Symbolized as two fish, Pisces is as sensitive to changes in a person’s emotional temperature as fish are to changes in water temperature. Cancer, meanwhile, perceives shifting tides of emotion as accurately as its animal symbol the crab perceives shifting tides of the ocean.

When the intuitive abilities of the fish (Pisces Sun) combine with the emotional intelligence of the crab (Cancer Moon) the result is one of most caring, compassionate, sensitive and deeply emotionally of the 144 Sun/Moon pairings. When Bill Clinton said “I feel your pain” it’s highly unlikely that he meant it. A Pisces Sun, Cancer Moon person may not specifically say “I feel your pain” but you can bet that they do. And whatever else you’re feeling as well.

At its highest expression, this pairing is as attuned to subtle undercurrents of the emotional world as a school of fish are attuned to subtle undercurrents of the sea:

Contemplating how that school of fish relates to its environment will provide you with an excellent feel for how a Pisces Sun, Cancer Moon experiences the world. For this pairing the watery realm emotional worlds is everything.

This pairing does best in the healing professions where it’s empathic abilities can be put to their fullest use. Astrologers Suzi and Charles Harvey tell the Pisces Sun, Cancer Moon individual, “You can identify with people’s pain and fear because you have had plenty to deal with on your own.” (Source) Astrologer Bill Tierney makes a similar point about the Pisces/Cancer combination, describing its inclination towards heartfelt involvement in philanthropic endeavors as follows:

Being highly sympathetic, this pairing is moved by the plight of people undergoing difficult times. They are more emphatic than judgmental.

These [combination of] energies can be used to support universal causes that demand heightened public awareness, usually involving whatever it takes to eradicate suffering . . This ability comes through loud and clear when we involve ourselves in charitable events or projects of a humanitarian nature. Our maternal warmth is offered unconditionally. (Source)

Using the date of its as its date of birth, the organization ACTUP is a Cancer Sun, Pisces Moon. (Chart) You’ll be hard pressed to find an organization that did more to address people’s suffering, expressed more empathy for those unfairly judged by society, or who offered more unconditional compassion for those in severe pain than ACTUP.

For those who may not remember, ACTUP stands for “AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power”. During its hey-dey of the 1980s and early 1990s it was the premier organization lobbying for the rights of people afflicted with a disease that was as terrifying as it was mysterious. As the above video reminds us, during the early days of the AIDS epidemic there was serious talk among policymakers of rounding up AIDS patients into internment camps and even tattooing them so they would be identifiable by the general population. Pisces/Cancer understands that a society’s character (or that of a person) can be ascertained by how we treat the least among us.

Pisces Sun, Cancer Moon is one of the most theatrically oriented of the 144 Sun/Moon pairings. The psychic faculties of Pisces combine with the intuitive prowess of Cancer to produce a person who is excellent at deeply feeling human emotions and projecting them onto the stage or screen. Not coincidentally, members of ACTUP performed a lot of street theater.

The Harveys tell us that one of metaphoric images for this pairing is “An actress plays Clara Barton (founder of the Red Cross) and is so inspired by her life that she leaves the theater to become a doctor”. (Source) That happens to be an excellent metaphoric approximations of ACTUP as it combines the dramatic flair of the theater with the compassionate service of an organization whose goal is to relieve human suffering.

Even those Pisces Sun, Cancer Moon natives who go into distinctly non-healing professions will somehow find themselves tending to the emotional health of others. NFL running back Reggie Bush, for instance, is a Pisces Sun, Cancer Moon. (Bush’s Chart) At first glance you might not think a heterosexual African American football player best known for dating Kim Kardashian would have much in common with an organization made up mostly of openly gay men like ACTUP. But Pisces Sun, Cancer Moon is a double water pairing so there is always more to the person than meets the eye. So just stick with me on this one . . .

