Astrology Blog
The Death Chart
A New Birth
by Maurice Fernandez
Originally published in Transpersonal Astrology ISBN 9780989416306 (2013)
The Death Chart
Horoscopic astrology has proven its fundamental value among practicing astrologers and their benefitting clientele. Regardless of the system one has adopted to interpret planetary cycles, the exact moment of birth is understood to capture essential information about the person born. Character, weaknesses and strengths, along with his or her life direction, can be derived from the planetary configuration of the natal chart. It is a simple moment in time, but for the person born, no other moment precisely represents the deepest meanings of that life: past, present, and unfolding future.
Evolution is a time and space mechanism; however, as we progress through each fragment of time and space, we can capture more of what is beyond that, timeless—just like the full length of a movie composed of endless separated frames. The natal chart is founded on the moment (time) and place (space) of birth. When using astrology of the evolution of consciousness, a greater focus is put on the soul development when analyzing the particularities of a chart. Beyond identifying personality traits and general orientation, the premise is that the current life is the evolutionary continuation of previous incarnations; the frames that make the movie are not only about this life but include the whole sum of soul experiences through incarnations. Hence, the current natal chart also describes what themes the soul carries from previous lives and, accordingly, what the next steps are in the soul’s evolutionary process. These past life signatures, commonly captured in unconscious memories, set the tone for present behavioral inclinations, instinctive attractions and aversions, and natural talents; a baby is not born blank, and the natal chart describes how consciousness is shaped by past life experiences and then how that spurs new cycles of becoming. There are multiple studies on the phenomenon of past life memories and the validity of reincarnation, but it is beyond the scope of this essay to delve into such research and debate the intricacies therein. For this purpose, I will attempt to keep these vast philosophical concepts simple but mention that the premise of this study is a fundamental understanding that life continues after death, but in another form.
From an evolutionary point of view, life is neither random nor completely fated; the evolutionary dynamics imply that the purpose of existing on this plane is to expand consciousness about the greater Truth of life, that which is beyond time and space fragments. The more conscious we become of the timeless Truth, the better we can navigate the waves of existence and experience an increasingly higher level of health and well-being within time and space—albeit such progress is not necessarily even and linear. Because the natal chart describes the next step, evolutionarily speaking, we can also detect early life conditions that will serve such purposes: family, culture, and general environmental conditions that serve as the platform for this life to unfold. Whether supportive or challenging, these early life factors are not random, but part of the evolutionary mechanism.
The Weight of Free Will
While the natal chart displays what our current evolutionary step is about, it does not predetermine how far we will go with it. We have capacities that provide us with a sense of purpose, and we have lessons to learn that pose a developmental challenge. However, some people will stumble over and over on the same issue, while others born with the same chart will master a lesson more rapidly and attain greater heights and depth under similar circumstances. The natal chart describes where we left off last time around, but regarding future development, it only describes orientation, probabilities, and potential. How much of that potential is realized is a function of free will.
We cannot change our charts because they are the fruits of our past life efforts, but we have the choice to make of them the best, worse, and everything in between. For example, using the natal chart of Mohandas Gandhi (see Chart 1), we identify intense planetary configurations that describe both past life themes and future orientation. Noticeably, he was born with Mars and Venus in Scorpio in the first house opposing Pluto and Jupiter in Taurus in the seventh house, all squaring a Leo Moon in the tenth house. We know his story, and we recognize that Gandhi used these energies to fight and transform (Mars in Scorpio in the first house) the abuse and excess of power, essentially associated with resource distribution (Pluto/Jupiter in Taurus) directed by the imperialism of the British Crown (Moon in Leo in the tenth house). Yet had we not known the individual, the chart describes different potential scenarios. For example, with Mars and Venus in Scorpio in the first house opposing Pluto in the seventh house, an individual is charged with anger that may easily be projected aggressively, perhaps towards members of
the other sex. Maybe Gandhi even experienced some of these feelings in the course of his life, but what he choose to do with such a high charge made history and served as an inspiration for masses—he directed his personal frustration to stimulate change for the greater good. While his natal chart may have described a strong inclination for activism, it did not guarantee the full extent of his impact on liberating India and becoming the symbol of non-violent protest.
Figure 1. Mohandas Gandhi’s birth chart.
Free Will and Death
The extent of our free will is immediately associated with our level of consciousness. How deep we go or how little we learn along the way will determine the nature of our life circumstances; our actions engender results and realities that define the course of our lives. If someone is born with an angular Mars–Pluto opposition that suggests deep feelings of injustice and anger, the outcome from such an influence will depend on that person’s free will to direct such intensity. When someone fails to channel such anger constructively and allows it to override common sense, a life of antagonism, ruptures, isolation and “emotional toxicity” is bound to manifest. Conversely, if he or she becomes conscious of it and introspects to understand the root of those emotions, such intensity can become potent energy that engenders transformative action, the very essence of activism. Instead of negative results, the same challenging configuration can bring about courage, risk, positive changes and growth. In conclusion, while a chart pattern describes a particular theme, that theme may be expressed in a variety of ways; consequently, there is no way to predict finite outcomes. Our free will provides us with the flexibility to generate completely different results from the same original themes.
Here is the vital question for our subject matter: If individuals born with the same chart patterns choose to express these influences differently, will they die at the same time? Without free will, the chart would describe a fated sequence of development, and thus death would be pre-determined and fixed for these people—but we know it is not the case. This assertion can be confirmed by statistics of twins born by caesarian at the same time, who, in most cases, will not die at the same exact time. People born with the same chart will confront the same themes in their lives, but they are bound to choose differently, and as a result, they affect the course of their evolutions and generate different circumstances. As life takes a different turn, the moment of death will also change accordingly.
We must then ask ourselves: if the natal chart captures planetary alignments that perfectly reflect our evolutionary development, is there a similar meaning to the moment of death and the planetary alignments of that chart? As it is with our birth, the death moment is not random but an important indicator in the sequence of our soul’s evolution. There is a reason why we die in one moment and not another, just as there is a reason why we are born in one moment and not another.
