Nelson Mandela - his Draconic Chart
By Patricia Godden

Nelson Mandela was born on 18th July 1918 in the village of Mvezo, South Africa (Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela by Nelson Mandela, 1995). Birth time is given as 14.54 hours on, which states Umtata as his birth place. This is the district in which Mvezo is situated. He died at about 20.50 hours on 5th December 2013 in Johannesburg, South Africa. As the birth time has not been verified, its accuracy and therefore the accuracy of this interpretation of his charts cannot be guaranteed. Interpretations of the draconic planets and signs are from meditations done over several years. It is recognised that other people may have different insights into this level of astrology. The topocentric house system has been used throughout.

The warm and friendly manner so often shown by Mandela is characteristic of the tropical ascendant being at 23° 42' Sagittarius. This also relates to a love of truth and honesty so needed as a lawyer. The chart ruler, Jupiter, is at 01° 10' Cancer, conjunct Pluto at 05° 32' of that sign, both being in the seventh house. These planets are disposited by the Moon at 20° 15' Scorpio in the twelfth house. Jupiter is widely opposite the ascendant and Pluto is sequiquadrate to the Moon. Deeply felt feelings in personal relationships were rarely expressed publically. Two exceptions were when he separated from his second wife, Winnie, and when his son died of Aids. He experienced both sides of freedom and emotional security in his interactions with others but he combined these qualities in becoming the person who symbolised the freedom movement around the world. He had an innate understanding of the feelings and needs of others and an enormous ability to help them to transform crisis.

In the draconic chart, the ascendant is a 01° 52' Aries, close to the north node, indicating a strong, single-pointed direction. The ruler of the ascendant, Mars, is in exaltation at 20° 44' Capricorn and the eleventh house. At the draconic level, Mars is courageous and strong, similar to the tropical characteristics. However, draconically, Mars also shows the power of Source/the Creator. It is selfless with consideration from an all-is-one perspective. This very much reflects Mandela's actions in life and, placed in the eleventh house, his one-pointed humanitarian activities.

Tropically, Mars is at 12° 34' Libra supporting his huge drive towards fairness. Tension in the square between Mars and Pluto is related to the assertion of power and fighting for survival, both of which he experienced in his campaign for equality and justice. However, draconic Jupiter at 09° 19' Libra and draconic Pluto at 13° 42' Libra are conjunct tropical Mars in a biwheel of the two zodiacs. The draconic Jupiter-Pluto conjunction provided much soul wisdom in the spirit of power. The conjunction across the tropical and draconic charts indicates that wisdom and power from a soul level directed his outer activities to bring fairness to mankind. He was prepared to die for what he believed in. That was a powerful tool.

The tropical Sun is at 25° 04' Cancer in the eighth house. The soul lesson of Cancer is peace through action and that was his life-long mission. With Neptune at 06° 22' Leo, also in the eighth house, his vision affected the lives of many people. His values were so different from white people in South Africa at that time that he sacrificed his liberty for the ultimate freedom of blacks. During and after his trial for sabotage and conspiracy, his name and fight gained worldwide attention. Isolation from family and society was a difficult expression of Neptune in this house. Eventually, he transcended the boundaries of what had once been accepted and transformed the lives of millions of people. This was a challenging vocation as indicated by the sesquiquadrate to the ascendant and tense aspects to the nodes and Venus.

In the tropical chart, most planets are in the water element and fixed signs. The overall balance is Scorpio, the fixed water sign, but only tropical Moon is in this sign. However, the sign is more strongly represented in the draconic chart in which the Sun is at 03° 13', Neptune at 14° 32', Saturn at 23° 11' and Mercury at 24° 17' Scorpio. The last two planets are in the ninth house. Draconic Scorpio is all wisdom, all love, and has the power to drive changes. It is the mysteries of life. The soul lesson of Scorpio is peace through love. This was the underlying drive of Mandela's soul. In his physical life, he initially tried peaceful demonstrations to gain equality. It was only when these did not produce results that he used more forceful methods to secure democracy. The ultimate goal was always to bring peace to his nation. Draconically, the Sun represents the inner light that is the oneness of all Life. Draconic Neptune signifies seeing the illusion that keeps humans from the Source/Creator. These two planets in draconic Scorpio and the eighth house suggest that Mandela's soul knew something of the mystery of the oneness of all life; that peace is gained through love. At an outer level he wanted all people to be treated equally.

In the tropical chart, Uranus is in dignity at 26° 55' Aquarius and the third house. This signifies objectivity and idealism with radical ways of achieving it. There is a square to the Moon in Scorpio and a quincunx to the Sun. These aspects showed in the tension created when he spoke of changing people's values with concepts that were revolutionary in his country. A trine between the Sun and Moon showed how his soul and spirit were working together for matters affecting the deep feelings of the nation. In the draconic chart, the Moon is at 28° 25' Aquarius, the Sun at 03° 13' Scorpio and Uranus is 05° 05' Gemini. Draconic Gemini represents an all-encompassing mind in which everything is known and connected to everything else. Uranus at this level is truth, purity, power, infinite love and wisdom. The Scorpio-Aquarius link is emphasised again, this time between draconic Sun and Moon. When the positions of these planets are interpreted together, it indicates that his soul was striving with great determination to bring the ideals and values of higher worlds through into physical life.

