Pope Leo and the Four Desires

In my last article on Pope Leo, a main topic was the presence of a Kala Sarpa Yoga in his chart.  With all of his planets hemmed between Rahu and Ketu, this yoga can bring a deep sense of pressure and urgency to fulfill a destiny or goal.  Another interesting aspect is that all of his planets fall in 4 consecutive houses - one for each of the Purusharthas. The word Purushartha comes from the Sanskrit term purusha which means “human being” and artha which means “purpose or goal.” The four purusharthas are: dharma - proper understanding expressed through our actions; artha - where we find sustenance and material comfort; kama - how we find pleasure and enjoyment; and moksha - our liberation from the world. The three sets of Purusharthas in any natal chart represent the natural evolution of life.  Houses 1-4 represent our individual self, houses 5-8 represent other people and houses 9-12 are connected to universal principles.  

The fact that all of Pope Leo’s planets fall in houses 9-12 are indicative of his life of service to the collective.  He is less concerned with his personal status in this life, and instead focuses on his place in the bigger picture and how he can bring others along with him.

Using his ascendant in Scorpio as the starting point, let’s examine these houses in Pope Leo’s chart and see how the interaction between those houses and his planets reveal details about Pope Leo’s character. 

 

Dharma:  Jupiter in the 9th House/Cancer

Dharma is connected to finding our true identity and living life through this lens.  The 9th house represents our highest principles operating in the world.  People with a prominent 9th house are often teachers and advisors of all kinds, especially ones connected to religious/spiritual beliefs such as gurus and priests. Jupiter, the indicator of righteousness, meaning and purpose is exalted in Cancer, which is pure feminine, reflective energy.  This healthy Jupiter shows he is capable of being a spiritual leader because he expresses his beliefs (Jupiter) in a nurturing and caring manner (Cancer).  

His exalted Jupiter also aspects his Ascendant (first Dharma house of self) in Scorpio and his Atma Karaka Rahu (see previous article for more on this). It is also aspected by an exalted Saturn, showing a seriousness and determination to his beliefs.  This is a good example of practicing (Saturn) what you preach (Jupiter) When he speaks from the pulpit, he is not only reflecting (Cancer/Moon) back the teachings of the Church (Jupiter), but he speaks from his personal experience of doing the work himself (Saturn).    It is also no surprise he was elected Pope during his Jupiter mahadasha with this exalted planet becoming the driving force in his life.  

Artha:  Moon, Mars and Sun in the 10th house/Leo

Of course Pope Leo has a stellium of planets in…LEO!  Anytime there is a stellium (3 or more planets) in a sign, it becomes a focal point in someone’s chart.  The 10th house is related to career, public status and one’s ability to affect the world.  As an artha house, this shows where he finds his “wealth.”   A powerful 10th house is indicative of a leader, and with all of the planets here in good dignity, it is indicative that the kind of power available for Pope Leo is of the higher vibration Leo energy - that of a servant/leader.  

As a Scorpio rising, Mars is Pope Leo’s ruling planet, and wherever this planet goes in a chart, it is very much a default setting.  We can see that all during his career, Pope Leo has been in positions of leadership.  A healthy Mars shows the ability to fight and have courage, as well as being able to discern what is right from what is wrong.  Fiery Mars is happy in the bright sunlight of Leo, so it is easy for Pope Leo to tap into this.  With the ruler of his 1st house being in the 10th, this makes for a potent raja yoga which elevates the importance of the house and the potential within it.   His true self (1st house) comes to life through his career and place in the public eye (10th house)

And speaking of raja yogas, the 9th house ruler the Moon being in the10th house creates another one!  The moon represents what gives us the most peace and happiness.  For Pope Leo, his happiness comes from his connection to his faith and belief in the Catholic Church (9th house), which is why it is natural for him to be a leader in the institution.  

The Sun is the indicator of the soul, and Pope Leo’s Sun is at home in his own sign.  This means the ruler of his 10th is in the 10th and shows his artha (wealth) is coming from being able to perform his duties.  Because the Sun is happy here, it gives him the confidence to perform well under pressure from the public and endure any criticism that might come his way.  

Kama:  Venus and Mercury in the 11th house/Virgo

Kama translates into “desire” and shows where and how we look for pleasure.  Pope Leo’s desires are centered around 11th house themes of serving large groups of people, and thinking about what kind of legacy he will leave behind when this life is through.   Venus is also the indicator of our desire for pleasure, and being in Virgo is debilitated which shows that hard work has to happen in order to connect to what that planet has to offer.  To further see how Pope Leo’s Venus operates, we see that it is the ruler of the 7th house of where we look for pleasure in partnerships.  The ruler of the 7th, indicative of one-on-one relationships of all kinds being in the 11th house of greater society shows that he doesn’t look for intimate partnership with one person.  Rather, he desires (kama) to serve the collective (11th house).

This debilitated Venus could be an issue in connecting to the masses, but it is propped up by Mercury being very strong in his own sign of Virgo.  Mercury is our ability to discriminate and communicate.  Being in the practical earthy sign of Virgo, shows he can explain things in a way that makes sense in day to day matters.  This also shows his talent in mastering languages, widening his ability to connect in a practical (Virgo) way across the world.  This strong Mercury helps Pope Leo overcome what may be lacking due to his debilitated Venus.  Additionally, the 11th house is known as a “house of increase,” so things here get better over time. This house is currently active due to Pope Leo being in a Mercury sub-dasha, and with the 11th house also being one of fame and public attention, his reputation will surely grow in a positive manner the longer he is in his position.