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Past and Future Lives
The Death Chart
While more research is naturally invested in the meanings and influences of the natal chart, it is valuable to investigate death chart meanings and their role in reflecting evolutionary developments of the soul. From the perspective of the evolution of consciousness, death is not the absolute end of life but the end of a chapter in the sequence of the soul’s evolution. Therefore, just as the natal chart describes past life dynamics setting the tone for current life purposes, the death chart reflects where the soul is at upon transitioning, and what its next step is in its evolutionary orientation.
Let us take a moment to understand death better. Death is arguably one of the most humbling experiences; it brings a complete and irreversible (in most cases) end to a whole life chapter. While we may have the power to postpone death, we do not have the power to avoid it. Death reminds us that we are not invincible, that we are not gods but mortals who are on an evolutionary journey. Evolution implies imperfection and bondage to time and space; time and space induce endings and beginnings; death is a reminder of our imperfect consciousness: that which needs to evolve.
As we evolve, we approach life more holistically and better navigate its currents. We realize new insights, make better choices, change forms and adapt, to live better. If we progressively manage life better, we also change the odds of our death. If we live better, can we die later—or perhaps die better? The death chart captures where we are when we die, and so the death chart reflects the efforts that we made to evolve in the course of this incarnation. Obviously, managing to live more consciously does not invariably imply that we live a longer life, for what matters is the timing of our death: the planetary alignments of that time and their meaning.
While we may learn to live better and sometimes cheat death (knowingly or unknowingly), eventually, it does have the last word. We reach the point when we cannot regenerate, and our energy is exhausted; we did the best we could to live well; and yet, we meet our ultimate limitation: we surrender to death. Our soul may continue on after death, but it remains that death is an ending that marks a fundamentally decisive moment in our evolution.
The death chart captures where the soul is at upon departing from the current incarnation. It shows what has been worked on, what gifts or complexes are being carried onward onto the next phase—in a way, the death chart is a new birth chart—yet one of its important values is that it can be referred to the natal chart so that conclusions may be drawn on the soul’s development and/or continued direction the soul is taking.
Gandhi’s Death Chart
We have discussed some of the prominent themes of Gandhi’s natal chart (see Figure 1), notably his angular Mars–Venus conjunction in Scorpio opposing Pluto–Jupiter in Taurus and square the Moon in Leo (see Figure 2). This configuration naturally had numerous dimensions of influence in his life. On a personal level, it described his intimate emotional needs; on a collective level, it showed his public role as a freedom fighter who defied the status quo. With such a configuration, it can be derived that Gandhi’s previous incarnation did not end peacefully but rather that he came from a place of confrontation, polarization, and great intensity. (Generally speaking, the first-to-seventh house opposition, particularly with Mars involved, suggests tension with the other sex, as well as confrontations with polarized adversaries.) With such a past life imprinted on his unconscious, we can expect that, as a young boy he would already tend to be emotionally reactive and naturally doubting of established rules. Knowing adversity, he would also need to measure his power with others and test his capacity constantly. For example, it is documented in biographical accounts that Gandhi confronted the legitimacy of child marriage customs when he was married at age thirteen by his parents. While he went along with the expectation, it raised many questions for him.
Figure 2. Prominent configuration in Gandhi’s natal chart.
This T-square configuration suggests peaks of achievements (making a difference and being appreciated), contrasted by deeply humbling defeats; someone born with such a prominent Mars in Scorpio opposing Pluto is bound to experience the extremes of possessing power and then loss. Upon defeat, the Scorpionic theme intrinsic to this opposition would prompt him to reassess, regenerate, and reemerge with new strategies. We can assume that the legendary non-violent protest stance resulted from failing at first at other approaches.
In an adult, this configuration also reflects a powerful sexual drive. A person born with such a configuration may be consumed by his own instinctual drive, sometimes to a point where lust can lead him to betray his own values. An overpowering sexual drive can cloud one’s judgment and engender poor choices. This prominent configuration (see Figure 2) reflects internal struggles with his own sexuality, from experiencing strong sexual powers to disappointment and crisis in sexual matters. The Scorpionic influence compelled him to transform and evolve his sexual approach (Mars and Venus in Scorpio) to ensure that sexuality does not lead him astray but, conversely, enhances his growth.
Author Jad Adams wrote a biography of Gandhi (Gandhi: Naked Ambition) in which he described Gandhi’s obsession with transcending his sexual desires and his goals of chastity. Below are selected quotes from an article written about the book.
It was no secret that Mohandas Gandhi had an unusual sex life. He spoke constantly of sex and gave detailed, often provocative, instructions to his followers as to how to they might best observe chastity. And his views were not always popular; “abnormal and unnatural” was how the first Prime Minister of independent India, Jawaharlal Nehru, described Gandhi’s advice to newlyweds to stay celibate for the sake of their souls.
Two years later (after his marriage), as his father lay dying, Gandhi left his bedside to have sex with (his wife) Kasturba. Meanwhile, his father drew his last breath. The young man compounded his grief with guilt that he had not been present, and represented his subsequent revulsion towards “lustful love” as being related to his father’s death.
Gandhi found it easy to embrace poverty. It was chastity that eluded him. So he worked out a series of complex rules which meant he could say he was chaste while still engaging in the most explicit sexual conversation, letters and behavior.
With the zeal of the convert, within a year of his vow, he told readers of his newspaper Indian Opinion: “It is the duty of every thoughtful Indian not to marry. In case he is helpless in regard to marriage, he should abstain from sexual intercourse with his wife.”
Meanwhile, Gandhi was challenging that abstinence in his own way. He set up ashrams in which he began his first “experiments” with sex; boys and girls were to bathe and sleep together, chastely, but were punished for any sexual talk. Men and women were segregated, and Gandhi’s advice was that husbands should not be alone with their wives, and, when they felt passion, should take a cold bath.
The rules did not, however, apply to him. Sushila Nayar, the attractive sister of Gandhi’s secretary, also his personal physician, attended Gandhi from girlhood. She used to sleep and bathe with Gandhi. When challenged, he explained how he ensured decency was not offended. “While she is bathing I keep my eyes tightly shut,” he said, “I do not know…whether she bathes naked or with her underwear on. I can tell from the sound that she uses soap.” The provision of such personal services to Gandhi was a much sought-after sign of his favor and aroused jealousy among the ashram inmates.
