Steve Jobs is the creative genius behind the Apple Computing brand. After Jobs was forced out in 1985 the company floundered, reviving after he staged a takeover that brought him back as CEO.
Jobs has an interesting chart with the Sun in Pisces. Pisces is the sign of spirituality and transcending the boundaries of ordinary physical reality. Pisces types are typically creative, inspirational, easygoing and meditative with a thirst for a spiritual experience. They are also emotional and can be quite sensitive. After dropping out of college, Jobs spent some time in 1974 backpacking through India, studying meditation and experimenting with psychedelic drugs.
Jupiter (optimism and confidence) is conjunct Uranus (innovation and radical behavior) in Jobs’ chart, signifying a person with a deeply restless nature, but also an innate ability to innovate and create. Mars (the planet that defines how we assert our will and express our aggressive instinct) in his chart is in Aries, the sign which it rules. That is an extremely forceful place for Mars to be; yet Jobs is a sensitive and easygoing Pisces.
Mars is afflicted in his chart: it is opposed by Neptune, the ruler of Pisces and a very watery planet – you know what happens when you pour a bucket of water (Neptune) over fire (Mars), the fire is likely to go out. Mars is also in a challenging aspect to the Jupiter/Uranus combination, which shows that Jobs can have a very short fuse, but he may not, with his strongly Piscean nature, be able to release that fiery expression very easily.
It is said of Steve Jobs that he makes his own rules, which we can see in the Mars (drive) square to Jupiter/Uranus (radical behavior), and that is can be a temperamental manager which we can see in the Mars in Aries aggression opposed by Neptune’s martyrdom and dislike of conflict.
I have found that what I call “Mars problems” are very common in the charts of people with health problems. When the aggressive instinct (which includes our ability to express our needs, to assert ourselves, and to express anger appropriately) is blocked, that fire energy is left without an appropriate outlet and often discharges within the body’s energy system, leading to a variety of health problems.
Since 2004 when Jobs first had a “neuroendocrine” tumor in the pancreas removed, he has had a series of planetary transits affecting this Mars complex in his chart. First transiting Chiron (wounding and healing) ran across all of the planets in the complex beginning in June of 2003 (the tumor was discovered in October of that year). Then Saturn (hardship and disappointment) in 2004 and 2005 (the tumor was removed in July of 2004 after a 9-month battle to find an alternative solution), accompanied by Uranus (radical and restless change) which transited the Ascendant and Sun in Jobs’s chart, stirring the emotional pot and creating the need to alter the status quo. The combination of Uranus restlessness and Saturn restriction can evoke a frustration that implodes into the physical body if not properly expressed outwardly.
Jobs is just completing a cycle of transiting Chiron over Saturn in his chart which started earlier this year. Transits of Chiron can bring out areas of imbalance in the body which then manifest as health problems, and Jobs has said that his doctors cannot determine why he is losing weight. I would guess that Steve Jobs is not very well grounded in his body, and the energy imbalance within is eroding his physical vitality.
In taking a leave of absence, perhaps he will take the steps needed to maintain the inner balance he so badly requires. If he were my client I would recommend a course of some kind of vigorous physical activity such as Kung Fu which is well suited to Piscean types with Mars problems (the combination of spirituality and aggression in the Eastern martial arts work well here). Jobs has enough Pisces and Neptune that he will likely pursue just this path.
posted January 15, 2009 at 11:48 am
Thanks for this interesting analysis. It reminds me of a study many years back that showed a significant correlation between martial arts masters and a Mars / Uranus natal aspect. I tracked this as a martial arts studio owner (my Mars opposite Uranus daughter a second degree Don and teaching classes at 14 yrs old) and it is indeed excellent for harnessing the Mars energy.
posted January 15, 2009 at 1:48 pm
What a bunch of freakin’ nonsense. This astrology stuff is as childish and stupid as christianity, Islam and Judaism combined.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof, and there is no proof for the legitimacy of astrology.
posted January 15, 2009 at 1:52 pm
Thanks for this interesting analysis. It reminds me of a recent study that suggested that an increase in global warming correlates with dwindling numbers of pirates. Back in the 1750′s there were many, many pirates and global warming was not a problem. Today global warming is greatly increased and pirate numbers have dwindled substantially.
posted January 15, 2009 at 2:02 pm
Very good article. With all the news about Steve Jobs recently in the news I am really starting to wonder what exactly is going to happen with Apple. Without the leader I don’t know if they will be around much longer in these market conditions.
