And there’s the story of how, the night after Clinton was elected, Emanuel was so angry at the president’s enemies that he stood up at a celebratory dinner with colleagues from the campaign, grabbed a steak knife and began rattling off a list of betrayers, shouting “Dead! . . . Dead! . . . Dead!” and plunging the knife into the table after every name. 

These are not the earliest stories of Rahm Emanuel’s displays of intensity. According to an article on Bloomberg.com, at the age of 17, Emanuel cut his middle finger, known in Palmistry as the Saturn finger, while working at an Arby’s fast food restaurant. According to his mother, he refused to go to the doctor, afraid it would prevent him from attending his high school prom, after which the finger became infected. The tip of his finger had to be amputated in order to save his life. (Photo also from Bloomberg.com) 

In Palmistry, injuries to a particular part of a hand represent challenges in the corresponding area of life at the time of the injury. Saturn is the finger of responsibility, accountability and integrity. It’s also associated with structure, discipline and logic. It is the finger of Karma.

Saturn challenges take two forms. Underdeveloped Saturn energy manifests as insecurity, lack of discipline and fear of success/failure. A person with overdeveloped Saturn energy may appear cold, ruthless, and inflexible. Extreme ambition and inflexibility are two of its hallmarks. 

The workaholic and the ideologue are two Saturnian personality types.

Rahm Emanuel is often described as focused, disciplined and organized. He has been referred to as a super-achiever. Many in Washington call him “The Enforcer.” Other Saturn words that have been used to describe Emanuel include serious, relentless, fearsome, demanding and strategizing. The loss of his middle finger is the outward manifestation of the unmerciful drive that has propelled Emanuel upward in the equally unforgiving world of Capitol Hill politics.

In addition to the meanings ascribed to the middle finger in Palmistry, the raising of the Saturn finger at another has been considered an obscene gesture since the time of the Ancient Greeks. The Romans, who also favored this gesture, called the Saturn finger digitus impudicus, or impudent finger.

Rahm Emanuel is well known for his frequent use of the f-word. He says of himself,

Of all the fingers to lose! I could not express myself for months. I had to learn to talk with my left hand.

There are some who worry that Rahm Emanuel is a poor choice for Chief of Staff, calling him an old-school partisan politician, as far from Barack Obama’s message of change and hope as one could possibly find in the Democratic party. Others see Emanuel as the perfect partner for Obama, the bad cop to his good cop. 

Will Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel apply his will and his ability to get results in service to Obama’s vision? Or will he simply flip America the bird, missing digitus impudicus be damned?

Technorati Tags: Rahm Emanuel, Chief of Staff, Rahmbo, The Enforcer, middle finger, Palmistry, Saturn, f-word, good cop, bad cop

New data on John McCain’s time of birth places Aquarius on the cusp of his 12th house of Karma and Pisces on his Ascendant. (Click chart at left for larger image.) McCain calls himself a Maverick with a capital M, and his Aquarian 12th house reveals that this is not the first lifetime in which he assumed the role of the dissenter and the non-conformist.   

Pisces occupies the last six degrees of John McCain’s 12th house. While he was able to envision previously unforseen possibilities, in his past life McCain preferred dreaming to doing. When his visions failed to become reality, McCain relied on friends and associates to prop up his ego. 

Saturn in John McCain’s first house is also in the sign of Pisces. While the Karmic task of those born with this placement is to get in touch with deep compassion and understanding for those less fortunate, individuals with Saturn in Pisces often play the victim themselves. Whenever criticized, John McCain and members of his campaign have repeatedly cited his years spent in a prisoner of war camp as a counter to any argument, relevant or not. Bloomberg reports:

When Elizabeth Edwards, wife of former Senator John Edwards, rebuked McCain’s medical care proposal and noted that he’d always enjoyed government health benefits, McCain responded that he knows what it’s like to get inadequate care — “from another government.” 

When asked by Tonight Show host Jay Leno why it was that he could not remember how many houses he owned, John McCain again invoked the POW card, telling Leno that for 5 and a half years he didn’t have a house, didn’t have a table or a chair.

