Libra Man of Steel - Christopher Reeve Memorial

Libra Man of Steel

By Carlo Ravin

Samhain 2004

“Christopher was a hero to many people, yet he always said it was
the ordinary people living with disability who were truly extraordinary.”

- Kathy Lewis, President and CEO of
the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation

Born: September 25, 1952, 03:12 a.m., Manhattan, NY Source: Lois Rodden, astrodatabank.com. Birth chart in hand, no time. Linda Clark quotes a letter from him with the time. Terry Krall had a prior time of 3:30 A.M. from Robert St. Germaine, who quotes him. Autobiography, "Still Me," Random House, 1998; "Nothing is Impossible," 2002.

Died: October 10, 2004, 5:30 p.m., Bedford, NY Source: The Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation website

Reeve Born

ASC 19 Leo
Sun 2 Libra
Moon 12 Sag
Mercury 2 Libra
Venus 27 Libra
Mars 18 Sagittarius
Jupiter 20 Taurus
Saturn 16 Libra
Uranus 18 Cancer
Neptune 20 Libra
Pluto 22 Leo
Nnode 20 Aquarius
Chiron 6 Capricorn

Reeve Died

Sun 17 Libra
Moon 5 Virgo
Mercury 21 Libra
Venus 8 Virgo
Mars 9 Libra
Jupiter 3 Libra
Saturn 26 Cancer
Uranus 3 Pisces
Neptune 12 Aquarius
Pluto 19 Sagittarius
North Node 2 Taurus
Chiron 20 Capricorn

On October 10th, The Outer Planets Cheered For Superman

The Outer Planets - Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto – seemed to be ready to grant the wish of the soul of Christopher Reeve for a happy departure from Earth. These three planets - called malefics by the ancients because of their maleficent - and in the strongest analysis, deadly - power, were in good aspect with respect to the natal planets of their petitioner on the day he died:

Transiting Uranus Trine Natal Uranus, by sign
Transiting Neptune Trine Natal Neptune, by sign
Transiting Pluto Trine Natal Pluto, 3°

The natal Outer Planets are usually read as generational, and indicate themes and characteristics of an entire generation, since several years of people share them. Transits from the Outer Planets to their own natal positions signify cycles in the evolution of the personality. It is thus astrologically supported that Reeve's passing was in harmony with the current generation. While it may be truly sorrowful to lose him, the Universe was in accord with his readiness to depart.

Venus Came For Her Beautiful “Sun”

There is no question that Christopher Reeve was a handsome man. It is said that all Libra women have a dimple somewhere on their bodies, and all Libra men have dazzling smiles. Venus-ruled natives - those born with Sun in Libra or Sun in Taurus - are Venus-blessed, and all have some kiss of this most illustrious goddess somewhere on their physical body. Reeve was no exception. No doubt he melted the heart of many a lovely leading lady, such as Jane Seymour in Somewhere In Time, as well as causing the entire Girl Nation of the day to collectively sigh and swoon. He certainly looked the part of the dashing leading man, owing in large part to his Uranus at 22° Leo, rising a mere three degrees from his Ascendant at 19° Leo. The Sun rules Leo, and this strong Leo presence in Reeve’s chart resulted in a sunny disposition, and an optimistic and buoyant spirit in our superhero. He was able to maintain this demeanor, despite the telling description of his Rising Sign degree, 19° Leo, as given by Esther V. Leinbach in her excellent book, Degrees of the Zodiac:

This native is destined to trial by fire, either real or symbolic. He will face a difficult life but, as a child learning to walk, he is supported and not allowed to fail. It seems that no matter what he is called upon to face, he succeeds. His success over insurmountable difficulties, even though there is a measure of luck, wins him a well-deserved respect and admiration. Even though he becomes bitter and resentful, rebellious in his attitude, he somehow sticks it out and succeeds in the end. “Thy bread shall be given thee, and thy water sure.” So he holds on. There is nothing else for him to do. There is no way out but through it. This gives a certain destiny or fate-like quality to the life.

