Robert Burns, the Scots poet personifies the humanitarian, egalitarian streak in Aquarius. His poem extolling the virtues of the ordinary man over fools in silks – “a man’s a man for a’ that” – made him popular in early communist Russia.
He was born 25 January 1759 7am Ayr, Scotland, which (if accurate) made him a Sun, Venus, Mars in Aquarius with Neptune in the 8th and a rebellious Uranus square Pluto. His other resonant thought was that all humanity was equal in the eyes of God.
Francois Rabelais, the French freethinker, anti-clerical writer who managed to attract criticism from both Calvin and the RC hierarchy, shows more facets of the Aquarian nature. “His literary legacy is such that the word Rabelaisian designates something that is “marked by gross robust humor, extravagance of caricature, or bold naturalism”. Communicative, provocative, idiosyncratic, can be contradictory, and can have a surprising interest on matters of the flesh.
Born 4 February 1490 JC 4.15am Chinon, France (unverified) had a Sun Mars in Aquarius trine Pluto, sextile Neptune – determined, courageous (foolhardy), super-ambitious.
Charles Darwin, 12 February 1809 3am Shrewsbury, England, the English naturalist whose thoughts on evolutionary biology fundamentally changed scientific knowledge on natural selection – “Darwin has been described as one of the most influential figures in human history.” He had a 2nd house Aquarius Sun trine an ambitious Mars in his 10th; with Uranus in a revolutionary trine to Pluto.
Aquarius the experimenter and trail blazer.
One curiosity of Aquarius is the number of sex-experts or writers on the subject, given the sign is supposedly emotionally-detached, is not earthy and regarded as being androgynous or against the biology.
Dr Alex Comfort, whose 1972 The Joy of Sex brought bedroom matters out into the open – and was also an anarchist, pacifist, and conscientious objector. Born 10 February 1920, he had a Sun Mercury in Aquarius – and a Scorpio Mars Moon trine Pluto trine Uranus which will have tilted him towards an interests in sex.
Of writers who are also renowned for their scandalous writings – Lord Byron with an 8th house Aquarius Sun and Pluto, Venus, Saturn also in Aquarius comes to mind. 22 January 1788 2pm London, He also had an Air Grand Trine giving him the urge to communicate as well as living out a scandalous life.
William Burroughs, 5 February 1914 7.40 am St Louis, Missouri, is another whose Naked Lunch became a cult classic but was regarded as pornographic with its focus on sadomasochism, body horror and drug abuse. He had a stellium in Aquarius in his 12th house with Mercury, Sun, Venus, Uranus, Jupiter there. Plus a Moon Saturn in Gemini. No Earth and no fire in his chart.
Freethinkers, contrary and unconcerned about prevailing cultural pressures sums them up. Their outsider approach made a difference.
Add On: Edouard Manet, a French modernist painter, 23 January 1832 7pm Paris, was one of the first 19th-century artists to paint modern life and a pivotal figure in the transition from Realism to Impressionism. His early masterworks caused great controversy but are now considered watershed paintings that mark the start of modern art. He developed his own simple and direct style that would be heralded as innovative and serve as a major influence for future painters. All hallmarks of provocative, status-quo-upending Aquarius.
He had his Sun in Aquarius sextile an 8th house Pluto in Aries with Uranus and Jupiter also in Aquarius plus a passionately enthusiastic Venus Mars in Sagittarius.
@Jas’s post on Edouard Manet he seems like the perfect manifestation of Aquarius’s duel rulership by Saturn and Uranus: the conventional and rebellious.
I wonder in all discussions about Pluto in Aquarius where Saturn comes having heard so much more about Uranus. Or do the effects of the traditional ruler no longer need to be considered so strongly? Would Saturn mitigate against the disruptive chaos of Uranus or would it increase the cruelty?
I am not an astrologer but deeply interested in the ebbs and flows of life that astrology seems to describe so well.
There can be a very Saturnine side to Aquarians and some may lean more that way than towards Uranus – hence some who are money-minded/hustlers. The combination of Saturn Uranus can be innovative but also irritable, prone to stirring up divisions and arguments. Can also be autocratic and not always practise what they preach.
Artist Edouard Manet was an Aquarian male who revolutionized painting with his blunt, honest depictions of modern life in the second half of the 19th century. He attracted younger painters around him who furthered the cause of modern art. Yet he refused to exhibit with them (the Impressionists), wanting to gain fame only through the official channels. Although ridiculed by the Press & the public, he craved public acceptance more than anything. He was a man of contradictions between what he painted (shocking) and how he presented himself, a well-dressed Parisian dandy. To me, many of his best paintings (Bar at the Folies-Bergeres at the Courtauld) present contrast and the ambiguity he saw in life around him. He was both very conventional and revolutionary at the same time. He received the Legion d’Honneur shortly before death.