Moksha:  Saturn in the 12th house/Libra

Lastly, we come to the final Moksha house - where we look to liberate ourselves from the material world.  This is the place of Universal freedom and the last stop for the soul before it moves to the next life.  Libra is masculine Venus, where we look for pleasure through other people.  This shows up as Pope Leo desiring liberation for others.  The 12th house can be difficult, representing the space “between worlds.”  It can be a confusing place of escape and dreams which could lead to naught.  However, Pope Leo’s 12th house is empowered by an exalted Saturn which is all about reality with a capital “R.”  If we want to snap out of a dream, we must face reality.  And the reality which Pope Leo communicates is that we are spiritual beings living in a place that ultimately isn’t where we belong.  The highest expression of Saturn energy is that of a monk in meditation, which Pope Leo embodies in his personal life.  Though Saturn is connected to hard work and labor, ultimately all Shani (Sanskrit for Saturn) wants is to give us peace.  This is the main message Pope Leo has for the world. 

Pope Leo XIV - Following the Destiny of Rahu and Ketu

 May 8th, 2025 - St, Peter’s Square, Vatican City, Rome, Italy.  A little less than 3 weeks after the death of Pope Francis on April 21st, 2025,  and only 2 days after the Cardinals went into Conclave, the world saw what it had been waiting for - white smoke billowing from the Sistine Chapel signaling that a new pope had been chosen.  Over the course of these days, several Cardinals names kept recirculating as to who would be the next pontiff to follow the wildly popular late Pope Francis.  The man who stepped out on the balcony was not one on this list.  The immediate response and ripple effect of the news was one of shock, but also one of excitement and innovation.  For the first time in the history of  the Roman Catholic Church, the 267th Pope in the line from  St. Peter was a Cardinal from the United States.  This innovative and exciting choice for the new pope is apropos considering the chart of this 69 year old from Chicago, Illinois - Cardinal Robert Provost who announced that from here on out, he would be known as Pope Leo XIV.

First of all, we don’t have an exact birth time for Pope Leo, so I am using noon as a birth time. The Sun is connected to leaders and leadership, so it would be fitting for someone in Pope Leo’s position to have been born when the Sun is at its highest point of the day.  As we will see, using this time gives Pope Leo a Scorpio/Vishaka ascendant which works very well.  Even without a verified birth time, his planetary placements, dignities and yogas show that Pope Leo has the deep spiritual qualities and a strong but gentle heart befitting a great servant-leader who is the inspiration and caretaker for a worldwide religious institution. Since being elected Pope only happens to a rare few in this world, we would expect to see some extraordinary alignments.  In this article, we will specifically look at the role that Rahu and Ketu has played in Pope Leo’s life, and examine yogas connected to them.  We will examine other yogas and planetary dignities in another article. 

What are Rahu and Ketu?

Rahu and Ketu represent the karmic axis of a person’s life. Rahu, the north node of the moon, shows the desires of the soul coming from a place of lack, indicating a place the soul is hungry to explore in this lifetime.   Conversely, Ketu the south node of the moon Ketu reveals the lessons and tendencies carried over from past lives. Always opposite one another, the tension created shows the places where we are fated to grow, struggle, and ultimately find deeper balance on our spiritual path.  

The houses Rahu and Ketu fall in will tell the first part of the story.  Pope Leo’s Rahu falls in his 1st house, putting Ketu in the 7th house.  This shows the main axis of tension throughout his life is centered around uncovering his true identity versus what he is willing to compromise for the sake of relationships. Rahu is often known to be unconventional, so those who have this in the 1st house of identity can lead lives which don’t “follow the norms.”  Those who knew him as a child say that Pope Leo always wanted to be a priest.  So, it was no surprise to anyone who knew him that Robert Provost entered the Augustine Order as a friar in 1977 when he was only 22 years old. To pursue his true identity (Rahu in 1st house) he had to choose a less common path of celibacy with no partners (Ketu in the 7th).

What do the nakshatras the nodes are in have to say about Pope Leo?  

His Rahu is located in Scorpio/Jyestha, which is a combination of feminine Mars and Mercury energy.  Rahu is a place of endless fascination, even obsession.  In this nakshatra, this shows uncovering the truth about himself is a huge driving force in his life. Because this is in the fixed water energy of deeply spiritual Scorpio, this placement can often be quite intense and requires courage to uncover what is hidden by diving into the murky waters.  Because so much of his energy is focused on this search for his truthful identity (1st house), it can leave little energy for being deeply connected to a partner (7th house), and is fitting someone living a celibate life. There is a very mystical and spiritual side to Jyestha with Mars giving internal courage, and Mercury gives the ability to communicate.  He can lead by example and virtue instead of manipulation (the dark side of Jyestha) is available to Pope Leo because his ruling planet Mars is strong in the leadership sign of Leo, and his Mercury is strong in its own sign of Virgo - a great combination for someone leading a worldwide religious organization.

