Libra and the Collective Psyche in the 20th Century

Outer planets have a powerful influence on the personal psyche. They also symbolize massive transformations in the collective psyche as they change sign. When Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto transited the sign of Libra in the 20th Century, forces of good and evil clashed as we tried to find a balance between optimism, pessimism, tolerance, prejudice, progress, and regress. There was not much social or political stability.

While the planet Neptune (Pisces) transited the sign of Libra from 1942 to 1957, Nuclear weapons began proliferating. The first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.  President Truman instructed the Atomic Energy Commission to produce an even bigger `Hydrogen Bomb’. The United Nations began blossoming. International cartels became firmly established. The European Common Market was recognized. The civil rights movement flourished. Group psychology became popular. The World Council of Churches was established. Mother Francis Xavier Cabrini, founder of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was the first American citizen canonized by the Roman Catholic Church.

The art world went through dramatic changes.  Allen Ginsberg became a popular poet writing, “I have seen the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness”. When Neptune left Libra in 1957, the bestselling novel was Peyton Place   focusing on sexual intrigue in a small town. People born between 1942 and 1957 tend to be overly idealistic in relationships.  They must learn to harmonize, compromise, and sacrifice.

While the planet Uranus (Aquarius) transited the sign of Libra from 1968 to 1975, the spirit of our nation shifted from optimism to pessimism. Faith in progress turned into disillusionment with national institutions and world progress. This period was marked by useless popular inventions like the “pet rock”, giant platform shoes, and shag haircuts. Punk Rock, along with primal therapy and streaking became popular. The Supreme Court legalized abortions in the first trimester of pregnancy (Roe vs. Wade). Governor Wallace, a racial bigot from Alabama, announced that he would be running for President on the newly formed American Independent Party ticket. He threatened to repeal the “so called civil rights laws”. Meanwhile, the most popular show on TV was a comic satire about a racist named Archie Bunker. Diplomat Henry Kissinger approved the financing of clandestine CIA activities in Chile aimed at preventing the election and inauguration of Salvador Allende as Marxist President. Patty Hearst was kidnapped and brainwashed by the Symbionese Liberation Army. A military junta deposed Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie.

While the planet Pluto (Scorpio) transited the sign of Libra from 1971 to 1983, growers and pickers finally reached a settlement that ended a nearly ten year grape boycott (led by Cesar Chavez). Farm workers finally had bargaining power. This time marked the official beginning of the environmental movement. The Supreme Court upheld busing as a way of integrating schools.  An assassination attempt left presidential candidate George Wallace paralyzed from the waist down. Prime Minister Idi Amin slaughtered over 300,000 Ugandans and alienated his country from the rest of the world. Violence in Ireland forced Britain to seize control of Northern Ireland and suspend the Protestant controlled parliament. An arm of the Palestine Liberation Organization terrorized the 1972 summer Olympics in Munich. In 1975 South Vietnam crumbled, bringing an end to the Vietnam War. Because of the Karen Ann Quinlan case, `right to die’ rulings were enacted all across the USA. The serial killer “Son of Sam” was finally put away after terrorizing the male and female population of NYC. Religious fanatic Jim Jones got his followers to commit suicide. John Lennon was murdered.

“Imagine there’s no country,

It isn’t hard to do.

Nothing to kill or die for,

And no religion, too.

Imagine all the people.

Living life in peace”

Libran Hands

You don’t need a Libra sun, moon, planets, aspects, or houses to be Libran. All Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius hands have square palms and long fingers. I’ve read many Libran hands with long deep clear gently curving unobstructed headlines that fork at the end. Librans see every side of a situation. Straight strong pinkie fingers communicate clearly, effectively, and frankly (with full broad nails). Strong index fingers are pervasive on ambitious hardworking managers and powerful leaders. Dominant bottom and middle phalanges are well suited to banking, real estate, and food businesses. Dominant top phalanges make great public speakers, lawyers, directors, journalists, educators, and religious leaders. Librans are idealistic, romantic, aesthetic, and refined. You’ll see Librans in chic designer clothing taking clients to trendy restaurants. Thinking types dominate political, PR, publishing, marketing, sales, and entertainment fields.

Wielding logic, diplomacy, and tact like Samurai swordsmen, Librans analyze, rationalize, and compartmentalize their thoughts and feelings until they fulfill their desires. A wide space between head and life lines reveals initiative and spontaneity. Wide spaces care less what others think of them. Changing a Libran’s mind is a game of mental monopoly. You must be direct and make good sense. Don’t get emotional. You’ll regret it.

Healthy Librans have sincere handshakes. Firm pink elastic skin with a long graceful heart line flowing from the pinkie to the base of the index finger symbolizes a romantic and sentimental nature. A branch at the end of the heart line that reaches down to touch the head line means the person can think their feelings to oblivion. Black and white and hard and soft are the same, only different by degree. Librans with vertical lines within their life lines are very lucky.  Anyone with long vertical lines parallel to their life lines has intimate family ties and friendships. They’re wealthy in love and spirituality.

Libra is the 7th sign of the zodiac, the 7th house of marriage in western astrology, and the autumn equinox, time for partnership, sharing, and giving. Librans strive for balance, idolize harmony, dislike discord, and despise confrontation. As negotiators, they’re very decisive when it really matters, although they’re notoriously indecisive when it doesn’t really matter like what to eat, what to wear, and where to go. Librans can be aggressive and vague at the same time. Many prefer being frank and direct, but then they can’t figure out why some people don’t like them.

Athena is a Libran archetype with Aquarius and Gemini backup. Greek for Wisdom and Justice, Athena rules the strategic thinking required in combat. Scales of justice and an owl on her shoulder symbolize balance and wisdom. Odysseus (Libra) and Achilles (Aries) worshiped Athena. Pictured as a handsome Goddess in battle armor, she holds a shield of Intuition in one hand, and a sword of Thinking in the other. Athena’s mighty sword is applied with icy detachment. She discards emotion for clarity and cuts to the quick.



We all have Libra, Venus, and 7th houses in our symbolism. We know what’s honest, true, and fair, and must set ethical and moral values and boundaries in order to know right from wrong and see truth. It’s easy to compartmentalize, rationalize, and analyze the ideas, thoughts, and actions of ourselves and others. Some Libran aphorisms are: “Laws keep honest people honest.” “Locks keep honest people out” “Contracts are as good as the people who sign them”. Laws protect us only after the reason for those laws has been severely abused. Why must we lose what we value in order not to take it for granted?

Truman Capote understood the truth behind the insanity. “Even an attorney of moderate talent can postpone doomsday year after year, for the system of appeals that pervades American jurisprudence amounts to a legalistic wheel of fortune, a game of chance, somewhat fixed in favor of the criminal, that the participants play interminably.” Legal power enables players to shirk social responsibility, manipulate others, and justify whatever personal and social behavior and actions. Librans need to balance ethics and honesty. Maybe a Libran knows something that would change everything, but fails to mention it. Did Philip Morris know cigarette smoke is unhealthy? Does Monsanto know that ‘Roundup’ causes cancer? Do Republicans know they do not care about the masses? Mountains of money have been amassed by self-appointed Emperors who have deceived, exploited, and manipulated the huddled masses. Cream rises to the top. Poor folk will forever scrape for pennies at the bottom of the barrel.

Many years ago, an Athena type of questionable ethics came for a private consultation. As a corporate strategist and master business plan writer, he seemed totally out of place in my east village tenement apartment, dressed in his expensive designer suit and power tie and me in my “Since I gave up hope, I feel much better” t-shirt and worn jeans. His friend had been to one of my palmistry talks and encouraged him to see me.