The struggle with his sexuality is obvious, and his natal chart illustrates these biographical accounts. Since Gandhi was concerned about the right use of sexuality and consistently worked on evolving his approach (Scorpio Mars and Venus), we may expect that his life unfolded in a way that reflected his choices. Referring back to our subject matter, we can trace the development of these themes in Gandhi’s life by analyzing his death chart (see Figure 3), and assess where he was, evolutionarily speaking, when his soul left his body.
Gandhi was assassinated on January 30, 1948, following four previous attempts. The time of the shooting is documented as 5:17 p.m. in Delhi, with a Leo rising chart (see Figure 3). The death chart becomes our reference to understand the orientation of his soul development from that moment, and to get an indication of how natal chart themes unfolded in the course of his life.
Figure 3. Mohandas Gandhi’s death chart.
Gandhi’s death chart portrays the circumstances of his life quite graphically. He passed while the sign of Leo was rising, reflecting the prominence he attained in his leadership position. The Sun in Aquarius in the seventh house, ruling the Ascendant sign, evidently describes his focus on freedom of rights and the liberation movement that he led. In the seventh house, the focus is on unifying adversities and bringing resolution between opposing parties; in his case, it had to do with the partition of India into Hindu and Muslim populations (later to be separated between India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh). The trine of his seventh house Sun in Aquarius to his Moon in Libra conjunct Neptune in the third house reemphasizes his effort to use dialogue rather than force in order to secure win-win solutions that would be fair to both sides. Mercury in Aquarius in the seventh house trining Uranus in Gemini in the eleventh house is another signature that reinforces the effort of dialogue, progressive thinking, and conflict resolution.
The Sun in Aquarius opposes Pluto and Saturn conjunct in Leo in the first house. This opposition underlines the fact that, despite the effort of dialogue and desire for fair play, political (Saturn) power (Pluto) struggles (first house) were still in effervescence. Pluto–Saturn in Leo in the first house describes an ardent need to change political systems and guarantee a breakthrough. On the one hand, this configuration shows the battle that Gandhi led against the imperial British crown, balancing force and determination (first house) with non-violence and progressive thinking (Sun in Aquarius in the seventh house); but it also shows the complexity of the new situation emerging: the partition of India and Pakistan was a bloody process charged with anger and resentment. The first house reflects the birth, the new era he created; and Pluto and Saturn in that house show a strenuous and convoluted labor process.
Pluto–Saturn in Leo in the first house square the Nodal Axis in Scorpio in the fourth house and Taurus in the tenth house—this configuration is another reinforcement of how fundamental and arduous the independence of India was, uprooting (Scorpio) many people from their homeland (fourth house), with the aim of establishing a more stable partition of land (tenth house Taurus). Yet Pluto–Saturn in square to the nodal axis shows that everything was still in process and not yet resolved. And indeed, to this day Pakistan and India are involved in land disputes over Kashmir.
On another level, we can look at the death chart to trace the development of the sexual theme we discussed earlier. The death chart has Mars in Virgo retrograde in the second house, widely opposing Venus in Pisces in the eighth house. Mars and Venus represent the sexual approach and needs (among other things). Venus and Mars are positioned in the sexual second and eighth houses; however, they are now in the (archetypically) chaste signs of Virgo and Pisces, in contrast to the highly sexual Scorpio placements in the natal chart. This configuration clearly describes Gandhi’s effort and obsession about overcoming lustful desires and purifying his sexual nature. Mars in Virgo describes a strong need to control and purify the sexual impulse, while Venus in Pisces describes a need to transcend lust or, in other words, to put spirit over matter.
Venus in Pisces is also widely square a Uranus–Jupiter opposition in Gemini/Sagittarius, which shows how his efforts to be sexually abstinent were strongly governed by his mind (Uranus in Gemini) and his spiritual beliefs (Jupiter in Sagittarius)—he had a way to rationalize and argue his sexual approach (Jupiter opposing Uranus in a square to Venus). Venus and Mars are also the rulers of this Nodal Axis, emphasizing how important these themes were for him and will continue to be in his subsequent evolutionary processes.
Comparing the Natal Chart with the Death Chart
Much more can be derived from analyzing Gandhi’s death chart, but its significance in describing and revealing evolutionary processes is already clear. Another valuable exercise consists in comparing the natal chart signatures with the death chart signatures to identify repeating patterns, placements, and degrees. I will only briefly address this comparison, mostly for the sake of stimulating readers to pursue their own research on the subject and demonstrate how rich this study can be.
Table 1. Comparison of Gandhi’s Natal and Death Charts
| Gandhi – Natal Chart | Gandhi – Death Chart |
| Seventh house Pluto–Jupiter square
the Nodes in the fourth–tenth houses |
First house Pluto–Saturn square
The Nodes in the fourth–tenth houses |
| Mercury in the first house square the Nodal Axis | Mercury in the seventh house square the Nodal Axis |
| Sun in Libra in the twelfth house | Sun in the seventh house (Libra house) trine Neptune in Libra (natural twelfth house ruler) |
| Sun at 8 degrees Libra | Moon at 7 degrees Libra |
| Uranus in the ninth house | Uranus opposing Jupiter (natural ninth house ruler) |
| North Node 5 degrees Leo | Ascendant 1 degree Leo |
| Venus in Scorpio trine Uranus, opposite Jupiter, quincunx Neptune | Venus in the eighth house (Scorpio house) square Uranus, square Jupiter, and quincunx Neptune |
The recurring themes between the natal and death charts clearly reveal a direct correlation between the two fateful moments. As we can see with Gandhi’s example, it is common to have the same theme repeat in the two charts in different forms: the same archetype can recur through house, sign, or by aspect configuration—as it is with Gandhi’s natal Sun in Libra and then his death chart Sun in the seventh, natural Libra, house. So his Sun is connected to the Libra theme in both charts.
The Essential Value of Death Charts
While there is tremendous value in analyzing death charts, it is obvious that we will never have the privilege to analyze our own in this dimension. Many astrologers have tried to predict death, but from this study, we understand that the death moment depends on the free will factor, and therefore it is not a fixed matter—our choices and intervention alter our death circumstances. The only opportunity to explore our own death charts will be from the great beyond!
