My friends and family know…I’m just a bit obsessed with the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election. I’m actually interested in the whole national process, including the Senate and House dynamics.
That said, there are lots of questions about who the candidates really are, beyond their campaign rhetoric. I’ve decided to get below those surface veneers.
I’ve been studying the natal charts of the remaining three “major party” candidates for a while now, and finally decided to examine their natal charts to give us some insights into the people who may be our next U.S. President using my unique blending of astrology and numerology – The Life By Soul™ System. These are my first public postings of the “Core Six” combinations in action, so I’m super excited to share these with all of you.
I’m only sticking with these 3 candidate for now…though I know there are other party candidates (Green, Libertarian, etc.). I’ve also heard rumors of other Democrats and Republicans being added to the mix at the conventions, and I’ll look at those potential “last-minute candidates” only if they are actually entered into the race.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch…I’ve chosen to post these in alphabetical order by first name.
So…here’s Bernie!
Bernie Sanders – born 08.September.1941 (age 74) at 12:27p in Brooklyn (Kings), New York
His core identity (the energy he is grounded and centered in):
Bernie Sanders is a case of “what you see is what you get”, due to his Sun and Midheaven both being in Virgo. He really is all he seems to be – honest and earnest with strong personal morals and values, unwavering in what he believes to be best for his fellow man. And if that weren’t enough, his unaspected Virgo 5 Sun in his 10th house reveals that it truly isn’t about him – his ego isn’t in this game other than to fulfill his role of a pragmatic and practical public servant attending to the business of our everyday lives.
In his professional/career role and public/societal persona, he is able to juggle many projects at one time by effectively and efficiently managing his time and resources. Planning is key, and he does this like a champ. He also adapts to change very easily, so if things don’t go according to plan, he’s good at adjusting on the fly. He takes his career as a public servant and problem-solver very seriously, and he is remarkably well-wired for it.
He may have had a rough road to get to his political career path, since he’s found it, he has thrived. Though he was involved with civil rights and equality movements throughout his life, it’s no surprise that he had many odd jobs before he settled into elected political positions. The 5 energy brings activity and creativity through change and variety. Those inconsistent years in his early adulthood likely helped him develop a realistic perspective of the daily lives of most of the people he serves as well as resource and circumstantial adaptability in matters of his own everyday life. Whatever he needed to do in order to make life work, he did it so he could follow his heart which from the looks of his chart has always been in public service. The journey wasn’t always pretty, but he eventually bridged the gap when he was elected to his first public office and finally found his niche as an elected public official.
How he sees himself:
Bernie has Scorpio 8 projection energy on his Ascendant. He doesn’t see himself as much as an authority figure, but rather as someone who can make a powerful, life-altering difference in the lives of the people around him. He has a vision for how the nation’s societal and social structures should operate and what they should provide (Scorpio 8 AC sextile Neptune in Virgo in 10th), and he feels a duty to make that vision a reality not for himself alone, but for as many people as possible. He really does see himself as a representative of the people and feels a great deal of responsibility to be the voice of the people (Taurus 8 DC conjunct Saturn in Taurus conjunct Uranus Retrograde in Gemini in 7th).
He is very attentive to what others think and say, not from a place of personal vulnerability, but from an earnest desire to make things better for all through progressive, innovative, and collaborative ideas. Those who try to sustain the status quo may see his vision as a pipe dream while he sees it as what needs to be done for the lives of everyday people to function. Opposition to his agenda only focuses and disciplines his energy further, making him more determined to put make his dream a reality.
The only challenge Bernie may have in this regard is that he’s so focused on fighting for others, he often misses opportunities to advance himself. He really counts on others – both partners and communities (Jupiter in Gemini in 7th trine Venus in Libra in 11th) – to help him get his message out into the world and to help him take care of himself. His heartfelt determination to create something that brings justice, fairness, equality, and peace to communities and society as a whole is contagious (Aries 8 Moon wide conjunct Mars in Aries in 5th sextile Jupiter and trine Venus).