Christopher Reeve was born with Sun at 2° Libra. Since the Sun is dignified in Aries, some astrologers state that the Sun is therefore less auspicious, or in it’s “fall”, in the sign of Libra. For this degree, Ms. Leinbach writes:

Natives of this degree are usually too weak to cope with the meanness of this world. Their abilities are delicate and refined. They are sensitive and feel everything keenly. They have strong convictions but prefer not to express themselves in a commanding way. Their opinions must be carefully drawn out and listened to quietly with respect, if one is interested in tapping their wisdom. When rebuffed by the world they turn to God or within themselves. They spend their lives searching for one truth after another, defensive of what they know, while leaving the overall pattern flexible and open to new truth as they discover and prove it themselves. They have a melancholic nature which is expectant of the worst, and simply meet it with a form of non-resistance which suffers more or less in silence.

It is auspicious that Reeve had five planets in Libra, and that there were four planets in Libra on October 10th, and that these planets were all situated in the 7th house that day, the house that Libra rules. Venus was in Virgo and in the 6th house, which Virgo rules. Virgo is the sign of the healer, and this day will be understood by some as the Goddess coming through the door of health to collect her ailing son. After granting his Venusian soul a moment of literal stillness to catch its breath during the comatose state, She whispered, “Come my son, it is now your time to truly fly.” Reeve's soul, hearkening back to his days as the Man of Steel, no doubt understood the concept of flying, and was ready to soar through the heavens, this time for real, and assisted by this significant planetary congregation in Air signs.

In my opinion, Reeve, notwithstanding his health issues in his final days, was “still” and completely at peace. I see these last days as a preparatory passage through a golden gate of light and love, a much-needed nap in the arms of Mother, or a plush, comfortable seat in the waiting room before entering the Office of Eternity. Call it what you will, yet do see it as a state of tranquility that Christopher was in on the day that he left Planet Earth. For all of the hardship that Reeve’s body, mind, and spirit endured following his paralysis, he managed to make the best of it, and he continued to dazzle the world with his bright Leo optimism and that fantastic Libran smile. It is my belief that he will enjoy and entertain the gods and the angels before reincarnating, if that is indeed his soul’s next move...

An Aquarian Destiny...Fulfilled

One’s destiny can be seen most clearly in the birth chart as a function of the position of the North Node of the Moon. Since Reeve’s North Node was in Aquarius, thus placing his South Node directly opposite in Leo, right on his Ascendant, one might initially presume that he did not fulfill his destiny, and that instead he lived - or appeared (Ascendant) to live - largely through what some astrologers term an “overactive” South Node.

It is true, Reeve had a successful career as a popular actor (Leo), he had children (Leo), and he had many friends (Leo). After the doctor’s bills from his paralysis nearly left he and his wife depleted of all their savings, it was their close friend, actor Robin Williams, who came to their rescue, paying the bills and supporting the Reeve’s, and leaving them wanting for nothing. Williams was born two months and one week before Reeve, and has three planets in Leo and two in Libra himself. Williams’ Pluto in Leo sits right on Reeve’s Ascendant in his first house, an indication that the comedian (Leo) would deeply (Pluto) affect and transform (Pluto) his Libra friend’s life (Ascendant).

Clearly Reeve maximized the benefit of his Leo South Node. And while his natal North Node in Aquarius was square by sign to the transiting North Node in Taurus at the time of his death, the latter was still in a sign ruled by Venus; again, we see Her gentle fingerprints on his passing.

Maybe, then, Reeve will be back...unless it is decreed that while perhaps he did live through his South Node during his acting career, his work for the rights of handicapped people, in particular through the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation, did earn him top North Node honors. Altruistic work and loving service that benefits humanity and handicapped individuals, such as his chairmanship of his paralysis foundation, is without question extremely Aquarian. Thus we may rightfully conclude that Reeve did balance out his South Node, no matter how overactive it might have been earlier in his life, and that he did live the potential of his North Node as much as any one individual possibly could. If this is the case, then some will insist that Reeve will not return, that his soul has exploded into a being of light, and that he sits at the right hand of God, or at the foot of beautiful Venus. No doubt there are many Earthlings who would attest that Reeve was truly an angel while he was here with us, and that without question, he earned his wings.

