Specialized Inquiries: Self-Destruction

[Jim Eshelman]

GENERAL INTRODUCTION: Sidereal astrologers have rarely written at length about how to judge specific areas of life about which people may have recurring questions. Tropical astrologers dwell on this extensively, surely fortified by the idea (that may or may not be true) that different areas of life are "governed" by different houses.

Speaking for myself, I've not written about such topics extensively because my primary interest is exposing character and its unfolding. I disagree with the house-driven premise that we are drastically different in how we handle different parts of our lives. Instead, I find that, "How you are in one part of your life, so are you in all the parts of your life" - your inherent self ultimately shines through one way or the other. Therefore, my basic answer to any question of "How does this person act in the X part of his or her life?" or "Over the course of life, what is likely to happen to this person?" will always be: "Understand who this person is: That will tell you what you want to know."

Nonetheless, we do have ways of placing a magnifying glass over one or another area of life; we just haven't sharpened these tools. I propose to start a series of threads on different life areas. For each, I will post this introduction; then reserve the first reply space for me to post my primary answer (as I get around to it). The rest of the thread is wide open to discussion and contribution. (Over time, I will edit my premise-post with the idea of turning it into an instruction in the topic, fed by the discussion. You don't have to wait for my premise-post to post on the topic.)

Some will be tempted, based on the nature of these topics, to jump into the houses as a quick answer. As the thread is open to discussion, that's fine; but, as usual, my own opinion is that we should stick with techniques that we have proof work, which at this stage in astrology's unfolding would minimize or exclude the use of houses.

Everyone feel free to jump in!

[Jim Eshelman]

I have reworked this discussion beginning at the following post:
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=4851&p=54521#p54521

This is a difficult topic on which to write. I don't have a clear protocol or path to examining this. It's more a case of "I usually know it when I see it." Therefore, I'll write what's on my mind at the moment and (as with all of these threads) revise it over time.

This is an important topic. We can do a lot of good correctly identifying tendencies to self-harm and self-destruction. On the other hand, it's important to keep in mind that most people are never seriously self-harming or self-destructive. (We all make bad decisions, punish ourselves here and there for one thing or another, etc., but rarely to a serious extent.) As astrologers, therefore, while we can do much good correctly identifying self-destructive tendencies, we can have a negative outcome looking for it when it isn't there. (At the very least, we get ourselves labelled busybodies or looking silly.)

The gist of the matter astrologically is that our malefics are where we hurt ourselves. They also show where we hurt other people or cause harm in general, but it's important to register that natal malefics are where we experience harm, including self-harm. (BTW, I think this was a Cyril Fagan observation. Out of the whole world of astrologers, he's the only one I know who emphasized that natal malefics are where we get hurt.)

In theory, then, we can look at the angularity and aspects of Mars, Saturn, and Neptune, plus Mars' sign, for clues about this. For the present topic, I'm not including actions that simply produce bad outcomes for us, but those that are intentionally and overtly self-punishing, self-harming, or self-destroying.

I'm not considering suicides in this group, btw. Suicides are rarely acts of self-punishment or, at least, not cleanly so.

I don't have charts collected for this self-harming category. I may discover some as we go. If anyone has such examples or can think of famous examples, please mention them.

To start (merely a start!) sorting this out, for the next post (below) I'll go through my "packaged" interpretations of primary chart factors and start taking notes on anything that fits. (These, however, are intentionally written to be mostly positive and, specifically, not include extreme negatives, so I might miss some things buried more deeply in my notes here on the forum.)

[Jim Eshelman]

I am using this post to take preliminary notes on factors already known to have some intentional self-harm tendencies sometimes. I'm not sure what this post will become over time (I will edit and change it at my whim and may delete it or mold it into something different).

ANGULAR PLANETS
I think it broadly true that people with benefics angular are much less likely to be self-harming and people with malefics angular are more likely. This is hardly the whole picture, of course, because angular malefics can simply be driven, compulsive, and destructive of things and other people rather than intentionally dismantling themselves. Nonetheless, one form of angular Saturn is self-punishment; angular Mars in the best conditions skirts the edge of danger and risk, looking suspiciously like they want to get hurt; and one form of angular Neptune is self-dismantling. (If this generalization holds up, we still have to clarify what pushes it toward self-harm.)

Saturn angular (and, actually, in other forms like aspecting luminaries) at the very least can turn to self-restriction that, in the extreme, could become intentional self-punishment.

MOON PLACEMENTS & ASPECTS
Moon in Taurus (and, for that matter, Sun in Taurus) values harmlessness. Normally this makes them non-harming of self and others. I'm curious, though, whether, if this is pathologized, it would take intentionally self-harming forms. (That's the way that pathological circuits work: They turn to expressions that are quite the opposite of what they seem in healthy conditions, turning on things normally basic to our natures.)

As I read through the Moon-sign interpretations, I'm struck at how vulnerable our lunar nature may be. Afflictions to Moon often create emotional pathology consistent with the aspect, and might well be important to the current topic.

Moon in Virgo is often subjected to abuse, especially when young. I wonder if this has at least self-sabotage aspects or willingness to accept abuse and whether this crosses into the self-harm area.

Sagittarius luminaries have a very punishing side, the whip or scourge being basic to the sign's symbolism across the ages. There is an acute sense of right vs. wrong. Especially if fueled by religious righteousness, I wouldn't be surprised to find that that Moon in Sagittarius in particular (and perhaps Sun also) had examples that were at least self-mortifying if not (figuratively or literally) self-flagellating.

Scorpio and Capricorn Moons are known for dark imagery, grotesque displays, and shocking actions (especially when young), but my first impression is that these are not as likely to become actually self-harming (and that the fantasy and imagery act as release valves of any such actual tendency).

Pisces (like the 12th house) is traditionally related to self-undoing, but this is primarily a Tropical tradition. I'm not sure it's true. (I'd suspect these traits from other signs sooner than Pisces.) I mention it because of the traditions but I don't really see it in them.

I suspect Moon-Sun aspects are an indemnification against intentional self-harm.

Moon-Mars can show as alcoholism and other substance abuse. I don't want to put all the alcoholism markers in this category, but it does seem Moon-Mars pathologized might move in the direction of intentionally creating hurt in ways that draw blood.

Moon-Saturn is prone to self-punishment (extreme forms of "holding oneself to task") in most cases, and different psychological forms of self-immolation. I suspect this can turn to intentional self-harm in the most extreme cases. Moon-Neptune also feels like it could go this way in deeply disturbed cases. (In all these factors, I don't mean the typical expression but only extreme cases.)

SUN PLACEMENTS & ASPECTS
Sun in Aries seems the most self-destructive placement: Aries has the lowest survival instinct of any Sun-sign. (This is the trait most obviously reflecting the sign being un-Saturn: The survival instinct is lowest of the 12.) This shows in their recklessness, being the most suicide-prone, etc. and I think it can be credited with the potential for general self-destruction.

Sun in Libra can be self-denying. I'm not sure how far this might go in extreme cases. It feels like it could become self-punishing and possibly self-destructive.

Going by hunches rather than data, I'd be more likely to suspect self-immolation and intentional self-harm from Sun in Pisces than I would from Moon in Pisces. (Not sure why in theory: It's just a feeling, perhaps a spin-off of their slavery-bondage themes and sometimes acute moralism.)