Tropical Saturn, co-ruler of Aquarius, is at 15° 01' Leo and close to Mercury at 16° 07', both being in the ninth house. Both planets are square to the Moon in the twelfth house. He studied law at the University of Fort Hare. While in prison, he initiated the 'University of Robben Island' where prisoners lectured on their own areas of expertise. Over the many years in prisons, he continued to do what he could to help free black people from racism. He also completed a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of London. The conjunction in Leo also relates to him becoming a leader whose voice was influential. Through his actions, laws in South Africa were changed for the benefit of black people. In addition, tropical Moon is conjunct draconic Saturn in a biwheel of the two zodiacs. Tropically, the Moon relates to the soul. Draconic Saturn relates to the resolution of karma as the soul faces the Lords of Karma and sees what it needs to do. The Moon-Saturn interactions suggest that deep urges from his soul were driving him on. Part of the effectiveness of his overall campaign for the recognition of black people was due to what happened both to him and around him during his period of confinement and hard labour. Challenges of the semisquare to Jupiter in the seventh house accentuated the situation. In the draconic chart there is also a link between Uranus and the Mercury-Saturn conjunction because Mercury disposes Uranus in Gemini. Draconic Mercury is the inflow and outflow of information from the over-arching mind of all creation. Information and wisdom from higher sources may have been inspiring his soul. This can seem like a mystery to those aware only of the physical side of life. Draconic Moon is conjunct tropical Uranus in Aquarius. There is a soul drive for him to speak out about what he believed to be true and just.

Chiron is at 03° 25' Aries and in the fourth house of the tropical chart. This relates to feeling worthless with a sense of self-sacrifice. This feeling was shared by many blacks in South Africa during apartheid. Nelson Mandela recognised segregation as unjust and would not accept it. After being a part of the society that was segregated, he put his heart and soul into establishing their worth. In the process, he experienced hard labour but resisted psychological humiliation and bullying; all related to the Moon-Saturn and Mars-Pluto squares. Ultimately, he became President of South Africa. Not only was his worth recognised but his further actions benefitted many disadvantaged people around the world. In the draconic chart, Chiron is at 11° 34' Cancer, which is associated with an all-embracing care for life. It is suggested that healing was not only at a soul level for Mandela but also for his society and heritage. The draconic ascendant is conjunct tropical Chiron so soul impulses found expression through the healing of his life and the lives of many others. This is reflected in the presence of draconic Chiron in the tropical seventh house.

Tropical Venus is at 22° 34' Gemini and in the sixth house but conjunct the descendant. His service to the world was through connecting people. He embraced grace. After being released from prison, he had no bitterness or hatred. He acknowledged that it was tough for people to forget the problems they had experienced but said that forgiveness was necessary to avoid feelings of guilt and revenge. Venus is close to the south node at 21° 50' Gemini. There is a feeling that his work in past lives had been as a communicator. This time he brought grace and forgiveness to that service and transformed the lives of many people. This is supported by the presence of draconic Venus at 00° 44' Libra. His soul knew the interconnectedness of all people and through this that what is done to one person affects the wellbeing of all. The tropical north node at 21° 50' Sagittarius conjunct the ascendant helped him bring this vision through into his outer life.

When Mandela died, transiting tropical Saturn at 17° 40' was conjunct natal tropical Moon in Scorpio. The importance of the Moon-Saturn link in his life has already been mentioned. At his death, it can show the limitation of his public life and the huge transformation taking place for his soul. Transiting Moon at 22° 31' Capricorn was opposite his natal Sun, which was widely conjunct transiting Jupiter at 19° 10' Cancer in the eighth house. His inner light was burning brightly, pulling his soul to leave the physical body and return to the world of light.

When the draconic natal chart is surrounded by the draconic chart of the transits at the time of his death, there are several significant points. The following relates only to draconic charts. The Sun at 06° 35' Taurus at the time of his passing was opposite the natal position at 03° 13' Scorpio. Draconically, Taurus relates to non-possession, oneness, beauty and light. This was the case as his soul left his physical body. Transiting Saturn at 10° 28' Aries in the natal first house is opposite the natal Jupiter-Pluto conjunction in Libra. This was the end of having to consider others and time to focus on his soul journey. There is a dissociated grand cross across the draconic charts of birth and death: the Pluto at 03° 09' at death - natal Uranus at 05° 05' conjunction in Gemini, the conjunction at death of transiting ascendant at 04° 57' and Jupiter at 11° 58' Sagittarius, Uranus at 01° 26' Virgo at death and the Moon at 28° 25' Aquarius at birth. This signifies a major transformation for his soul, one in which freedom, truth and light are paramount. At the time of his passing, Neptune at 25° 30' Cancer was conjunct Chiron at 02° 02' Leo and opposite Mars at 20° 44' at birth in the natal eleventh house. Who knows what work he will continue to do to nurture and healing from his new position in creation?