Athena rules arts and crafts, especially weaving. My client’s specialty was weaving tailored cloaks of investment opportunity for himself and his clients by threading a weft of his finest illusion through a warp of potential profit. He’d revive floundering companies by creating innovative new products and services that pointed them toward prosperity. An emperor of crystal clear vision, Athena would charge a substantial fee and generous stock options in exchange for a first class business plan and assistance in executing it. Athena would revive companies who’d been competing for pennies forever. He shifted their paradigm by changing their thinking. As Athena’s plans came to fruition, his stock would become more valuable. He guided management through the churning rapids of dramatic change within company structure. When the project could survive on its own, Athena sold large chunks of stock and invested in his next project. Although his visions sometimes failed, Athena always prospered.

Athena had been indicted in a $150,000,000+ securities fraud. Insider trading is much more common than you know and extremely discreet. Knowing something secret can be very powerful, but getting caught is bad for everyone. The IRS was a monkey on his back. He desperately needed a strategy for what to do next. He wanted to take a symbolic look at his situation. Despite our totally opposite worlds, we hit it off.  Thinking types can bounce ideas off each other for hours. Athena was Pinocchio. I was Jiminy Cricket, there to be his conscience. Brilliant, but surprisingly naïve, Athena easily rationalized being legal, unethical, and immoral at the same time. He got his nose pruned by sticking it in the wrong place at the wrong time. Athena offered me a generous retainer to be his “Jiminy Cricket”. I declined, but accepted occasional gifts and payments for my time and advice.

Athena’s hands revealed a healthy Libran type. He was charming, calming, and curious. Astrology described his behavioral patterns, life cycles, and timing. Tarot cards provided insight into business relationships, but no matter how many times we spread the cards, tact and diplomacy could not save the King of Swords from being tortured by the eight of swords, judgement, and the Tower. Athena needed to learn his lesson the hard way.

Athena’s square palms, long fingers, strong pinkies and well-balanced phalanges are great for commerce. His long unobstructed straight headline is innately practical, honest, and reliable. Ambitious strong index fingers embody a strategic hardworking nature. His strong stiff thumbs show determination and persistence. Separation between his head and life lines reveals initiative, impatience, and independence. I would never have seen his problem in foresight.


I had no idea how to help Athena with his problem. Blinded by desire for power and wealth, Athena had unwittingly compromised his morals and ethics. His natal chart appeared to be healthy and well balanced, but his astrological transits weren’t promising. There seemed to be no positive outcome unless it was spiritual. I knew I needed to be direct and make good sense. The horizontal lines crossing Athena’s dominant vertical lines showed he was no stranger to challenges and obstacles. He was very good at bouncing back and landing on his feet. Jiminy Cricket guided Pinocchio to find his truth and become a real boy. Athena and I never got that chance.

Athena lost everything. Too late for hindsight, there was little I could do. I appealed to his future. “Does the world really need another greasy French fry, addictive beverage, or pornographic violent video game?” Why not design and market healthy products like Paul Newman? Why not give profits to charitable causes? I suggested ‘Vita-Fries’, the world’s first truly healthy French fry. Why can’t the same resources be used to create healthy products and services? A graceful heart lines extends to Athena’s index finger, revealing a romantic and sentimental nature. Check out the long gracefully curving vertical lines within his ball of thumb, Athena has a healthy and loving support system.

“Why not make products more expensive and exploit less people on the way?” I asked. Athena loved the idea, but rationalized needing more personal financial stability before giving money away. “More expensive means more grease”, he told me. Higher prices mean more time and money spent romanticizing and glamorizing products and services. More for less is a great concept, but doesn’t come cheap. “It’s the grease”, Athena said. Why pay more for caffeine at $tar Buck$?  Why buy expensive designer brand names when you can get the same generic item for much less? Revolutionary new products and services do happen ~ like when Kleenex became generic for tissues, ubiquitous in the marketplace, and highly profitable. Most products are variations on a theme.

In Libran style, Athena started over again with fresh enthusiasm, new ideas, and a dollop of grease. Last time I heard, he was offering virtual alternatives to utilitarian products that make good economic sense. Pinocchio is wheeling and dealing and mastering his Libran nature. He and Jiminy are friends, but no longer consult for $.

The most challenging task in reading hands is learning to judge hands. One person’s long is another’s short. Your firm might be my soft, depending on the person. Rigorous practice is necessary to truly observe and judge hands.

Few of us are pure types. Many behave contrary to our sun signs. My brother, Gary, is Pisces, a mutable feeling type. He’s Neptunian, but his Libran hands reveal a cardinal thinking type. Gary is a geriatric psychiatrist. Lucky for him, I used to threaten I’d go completely crazy with age, but then as a Gemini, I decided not to get old. Gary’s Libran temperament graciously emerges and gracefully merges with his Pisces sun to sooth the most stressful clients and situations. Pisces gives Gary natural empathy and the intuition that many Librans lack. He’s an awesome psychiatrist, partner, father, brother, son, friend, and human being.

Virgo and the Collective Psyche in the 20th Century

Outer planets have a powerful influence on the personal psyche. They also symbolize massive transformations in the collective psyche as they change sign. When Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto transited the sign of Virgo in the 20th Century, ways in which we viewed and addressed public health, environment, and civil rights were revolutionized, dissolved, and transformed.

Neptune entered Virgo in 1929 and manifested its dark nebulous side as Wall Street crashed and catalyzed the great depression. As Neptune left Virgo in 1943, we were submerged in confusion from the Second World War. Mass propaganda and deception had poisoned the rationality of Germany. Millions of people were exterminated in the name of racial purity. Humanitarians and labor unions were born during this period. New concepts in medicine such as psychosomatic illness were presented. Many neurotics feared too much reality and responsibility. “We Want Beer” marches were held in cities across the country to protest prohibition, which was successfully repealed.

Charlie Chaplin’s motion picture, Modern Times, was released. The top money making movie of 1938 was Walt Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, complete with wicked stepmother; handsome prince; woodland setting; huntsman, seven doting dwarves; and a happy ending. The best-selling book of 1936 was Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind. Silk stockings transformed into nylon stockings thanks to Dupont, who was unable to satisfy the demand for them. Gasoline rationing was put into effect in 1942. A new mold discovered on cantaloupe yielded ten times the penicillin as previous sources to reduce shortages. People who were born between 1929 and 1943 with Neptune in Virgo were created to “serve or suffer”.

When transformational Pluto entered the sign of Virgo in 1957, we realized that we’d become slaves to scientific and technological trends. Awareness of the dangers of chemical pollutants affecting our environment entered our mass consciousness. Environmental special interest groups were formed. Geneva nuclear test ban talks reconvened. Official school prayers became unconstitutional. People born from 1957 to 1971 were consumers of bottled water and health foods which became huge business successes.

When Pluto left Virgo in 1971, Daniel Ellsberg, former Deputy Secretary of Defense, leaked the Pentagon Papers to the New York Times. The Times published government documents about the history of the Vietnam War that revealed that the American public had been consistently lied to. Anti-war demonstrators protested in Washington where two thousand Vietnam veterans rallied. Many threw their combat medals on the steps of the capitol. Ellsberg was indicted for espionage and conspiracy. The 26th amendment giving eighteen year olds the right to vote became law.

As revolutionary Uranus transited the sign of Virgo from early 1962 to late 1968, `good health’ consciousness began with natural and organic foods. Rachel Carson’s bestselling book Silent Spring highlighted ecology and stimulated concern for widespread damage caused by pesticides and technological progress. Holistic healers appeared. Cigarette companies were forced to print health warnings on packaging and advertising.

Civil rights became turbulent. Voter registration drives and segregation protests increased. Several thousand black and white supporters were arrested. A black church in Birmingham Alabama was bombed killing four girls. Two more blacks died in riots following the bombing. President Johnson signed the most important civil rights act in US history on July 2 1964, integrating all public accommodations and prohibiting job discrimination. Malcolm X was assassinated while speaking in NYC in 1965. Thurgood Marshall was sworn in as the first black Supreme Court justice in 1967. Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated in Memphis while supporting a sanitation worker’s strike in 1968. Riots in 125 cities after his death resulted in 46 more deaths.