His Ketu is located on the Taurus side of Mrigashira, this giving him a combination of feminine Venus (Taurus) and Mars energy here.  When Mars and Venus are together, there can be a great drive for material pleasure.  However, Ketu is a place where we feel as if we’ve “been there and done that.”  In the 7th house, this suggests that in past lives he was more occupied with the comfort and enjoyment available in romantic partnerships, and in this life he has chosen to focus more on his personal spiritual development.  Mrigashira is called the “Searching Star,” and tells the tale of leaving the comforts of home to go on a spiritual quest.  Since he came into this life with this search in the past, no wonder that from a very early age, Pope Leo knew the trajectory of his life would be one of solitude and service that comes from a life as a celibate priest.  This is also further shown by the natural “war” that happens when Mars and Venus are together in any situation.  In Pope Leo’s case, Mars wins this battle easily as his debilitated Venus in Virgo is no match for his Mars in Leo.  

Because Rahu and Ketu are always opposite one another, they create tension which calls us to work out the opposing forces.  There is usually an outlet for this using a technique which finds the common ground between the two placements.  However, because Pope Leo’s is along the 1/7 axis, there is no such outlet - the only way out is through - and with Rahu leading this tension in the 1st house ruled by Mars, the warrior, he is up to the challenge, willing to fight his internal battles (Scorpio is feminine Mars) in order to be a leader (Mars in Leo).  This is made even stronger by looking at Pope Leo’s Atma Karaka which just so happens to be Rahu.  

Rahu as Atma Karaka

Atma means the soul and karaka means significator, this shows the main desire of the soul and what most needs to be developed in this lifetime.  The house the Atma Karaka occupies shows where Pope Leo is to develop these skills.  For Pope Leo, his Rahu in the 1st shows how he came here to purify his identity and to develop leadership qualities. With Rahu in Jyestha, he will purify himself by leading with the spiritual intelligence he has developed because he has taken his own spiritual growth very seriously.  Whenever a dasha cycle activates the Atma Karaka, magical things can happen.  Especially considering the innovative and sometimes shocking things which Rahu can bring about, it is no surprise that Rahu is a major factor in when and why he was elected Pope, something which almost no one saw coming, probably even himself.  But taking a deeper dive into the energy surrounding his Rahu/Ketu, we see something even more powerful and shows that becoming Pope was part of his destiny.

Pressure from the “Serpent of Time”

When all the planets fall between Rahu and Ketu, the chart takes on what is known as Kala Sarpa Yoga, or the “Serpent of Time.” This configuration can give a feeling  that the soul is tightly bound by past karma, and life will unfold in a way that feels fated, intense, and often filled with extremes.  An extreme we can see in Pope Leo’s life would be the contrast between his life as a priest in Peru and his current situation in Vatican City.  In Peru, he lived among his parishioners on the outskirts of town in austere quarters. Fast forward to the present, he is now living in the lap of luxury at the Vatican, with every material comfort available.  With all of the planets hemmed in by Rahu/Ketu, someone with this configuration can experience a deep sense of pressure and urgency to fulfill a destiny.  Likened to a snake coiled around the planets, this squeezing has been present in Pope Leo throughout his life, leading him to walk the path laid out by what Rahu and Ketu represent in the chart. In this case, rejecting the pleasures and comfort of domesticity with a partner (Ketu in Taurus in the 7th) to pursue a life of service driven by the desire for personal spiritual purification (Rahu in Scorpio in the 1st).  The chances for being successful in achieving the goal are increased if the planets located within Rahu and Ketu are strong and in good dignity, which Pope Leo definitely has (more on this in another article).  “Kala” means “time,” so the effects of this yoga also indicate that this destiny will be fulfilled later in life after stepping on this path when they were much younger.  It has taken 47 years for Pope Leo to take the journey from joining the Augustine Order as a Friar to becoming the leader of the Catholic Church as the Pope.

It is incredibly fascinating that a Kala Sarpa yoga was formed in the sky just a few days after Pope Francis’ death and continued through til the wee hours of the morning on the 2nd day of Conclave.  The Moon, Pope Leo’s 9th house ruler (house of religion where his exalted Jupiter in Cancer is) had broken the Kala Sarpa yoga at the time the announcement of his election was made, but surely the pressure brought on by this yoga was mirroring the energy of Pope Leo’s natal chart, resulting in the achievement of fulfilling the destiny laid out by Rahu and Ketu.

When Dashas activate the Nodes

Rahu and Ketu have played a major role in Pope Leo’s path to the Papacy.  In particular, Rahu, his Atma Karaka has been “lit up” every time he has had a change in identity which heightened his status and gave him more power in the Catholic Church.  Rahu and Ketu dashas are known to be especially intense, times when we are being given transformational karmic lessons we cannot avoid.  Let’s examine in more detail:

Joining the order of Augustine Monks - 1977:  Pope Leo was in Venus/Ketu when he first stepped on the path to become a priest.  This lit up his 7th house ruler Venus where his Ketu in Mrigashira is.  Ketu has a “rejecting” energy, shown here by abandoning comforts and pleasure (Venus) he could have derived from partnership (7th house) to go towards his true passion and identity (Rahu in the 1st).

Ordained as a priest in the Augustine Order - 6/19/1982:  He was in a Sun/Mercury dasha when he officially became a priest.  The Sun lit up his 10th house where his Moon in Magha is located.  Magha is ruled by Ketu, indicative of being connected to and benefitting from a lineage, in this case, the Catholic Church.  Mercury lit up Rahu in the 1st, indicating a change in his identity, which in this case included adding the title of “Father” to his name, made even more appropriate by the fact that the Sun/Leo both represent the father archetype.  This could show an astrological connection to the name Leo, the name he chose for himself.  

