Patrick Henry

War is about getting one's way. To be honest I sort of think that Peace is about getting one's way as well. We're never at peace unless everyone around us reminds us of ourselves.

So enough about Peace and War. That was for the portion of the folks born in the Neptune in Libra generation and that was the group of kids that came before me. What I keep hearing in my own little Neptune in Scorpio mind-ears lately are the words of Patrick Henry, one of the great forefathers of the United States of America. Henry was a lawyer who managed to pass the Bar after spending six weeks glancing over a couple of books. Now, if you can do that, you can say that you do indeed have remarkable powers of persuasion and you are certainly going to excel as a lawyer. So I looked up Henry's chart and, no doi, the dude was a Gemini. Shut up if you're a Gemini. No. I said shut up, I haven't finished my thought and I know how excited you guys get. That doesn't necessarily mean that you are equal to the guy who managed to get passed the first resolution of the revolution (Stamps Act whatever that was) . There has to be a lot more going on in the chart. And Henry's chart is incredible.

If you don't know, Patrick Henry was the guy who became famous for saying "Give me Liberty, or Give me Death." And, from looking at his chart, I have to admit that probably no one else could have meant it more.

Patrick Henry
b. May 29, 1736 Studley, Hanover County, VA

Sun 9 Gemini; Moon Capr?/Aquarius; NN 4 Libra Rx

For one, Henry's Gemini Sun was conjunct Saturn in Gemini. The Stamps Act (whatever that was) was passed on his 29th Birthday. How's that for some Saturn Return Action? This guy could discipline (Saturn) his actions (Sun and Mars) through his words (Gemini). Plus, the Sun-Saturn conjunction was squaring firey Mars (Actions, Energy) so he would have not only been battling the forces of authority in others, he was battling the forces of his own authority. I've talked before about Mars-Saturn aspects. Sometimes they are called "driving with the brakes on". I've said that they are often people who feel the barriers and walls and excert the force to push through them for good or bad. Henry was not only against the King of England but he was against the Federalists who came into power. When invited to become Secretary of State (I think it was Sec of State, I may be wrong, it's on Wiki but I'm trying to read notes from a month ago) he refused because it would mean aligning with people who were against his ideals of real Freedom.

Henry also didn't sign the Declaration of Independence. When a Gemini isn't included in the ink signing party so he can show off his manual dexterity you know he's got some higher ideals. The higher ideals thing comes through strikingly in this chart, there's a long list and I'm including as much as possible.

Henry's Mercury is out-of-bounds at 19 Gemini. This means that his communication skills are exceptional in some way.

His higher ideals come from all over the place. His Mercury is conjunct a Neptune opposition of Uranus from the signs Gemini to Sagittarius. He could speak on behalf of society's highest aims. (They also may not have been totally realistic). The Uranus in Sagittarius (a group of people born within roughly a 7 year time frame because Uranus transits through a sign about every 7 years) could be expected to speak out on behalf of Liberty and Freedom. Uranus rules Hope, Wishes, the Community, Brotherhood. Jupiter debates Higher Ideals in Philosophy, Religion and Education.

To double up on this energy, in the year that Henry was born, Uranus was in mutual reception with Jupiter. Henry's Moon was probably in Aquarius and so disposits to Uranus. This means that his emotional needs are related to the Uranian concept of equality and freedom. So, in a sense, the higher ideals of human rights and freedoms expresses his inner emotional needs (assuming that he has Aquarius Moon, not that one should underestimate a Capricorn Moon like Abraham Lincoln for example, need a birth time to be positive).

Furthermore the ruling planets that most have to do with Revolution are singletons in Henry's chart. Mars, Uranus and Pluto are all singletons. Venus may also be a singleton if Moon is in Aquarius.

Pluto in Cardinal (and lead planet of a Locomotive shaped chart). Pluto is also apex of a Thor's Hammer to the Sun-Mars square in his chart. I wonder if Thor's Hammer comes up in the charts of Politicians who are very concerned with basic human rights. I'm thinking about Hillary Clinton and John Edwards (and maybe also connected with marriages that suffer from extracurricular activity). Pluto, of course, is related to extremes, crises, and Death. You can see it working in Henry's famous line.

The day that Patrick Henry gave his famous speech:
Mar. 23, 1775 St. John's Church, Richmond, VA

The Sun was conjunct Mercury 4-5 degrees Aries and opposing Saturn 6 Libra. Not only does this mirror the natal Sun-Saturn conjunction in Henry's chart, but this opposition is layered over his natal Nodal Axis (Events having to do with Destiny).

On this day Henry was going through a Mars Opposition (widely by about 10 degrees over the transiting Nodal Axis (Destiny again). This was squaring his natal Sun-Saturn conjunction in Gemini. (natal Mars 11 Pisces).

The Moon was conjunct his natal Uranus in Sagittarius setting off anything having to do with expressing Opinions (Sagittarius) to the Masses (Uranus, Moon). (Liberty) Plus, Henry was picking up the trends (Uranian concept) of his times. Uranus was on its last degree in the sign of Taurus just about to go into Gemini and so was approaching conjunction with natal Sun-Saturn. He was giving an ultimatum on behalf of all things Uranian.

And he was going through his Pluto square. Transiting Pluto at 27 Capricorn was squaring natal Pluto at 26 Libra Rx. Nothing works better than a subtle "Over my dead body." (When well timed, that's where the Sun-Saturn comes in because Saturn gives a good sense of timing).

Extra note: progressed Saturn in Patrick Henry's chart seems to have moved very fast through his early life. It progressed 4 degrees. That seems very slow but in progression terms that's fast movement. Considering the prominence of Saturn Henry's chart and life actions I wonder if this is an indicator of a person who climbs to the top quickly in life. Obviously he didn't care about blind ambition but in building a genuine system that promotes quality of life.