Similarly, we will never have the opportunity to discuss our clients’ death charts with them, unless the astrologer is gifted with medium transcendental capacities to communicate with the deceased. The question, then, is: Why and when should we analyze death charts?
Evidently, whether or not we have the opportunity to share the insights with the deceased, the essential value of the death chart is that it works. The moment of death reveals a wealth of astrological information, and this provides us with a greater understanding of the phenomenon of death itself—if the death chart captures our evolutionary development, it does confirm that our actions during our life matter—nothing is wasted or unaccounted for. By further understanding and researching death charts of acquaintances or historical figures, we can better understand life on a general and personal level. Understanding death helps us live better.
It can also be valuable for the family of a deceased individual to gain greater insight into the evolutionary meanings seen in the departed one’s life and death charts.
Damini’s Death Chart
As we have described in the course of this essay, the death chart is intimately related to the natal chart. Notwithstanding, it can also be addressed as an entity of its own and reveal tremendous insight into soul processes. To illustrate this, let us use the example of a news case occurring on December 29, 2012. Damini was the victim of a gang rape in India (the name was given to her by the protestors she inspired). She did not survive her injuries and, following 13 days of battle for her life, she left her body at 4:45 a.m. in a hospital in Singapore. The following is from an article about the incident:[i]
(CNN) — A 23-year-old Indian woman, whose gang-rape aboard a bus in New Delhi spawned days of mass protests across India, has died, according to a doctor who was treating her at a Singapore hospital.
“She had suffered from severe organ failure following serious injuries to her body and brain,” Loh said. “She was courageous in fighting for her life for so long against the odds, but the trauma to her body was too severe for her to overcome.”
Students in New Delhi, India, on December 27, protest a recent brutal gang rape in the city. Authorities erected security barriers throughout New Delhi’s key government district after two days of street battles following a woman’s gang rape on a bus on December 16.
This horrific ordeal captured the collective mind and prompted protests to change laws in ways that would guarantee more adequate security for women in public places. Her real name had not yet been released as of this writing, so the nickname of Damini is used for her death chart (see Figure 4).
Figure 4. Rape victim Damini’s death chart.
Damini passed as Jupiter in Gemini was setting on her Descendant, the apex of a yod configuration with Saturn in Scorpio in the twelfth house, and Pluto–Sun in Capricorn in the second house. Jupiter is also the ruler of the Ascendant sign. Yod configurations represent a clear intention to purify motives and realign actions. The apex of the Yod represents the cause as well as the direction of events, while the two legs represent the factors that need to be adjusted so that growth and a breakthrough may occur through the apex. The Yod often brings up deep crisis situations or circumstances in which we feel nothing is progressing in our lives and, no matter how hard we push, stagnation remains. One or the other, the sense of limitation continues until the matters represented by the legs are addressed and adjusted.
The circumstances of Damini’s ordeal have already caused uproar in India, and so her death generates a greater urgency about the cause of women’s victimization in India and around the world. Her death chart thus captures a message that goes beyond her own personal reality and becomes a collective issue.
In a graphic manner, Jupiter in Gemini represents the bus ride where the gang rape occurred. Saturn in Scorpio in the twelfth house shows the overpowering use of sexual force and resulting victimization, with Pluto–Sun in Capricorn in the second house as an echo of the same misuse of sexuality (Saturn and Pluto are in mutual reception and therefore reinforce similar themes). Pluto in Capricorn and Saturn in Scorpio reflect the necessity to change laws—they reflect corruption and the misuse of power (here sexual) so that the system (Saturn) may change and evolve (Scorpio).
Jupiter in Gemini as the apex points to the necessity for better education and media exposure of covered up, controversial, corrupt, and inadequate policies (Saturn in Scorpio in the twelfth house). “It needs to be talked about and brought to light” is Jupiter in Gemini’s message.
Because Jupiter is in the seventh house of relationship, this position points to the overall gender imbalance that exists in India and the necessity for fairer policies supporting equality and opportunity for both genders.
Neptune positioned exactly in conjunction to an angle (IC) reflects the public nature of the circumstances of her death—she becomes a martyr and raises collective awareness in India and across the world. As it is, she is anonymously mentioned in an astrology essay as her story becomes the symbol for the cause and for so many other unheard cries—a phenomenon clearly described by a prominent Neptune placement. The collective message is also captured in her twelfth house North Node in Scorpio: she touches the collective unconscious (twelfth house) through her untimely death caused by criminal sexual behavior (Scorpio, Saturn in Scorpio).
She passes on a Full Moon conjunct Pluto in the second and eighth houses, which are associated with sexuality, but also with safety (second house) and risk (eighth house); a full Moon death captures the powerful emotional event, and clearly her strong soul. The Capricorn-to-Cancer opposition captures the split existing between patriarchal and matriarchal essences strongly imprinted onto the culture—with a Cancer Moon in the eighth house opposing Pluto, the illustration of women kept hostage in the dungeon of the predatory lord of the underworld is obvious.
We know nothing at this point of Damini’s personal life and who she was outside this tragedy, let alone her natal chart details. Notwithstanding, the death chart as a separate entity provides tremendous insight into her soul’s developmental themes. The time her soul departed reflected the lessons to be learned. We see an evolutionary meaning to her death, and for those who have survived her; both those who know and those who do not know her personally, it provides more clarity on an otherwise senseless loss.
Conclusion
This essay is a brief introduction on a vast subject that invites a lot more study, both philosophically and with regard to astrological delineations. The important point is to realize how time and space factors, such as the events of our births and deaths, capture our evolutionary processes through the planetary clock cycles. As astrology essentially relies on our subjective earth perspective of the solar system and stars, it objectifies each person’s existence and its processes: we realize that personal experiences capture a universal essence.
On the planetary plane of cyclic motion, each alignment is a part of the greater Truth. Some alignments will mark our births, our deaths, or other critical events of our lives, and accordingly, they will determine how we subjectively play out the greater essence of timeless Truth. In time and space, we spin the wheel until, perhaps, we find ourselves levitating in stillness at the epicenter of a spiral—then birth and death are but one.
Endnotes
[i] CNN: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/12/28/world/asia/india-rape-victim/index.html?hpt=hp_t1.
© Copyright 2013 Maurice Fernandez
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the written permission of the author.