Promoted to Bishop -  12/12/2014:  Now in Rahu/Venus dasha, once again his Rahu in the 1st comes into play with another title change, and the house where his Ketu is which shows he is being given more responsibility.  Now he is going deeper into the surrender (Ketu) which is required of someone in this position.  Rahu as his Atma Karaka, with the added pressure of his natal Kala Sarpa Yoga is pushing him harder and faster than ever.

Promoted to Archbishop 1/30/2023 & then Cardinal 9/30/2023 - Pope Leo is now in his Jupiter Mahadasha where he begins to reap the rewards of all he pursued during Rahu Mahadasha.  Specifically he was in Jupiter/Saturn.  Jupiter lit up his Ascendant in Vishaka/Scorpio, where his Rahu is located.  More shifts in identity, getting closer and closer to his ultimate goal.

Elected Pope - 5/8/2023:  A Jupiter/Mercury dasha in part returns Robert Provost to where he began.  His first title/name change to Father began under another Mercury sub dasha, activating his Rahu Atma Karaka.   The pressures of his natal Kala Sarpa Yoga, as well as the pressures from the Kala Sarpa Yoga transit are combined, resulting in Cardinal Robert Provost being transformed into Pope Leo XIV, thus fulfilling his karmic destiny..  

Simone Biles - A Tale of Two Dashas

This article is a follow up to one I wrote last year where I examined Simone’s chart and

in particular highlighted Venus as her Atma Karaka planet.  I will be discussing Venus

in this article, so please refer back to that article for more details. You can do so HERE.

As of this writing on July 31st, Simone Biles and her fellow teammates have already won the Gold in team competition at the 2024 Paris Olympics.  Though every girl put forth amazing performances, without a doubt Simone is the star of the show, which is nothing new for her.  However, being the star can be a mixed bag.  With so much attention on one person, the pressure can be daunting, which can lead them to the highest of highs or to the lowest of lows.  This time around, it definitely seems to be the former rather than the latter.  At 27, Simone is participating in her 3rd Olympics, and now holds the record for the most medals won by a US Gymnast in the Olympics.*  She has been stellar in every performance so far, and she is glowing in the limelight.  Considering how it went for her at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, the contrast could not be more stark.

In 2021, Simone was also the star of the show, but not for her athletic prowess.  Even though she put forth some amazing performances - good enough for the US team to bring home the Silver team medal - the main headlines had to do with Simone dropping out of the competition after experiencing what is known as the “twisties” while performing a vault.  In gymnastics, the “twisties," is a sudden mental block which causes a loss of spatial awareness while performing aerial skills. This drew negative widespread attention to her and sparked conversations about her mental well-being. There was speculation at the time about whether or not Simone’s gymnastics career was over.  

What happened to Simone between these two Olympics?  The tale can be told through her dasha cycles, transits and how they were affecting her in dramatically different ways.  Three years can make a huge difference!

Simone began her Rahu mahadasha at the end of 2012.  Rahu Mahadashas, quite deserved sometimes, are known to be quite difficult periods in one’s life.  Rahu, the north node, is erratic in nature and, as is the nature of the nodes, can cause confusion wherever they are placed in the chart.  When one of their dashas run, it can be particularly intense, as their energy is concentrated in one area of life.  Contrast this to a dasha cycle of one of the planets, where the lessons and karma come through not only the planet itself, but the houses they rule.  With Rahu being in her 8th house of shocking and unexpected twists (pun intended?) and turns, this time of her life so far has been a roller coaster ride for sure.  She has had some of the best experiences of her life happen during this time (she got married in April 2023) and some of the darkest, as we will discuss further.

At the time of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Simone was in her Rahu/Mercury dasha.  Mercury is the ruler of her 5th house of creativity, and the 8th house of unexpected changes.  Rahu is in her 8th house natally, so with this dasha running, she was getting the karmas from both of her dasha planets at the same time.  Her debilitated Mercury in the 2nd house is also active.  Mercury is the indicator of our mental state, connected to the intellect and the ability to make sense of things.  Her weak Mercury combined with the erratic nature of Rahu in the 8th (unexpected misfortune) is one reason her natural creativity and ability (5th house) was stunted by the shocking event of experiencing the “twisties,” doing a vault she had no doubt practiced hundreds of times.  

By transit, Jupiter was in her 1st house alongside her Venus and Ascendant in Aquarius.  Jupiter was also retrograde, which can mean a reversal of fortune.  Since the 1st house represents her body, this had an effect on her ability to perform, and Venus being her Atma Karaka, this put into question the entire narrative of her identity and sense of who she is to herself and also to the public.  Being an Aquarius rising, Saturn is her ruling planet, and at that time Saturn was also retrograde in her 12th house of loss where her debilitated natal Jupiter is.  Perhaps if she had been able to properly assess her mental state before the Olympics, she might have not decided to commit (Saturn retrograde) to compete this time around.  Jupiter is the indicator of hope, but since hers is debilitated, it was tough to overcome this loss with the heavy weight and pressure that Saturn was giving it.