Senator Robert Kennedy was assassinated in Los Angeles shortly after becoming the Democratic front-runner for the presidential nomination. Anti-Vietnam war rallies were being held in major cities and universities across the country.


The worst earthquake in modern history leveled Anchorage Alaska. Jonas Salk discovered the polio vaccine and inoculated the masses. The first transatlantic TV broadcast was made via AT&T’s privately owned satellite Telstar. The first televised presidential debates were broadcast. Russians crash landed the first spacecraft on the moon. Pop Art had its first exhibition. Rock & Roll became popular. The Beatles skyrocketed to musical fame and fortune. Bob Dylan became a star while singing about the hypocrisy of American values and culture. People born 1962 – 1968 have abundant ability to analyze, organize, and compartmentalize their lives.

Virgo & Hands

You don’t need a Virgo Sun, Moon, planets, aspects, or placements to be Virgo. Virgo’s square palms and short fingers are less meaty and more flexible than Taurus hands and pinker and more elastic than pure Capricorn types who have whitish flat palms and well developed first knots on lean fingers. Virgo is most adaptable of three practical types. Strong middle fingers that crook toward ring fingers at first joints strive for perfection and need personal space. No matter your type, enlarged second knots, square fingertips, and short fingernails add more order and practical Virgo qualities. People who chew their nails to the quick are self-critical and critical of others (worse if many lines crisscross beneath middle finger). Bitten nails belong to contrary people who will choose another side of an argument, just to make a point, even if they agree with you.

Virgo is best where discriminating, reliable, modest, and orderly service is required. Famous for cleaning up everyone else’s messes, Virgo may sometimes obsess on details and be overly thorough and meticulous. Contrary to popular belief, Virgo doesn’t enjoy details. Short fingered people in general (practical & intuitive) dislike details and need to see the whole picture. Details are a nuisance; something others should do, but few can do them better than Virgo who addresses them and then does what needs to be done. Because they usually ask too little for themselves, Virgo must be valued and appreciated. They know their value, but are reticent to ask for it. Ego gratification is not a motivation. Never take Virgo for granted. Virgos work hard to feel useful. They must learn to cherish every molecule of what they earn. Careers like accounting, medical, nursing, social work, maintenance, cleaning, and health food are magnets for Virgo.

“Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.”  Stephen King (9/21/47)

Carly Fiorina, former fortune 500 CEO is a conservative Virgo. Despite bad publicity over her tenure at HP and a failed presidential attempt, Carly practices what she preaches. Whether you agree with her or not, her intuitive hands with short fingers, along with her Virgo sun are saying, “Challenge the mind and capture the heart”. Aristaeus `Guardian of the flocks and farming’ in Greek myth is a Virgo archetype. Aristaeus taught bee-keeping. He embodies the capacity to dedicate selflessly in service to others.

Virgos who have worked and been rewarded include: Writers Agatha Christie & Leonard Cohen; Lawyers Alan Dershowitz & Marcia Clark; Financiers J.P. Morgan & Warren Buffet; Actors Sean Connery, Ingrid Bergman, Sophia Loren, Paul Walker, Keanu Reeves, Blake Lively, and Cameron Diaz; Singers Michael Jackson & Beyonce’ Knowles; Political figures Margaret Trudeau, Lyndon Johnson, George Wallace, Yasser Arafat, & John McCain with Taurus hands, short index finger, crooked pinky, and intuitive tips that say what you see is not what you get.




Virgo is earthy and practical. He/she represents more scientific and technical aspects of thinking. Virgo is more logical and healthier, while Gemini is more intellectual and cleverer. Imagination is more important to Gemini than practicality. Mercury, the winged foot messenger, holds a caduceus (medicine) ruled by Virgo (healthcare) while Gemini rules communications. As a Gemini, Mercury, my ruler is in retrograde motion at the moment.




I’d begun to practice palmistry professionally in my early thirties when a young man showed up and asked a mind boggling question. “When will I die?” A healthy looking Virgo, he was well built, energetic, handsome, smart, and a multi-talented craftsman. He appeared to take excellent care of himself. His well-balanced square palms were pink and firm with short straight fingers. His pink elastic skin, resilient palms, flexible wrists, and mildly flexible finger joints revealed a healthy balance between his determination and adaptability. His basic lines were clear and deeply engraved. How lucky he is, I thought, but his fate had been sealed when he had contracted AIDS.

AIDS was a death sentence at the time. I was clueless how to look for AIDS in his hands. Nothing stood out. I also lacked experience to counsel him. Instead, I said, “I’m sorry, only god has the answer to your question”… “You’re a naturally healthy type. If anyone can beat this disease, you can.” I highlighted his most positive qualities, but he wasn’t interested in hearing about them. We continued to chat about what he planned to do about his situation. He wanted to be proactive. I charged no fee for his session.

My curiosity about AIDS and my desire to make a difference motivated me to volunteer twice weekly at Bailey House, an AIDS housing organization. I showed up twice weekly for two years to counsel clients and staff. I used palmistry, astrology, and tarot as lenses to view their issues and challenges and help them make decisions about what’s next.

I printed AIDS infected hands monthly to monitor the progress or regress of the disease. I began to notice changes in skin ridge patterns on the percussion of the hands, but lack of adequate funding, limited time, and not enough statistical data made it difficult to be thorough or scientific. Most people with AIDS suppress their potentials because they obsess on the harsh realities of their fragile and impending mortality. I affirmed talents and strengths and tried to inspire AIDS sufferers to continue making positive choices and taking positive actions. Everyone looked forward to our weekly sessions.

Healthcare is a mundane correspondence for Virgo. Good health is a birthright we all deserve. Everyone has physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health challenges. Our partisan government, acquisitive pharmaceutical companies, and greedy health insurance industry have transformed our healthcare system into an extortionate superstore. Gluttonous insurers care more about profit than people. Megalomaniacal money managers and materialistic managed care providers bribe prejudiced politicians to institute and enforce the rules of their game. Selfish executives prosper while dedicated doctors are forced to ignore root causes and treat symptoms with overpriced medications. Saturn was in Virgo from 9 / 2007 – 10 / 2009. Seeds for structural change to healthcare were sown and the Affordable Care Act was harvested.

Your health is in your hands. In the days before computerized medical diagnosis, doctors used their intuition, tasted a patient’s urine, looked into their eyes, and examined their tongue, skin, and especially their hands to diagnose illness. Hands reflect a person’s physical, mental, and emotional health. I encourage seekers to examine and reflect on their own hands and the hands of people they care about. There’s much to see in a mirror.


Fingernails are windows to a person’s health. Illnesses that can be seen in nails are anemia, thyroid disease, malnutrition, carpal tunnel syndrome, psoriasis, eczema, liver disease, heart, lungs, colon, chronic respiratory disease, lymph system problems, diabetes, Raynaud’s disease, high blood pressure, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcers, Hodgkin’s disease, and sickle-cell anemia.

Dozens of stress related problems and several types of cancer can be seen in skin ridge patterns (dermatoglyphics). Conditions of lines in hands can indicate conditions of the heart, brain, kidneys, liver, stomach, and male and female systems. Palmistry is prescriptive, but when I observe a potential health problem in hands, I never diagnose or prescribe. I tell clients I’m not a health expert and suggest they see a specialist.

Many health problems are natural predispositions to specific character types. Know the type and understand the corresponding potential health problems. This is a generalized list of health issues that correspond to particular fingers. Click links to learn when and how a finger is dominant and what other qualities in addition to health are represented.

Dominant index finger ~ blood disorders, liver trouble, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, and problems with hips, thighs, and throat. One habitual challenge is the temptation to overindulge in food and drink.

