception to Uranus in Leo is the thing that drives me towards astrology, despite Terri’s research.
Rodney Smith: Tough question. I would have to assume that your astrology is similar enough to mine to see what I see in my own chart. Mercury and Uranus conjunct the MC are a pretty strong indicator no matter what astrology you do… even without the modern planets, Mercury hugging the MC so tightly, and ruling the 10th and 7th places from the ascendant suggest that understanding systems is paramount to any career I chose, and any relationship to which I commit.
The number of planets lacking essential dignity suggest that my life’s work won’t be found within a socially acceptable path. (I might otherwise be a systems analyst or strategist.) I am not one who is disposed toward success in the mainstream. That leaves non-mainstream, and a keen talent for math and analysis brings us back to astrology.
Evelyn Roberts: Aquarian, Saturn/Neptune in the 10th. And you could make a case for everything, as in truth, my life and nature is what brought me to it.
Gavin Carruthers: First of all, I’m not sure that there is such a thing as “the chart of an astrologer”, mostly because astrologers are so different in what they do and why they do it. That said, here are some thoughts about elements in my chart. My Virgo Sun gives me good analytical and organizational skills, Mercury in Libra (sextile Uranus) gives me good language skills and intuitive thinking, Jupiter conjunct the Sun adds a positive focus that is one of the trademarks of my practice, Mars in Pisces on the MC gives me the one-pointed focus to be an astrologer that I have had for 35 years, and along with my Cancer ASC gives an ability to empathize with my clients and allow them to open up.
The Mars also makes me comfortable with improvization, to go with the flow in a reading rather than being overly structured. I also have Venus conjunct Uranus which means I like to meet a variety of people and enjoy getting quite intimate very quickly with strangers.
My Saturn Scorpio square Pluto means I have little interest in the events level of astrology and much more in the process level, supporting people to work on deep levels to transform their lives. I very much believe in free will, at least within the parameters of certain choices we make as a spirit, so I make no predictions at all for my clients, because in my experience most predictions are made by astrologers for ego-based reasons that have little to do with helping the client and more to do with making the astrologer look good. I am more interested in helping my clients to create a reality that they can enjoy and thrive in, rather than me “being right”.
And, maybe another Mars/Pisces thing…..I never “sell” readings to anyone. I never tell anyone they should get a reading with me, or push for anyone to do so, because that feels too self-serving. So all of my business comes from word-of-mouth, and I may be less rich as a result, but it’s what feels right in my heart. My N. Node is in Sag in 5th, and seems to have to do with my love of teaching astrology and spirituality.
April Elliott Kent: I really don’t know, and I imagine you’ll get an interesting range of answers on this one! Maybe the North Node in Leo, conjunct Uranus (ruler of the South Node)?
Basil Fearrington: I don’t think there is such a thing. Astrology is an idealistic and innovative subject. I have Neptune squaring a stellium that includes Mercury, and Uranus is conjunct Mercury. The 27th degree of Leo is supposed to be important for astrologers and that’s where my Sun/Moon midpoint is. But I doubt that anyone could look at a horoscope beforehand and say, “This person will be an astrologer or is an astrologer.”
Eileen Nauman (© Eileen Nauman 2009): I haven’t done research on this to know. However, people drawn to medical astrology do have some similar planets/signs. Pluto is almost a given to be a medical astrologer. Pluto is the ultimate detective and, in medical astrology, digging for the core or source of why a person is out of balance and has health issues is necessary. A strong 12th or 6th houses with planets in them. Either house gives a person an interest in health issues. Signs of Virgo (opposite polarity Pisces) are helpful as well. Virgos are well known for their attention to detail and there’s a lot of that in medical astrology.
Nick Dagan Best: I have a Taurus Moon conjunct my Midheaven, and this reflects the part of my nature that collects and sorts out information, which is one of my main practices in doing astrology.
To be continued…
P.S.: I also interviewed Donna Cunningham and Claire-France Perez for this series. But those were phone interviews and I have to transcribe the notes. Once that’s done, I’ll be updating these posts with that data.
Note to Self: When I started this post, the ASC of the event chart was conjunct the degree of my natal Sun. When I was ready to post it, the event chart had the degree of my Sun on its DSC and the degrees of my Moon and NN on the MC! Venus was on the cusp of the sixth as I finished the fine-tuning, a labor of love indeed.
Saturn is slowly retrograding and its square to Pluto will be exact in some time. Jupiter is breezing through Pisces and applying a sextile to Pluto. And the fickle Moon will soon quincunx the Dark Lord.
Oprah Winfrey, with her Sun, Venus and Mercury in Aquarius, is a good example of this energy. Wikipedia tells us that The Oprah Winfrey Show has had daily broadcasts for the past 25 years. It’s an internationally popular show that discusses issues about the human condition. You could say that Oprah is a crusader for humanity. Without a doubt, her work has helped countless people around the world. Her personal life is marked by a long-term relationship without the usual tying of the knot. Nope, not an ordinary woman this. Not in any sense of the word!