Lastly, Rahu was transiting her 4th house of the mother.  Due to the Covid rules of the Olympics that year, for the first time in her entire gymnastics career, her mother was not there to nurture and prop her up emotionally during the competition.  This added to her feeling of not being grounded, and she wasn’t able to talk to her (debilitated Mercury in the 2nd house) as she normally would.  In fact, she had a hard time talking about this to anyone. Lastly, her debilitated dasha planet Mercury was transiting her 5th house which is active due to her dasha.  This was further indication of how her creativity and mental state was chaotic during that time in her life.

Contrast this to the dasha she is currently experiencing.  Although Rahu mahadasha is still active, this time she is in the subdasha of her Atma Karaka - Venus. One thing to remember is that no planet, node, house or configuration is inherently “good” or “bad.”  While Rahu can cause things to go awry seemingly out of nowhere (especially since Simone’s is in the 8th house) he can also award someone with great tenacity, even borderline obsession to overcome difficulty.  He can also bring flashes of insight and innovation.  The 8th house can also be a place of transformation through facing vulnerabilities.  An example of this would be in September 2021 when Simone mustered up the courage to give testimony in Senate hearings regarding the abuse she and other gymnasts experienced under their former doctor.  

With her Venus dasha running, her super powerful Atma Karaka, Venus is now in play.  On top of that, Venus is involved in not one, not two, but three major raja yogas which will be activated by this dasha. These raja yogas are also being activated by this dasha.  Even though she began her return to gymnastics the previous year, the Simone Biles we are now seeing compete was on full display during the Olympic trials in June 2024, just one month after she entered her Venus subdasha in May.  

Simone’s Venus subdasha activates her 1st house, which puts her body in the spotlight.  Venus is the planet of grace, beauty, pleasure and how we share that with others. During this dasha she will be celebrated for her athletic abilities and her smile and charm will be on display for everyone to see.  It also activates her 4th house of heart, home and mother, as well as her 9th house of hope, beliefs and inspiration.  In stark contrast to the 2021 Olympics, her mother is there (along with her husband and father) cheering her on and their comfort (4th house) and inspiration (9th house) will prop her up on all levels.  These are the planets involved in the raja yogas with Venus, which exponentially multiplies their positive impact on her during this time.  On top of this, Jupiter, the planet of luck and grace is transiting her 4th house, expanding her feelings of being held and supported, especially by her mother.  

Another transit working in her favor is the current Rahu/Ketu half return which began at the end of 2023.  This means her Ketu in Pisces is being transited by Rahu and her Rahu in Virgo is being transited by Ketu.  This is an opportunity for tremendous growth with many “full circle” moments.  Rahu is the future we obsess over  and Ketu is the past we don’t want to acknowledge.  Under the influence of this transit, Simone is being forced to face head on (Rahu) the things of her past (Ketu) which have been holding her back.  With her natal Ketu in the 2nd house, she is really coming to appreciate even more the influence her family has on her.  She is realizing that even though she has obvious talent, this could not have been realized without the family structure and values she was raised in.  With the stellium of three planets along with Ketu in the 2nd, this is even more pronounced.  In the reverse, Simone is able to let go (Ketu) of thinking about what the future holds (Rahu) and to be more in the present moment.  With her natal Rahu in the 8th house, she can enjoy life instead of being obsessed with “what’s around the corner.”  Also with her natal Rahu in Virgo, she has a tendency to be her own worst critic.  This transit is quieting that voice inside her, allowing her to relax.  There is a saying “where attention goes, energy flows.”  Because she is not focusing on perfection, perfection (or close to it) is coming to her much more easily.  In Paris, it has been quite noticeable how she has been much more relaxed and is very much enjoying the experience of her third Olympics, yet she is executing her routines with almost flawless precision.  

Lastly, Saturn is transiting over her 1st house, bringing pressure to her identity.  This might be more of a difficult transit for many, but in Simone’s case this is her ruling planet, and she is up to the challenges of discipline and commitment that Saturn is asking of her.  This transit began in April 2022 and by September 2022 she ended her two year hiatus from gymnastics and began training again.  This time, instead of the pressure of Saturn weighing heavily on her, she used the pressure instead to help shape her into someone both physically and mentally (she was still dealing with her Mercury subdasha at that time) strong and beautiful, much like a diamond.  She was up to the task to do the work of healing her identity and came out on the other end better than before.  

Will she return to the Olympics in 2028?  The dashas and major transits appear to be indicating other thing.  For one thing, she will be on the other side of her Saturn return by then.  Saturn return is a time when we “level up” so to speak, and if taken in the proper mood, a time of maturity and growing in wisdom.  She will enter her Sun subdasha in May 2027, activating her 2nd house of values as well as her 7th house of partners.  She has already commented that her attitude about life has shifted dramatically in recent years.  She said “now I have a husband and a dog to consider,” when being asked about what role gymnastics plays in her life.   During this time she will be reconsidering what is important (2nd house) and in particular how it impacts her husband (7th house).  The Sun dasha is a time of purification where we can discover what our true purpose in life is.  To define herself beyond the label of “gymnastics legend” will be important to her during this time.  