Dominant middle finger ~ skin problems, teeth with age, knees, ligaments, secretion of bile, skeletal, left ear deafness, paralysis, rheumatism, gout, hardening of the arteries, hemorrhoids, and varicose veins.

Dominant ring finger ~ eyesight, heart, and blood circulation.

Dominant pinkie ~ delicate nervous system, weak bronchial and respiratory systems, thyroid gland, headaches, memory loss, and speech impediments.

Dominant ball of thumb ~ throat, lymphatic system, venereal diseases, heart and circulation, and nervousness.

Dominant heel of hand ~ bodily fluids, stomach problems, tumors, female disorders, epilepsy, mucous membranes, gout and rheumatism, kidney and bladder, and mental illness.

Dominant thumb and percussion of hand ~ inflammations, acute fevers, infections, muscular disorders, blood diseases, hemorrhage, infectious and contagious diseases, throat and chest trouble, and high blood pressure.

Scorpio types ~ reproductive system, ruptures, hemorrhoids, ulcers, venereal diseases, and problems with prostate or urethra.

Aquarian types ~ ankle weakness, anemia, cramps, heart weaknesses, nervous diseases, varicose veins, and sensitive skin.

Piscean types ~ feet and toes including bunions and gout, colds, mucous discharges, tumors, drug addictions, and liver troubles.

Bernie Serotta was a Pisces with Virgo hands and matching character. Bernie passed from the physical plane in 2004. It’s easy to see his warm, open, friendly, hardworking, and practical nature from his dominant hand. His muscular square palm and short fingers are saying, “Hello, goodbye, and I’ve got nothing to hide”. Despite my being peculiar to Bernie, I always felt honored and embraced by him.


Bernie was more Piscean as a child with his sense of wonder and love and appreciation of all things beautiful. As a young adult, Bernie embraced his Virgo nature as he started a family and a business. Bernie owned and operated a hardware store in Saratoga, NY for forty years. He served his family and community with dignity, grace, and humility. Bernie was retired when we met. He’d begun to explore his Pisces nature again, a second childhood. He had to let go some of some very practical habits to make space for his curiosity and creativity and engage in a more magical journey as he aged. We chatted about music and philosophy. Bernie practiced violin, enjoyed playing chamber music, and continued to do good deeds for family and friends until he passed.

Symbolic Power of Our Sun

One dreary mid-winter day in 1998, I was drinking tea from a cobalt blue mug decorated with an orange and yellow sun surrounded by stars. It had been a gift for speaking at a National Council for Geocosmic Research (NCGR) educational conference for astrologers in NYC. The horoscope in the hands was my topic. I had been a faculty member and resident palmist for over 20 years. I desired a sunnier future and decided to transform my sun mug into a talisman to help me achieve that goal.


I felt inspired as I rummaged around for an appropriate ‘mug shot’ of myself. After carefully cutting out my face, I glued it to the center of the sun. I applied several layers of crystal clear film. As I burnished down the edges, I imagined myself as Apollo, the Greek Sun God. When I finished, I raised the cup in my left hand to observe my handiwork. Simultaneously, the phone rang. I picked it up with my right hand. “Hello, I’m the Public Program Coordinator for the National Design Museum. We’re curating a major Solar Energy Exhibition in June and were wondering if you’d be interested in presenting the Lecture / Workshop series on the symbolism of the sun?”

I almost fell out of my chair. I’d experienced synchronicity, but this seemed impossible. How could a talisman work that quickly? Confidently, I replied, “You’ve come to the right place.” The magic of the sun materialized the moment I combined the esoteric power of the sun with my clear desire, intent, and action. My life instantly became sunnier.

Speaking of sun mugs, back in the early ‘80’s, a manufacturer of drinking mugs asked me to design a collection of astrology mugs for department stores like Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s. Six masculine sun signs were printed in 24 carat gold and six feminine signs in platinum. The customers loved the mugs, but began returning them not long after they were purchased because they were damaged in the dishwasher, even though they had been merchandised as ‘wash by hand’ only. My beloved mug collection was dumped despite my unrequited pleas to try again with dishwasher safe inks.

The sun in Leo (July 23 – August 23) rules the fifth house of the natural horoscope. The Sun’s day is Sunday. The Sun’s hour is noon. In Kabala, Tipareth corresponds to the Sun and the number six, which balances the tree of life. The word count of this post reduces to six. The Crown Chakra is ruled by the sun. The heart is the organ ruled by the sun. Solar archetypes exist in every culture: GREEK ~ Apollo & Hercules, JUDAIC ~ Samson, EGYPTIAN ~ Osiris & Ra ~ AFRICAN ~ Anansi, INDIAN ~ Narasimha, HINDU ~ Vishnu, PERSION ~ Mithra, JAPANESE ~ Amaterasu, NORSE ~ Odin, IRISH ~ Lugh, and ARTHURIAN ~ Percival. The Lion King and Goldilocks are LEO fairy tales. Lots of Leos are myths in their own minds. Musical links for the sun are the key of C and most instruments. Solar gemstones are diamonds, amber, and topaz. Solar trees are citrus, walnut, bay, and palm. Solar herbs, plants, and scents are sun flower, yellow poppy, saffron, marigold, cinnamon, pepper, peony, musk, honey, frankincense, rice, and all aromatic herbs. Aroma of Frankincense (Christ and the Nativity) when used in ritual magic brings good health, wealth, success, acclaim, mental clarity, fearlessness, confidence, and spiritual awakening. Gold and diamonds worn on the ring finger are marriage magic. Pyrite, fool’s gold, eases anxiety, frustration, and depression. Pyrite is wise man’s gold when charged with clear vision and pure intention to attract wealth, boost self-esteem, aid communications, and enhance appreciation. I’m publishing this post at the exact moment of the lunar eclipse on August 7, 2017 @ 2:11 pm EDT.

A talisman is anything (including a simple piece of paper) with a design on it that’s symbolic of what you want to impress on your psyche to catalyze change or reinforce something that needs to be strengthened. Amulets and hex signs are solar symbols used for protection. You see a lot of Amish hex signs blessing barns and homes and protecting livestock from harm.

It’s best to create your own talisman. The more tuned you are to your intent, the more potent your talisman will be. The more esoteric correspondences you include, the more powerful the talisman’s effect will be. After my mug experience, I was inspired to create a small metalworking shop where I could make talismans to my heart’s content. Specific metals, minerals, and gems are incorporated for specific purposes on specific months, days, and times of day. Everything matters. Even facing the right direction, smelling the right incense, and hearing the right musical vibration while you’re creating your talisman can enhance its potency. The four talismans below, I made for myself and wear often.

As you can see, ‘Grounding’ is beat up. I wear it most because I need lots of grounding. It works for me because I created it with the clear intent of becoming whole, centered, and peaceful. Copper represents Venus and earth and is grounded in practical reality. Silver symbolizes feelings and emotion. Gold promotes clear thinking, passion, intuition, and inspiration. Square shapes within circles add order, structure, discipline, and focus. Circles within circles help center, inspire, and motivate. The rest is intent and quest.

‘Energizing’ is solid bronze with an opal in the center. There was a huge crack in the casting. I almost chucked it, but decided the crack was like a bolt of lightning and an important pathway from the outside of the circle to the opal. When I finished polishing the talisman, it felt perfect for me and my purpose.

‘Strengthening’ was created on a picture-perfect day in May (Taurus). I have a Taurus moon and mars and the horns remind me to be determined, persistent, and relentless when necessary. This talisman helps me think with my head and feel with my heart. Being mainly bronze, it’s a blending of copper, tin, zinc, and lead. Alchemically, it blends Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn in order to balance ambition and compassion with order and action. A solid foundation encourages a healthy framework that supports a powerful structure.