Pisces Sun, Cancer Moon can cope with inundations of water (emotion) better than any other Sun/Moon pairing. Bush signed his first NFL contract with the New Orleans Saints just a few months after Hurricane Katrina left the city inundated with emotional and economic despair. According to a 2006 USA Today article, Bush came to be seen by residents of New Orleans as nearly saint-like both for the emotional relief his presence generated and for the aid projects he personally financed:

At a May ceremony, the Rev. William Maestri, superintendent of Catholic schools in the New Orleans archdiocese, likened Bush to St. Reginald of Orleans, a 13th-century French saint who helped establish the Dominican order. After the student body ended with a “Reggie, Reggie” chant, Glaser says, “You could see he was truly moved. He was teary-eyed.” (Source)

The Harveys’ second metaphoric image for the Pisces Sun, Cancer Moon individual is, “A medical missionary voyages east . . .” (Source) While not an actual missionary, the profoundly uplifting effect Bush’s presence had on the city’s collective emotional health was comparable to what only the most successful of medical missionaries could hope to inspire. Even when working in a hurting profession, this pairing will somehow end up involved in healing.

Actor Kurt Russell is a Pisces Sun, Cancer Moon who also has a Mars/Venus conjunction in Aries just like Reggie Bush. (Russell’s Chart) People with the same Sun/Moon pairing (“Astro-twins”) often bear a impossible to dismiss resemblance to each other even if they’re obviously not related by blood. Take a look at this screenshot of Russell taken from the 1976 television show The Quest and compare it to a screenshot of Bush taken from a 2011 television interview:

Notice any similarities?

Astro-twin resemblances are more about vibe, demeanor, and the physical ingraining of habitual emotional patterns than simply looks. The phenomenon thus crosses racial boundaries, as the above photos make clear.

Russell, by the way, played professional baseball for four years before going into acting full time. (Source) Many of his most memorable roles, such as Snake Plissken in the Escape series of films, required a thespian who was equal parts actor and athlete. Pisces Sun, Cancer Moon is a great combination for the theater while a Mars/Venus conjunction in Aries (the Warrior) is an excellent placement for athletics. Put the two together and you’ve got a person who can excel at athletically demanding forms of theater . . . while also working to relieve the suffering of others. Kurt Russell, for instance, is a Board Member of the humanitarian aviation organization Wings of Hope (WOH). According to its Wikipedia page, Wings of Hope:

. . . locates and arranges for advanced health care usually for children with massive birth defects and then transports them to and from that care for years until all treatments are completed. The service is provided at no-cost.” (Source)

That a Pisces/Cancer organization like ACTUP and Pisces/Cancer individuals would all be involved in efforts to relieve suffering makes perfect sense. Astrologer Jacqueline Bigar writes of this combination, “This pairing instinctively reaches out for others in physical or psychic pain, knowing that a touch or expression can help.” (Source)

Thoughts? Post them in the comments section.

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Copyright Matthew David Savinar, 2012

Are you ready for the next disaster?

Combine the highly social, smoothly diplomatic ways of a Libra Sun with the covert instincts of a Scorpio Moon and you get a person who can thrive in artistic or social ventures (Libra) that require the native to walk through the valley of death (Scorpio). According to astrologers Charles and Suzi Harvey this is the combination of “. . . the blonde bombshell whose self-possession and sanguine smile says ‘don’t mess with me’.” (Source) Astrologer Jefferson Anderson observes that this pairing “possesses the style of the dove and the intensity of the hawk.” (Source) To illustrate: rapper Calvin Broadus Jr, best known as Snoop Dogg, is a Libra Sun, Scorpio Moon (Chart) Snoop’s combination of smooth, dove-like lyricism (Libra) and clandestine, hawk-like intensity (Scorpio) comes through with extreme clarity in the music video for the 1991 film Deep Cover, the video that launched his career. He’s obviously not an actual “blonde bombshell” but, even at a then 21 years old, his self-possessed demeanor definitely communicates that he is not one to be messed with:

According to Stella Hyde, Libras make for great lawyers and spin doctors who “can take any piece of info — especially the damaging kind — and spin it into a web of silken verbiage until it gleams” while Scorpio Moons are nourished by jobs such as Secret Agent and Vampire Slayer. (Source) The backstory to the Deep Cover theme is a vivid if potentially problematic example of this pairing’s capacity for spin doctoring (Libra) potentially damaging information about the slaying of a vampire (Scorpio Moon) until the resultant story sounds as smooth to the ear as silk feels to the touch. At the time “Deep Cover” was in the works, law enforcement officials were pursuing the group N.W.A. for their song “F*** tha’ Police” and rapper Ice-T for his song “Cop Killa”. Snoop knew that due to the fallout from these songs he would have to lawyerly spin doctor (Libra) Deep Cover’s storyline about the assassination of a corrupt undercover officer (Scorpio Moon) into subtle verbiage that would slip past the censors at MTV. A 1993 article in the New York Times explains how he did this:

Obviously, few Libra/Scorpios will end up as rap musicians like Snoop. Nor will most hold opinions as controversial as those he expressed at the height of hip hop’s “gangsta’ rap” era. However, more than a few will find their lives characterized by subtle (Libra) layers of intrigue (Scorpio) not totally different from those described above. The fox who made his or her way into the hen house was likely a Libra/Scorpio.

Libra, the sign of social justice, is at its best when reconciling divisions between people. Ecologically, Scorpio is the energy of the composting process in which old death is transmuted into new life. Given the epidemic levels of death, decay, and social division now plaguing America, a Libra Sun, Scorpio Moon such as Snoop could be quite effective at navigating the current political landscape. Snoop as a political leader may sound a bit outlandish if you’ve seen some of his more irreverent performances – such as his brownie-baking appearance on Martha Stewart’s show. However here is a video of an older-and-wiser Snoop Dogg discussing politics with Larry King and doing so with both smooth aplomb and a tangible air of gravitas:

Even if Snoop has no desire to get into political leadership, he would likely excel in film roles of a much more intensely political nature than those he’s taken to date. Actors do best when their roles match the traits found in their astrological charts and Snoop happens to have the same Sun/Moon pairing as the Black Panther Party, the revolutionary African American social movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Using their establishment date of 10/15/66 as their date of birth, the Black Panthers are also a Libra Sun, Scorpio Moon. (Black Panthers’ Chart)

Jimmy Carter, the only U.S. president who has had the intestinal fortitude to tell Americans the truth about their oil predicament, is a Libra Sun, Scorpio Moon. (Source) Despite their radically different external appearances, Carter and Snoop actually have quite a few things in common. Carter got his start in government as a young naval officer navigating the clandestine underworld of the 1940s submarine wars. Snoop got his start in music as a young rapper navigating the clandestine underworld of the 1990s gangster rap wars. The two ecosystems aren’t as different as one might think. Both involve deadly underworlds where deciphering friend from foe and up from down requires deftly honed sensitivities – which is exactly what the Libra Sun, Scorpio Moon person is in possession of.

People remember Carter as the kindly peanut farmer president but the reality is he was as tough a customer as they come. Take a look at the calm (Libra) intensity (Scorpio) emanating from his eyes during his days as a young submarine warfare officer. Then compare that to the look emanating from Snoop’s eyes as a young artist navigating an ecosystem every bit as opaquely threatening as the depths of the North Atlantic sea during World War II:

In both men what you see is “the blonde bombshell whose self possession says don’t mess with me”, even though neither man is literally a “blonde bombshell.”

Carter told it like it was in regards to the geopolitics of U.S. oil dependency, the Black Panthers told it like it was in regards to econo-politics of the prison industrial complex, and Snoop has a reputation for telling it like it is in regards to the socio-politics of the music industry. (Source) That all three would share a reputation for unflinching honesty regarding issues of life-and-death is no surprise given their Sun/Moon pairing. At its most effective expression, the Libra Sun, Scorpio Moon individual can remain calm and diplomatic (Libra) during times of intense crisis and change (Scorpio).

About the Author: Matt Savinar is a California licensed attorney (State Bar #228957), voluntarily inactive as of June 2013. He can be reached for questions, comments, or consults at his contact page.