Today John McCain has many chairs in the eight residences he shares with his wife Cindy. McCain married Cindy, a former rodeo beauty queen and heiress to a beer fortune, one month after divorcing his first wife Carol, a model who became disfigured in an auto accident while John McCain was a POW.

Uranus is retrograde in John McCain’s second house of money, luxury and values. From a karmic standpoint Uranus retrograde shows that McCain placed too much importance on wealth, possessions and outer appearances in his past life. It’s clear he has continued this pattern in this life, making it difficult for him to complete Saturn in Pisces’ karmic requirement that he become an advocate for the underprivileged.

As the focal point of a T-Square aspecting his Moon and Mars, Uranus retrograde tells us that unmet needs and unexpressed emotions result in eruptions of anger. McCain is well known for his quick temper. In John McCain’s past life and in this one, Maverick becomes a euphemism for loose cannon. 

Despite these indicators of cosmic immaturity, there is good news.  John McCain’s past and present life challenges have offered training that allows him to gain the experience that is needed to become a leader and champion for the people. But it requires particular effort on his part.

Pisces Rising and Saturn in Pisces show that McCain came into this life with a deep sensitivity. His Moon in Aquarius reveals his craving for freedom. Its placement in the 11th house shows the potential for humanitarian action.

John McCain has the Sun conjunct Neptune in Virgo, the sign of service, located in the 7th house of partnerships. Mercury in Libra bestows the ability to see all sides of a situation and to play the diplomat. Because it is square his Moon’s Nodes, owning and actualizing this ability is a major part of his karmic task.

If he does the work to get out of his head and into his heart, John McCain has the potential to become the kind of leader who can envision a different way, motivate others to follow his dream and create sympathetic partnerships in service to humanity.

Do I think he can do this in time for next week’s presidential election? Of course not. But opportunities are arising for McCain to do his karmic work. Shortly after election day, Lord of Karma Saturn opposes McCain’s natal Saturn position. Transformative Pluto conjoins his Capricorn North Node in January of 2009, returning to activate it again from June to December. 

Win or lose, cosmic circumstances are in place for John McCain to mature into his natal promise of true maverick, visionary and leader of all the people, rich or poor, left or right.

Technorati Tags: John McCain, experience, natal chart, Karma, Maverick, past life, compassion, POW card, quick temper, Pisces Rising, presidential election, Capricorn North Node

Obama’s birth time was released fairly recently, so this is an updated chart from my previous article. (Click chart at left for larger image.)

With a birth time of 7:24 PM, the sign of Capricorn falls on Obama’s 12th house cusp. Issues of authority, security and integrity are the primary karmic concerns carried over from the past life. The first 18 degrees of Aquarius also reside in his 12th house, indicating that peer pressure would have complicated matters for Obama.

Barack Obama has two planets in the 12th house, Jupiter and Saturn. At 5 degrees apart they make a wide conjunction, and both happen to be retrograde. 

From a karmic standpoint, 12th house planets represent aspects of the personality that created unrest, anxiety or problems in the past life. Even if the trait was positive, its expression would have gone against the grain of the social or family expectations of the past life. Retrograde planets show challenges from the past life that were not resolved, requiring the subject to repeat the tasks or lessons associated with the planet(s).

Saturn in the 12th house tells me that Barack Obama is working out particularly difficult karma this time around. The fact that it is retrograde makes Saturn’s karmic load even heavier. People with Saturn in the 12th house have very strong personalities. Even in this lifetime, the soul faces many tests that help it to grow stronger. Obama’s past life was filled with greater than average responsibilities, and he was required to make a substantial sacrifice. Should he be elected, Obama may have to make similar sacrifices as he steps into one of the most problem filled terms any US president has ever faced. 

Jupiter is one of the few good news planets when it falls in the 12th house. Karmically, it indicates that Obama chose to return to earth at this time because of a great love of humanity and a desire to see it live up to its highest potential. It’s no surprise that Obama has chosen “Hope” as his campaign theme. This karmic connection of Jupiter with Saturn shows his soul’s willingness to take on heavy burdens for the sake of the betterment of humanity.