How others see him:
Bernie has a Virgo 8 midheaven, which makes him seem pragmatic, powerful and adept in matters of system and process. However, any insecurities he has are rooted in his concern that the knowledge and wisdom he shares isn’t being heard or seen. He may fear he’s not reaching either enough people or the right people for his teachings to make a powerful and profound difference in the world (Chiron in Leo in 9th).
He may also sometimes worry that he may not be charismatic or appealing enough to share his message effectively. When he feels like he and/or his message are not getting the acknowledgment or attention they deserve, this is when he may act be inclined to act in assertive if not aggressive extremes. He is not afraid to protest or stand up for what he believes to be right and true, and people do see him as someone who stands up for what he believes in and that he practices what he preaches.
When he and his knowledge and wisdom do get the attention they deserve, Bernie is able to channel that attention into his role as public servant, speaking to inform, educate, and empower others in how to seek justice and fair and equal treatment in their lives (Pluto in Leo in 9th sextile Mercury conjunct Juno in Libra in 10th). Through his effective and eloquent speaking, Bernie reminds people that their lives matter, too.
What he really (secretly) wants:
Bernie’s deepest desire is rooted in Taurus 3 energy. He truly feels that in order for his life to work, the lives of others around him also have to work. He wants to know that the work he does is serving the everyday existence of others well. He does his best to be hands-on with others – to meet them where they are and experience what they’re experiencing so he can better learn and understand where they’re coming from. He deeply values being able to meet and work with people wherever and however they are in their lives, and genuinely wants to help them solve their problems and heal their wounds so they can live more effective and fulfilling lifestyles.
He is inspired to create practical systems and programs which provide fundamental life support services to help people be functionally healthy in the areas of their lives which are most important to them (Aries 7 Moon in 5th semi-sextile Taurus 3 BM Lilith in 6th semi-sextile Jupiter in Gemini in 7th). He finds great emotional fulfillment in inspiring and encouraging people to grow and expand themselves and their lives through initiative action, lifestyle resources, and education.
What he needs to learn (karma):
Bernie needs to learn and master the surrender of his role as a martyr of selfless service. His personal/private life may be consumed with moral servitude to others and the world. He doesn’t see himself as needing to receive what he provides to others, and this is why he may find his biggest life challenges in giving away what he needs for himself, which often causes him to be somewhat inept in making his own everyday life practically functional.
Feeling called by a Higher power to be of service to All-That-Is, his devotion to service may cost him the ability to provide a stable and solid foundation for himself and his loved ones. It also may cost him the ability to be financially, materially, physically, and emotionally nurturing and supportive of his family and close friends AND the ability to and be nurtured and supported by them in return. That is…until he learns how to serve in ways which are mutually beneficial for those all involved, including himself.
When he allows his efforts to serve others and himself, things work much better than he ever could imagine. Then his Higher calling – which may be something which seems delusional if not crazy to some – may not be so crazy after all when he’s able to bring his public service dreams into reality…which is what he can do if he lets go of the idea that he isn’t worthy and deserving of the benefits of the programs and systems he puts in place in the name of others. It’s not only needs to be about “them”, it also needs to include him. “We” instead of “they” helps him find successful implementation of his plans.
What really gives him “the feels” (his emotional core)?
Bernie has an emotional need to be actively engaged in companionship and community with others. He’s got to keep moving, creating and doing and being. He isn’t one to sit around doing nothing. If he’s too still for his tastes, he doesn’t wait around for something to happen – he seeks out his next course of passionate action, his next cause to ardently fight for. He enjoys having conversations with others to learn what they know and what they need, brainstorming all sorts of possible directions and/or solutions and taking action upon those ideas. Creating possibilities through community and companionship bring him emotional fulfillment and give him a reason to keep going.
There is a bit of “me first” here. He is very assertive if not aggressive in taking action to put his ideas at the fore. He is a man of passionate emotions who acts on those emotions, and he’s also emotionally invested in making it clear that he’s the one who inspired and is leading the fight.
How does he find and wield his power?
