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Writer's pictureAmy Herring

Patrick Swayze 1952-2009

Patrick Swayze was an actor who was best known for his roles in the movies Dirty Dancing and Ghost. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2008 and died September 14th, 2009.


Patrick-swayze-chart

Nobody puts Patrick in a corner! His chart shows a wealth of Leo in the 11th house, including his Sun and Moon, as well as Mercury, Pluto, and the South Node of the Moon. With the wealth of Leo in the 11th house in his chart, it seems clear that he intended to express himself in this life in a very visible and dramatic way. Acting is not the only option here, but is quite a likely one. However, with his south node conjunct Pluto also in the 11th house in Leo, it seems he came into this life with a deep wound surrounding the idea of fame, yet a karmic tendency to repeat it. With his Sun conjunct his South Node as well as Pluto, it's likely that he has a karmic pattern of getting into situations where he seems to shine so brightly to the public that it's easy for him to lose himself and for others not to see him, only to see what he does for them and the warmth they feel when he shines. But what of the 'off-stage' persona of Patrick? Pluto can represent a place in the chart of fear and wounding but also of great attachment and security, which can create a sort of attraction-repulsion dynamic. In this life he likely found himself very attracted to fame, and very easily finding himself in the spotlight, yet repulsed by it and even haunted by it. Leo can bring with it the lessons of true self-expression vs. becoming the performing monkey. If one can find what 'lights them up' and uses that to shine, then one has a constantly renewable source of energy and joy. However, if one uses the adoration of others as what dictates how one shines, one is constantly dependent on the adoration of others to find that joy.

This is the source of the Leo stereotype of being the center of attention. No one adores being the center of attention at every moment, but with a wounded Leo energy, it is the displacement of one's 'shine' that can lead one to constantly seeking around themselves externally for what should be found within. This is what Patrick needed to work with has he grew into his soul's purpose: the North Node in Aquarius in the 5th house, which calls for authentic self-expression based on his true self, even if no one else is applauding or can even understand. Looking at the rest of his chart, Mars in Scorpio in the 3rd house opposed Jupiter in Taurus in the 8th house suggests needing to find the balance between the simple joys inside oneself yet not allowing himself to fall into sleepy passive acceptance – needing to keep his eyes open about the truth of what he sees around him, no matter how complex or frightening. Mars and Jupiter is a dynamic combo – he may have found himself going to extremes of withdrawing into one's own idyllic world and acting out upon it with a sharp and penetrating perception.

Saturn in the 1st along with Neptune in the 1st suggests the biggest challenge in this life was to recover his identity and let himself be known for it with Uranus in the 10th house (not to mention his north node ruler – which aids his soul's progress). To do this, he was given the gift of Virgo rising trine Jupiter in Taurus and Saturn in the 1st to help him learn to work with a down to earth and sort of serious but not somber quality that could help him approach the world with his feet on the ground yet maintaining that dramatic creativity. Venus in Virgo in the 12th suggests that his long time love of his life probably helped him stay humble as well and not forget who he was underneath it all when he was away from Hollywood.

Here are some interesting facts about Patrick and their astrological reflections:

  1. His father died, also at age 57, in 1982. Astrologically, his progressed moon had just entered the 12th house as the year began, a time often associated with loss (although not always literal death-no one panic!) His progressed sun was also crossing over his ascendant, suggesting a new self coming out into view. Neptune entered his 4th house at this time as it trined his Sun, perhaps reflecting the ease in which he slid into a sort of disappearing through alcohol.

  2. His sister committed suicide in 1994. "Her death changed my life," says Swayze. "It was hard not to feel responsible, that I could have done something to prevent it. The longer your life goes on, the more death you face. After my father, my manager, and then my sister died, I started to feel like I was cursed. The only thing you can do in those circumstances is to find some kind of meaning. You have to take that moment and make a promise to yourself that you will honour the spirit of the person you have lost for as long as you live. I have made my life better so Vicky's death doesn't seem quite so pointless." Astrologically, in 1994 Pluto conjuncted his Mars in Scorpio in the 3rd house, suggesting the deepest transformation through loss (Pluto) under dark circumstances (Scorpio) which ultimately transformed his perception and the way he saw reality (3rd house). The 3rd house also represents one's siblings. Perhaps even more importantly, Pluto was in a tighter square with his Sun, the essence of his core self.

  3. Patrick was thrown from a horse in 1998 and suffered serious injuries to his legs (broken) and shoulder (torn tendons). Astrologically, his progressed Sun was applying to conjunct Saturn in the 1st house, while his progressed Moon was in Aries, possibly opposing Saturn although knowing the exact date would narrow down this possibility. With Saturn triggered by his Sun, there is a need to learn strength, endurance, and dedication to effort, appropriately to his own body (1st house) and bones (Saturn). The Aries progressed moon adds the experience of learning to harness the fire in one's own belly to keep fighting with courage. The fact that his progressed moon was moving through his 7th house, and Saturn is in Libra may also suggest that he learned some significant lessons about partnership given that he would probably have needed a great deal of assistance at that time from his wife and loved ones. He also happened to meet his wife to be in 1970, also when his progressed moon was moving through the 7th house of partnership.

  4. He was diagnosed with cancer in late January of 2008, while Neptune opposed his Pluto/South Node conjunction (therefore conjuncting his North Node) and his progressed Sun was conjuncting his own Neptune. No doubt a soul's lesson in surrender and a need to look toward the spiritual elements of life to sustain him. He died late on September 14th as Saturn conjuncted his Ascendant and Uranus opposed it, when his body met its limit (Saturn) and was liberated from it (Uranus).

We will miss you, Patrick.

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