But this is where the good news stops.

The retrograde condition of idealistic and freedom loving Jupiter, along with its proximity to conservative and rule-bound Saturn, shows that Obama’s past life ability to inspire hope and give structure to his vision of the future was clouded by compromise. He allowed the influence of others to color his definition of what it meant to be a leader. In his past life, Obama’s love of humanity may have actually become a hindrance as he worried too much about bridging the gap between the past and the future, the left and the right, and those who agreed with him and those who did not. 

The key to overcoming these karmic challenges is shown in Obama’s North Node in Leo and the placement of his Part of Fortune in the second house.The Part of Fortune is a point in the chart that represents the path to success and good fortune. Obama’s Part of Fortune in the second house reveals the importance of discovering and following his own values rather than waiting for clues from others in order to decide the best course of action.

Persons with the North Node in Leo have spent many lifetimes concerned with the goals and visions of the group. They operate from the standpoint that knowledge is power, and therefore seek counsel with others and look to understand the facts before moving forward. In this lifetime, Obama must balance these past life tendencies with the ability to know and follow his own will.

Leo is the sign of individual identity. The job of Leo is to follow the heart, to live passionately in the spotlight, to share the true self with others, to rule with conviction and generosity, and to have fun in the process. Obama’s Sun (core self), Mercury (style of thinking and communicating) and Uranus (drive for freedom and innovation) join his North Node in Leo, emphasizing the need to govern from his own heart in this lifetime.

Obama’s North Node is situated in his 7th house. It is in the 7th house we meet our partners and allies, and also our enemies. The 7th house is also the realm of harmony, diplomacy and balance. The more confidence Obama develops in his own guiding truth, the more likely it is that he will emerge as an agent of peace.

Whether he is successful in his bid for the presidency or not, the most important life task for Obama is to further develop the soul qualities of leadership, self assurance and warmth. As he does, the potential for him to grow into one of the greatest diplomats of our time is enormous.

Technorati Tags: Barack Obama, past life, Obama’s birth time, karmic, Saturn, retrograde, president, good news, hope, North Node, peace, karma, astrology, chart, natal chart, election

I have one thing and one thing only to say about the hands of Secretary of the Treasury, Henry Paulson. He has the most bent and twisted middle fingers I have ever seen.

That’s saying a lot when you consider that I have examined over 10,000 pairs of hands during my career.

What does that mean in layman’s terms? The middle finger, or Saturn as it is known in the traditional language of Palmistry, reveals the subject’s relationship to business, resources and money, and measures a person’s integrity and accountability. Any finger that is bent or twisted shows a problem with the areas of life the finger represents. The extremely curved Saturn fingers on both of Hank Paulson’s hands indicate that he may not be the best person to handle the current economic problems facing the US government and banking systems.

What do you think?

Technorati Tags: Henry Paulson, middle finger, Saturn, Palmistry, economic problems, Hank Paulson, Treasury Secretary, money, US economy, inflation, recession, mortgage banks

Now it seems the use of the historical procedure has emboldened the Fed to seek greater powers over the US financial system. That, and some interestingly timed planetary transits.

On Monday, March 31st, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson ( I’ll say more on Paulson in a later post) will appear before Congress to ask that the Federal Reserve be given new powers to oversee the US financial markets. The Fed was initially created to oversee only commercial banks, those that cater to Mr. and Mrs. Average American.

Coincidentally, the Fed’s powers were already increased in 1994 with the passage of the Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act (HOEPA). HOEPA assigned the Federal Reserve the task of preventing predatory lending practices in the home mortgage market.
The Federal Reserve was established on December 23rd, 1913 in order to create a central bank that would standardize US currency. I was unable to find an exact time for its founding, so I ran the chart for 12 noon. (Click chart for larger image.)

It is a common misconception that the Federal Reserve is a branch of the US Federal Government. It is, in fact, an independent entity run by a Board of Governors whose members are appointed by the president. Wikipedia explains it this way:

It is considered an independent central bank because its decisions do not have to be ratified by the President or anyone else in the executive or legislative branch of government, it does not receive funding appropriated by Congress and the terms of the members of the Board of Governors span multiple presidential and congressional terms.