‘Centering’ consists of circles within circles, heart (copper) surrounded by mind (gold) and emotion (silver). Six small outer circles within two large inner circles represent masculine (gold) and feminine (silver) principles and all twelve aspects of my character. I need to balance my character with my values, thinking, feelings, will power, health, relationships, creativity, philosophy, purpose, hopes and dreams, and spirituality.

In case you’re not convinced of the power of the sun, let’s look at how religions, politics, governments, dictatorships, and corporations use the powerful symbolism of the sun to magnetize, mesmerize, and monetize masses with ideologies, products, and services.

Circular logos and iconic names like $tarbuck$ are no coincidence


“The most difficult job in the world is not being president. It’s being a parent.”

Bill Clinton is a Leo. Born three months after his real father died in 1946, Bill was raised by an abusive alcoholic stepfather. Like so many Leos, Bill spent much of his life searching for approval from father figures. His was mentally and emotionally absent during Bill’s formative years. Bill’s quest is a hero’s journey to conquer his fears of failure, abandonment, and disapproval and become a devoted parent who loves unconditionally and without expectation. Bill’s Sun, Mercury, Saturn, and Pluto are in Leo. Like many Apollonian types, Bill’s hands sport strong ring fingers. Bill adores music, women, and politics. Even though Bill has a bachelor like attitude, he enjoys being married. Bill has very high expectations of Hillary, in spite of his own personal shortcomings.

People judge Bill for his character, but Bill is his character. Apollo and Zeus are a powerful blend of charismatic forces in the real world. Zeus was infamous for his seductions and philandering in ancient Greece. Apollo was irresistible. It was impossible to say no to him. It’s hard to find healthy creative outlets for so much libido. The world is strewn with Leosterone. Powerful men and women throughout history were and still are philanderers with sexual addictions. Bill might have graciously and gracefully fulfilled his job as a national role model had he not tempted fate and lost his way. Hubris along with a powerful solar eclipse like the one coming up on August 21, 2017 was his Waterloo!

Bill loved being boss. His greatest challenge was not being too slick to believe that he wouldn’t always come out of the shithouse smelling like a rose. Zeus could have any female mortal he wanted. Unfortunately, his conquests and their offspring were cursed by Hera, who punished Zeus for his philandering. Defiance of fundamentalist values undermined Bill’s power. You can bet Hillary booted Bill’s behind when he was caught shtooping his intern. I’m glad he escaped impeachment. Resisting temptation is challenging when you’re a celebrity, a mortal, and a President.


Four US Presidents were born under the sign of Cancer. They were all were deeply wounded and flawed, the vilest of all being (in my opinion) George W Bush. His Leo hands synchronize with his Leo ascendant to reveal the worst qualities of Cancer and Leo in his intentions and actions. George has Mercury and Pluto in Leo conjunct his ascendant and Venus in Leo in his first house. Hopefully, Prescott’s dark karma and the Bush dynasty have finally ended.

When our daughter was in fifth grade, fifteen years ago, George W Bush was President. Cass was so concerned about what was going on in the world that she wrote a letter to the editor of a local East Village newspaper (who published it). She also sent a copy to the President.

Dear Editor,

I’m a 5th grader at the earth school in the east village of Manhattan. A lot has been happening in the world and this is a paragraph to explain my point of view. I wrote it at home this afternoon and it is unedited and done completely by myself. I was wondering if you would be interested in publishing it in your newspaper.    Sincerely,

We are deeply worrying about Saddam’s toxic and chemical weapons but what we are not realizing is that we are using just if not more as dangerous toxicants in our everyday life. Eventually at the rate we are going and the life style we are living we will kill ourselves off. The only difference with Saddam’s weapons is it will happen faster. Really all it takes to turn the world evil is one bad mind. We can easily find excuses to do certain uncalled for horrible things. What we need to do is think positive and constructive for our own benefit. We have to also be cautious about who we elect for president because that one bad mind could be his and make all the difference. We are being so concerned with Saddam Hussein, but you should think about it like Saddam Hussein is one ant in a whole anthill. The only reason ants survive is because they work as a team to carry food and build that huge hill. Even without war we are still heading towards a bad future. If we continue to pollute our earth we are going to have nothing left. If we get good ideas and stop polluting right now we will still have a chance to save our earth and the people on it.

At the end of her letter, Cass asked George not to send her a signed picture of his head. I altered what she got back as my contribution to exposing the true nature of a beast that has no clue how beastly he is. Truly no child should be left behind. We must all be more loving, helpful, and attentive to all children at all times.



Barack Obama is a Leo. Born August 4, 1961, Barack’s Sun, Mercury, Uranus, and North Node are in Leo. With a warm heart and a smile, Barack practiced healthier Leo merits than his predecessors while setting new precedents for future Leo ruled presidents. Despite the constant barrage of partisan prejudicial politics, Barack served with nobility, integrity, and dignity. His intuitive hands reveal an Arian personality. His narrow less meaty hands reveal a warrior of ideas and ideals. Barack is independent, freedom loving, energetic, enthusiastic, takes calculated risks when inspired, and can accomplish anything with enough inspiration. Passion is contagious and optimism eternal. Barack does his best at what he chooses and doesn’t take rejection personally. As a naturally rebellious type, he detests bullies and bureaucrats. Barack’s Holy Grail was taking responsibility for a damaged bureaucracy aimlessly racing towards bad shit happening.

Barack is a natural hero and great crusader for good causes. He campaigns tirelessly until he realizes his aspirations. Barack’s head and life lines are separate at their beginnings where the thumb meets the hand. Combined with the little crook in the top phalange of his strong middle finger, he needs plenty of personal space to sort out his thoughts and feelings. Because of Barack’s highly developed sense of responsibility and obligation, he always chooses objectivity and practicality over freedom. Barack’s pinky’s smallest phalanx is the bottom. Barack is motivated by freedom, family, and good causes, not money.

Barack is a naturally healthy type. The clear and unfettered quality of his basic lines reveals a healthy clarity in his thinking and feelings. Barack’s heart line swings up from the percussion of his hand to the space between his index and middle fingers. He’s passionate and practical about his feelings. Barack’s headline gracefully arcs downward toward the heel of his hand, revealing balance between creativity and objectivity. He can blend creative imagination with clarity of vision. Barack’s fate line travels all the way from the bottom of his palm to the base of his middle finger. He has worked hard and remained focused on his personal goals since he was a small child. The lines in the ball of Barack’s thumb parallel his lifeline revealing a true friend to those who have earned his trust over time. Despite rampant unpopularity with Republicans, Barack served our country to the best of his ability with dignity, integrity, and nobility.

Donald Trump is a Gemini with Leo rising. His small Leo hands with their rectangular palms, short fingers, and head and life lines closely entwined at their beginnings confirm his Leo nature. Donald has embraced the worst traits of Leo and will forever be notorious as the worst President in history.


A lot has been said about Donald’s tiny hands. Small handed people are big picture people. They hate detail and love grand ideas. Despite his callous behavior, Donald secretly craves your approval, wants you to love him, and cares a lot about what you think of him, although he doesn’t care about you. Look at how Donald’s attitude and behavior pathologically embodies shameless grandiosity along with other negative attributes of Leo’s character. He’s narcissistic, self-centered, self-indulgent, superficial, ostentatious, egotistical, ruthless, greedy, bossy, seductive, and lousy role model.

Why do we prostrate ourselves before an opaque self-appointed emperor on a polished brass pedestal? How many gilded towers, glitzy gambling casinos, graven images, beauty queens, shark tanks, and celebrity idols do we need? It is mind boggling to see how a person with so much potential to create a positive difference for all of humanity instead chooses a path of spiritual bankruptcy for all.

