I recently finished reading The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey, by Candice Millard, a fascinating book detailing the ex-President’s harrowing trek through the wilds of South America. I dubbed the book “20 goofballs on a boat.” What would make anyone do something like that is beyond me- then again, I define “roughing it” as staying at a hotel where room service ends at midnight.
As I kid, I was fascinated by TR, as we seem to call him now. He was the first Scorpio President I had come across. (There were actually five Scorpio Presidents – the most of any sign, I might add. Well OK Scorp is tied with Aquarius .) In addition, his birthday on October 27 is one day away from mine on the 26th. I liked TR…then I started to read more about him.
There is much about the President that is admirable. Born a sickly, asthmatic child, he built his strength through sheer stamina and hard work. He also continued with a speech while President with a would-be assassin’s bullet lodged in his chest. His exploration and protection of the wild areas of America led to the National Park System and he wrecked havoc on big corporations that were bleeding workers in the early 20th Century.
However, his sheer love of war, his need to destroy opponents and his inability to compromise make him a hard role model.
At first look his chart stunned me a little. Pisces rising? Pisces rising? (Check my entry on Pisces on the first house to see why I was shocked at that.) Pisces rising is not one to run around charging into battle and yelling “bully” with decisiveness. To make things more interesting, he has the ruler of Pisces, Neptune in the first house – that is double dose of what should be a somewhat dreamy, rather confused – hard to fit into the world persona.
What is going on here?
The asthma, the sickly body – yup, that is Neptunian for sure. The dreams of preserving the wilderness, of charging up San Juan Hill and other great adventures, building the biggest Navy, starting a new political party – yes, that too is Neptunian. However, most Pisces rising can get stuck in their dreams. (I always say Walter Middy was a Pisces just like Scarlett O’Hara was the perfect Aries. Hmm, I see blog posts on fictional characters!)
What fueled his dreams? Look for your answer in the stellium on the top of his chart. A stellium is five or more bodies in conjunction with one another. He has Venus in conjunction with Ceres, Vesta, Juno and the Black Moon, Lilith, all in Sagittarius in his 9th and 10th house – the houses of international affairs and career and government. Hello! Ceres, mother earth, the care giver to the world, Vesta, the burning hearts desire, Juno, the sign of loyalty and devotion to a person or cause and Lilith the rule breaker all in the fire sign of Sagittarius, which itself vibrates to the 9th house. This is fire, this is energy, and this is go out in the world and do.
That stellium literally allowed him to put his dreams into actions.
Now, had he not been born into a wealthy family – had not had a father who told him to go out and heal his body and work to make it strong…could he just as easily have wound up sitting behind a desk dreaming of great exploits his whole life? You bet he could have! There is more the life than an astrological chart! It is the road map – if we have the ability or desire to follow it we do. If not, we go off the highway.
And then there is Mars in Capricorn. Mars, the god of war, is in the sign that rules 10th house – fueled by the Capricorn giving him a structure and way to channel his energy. This energy was particularly fueled by emotional hurts. Roosevelt lost his first wife and mother on the same day. His first reaction was typically water sign (Pisces rising, Scorpio Sun). He went away into the wilderness alone – expressing his grief by conquering the Nature that took away his loved ones. When he returned he would be ready to fire ahead on some great project.
In fact, he took this trip to South America after he lost the Presidency to Woodrow Wilson. This was part of the typical retreat and re-attack pattern. The trip would eventually lead to his early death so there wasn’t much attack left in him upon his return. Returning alive was the miraculous part.
He did live to see the death of a son in World War I. This would be horrible to any parent, of course, but to one who so championed war and adventure it was even worse. Roosevelt carried heavy guilt over that. In addition, several other sons were injured in the War. Take note of Saturn in his 5th house, the house of creativity and children. Where we see Saturn, we see a depression – a restriction in that area. Many Saturn 5th house people can’t have children. Those that do will often have problems with their off spring.
Roosevelt also was the father of fiery Alice Longworth Roosevelt of whom he said, "I can either run the country or I can attend to Alice, but I cannot possibly do both. Enough said about Saturn in the 5th.
TR was a fascinating mix of introspective water and unbridled fire. That combined with some strong DNA and unlimited opportunities made for one remarkable character who for better or worse will live in the history books of America as long as it does.
If you aren't as organized as Teddy Roosevelt contact Julie Gray at Profound Impact