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What is Evolutionary Astrology
The Death Chart
A New Birth
by Maurice Fernandez
Originally published in Transpersonal Astrology ISBN 9780989416306 (2013)
The Death Chart
Horoscopic astrology has proven its fundamental value among practicing astrologers and their benefitting clientele. Regardless of the system one has adopted to interpret planetary cycles, the exact moment of birth is understood to capture essential information about the person born. Character, weaknesses and strengths, along with his or her life direction, can be derived from the planetary configuration of the natal chart. It is a simple moment in time, but for the person born, no other moment precisely represents the deepest meanings of that life: past, present, and unfolding future.
Evolution is a time and space mechanism; however, as we progress through each fragment of time and space, we can capture more of what is beyond that, timeless—just like the full length of a movie composed of endless separated frames. The natal chart is founded on the moment (time) and place (space) of birth. When using astrology of the evolution of consciousness, a greater focus is put on the soul development when analyzing the particularities of a chart. Beyond identifying personality traits and general orientation, the premise is that the current life is the evolutionary continuation of previous incarnations; the frames that make the movie are not only about this life but include the whole sum of soul experiences through incarnations. Hence, the current natal chart also describes what themes the soul carries from previous lives and, accordingly, what the next steps are in the soul’s evolutionary process. These past life signatures, commonly captured in unconscious memories, set the tone for present behavioral inclinations, instinctive attractions and aversions, and natural talents; a baby is not born blank, and the natal chart describes how consciousness is shaped by past life experiences and then how that spurs new cycles of becoming. There are multiple studies on the phenomenon of past life memories and the validity of reincarnation, but it is beyond the scope of this essay to delve into such research and debate the intricacies therein. For this purpose, I will attempt to keep these vast philosophical concepts simple but mention that the premise of this study is a fundamental understanding that life continues after death, but in another form.
From an evolutionary point of view, life is neither random nor completely fated; the evolutionary dynamics imply that the purpose of existing on this plane is to expand consciousness about the greater Truth of life, that which is beyond time and space fragments. The more conscious we become of the timeless Truth, the better we can navigate the waves of existence and experience an increasingly higher level of health and well-being within time and space—albeit such progress is not necessarily even and linear. Because the natal chart describes the next step, evolutionarily speaking, we can also detect early life conditions that will serve such purposes: family, culture, and general environmental conditions that serve as the platform for this life to unfold. Whether supportive or challenging, these early life factors are not random, but part of the evolutionary mechanism.
The Weight of Free Will
While the natal chart displays what our current evolutionary step is about, it does not predetermine how far we will go with it. We have capacities that provide us with a sense of purpose, and we have lessons to learn that pose a developmental challenge. However, some people will stumble over and over on the same issue, while others born with the same chart will master a lesson more rapidly and attain greater heights and depth under similar circumstances. The natal chart describes where we left off last time around, but regarding future development, it only describes orientation, probabilities, and potential. How much of that potential is realized is a function of free will.
We cannot change our charts because they are the fruits of our past life efforts, but we have the choice to make of them the best, worse, and everything in between. For example, using the natal chart of Mohandas Gandhi (see Chart 1), we identify intense planetary configurations that describe both past life themes and future orientation. Noticeably, he was born with Mars and Venus in Scorpio in the first house opposing Pluto and Jupiter in Taurus in the seventh house, all squaring a Leo Moon in the tenth house. We know his story, and we recognize that Gandhi used these energies to fight and transform (Mars in Scorpio in the first house) the abuse and excess of power, essentially associated with resource distribution (Pluto/Jupiter in Taurus) directed by the imperialism of the British Crown (Moon in Leo in the tenth house). Yet had we not known the individual, the chart describes different potential scenarios. For example, with Mars and Venus in Scorpio in the first house opposing Pluto in the seventh house, an individual is charged with anger that may easily be projected aggressively, perhaps towards members of
the other sex. Maybe Gandhi even experienced some of these feelings in the course of his life, but what he choose to do with such a high charge made history and served as an inspiration for masses—he directed his personal frustration to stimulate change for the greater good. While his natal chart may have described a strong inclination for activism, it did not guarantee the full extent of his impact on liberating India and becoming the symbol of non-violent protest.
Figure 1. Mohandas Gandhi’s birth chart.
Free Will and Death
The extent of our free will is immediately associated with our level of consciousness. How deep we go or how little we learn along the way will determine the nature of our life circumstances; our actions engender results and realities that define the course of our lives. If someone is born with an angular Mars–Pluto opposition that suggests deep feelings of injustice and anger, the outcome from such an influence will depend on that person’s free will to direct such intensity. When someone fails to channel such anger constructively and allows it to override common sense, a life of antagonism, ruptures, isolation and “emotional toxicity” is bound to manifest. Conversely, if he or she becomes conscious of it and introspects to understand the root of those emotions, such intensity can become potent energy that engenders transformative action, the very essence of activism. Instead of negative results, the same challenging configuration can bring about courage, risk, positive changes and growth. In conclusion, while a chart pattern describes a particular theme, that theme may be expressed in a variety of ways; consequently, there is no way to predict finite outcomes. Our free will provides us with the flexibility to generate completely different results from the same original themes.
Here is the vital question for our subject matter: If individuals born with the same chart patterns choose to express these influences differently, will they die at the same time? Without free will, the chart would describe a fated sequence of development, and thus death would be pre-determined and fixed for these people—but we know it is not the case. This assertion can be confirmed by statistics of twins born by caesarian at the same time, who, in most cases, will not die at the same exact time. People born with the same chart will confront the same themes in their lives, but they are bound to choose differently, and as a result, they affect the course of their evolutions and generate different circumstances. As life takes a different turn, the moment of death will also change accordingly.
We must then ask ourselves: if the natal chart captures planetary alignments that perfectly reflect our evolutionary development, is there a similar meaning to the moment of death and the planetary alignments of that chart? As it is with our birth, the death moment is not random but an important indicator in the sequence of our soul’s evolution. There is a reason why we die in one moment and not another, just as there is a reason why we are born in one moment and not another.