Cody
http://www.ticket-vault.com
posted January 15, 2009 at 2:23 pm
Sorry for the off-topic comment, but “Astrology in Nonsense”, what are you doing looking at an astrology blog? Get back to a statistics site where you belong!
Anyway, interesting analysis Lynn! I was wondering about Steve Jobs myself. The Mars in Aries opposed by Neptune issue is especially enlightening. It’s as if his true self (Pisces ruled by Neptune) is trying to subvert his aggressive will (Mars in Aries), but he chose his own chart so apparently this is a challenge his Spirit felt he would be up to.
posted January 15, 2009 at 4:16 pm
Hi Lynn
Would you post the chart, or at least a link to it. thanks.
posted January 15, 2009 at 5:50 pm
I see that Astrodatabank, the premier source of correct birthtimes, has a 7:15 pm birth time. The chart that I initially worked from had a morning birthtime so I’m going to link the Astrodatabank chart and edit the post to delete reference to the Ascendant.
Don’t you just love it when people who know nothing about a subject say it is nonsense?
On another note, I worked with a client today who has virtually the same dynamic in her chart: Mars in Aries opposite Neptune, both of which square Jupiter/Uranus in Cancer. This client has been very active in sports (Mars in the 9th house) which seems to have helped her to stay more grounded and balanced.
posted January 15, 2009 at 5:55 pm
The chart I initially used had a morning birth time with Sun on the ascendant (perhaps it was a “sunrise” chart) but Astrodatabank has a 7:15 pm time. I’m going to link the Astrodatabank chart and correct the post to reflect this.
Don’t you just love it when people who know nothing about something say it’s nonsense?
posted January 15, 2009 at 5:59 pm
I agree with you – I sure hope his time off gives him the balance he needs. He seems like a great and incredibly smart man, and it would be horrible if he worked himself so hard that he couldn’t recover from whatever ails him.
posted January 15, 2009 at 11:39 pm
Would that we could all be just a tad childish, altho “childish” and “stupid” rarely go hand in hand. If we could all hang onto just a little bit of our childishness, or inner child, whatever you want to call it, we’d probably be living in a better world.
My best wishes to Mr. Jobs for a speedy recovery.
posted January 18, 2009 at 9:13 pm
May Steve Jobs find the rest and outlet that he needs for the best healing!
I looked with interest at the chart analysis, since I too have a “Mars problem”, with Mars in Pisces square Uranus, Asc., Venus, and Saturn in Gemini, and a Sag. Moon. Seems like I get into emotional hot water and find frustration in proper expression. T’ai Chi has been really helpful–it’s as martial as I’ve gotten– as has gardening (my Taurus Sun!)and improv dance. I do have some health issues, I have to admit. Anyway thanks for opening my eyes to Mars problems. I can empathize with Steve Jobs. Maybe he can get into his spiritual and meditative nature as he takes his rest.
posted January 21, 2009 at 5:26 am
Thank you Lynn, this is very interesting analysis… yet, we can only wish all the people with such an afflicted mars would achieve so much and act so brilliantly on their inspiration in a lifetime, could we not ?!
posted January 22, 2009 at 10:45 am
Chiming in along with Robin — I have Jupiter conjunct Uranus in Cancer opposed by Mars in Capricorn. Curiously, in June 2003 I had surgery for an endocrine tumor. Fortunately, mine was benign — Jupiter/Uranus in the 12th? Hope Jobs’ outcome is equally positive.