I began the year with
the challenging goal of ploughing through Keith Richards’ autobiography Life - which is the size of a house
brick - before my birthday in July. It was effortless. At
over six hundred pages, this epic work captures the Sagittarian spirit of ‘the
journey’ through the well-worn themes of rock n roll, illicit drug taking and
intrepid travel. What elevates this story above the usual rock star dross is Keef’s
unique voice and his profound insight. For the Centaur, the
real sport of life is to make ‘the journey’ stimulating, varied and as
expansive as possible. The goal is insignificant. This has been the undisputed
path for Keith Richards since the mid-1950s, when he discovered rock n roll, leading
to the formation of the Rolling Stones with Mick Jagger in 1962. What followed
was a smorgasbord of life experiences spanning decades that would leave more
sober astrological signs breathless.
You could argue that it’s difficult to dislike Keef the man, even if you’re not a fan of the Rolling Stones. While Mick Jagger has the air of a manipulative prima donna, by contrast, Keith Richards appears accessible and genial (Sun in Sagittarius/Moon and Jupiter on Midheaven/Moon sextile Venus). A stellium of planets in the tenth house (Chiron, Moon and Jupiter) is indicative of popularity and success on a large scale. Shrugging off the clichéd junkie image is a challenge (Scorpio rising/Pluto as chart ruler semi-squaring Saturn in opposition to the Sun/Chiron square Sun), however, fans will forgive him for his shortcomings, acknowledging that he is the ultimate rock star icon (Uranus square Moon on Midheaven/chart ruler Pluto conjunct node in Leo).
A strict Virgo Moon on the Midheaven reflects the need to perfect his craft (blues guitar) with discipline. The Virgo Moon individual finds it difficult to express feelings and can be out of touch with their emotional side altogether if the Moon isn’t supported by meaningful factors in the birth chart. One of the more surprising revelations in Life is his inherent shyness with women. He claims that when it comes to approaching the opposite sex, he holds back (Moon in Virgo square Mars in Gemini) and waits for the object of his desire to make the first move. An eighth house Saturn in opposition to his Sun indicates his insecurity in intimate situations and the fear of being swamped by feelings that his Virgo Moon works hard at controlling. As a young single guy, Keef struggled with pick-up lines and had a preoccupation with finding the right line or one that hadn’t been used before.
You could argue that it’s difficult to dislike Keef the man, even if you’re not a fan of the Rolling Stones. While Mick Jagger has the air of a manipulative prima donna, by contrast, Keith Richards appears accessible and genial (Sun in Sagittarius/Moon and Jupiter on Midheaven/Moon sextile Venus). A stellium of planets in the tenth house (Chiron, Moon and Jupiter) is indicative of popularity and success on a large scale. Shrugging off the clichéd junkie image is a challenge (Scorpio rising/Pluto as chart ruler semi-squaring Saturn in opposition to the Sun/Chiron square Sun), however, fans will forgive him for his shortcomings, acknowledging that he is the ultimate rock star icon (Uranus square Moon on Midheaven/chart ruler Pluto conjunct node in Leo).
A strict Virgo Moon on the Midheaven reflects the need to perfect his craft (blues guitar) with discipline. The Virgo Moon individual finds it difficult to express feelings and can be out of touch with their emotional side altogether if the Moon isn’t supported by meaningful factors in the birth chart. One of the more surprising revelations in Life is his inherent shyness with women. He claims that when it comes to approaching the opposite sex, he holds back (Moon in Virgo square Mars in Gemini) and waits for the object of his desire to make the first move. An eighth house Saturn in opposition to his Sun indicates his insecurity in intimate situations and the fear of being swamped by feelings that his Virgo Moon works hard at controlling. As a young single guy, Keef struggled with pick-up lines and had a preoccupation with finding the right line or one that hadn’t been used before.
Nevertheless, at seventy-one, he shows no signs of slowing down. Keith Richards is a testament to the Sagittarian adage that if you create your own luck, the road can go on forever. Read more in the new issue of Astrobabble (#12)*.
*This issue is no longer available
