Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Astrology

A Capricorn with a compassionate side

By Jeff Jawer

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. combined masterful skills as a speaker and leader with a heartfelt compassion, crossing racial lines to make him one of the most important American leaders of the 20th century. He was a Capricorn, born January 15, 1929 at 12:00 noon in Atlanta, Georgia. His Sun sign, associated with ambition, organization and practicality, is concerned with achieving results rather than simply making statements. A negative quality of some Capricorns, though, is a drive that's so focused on reaching their goals that they callously push others aside on their way to the top.

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Peaceful Pisces

Dr. King, however, was known for his compassion and belief in non-violence. That compassion was not just limited to the African-Americans he led, but for all human beings. This sensitivity to suffering of any kind is a characteristic of the sign Pisces, in which Dr. King had two planets. Both the Moon and Venus, Astrology's most sensitive players, were in this Water sign, the last of the zodiac, when King was born. As the final chapter in the astrological story, Pisces represents the coming together of all thoughts, feelings and individuals. It is the collective sea in which all life exists, which is why compassion is one of this sign's key components. The Age of Pisces began about 2,000 years ago when the fisherman of Galilee gave rise to Christianity in the form of a faith of forgiveness and empathy. Dr. King tapped into this spirit in his social and political work, including the sacrifice and eventual martyrdom that was common to the early church founders.

The boundless sensitivity of Dr. King's Moon in Pisces, though, was buttressed by a supportive trine from powerful Pluto. This added punch to his chart and potency to his personality. The "can do" attitude of his Capricorn Sun, combined with this emotionally efficient aspect, enabled him to transform American society. The Pisces way, naturally, is all-inclusive, seeking to join black and white, rich and poor, rather than dividing races and classes to pit them against one another.

Getting things done

All of this, though, would have had little effect without Dr. King's strong will and persistence. These qualities, common to Capricorn, were reinforced by an opposition between Mars and Saturn in his chart. Mars, the planet of action, is also a warrior, a pioneer that gets things done. Saturn, Capricorn's key planet, represents cold, hard reality. Dr. King was able to marshal these forces against considerable external resistance. He maintained discipline in the face of insults, attacks and FBI harassment. Still, aggressive Mars' opposition to Saturn in his 8th House of Death and Rebirth also played out in his assassination. It's not common for this fate to befall those with this pattern in their birth charts, but Dr. King was far from a common man. He combined commitment with compassion to set a new standard for leadership that, in the opinion of many, has yet to be matched.

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