Today (August 16, 2018) I awoke to the sad news that Aretha Franklin had died. The public learned that she was “gravely ill” on August 13. As it turns out, she had been gravely ill for some time and had been in hospice care at her home. Her final concert took place in New York City on November 7, 2017 at a celebration for Elton John’s AIDS Foundation’s 25th anniversary. Below I would like to write a few astrological thoughts about Aretha - an icon that I and millions of others will remember very fondly and miss enormously. The above photo first appeared in Mirror Online.
She was born on March 25, 1942 in Memphis, TN. The time as listed by astro.com is 10:30 PM and gets a Rodden rating of AA. She is an Aries with Scorpio rising and Moon in Cancer.
Her Sun is in the fifth house - the house of creativity, children, and just having fun. She loved to perform and I’ve heard many that knew her well describe her as having a very regal presence (today). The fifth house is related to the sign of Leo. It’s no surprise that she became known as a queen - the Queen Of Soul. Her MC (the top of the chart) is on Leo. And, her lunar node is located in the tenth house. It seems that she was destined for success and public acclaim. She earned/won eighteen Grammy awards. Her Aries Sun reminds me of songs such as “Who’s Zooming Who” and “RESPECT.”
Although she was quite well off financially and did not need to, she loved to cook and also working and cleaning around her own house. Her Moon is in Cancer and her natal Venus is conjunct her IC and in Aquarius. She did not hesitate to do her part for various causes that she believed in.
She released “Natural Woman” in 1968. In early 1968, transiting Saturn was in early Aries and conjunct her natal Sun. The first lyrics of the song reflect that aspect quite well:
Looking out on the morning rainI used to feel so uninspired.And when I knew I had to face another dayLord, it made me feel so tired.
However, Jupiter was transiting her tenth house then, and the song became a big hit. It has remained big and is one of her signature songs/hits.
She performed with other artists and sang a few duets. One of them - “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)” - is a favorite of mine. She sang it with Cancer native George Michaels, and it was released in January of 1987. Jupiter was transiting Pisces and heading into Aretha’s fifth house. Mars was transiting her fifth house, and it conjoined her natal Sun and trined transiting Venus (in Sagittarius) early during the month of January, 1987.
The lunar eclipse of February 10, 2017 hit her natal Venus (in Aquarius). It’s been about a year and a half since then (about the time it takes a lunar eclipse to mature for an individual). The Sun is stimulating that eclipse now. The cause of death is advanced pancreatic Cancer. She has natal Pluto in early Leo and it is conjunct her natal Chiron. Transiting Mercury (ruler of her eighth house) is conjunct her progressed Chiron and close to her natal Chiron. And, the July 27, 2018 lunar eclipse opposed her natal Pluto. Pluto is the planetary ruler of the pancreas. The Moon is transiting her twelfth house today as she passed away. The twelfth house is the house of death and loss. I think we all feel that loss.
You bet! Thanks for reading.
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