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Past and Future Lives
The Death Chart
While more research is naturally invested in the meanings and influences of the natal chart, it is valuable to investigate death chart meanings and their role in reflecting evolutionary developments of the soul. From the perspective of the evolution of consciousness, death is not the absolute end of life but the end of a chapter in the sequence of the soul’s evolution. Therefore, just as the natal chart describes past life dynamics setting the tone for current life purposes, the death chart reflects where the soul is at upon transitioning, and what its next step is in its evolutionary orientation.
Let us take a moment to understand death better. Death is arguably one of the most humbling experiences; it brings a complete and irreversible (in most cases) end to a whole life chapter. While we may have the power to postpone death, we do not have the power to avoid it. Death reminds us that we are not invincible, that we are not gods but mortals who are on an evolutionary journey. Evolution implies imperfection and bondage to time and space; time and space induce endings and beginnings; death is a reminder of our imperfect consciousness: that which needs to evolve.
As we evolve, we approach life more holistically and better navigate its currents. We realize new insights, make better choices, change forms and adapt, to live better. If we progressively manage life better, we also change the odds of our death. If we live better, can we die later—or perhaps die better? The death chart captures where we are when we die, and so the death chart reflects the efforts that we made to evolve in the course of this incarnation. Obviously, managing to live more consciously does not invariably imply that we live a longer life, for what matters is the timing of our death: the planetary alignments of that time and their meaning.
While we may learn to live better and sometimes cheat death (knowingly or unknowingly), eventually, it does have the last word. We reach the point when we cannot regenerate, and our energy is exhausted; we did the best we could to live well; and yet, we meet our ultimate limitation: we surrender to death. Our soul may continue on after death, but it remains that death is an ending that marks a fundamentally decisive moment in our evolution.
The death chart captures where the soul is at upon departing from the current incarnation. It shows what has been worked on, what gifts or complexes are being carried onward onto the next phase—in a way, the death chart is a new birth chart—yet one of its important values is that it can be referred to the natal chart so that conclusions may be drawn on the soul’s development and/or continued direction the soul is taking.
Gandhi’s Death Chart
We have discussed some of the prominent themes of Gandhi’s natal chart (see Figure 1), notably his angular Mars–Venus conjunction in Scorpio opposing Pluto–Jupiter in Taurus and square the Moon in Leo (see Figure 2). This configuration naturally had numerous dimensions of influence in his life. On a personal level, it described his intimate emotional needs; on a collective level, it showed his public role as a freedom fighter who defied the status quo. With such a configuration, it can be derived that Gandhi’s previous incarnation did not end peacefully but rather that he came from a place of confrontation, polarization, and great intensity. (Generally speaking, the first-to-seventh house opposition, particularly with Mars involved, suggests tension with the other sex, as well as confrontations with polarized adversaries.) With such a past life imprinted on his unconscious, we can expect that, as a young boy he would already tend to be emotionally reactive and naturally doubting of established rules. Knowing adversity, he would also need to measure his power with others and test his capacity constantly. For example, it is documented in biographical accounts that Gandhi confronted the legitimacy of child marriage customs when he was married at age thirteen by his parents. While he went along with the expectation, it raised many questions for him.
Figure 2. Prominent configuration in Gandhi’s natal chart.
This T-square configuration suggests peaks of achievements (making a difference and being appreciated), contrasted by deeply humbling defeats; someone born with such a prominent Mars in Scorpio opposing Pluto is bound to experience the extremes of possessing power and then loss. Upon defeat, the Scorpionic theme intrinsic to this opposition would prompt him to reassess, regenerate, and reemerge with new strategies. We can assume that the legendary non-violent protest stance resulted from failing at first at other approaches.
In an adult, this configuration also reflects a powerful sexual drive. A person born with such a configuration may be consumed by his own instinctual drive, sometimes to a point where lust can lead him to betray his own values. An overpowering sexual drive can cloud one’s judgment and engender poor choices. This prominent configuration (see Figure 2) reflects internal struggles with his own sexuality, from experiencing strong sexual powers to disappointment and crisis in sexual matters. The Scorpionic influence compelled him to transform and evolve his sexual approach (Mars and Venus in Scorpio) to ensure that sexuality does not lead him astray but, conversely, enhances his growth.
Author Jad Adams wrote a biography of Gandhi (Gandhi: Naked Ambition) in which he described Gandhi’s obsession with transcending his sexual desires and his goals of chastity. Below are selected quotes from an article written about the book.
It was no secret that Mohandas Gandhi had an unusual sex life. He spoke constantly of sex and gave detailed, often provocative, instructions to his followers as to how to they might best observe chastity. And his views were not always popular; “abnormal and unnatural” was how the first Prime Minister of independent India, Jawaharlal Nehru, described Gandhi’s advice to newlyweds to stay celibate for the sake of their souls.
Two years later (after his marriage), as his father lay dying, Gandhi left his bedside to have sex with (his wife) Kasturba. Meanwhile, his father drew his last breath. The young man compounded his grief with guilt that he had not been present, and represented his subsequent revulsion towards “lustful love” as being related to his father’s death.
Gandhi found it easy to embrace poverty. It was chastity that eluded him. So he worked out a series of complex rules which meant he could say he was chaste while still engaging in the most explicit sexual conversation, letters and behavior.
With the zeal of the convert, within a year of his vow, he told readers of his newspaper Indian Opinion: “It is the duty of every thoughtful Indian not to marry. In case he is helpless in regard to marriage, he should abstain from sexual intercourse with his wife.”
Meanwhile, Gandhi was challenging that abstinence in his own way. He set up ashrams in which he began his first “experiments” with sex; boys and girls were to bathe and sleep together, chastely, but were punished for any sexual talk. Men and women were segregated, and Gandhi’s advice was that husbands should not be alone with their wives, and, when they felt passion, should take a cold bath.
The rules did not, however, apply to him. Sushila Nayar, the attractive sister of Gandhi’s secretary, also his personal physician, attended Gandhi from girlhood. She used to sleep and bathe with Gandhi. When challenged, he explained how he ensured decency was not offended. “While she is bathing I keep my eyes tightly shut,” he said, “I do not know…whether she bathes naked or with her underwear on. I can tell from the sound that she uses soap.” The provision of such personal services to Gandhi was a much sought-after sign of his favor and aroused jealousy among the ashram inmates.