Some of the sign observations listed above under Moon would be expected to behave similarly for Sun. I won't repeat them.

I don't think Sun-Mars fits this category, but Sun-Saturn and Sun-Neptune definitely might. (Sun-Mars is too action prone and outward acting. There is also the observation that the aspect is common for murderers but quite absent for suicides: again, attacks are struck outwardly not inwardly.)

MARS PLACEMENTS & ASPECTS
In theory, Mars' sign would be expected to shows details of how we are harmed, including self-harm. That's the theory - it needs observation to confirm or dismiss.

There are, of course, the alcohol and other substance-abuse signatures of Mars in Mercury signs that might overlap the current category. (We probably shouldn't emphasize this too much since many - most? - of these cases involve a physical disease, not a self-harming psychological state. At the very least, there isn't a perfect overlap, it's a skinny Venn.)

Mars in Libra is strong on my radar for intentional self-harm. They do tend to be self-sufficient survivors most of the time, but this also makes them slow to ask for help. They live a bit on the social outskirts, can become cut off from other people, and get into a whole lot of trouble over the course of their lives. It's also the only chart factor I know outside of Mercury-Mars themes that stands out for alcoholism. I think there is a self-harming element in Mars in Libra.

Mars in Capricorn tends to have much unresolved shadow, is vulnerable to dark moods, and carries around their darkness. This might become self-harming (even though usually it has outward-acting release valves that keep it healthy).

Mars in Pisces can be brooding and moody, pursing the extreme of depths and heights. I can see this becoming self-harming in the sense of, "Oops, that got out of control," but not necessarily intentional self-harm compared to other things I've cited.

I don't know if Mars in Aries is as anti-survival as Sun in Aries. In theory, it could be, but it's not obvious to me from observation.

Mars aspects easily show inadvertent self-harm in the sense of recklessness in one or another area of life, things getting out of hand, etc. This isn't what we're examining. (I mention it to distinguish it, but it is probably useful information by itself.)

Mars-Saturn aspects usual extrovert, but the aspect can introvert as inner battles. It can be self-punishing. I think it has the potential to be more extreme than that. Also, Mars aspects with Saturn, Neptune, and Pluto are noted for different sorts of anger issues (sometimes anger control problems, sometimes suppressed anger, but usually boiling down to difficulty cleanly and appropriately expressing anger). As a generalization, this could feed self-destruction.

Beyond the anger issues, Mars-Neptune feels like it has the potential for self-destruction. It certainly has the potential for inadvertent self-destruction - those cases are really easy to find! - and (having the aspect myself) the energies seem to wildly outwardly expressed to wander often into intentional self-destruction. There is also fantasy as an important psychological release valve. Nonetheless, I feel I have to mention it much in the same fashion as Sun-Neptune but with more drama.

OTHER ASPECTS
Generally, Venus aspects aren't going to be important. The one that seems to stand out as an exception is Venus-Saturn, which easily moves to self-denial or self-sacrifice. If you combine interpersonal distance, cut off contact, and similar states (which can be one connection), this could move to self-punishment at least and deeper intentional self-harm potentially - in theory.

The main outer planet aspect that comes to mind is Saturn-Neptune. Most people with this aspect (like every aspect) live and function well, but the aspect is certainly not short on morbid manifestations. I think these are more likely when Saturn and Neptune are tied into faster planets, but the aspect also operates fully on its own in most respects - so perhaps in self-destruction as well.

Saturn-Neptune often has practical failings that result in inadvertent harm; for example, them are frequently indifferent to material security. But in more extreme cases, they can perceive (or be themselves guilty of) intrigue, deception, suspicion, and betrayal. Many withdraw into seclusion or exile (and social isolation, I think, is a common key in self-harm). They can also experience dark, troubled states, depression, disappointment, distrust, and generally struggling with their own demons. This seems a set-up for self-destruction.

Saturn-Pluto might be prone to this also. It often is inadvertently self-harming (just from everything it takes on). One form of Saturn-Pluto symbolism is "losing it all." The aspect can be isolative or even alienated. Normally, though, I think it's pretty tough and not as likely to go the route of intentional self-destruction: They are usually survivors.

[Jim Eshelman]

It would be fabulous to have some actual charts to check!

[Jupiter Sets at Dawn]

I have never conflated suicide and self-destruction. Suicide is usually from depression, which is a chemical imbalance, or a dramatic (often childish) florish. Self destruction is about self-delusion and obstinacy. Refusing to see where they are going or stubbornly staying the course they've chosen.

[Jim Eshelman]

I have never conflated suicide and self-destruction. Suicide is usually from depression, which is a chemical imbalance, or a dramatic (often childish) florish. Self destruction is about self-delusion and obstinacy. Refusing to see where they are going or stubbornly staying the course they've chosen.

Agreed. I kept them apart.

[Veronica]

It would be fabulous to have some actual charts to check!

Observering self destructive behavior in others has impacted my life immensely.

It was with the help of astrology that I tried to understand what I saw others doing to themselves which seemed like poor choices to me.

I have seen people do such horrible hurtful violent things to themselves and try to wrap my mind around trying to understand what pain they must be going through and cannot find expression or release for.

I dont have an accurate time but a chart of my exhusband has many markers...Moon Mars opposition....Saturn Neptune opposition...Sun in Aries. Nothing makes him happy it seems. I've never seen such pain and sadness and anger....and when its focused it is terrifying.

May 1 1972 Buffalo NY approx 8 or 9aM

[Jim Eshelman]

That's a ferocious charts - thanks for the example. He's an Aries-Scorpio with a close Venus-Mars conjunction rising closely. (For 8:30 AM, Mars is 0°37' above Asc and Venus 2°30' above Asc: Mars is thus stronger in a third way.) Mundanely he has an exact (0°12') Moon-Saturn opposition to add to the pile, while ecliptically it's Saturn opposite Neptune.

So... the ferocity and (probably) the deep pain is quite evident. I can easily see this person damaging things and other people. With his Moon conjunct your Mars, his Saturn-Neptune across your Eastpoint axis, I doubt it was easy for you to stay out of the line of fire.

What I'm not clear about: What kinds of things did he do to himself? How was he self-destructive, self-unravelling, etc.?

[LeiLei]

My ex-husband was extremely self-destructive. He was reckless when we were together but he really went off the deep end in the years following our split and I wouldn't doubt even now. He spent hard time in prison for 7 or 8 years for arson plus many other arrests for various offenses including drunk driving, drug use, & violence towards others. He drove a motorcycle and even his work as a roofer was risky. He seemed determined to risk his life, his freedom, his relationships with his family & friends. Definitely seemed like there was a death wish.

I don't know his birth time but he was born May 18, 1979, Decatur, Ga. He has a tight Venus/Mars conjunction in Aries.

[Jim Eshelman]

Thanks for another example. Gosh, I really wish we had a time for this. I think the angles would make all the difference in the word. I don't suppose you have a way to get that?

