There has been a lot of concern about the health of the former President of South Africa Nelson Mandela in the past few months. Nelson is my humble opinion is one of the greatest men of the past century, however he is now 94 years of age and unfortunately not getting any younger. This latest bout of illness prompted him to be immediately taken to hospital, although there are signs that he is making a bit of a recovery.
Nelson Mandela’s illness is easily seen if you look at the astrology. In effect, there are two factors in play here. Firstly transiting Neptune which is a sign of suffering and of health issues is approaching the bottom of his natal chart, the IC and in the process making an opposition to his Midheaven, so his public face to the world is showing him suffering with his health. There is a trine from Neptune to his natal chart ruler Jupiter (he has a Sagittarian ascendant) so Neptune is here affecting his constitution and also a difficult inconjunct from Neptune to it’s own position, a generational influence but one that also slows you down. Remember Neptune degrades and undermines, so his physical state here is being weakened.
Secondly, his natal Mercury which in medical astrology rules the lungs and breathing in general sits in a tense conjunction with Saturn. In my experience, and planets which is in a difficult connection with either Saturn, Uranus or Pluto can manifest itself later in life with health problems. At the moment that conjunction is being squared by the transiting Nodes. This square to Saturn and Mercury is a difficult aspect to deal with in itself as fate turns you life around, but here it is exacerbating this weakness in his chart, making his suffer with illness. This conjunction sits at 15/16 degrees Leo and when transiting Saturn gets to these degrees in Scorpio in October and November making a conjunction to his Moon ruling his 8th house. The 8th house is the house of one’s mortality and adding in this square to the Mercury/Saturn conjunction, then Nelson Mandela's health may well be a cause for very great concern again in the autumn.