In true Aquarian fashion, Manet’s ‘Olympia’ of 1863 outraged audiences and art critics of the time when it was exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1865 because the subject (a contemporary courtesan reclining on a bed and receiving flowers from a client, presented to her by her Black maid) looks out at the viewer unashamed, not to say in an almost defiant manner. A black cat arches its back at the feet of the nude, an obvious reference to female genitalia. The painting was actually based on Titian’s ‘Venus D’Urbino’ of 1538. The convention in fine art was to place female nudes in a classical and mythological setting. This meant that audiences could enjoy the spectacle of a beautiful woman’s nudity as a representation of Venus or Aphrodite. What Manet did which appalled the audiences of the time was to make this nude modern, contemporary and obviously a sex worker. Not only that but the subject’s name is Olympia, a name associated with prostitution in 1860s France so there is no doubt of her profession. Manet exposed that hypocritical tradition in art.
Emile Zola said of ‘Olympia’:
“When our artists give us Venuses, they correct nature, they lie. Édouard Manet asked himself why lie, why not tell the truth; he introduced us to Olympia, this fille of our time, whom you meet on the sidewalks.”
Marjorie, thank you for adding Manet. He had a unique ability to portray the feeling indifference, which could be explained as “Aquarian” or truth about detachment in modern life of that day. He did not portray all his characters this way, however. What a contrast to Pisces Renoir who portrayed his working class models in Montmartre with such idealism and sweetness.
I agree with El Aznar Aquarius can be cruel because of their detachment . The Labour government
is cruel at the moment they seem to be completely detached from the result of the winter payment
Aquarian Reeves has taken from some of the poorest and most vulnerable in the UK
The thing I have “against” Aquarius and something I really dislike about them and battle with is their sometimes cruel lack of compassion and feeling or care about the other person’s emotions, almost cruelty. I’ve only noticed it with women, though, but can’t say if it is also a men thing with this sign.
It was quite a bit of a revelation and something to think about when Marjorie wrote they were also known to be money-grubs and hustlers…
Rabelais is one of my favorite writers. He wrote: « Science without conscience is the ruin of the soul. »
The best line about Aquarius I’ve read is: « I love you but it’s nothing personal. »
I have known Aquarians who were hustlers and there was one who was richest in the world at one point. Can’t remember who.
Zodiac signs most likely to be a billionaire
Libra – 12%
Pisces – 11%
Taurus – 10%
Leo – 9%
Aries – 8%
Virgo – 8%
Gemini – 8%
Aquarius – 7.5%
Cancer – 7.5%
Sagittarius – 7.5%
Scorpio – 6%
Capricorn 5.5%
Capricorns were the least common billionaires with just 15 appearing on the list.
Utterly weird. Because I think I really did see lists which favoured Capricorns.
On the other hand, Libra is known, because, of course, ruled by Venus, to love luxury, money, and wealth, but is also known to be extremely lazy. I think I saw somewhere a meme or something for Libra saying Wake me up when I’m rich as a description of their attitude.
Libra is also the only object, non-living thing, in the Zodiac. Ever since I was told that I was fascinated by that titbit and never knew quite what to think of it.
Maybe the richest guy was the Mexican telecoms billionaire Carlos Slim Helú?
Libra and Pisces at the top of this list does not surprise me, but Capricorn at the bottom is a little surprising. I think the Aquarian world richest person you are thinking of the may be the Mexican telco billionaire Carlos Slim Helu.
I think I’ve seen articles online linking Neptune to great wealth (logical, the ocean is deep, huge, and full of riches) and mathematics.
But in the US, many of the billionaires have inherited wealth, like Alice Walton, Jacqueline Mars, many Pritzker family members, or through divorce. Does your tab includes the people who are not self-made billionaires?
I have Merc conj Uranus in Leo in the 8th… a very Aquarian mind, actually. Plus Chiron in Aquarius.
I thoroughly enjoy Aquarians.
My father was a Sun conj Venus in Aquarius: many of his 10 other siblings were Aquarius Suns; my sister is Aquarius rising. I’ve had a number of female friends with Aquarius Moons, Mercury; Venus, etc. and, to be expected, I am married to a Sun opp Uranus; Mars in Aq.; Aquarius rising man!!!
However….
My father (the Aquarius) and mother, disowned my sister and I when we were in our early 20’s. We tried to heal, but my father had pulled away completely…. his heart was walled off and cold. His eyes were dead. I never saw him again.