From your description, I think his Moon was in Capricorn. (It's either in late Capricorn or early Aquarius.) But Sun is in Taurus (and, unless he was born really early in the day, there goes my theory of Moon-Sun aspects being an indemnification). If I had to guess, I'd go with about 5:00 AM with Capricorn Moon square Uranus exactly and Venus Venus-Mars angular.

As it is... the aspects and Taurus Sun don't support the picture I expected or that you described. But... there we go with another near-partile Venus-Mars conjunction as in Veronica's example. That aspect is passionate (in the best and worst senses) but doesn't have a reputation for being self-destructive. (It is, though, the single most common aspect for murderers in the Bradley study, which I always took to be the raw passion acting through them, and one of the least common aspects for suicide.) It is generally thought life-affirming, but these two examples suggest another side.

I'm going to have to look into that.

[Jim Eshelman]

Close Venus-Mars hard aspects include a few people who managed to get in more than a little trouble and might be considered self-destructive (among many others, especially positive, nearly saintly, expressions):

Adolf Hitler, Aleister Crowley, Arthur Bremer, David Koresh, George Zimmerman, Jeffrey Epstein, Marquis de Sade, Orson Welles (some consider him seriously self-sabotaging), Patty Hearst, Prince Andrew, Robert Strack, Thomas Mooney, and Vincent Van Gogh.

Not a huge list considering the much larger list I pulled them from, but something to consider. But let's not miss that, other than the killers, most of the people on this list got in trouble due to sex scandals.

[Veronica]

That's a ferocious charts - thanks for the example. He's an Aries-Scorpio with a close Venus-Mars conjunction rising closely. (For 8:30 AM, Mars is 0°37' above Asc and Venus 2°30' above Asc: Mars is thus stronger in a third way.) Mundanely he has an exact (0°12') Moon-Saturn opposition to add to the pile, while ecliptically it's Saturn opposite Neptune.

So... the ferocity and (probably) the deep pain is quite evident. I can easily see this person damaging things and other people. With his Moon conjunct your Mars, his Saturn-Neptune across your Eastpoint axis, I doubt it was easy for you to stay out of the line of fire.

What I'm not clear about: What kinds of things did he do to himself? How was he self-destructive, self-unravelling, etc.?

No, it is not was not easy for me at all.
It's still not.

In trying to pin down specific events or actions that I observed I think a very large part of it all is what you spoke about above in regards to isolation and anti social behaviors. It felt at times that he prided himself on being as offensive as possible....the smoking and cursing and complaining and negative self talk and burst of anger and violence, the loud "Death Metal" music......he made people (ie my friends and family and neighbors) not want to be around him.

In this topic addiction and alcoholism show as traits for self destructiveness. He is both an alcoholic and an opiate, nicotine and caffeine addict. This is part of the greater picture of a general abuse of consumables...or gluttony. He can and will gorge on food till he can't move.

The most self destructive habit that I can articulate is what I would attribute to the moon Saturn apect in which he would fixate on a negative event (ie. The buffalo Bill's lost the game) and spiral it downward into the most horrible personal affront and wallow in how horrible every single thing in the world is.

A pattern of behaviors in which he became entangled with law enforcement made it obviously that he was suicidal and doing everything in his power to create a "suicide by cop" scenario.....as well as doing and saying everything imaginable to try to provoke people (esp. Me) to attack and fight him.

[Jim Eshelman]

In starting this topic, it was inevitable - if we really discussed it - that "beyond unpleasant" things would emerge. Nonetheless: Brrrrrrr.....

[Veronica]

In starting this topic, it was inevitable - if we really discussed it - that "beyond unpleasant" things would emerge. Nonetheless: Brrrrrrr.....

Seemingly so,
Yet

I had to use the dictionaries to look up this word you used in reference to Sun Moon aspects: indemnification.

I have this aspect and I know that I am self destructive in many ways. All humans are, to a degree. In reflecting on my own habits and choices that do in a very real way tear me to pieces, I have found so many things that are NOT me that I thought were, and things that I didn't think were a part of me that were.

It was only in the actual process of tearing down myself was I able to clear away the things that I didn't need and get the things I did.

[LeiLei]

Thanks for another example. Gosh, I really wish we had a time for this. I think the angles would make all the difference in the word. I don't suppose you have a way to get that?

No I'm sorry. I lost contact with his family. I will say his aggression was pointed more outwardly rather than against himself. It was just that the result of his behavior often led to his life destructing. His violence towards his partners only grew worse as time went on. His father was not in the picture & he was raised by women who constantly reminded him of how terrible his father was (violence, abandonment) while also telling him he was just like him! He may have been a poor example though.

[FlorencedeZ.]

How about Mars in Cancer since this could be fighting demons from the past being self destructive?

[Jim Eshelman]

Could be. I see where you're coming from. I don't see that in te examples I know: They're more brooding and internalizing.

[LeiLei]

I think I might have an interesting chart for you to look over, Jim. I didn't think of her before because she has this subtle way about her. She kind of 'tries out' different forms of self-destructive behavior, shifting from one to another - cutting, drug use, alcohol, gorging on food & hiding it, & just kind of wasting away. Looking at her chart now I'm a little worried. There's not really anything identifying about her & she has told me she feels empty inside.

April 9, 1998, 8:24pm, Lawton, OK

[Jim Eshelman]

...she has this subtle way about her. She kind of 'tries out' different forms of self-destructive behavior, shifting from one to another - cutting, drug use, alcohol, gorging on food & hiding it, & just kind of wasting away. Looking at her chart now I'm a little worried. There's not really anything identifying about her & she has told me she feels empty inside.

This is gold - many of the categories that were going through my mind all in one, and the chart is a good fit of what I was thinking about above.

The first thing my eye caught was the Virgo Moon (she's a Pisces-Virgo). I've often wondered if Virgo Moons were more prone to the binge-purge cycle and other eating disorders: Virgo Moon is in many ways "stereotype of a young teenage girl" and the more neurotic examples are often, therefore, reminiscent of "neurotic young teenage girl," if you get what I mean.

But the luminaries aren't the biggest thing about the chart: It's all three malefics converging on the angles! Mars 2° above Dsc and Saturn just over 3° apart (their midpoint 0°36' from the angles, with Neptune 3° off IC (Mars-Neptune mundane square 1°22'). The closely angular Saturn conjoins the Pisces Sun. (Saturn octiles Pluto 0°06'.) Benefics are all far from the angles. Add Neptune trine the Virgo Moon. Whoosh!

These is an extraordinary example of how someone malefic-dominated can hurt themselves We can break it down into the individual things she has done but, you're right, the overall pattern sounds like self-destruction itself.

"Feels empty inside..." That's a topic for a good counsellor. One could argue it from so many directions. It sounds (and the chart helps here) like she's saying she doesn't have any clear sense of who she is in any deep sense. She's shifting, malleable, elusive, not inclined to commit to identify herself as anything in particular - in fact, maybe not willing to commit at all. Pisces often have strong betrayal issues and she probably experiences that she's betrayed herself. - All the developmental drama seems to be around Dad (with Mom seeming to be 'missing' or... vaporous?). She does things that surge endorphins when she can, just so she can feel enough life-force.

"Feels empty inside..." Though this is probably stretching a pun (I have no evidence what I'm about to say has actual character meaning), I notice that her Moon rose within a few minutes of a black hole (called M87).