Looking for a man who knows how to dress well, smells nice, carries himself with grace, and is a natural at relating to others? Then you may want to consider a Libra, the sign of balance, harmony, and partnership. Check out the following examples of Libra men for a taste of what the seventh sign of the Zodiac has to offer:

#1) Miss Piggy Puts the Moves on Actor Roger Moore

Is it any surprise that an actor who portrayed super-smooth ladies-man James Bond more times (7) than any other Bond actor would have a Sun/Mars conjunction in Libra, the sign of the super-smooth ladies-man? (See Chart) It shouldn’t be as Libra is the Zodiac’s Olympic gold champion when it comes to being popular with the chosen gender. It’s also the sign most likely to already be in a relationship, as Miss Piggy found out when she put the moves on Roger Moore in this circa 1985 episode of The Muppets:

Miss Piggy shouldn’t give up on Roger just yet though. As Ren Alexander and Geraldine Rose explain in their book Seduction by the Stars, “Libra is the sign about which you can feel least morally squeamish when it comes to tossing your hat in the ring with a number of hats already lying there. Libra has an eye out for an improved version of their current partner.” (Source)

#2) Don Cornelius: So Cool the Man Could Freeze Hell Over

According to Sonya Magett and Rob Marriot, the authors of Astrology Uncut: The Street Smart Guide to the Stars, Libra is the “Finesse Pimp” of the zodiac, with a “Game Quotient” of 10 and a “Drama Quotient” of only 2. (Source) Is there any man in show business who more embodies the term “Finesse Pimp” than Don Cornelius of Soul Train fame? With both his Sun and Venus in this finesse-oriented sign, Cornelius is “so cool he could freeze hell over”, as one commenter said of this circa 1975 video:

The thing about Cornelius is he was much more than just the host of a popular television show. He was the founder of Soul Train, which was very much a pioneering project for its time. This is, again, an example of how signs always have a lot in common with their opposite sign. Aries is considered the trailblazer of the Zodiac but it was an uber-Libra like Don Cornelius who created a show as socially and musically trailblazing as Soul Train.

#3) Derek Jeter: A Super Smooth Libra Moon, On And Off the Field

With his Moon, Pluto, and Uranus in this stylish sign, it’s no wonder NY Yankess shortstop Derek Jeter has graced the covers of GQ, Vanity Fair, and dozens of other fashion magazines. Exuding the natural confidence Libra is known for, he was a perfect fit for the Gillette company’s 2008 “Staying Alive” campaign alongside golfer Tiger Woods, whose presence now only serves to highlight Jeter’s gentlemanly Libra demeanor:

Don’t think Jeter’s classy persona is just an act for the cameras. Even when mobbed by fans, Jeter is known for maintaining the grace you’d expect from somebody with a Moon/Pluto conjunction in smooth-as-silk Libra. As a writer for CBS News observed of Jeter when out in public, “In the time it takes him to order a java chip frappucino, Jeter poses for eight photos snapped by owners of camera phones, shakes five hands and signs seven autographs, never losing his gracious manner.” (Source)

#3) Snoop Dog and Buzz Aldrin Cut a Rap Album Together

As the sign most associated with an innate awareness of the other, a major theme for Libra is the concept of “social intercourse”. You will be hard pressed to find a better example of “social intercourse” then rapper Snoop Dog’s 2009 rap song collaboration effort with 80 year old former astronaut Buzz Aldrin, who Snoop nicknamed “Doc Renedevous”. (Source)

Perhaps not coincidentally, Buzz’s Moon is at 19 degrees Libra, conjunct Snoop’s Sun at 26 degrees Libra. In Western Astrology, a Sun/Moon conjunction between two individuals is considered a five star synastry contact, excellent for marriage or any other 1-to-1 partnership such as collaboration on a rap album.

