Most astrologers will tell you that it's a bad idea to look at such notions as death in a birth chart. And those astrologers make some excellent points. Then again, that's never stopped some from looking at the issue, such as observations about Natasha Richardson and Isaac Hayes, especially when their transits show some classic signs.
Of course, it's far more important for an astrologer to look at how you live rather than how you die. Still, if astrology really can predict major life events, isn't death a 'major life event'?
Pop hypermegastar/uber-odd Michael Jackson died of a heart attack yesterday in Los Angeles. And even at a cursory glance, there are some very distinct signs that if MJ had consulted a knowledgeable astrologer, a warning could have been delivered. How much good that warning would have done, however, is another question ...
Before getting into the details, a warning: the time of birth used for this article isn't official: no one knows for sure what time of day Michael Jackson was born at. One always needs to be cautious with these things, but from what I can see (and what I know about Michael Jackson) it looks accurate. In time, a skilled astrologer can even determine your time of birth based on when various events in your life happened, through a process called 'rectification.'
The biggest single warning to MJ comes from Saturn, traditionally one of the least-fun planets you can name. Michael had a Moon-Saturn square in his birth chart, which indicates (among other things) his messed-up, weird childhood ... and it also brings with it a risk of back pain (which Michael Jackson had) and possibly heart disease (which is what apparently killed him). At his time of death, transiting Saturn was opposing his natal Moon and squaring his natal Saturn. Translated: Michael was having a particularly stressful, difficult time. Jackson had recently announced a tour to help pay some bills, and it seemed as though he hated the idea. That's the sort of thing that is hard on a heart -- both the situation itself, and the Saturn transit.
There are certainly a lot of other things that a qualified astrologer might point out in this case, but let's be honest: Do you really want to hear all about how transiting Mars was semi-sextile Michael's Aries pre-natal eclipse point?
This is one of the reasons why astrologers usually avoid predicting death: the techniques are difficult, and what if they made a mistake? And, even though these cold calculations can be done (and perhaps sometimes, they should be done), that isn't really the point at all.
The real lesson, as it is with all astrology, is that you are not merely an accident, drifting along pushed by events beyond your control, like some kind of cork floating on a river of karma. This is your life, and there is order and meaning to it. And that's what an astrologer learns when they look at your birth chart -- or Michael Jackson's.
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by Matthew Currie for Astrology.com