There exists a great deal of controversy over whether the establishment of the Federal Reserve has been good for the people of the United States. Some even argue that it is unconstitutional. Presidents Andrew Jackson and Abraham Lincoln resisted the creation of a Central Bank. The Fed was finally signed into law by Woodrow Wilson, who later regretted it, stating,

I am a most unhappy man. I have unwittingly ruined my country. A great industrial nation is controlled by its system of credit. Our system of credit is concentrated. The growth of the nation, therefore, and all our activities are in the hands of a few men…

At the time of the Federal Reserve’s Founding, the Sun was at 01 degree Capricorn, opposed by Pluto at 00 degrees Cancer. If you have been following the current positions of the planets, then you are aware that Pluto entered Capricorn on January 28th of this year and currently sits at 01 degree of that sign. Pluto rules power as well as money not directly under your own control (such as taxes and investments).

As Treasury Secretary Paulson appears before Congress on Monday to ask for increased powers for the Federal Reserve, Pluto will be stationing (appearing to stand still in the sky) exactly conjunct the Fed’s natal Sun and opposite it’s natal Pluto as it prepares to go retrograde on the 2nd of April. The energy of a planet as it stations is said to be greatly magnified.

As Pluto turns retrograde it will slip back into the sign of Sagittarius, remaining there from June 14th through November 26th. The hallmarks of Sagittarius are optimism and expansion. Pluto’s initial entry into that sign in 1995 coincided with a rally in the financial markets. Combined with the ability to make trades over the internet, the nature of investing was forever transformed (another Plutonian effect.)

With the intense Pluto in Capricorn somberness that now colors the financial outlook for the US, it appears that the Treasury Department and The Federal Reserve are seeking to benefit from the current Pluto station and its upcoming foray back into Sagittarius by presenting the Fed as the only entity that can stem the rising tide of financial uncertainty.

If Treasury Secretary Paulson is successful in his bid to grant greater oversight of the US financial markets to the Federal Reserve, it will result in an unprecedented concentration of power, giving enormous control over US financial markets to a non-government entity whose decisions are not subject to approval by Congress or even the President himself.

On the other hand, Pluto’s transits may bring to light hidden information that will prompt profound changes in how the US handle its resources.

As Robert Gover, author of Time And Money: The Economy And The Planets, points out in his insightful article on Pluto and the Fed,

It has been found by astrologers that Pluto has to do with changes that are at first hidden, unknown, not yet manifested into our material reality.

No matter how this transformation manifests, and it’s still too early to know, we are surely about to witness an intense struggle for economic control.

Technorati Tags: subprime mortgage crisis, Federal Reserve, Henry Paulson, Pluto in Capricorn, economy

A look at Hillary Clinton’s palm goes a long way in explaining why people either love her or hate her.

Take a look at Hillary’s hands in this photo. Her right palm clearly shows two horizontal creases, a head line and a heart line. Her left hand, however, has only a single crease across the palm.

In the following diagram, the palm on the left shows a typical hand with clearly defined head and heart lines. If you look at your own palm, there is a 98% chance that your hand looks something like that first diagram. The palm on the right shows a single crease, known in both medical and palmistry circles as the Simian Crease.

The Simian Crease was named after the single transverse crease found in the palms of apes and monkeys. It is commonly found in the hands of people who have Down’s Syndrome or other genetic abnormalities. (Please note that I will not publish any comments that include juvenile remarks about Senator Clinton and monkeys or disabled persons, so don’t even try it!)

However, there are a small number of people who are born with the single transverse crease (statistically, less than 3%) who are genetically normal. For these people, the Simian Crease is a sign that they are intellectually gifted.

In the language of the hand, the Simian Crease is a fusing of the head and heart lines, and as such, a fusing of the thinking and feeling functions. It is usually the thinking function that dominates. Persons with the crease in one or both hands possess single-minded focus and inner intensity. Because of this, they often feel misunderstood. It is only when these persons learn to slow down a little and become aware of their differing communication style that the gift can emerge.