Even more important to her personally though is at the time of the Olympics in 2028 she will be in a Moon subdasha. starting in April 2028.  If you remember from my previous article, she was born in and discovered gymnastics during her Moon mahadasha.  The importance of her mother in her life and career cannot be understated.  While her natal moon is exalted in Taurus in her 4th house of the mother, it also rules the 6th house of illness.  Simone’s mother will be 78 at that time and Simone will consider the emotional and physical toll that Simone’s career has taken on her mother, and by this time may have given up actively competing.  A Moon dasha for a woman is also a strong indicator of becoming a mother, and since Simone’s natal moon is exalted, she may very well either have a baby by the next Olympics, or be totally committed to becoming a biological mother.  

Another way to look at this Moon dasha could be that she will assume the role of a mother to all the young gymnasts who have taken up the sport because of her example and grace.  No matter what the future holds, Simone Biles will always hold a place in the public's heart.

*As of this writing, the number of Olympic medals Simone has won is 8, though she is certainly in the running for medals in the individual competitions which haven’t happened yet

Kate Middleton - A Lunar Princess

 

Kate Middleton - A Lunar Princess

To say that Kate Middleton has been “in the news” recently would certainly be an understatement.  The beloved wife of Prince William, next in line to become the King of England, this usually public future Queen has not been seen in any official capacity since Christmas Day 2023.  Seemingly going against the usual trend of the royal family not disclosing health conditions to the public, it came as quite a surprise when it was announced in early January 2024 she would be undergoing abdominal surgery “not related to cancer,” and stepping away from the public eye for some time to heal.  Unfortunately, what has unfolded since has been anything but smooth and forthcoming.  Let’s take a look at how Kate’s Moon in particular has played a role in how this story has unfolded, beginning with how she became a Princess in the first place.

Born to be a Royal

Princess Catherine “Kate” Middleton has a Cancer ascendant, making the Moon her ruling planet.  This makes the movements of the Moon and cycles connected to it especially meaningful.  Because Kate’s Moon is in the 12th house, the place we look to for how someone relates to solitude, privacy and isolation, it is indicative of a deep seated desire for privacy, but it also shows she can find peace and rejuvenate when necessary.  With Rahu there as well, this shows even more how her desire for peace and quiet can become an obsession.  

Opposite Kate’s Moon and Rahu are Ketu and the Sun in the 6th house only a few degrees apart. Thus, Kate was born on an eclipse, showing a connection to royalty.  Astrology case studies have shown many significant events related to the British royal family have occurred on or very near eclipses (see notes below).  The Sun is our connection to our soul, and this Rahu/Sun combination shows that even though she wasn’t actually “born” into royalty, it is part of her soul agreement in this life to become a part of such a family.  The Sun is also where we look for a person’s vitality, and with Ketu conjunct there in the 6th house of disease, it shows there can be a tendency to ignore health issues, especially when under the pressure of high expectations - something that goes hand in hand with being a part of the royal family.

Kate’s “official” connection to the royal family began during her Saturn/Jupiter dasha when she became engaged to Prince William on April 29th, 2011.  Saturn lit up her Ascendant in Pushya (a combination of the Moon and Saturn), indicating a change in identity.  As a house ruler, it lit up her 7th house of marriage, as well as her 8th house of vulnerability, loss of control, and the opinion of others.  From this point on, she would have to relinquish the control of how the public and media would perceive her, putting her in a vulnerable position in many ways. With Jupiter becoming active at this time, the “royal” part of her chart also lit up with her Moon/Rahu in Purnavasu (ruled by Jupiter), and the beginning of her desire to balance rest/privacy (12th house) with hard work (6th house) which was lit up due to Jupiter as a house ruler.  Jupiter as a dasha planet in the 4th house is indicative of a change in residence that happened shortly before Kate and William got married on April 29th, 2011 during this same dasha cycle.  This house was a quiet place, affording the young couple a lot of privacy at the time (12th house).  In addition, it lit up her 9th house in Pisces, showing others were seeing her as an inspiring infusion of fresh air into the royal family.  

Changes due to The Queen’s Death

When Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8th, 2022, Kate was nearing the end of her Mercury/Rahu dasha.  Her Mercury mahadasha, which started very shortly after her wedding, showed what she gained while Mercury in her 7th house of marriage was lit up.  This continued the trend of showing the need for privacy due to her Mercury ruled 12th house.  However, what is particularly interesting is that Kate’s Mercury-ruled 3rd house in Virgo representing her father-in-law, Prince Charles was also active.  With the Queen’s death, Prince Charles would finally become King Charles, making her husband (7th house) next in line for the throne.  Kate’s ruling planet (indicator of identity), the Moon was also activated in the 12th house (loss/endings).  She would “lose” her old title of Princess of Wales and gain a new one fit for the future Queen of England - the Duchess of Cornwall.  Another consequence of this shift was a change of residence.  Her natal Jupiter (children) in the 4th house (place of residence) is in Jupiter-ruled Swati, and she, William and their three children moved to Adelaide House in Windsor during this time.

Return of the Jupiter Cycle and Kate’s Health

Kate entered a Jupiter sub dasha once again on August 9th, 2023, lighting up her 6th house of illness and hard work.  In the 14 years since the last Jupiter cycle, she became mother to three children, and lived the busy pressure-filled life of a working royal. Additionally, she was now next in line to become the Queen of England.  Perhaps all of this was weighing heavy on the vitality of her natal Sun in the 6th.  With her natal Ketu being in this same house, there could have been some dismissal of symptoms of illness.  What we know now is that she underwent surgery on January 16, 2024.  It was said the surgery was abdominal and “not cancer” in nature, but no further details were disclosed.  