Donald’s Mercury square Neptune and corresponding curved pinkie fingers confirm his pathological dishonesty. Mercury’s dark side is a trickster, magician, con-artist, and pick-pocket. The court jester was supposed to remind the king to keep his ego in check. Jiminy Cricket was Pinocchio’s conscience. Donald’s north node in Gemini is Mercurial. The North node in Gemini is a karmic invitation to join society in order to share higher consciousness and lend a helping hand by exercising higher mind. It’s plain to see how Bill Clinton (Leo) and George Bush (Leo rising) blew their Gemini north node potentials. Donald Trump has done more than his share of damage. Perhaps he is fulfilling his karmic obligation by clearly exposing the dark underbelly of politics, democracy, and capitalism. We’ll certainly never take our health and the health of our world for granted.

Donald’s day of reckoning is coming. During 2016, Uranus in Aries squared Donald’s Saturn Venus conjunction in Cancer.  It continues to be square in 2017. At the same time, transiting Saturn opposes Donald’s Sun and conjuncts his Moon. If you want to speed up his meltdown, millions of people can tweet: “YOU’RE FIRED” on these dates in 2017 – August 7, 12, 20, and 30, October 11, November 8 and 17. Anytime is good, but these dates will be most effective. It’s time for Donald to get a hearty spanking from Saturn. Donald’s hubris will take him down when the critical mass of horrors he has perpetrated will no longer be acceptable to the masses… the sooner the better.

Author’s note: many people have curved pinky fingers. They are not pathological liars. A majority of people with curved pinkies are just trying to avoid confrontation. They’re peace makers because they learned as children to ‘be nice’ and ‘not make waves’. Many too often end up choosing safe over satisfying in their lives.

LEO and Collective Psyche in the 20th Century

Outer planets have a powerful influence on the personal psyche. They also symbolize massive transformations in the collective psyche as they change sign. When Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto passed through Leo in the twentieth century, enormous changes were taking place in personal, collective, and governmental rights and power. Uranus (Aquarius), planet of sudden change, transited Leo from 1955 to 1962 and energized strong will, rebellion, determination, vitality, forcefulness, and civil rights.

Rosa Parks defied a segregation ordinance by not giving up her bus seat to a white man in Alabama. The Supreme Court upheld her civil rights a year later. The University of Mississippi was forced to enroll its first black student. President Eisenhower sent federal troops to Little Rock Arkansas to enforce school desegregation. President Kennedy ordered the National Guard to keep schools open in Alabama. Cultural shame cultivated seeds of positive change. Equality and civil rights is more than ever a national embarrassment in the 21st Century.

New inventions promoted convenience and provided more time for recreation and leisure. Kentucky fried chicken was introduced. Play-Doh became popular. Davy Crockett and coonskin caps became fashionable. Pampers became the first disposable diapers. Crest was the first fluoride toothpaste. The first electric toothbrush was produced. The Teflon Company introduced non-stick cookware. Smith Corona introduced the first portable electric typewriters. Mattel Inc. introduced Barbie. Felt tipped pens became popular. Soft drinks were packaged in aluminum cans for the first time. K-Mart and Wal-Mart opened. Bank of America and American Express issued the first credit cards. The first transatlantic telephone cable began working. The first transcontinental helicopter flight was made. That was only a little more than half a century ago.

Neptune (Pisces) takes fourteen years to change sign. When it does, the collective psyche goes through confusing and ambiguous changes. Neptune transited the sign of Leo from 1916 to 1929. Phenomenal world confusion was happening. World War brought tremendous prosperity to Wall Street while soldiers earning $16 a month being killed in the trenches. England blacklisted and prevented over 80 US firms from dealing with neutral countries because they were suspected of trading with Germany. Prescott Bush was one of them. Influenza caused over two hundred deaths a day. Approximately one quarter of the US was sick. Half a million people were dead before the end of 1919. Daylight savings time began. Arkansas farmers dedicated a monument to the Boll Weevil, whose devastation of the cotton crop caused them to diversify and become more profitable. By 1927, the farm population had dropped dramatically. Countless farmers hopelessly and desperately sold their farms.

Neptune rules alcohol. The underworld, mafia, and gangs thrived. National prohibition began in 1920. Liquor smuggling and bootlegging became big business. It’s probable that Marijuana will be universally accepted and legalized before Neptune leaves Pisces.

Congress set a quota limiting the number of immigrants allowed into the country.

A senate subcommittee was formed to investigate the Teapot Dome oil leases.

Walt Disney released the first Mickey Mouse cartoon in 1928. George Eastman created the first color motion pictures. Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue was performed for the first time as a new form of symphonic jazz.

Doubt, fear, and panic caused the stock market to crash, leaving farmers, businessmen, and both haves and have nots in a state of terrible confusion and crisis.

History repeated itself in the opposition as Neptune transited Aquarius (1998 – 2012). War still brings prosperity to Wall Street. Agribusiness and chemical companies like Monsanto are still crushing small farmers and deluding consumers. Immigrants are still being persecuted. Oil and energy companies are still controlling and manipulating us.

The planet Pluto (Scorpio) takes approximately twenty years to change sign. When it does, it disintegrates, destroys, and transforms collective psyche. Pluto rules the dark side of the force. As Pluto transited the sign of Leo from 1938 to 1957, national and personal pride and power transformed. Despite the New Deal, ten million people were unemployed in 1939.  President Roosevelt increased appropriations for building the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Congress adopted the Naval Expansion Act. Roosevelt transformed the Federal Reserve by creating the ‘withholding tax’, which was the beginning of social security. He became the first president to appear on television.

The House investigated un-American activities. It was the beginning of huge multi-national business conglomerates. Western Europe tried to appease Hitler with the Munich Pact, which turned Czechoslovakia over to Nazi Germany. Polls showed Americans approved. The Nazis invaded Poland, which caused Great Britain and France to declare war. Winston Churchill asked President Roosevelt for help.

In 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Japanese Americans paid a high price as they were forced from their homes into concentration camps where they became innocent victims of hate and prejudice. Fundamentalist devotion to ideologies and tyrants began to crumble. In 1943, the fascist dictator Mussolini fell from power. By 1945, most of the world knew that six million Jews had been slaughtered in Nazi concentration camps.

The atomic bomb was the ultimate plutonian weapon. After we bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan surrendered. In 1949, we supported a war in Korea that ended up killing three million Koreans in less than a year. In 1950, Senator Joseph McCarthy began his sensational tirade against communist subversives and traitors in the US. Julia and Ethel Rosenberg were sentenced to the electric chair for stealing bomb secrets.

In 1951, the United Nations complex was completed in New York City. AT&T became the first company with over a million stockholders. Christine Jorgensen became the first transsexual to go public in 1952. Norman Vincent Peale’s best seller, The Power of Positive Thinking was published. The first kidney was transplanted. The first mechanical heart was made to work. Chevrolet introduced the powerful sexy Corvette in 1953. The US launched the Nautilus, the first nuclear powered submarine in 1954. The Soviet Union opened the world’s first atomic power station. Reigning British Monarchs made their first visit to American soil. We reached for outer space.

My Pluto in Leo generation, known as the `ME NOW’ generation, born between 1938 and 1957 have used technology to build personal power. Pluto in Leo rules crony capitalism. Rest assured, if we haven’t destroyed ourselves and our planet by the demise of Trump and his band of cutthroat thieves, plutocrats will have little problem finding the money, rights, resources, and technology to own, harness, package, distribute, and sell our Sun’s energy to all of us as Uranus returns to Leo (2039-2046).


Leo is a solar archetype. Helios (Greek), Apollo (Roman), Ra (Egyptian), and Narashima (Indian) are Leo gods. Hercules (Greek), Samson (Judaic), and Parcifal (English) are Leo heroes. Goldilocks and Lion King are Leo fairy-tales. Everyone has Leo in their story. Who are your heroes? Which hero are you? What’s your holy grail?