As can be seen in this closeup, Hillary Clinton doesn’t have a classic Simian Crease. It does not extend the full width of her palm. She also has a partial head line extension that curves downward into her Mound of the Moon. However, there is clearly a fusing of the head and heart lines. (See diagram below).

The single crease in Senator Clinton’s hand may explain why she has been saddled with the reputation of being divisive. People with this gift can appear driven and may experience the world as more black and white than the average soul. Add to that an ultra long index finger which shows powerful ambition, and you can easily understand why Hillary hating has taken on a cult-like fervor.

Does this mean that Hillary Clinton has no heart? Other factors in her palm clearly indicate that she does.

Sitting above Hillary’s merged Head/Heart Line is a clearly etched curve known as the Girdle of Venus. Often referred to as a sister line to the Heart Line, the Girdle is a marker of sensitivity and heightened awareness of life’s subtleties.

With such a distinct Girdle in her palm, Senator Clinton not only feels, she feels deeply. When combined with a merged Head/Heart Line, the challenge of finding positive ways to communicate her feelings becomes even more complicated.

A vertical curve appears on the outer edge of Senator Clinton’s palm, adding to the overall challenge. This line has traditionally been called a Line of Clairvoyance, but it doesn’t necessarily indicate psychic ability as much as it does life Wisdom with a capital W. This line is a mark of right-brain driven knowledge, the kind that develops when life experience is combined with deep introspection, and it is another marker of giftedness.

It’s clear that there’s more to Senator Clinton than meets the eye. Perhaps the public was given a tiny glimpse of the “real” Hillary Clinton when she got teary eyed at a New Hampshire press conference.

In the end, her focused and driven Simian Crease won out and she was able to quickly regain her composure. The pundits are divided on whether this helped her campaign or hurt it.

Does Hillary Clinton’s palm indicate whether she would make a good president? It’s a mixed bag.

Her gifts of insight, empathy, focus and passion are clearly etched in her palm, but she seems unable to integrate her softer side into her public persona. The lack of a clear fate line confirms the difficulty she faces in allowing her true gifts to shine. Like many women in positions of power, she is criticized for being too masculine, but not allowed to be at all feminine.

Hillary’s thumbs (will power and the ability to make things happen) are weak. She holds them too close to her palm for true take charge success, and their tips are looking a bit flat, a sign that she may be exhausted. (Tears, anyone?)

No one, male or female, should have to contend with the level of vitriol that has been directed at Senator Clinton. As the first serious woman candidate for president, Hillary Clinton has taken on a pioneering role, and with it a heap of psychic and emotional abuse.

Perhaps it is part of her karma to change the way the US looks at strong women. But in order to stop being seen as polarizing, Hillary must integrate her own polarly opposite strengths and allow all of herself to show up on the campaign trail.

(Many thanks to Nathan for letting me use his excellent photo of Hillary Clinton for this analysis. You can see his other fine photos here.)

Technorati Tags: Hillary Clinton, presidential candidate, Simian Crease, gifted, divisive, Hillary hating, Girdle of Venus, Wisdom, Tears, Polarizing, Hand Analysis, Palmistry, Karma, Life Purpose

According to his Natal Chart, this is not the first lifetime where Dennis Kucinich has been dismissed as insignificant. (Click chart for larger image.)

Kucinich has natal Saturn in Leo in the 5th house. In terms of the karmic challenge, Saturn represents a fear, weakness or area of limitation from a past life. For Dennis Kucinich, Saturn in Leo represents a past life where his knowledge and leadership skills went unrecognized.

Saturn’s conjunction to Pluto complicates matters for Kucinich, suggesting past life power struggles with those deemed to be in authority.

On the flip side, Saturn conjunct Pluto indicates that Kucinich is here to tear down and transform the existing power structures. But if the media and even his peers won’t give him the time of day, the question is, “How?”