[LeiLei]

The first thing my eye caught was the Virgo Moon (she's a Pisces-Virgo). I've often wondered if Virgo Moons were more prone to the binge-purge cycle and other eating disorders: Virgo Moon is in many ways "stereotype of a young teenage girl" and the more neurotic examples are often, therefore, reminiscent of "neurotic young teenage girl," if you get what I mean.

But the luminaries aren't the biggest thing about the chart: It's all three malefics converging on the angles! Mars 2° above Dsc and Saturn just over 3° apart (their midpoint 0°36' from the angles, with Neptune 3° off IC (Mars-Neptune mundane square 1°22'). The closely angular Saturn conjoins the Pisces Sun. (Saturn octiles Pluto 0°06'.) Benefics are all far from the angles. Add Neptune trine the Virgo Moon. Whoosh!

These is an extraordinary example of how someone malefic-dominated can hurt themselves We can break it down into the individual things she has done but, you're right, the overall pattern sounds like self-destruction itself.

"Feels empty inside..." That's a topic for a good counsellor. One could argue it from so many directions. It sounds (and the chart helps here) like she's saying she doesn't have any clear sense of who she is in any deep sense. She's shifting, malleable, elusive, not inclined to commit to identify herself as anything in particular - in fact, maybe not willing to commit at all. Pisces often have strong betrayal issues and she probably experiences that she's betrayed herself. - All the developmental drama seems to be around Dad (with Mom seeming to be 'missing' or... vaporous?). She does things that surge endorphins when she can, just so she can feel enough life-force.

"Feels empty inside..." Though this is probably stretching a pun (I have no evidence what I'm about to say has actual character meaning), I notice that her Moon rose within a few minutes of a black hole (called M87).

She's always been taken care of, has never had a job. She has expressed a desire for independence but I think her sheltered existence has made her too weak/scared to actually go for it. She also had a hypochondriac period. Seeing her chart I'm wondering if she has any defense against these forces?

In her preteens her parents split, her relationship with her mom was strained & I think she was around 14 when she moved in with her dad. They've recently reconciled but for most of her teens her mom was more concerned with doing her own thing & they wouldn't speak for weeks. There was also court drama - her mom going after her dad's money & rumors of cheating (on both parents). Her dad was great in many ways but a workaholic & lacked emotional depth. I think she needed someone to notice something unique about her & provide a little insight into who she was. Instead she was told what she was going to do & she did, usually without resistance. For instance, she didn't want to go to college right away, preferring to get a job so she could figure herself out a little bit but was told she had to go. So she went. And now she's about to move to Colorado and she was told to just pack whatever she can into her vehicle & give the rest away. She just gives in, like she has no other choice. She does love Colorado though so may be this move will be the best thing for her.

Well, she does have black hair & very dark brown eyes!

[Jim Eshelman]

An example that just crossed my desk is actor Charlie Sheen, born September 3, 1965, 10:48 PM EDT, New York, NY (AA). Though coming from a privileged family and being virtually royalty (a "royal son") in the entertainment field - reflected, appropriately, in his Leo Sun and his Sagittarius Moon closely opposite Jupiter - and has actualized significant success before becoming a nearly "untouchable" actor, he has lived a deeply troubled, self-destructive life especially through his drug addiction. Unsympathetic commentators have suggested he should take up permanent life-time residence in a treatment facility since, after all, they're more or less luxury palaces.

I see that his chart is almost a picture-perfect of example of what I summarized above. The only exception is the strong Moon-Jupiter opposition, which likely refers to the benefits of a highly supportive family.

But look at the basics: His one closely angular planet is Mars, partile square MC. His only other foreground planet is Neptune. This starts us off suggesting a malefic-themed lifepath. Mars is in Libra, the one placement I singled out as "on my radar" for significant self-destruction (aside from its substance abuse vulnerability). Sun is opposite Saturn - or, rather, Sun-Saturn is the closest aspect of Saturn's wider oppositions to his Sun-Uranus-Pluto trio. Venus is more or less out of the picture for him, not a significant player in his chart. Sun-Saturn also trines-sextiles Mars.

If you take my descriptive post above as the "textbook," we can call this a textbook-perfect example.

-------------------------

I asked above whether Sagittarius luminaries were self-flagellating. I think they surely are, at least psychologically: Self-punishing if they fall short in any significant way, seeming to wield the whip of an animal trainer or religious flagellant. But does this work out in the sort of self-punishment we're examining in this thread? Taking a large block of eminent charts I've gathered, I filter our 43 Sagittarius Moons. Narrowing this to, say, Mars angular, I get four examples. Two of these don't seem destructively self-punishing (George Washington, Diamond Jim Brady). The other two are Sheen and Carla Van Raay, who is at least a complex case of shifting life-choices keyed to shifting morality: A sexually abused child, became a nun and educator, left that life for outside educator, after a troubled and disrupted marriage became a prostitute and eventually wrote about it in a book God's Callgirl. From that, became a counselor. I can't outright say this is self-destructive, but it's a case work mentioning (and loaded with a stunning number of Sagittarius themes).

[Venus_Daily]

I can't believe how much I have in common with Charlie Sheen. He used to disgust me, but I now feel pity and some empathy for him. Being a Leo/Sagittarius with a somewhat angular Mars, I made unconscious decisions to punish myself as well. They're not as extreme as Sheen's, but they're still self-flagellating nonetheless. His Libra Mars is another sore point for him in his life. I think he's at least bisexual.

[Mike V]

My chart shows a large number of these indicators, and I had a long history with physical, social, and psychological self-harm before I stopped doing it intentionally. There are still pathological patterns and responses I'm working to root out through therapy, but there's no conscious and deliberate action like there was before.

I have:

Sagittarius Sun
Virgo Moon
close Moon-Saturn-Neptune square
foreground Mars as the only foreground planet

Some thoughts about what resonated with me here, and my experiences...

Moon in Virgo is often subjected to abuse, especially when young. I wonder if this has at least self-sabotage aspects or willingness to accept abuse and whether this crosses into the self-harm area.

I took a lot of abuse growing up because I felt that that was the price of admission for having friends. My knee-jerk response to most abuse and aggression is to accept it and presume it is justified, and anything else comes after that has already processed.

Sagittarius luminaries have a very punishing side, the whip or scourge being basic to the sign's symbolism across the ages. There is an acute sense of right vs. wrong. Especially if fueled by religious righteousness, I wouldn't be surprised to find that that Moon in Sagittarius in particular (and perhaps Sun also) had examples that were at least self-mortifying if not (figuratively or literally) self-flagellating.

Though it's my Sun in this case, I'm very hard on myself when I perceive I fall short.

Moon-Saturn is prone to self-punishment (extreme forms of "holding oneself to task") in most cases, and different psychological forms of self-immolation. I suspect this can turn to intentional self-harm in the most extreme cases. Moon-Neptune also feels like it could go this way in deeply disturbed cases. (In all these factors, I don't mean the typical expression but only extreme cases.)

On-brand. It's far too complicated for me to write anything concise about this. Let me know if there's anything specific you want to know about this cluster.

...angular Mars in the best conditions skirts the edge of danger and risk, looking suspiciously like they want to get hurt...