You don’t need a Leo sun, moon, ascendant, planets, aspects, or houses to be Leo. Intuitive types  have long rectangular palms and short fingers. Leo hand shape and proportions are identical to Sagittarius and Aries. These highly spirited, enthusiastic individuals dislike details and need to grasp the whole picture. They require a lot of freedom to express themselves naturally. They take pride in their honesty, integrity, and dignity. They also pride themselves on being independent objective thinkers who must set inspiring goals through which they can channel their abundant energy and passion. Leo loves being center of attention. Creative, dramatic, generous, enthusiastic, and fiercely loyal, Leo embraces you with ‘pride’ and then expects you to worship, admire, and appreciate him. Many fans look forward to his or her humor and stories.

Leo is a fixed type. Leo hands are stiffer, denser, and firmer than Sagittarius hands. Sag tends to be lazier and more self-indulgent, which softens hands. Leo’s skin is less elastic than Aries skin. Aries acts and then bounces back. Leo reacts and then procrastinates. Leo’s life and head lines often intertwine where a rosy bump meets strong stiff thumbs on a firm pink hand. Head and life lines that are closely braided at their beginnings care a lot about what others think, want to be liked, need to feel appreciated, and should never ever allow themselves to be taken for granted. That’s the beginning of the end.

No matter what your sun sign, people with square fingertips and stiff knotty joints are more methodical and cautious than those without them. They have more inertia and tend more to procrastinate at beginnings and at endings. They prefer to arrange their material objects and ideologies in designated places. Intuitive types are challenged to keep them there, especially when the middle phalanx of their pinky finger is shortest.

Many Leos have long and strong ring fingersShapes of tips, proportions of phalanges, knots, nails, lengths of fingers, directions of lines, and breaks, along with other qualities of topographical markings reveal what a person chooses to create with their free will. A seasoned palmist can readily see a person’s people skills, career potentials, behavior, and health issues. Consistency and flexibility of hands and elasticity of skin reveals the three modalities. Whorl fingerprints (concentric circles and spirals) add originality, spontaneity, eccentricity, and unconventionality. It’s important to note that even though palmistry is a science, human nature cannot be defined through exact details, but subtleties of details affected by free will, choice, and context. Palmistry is my favorite of many wonderful ways to observe and understand human character.

Ring fingers reveal artistic and aesthetic abilities, drama, versatility, salesmanship, showiness, gambling proclivities, satisfaction, and reputation. No matter your archetype, strong ring fingers add adaptability, creativity, and expressiveness. Cultivated Leos love beautiful things and savor a developed sense of taste and style. Long ring fingered folk are likable and they work at it. A ring finger is judged for length against the middle finger. When the tip is shorter than the middle of the first phalanx of the middle finger, it’s considered short. When longer, it’s considered long. Hands of actors, artists, architects, designers, craftsmen, photographers, curators, businessmen, teachers, salesmen, politicians, and diplomats have long ring fingers. I’ve seen similar ring fingers on hands of gamblers. Their problem is they win, but don’t know when to stop.

Leos love being boss. Last time I checked, there were more Fortune 500 and NASDAQ (over 10%) LEO CEO’s than any other sign. Our most recent four Presidents are all dominated by Leo. Stay tuned for a post generalizing the best and worst of Leo ruled Presidents.

Leo’s strength and courage shines like the sun. He’s naturally charming, talented, and very versatile. Leo liabilities are self- consciousness, emotional insecurity, and vanity, clinging to obsolete behavioral patterns, cultivating challenging circumstances, and nursing fruitless relationships. Don’t ever take Leo for granted. He takes criticism personally, even when it isn’t. Leo must choose an inspiring quest or risk mediocrity. Leos become easily bored when life gets mundane and routine. As big picture types, too much detail makes them nuts. If you can’t help them, stay out of their way.

Leo must learn to cultivate clear vision and enduring patience. That’s not easy since he’s naturally impatient and impulsive. Frequently accused of ‘being opinionated’, his point of view is so very important. Communicating clearly and effectively is a must. Extroverts in general flourish best when they’re behaving responsibly, honestly, patiently, and naturally in their relationships. Leo’s hardest challenge is to establish clear boundaries and limitations.

Leo’s physical sense is sight. The esoteric equivalent is enlightenment. Leo must burn brightly without judgement or expectation, embrace truth, learn to see the handwriting on walls, cut their losses, and let go of false pride. Too many multi-talented Leos spread themselves too thin and become the proverbial jacks of all trades, masters of none. Potential health problems are eyesight, heart, and poor circulation.


You don’t need a Cancer sun, moon, planets, or planetary placements to be Cancerian. All feeling types have long narrow palms and long fingers ~ often held closely. Healthy Cancer hands are firm and consistent with pink elastic skin. Finger joints are less stiff than Scorpio and less flexible than Pisces. Cancer head and life lines tend to separate at their beginnings on pure types. If head and life lines are closely connected at their beginnings, the individual has (mother) issues around losing control, fear of criticism, and need for approval. Anyone with that combo should never allow themselves to be taken for granted. Cancer is sensitive. More lines add more sensitivity. Long gently sloping head lines are compatible with developed heels of hands and personify a healthy balance between intuition, creativity, and practicality. Heart lines that gracefully curve toward the index finger embody a romantic, idealistic, and sometimes unrealistic vision of other people. I’ve observed lots of round or conical fingertips with long broad nails and loop fingerprints on Cancer types. Emotionally stable Cancers offer firm sincere handshakes.

Note: I’m generalizing details from my own personal experience.

Cancers are intuitive, empathetic, complex, and well aware of the needs of others. They can be hard to understand because they hide their most vulnerable selves beneath a facade of nurturing actions. Try to pry into their private lives and they’ll retreat into their shells. Cautious and vulnerable, Cancer needs to be frank and direct, rather than tactful and diplomatic. The only thing that makes sense is to choose satisfying over safe. Although they often try to avoid emotional confrontation, they need to cultivate intimacy wherever and whenever they can. Their feelings may swing from loving and devoted to secretive, reclusive, obsessive, and fearful of the future. When Cancers are feeling controlled or confined, they may become dark and moody. They must feel protected and secure before they can fully trust. Once trust is earned, loyalties run deep. Healthy family connections and close friendships nourish them. The more structure, organization and detail in their lives, the more stable and secure their feelings.

Healthy Cancerians are loving, compassionate, and devoted beings. They’re most compatible with other feeling types. They feel safe with responsible, reliable, and dependable practical types. They’re sorely challenged by thinking and intuitive types. They’re nervous they’ll be left holding the psychic garbage bag (and they often are) and forced to deal with the consequences when idealism, optimism, enthusiasm, and logic wane (and they do). Cancers are acutely consciousness of everyone’s emotional needs. When feeling insecure, they can become internally secretive while becoming externally ambitious. Cancers work hardest when income matches output. Motivated by good food, emotional security, and fertile soil, their mission is to nourish their family, home, and creative imaginations.

Demeter, Greek earth goddess of grain and the harvest, is a combination of Virgo and a powerful overprotective Cancerian mother. When Pluto abducted Persephone, Demeter asked her siblings for help, but ended up exercising her power over both gods and man by creating winter (death). All gods need to be worshiped, so they negotiated a deal.

“You’ve got to play to lose”

The old guy above is the young guy with me in this picture captured forty three years ago in a photo booth at an Kennywood Amusement Park in Pittsburgh, Pa. Lloyd and I met while working part time at a wood, metal, and plastics model making machine shop where we fabricated preschool children’s learning devices for the University of Pittsburgh. We made toys for ourselves on our own time. Soon to graduate from different colleges, I was to become an industrial designer and Lloyd would continue to be an artist. We were a couple of Peter Pans on our way to Neverland.