What was the surgery for?  Kate’s Mercury ruled 12th house became even more active when the Jupiter sub-dasha hit, lighting up her  Moon in Purnavasu.  Not only is it her ruling planet, it is also the indicator of being a mother.  Her natal Jupiter, the indicator of children in the 4th house of motherhood, is also active.  All of this put together shows a definite possibility of an issue surrounding reproduction, even so far as a pregnancy that somehow went wrong.  Of course anything of this nature would be particularly sad, and something she would want to keep private and retreat (12th house).  This active 12th house also shows loss and confusion surrounding this time, particularly because her Moon is joined Rahu.  Rahu can distort reality and often spins things in such a way that creates speculation and conspiracy theories in the absence of other information.  What is clear is that the 12th house will be active in her chart until her Mercury mahadasha ends in August of 2028, and the questions regarding what prompted her original surgery may continue to remain unanswered for some time.

And Speaking of the Moon…

With the Moon being Kate’s ruling planet, it is interesting to see where the Moon has been transiting her chart on key dates of her recent health journey.

January 16th, 2024 - the day of Kate’s surgery.  The Moon was in Pisces, falling in Kate’s 9th house which is active due to her Jupiter sub-dasha.  Pisces has to do with things we have to let go of.  Being ruled by Jupiter, the indicator of children, this adds to the possibility of the surgery being connected to loss of fertility or even a child.  

February 27th, 2024 - at the last minute, William pulls out of a planned event with no explanation, and there is speculation it was due to Kate’s health.  The Moon was in Virgo, falling in Kate’s active 3rd house (Mercury mahadasha).  Interestingly, this could also be connected to her father-in-law’s (3rd house) health, as he had announced his cancer diagnosis on February 5th.  

March 1st, 2024 - Kate is spotted as a passenger in a car driven by her mother.  The Moon was in Libra, Kate’s 4th house active due to her Jupiter sub-dasha, as well as the 4th house being the indicator of the mother (in this case, her mother).

March 10th, 2024 - Mother’s Day photo failure.  The Moon was in Aquarius, Kate’s 8th house of scandal, secrets and other people.  Aquarius has to do with the public, and when the photo was shown to be altered, there was a tremendous backlash from the media which fueled wild speculation and conspiracy theories surrounding her whereabouts.  

March 17th, 2024 - video of William and Kate shopping at a farmer’s market near their home surfaces.  The Moon was in Gemini, Kate’s 12th house of isolation and things which are hidden.  Rather than calm down the rumors and speculation surrounding Kate’s whereabouts, instead the video was scrutinized and dissected to such a degree that rather than quell the rumor mill, it in fact, fed it with more fire.  There were many who were still convinced that the public still wasn’t being told the truth about Kate’s condition. 

March 22nd, 2024 - Cancer diagnosis announcement.  The Moon was in Leo, Kate’s 12th house of silence and isolation.  This “quieted” the critics' speculations and “shut up” many of the wild theories as to why she has remained out of the public eye.   Leo is also the sign of the King, whom we also know has cancer.  Now there is a deeper emotional connection (the Moon) between her and the King, who is also her father-in-law (3rd house active due to Mercury mahadasha).   It is also of note this was announced only a few days before a lunar eclipse.  Not only is her ruling planet being eclipsed, but because Kate was born on an eclipse, these cycles can hold more meaning and affect her in a more profound way.  

March 31st, 2024 - Easter Sunday, and the day Kate has been supposedly earmarking to return to some public duties.  The Moon will be in Scorpio, Kate’s 5th house of children and the things closest to her heart.  This seems to say she will not be out in public (Scorpio is also keeping things hidden) and spend the day in a more low-key manner with family instead.

What’s next for Kate?

This Jupiter sub-dasha will continue until December of 2025, so all of the above factors of Jupiter will continue.  She will put her children (Jupiter) first, and spend much time at home (4th house).  Her planets in the 12th house can indicate she may spend more time out of the public eye. The 6th house also shows she will be closely monitoring her health.  However, we may see her begin to emerge from her isolation after Jupiter enters Taurus, which is her 11th house of the public, on May 1st, 2024.  Additionally, during this time, her Jupiter-ruled Pisces 9th house of hope, inspiration and belief in the Divine is active.  Anyone who has gone through a health crisis knows how important keeping your spirits high can affect the outcome of any diagnosis.  This lends an air of optimism to her eventual outcome.  

Another sign of hope during this time is that as a house ruler, her 9th house is also active.  We can see that Jupiter is in her 4th house (mother), forming a potent raja yoga. Additionally,  Kate’s ascendant is in Pushya, located in the deepest, purest part of Cancer.  First and foremost, Kate is a loving and dedicated mother, who more than anything wants to stay healthy for her children.  The power of this love cannot be understated, and gives favorable light to her prognosis.  

Once she leaves Mercury/Jupiter and the activation of the 6th house ends she will enter Mercury/Rahu where her ruling planet is and hopefully, her health will cease to be on the forefront.  However, moving into Ketu/Ketu dasha on 8-28-2028 this 6th house will become active again.  But Ketu has more to do with the past than the future, and even in the 6th house, it can indicate latent illnesses that weren’t paid attention to.  With the knowledge she has now, it very may well be that she will simply get screened for cancer regularly from now on and if anything re-surfaces, she will be able to catch it early before it becomes anything serious.