The struggle with his sexuality is obvious, and his natal chart illustrates these biographical accounts. Since Gandhi was concerned about the right use of sexuality and consistently worked on evolving his approach (Scorpio Mars and Venus), we may expect that his life unfolded in a way that reflected his choices. Referring back to our subject matter, we can trace the development of these themes in Gandhi’s life by analyzing his death chart (see Figure 3), and assess where he was, evolutionarily speaking, when his soul left his body.
Gandhi was assassinated on January 30, 1948, following four previous attempts. The time of the shooting is documented as 5:17 p.m. in Delhi, with a Leo rising chart (see Figure 3). The death chart becomes our reference to understand the orientation of his soul development from that moment, and to get an indication of how natal chart themes unfolded in the course of his life.
Figure 3. Mohandas Gandhi’s death chart.
Gandhi’s death chart portrays the circumstances of his life quite graphically. He passed while the sign of Leo was rising, reflecting the prominence he attained in his leadership position. The Sun in Aquarius in the seventh house, ruling the Ascendant sign, evidently describes his focus on freedom of rights and the liberation movement that he led. In the seventh house, the focus is on unifying adversities and bringing resolution between opposing parties; in his case, it had to do with the partition of India into Hindu and Muslim populations (later to be separated between India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh). The trine of his seventh house Sun in Aquarius to his Moon in Libra conjunct Neptune in the third house reemphasizes his effort to use dialogue rather than force in order to secure win-win solutions that would be fair to both sides. Mercury in Aquarius in the seventh house trining Uranus in Gemini in the eleventh house is another signature that reinforces the effort of dialogue, progressive thinking, and conflict resolution.
The Sun in Aquarius opposes Pluto and Saturn conjunct in Leo in the first house. This opposition underlines the fact that, despite the effort of dialogue and desire for fair play, political (Saturn) power (Pluto) struggles (first house) were still in effervescence. Pluto–Saturn in Leo in the first house describes an ardent need to change political systems and guarantee a breakthrough. On the one hand, this configuration shows the battle that Gandhi led against the imperial British crown, balancing force and determination (first house) with non-violence and progressive thinking (Sun in Aquarius in the seventh house); but it also shows the complexity of the new situation emerging: the partition of India and Pakistan was a bloody process charged with anger and resentment. The first house reflects the birth, the new era he created; and Pluto and Saturn in that house show a strenuous and convoluted labor process.
Pluto–Saturn in Leo in the first house square the Nodal Axis in Scorpio in the fourth house and Taurus in the tenth house—this configuration is another reinforcement of how fundamental and arduous the independence of India was, uprooting (Scorpio) many people from their homeland (fourth house), with the aim of establishing a more stable partition of land (tenth house Taurus). Yet Pluto–Saturn in square to the nodal axis shows that everything was still in process and not yet resolved. And indeed, to this day Pakistan and India are involved in land disputes over Kashmir.
On another level, we can look at the death chart to trace the development of the sexual theme we discussed earlier. The death chart has Mars in Virgo retrograde in the second house, widely opposing Venus in Pisces in the eighth house. Mars and Venus represent the sexual approach and needs (among other things). Venus and Mars are positioned in the sexual second and eighth houses; however, they are now in the (archetypically) chaste signs of Virgo and Pisces, in contrast to the highly sexual Scorpio placements in the natal chart. This configuration clearly describes Gandhi’s effort and obsession about overcoming lustful desires and purifying his sexual nature. Mars in Virgo describes a strong need to control and purify the sexual impulse, while Venus in Pisces describes a need to transcend lust or, in other words, to put spirit over matter.
Venus in Pisces is also widely square a Uranus–Jupiter opposition in Gemini/Sagittarius, which shows how his efforts to be sexually abstinent were strongly governed by his mind (Uranus in Gemini) and his spiritual beliefs (Jupiter in Sagittarius)—he had a way to rationalize and argue his sexual approach (Jupiter opposing Uranus in a square to Venus). Venus and Mars are also the rulers of this Nodal Axis, emphasizing how important these themes were for him and will continue to be in his subsequent evolutionary processes.
Comparing the Natal Chart with the Death Chart
Much more can be derived from analyzing Gandhi’s death chart, but its significance in describing and revealing evolutionary processes is already clear. Another valuable exercise consists in comparing the natal chart signatures with the death chart signatures to identify repeating patterns, placements, and degrees. I will only briefly address this comparison, mostly for the sake of stimulating readers to pursue their own research on the subject and demonstrate how rich this study can be.
Table 1. Comparison of Gandhi’s Natal and Death Charts
| Gandhi – Natal Chart | Gandhi – Death Chart |
| Seventh house Pluto–Jupiter square
the Nodes in the fourth–tenth houses |
First house Pluto–Saturn square
The Nodes in the fourth–tenth houses |
| Mercury in the first house square the Nodal Axis | Mercury in the seventh house square the Nodal Axis |
| Sun in Libra in the twelfth house | Sun in the seventh house (Libra house) trine Neptune in Libra (natural twelfth house ruler) |
| Sun at 8 degrees Libra | Moon at 7 degrees Libra |
| Uranus in the ninth house | Uranus opposing Jupiter (natural ninth house ruler) |
| North Node 5 degrees Leo | Ascendant 1 degree Leo |
| Venus in Scorpio trine Uranus, opposite Jupiter, quincunx Neptune | Venus in the eighth house (Scorpio house) square Uranus, square Jupiter, and quincunx Neptune |
The recurring themes between the natal and death charts clearly reveal a direct correlation between the two fateful moments. As we can see with Gandhi’s example, it is common to have the same theme repeat in the two charts in different forms: the same archetype can recur through house, sign, or by aspect configuration—as it is with Gandhi’s natal Sun in Libra and then his death chart Sun in the seventh, natural Libra, house. So his Sun is connected to the Libra theme in both charts.
The Essential Value of Death Charts
While there is tremendous value in analyzing death charts, it is obvious that we will never have the privilege to analyze our own in this dimension. Many astrologers have tried to predict death, but from this study, we understand that the death moment depends on the free will factor, and therefore it is not a fixed matter—our choices and intervention alter our death circumstances. The only opportunity to explore our own death charts will be from the great beyond!