#4) Bill Clinton Smacks Around Fox News Reporter Chris Wallace

Libra is known as the peacekeeper of the Zodaic but don’t let this fool you into thinking this sign can’t or won’t fight. Bill Clinton, for instance, is a Leo Sun but has Mars, Venus, Neptune, and his Ascendant all in Libra. Like many people with a Libra emphasis in their chart, Bill has been known expend so much energy trying to maintain that sense of balance that he eventually just snaps, as he did during this appearance with Fox News reporter Chris Wallace:

Of course it’s hard to talk about Bill Clinton without mentioning infidelity. While Libra is famously considered the sign of “balance”, it is also the sign that can balance multiple relationships behind your back while maintaining the appearance of an ideal marital union. As astrologer Stella Hyde writes of Sun/Mars conjunctions in Libra, like the one found in Bill’s chart, “if your Mars is in Libra as well as your Sun, you often find yourself with your pants down and in no position to fight.” (Source)

#5 Mohandas Gandhi: The Icon of Libran Values . . . but with a Scorpionic Twist

There are few, if any, individuals who better embody the highest expressions of the Libra archetype than Libra Sun Mohandas Gandhi. (See Chart) A lawyer and civil rights champion, Gandhi led India to independence from Britain by way of peaceful non-violence, the ultimate Libra value.

But life wasn’t all Libra sugar for Mr. Gandhi. According to his Wikipedia entry, Gandhi “was in his mid-30s and the father of five sons when he vowed celibacy and it became a continual trial. He was a great flirt and spent his life tempting fate. A long line of secretary-nurse-companions massaged him, bathed him and even slept with him to keep him warm.” (Source) Seems a rather peculiar path for a marriage-minded Libra but keep in mind the man did had Mars, Venus, and Mercury all in Scorpio – the sign most likely to congregate at the extremes of any human behavior bell curve. As always, a person is more than just their Sun sign, including lovely Libras.

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Copyright Matthew David Savinar, 2011

We’re in the middle of a Venus/Saturn conjunction in Libra. Venus is the planet of love; Saturn is the planet of hard work, boundaries, and things built to last; Libra is the sign of one-to-one partnerships. Put the three together and the theme is “love built to last.”

This video of an older couple playing with their laptop’s webcam, not aware it was recording them, went viral a few weeks ago when Venus hit zero degrees Libra. Words don’t do its hilarity and sweetness justice other than to say it’s a really great example of the energy of a Venus/Saturn conjunction in Libra:

ABC News did an article on the couple and their video shortly after it first went viral: Elderly Couple Viral Video Sensations

As far as their signs/charts: I’d guess he’s either a Leo or has Leo emphasized in his chart. Leo is the entertainer of the Zodiac, known for its stage presence. I’d guess she is either a Taurus or has Taurus emphasized in her chart. Taurus is great with objects and quite pragmatic. While he is hamming it up for the camera she’s thinking about how to get the thing to actually work.

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Copyright Matthew David Savinar, 2011

Geminian entertainers may lack Leo’s natural stage presence but can often make up for it through their use of language. Professional wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, for instance, is a Taurus Sun whose Mars, Venus, and Saturn are all in quick-witted and verbally dexterous Gemini.

Exceptional on the microphone and an extraordinary athlete, Johnson’s popularity stemmed as much, if not more, from his hilarious promos than his in-ring performances. (See Video)

Even when on stage next to Hulk Hogan, who has four planets in lights-camera-action Leo, he was never out-shined due to his Geminian-like agility with the spoken word.

The sign of dexterity, individuals with Gemini emphasized in their chart can often excel at a wide-variety of divergent endeavors. Johnson’s appearance in the 2007 film “Be Cool”, in which he portrays a gay country music singer, is an excellent example of Geminian dexterity at work. A professional football player before becoming a wrestler, Johnson’s scene with John Travolta, viewable here, in which he acts out a scene from “Bring It On” (a 2001 film about high school cheerleaders) must be seen to be believed.

Copyright Matthew David Savinar 2011

Of the 144 Sun/Moon pairings, the Aries Sun, Gemini Moon is one of the most friendly, most exciting, and most totally unpredictable pairings as it combines the passion and courage of Aries fire with the speed and dexterity of Gemini air. Loaded with moxie, full of attitude, and exuding an aura seemingly charged with electricity, this is the Sun/Moon pairing of “the firecracker, the live wire”.