Note:

British Royal family events happening on or very near eclipses:

King Charles born

King Charles marries Diana

Princess Diana’s death

King Charles marries Camilla

Coronation of Charles and Camilla

Prince William born

Princess Kate born

Prince George born

Margot Robbie - The Face of Barbie

 

The Barbie movie was one of the biggest films of 2023, breaking records and sparking thoughtful conversations from all those who saw it.  Although there had been talks to make a live-action Barbie movie going as far back as the 1980s, the project didn’t begin to coalesce until 2018 when, among other things, Margot Robbie’s name came up to play the starring role.  As we will see in this summary of how Margot’s dasha cycles lined up with the creation of the movie, there was no one else who could bring Barbie to “life” in exactly the way she was able to.

She was officially cast and made a director of the film in July 2019 during her Jupiter/Mars dasha. The Jupiter mahadasha lit up her 12th house where her Mercury, Jupiter and Sun are.  This shows how she was successful working behind the scenes of the movie, as well as being the star.  Through this position, she can express her big ideas for the movie (Jupiter), communicate them effectively (Gemini in its own sign) and be inspired by the movie on a Soul level (Sun).

As a house ruler, her Jupiter mahadasha lit up her Mars in 9th house Pisces, which shows how she was inspired by the project and brought lots of inspiring energy to getting the film made.  It also lit up her 6th house where her natal Saturn in Sagittarius is.  With Saturn being retrograde, this indicates an inspiring project (Sagittarius) that had been a long time in the making that was finally coming to life after a lot of hard work (6th house).

The Mars secondary dasha brought even more energy to Mars in the 9th house.  As a house ruler this lit up her 5th house of creativity in Scorpio.  This reveals that  there would be deeper themes and meanings emerging from the film than what would have been expected of a movie about Barbie.  It also lit up her 10th house of career where she would be the starring role, in this, her “baby” project (5th house of children)

The Mars secondary dasha also lights up a powerful Raja yoga for her, with the Lord of the 10th (Mars) in her 9th house in Pisces.  A Raja yoga is a combination of planets which indicate wealth, good fortune, and influence. It can also signify success in business or career, and financial prosperity.  This is especially true in this case since it involves her 10th house of career.  It also shows how she is inspired and is inspiring others through her work (9th house).

Mars in Pisces also indicates a powerful theme that runs through the movie.  Mars, a masculine sign, is an indicator of strength, and Pisces, a feminine sign, is where boundaries dissolve.  Jupiter is the ruler of Pisces, which indicates people’s beliefs about something.   The questioning and blurring of the lines of what is considered traditionally “male” and “female” were brought up many times in the film.

From filming to completion - Saturn/Saturn

By the time the movie was wrapping up filming on July 21st, 2022, Margot started her Saturn/Saturn dasha which will run until July 2025.  Thus, everything that has happened with the film so far has manifested under this dasha.  

This period lights up her 6th house of hard work and sacrifice where her retrograde Saturn is in Uttara Ashada, or the “invincible star.” Uttara Ashada’s special shakti, or grace, is that of making one empowered and undefeatable.  This indicates that during this time, she will continue to be a strong and inspiring figure for a very, very long time. 

Saturn is also her Atma Karaka planet as it has the highest degree of any other planet in her chart.  Atma means the soul and karaka means significator.  This means it is the significator of the soul’s desire, as it is quite developed, showing she has karma to finish with it in this lifetime.  

The houses that Margot’s Atma Karaka rules show the areas of her life where she will experience the life lessons she came here to learn, especially during the planet’s dasha cycle.

Saturn rules her 7th house in Capricorn which indicates she will be practical and steady in her relationships during this time.  These partnerships will get better over time, in particular ones which have to do with business dealings.  Surely this shows she will have significant power to tell whatever stories she likes and have the roles she desires.  

It also lights up her 8th house in Aquarius.  Here it is shown that the difficult/controversial (8th house) commentary on society (Aquarius) that was brought up in the movie will continue and she will be a spokesperson for it.    

Lastly, it also lights up her Ascendant in Pushya.  The Ascendant is connected to our appearance.  She was given the role of Barbie because she very much “looked the part,” and she will certainly be the human “face” of Barbie from now on. 

Margot and Barbie’s Release Day

Besides all the dasha cycles making this a time for Margot to be in the spotlight, there were significant transits happening for her on the day of the movie's official release.

The Barbie movie was released on July 9th, 2023.  On this day Margot’s powerful Raja yoga in the 9th house was being transited by the Moon, which is Margot’s ruling planet, as she has a Cancer ascendant.  She is certainly the star, but also shows how she is inspiring (9th house) and reflecting back the emotions (the Moon) of those who will see the movie.

Jupiter, the indicator of wealth, expansion and good fortune, as well as being the Lord of her 9th house (and the powerful Raja yoga) was also being transited by the Sun almost to the exact degree.  This boosted her confidence and purified everything going on with the Raja yoga.

The Ascendant at the time the movie began was Sagittarius, where Margot’s dasha planet is lit up.  Once again, Margot is the “face” of the movie to which she is now forever intricately linked.