Similarly, we will never have the opportunity to discuss our clients’ death charts with them, unless the astrologer is gifted with medium transcendental capacities to communicate with the deceased. The question, then, is: Why and when should we analyze death charts?
Evidently, whether or not we have the opportunity to share the insights with the deceased, the essential value of the death chart is that it works. The moment of death reveals a wealth of astrological information, and this provides us with a greater understanding of the phenomenon of death itself—if the death chart captures our evolutionary development, it does confirm that our actions during our life matter—nothing is wasted or unaccounted for. By further understanding and researching death charts of acquaintances or historical figures, we can better understand life on a general and personal level. Understanding death helps us live better.
It can also be valuable for the family of a deceased individual to gain greater insight into the evolutionary meanings seen in the departed one’s life and death charts.
Damini’s Death Chart
As we have described in the course of this essay, the death chart is intimately related to the natal chart. Notwithstanding, it can also be addressed as an entity of its own and reveal tremendous insight into soul processes. To illustrate this, let us use the example of a news case occurring on December 29, 2012. Damini was the victim of a gang rape in India (the name was given to her by the protestors she inspired). She did not survive her injuries and, following 13 days of battle for her life, she left her body at 4:45 a.m. in a hospital in Singapore. The following is from an article about the incident:[i]
(CNN) — A 23-year-old Indian woman, whose gang-rape aboard a bus in New Delhi spawned days of mass protests across India, has died, according to a doctor who was treating her at a Singapore hospital.
“She had suffered from severe organ failure following serious injuries to her body and brain,” Loh said. “She was courageous in fighting for her life for so long against the odds, but the trauma to her body was too severe for her to overcome.”
Students in New Delhi, India, on December 27, protest a recent brutal gang rape in the city. Authorities erected security barriers throughout New Delhi’s key government district after two days of street battles following a woman’s gang rape on a bus on December 16.
This horrific ordeal captured the collective mind and prompted protests to change laws in ways that would guarantee more adequate security for women in public places. Her real name had not yet been released as of this writing, so the nickname of Damini is used for her death chart (see Figure 4).
Figure 4. Rape victim Damini’s death chart.
Damini passed as Jupiter in Gemini was setting on her Descendant, the apex of a yod configuration with Saturn in Scorpio in the twelfth house, and Pluto–Sun in Capricorn in the second house. Jupiter is also the ruler of the Ascendant sign. Yod configurations represent a clear intention to purify motives and realign actions. The apex of the Yod represents the cause as well as the direction of events, while the two legs represent the factors that need to be adjusted so that growth and a breakthrough may occur through the apex. The Yod often brings up deep crisis situations or circumstances in which we feel nothing is progressing in our lives and, no matter how hard we push, stagnation remains. One or the other, the sense of limitation continues until the matters represented by the legs are addressed and adjusted.
The circumstances of Damini’s ordeal have already caused uproar in India, and so her death generates a greater urgency about the cause of women’s victimization in India and around the world. Her death chart thus captures a message that goes beyond her own personal reality and becomes a collective issue.
In a graphic manner, Jupiter in Gemini represents the bus ride where the gang rape occurred. Saturn in Scorpio in the twelfth house shows the overpowering use of sexual force and resulting victimization, with Pluto–Sun in Capricorn in the second house as an echo of the same misuse of sexuality (Saturn and Pluto are in mutual reception and therefore reinforce similar themes). Pluto in Capricorn and Saturn in Scorpio reflect the necessity to change laws—they reflect corruption and the misuse of power (here sexual) so that the system (Saturn) may change and evolve (Scorpio).
Jupiter in Gemini as the apex points to the necessity for better education and media exposure of covered up, controversial, corrupt, and inadequate policies (Saturn in Scorpio in the twelfth house). “It needs to be talked about and brought to light” is Jupiter in Gemini’s message.
Because Jupiter is in the seventh house of relationship, this position points to the overall gender imbalance that exists in India and the necessity for fairer policies supporting equality and opportunity for both genders.
Neptune positioned exactly in conjunction to an angle (IC) reflects the public nature of the circumstances of her death—she becomes a martyr and raises collective awareness in India and across the world. As it is, she is anonymously mentioned in an astrology essay as her story becomes the symbol for the cause and for so many other unheard cries—a phenomenon clearly described by a prominent Neptune placement. The collective message is also captured in her twelfth house North Node in Scorpio: she touches the collective unconscious (twelfth house) through her untimely death caused by criminal sexual behavior (Scorpio, Saturn in Scorpio).
She passes on a Full Moon conjunct Pluto in the second and eighth houses, which are associated with sexuality, but also with safety (second house) and risk (eighth house); a full Moon death captures the powerful emotional event, and clearly her strong soul. The Capricorn-to-Cancer opposition captures the split existing between patriarchal and matriarchal essences strongly imprinted onto the culture—with a Cancer Moon in the eighth house opposing Pluto, the illustration of women kept hostage in the dungeon of the predatory lord of the underworld is obvious.
We know nothing at this point of Damini’s personal life and who she was outside this tragedy, let alone her natal chart details. Notwithstanding, the death chart as a separate entity provides tremendous insight into her soul’s developmental themes. The time her soul departed reflected the lessons to be learned. We see an evolutionary meaning to her death, and for those who have survived her; both those who know and those who do not know her personally, it provides more clarity on an otherwise senseless loss.
Conclusion
This essay is a brief introduction on a vast subject that invites a lot more study, both philosophically and with regard to astrological delineations. The important point is to realize how time and space factors, such as the events of our births and deaths, capture our evolutionary processes through the planetary clock cycles. As astrology essentially relies on our subjective earth perspective of the solar system and stars, it objectifies each person’s existence and its processes: we realize that personal experiences capture a universal essence.
On the planetary plane of cyclic motion, each alignment is a part of the greater Truth. Some alignments will mark our births, our deaths, or other critical events of our lives, and accordingly, they will determine how we subjectively play out the greater essence of timeless Truth. In time and space, we spin the wheel until, perhaps, we find ourselves levitating in stillness at the epicenter of a spiral—then birth and death are but one.
Endnotes
[i] CNN: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/12/28/world/asia/india-rape-victim/index.html?hpt=hp_t1.
© Copyright 2013 Maurice Fernandez
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the written permission of the author.
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