My father’s 3 other brothers and one sister also disowned their children… although they were able to heal. I’ve had 2 women Aquarian friends do the same with me. Go so very distant that they are cold and their eyes are dead. And our friendship was done. Period. Over.
It used to terrify me, actually. The experience on my end was that their Soul had left their bodies. There was no way to bridge this cold distance.
I now know that this is the Aquarian defence to protect their vulnerability. I think that Aquarians have very intense emotions, are generally able to have the airy perspective…. however…. if a situation or a person pierces through that to their core… that perspective changes to a strong armour of detachment, of not caring (or seeming to) and, even, of cruelty.
It is my one big fear for Pluto in Aquarius… AI, drones, etc. A split between the Mind and the Heart.
I admire Aquarians immensely…. and I’ve experienced the Aquarian Shadow for sure.
Mind you.. we all have that other side!
I’m married to one and I also have Uranus conjunct my NN and square my MC/IC axis. I would say my parents were different, eccentric even – certainly my father was – so I grew up with pretty open-minded parents who didn’t always abide by convention. This meant that some people in the community disapproved of them. My husband has Sun and Mercury in Aquarius and Venus square Uranus. His Venus in Pisces does balance that oit somewhat as he’s actually very sensitive. Yet he has a remarkable ability to detach when all around him are losing their heads. He’s the kind of man who, like the steadfast folk during the London blitz, would just carry on doing his crossword while bombs rained down around him.
oh my.. you were blessed!! 🙂
These are all the traits I am drawn to in Aquarius.
In my family of multigenerational major trauma, the many Aquarians did not express these wonderful traits. My husband DOES express these qualities… and raises the bar in our relationship for sure!
all the best,
I’m sorry to hear that, Sandra.
Reading about other peoples’ parental relationships, it seems that in many ways I was lucky with my parents, though they were flawed and frequently unable to cope. In fact I think the worst they were guilty of was a kind of benign neglect with me, though that can be said of many of my generation. It was definitely ‘hands off’ and could be lonely at times with all the attention on my older brother’s struggles. I have had my moments with my mother, but our family was open and encouraged curiosity and straightforwardness which I’m very grateful for.
@Sandra, this is so illuminating for me. My late older sister was an Aquarian (I’m Cancer) and we never really got along, thanks to our mother playing us off against each other. After she systematically went through the family home, taking what she wanted (as children she often stole petty things from me like a favorite sweater or socks), especially my mother’s clothes and some silver, there was a huge blow-up with my Capricorn mother. My sister essentially dropped out of the family. My parents never saw her again. After 10 years of trying to reconnect with my sister I finally saw her after 37 years, having spoken with her only twice in that period; I initiated both calls. She told me in one of those calls that she knew the only way she could survive was to cut the family connection. She and I were in contact for about a year before she suddenly stopped responding to my calls and emails about six months before her death. She was generally a very frightened introvert who’d been very brave as a young woman, going to Mississippi as a civil rights worker being arrested four times. I always felt she resented my birth — and, when we were little, she tried to kill me at least twice. Lots of family trauma there.
@Nicole…. I, too, am a Cancer! It helps to have my somewhat Aquarian mind for sure… balances out the super sensitive (sometimes overly so) Cancer in me. Cancer/Aquarius are quincunx by sign… so they have to adjust to each other.
Worth remembering that Abraham Lincoln and Darwin were born on the same day of the same year. Although Darwin was not assassinated, they both seem to have had problematic and socially awkward wives, and both were leaders in their fields.
Speaking as an Aquarian myself, I try very hard not to take anything personally. It’s just not worth it. I noticed that those who took things personally, or were very touchy, gave themselves a great deal of grief for nothing, and they tended to be poor company. I also noticed that after about three days the things that I got upset about faded away, while I got on with the rest of life. I might be upset today but in three days I’d have other things to worry about.
The converse of this is that I find it very difficult to relate to Scorpionic behaviour at its worst, to bearing a grudge, to having to get your own back, to bad manners, or to being poisonous to other people just because they are upset by something that is nothing to do with those other people. To me this is just selfish and childish, but I have seen otherwise perfectly sensible and intelligent people behave in this manner if their amour-propre is threatened. To them it is perfectly acceptable. To me it is bizarre. I expect they think I am just a cold fish. They may be right.
I get it completely as an Aquarian myself. My favourite phrase repeatedly said to those with this Scorpionic quality is, ‘If you seek revenge, first dig two graves’. I have never understood it. You merely make yourself ill. The few times people have wronged me in my eyes, they drop off the edge of the planet and I refuse them headspace. Oddly (and this is nothing to to do with me wishing them ill) things didn’t work out well for them anyhow.
