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.
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