Lack of Fixed Sign Activity at Death

It is also worthy to note that in the chart of October 10, there is a lack of presence of planets in Fixed signs, that is, the signs of Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius. Fixed sign energy is generally the harshest, as compared to the two other Quadruplicities - Cardinal Signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn), and Mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces). This definite lack of Fixed sign energy, then, can be said to be yet another indication that Reeve was gentled away from the Earth plane. Contrast this, for example, to the untimely death of John F. Kennedy, Jr., where six planets and asteroid Chiron were in Fixed signs at the time of the crash of his airplane on July 16, 1999. Not so in the chart of October 10, where only one planet, Neptune, was in the Fixed sign of Aquarius, and Chiron was in Capricorn both at birth and at death.

The Moon, Venus, Jupiter, and Chiron All Assisting

The sign Capricorn is square to the sign Libra, and Chiron in Capricorn was three degrees square to the Sun, and one-degree square to Mercury, on October 10th. Chiron in the birthchart indicates where we each feel "wounded" or "broken" or "handicapped" in some way, where we feel that people are automatically prejudiced against us because of our difference. As a result, its placement is where we strive for perfection and feel driven to learn and to understand. Fortunately, Chiron at 20° Capricorn was in an exact trine to Reeve’s natal Jupiter at 20° Taurus. Reeve’s natal Jupiter, the great benefic planet, received a bear hug from transiting Chiron. In addition, the Moon at 5° Virgo and Venus at 8° were there to surround and embrace Reeve’s natal Chiron at 6° Capricorn, indicating more Earthy “grounding” for Reeve’s soul. Further, Jupiter was transiting at 3° Libra on October 10th, in a tight trine to Reeve’s 2° Libra Sun. The presence of these very positive aspects, especially involving Jupiter, were fortunate and auspicious in providing comfort to Reeve’s passing.

Some Other Themes and Transits

Here are some other transits that were operative at the time of Reeve’s death. Following them are excerpts from the useful book on transits, titled Planets in Transit, by astrologer Robert Hand. Read in combination with each other, a clearer picture of Reeve’s emotional state at the time may better emerge.

Transiting Pluto at 19° Sagittarius Conjunct Natal Mars at 18° Sagittarius – Since Pluto was one degree past Reeve’s natal Mars, this aspect was departing, meaning Reeve had recently endured this transit in recent years. Of this transit, Hand say, “…it can…be a time of severe struggle against tremendous obstacles. Although you may be able to overcome them eventually, the struggle will leave you quite exhausted.”

Transiting Saturn at 26° Cancer Square Natal Venus at 27° Libra – This square occurs once every 14 years. Hand writes, “Loneliness is a problem at this time, because your need for relationships and your need to be yourself are equally great. Instead of working harmoniously, as they should, they are in conflict. But consciously, the need to be yourself is the greater at this time.”

Transiting Sun at 17° Libra Conjunct Natal Saturn at 16° Libra – This annual transit occurred on October 9th. Hand writes, “Physically this transit can signify a time of low energy…you are quite likely to feel depressed and dispirited…isolated and alone…everything is distinct and isolated.”

Transiting Neptune in Aquarius in his 6th House – The 6th house rules health. Hand notes, “Be especially careful of your health now, for you may be more subject to illnesses and passing infections than at other times.”

On October 10th, Christopher Reeve’s soul was ready to soar. We can take comfort that on that day, our favorite superhero changed yet again from Clark Kent into Superman, and that he is now Somewhere in Time, between Earth and Eternity, keeping a watchful eye on us Earthlings, his great work for the rights of handicapped individuals continuing to benefit Humanity in the Aquarian Age.

Bright Blessings,

Carlo Ravin

Additional Links:

Biography

Excerpt from his autobiography

Interview with Dana Reeve

More astrological feedback on Christopher Reeve - write your own