Feeling a visceral sense of release was definitely a factor for me much of the time. There was also the urge to expend energy in general, and frustration, and I was the easiest target for that.

Otherwise, in general, let me know what would be helpful to you, and I'll share from my experience.

[Jim Eshelman]

Thanks, Mike. Good to hear from you! (And this is quite helpful.)

[Jim Eshelman]

Rodney Harvey, July 31, 1967, 4:20 AM EDT, Philadelphia, PA (B)

I never knew this guy's name, but just came across his data and story. The short version is that he couldn't handle the magnitude of fast fame and plunged into drugs which eventually spiraled him down the drain.

I don't see a bounty of the features I suggested we would see, but this IS another example of Libra Mars - a warning sign. It's an example of Moon in Taurus now available for our study (and, in fact, tender luminary signs: Cancer Sun, Taurus Moon). The chart isn't terrible, but does have a close Sun-Mars square with mars in Libra. - Ah, one more thing to add from the mundoscope: We do find Moon opposite Neptune in mundo.

[Jim Eshelman]

Most people are mostly healthy most of the time, both physically and psychologically. This commonsense premise is axiomatic within practical astrology. Do not expect an unlikely or outlier outcome when likely and inlier outcomes are more probable and have ample opportunity to occur.

Serious physical or mental illness is an extreme outcome of astrological patterns that normally have ordinary (mostly positive) outcomes. Extreme negative outcomes take one of two forms:

1. Restriction or harm to part of one’s nature, blocking its free, healthy expression.
2. A strong, aberrated, misapplied over-expression of a normally healthy, moderate need or impulse.

Extreme outcomes arise from extreme experiences or conditions such as unusual, compounded stresses. Astrologically, this means unusually severe, concentrated, and time-limited factors mapped by astrology’s predictive tools (see Volume II). As with physical illness, the natal chart shows our original wiring (our strongest needs, structures, and vulnerabilities: our “natural climate”), while later unfolding shows times of greater stresses and chances for erupting sickness (our “changing weather”).

Self-Harm Roots and Relief
Most people are never seriously self-harming or self-destructive. We all make bad decisions, we punish or short-change ourselves for one thing or another, but rarely to a dangerous (harmful) extent.

Astrologers have a unique advantage for being helpful when someone becomes self-harming. Because aberrant behavior is really an aberrant expression of psychological energies with normally positive expressions, astrological counsellors can bring both insight and relief with three steps:

1. Identify the astrological factors linked to self-destructive pressures or behaviors.
2. Insight: Understand, in terms of the individual’s psychological state and conditions, how and why those astrological factors are manifesting in harmful behaviors.
3. Relief: Pick an alternative expression for the same astrological factors. Often you can draw these straight from the standard interpretations in Appendix A.

Undesirable behavior is rarely the problem, but, rather, a misguided solution to an existing problem. We make bad choices because they seem the best choices available. We behave in ways hurtful to ourselves or others because (now or in the past) that behavior solves more problems for us than it creates.

All major choices (good or bad) arise from our state of being, our conditions, information available to us, and our beliefs (by which we integrate our state, conditions, and information into a decision). To make a better decision, we need to change our state of being, change our conditions (or interpret them differently), get more (or more accurate) information, or change our beliefs.

Bad Choices and Self-Punishment
“Self-harm” is a broad, advantageously elastic label for many kinds of self-destructive behavior. Most examples boil down to one of three things:

• bad choices
• a conviction that we should be punished
• feeling that something in us is bad and must be destroyed or cut out

People with a pattern of repeatedly getting hurt usually want to hurt or punish themselves while evading responsibility for it. However, an astrologer rarely helps anyone by supporting the view that they are a victim or at the effect of their circumstances. Our best assistance usually involves helping people see how their own choices and actions cause and sustain their life conditions: Each person’s life is a consequence of his or her unique cocktail of needs and how he or she acts in response to them.

However, we need to be clear on the difference between blame and responsibility. When people blame themselves or others for terrible things, counselors sometimes have difficulty discussing personal responsibility without triggering anger or fear about blame, which (so the thinking goes) must be punished.

I find the single most helpful distinction to be that blame is about the past (who deserves punishment) while responsibility is about the future (creating new outcomes going forward).

Astrologers untrained as psychologists generally do not need to assess specific psychological causes of self-destructive behaviors but, rather, simply to identify the connected astrological patterns and encourage alternative expressions.

I do not include suicide in the umbrella term “self-harm.” Suicide is rarely an act of self-punishment, for example – at least, not cleanly so. Current definitions of self-harm (self-inflicted injury) center on reacting to rage, despair, and other painful negative emotions by intentionally hurting oneself without dying. Death can result accidentally, but suicide is not part of the original intention. Furthermore, astrological suicide patterns are quite different from those of other self-destruction categories, just as the motives and psychological states for suicide are different. I will discuss the astrology of suicide near the end of this presentation.

Another form of harmful behavior is alcohol or drug addiction, which often becomes entwined with larger self-destruction spirals. Addiction, though, has its own astrological patterns that distinguish it from other self-destructive behaviors. I will discuss the astrology of substance addiction near the end of this presentation.

As I want to cause no new harm while discussing harm, please do not overread your own horoscope against matters discussed in this topic. Most astrological factors express in mildly troublesome or outright positive ways, so you could have in your horoscope every harm-prone factor mentioned below and still not be self-harming. Second, do not rush to find self- destructive markers in someone else’s chart unless you already know the behavior is present.

[Jim Eshelman]

Malefic Planets: Centers of Harm
Malefic planets show where we are harmful and where we are harmed. (There is scant difference.) The planets with glyphs representing weapons – spear and shield, sickle, and trident – signify where we experience harm to ourselves or others.

Strong malefic planets at birth, especially by angularity or close luminary aspect, show potential for harm or destruction. Severe, concentrated stresses stimulate this potential, placing self-harm ultimately in the realm of predictive astrology; however, its roots in the nativity enable us to understand and address it.

Angular Planets
People with malefics foreground at birth are the most likely to be self-harming. Folks with angular benefics are less likely.

This is only one possible outcome, of course. Angular malefics expressed positively are determined, persevering, strong, independent, self-sufficient, untiring, enduring, constructive, and inspiring (for example). Even when expressed negatively, behavior can be impulsive, driven, and destructive of others, not necessarily intentionally dismantling ourselves.

Natally angular Saturn can express as severe self-restriction or brutal self-punishment. Angular Mars under even the best conditions skirts the edge of danger and risk, looking suspiciously like they want to get hurt (and taking pride in both their combats and their scars). Angular Neptune can be self-dismantling in numerous ways, often themed to dissolving, disabling, or “losing oneself” and embracing drama over solutions.

In contrast, Venus and Jupiter are rarely angular at the birth of self-damaging people without stronger malefic involvement. When involved, they usually signal a social crisis, psychological collapse in the face of unbearable injustice, or simple exhaustion of their ability to endure hardship.

Moon Aspects
Reading through standard interpretations of Moon’s signs and aspects in Appendix A reminds me how vulnerable the lunar nature can be. This, of course, is necessary to Moon’s function: We must be open and vulnerable to the impact or consequences of environmental conditions in order to adapt to them successfully. Moon within us is commonly bruised. Moon afflictions often create emotional difficulties consistent with the nature of the aspect.