Being Uranian, I tend to walk away (mostly) which sometimes feels like cowardice. But it often irritates the offensive ones mightily. Being ignored and negating them is a revenge of sorts. Plus it avoids getting embroiled in an endless tit-for-tat spat which in an odd way is what sustains a vengeful temperament. They adore close conflict aggravation that goes on and on. It’s almost an addiction for a certain type.
In the past as a way of avoiding getting dragged into an argument that seemed to be feeding their unhealthy pathology I stopped arguing and started being nice (temporarily). It throws the ranting and raving/vengeful ones completely off balance.
I don’t know if you’ve heard about it, but some years ago in certain countries, a kind of esoteric philosophy, to put it that way, called transurfing was formulated by a Russian physicist called Vadim Zeland (whether he exists or if the whole book series was written by comittee is a question), and in it, one of the key concepts is the concept of a pendulum. Just Google it, and and I think he explains is well why, say, when you start a fight, it just keeps blowing up until it explodes. So you have to, as he says, extinguish the pendulum (there are two ways).
I don’t know if anyone here heard of transurfing?
I think one of the things I probably should learn, as I now see it, is how not to take anything personally and how to let go, release importance and yet live a lived life, to be alive and have feelings. You may, kind of, also put it as how to be Buddhist in approach, release attachment, yet still live a life, which entails wanting something. I don’t know if that equation can be solved.
… in three days I’d have other things…
That is a whole different topic, because sometimes I feel, a very Capricornian fatedness kind of trait, that we are just being taken by a river (of events) and so many things are out of your control, even if you might feel like you do have it. Things are just flowing, and you are just there, being taken somewhere.
I was looking at the whole jyotish concept of a muhurta, and it is so funny that maybe very literally a perfect muhurta, one without any blemishes, doesn’t exist. As if some sort of a obstacle is woven into time–space continuum, and there is no escaping it. Maybe it is for the good. As the Taoists would say Good news or bad news? I don’t know. And it is so funny it seems as if the inability to find a muhurta for what you want mirrors your actual attitude towards a problem you wish to solve: I was watching the other day a video from about 10 years ago, I think, on YouTube, by a Vedic astrologer and co-author of a Vedic astrology program, in which he is holding a course on muhurta to some crew in Los Angeles, I believe, and they were trying to find a time for a woman to file a suit. But the woman was in reality really not into suing anyone, to put it that way, and I think he mentioned was just trying to get the money to repair the damage. And the muhurta selection reflected that – no muhurta was suitable for filing a suit, because, in the end, she was not really into doing it. It was amazingly eye-opening in a way.
Regarding not taking things personally. I am an Aquarius Sun Mercury and MC. I understand everyone has their own issues. If someone gets angry at me and I know I did nothing to provoke it, it is on them. I know it has nothing to do with me even though they try to make it so. If you really think about it most negative interactions are more about the individual who is angry than the person to whom it is directed.
Absolutely agree, see that with my husband.
The US has had three Aquarian Presidents who brought about revolutions in the role of government – Abraham Lincoln who prevailed in the Civil War emancipating the slaves, FDR who in the great depression expanded the role of government to help those who were struggling and Ronald Regan whose conservative revolution pushed back against big government, a change that has led us in the end to Trump. Aquarians love a cause. I can’t think of an Aquarian who is a banker or just in it for the money. So give your weird detached Aquarian friend a break – they probably mean well.
My husband and his twin brother (same degree ascendant in Libra) has four planets in 4th house in AQ, Venus, Mercury,Moon and Sun. Uranus in 10th only opposes Venus. The other 3 are sextile Saturn in Sag. He’s a scientist and his brother is an engineer. Daughter’s husband is Aquarian, and an electrical engineer. Nice thing about husband is he never takes anything personally, just shakes things off and moves forward. Perhaps Mars and Pluto in earth signs keeps him grounded.
That’s a superpower, not taking anything personally. If you ever ask him or get to know how he manages that, let us know.
I think it’s because his twin was the opposite, bickered and fought with everyone and he observed how that went down very poorly and chose never to be that way. He caused trauma to the whole family for years. Every holiday we wondered what stunt he was going to pull when we got together. In grade school he was molested by a coach and took his anger about it out on everyone, ran away for a week and then they were sent to different high schools when the time came. I think twins normally try to separate themselves from all the fuss they get about looking alike and husband chose peace in his life while his twin acted out the anger. I’ve read before that twins can split the chart, one gets the good aspects and the other the bad. Not sure if that is true. They didn’t speak for many years but eventually sought a relationship again knowing that a little bit is ok but he will limit if it gets to be too much. The other siblings have nothing to do with that brother. Helps that brother lives in a different state.
Oh. I’m so sorry all those tragic events happened. An interesting theory about the separation of twins – I think it really rings so true.