Dennis Kucinich is a very smart man. If we look to his South Node in Sagittarius, we could even say he is wise. Karmically, the person with a Sagittarius South Node has spent many lifetimes in search of truth, so many that he or she no longer has to keep seeking. The pitfall for Kucinich would be in taking himself too seriously. Saturn in the 5th house confirms that development of a sense of humor and a light and playful heart is one of his assignments for this lifetime.

As both an astrologer and a political observer, I believe that Dennis Kucinich is speaking from a place of integrity and higher truth. Having his South Node in the 8th house tells me that his wisdom emanates from a source that is ancient and deep, and that his commitment to that truth is passionate. When you add in the compassion of a 12th house Moon in Pisces, it is difficult to deny that he is the real deal when it comes to his desire to create a better America.

However, it is the North Node that one must follow, no matter how strongly it appears that the South Node skills can be put to good use.

With a Gemini North Node, Dennis Kucinich is being asked to bring his truth down to earth and package it into a format with mass appeal. He is being required to develop the ability to listen, be flexible and meet others halfway.

In his campaign appearances, Dennis Kucinich likes to point out that he is the only candidate with a plan for single-payer universal health care. He tells us that he is the only candidate…

who voted against the war on Iraq and who consistently opposed it. I am the only candidate who sued the President to try to prevent him from going to war without a declaration from Congress. I am the only candidate who will repeal NAFTA and withdraw from the WTO, replacing these agreements that have cost us so many hundreds of thousands of jobs with fair bilateral trade agreements that protect jobs, workers’ rights, human rights, and environmental quality principles…

His list of where he stands apart from the other candidates goes on. He may be just a little too far apart to satisfy his Gemini North Node.

Change is scary. The level of change that Dennis Kucinich is advocating, while not uncalled for in these “interesting” times, is profound and even possibly radical. Radical change is the hallmark of his 8th house South Node. Slow, steady, step-by-step change that preserves a sense of security is what is called for by his 2nd house North Node.

In order to get recognition for his wisdom so that he can successfully bring about change, Kucinich needs to look to his heavily populated 7th house and his Libra Sun. The keywords associated with both are balance, co-operation, give and take, and charm.

Kucinich does not have to change his vision or abandon his principles. But with a karmic set-up like this one, he will find that it is easier to catch flies with honey than with vinegar. Or hot sauce. The louder he shouts at his critics, the more stubbornly he asserts his way as the “only” way, the less he will be listened to by those in positions of authority, and the harder it will be for him to truly live his passion.

Technorati Tags: Dennis Kucinich, debates, Presidential candidate, Natal Chart, past life, astrology, karma, Libra

Despite continued assurances by the White House that President George W. Bush has complete confidence in Alberto Gonzales, calls for the attorney general to resign grow louder by the minute. Bets and even investment trades are being placed not on IF Gonzales will resign, but WHEN. Speculation has already begun as to who the White House will choose as his successor.

No time of birth is available for Attorney General Gonzales, but his astrological chart (shown here as calculated for sunrise) is nonetheless revealing. From a karmic standpoint, Gonzales was born with Saturn in Scorpio, indicating a lesson in the right use of power. He also has a stellium in Leo, the sign of leadership and pride. Saturn is squaring his Leo Sun, Mars, Mercury and Jupiter, which tells me that, in a past incarnation, Gonzales’ karma was complicated by an overblown ego and a tendency to stretch the truth in order to gain and maintain power. The exact conjunction of his Sun and Jupiter may have been especially problematical in terms of an exaggerated sense of self.

When we look at the Attorney General’s index or Jupiter finger, we see that the top phalange is grossly oversized. It is so top-heavy that it appears to be keeling over from the weight. Jupiter is the finger of ambition and the upper phalange is the realm of big dreams. Gonzales’ finger shows that his dreams are not only grandiose, they are compromised by the inability to be upright in their expression. When I see a Jupiter finger like this one, it suggests to me that the owner may be suffering from delusions of grandeur.

In the past year, transiting Saturn in Leo has touched every planet in Alberto Gonzales’ Leo stellium. If Nancy at Political Astrology Blog is correct in her estimation of his birth time, Saturn is currently opposite his Aquarian Moon. (Lynn at Astrodynamics also has some insights on the Attorney General’s astrological ailments.)