Moon-Saturn is prone to self-punishment, usually as “holding oneself to task” in a driven way. More extreme self-mortification or immolation can become intentional self-harm fueled by accumulated resentments and disappointments or anxious, distrustful, feelings.

Moon-Neptune can be heavily self-destructive in its extreme expressions. Drugs may feed (but necessarily cause) the self-destructiveness of these emotionally vulnerable, easily-wounded, and often visibly disturbed people. When wounded and spiraling down, they introvert and withdraw into excessive rumination and moodiness, their imagination working overtime. This tendency to rumination and inner delving is so pronounced that we also find the largest list of known meditators and inner world explorers, the moody version just being one negative variation.

Moon-Mars can turn hurtful in ways that fuel emotional pain or draw blood. Still, Moon-Mars is the least overtly self-destructive of these aspects, tending instead to harder living and accepting the blows and bruises received along the way.

Moon-Sun aspects, on the other hand, seem a natural protection against the downward spirals that lead to intentional self-harm. It is difficult to find examples of close Moon-Sun aspects where the person was self-destructive. (The strongest exception in Appendix B is William Burroughs, who was more characterized by living indifferent to consequences than by overt self-harm. Even he had Moon conjunct Saturn exactly angular.)

Sun Aspects
Sun aspects follow a similar pattern with one important exception: Sun-Mars is not typically self-destructive. Instead, when Sun-Mars is harmful it usually harms other people and things. For example, Sun-Mars is statistically common for murders and statistically uncommon for suicides: It attacks outward, not inward. When under sufficient stress, Sun-Mars people respond by taking action, slamming doors, breaking glasses, gunning their motors, or hitting other people rather than hurting themselves.

On the other hand, Sun-Saturn and Sun-Neptune belong in the list of potentially self-harming aspects.

Sun-Saturn, in healthy cases, is self-destructive only in the sense of driving themselves too hard and rewarding themselves too little. Less healthy cases often are tragic in their outcome. If paired with Mars, Sun-Saturn is more likely to hurt other people most; if paired with Neptune or alone, the negatively expressions are more likely to hurt themselves.

Sun-Neptune, despite abundant positive forms, is also programmed for many paths to self-destruction. It seems that if Sun-Neptune is not paired with the arts or something powerfully inspirational, it falls back to self-ruin as the alternative. Once spiraling downward, Sun-Neptune’s chances of pulling themselves out are impeded by their seeing life and their conditions as inescapably complex (holding them captive in excuses) and by having unrealistic (disproportionate) views of things.

[Jim Eshelman]

A few luminary placements have specific tendencies for or against self-harm. Each sign type is capable of it, because any astrological factor can express in positive or negative (usually mixed) ways. When a sign principle becomes pathological it expresses traits opposite its normal forms (“breaking” the sign principle) or show as aberrant extremes of its normal expression.

Sagittarius luminaries (Moon more than Sun) often punish themselves or others, the whip or scourge being basic to Sagittarius’ symbolism across the ages. An abnormal intensification of their acute sense of right-wrong, especially if fueled by religious righteousness, can become harmful to self and others. In ways deemed positive for religious monastics, playful in sexual kink, and something dangerous otherwise, Sagittarians often are self-mortifying if not (figuratively or literally) self-flagellating.

Moon in Virgo often suffers abuse, especially when young. This is not part of a pattern of overt self-harm, though it leaves many in harm’s way. Some Virgo Moons have told me they simply accepted the abuse as normal, without thinking about it much. With compounding factors, this can foster a pattern of self-sabotage.

Taurus Sun and (especially) Moon value harmlessness, which usually places them among the best examples of non-harming.

Although Scorpio and Capricorn Moons are known for favoring dark imagery, grotesque displays, and shocking actions (especially when young), they are not likely to become actually self-harming. Perhaps the fantasy imagery is a release valve of such tendencies. It is far easier to find Scorpio Moons that hurt other people. They do not tend to harm themselves.

One Sun sign stands out for self-harm: Sun in Aries seems the most self-destructive placement; or, at least, Aries has the lowest survival instinct of any Sun sign, part of Aries’ broad potential for self-destruction. Speaking figuratively, many with Sun in Aries seem to be driving hard toward a stone wall to see how the eventual impact feels. A few win their war with the wall, many are hurt, and some are hurt badly.

In contrast, Sun in Libra is prudent about safety and can be self-denying or self-punishing, though this does not reach the level of intentional self-harm. Though a few play loose with risk, most are quite the opposite. Examples of Libras who pushed things too far mostly center on substance abuse.

[Jim Eshelman]

Mars Placements & Aspects
We expect Mars’ sign to show harmful conditions. We already know that this is true in medical matters. A few Mars signs have something specific to say about self-harm.

Mars in Libra is capable of self-harm if not self-destruction. Most people with this placement are self-sufficient survivors, which, however, slows their asking for help when they need it. They live a bit on the social outskirts, can become cut off from others, and get into more than their share of trouble.

Perhaps, though, the self-destructive examples are part of a larger Mars in Libra theme of experiencing harm regardless of the source: Mars was in Libra at the births of four U.S. presidents who died in office (three from murder). Other examples include other assassinations like Gandhi and Robert Kennedy, the disabling gun attack on Larry Flynt, the explosive end of Jack Parsons, and the highly distinctive injury of John Wayne Bobbitt, to mention a few examples.

Mars in Capricorn often has deep unresolved shadow and dark moods. Consider Andy Kaufman, Dorothy Dandridge, John Belushi, some of the darkest notorious murderers, and Lizzie Borden; but also many comedians (and filmmaker Wes Craven) who found positive personal and social outlets fueled by their inner darkness. Therefore, this placement might signal self-harming, though usually it has outward-acting release valves that keep it healthy.

While Capricorn Mars tends to indulge their shadow, Mars in Cancer holds on to old wounds and demons. This does not usually emerge in overt self-harm though we find occasional examples such as Amy Winehouse and Sylvia Plath.

Mars in Pisces can be brooding and moody, pursuing extreme depths and heights of sensuous saturation. While no pattern of intentional self-harm is evident, the sign cavalierly goes overboard and makes bad choices that can land them in trouble (consider Monica Lewinski, Phil Spector, and Prince).

Mars in Aries is not obviously anti-survival like Aries Sun. Abrupt, unthinking actions can get them in trouble but rarely amount to self-destruction.


Mars aspects easily signal recklessness or matters getting out of hand. Mostly, they do not show intentional self-harm but do show behaviors that can be inadvertently self-sabotaging. Some examples:

Mars-Saturn usually extroverts its expression but can introvert as inner battles or become self-punishing.

Mars aspecting Saturn, Neptune, or Pluto signals diverse anger issues, e.g., rage control problems or suppressed anger, both of which are examples of difficulty cleanly and appropriately expressing anger.

Mars-Neptune has the potential for inadvertent self-destruction and may stumble into scandal or public embarrassment (those cases are easy to find). However, the energies seem too wildly outwardly expressed to wander often toward intentional self-destruction. Fantasy serves as an important psychological release valve.

