Bernie Sanders Natal Chart--Champion of the Underdog

Even though there's concern over the correct time for US Senator Bernie Sanders' birth time, I'm going to give my astrological interpretation of the chart we do have. Astrologer Robert Phoenix has a birth time of 12:25 p.m. which has only a two minute difference than the chart I'm interpreting. Either way, Bernie has a Scorpio AC and a 10th House Sun in Virgo.

I'm going to start with the Scorpio Ascendant at 25 degrees because this shows us a Mars or Pluto-driven person. Most people don't handle the Scorpio Rising well and I've met some vindictive people with this Rising Sign. So Bernie has co-rulers for his chart, Mars and Pluto. Mars represents passion, men, or the male side, sexuality, war, and other attributes or themes we would not associate with Bernie Sanders. Pluto is about power and we can see two sides of Pluto, one in which we use the power to transform (Bernie) and power for the sake of power over others (Hilary Clinton who has her Sun and AC in Scorpio).


With Pluto currently transiting in an Earth Sign, Capricorn which trines Virgo, this planet gives Bernie a boost in his career and his campaign fund raising. Pluto in the First House suggests a powerful personality, and it's the same for the Scorpio Rising Sign though not as prominent. Bernie's Natal Pluto (co-ruler) falls in the 9th House of religion, foreign cultures, the law, and idealism. Bernie's campaign is based on political ideology and he's also a passionate and expansive speaker that rallies crowds that also keep expanding. But Chiron is dangerously close to Bernie's Natal Pluto, also in the 9th House, so what's the wound that Bernie must come to grips with--the theme of the Underdog.

Bernie has three powerful outer planets in the Seventh House including Saturn in the last degree of Taurus, Uranus at 0 degrees Gemini (that will work the nervous system) and Jupiter at 19 degrees Gemini. Having Saturn in Taurus means that Bernie holds business partners or in the political arena government and corporations accountable. The Seventh is the House of partners, usually intimate partners and in that case, Bernie attracts intelligent and handy women with a sense of integrity and responsibility. His current wife is a president of a university. However, Uranus in Gemini in some charts could refer to a bisexual partner or that the person with this aspect in a Natal Chart is bisexual, which doesn't seem to be the case with Bernie, though he does push for justice for the LBGTQ communities. Jupiter in Gemini has a love for the media and attracts international media and travel.

Bernie has had numerous careers during his lifetime and he is now a sage leader in that brings wisdom which is why he comes off as a grandfather figure. So we look at his career house which is loaded with the Sun in Virgo, the North Node in Virgo (and NN is currently transiting in Virgo), and Neptune (planet of dreams and imagination, spinning illusions or visions) is also in Virgo. Mercury falls in Libra which is about the legal system or government in this case and here we have Bernie tipping the scales towards justice, also ruled by Libra. Libra is about civility and fairness. Notice Bernie is a fair man and he has not attacked the character of his opponents, even though that must be a challenge for anyone.

Bernie has Venus in the 11th House in its own sign Libra. So we have intelligent women or young scholarly women such as college students joining the grassroots movement. This house could also represent Vermont, a farming community with small family farms. Bernie is for US politics what Tom's of Maine is to toothpaste. And we also think of the folksy Ben & Jerry's ice cream. But this Venus in Libra opposes Bernie's Moon/Mars in Aries which represents emotional young men or that he was emotional as a young man, bursting with passion and drive for change, of course. Mars also represents youth in general and even making rash decisions. This Moon/Mars in Aries does not think before it speaks, but with age, this is tempered by Venus in Libra bringing balance. Still, Bernie is cautioned to avoid speaking off the cuff and to do his thorough research, fortunately, something Virgo Sun people do.

I want to end with talking about the Virgo Sun. We don't usually equate this fussy Mutable Sign with leadership, especially not world leadership. But Bernie sees the role of US President as a public servant role. He brings humility to this role, if he is elected president. And his Neptune in practical Virgo can bring practicality to a vision. Virgo does need to be weary of overcritical thinking and spouting because this wears down the public at a certain point. But Neptune in Virgo stays on point and does not sway back and forth. Bernie has a vision, dammit, and it's an easy one to understand. He gives it plain and straight.

Now, I saw this silly forum online about which signs are mostly likely to fall into narcissism. A few people said both Virgo and Scorpio fall into this trap. Yet, I've not known any Virgo narcissists simply because Virgo is the most humble sign in the Zodiac. Many Scorpio Rising folks struggle with power issues and could fall into then narcissist trap, though I just don't see that in Bernie, not to say that he's perfect.  However, if you want to see true narcissists look to the Republican Party, Donald Trump and the Clintons (Bill and Hilary). In fact, all the above take narcissism to a new level.

When I get a feeling from Bernie's natal chart the theme folky underdog comes up, a champion for the people. He's what former US Congressman Dennis Kucinich was in 2004, also a champion of the underdog, compared to the vintage racehorse, Seabiscuit. So whatever you think of Bernie, his popularity continues to expand and the man seems on fire with his message. In this season of Mutables, Bernie is the man to watch, along with Pope Francis and unfortunately, Donald Trump.

Current astrological support for Bernie comes from Pluto in Capricorn, Jupiter in Virgo, Mars in Scorpio (then in Sagittarius), then in Capricorn, Uranus in Aries (to his Moon/Mars), Neptune (even though it opposes his Sun and North Node), and of course the North Node in Virgo which feels like coming home for Bernie.