Spiritual Forum

Martin Luther King Jr. was a fascinating man. According to an English instructor I had in high school, he was ranked #1 in a poll (among instructors of speech) along with Adolph Hitler for being "the best public speaker in the twentieth century." If you've never read his letters or speeches, it's a must. There is a certain rhythm that he employs in his letters and speeches that grabs your attention, something like a hit song. It is easy to see why Martin Luther King Jr. grabbed the attention of the American public with his speeches: he had a way with communications to others that was soulful and profound, and yes, spiritual.

Mercury rules communications, and Dr. King's Mercury was in Aquarius. This is an exaltation placement for Mercury. But he also has Venus in Pisces, and this is also an exaltation placement. And these two planets are in a fair semi-sextile (30 degree angle) with each other. This placement of Mercury and Venus was noted by Don Jacobs with his chart of Jesus of Nazereth (03/01/ 7 BC, 1:21 AM, Bethlehem), and this placement seems to be an indicator of one having a powerful effect with speech and thinking during interaction with ones' friends or relationships.

MLK had a very interesting placement of Jupiter. King's Jupiter is in the sign of Taurus, and according to Charles CEO Carter, this may define a great love for the pleasing of ones senses in some way. And MLK also has the midpoint of his Venus/Mars placement (which defines physical love) being equal to this placement of Jupiter! Now one can see why he was so popular with the ladies at Morehouse College, and would go on to have an "expansive" love life, as well.

BUT WAIT A MINUTE: Saturn is in the 9th House and in the sign of Sagitarrius, and this is the house and sign of Jupiter. Individuals with this placement are noted conservatives and careful practitioners in terms of their viewpoints with the law, politics, religion, and philosophy. And he also had Saturn near that major black hole placement that I discussed for 12/17/2012, at 26-27 degrees Sagitarrius. But Saturn likes to "follow the rules," once the rules are known. And with Saturn in the house of the law (9th house), MLK practiced totally legal and totally law-abiding protests with civil rights issues that got totally violent responses, especially in the totally deep south. This would attract attention in his favor, and with his speaking ability, the rest was magical and spiritual. And yes, the ladies liked him even more.

Jupiter and Neptune are involved with a strong trine with each other on Dr. King's chart. The trine angle (120 degrees) can take on aspects of two non-compatible planets and bring out a useful aspect (as I mentioned with my "Free Astrology with Malcolm" series on youtube). I noticed that spiritual knowledge and practice is a good indicator with this placement, or profound curiosity with spiritual or cultural studies. But there are  interpretations that define this placement to indicate one not being an atheist and thus to be a servant of God. I feel this is questionable since drug addiction and gambling may surface with this placement as negative possiblities (since "Neptune can fool you"). In the case of Dr. King, he found a useful aspect of this energy in terms of spiritual-cultural studies and beliefs.

Mars is in the 3rd house, the house of communications, and in the sign of Gemini (which also rules communications). This placement indicates that one will attract or be attracted to debates or discussions concerning current events. And since King's Mars and Moon placements are involved in a fair square angle (90 degrees) with each other, the discussions and debates may get sharp at times (since squares define technical conflict).

The Moon placement of Dr. King is in the 12th house, and this is the house of institutional service, religious service, secret enemies, and disappointments. MLK entered Morehouse College at age of 15 and was able to get his doctrate at an early age (talk about an ambitious Capricorn!). He began work with his father's ministry at a young age, and with the Moon in Pisces (which rules beliefs) forming a strong trine to Pluto in Cancer (which rules ones homeland or past), this would indicate "a harmonious ability (trine) to transform (Pluto) the local public (the Moon)." But Pluto can represent the analyst at best, or the gangster at worst. And with the Moon ("the public") in the 12th house (secret enemies) trining Pluto (the analyst or gangster), MLK would attract powerful enemies. This was especially true with J. Edgar Hoover, who sent F.B.I. surveillance teams on MLK to find dirt, especially pertaining to communist leanings. It actually got to the point where King would recognize these team members; once he was in a bar with an F.B.I. informant and loudly ordered "a black russian" from the bartender.

MLK's Capricon Sun placement in the 10th house, and this placement clearly indicates that he is at his best when he is his own boss with his own career (which rules the 10th house, along with reputation with one's career). The Sun is also conjunct the star of Terebellum (25 degrees Capricorn), and this is associated with strength, cunningness, riches, and creativity (Venus/Saturn). The strong semi-sextile (30 degree) is a stressful angle, and MLK's Sun forms this angle with Saturn in the 9th house ("the law"). This indicates legal conflicts with the expression of oneself (and expression of oneself is ruled by the Sun), and the midpoint of the Sun/Saturn placement is about 1/2 degree from the chart's Midheaven ("point in the sky above ones head") at 10 degrees Capricorn 34 minutes. Since the Midheaven is strongly associated with one's reputation, MLK's reputation would involve legal conflicts over the right to express himself, which was lawful and law-abiding (and man, those guys in the suits hate peaceful protest!)

Dr. King had Aries rising, and he was five feet and six inches tall. This is not really too short, but I noticed (interestingly) that he was shorter than most of the men who he associated with in his ministry. And this placement with men usuually (but not always) indicates one to have shorter stature when compared to others. Because of the strong competitive nature of Aries, he was no doubt skillful and competitive with his study of debate and books/writings (i.e. scripture) interpretation. 

King's Midheaven placement is between two stars: Nunki petagus (12 degrees Capricorn; religious mind, oratory, truthful, authority on business) and Facies (8 degrees Capricorn; blindness, violent death, leadership, combative energies, detachment, success through charity works). The combination of the energies of these two stars did seem to establish his reputation, in addition to the Sun/Saturn midpoint: a religious orator who was truthful and met up with combative energies and a violent death.

"Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds."

- Albert Einstein