Madonna

The singer Madonna's chart has been requested in response to my invitation to Suggest a Chart (keep asking - I will respond!). Madonna's adoption of baby David Banda from Malawi last month has been riding high in the news and a look at her chart could reveal some interesting possibilities about the superstar herself.

The chart structure clings predominantly to the "I" side and the images that comes to mind are a wide open mouth, a jaunty head-dress, a "Bird of Paradise" flower, crystals growing in the hidden depths of a cave - and the 2 triangular shapes might even remind you, as suggested by one of my students, of the pointy conical bra that Madonna wore in one of her videos! (thanks Jane). There is a touch of the exotic about some of these images, and that relates to what we know about her public persona.

Her motivation is to be flexible, to move on, and this is borne out by her constant re-invention of her image and style. The aspect structure has a predominantly vertical movement, and although there are horizontal features the strongest motivation here will be to achieve. Alongside this there will be a strong drive to improve and understand herself.

Initially suprising is to see that Madonna's is an essentially private chart, with most of her planets in the 12th House. But with a large stellium of planets spanning the 12th and 1st Houses, this sets up a polarity on the 6/12 House axis of Existence and the 1/7 axis of Encounter, so these issues are likely to form the backdrop of her life. Someone with planets on the Existence axis is going to ask questions about why they are here, and seek to justify their existence; the equally emphasised Encounter axis is going to bring up issues of relating to others as well as the importance and need to be able to put herself across in ways which will attract attention, admiration and love. Her Leo planets will seek this, and her Moon in the 1st House will yearn for contact. However, with her AC and 3 planets in Virgo, what she puts out is likely to be carefully detailed and well-prepared. She herself may be her harshest critic.

The chart consists of 2 Small Learning triangles ( see "Aspect Pattern Astrology") which give her the capacity to successfully learn and use specific skills. In 1977 she dropped out of college to go to New York in order to pursue the dance career she longed for as her Age Point squared the Moon. She says of this move "It was the bravest thing I've ever done".

In the Family Model, the Moon represents the child, Saturn the mother and the Sun the father. Madonna's Moon is likely to be a needy one. Her mother died when she was 5, at the first crossing point of the natal and nodal chart, with transitting Uranus and Pluto conjunct her Moon. This, not surprisingly, had a profound and long-lasting effect on her. She says that her mother's death gave her the urge to prove herself. It also brought the experience of being motherless, which may relate to her current controversial decision to adopt a child. It's interesting to see that Saturn, representing the mothering figure, is slightly detached from the main chart structure, and appears out on a limb in Madonna's chart, remote and not quite there.

Jupiter is on a Low Point, indicating that its perceptive sensing works in an inner, less obvious way - yet Madonna herself could never be accused of being retiring as she projects her Leo Sun across the chart! Conjunct Neptune and the North Node, this group which includes Jupiter could be an important key to understanding her ability to pick the right, yet sometimes controversial style she projects in her performances. It will act as a good sensing tool; both Jupiter and Neptune are part of the Small Learning triangle, and the Node will emphasise the lessons of the 2nd House - to develop her sense of self-worth. Jupiter may also endow her with the ability to take risks and be an opportunist, moving into new areas, taking new chances, seizing the moment. It crops up repeatedly as a featured planet in her Age Progression - it was aspected when she graduated from high school, made her first singles recording deal, published her controversial book "Sex", got into studying Kabbalah, married her first husband Sean Penn, and it's around now, making an aspect in her Moon Node chart as she brings baby David from Malawi to adopt.

The Moon Node chart brings to the surface those things which we may repress; we often project things from this chart out into the world around us, so it appears as if they come from somewhere else outside, not from deep within us. Not only does the Age Point in Madonna's Node chart make a trine aspect to Jupiter, suggesting taking a chance, seizing an opportunity, it also makes an oppostion to her Sun. This could mean that she would experience her authority being challenged, and that is reflected in the mixed reception to her decision to adopt. At the same time, Saturn is currently in Leo, moving like a restraining hand over her 12th House Sun. As it does so, she is facing the criticism of the UK adoption agencies and the press for her actions, amid accusations that she has circumnavigated the red tape involved in adopting an African child.

Finally, it's worth considering where her Age Point is right now as this controversy rages on around her. It's in earthy practical Taurus, and when she was 48 in August, it entered the 9th House. In astrological psychology, this life phase is a philosophical one where the Hubers say "it is essential for the human being to find true values for his existence". With such an emphasis in her chart on the Existence axis and her reasons for being here, Madonna may well be trying to work through or express something of this search in the adoption.

Madonna, born 16.8.1958, Bay City MI, USA at 07.05 EST

Suggested reading:

The Cosmic Egg Timer - an Introduction to the Huber Method

Aspect Pattern Astrology
Aspect Patterns in Colour

LifeClock
Using Age Progression

All titles available from the APA on-line Book Shop

Addendum - 11th December 2006

Madonna is again in the news after being seen in Mayfair wearing a coat made from the skins of 40 dead chinchillas. It's estimated cost is £33,000. How sad that Madonna is unable to extend her good will towards the animal kingdom, and chooses to support the fur trade by wearing dead animals. Chinchillas are docile, beautiful creatures. Does she really need their dead bodies to support her ego?