Consider, for instance, Hollywood Golden Era actress Bette Davis. (Chart) An Aries Sun, Gemini Moon, Davis was considered at her best when portraying characters with an aggressive edge who were willing to take things to extremes. Reviewing Davis’s performance in the (appropriately titled) film Dangerous, a film critic took particular note of the electric volatility Davis projected onto the screen:

I think Bette Davis would probably have been burned as a witch if she had lived two or three hundred years ago. She gives the curious feeling of being charged with power which can find no ordinary outlet. (Source)

Aries is associated with straight forward self-assertion while Gemini is associated with varieties of communication. Combine the two together in the same person and you get an individual who, like Davis, is likely to leave a trail of quick-witted yet plain-spoken soundbytes. The quote, “When a man gives his opinion, he’s a man. When a woman gives her opinion, she’s a bitch” has been attributed to her. (Source) So too is the quote “Fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a bumpy night”, which was originally a line of hers in the film All About Eve:

Aries Sun, Gemini Moon natives are the smack-talkers extraordinaire of the zodiac. Davis, for instance commented of her longtime MGM rival Joan Crawford, “She’s slept with every male star at MGM except Lassie.”

As entertaining as her many soundbytes were, Davis was much more than just a witty broad on the big screen. Befitting her pioneering Aries Sun pedigree, she accomplished a long list of firsts during her career in Hollywood. According to her official website, “In 1977, Davis was the first woman to be honored with the American Film Institute’s Lifetime Achievement Award. She was also the first woman to be president of the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences.”(Source)

Aries is the archetype of the Warrior and while Davis did not fight in World War II she did make considerable contributions to the war effort. The nature of her contributions were fitting for a woman with her three planets (Moon, Venus, Pluto) in Gemini, the sign most associated with social networks, short journeys, and light-hearted fraternization:

By 1942, she was the highest paid woman in America. Bette contributed to the war effort by helping to organize the Hollywood Canteen during World War II for soldiers passing through Los Angeles. Inspired by New York’s Stage Door Canteen, Bette transformed a once-abandoned nightclub into an inspiring entertainment facility. In 1980, she was awarded the Distinguished Civilian Service Medal, the Defense Department’s highest civilian award, for running the Hollywood Canteen. (Source)

Like many actresses of her time, Davis also went to work selling war bonds. True to the nature of her competitive Aries Sun, she persuaded audiences to buy more bonds in less time than any of her contemporaries. Furthermore, she did so in a way only a true Aries alpha female could, that’s by browbeating audiences into buying them:

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Davis spent the early months of 1942 selling war bonds. After Jack Warner criticized her tendency to cajole crowds into buying, she reminded him that her audiences responded most strongly to her “bitch” performances. She sold two million dollars of bonds in two days, as well as a picture of herself in Jezebel for $250,000. (Source)

At the core of the Aries archetype is courage. Given the social mores of the World War II era, courage is exactly what Davis demonstrated when she performed for black military regiments as the only white member of an all-black acting troupe. (Source) Davis’ courage in social matters is likely what later made her such an icon among the gay community that a documentary: “Queer Icon: The Cult of Bette Davis” was produced about her the in 2009. (Source) The documentary’s trailer describes her in true Aries fashion, “Everything about her was an earthquake, she was the toughest.”

Virgo is the Hard Working Nurse, the Long Suffering Nun, the Discerning Analyst, the Humble Servant, and the Health Guru of the Zodiac. In medical astrology Virgo rules the intestines which separate what stays with the body for nutritive purposes from what must be discarded as waste. This is where Virgo gets both its analytical abilities and health consciousness from. When a person’s Sun (identity) is in Virgo they will come to be identified with serving others in a technically proficient but often anonymous fashion. Florence Nightingale was not a Virgo but her image in most people’s minds as a reform minded nurse is about as Virgo as it gets.