When Saturn comes to call in such a big way, it is doing a karmic bed check. For Alberto Gonzales, Saturn is delivering a heavy dose of reality and a lesson in humility. It may turn out to be a rude awakening.

Technorati Tags: Alberto Gonzales, Attorney General, astrological chart, karma, Jupiter finger, palmistry, resignation, U.S. attorneys

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.

Technorati Tags: Al Gore, draft Gore, Nobel Peace Prize, Know Thyself, North Node, Persephone head line, President, astrology, Gore natal chart, palmistry

The Boston Herald reports today that new polling data, to be released later in the week, shows that “McCain’s popularity among New Hampshire’s independent voters has collapsed.” In fact, in a January poll taken at the annual meeting of elected Phoenix area precinct committeemen in McCain’s home state of Arizona, McCain came in fourth, behind former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia, and a relatively unknown San Diego area Congressman, Duncan Hunter.

McCain is fast becoming known as the most hawkish of the potential candidates. A former prisoner of war in Vietnam, he supports an even larger troop escalation than the president himself. In a January 10th interview on the US invasion of Iraq, McCain told MSNBC’s Tim Russert, “I said the military operation would be easy. It was easy. We were greeted as liberators.”

One has to wonder about John McCain’s memory. Perhaps this “idealized picture” of the unmitigated disaster that is the occupation of Iraq is caused by the (dissonant) square of Jupiter (beliefs) to Neptune (dreams, illusion) in McCain’s astrological chart. (For a more detailed analysis of John McCain’s natal chart, you may also want to check out Lynn’s article on why “John McCain Will Never Be President” at Astrodynamics.)

Coming planetary transits to John McCain’s natal chart affirm that his star is not on the rise in the runup to the 2008 presidential elections. (click chart thumbnail for larger image.)

Saturn will be making the first of three conjunctions to his Sun in October of 2007, indicating that there will be limits to how much McCain can shine. With his natal Sun in Virgo, a sign of service, in the 11th house of group ideals, the Saturn transit will likely show that he will become even more cut off from the desires and direction of the public he is trying to serve.

McCain’s Jupiter is in Sagittarius, which means he will shortly be experiencing a Jupiter return. With his natal Jupiter trining his natal Mars showing an expansive, almost religious belief in Martian principles, it is likely that McCain’s Jupiter return, often thought of as a lucky time, will only serve to intensify his stand on increasing the size of the US military and “finishing” the job in Iraq.

Looking at John McCain’s hands, we see that his Jupiter finger, the finger of leadership, is short. Traditionally this is seen as a lack of power, a challenge earning respect, and/or other issues with authority. In addition, the upper phalange appears compromised, a condition that I have examined on the hands of other political figures. (See my posts on Condoleeza Rice and John Bolton.) Mythologically, Jupiter was the defender of principles and protector of the people. When the upper phalange is bent, shrunken or otherwise misshapen, it is an indicator of abandonment of principles and shows challenges regarding right use of power.

(Lest you think I only find this condition on the hands of Republicans, never fear. I will be posting some analyses of Dems who also suffer from damaged Jupiter syndrome. What I do find amazing is how often this condition is found in politicians in general.)

As we move closer to the election, Uranus will be sitting on top of McCain’s Natal Saturn, and transiting Saturn will oppose it, indicating a time of karmic examination. I agree with Nancy, when she says that McCain could be facing health issues at that time. Saturn in the 6th house is often found in the charts of those whose karma is revealed through the body.

With his Saturn in the sign of Pisces, McCain’s karmic challenge is to find a true sense of peace and compassion through earthly service. Neptune, the ruler of Pisces opposes Saturn natally, increasing the karmic message. In late 2008, Saturn moves from a conjunction with his Sun to a conjunction with Neptune. With a series of karmic transits in the runup to the election, McCain could be facing a time when he may have to redefine what it means to feel secure, peaceful and connected to all of mankind.

Technorati Tags: John McCain, McCain Doctrine, troop escalation, power, Politics, 2008 Presidenial Race, Hawk, polls, karma, astrology, transits, election