Karmic Knowledge

Now that Al Gore’s revolutionary documentary on global warming, An Inconvenient Truth, has won an academy award, the call to draft Gore for a 2008 presidential run is growing louder and louder. And while he continues to insist that he is not interested in another run for office, Mr. Gore had no problem faking out the Oscar night audience by pretending to declare his candidacy on the academy stage.

In addition to this recent honoring by the The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Al Gore has been nominated by two members of Norway’s Parliament for the Nobel Peace Prize and is rumored to be among the finalists. (The prize is usually announced in October.)

It’s clear that Al Gore’s star is on the rise. Even the Washington Post is saying that Gore “may be America’s coolest Ex-Vice President ever.” It was not so long ago, however, that he was dogged by a reputation for being wooden and boring, an image that the Republican machine used to its advantage during the 2000 presidential elections.

So how did Al Gore go from stilted to superstar?

Let’s start by taking a look at Al Gore’s palm, specifically his Apollo finger or ring finger. Apollo was the God of the Sun in Greek mythology, and in astrology would be likened to the sign of Leo. The words “Know Thyself” are inscribed in the wall at Apollo’s temple at Delphi. Apollo is the finger of individuality and self-knowledge. A strong Apollo indicates confidence and an ability to stand on center stage.

Take a look at this early campaign photo (sorry, I don’t have a date for this, but from the looks of it, this was taken well before Gore became Vice President). The middle phalange of Al Gore’s ring finger appears to be pinched and thin. When the middle section of Apollo is compromised it indicates that the owner of the hand has not yet found his or her niche. Wooden Gore.

In this close-up from the more recent photo above, we can see that, like the rest of him, Mr. Gore’s Apollo finger has filled out. It fits with his hand as a whole. Mr. Gore has clearly found his niche in his campaign to educate the public on the dangers of climate change.

It’s also clear from this photo that Mr. Gore’s middle or Saturn finger is shorter than average, indicating a person who dislikes rules and restrictions. In his newfound role as environmental evangelist, Al Gore is not constrained by the concerns of any political playbook.

What I found most fascinating about Mr. Gore’s hand is his head line, which is difficult, though not impossible, to see in the photo. Like me, Al Gore has the head line of Persephone. As shown in this diagram, the head line curves downward all the way into the wrist.

According to Greek mythology, Persephone was the daughter of Demeter, Earth Mother and goddess of grain and agriculture. In Roman mythology she was known as Ceres.

When her daughter Persephone was carried away to the underworld by Hades, who had fallen in love with the young maiden, Demeter went into such a state of mourning that the earth began to die. It was only when Mercury, god of communication and negotiation, convinced Hades to return Persephone to her mother that the world began again to flourish.

Al Gore’s natal chart confirms the story being told by his hand. (Click chart for larger image.)

Mr. Gore has Natal Saturn and Pluto conjunct in the first house, both in retrograde condition. From a karmic standpoint, retrograde planets in the natal chart indicate unfinished business from a past life and/or areas of life that were challenging or conflicted.

Retrograde Pluto in the first house is the karmic marker of someone who, in a previous incarnation was reserved and did not let their true personality shine through. Wooden Gore in a past life. Pluto in the chart also shows where, through willingness to grow (and often through trial by fire, or in Gore’s case, by electoral college failure), we find transformation and the attainment of wisdom. Pluto, by the way, is the Roman equivalent of the Greek god of the underworld, Hades.

Likewise, a retrograde Saturn in the first house shows a tendency to be too serious. Karma is alleviated by developing a good sense of humor and expanding the personality in ways that gain the respect and admiration of others. The establishment of proper goals and right life direction is also required.

Al Gore’s North Node, one of the major indicators of right life direction, is in Taurus in his 10th house of leadership and public recognition. Taurus is often associated with protectors and preservers. The symbol, a circle with a semi-circle above it, suggesting the head of a cow or bull, is a symbol of the life-giving earth mother.

Along with the North Node, Al Gore’s 10th house is populated by Venus, the ruling planet of Taurus, Ceres, the heavenly body that was recently upgraded from asteroid to dwarf planet, and the Part of Fortune (a point that indicates the road to karmic success and happiness) in Aries conjunct the Midheaven.

The Part of Fortune in Aries tells me that Mr. Gore will be most successful when he accepts his role as a pioneer, directing his courage and zeal toward leading others to new ways of acting in the world, a role he has certainly embraced in his current fight to save the planet.

Ceres in Taurus is the ultimate significator of the earth mother. With a conjunction to Venus, it shows love of the land. Conjoined to the karmic destiny point of the North Node, it seems obvious that Al Gore has found his niche as ambassador for planet Earth.

Let’s return to Mr. Gore’s hand and his Persephone head line. It is important to note that Peresephone, the mythical daughter of Ceres/Demeter was, upon her return from the underworld, given a healing gift. Hers was the role of awakener of the dead. Those who possess the Persephone head line are also here to be healers, to wake up those who are sleepwalking through life, to lead them back into a conscious relationship with life on the face of the Earth.

With a karmic tool kit like this, Al Gore is right to avoid another run for President. His destiny this lifetime is not to lead a country, but to lead a global movement, a movement to save the globe.

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