Mother Teresa is a Virgo whose life serving the poor and downtrodden of India’s slums is a testament to the Zodiac’s most humble sign. According to astrologer Yaron Livine, Switzerland is a good symbol for Virgo as it is the home of the Red Cross and the Swiss Watch. (Source)

Sitting 150 degrees away from Virgo is Aries, a radically different sign. Where Virgo is prim and proper, Aries is brash and daring. This is the sign of Trailblazer, the Daredevil, the Warrior, the Survivor, the Competitor, the Fighter Jock, the Airborne Ranger, and the Ass-Kicker of the Zodiac. In nature it is associated with the Ram who confronts rivals by ramming its head into them. When a person’s Moon (emotional needs) is in Aries they are emotionally nourished by going head to head against a challenge. Mixed martial arts superstar Ronda “Rowdy” Rousey is a textbook Aries Moon. She’s the fighter ramming her head into her opponent in the below video. (Chart)

So what happens when you combine the service-oriented identity of a Virgo Sun with the high-octane instincts of an Aries Moon? You get what’s known as a “quincunx”, an astrological aspect that’s as difficult to reconcile as it is to pronounce. Signs that quincunx each other are the wildcard combinations of the zodiac, so different they may as well be from different planets if not different dimensions. Consider for the differences between the textbook Virgo and the textbook Aries:

High-risk Aries is the daredevil who jumps out of airplanes. Cautious Virgo is the nurse who tends to the wounds of those who jump out of airplanes.

Combative Aries is the carpet bomber. Care-taking Virgo runs the orphanage for the children left parent-less by carpet bombing.

Head long Aries scarfs down raw meat and guzzles Red Bull. Precise Virgo carefully chews every bite while sipping reverse osmosis filtered water.

Brash Aries rides a Ducati motorcycle. Efficient Virgo rides a sturdy second hand bicycle.

Hard charging Aries blows the door open with explosives. Observant Virgo notices the unlocked window and quietly slips in.

Courageous Aries never backs down from a bully. Nervous Virgo is too self-conscious to defend itself.

Picture an anonymous nun parachuting into a war-zone or a quiet librarian working nights as a stuntwoman and you’ll get a sense for the modus operandi of the Virgo Sun, Aries Moon native. Shelly Beattie, best known as “Siren” on the original American Gladiators television show, is a representative Virgo Sun, Aries Moon. (Chart) If Beattie’s name doesn’t ring a bell, there’s good reason. She was deaf.

Beattie’s dynamic appearance as an adult belies the extraordinarily difficult time she had as a young person. Her classmates, most of whom had never been around a deaf person before, assumed she was mentally retarded and treated her as cruelly as you might imagine. (Source) She spent her teen years in foster homes where she was repeatedly abused. (Source)

Prior to joining the cast of American Gladiators, Beattie had worked as a group home counselor for developmentally delayed teenagers while simultaneously competing at the highest ranks of professional bodybuilding. In a 2006 article on quincunxes, astrologer Donna Cunningham recalled a client of hers with a prominent Virgo/Aries quincunx whose career followed a similar arc as to that of Beattie’s:

. . . how it worked for her was admirable. She volunteered at an Inner City church, coaching a baseball team for young boys. She was giving service (Virgo), but in a positive way that put her in touch with that primal male energy (Aries). (Source)

Beattie’s hey-dey was a good 15 years before the advent of social media so there’s not too many representative interviews or clips of her floating around the internet. If, however, you check out this clip you’ll get a brief glimpse of the humble (Virgo) yet enthusiastic (Aries) persona that made her such an over the top favorite with both abled and disabled fans alike.

Following her time on American Gladiators, Beattie was selected to the history-making all-female America’s Cup sailing team that raced (and beat) a number of all-male crews during the mid-1990s. (Source) The physical demands of the America’s Cup are notoriously extreme but, as Jefferson Anderson tells us, extreme physical challenges are exactly what Virgo Sun, Aries Moon individuals need to stay emotionally healthy:

Like all Virgos, you find great satisfaction and fulfillment through hard work. Industrious and reliable, you combine energetic enthusiasm with thoughtfulness and common sense; bu your work must challenge you. That restless Aries inner nature rebels against boredom and drudgery. If you start to feel as though you’re not getting the excitement you need from your career, you’ll go on to something new, even if it means abandoning a high salary. (Source)