Other Aspects
Venus-Saturn, Venus-Mars, Saturn-Neptune and Saturn-Pluto aspects deserve attention if present. They can feed, justify, or support overt self-harming behaviors. In particular, be mindful of Saturn and Neptune conjointly aspecting a third planet, a stronger danger sign for depressions and other psychological problems than either of them alone. (Saturn-Neptune alone can be enormously creative.)

In charts of highly self-destructive people submitted by colleagues, Venus-Mars aspects were common. This aspect is normally life-affirming, e.g., it is statistically uncommon for suicide. For the present topic, look at this as an afflicted Venus marked by passion or powerful (sometimes seething) emotions. One can easily find charts with close Venus-Mars aspects for famous people who got into serious trouble, many of whom are regarded as self-destructive (alongside other positive, nearly saintly, examples of the aspect). Besides the killers, though, most examples who got in trouble with the law were due to sex scandals or crimes, e.g., Jeffrey Epstein, Prince Andrew, Marquis de Sade, and Aleister Crowley.

Saturn-Pluto often is inadvertently self-harming and can bring isolation or alienation that distances people from support. Normally tough and surviving, the aspect nonetheless has an unusually large list of people with sabotaged or tragically terminated lives, including Billie Holiday, Carrie Fisher, Charlie Sheen, Robert Downey, Jr., Dorothy Dandridge, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Lenny Bruce, Sharon Tate, Crown Prince Rudolph, Ghislaine Maxwell, O.J. Simpson, Rev. Jim Jones, Malcolm X, Jack Parsons, and James Dean.

[Jim Eshelman]

“Suicide” literally means “killing oneself.” In most respects, it is the antithesis of those forms of self-harm that seek to extend self-inflicted hurt, since the purpose of suicide is to end the hurt.

A perspective originally given me during crisis intervention training is that someone contemplating suicide usually does not want to end their life per se; rather, they want to end the intolerable life they have been living. This distinction has served me well for over 45 years.

Researching astrological links to suicide is complicated because suicide is not a single thing. It has many motives and means. To tighten the definition for a specific study, Gary Duncan told me in 1975 that a colleague had finished compiling birth and death data for everyone on record as killing themselves jumping off San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge. Unfortunately, the analysis of this data was never finished and published in Gary’s remaining 13 years. I do not have the data or know where it might be.

We do, however, have the results of a more eclectic study by Donald Bradley, reported in 1960 in American Astrology in the casual style required for newsstand journalism of the day. The most important findings of that study fall in the realm of predictive astrology, a topic reserved to Volume II of Comprehensive Sidereal Astrology; but he also reported on the aspects at the births of those people who later killed themselves.

Suicide is an act taken at a particular time. Shifting astrological and environmental pressures unfold the suicide process and build to a peak, terminal moment. Astrology’s timing methods describe and track that process (primarily through specific aspects of malefics to natal luminaries and Mercury).

However, everyone alive experiences similar astrological triggers many times during their lives and most keep on living. Not everyone undergoing those pressures is inclined to kill themselves. Natal chart patterns establish the baseline of that possibility.

About 1.5% of all deaths worldwide are from suicide: About a dozen people out of every 100,000 have the combination of the right sort of natal chart, triggering astrological pressures, motivating environmental pressures – and then choose suicide.

Here are the natal aspect results from the Bradley suicide study. Notice that they do not match expectations discussed above for non-suicidal self-harm. First, here are the statistically common aspects:

• Sun-Jupiter. This upbeat aspect normally feasts on life with inborn confidence that the universe will bail them out. However, when that does not happen, confronting and persevering against real adversity is difficult. Sun-Jupiter’s need for friendship, social inclusion, acceptance, and respect may also be a factor.
• Moon-Neptune. Besides Sun-Jupiter, Bradley called this “the most common earmark of suicidal predilection.” Moon-Neptune sufficiently stressed flees psychologically overwhelming conditions. Fear of rejection, easy to wound emotionally, then introverts with often obsessive rumination, worry, moodiness, and an overworking imagination.
• Mars-Pluto. These were “strikingly numerous.” Of the many possible factors, the strongest may be the need to live and die on their own terms. Additionally, Mars-Pluto psychological unhealth usually is from unexpressed anger and feelings of helplessness: Righteous expression of rage is likely therapeutic.
• Mercury-Neptune. Hyper-responsive with extreme sensitivity to impressions; thus, vulnerability or overwhelm during difficult times (magnifies trivialities).

Next, here are the statistically uncommon aspects:

• Moon-Venus. In the entire study, only two charts had a Moon-Venus aspect (both background). Therefore, Bradley called a foreground Moon-Venus aspect “One of the surest safeguards against a suicidal tendency.” Moon-Venus is also nearly absent for murderers, so a basic preservation of life seems present. Moon-Venus people are normally socially integrated, popular, and tolerate frustration well, so the aspect contributes several psychological protections.
• Sun-Mars. Nearly absent (“singularly negligible”) This vital, psychologically strong aspect responds to difficulties by attacking them head-on, taking things out on people and things around them – not on themselves.
• Venus-Mars. Though common for murderers and non-suicidal self-harm, this is uncommon for suicide, seemingly affirming its own love of “life in the flesh.” Foremost, Venus-Mars feels powerfully, a psychologically fortifying state rarely consistent with suicide. Loves life and strives to live it fully.
  Mars-Saturn. Only “somewhat rare,” the infrequency is surely because Mars-Saturn people are tough, hardened survivors who find it easier to struggle than surrender.

[Jim Eshelman]

Clinical definitions of alcoholism change so often that the word alcoholism has fallen out of favor. These changes are likely to continue in the years ahead as understanding of the disease increases. Even in casual, conversational usage, the word has a range of meanings about genuinely different things ranging from imprudence to serious, life-disrupting addiction.

In this section, I am concerned only with that level of persistent alcohol abuse that disrupts social or occupational functioning – the most convenient, measurable clinical rule of thumb for discussing significant, unmanageable life-disruption in an adult. Furthermore, though the original astrological research reported below studied alcohol addiction specifically, over the years I have found it transferable to other drug addictions, so I am discussing them together.

Most importantly, I am addressing alcohol and drug addiction as medical diseases. This approach, standard today in addiction treatment, was basic to astrology’s approach at least by the 1940s. By “medical” I mean physiological to the point that perhaps I should have included this topic in the medical astrology chapter. However, most readers likely will find it more useful in the present chapter.

Finally, the word addiction has come to be used more broadly and diversely to describe any persistently compulsive behavioral excess such as shopping or sex – activities that normally are inherently rewarding but are pursued compulsively until they become harmful to the person’s life. These “behavioral addictions” (which remain controversial as mental health diagnoses) sometimes have neurochemical similarities to the substance addiction discussed here. I am unaware of any significant research on astrology and behavioral addictions.


Alcohol and drug addictions are neuropsychological disorders: They have both a physiological basis and psychological characteristics either leading to them or resulting from them (or both). Historically, alcoholism was described as a psychosomatic disorder, a term that still applies because it involves both the psyche (the mind) and the soma (the body).