Bernie is very adept at communicating his commitment to implementing a society rooted in fairness, equality, and justice for all within its systems and structures (Mercury in Libra in 10th). He may be very structured in his dialogue (a.k.a. – repeating the same thing over and over again), yet this is only because he knows that the repetition of information reinforces its learning – there is a method to his madness. He takes a very systematic approach to the implementation of his plans, and he’s willing to take things one step at a time – making adjustments along the way – to make sure things are done correctly and as best they can be the first time.
Bernie is also passionately invested in activism. Being in action for a cause empowers him, and he shares his passion for his causes with anyone who will engage and interact with him. His focus on functionality and progress is what drives his career ambitions. He knows if he can get into a position of authority, his voice can be heard and his plans can be set into motion. His Virgo 5 base combination (Sun) energy provides him with a willingness to adapt and be flexible in order to get societal plans and systems into place. His weakness here is that he is emotionally invested in leading the charge (Aries 7 Moon), only willing to release the reins when he is ready. If someone tries to take away his leadership role or if someone takes credit for what he has created, watch out! He will take the initiative to lead the good fight, fight for the right to lead its charge, and he will fight for the acknowledgment he feels he deserves for creating the movement. But this is also where his ego may get the better of him as he may take impulsive actions in the name of passion for his cause(s), sometimes only to realize he could have had other, better options which would have given him more credit and prominence if he had exercised a bit more patience.
To that point, Bernie empowers himself by assuming positions of influence, then seeking partners/collaborators to help him advance his plans and causes. He knows what he proposes seems idealistic and far-fetched. Yet Bernie also knows he can’t do what he wants to do alone, and his plans need an inspired network of supporters who share his vision and are willing to work with him in order for that vision to be implemented. He sees the whole of humanity as his partners in advancing his causes (Venus in Libra in 11th opposite Aries 7 Moon and Mars in Aries in 5th), and his passion often rubs off on them, creating a social-societal movement. Yet he learned along the way that he needed to patiently and methodically work his way into the system and earn his place in it in order to change the system.
Through his experiences, he positioned himself within the system as an activist for everyday citizens AND as an advocate for changing the system to make it, in his opinion, more efficient, effective, and productive for all. However, his roles in the system often complicate his plans because in order for his movement to be successful, he and his movement need to meet and overcome challenges from the system – one which does not share his social or societal interests (Saturn in Taurus in 7th), yet ironically enough, one which Bernie became part of in order to gain a position of power and influence to advance his agenda.
In order to overcome these challenges and move his agenda forward, it will require a “revolution”. He needs the people to react to the obstacles in order to remove them and effect change (Uranus Retrograde in Gemini in 7th conjunct Saturn in Taurus in 7th – the system pushes the people, then the people push back). Inspired by Bernie’s words, the masses find the inspiration they need to stand up and fight back (Saturn conjunct Uranus trine Mercury).
Bernie is best able to wield his personal power and influence by drawing attention to himself as a teacher and/or mentor. This is also why he exercises a great deal of self-control in how he presents himself to the world, and why he can sometimes seem a bit insecure in interviews (Chiron in Leo in 9th). He really wants the spotlight to be on his causes and messages, not on him personally. It really isn’t about his ego, other than he does want credit for making a powerful difference in society and the world through his public service work. It’s deeply important to him that people don’t see him as in it for him, but rather that he’s in it to win it for the larger cause of the wellness and prosperity of humanity-at-large.
If he is able to share his message with others, he innately brings power and influence to that platform and the people he connects with through it; if he doesn’t get what he wants from a platform, he simply walks away from it and moves on. The one exception is if said platform brings a question of his motives or character. He does not take kindly to his words being misinterpreted or his actions being misconstrued, and in these cases, he may set out to destroy whatever he believes is attacking him in an unfair or unjust way…even if it’s a platform he’s standing on (Pluto in Leo in 9th). Again, his impulsive actions may get the better of him in this case, but only time will tell.
I hope this gives you valuable insights into what makes Bernie Sanders tick.
In the next installment, we’ll take a look at Donald Trump. After him, we’ll complete the set with Hillary Clinton.
Thanks for reading and sharing Signs and Numbers. Until next post…
~ Light, Love, & Blessings,
Grace