I try to be as objective as possible when doing these Sun/Moon profiles but doing so with this one is going to be tough. Beattie’s Moon/North Node conjunction at 23/29 degrees Aries is similar to my own Moon/Midheaven conjunction at 20 degrees Aries. Her Venus at 8 degrees Virgo is the same as my Mars at 8 degrees Virgo. I didn’t grow up deaf like Beattie but I did have a speech impediment that led a number of people to suspect I was retarded. Between that and the astrological similarities I can’t help but feel a certain degree of kinship, similar to what you feel when you read about a historical figure whose life story resonates a bit with your own. It’s thus with a real sense of sadness I must write that her story does not have a happy ending. In April 2008 The Oregonian reported as follows:

But doctors said Beattie’s bipolar disorder would get worse. And it did. By New Year’s Day, she was so sick she had to be hospitalized. The cycles of the illness became more rapid. Eventually depression and mania crossed paths and became one. She had been in a care facility for six weeks when she hanged herself. She lived four days but never regained consciousness, and died Feb. 16, 2008. She was 40. (Source)

The Oregonian concluded its article on Beattie’s life, “Her corneas were used in transplants for two blind people.” That somehow seems fitting for a Virgo Sun, Aries Moon individual such as Shelley Beattie. At it’s best Virgo is the Nurse who selflessly serves others while Aries is the Knight in Shining Armor who rides to the rescue of those in distress.

According to astrologer Jefferson Anderson, Virgo Sun, Aries Moon is the “Clark Kent” combination due to its aptitude for combining anonymous service and daring adventures. (Source) Upon her passing, Beattie’s former husband John Romano recalled a number “Clark Kent” type incidents from his time with her including a few very Super(wo)manish ones:

I’ll never forget her streaking across the ceiling of Gladiator Arena upside down on “Sky Track” during the taping of Gladiators. She set the record in that event and it was never broken. The first time I took her rock climbing she flashed a 5.7 pitch with her shoe laces untied. No one could believe it. (Source)

Looking at her chart I can certainly believe it. Her North Node (destiny) was in Aries (the Warrior), right on that Aries Moon of hers. According to astrologer Celeste Teal, Moon conjunct the North Node is associated with coming before the public in a big way. (Source) Beattie’s North Node ruler was Mars in Scorpio, which astrologer Judy Hall tell us “is powerfully assertive, unstoppable, will steamroll the opposition.” (Source)

Virgo Sun, Aries Moon: A Kindly Witch Cracks Smart Alec Jokes

Cassandra Peterson, best known for portraying the super sexy yet totally oddball “Elvira, Mistress of the Dark” is a Virgo Sun, Aries Moon. Like Shelley Beattie she also has a number of quincunxes throughout her chart yet he’s still going strong as ever even as she approaches her wise elder years. She too is a bit of an “unknown stuntwoman.” Her alter-ego Elivra may be world famous but when out of her get up she is as unknown as any textbook Virgo. And if making a career out of dressing up as “Elvira, Mistress of the Dark” doesn’t count as pulling off a major stunt, I’m not sure what does. Prior to becoming Elvira, Petterson had worked as a Vegas showgirl, an occupation that is as physically demanding and ruthlessly competitive as the gladiatorial profession.

According to astrologers Suzi and Charles Harvey, a metaphoric image for the Virgo Sun, Aries Moon individual is, “A jolly, rotund monk excels in well-worn Latin says, witty responses and kindly good humor.” (Source) That’s a pretty good approximation of Elvira. She’s not a “jolly rotund monk” but she is a “jolly voluptuous witch” best known for her witty repertoire and kindly good humor.

The Harveys’ image is also a pretty good approximation of Shelley Beattie. She was neither a jolly monk or a witty witch but she was a good hearted gladiator known for her kindly humored demeanor. She too excelled in well worn sayings except hers weren’t in Latin. They were in sign language.

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Copyright Matthew David Savinar 2012