That is, alcoholism involves the interaction of Mercury and Mars. Mercury-Mars connections are fundamental to understanding substance addiction astrologically. Though this basic fact has been available in astrological literature for three-fourths of a century, most astrologers remain unfamiliar with it (because they have not read that particular astrological literature). In what is now outdated psychiatric phrasing, Donald Bradley wrote in Solar and Lunar Returns (1948) regarding Mercury-Mars aspects:

The native has an excess of nervous energy which he must “blow off” in one way or another. Alcoholism and drug-taking are most often due to a psychological conflict between cerebrotonia and somatotonia, which are basic components of temperament. Mercury is the most cerebrotonic of planets, Mars the most somatotonic. Hence, Mercury-Mars influences denote escape practices of this sort.

Today, psychiatrists and other physicians know that repetitive alcohol or drug abuse physically changes the brain to perpetuate craving and otherwise alter behavior (e.g., reducing self-control). Because these changes to the brain produce destructive behaviors, they surely qualify as brain damage – something already attributed to Mercury-Mars combinations in the Health and Illness chapter. In fact, various discussions of addiction describe it as a brain disorder with both neurobiological (neuroplastic) and psychosocial aspects.

This is wildly different from the imprudently indulgent aspects of alcohol or other drug use that especially match various Mars aspects. For example, Mars-Jupiter aspects reflect a zest for living and ardent enthusiasm for enjoyment; yet they do not easily make space for any sense of personal defeat that so characteristically marks the start of a downward psychological spiral common to substance abuse. Mars-Jupiter aspects, despite their “party animal” reputation, are not common for alcoholics.

Or consider Mars-Neptune, which seems tied to dopamine levels and parts of the brain’s reward system that seem linked to behavioral addictions. Despite this, and Mars-Neptune’s need for quick gratification of desires and powerful sensation, Mars-Neptune also is not linked to substance addictions any more than other aspects.

Alcoholism, therefore, is easy to distinguish astrologically from imprudent excesses when “having a good time.”

Already having the kernel of the astrology of substance addiction since at least the late 1940s, Bradley continued to investigate the topic. In a 1960 article. “An Astrological Study of Alcoholism,” he reported on his examination of birth charts for 196 recovering alcoholics who belonged to Alcoholics Anonymous, all of whom had stopped drinking at the time he gathered their data.

Besides one other distinguishing factor discussed below, everything found was indeed a version of Mercury-Mars emphasis or connection. To better see the patterns in these findings, for this topic consider Mars as ruler of Aries, even though I have abandoned that attribution for most purposes: At the very least, Aries (like Scorpio and Virgo) is un-Venus which is barely distinguishable from being martial.

• Luminary placement in signs ruled by Mercury and Mars (Gemini and Virgo, Scorpio and Aries) were “uniformly in the lead over the other eight,” with Moon and Sun equally preferring these four constellations.
• Mercury-Mars aspects were most common and tended to be foreground.
• Similarly, Mercury and Mars in each other's signs were statistically (unusually) common.

Outside this study, I have seen one other sign placement repeatedly demonstrate the same vulnerability to substance abuse problems as the above: Mars in Libra. It is the only significant placement I have seen that is not a Mercury-Mars combination.

One other factor emerged from the Bradley study, surprising because it contradicted nearly everything previously published on the subject: Whereas astrologers have historically attributed addiction primarily to Neptune, Bradley found Neptune did “not stand out at all,” while Uranus “stole the show.”

On this point, I respectfully suggest that while Bradley’s technical analysis of the data was correct (Uranus had unusual predominance by as angularity, luminary aspects, and sign rulership), he misinterpreted what that meant. My skepticism is partly because I commonly see Neptune as a major factor in addiction: Dependence on a drug is no different from any other dependence. Being lost or absorbed is perhaps the most fundamental Neptunian state. Secondary familiar behaviors of addicts such as evasiveness, deceptiveness, and withdrawal are all Neptunian.

Where I suspect a wrong conclusion is that Bradley’s sample was not simply of alcoholics, but specifically of alcoholics who had found and persevered through a program through which they had stopped drinking. While addiction can afflict many types of people for many reasons, a significant distinction between those who remain caught in its web and those who get free may well be the relative strength of Neptune vs. Uranus in their horoscopes.

Nonetheless, it seems worthwhile to quote Bradley’s summary of why a strong Uranus is consistent with the disease. The reasons resemble those that might apply to the creative, independent, and often brilliant Mercury-Mars types:

…the planet Neptune does not stand out at all, Uranus stealing the show in complete contradiction to textbook claims which have led to the stereotype about Neptune's connection with liquor and the like. But even Uranus’ role is indirect in that this planet of independence is one of the three planets [the benefics] we associate with innate happiness, with zest for living and zeal for doing something special with one’s life. In other words, we must not misinterpret the dominance of Uranus, by position and aspect, at the births of alcoholics as being conducive to the disease. It is just that people in whom Uranus is unusually powerful are more subject to frustration by the filial and social forces that keep us from being ourselves.

[Jim Eshelman]

Maureen McCormick: August 5, 1956, 3:24 PM PDT, Encino, CA (AA)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maureen_McCormick

I guess I knew before, but only recently fully registered, that we have a birth certificate time for actress Maureen McCormick, best known as the eldest daughter (Marcia) on The Brady Bunch. Her life has been one of the best examples of self-destruction in recent decades, so I thought I'd add her here (and possibly as an example in the Self-Destruction chapter of the book). How does her chart fit what we've already discerned?

Highlights of her problems (with a focus on her self-destructive problems) include:

• Depression, paranoia, and bulimia.
• Addiction to cocaine and quaaludes.
• During her early 20s, at times traded sex for drugs.
• During treatment for addiction, her notorious therapist (who later lost his license) prescribed medication-heavy treatments that worsened her addictive personality.
• Ironically couldn't get cast as a prostitute or heroin dealer because she remained typecast as Marcia Brady.

An astrologer's job, were she a client, would be first to find by analysis the astrological factors linked to self-destructive pressures or behaviors and assist her to find alternative expressions for the same astrological factors.

What have we learned to expect in the chart of a person with self-destructive behaviors? First, we expect strong malefics at birth, especially by angularity. Sure enough, the only closely angular planet is Mars on IC. She also has a close partile Moon-Neptune square (mundane) and her Class 3 Sun-Moon conjunction isn't close enough to offset the tendency toward downward spirals that leads to self-destruction. As a double Cancer with a deeply background Sun, we expect only weak internal pressure to develop her own distinct identity, to be a clearly distinguished specific somebody rather than the range of images she portrayed as an actor.

Her close Saturn-Pluto square is known to present struggles in this direction, even though it's an outer planet aspect. Saturn-Pluto often is inadvertently self-harming and can bring isolation or alienation that distances people from support. Mercury aspected by both Saturn or Neptune puts unusual stress on the psyche (being sometimes part of a pattern of suicide, though her tough-minded Mars-Saturn trine seems to have insulated her from that a bit).

Does her clear addictive personality show in the chart? Well, the angular Mars is a strong start on that. Mercury isn't really involved, though it's in hard enough shape (conjunct Pluto closely and aspecting Saturn and Neptune moderately) to put stresses on her nervous system. Moon's aspects to Uranus (close!) and Neptune (close) also speak to a possibly destabilized psyche in various ways.

I've added her to the chapter on Self-Destruction.