Lloyd didn’t get much nurturing as a child. He developed his quick wit and sense of humor while trying to avoid extreme physical abuse. When his mother was happy, Lloyd was safe. When she was unhappy, she’d incite Lloyd’s rage filled father to beat him. Lloyd’s mother committed suicide, his father was committed to a mental institution, and his beautiful sister, who I’d met in Florida with her two young children, great husband, and apparently idyllic life, suddenly and unexpectedly blew her head off with a shotgun.
Lloyd’s slender rectangular palms and long fingers match his Cancer sun, which is conjunct my Mercury. His Gemini ascendant harmonizes with my Gemini sun. Lloyd’s head and life lines are tightly intertwined at their beginnings and reveal his desire to feel appreciated. He was a sensitive child who needed love and support, but didn’t get any.

Lloyd tried hard to fix his broken parents, but they were too sick to support him. Instead, they judged, criticized, and abused him. Lloyd survived without anyone’s approval, though he thrives on appreciation. He’ll give his friends the shirt off his back, but they had better never take him for granted. Lloyd has literally given me the shirt off his back in my moment of need. I was on my way to an important meeting and got a nasty stain on my shirt. Before I could blink, Lloyd took off his shirt and traded with me.

Cancers are collectors. Some stockpile food in case of shortage or emergency. Lloyd collects art books, literature (he’s the most well-read person I know), religious art, art supplies, tools, and clothing. When wealthy people die, their families donate clothing to Goodwill or the Salvation Army. Lloyd has a keen eye for the finest designer clothing as he picks through the merchandise. He’s a master bargain hunter. I call him my personal dresser. We wear the same sizes. Lloyd chooses suits, coats, and jackets with me in mind. He has gifted me with suits worth thousands of dollars that he paid ten or fifteen dollars for. Many had never been worn.

Lloyd would say to me, “People who tell the truth don’t need good memories”. I’d reply, “We may be bastards, but at least we’re honest”. Over fifty years of friendship have witnessed many challenging lessons in humility for us. We delayed balancing our outer and inner worlds by always choosing to learn the hard way. There were no shortcuts. We had to finally let go of our need to be more and greater than we were.

Lloyd’s very flexible thumbs symbolize his ability to adapt to the most horrible of circumstances. They also embody his generosity of heart and spirit. It’s very hard for Lloyd to say “NO”. He probably doesn’t realize it, but the gold ring on the bottom middle finger of Lloyd’s unconscious hand symbolizes his need to have clear boundaries, be frugal, and not give everything away.



Lloyd Wilson is Pittsburgh’s best kept secret because he loves his anonymity. His artwork reveals a magical spirit, but few will ever get to know it. Lloyd personifies Cancer’s best qualities. He’s supportive, sympathetic, receptive, reflective, intuitive, imaginative, and extremely devoted to friends and family. He’s my best (male) friend.

Pluto (god of sex, death, and transformation) transited Cancer from 1913 to 1938. Partisan politics, nationalism, and isolationism transformed the world. World War I became World War II. In 1913, President Wilson pressed a button in the White House and blew up the Gamboa Dike in the Isthmus of Panama, creating a canal between oceans, and transforming travel by sea. Wilson legislated the Carter-Owen Bill that established a Federal Reserve System to transform the strangle hold on the nation’s currency and credit system by banks.

Daylight Saving Time transformed the nation’s clocks. Transcontinental telephone service transformed communications. World infrastructures and atomic energy transformed humanity. NBC was the first Nationwide Broadcasting Company. Wall Street prospered from war while soldiers earning $16 per month died in the trenches. President Wilson established a lottery style draft promoting patriotism. Congress passed the Espionage Act fining draft dodgers $10,000 and imposing a twenty-year jail sentence. No child was left behind.

“Do your bit” was an encouragement to buy Liberty Bonds. There were wheatless-meatless days. The end of 1919 marked the end of the Influenza pandemic that caused half a million deaths and a quarter of the nation’s population to be sick. Prohibition banned liquor for all citizens. Black markets and bootlegging industries flourished. Black leader Marcus Garvey organized ‘The Empire of Africa’ with 500,000 followers. He led the largest mass exodus of Blacks with the least sense of brotherhood in U.S. history.

In 1929, doubt, fear, and panic upset a stock market that faced its darkest hour and most difficult time. Foundations and structures of home and family transformed. People born during this period spend much of their lives taking care of family. Parents with overdeveloped senses of responsibility, guilt, and obligation have motivated children of this generation to be dropouts and runaways.


As the planet Uranus transited the sign of Cancer from 1949 to 1955, Mothers stopped staying at home and went to work. Women began wearing the “bikini”, a fashionable French bathing suit. ‘I Love Lucy’, a comic show about a housewife and her Cuban bandleader husband became the most popular show on TV. Ranch houses and basement playrooms were popular. The subconscious mind was explored in psychology. Born between 1949 and 1955? You’re somewhere between oversensitive and fearful and rational and aware.


We may want to think twice before we elect (or appoint) another Cancer President. Four USA Presidents were born under the sign of Cancer. Our most recent, George W Bush has intuitive hands and an egocentric character to match his Leo rising. George revealed the worst qualities of Cancer and Leo in his behavior, presidential intentions, and actions.

Like George Bush and Al Gore, John Quincy Adams finished second in popular vote behind General Andrew Jackson. There was no majority. A choice was put before the House of Representatives. The Speaker, Henry Clay, swung the election to Adams. When Adams appointed Clay as Secretary of State, Jackson followers cried, “Corrupt bargain”.


“Of all the men whom it was ever my lot to accost and to waste civilities upon, he was the most doggedly and systematically repulsive. With a vinegar aspect, cotton in his leathern ears, and hatred in his heart, he sat like a bulldog among spaniels”.
W.H. Littleton.

The 30th President, Calvin Coolidge, shared a birthday with the Declaration of Independence. He was famous for “holding his tongue”. That earned him the title, “Silent Cal”. Two of his infamous sayings were: “If you don’t say anything, you won’t be called on to repeat it” and “The business of America is business”.



“He was an economic fatalist with a God given inertia. He knew nothing and refused to learn”. William Allen White “He was weaned on a pickle” Alice Roosevelt Longworth

The 38th President, Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr., didn’t know he was adopted until he was seventeen. His wife, Betty performed all the domestic chores as Gerry wouldn’t lift a finger around the house. As Speaker of the other house, Ford passionately pleaded for an escalation of the war in Vietnam. He urged to “unleash devastating air and sea power”. His failed crusade to impeach liberal Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas was a favor to his buddy Richard Nixon. Ford granted Nixon a “full complete and absolute pardon” for all crimes relating to Watergate. Ford blamed democrats for a disastrous rate of inflation and warned that electing more would “jeopardize world peace”. He admitted to never reading books, but did find time to watch football on TV.

“I cannot dislike him personally — he’s cordial and gracious, but he’s consistently wrong and consistency is a virtue of small minds. He’s never proposed a constructive solution to anything”. Congressman Robert Drinan

Lyndon Johnson said Ford “had played too much football with his helmet off” ~ “Jerry’s the only man I ever knew who can’t walk and chew gum at the same time”.

“Ford isn’t a bad man, but he’s dumb—dumb. He shouldn’t be dumb either. He went to school just like everybody else”. Reverend Duncan Littlefair

“The important thing is that men should have a purpose in life… it should be something useful, something good”

The Dalai Lama (Cancer) is “The Reborn Soul of Buddha”. Orpheus, a singer, priest, healer, poet, and musician in Greek myth, charmed and enchanted Death into letting him enter the matrix of collective unconscious to find his beloved Eurydice. A moment of weakness caused Orpheus to look backward after death warned him that he’d lose Eurydice if he did. The wounded healer cannot heal himself but can heal others. The Dalai Lama fled Tibet in 1959 to live as a “simple monk” in a remote corner of Northern India. Unable to go back, he chose to promote world peace and love over returning to Tibet. Is our debt to China a threat to Tibet?

Gemini Mom & Son













