His Holiness the Dalai Lama has announced that he will move aside from his political role so that a new younger elected leader can take up the position. He explained in Dharamsala, the exile base of the Tibetan government that he had been considering stepping down for many years and that now he felt the time was right for change.
The Dalai Lama was born in Sining in northern Tibet on 6th July 1935 at 04.38 hrs, making him a Sun Sign Cancerian, a double Cancerian in fact with his Ascendant in the same sign and his Moon can be found in analytical Virgo. The Sun is conjunct the Ascendant, he is very sensitive and passionate to the needs of his family, the ones he loves and his nation, Tibet. If their security is at all threatened, he will fight for it tooth and nail in their defence, in his own quiet, unassuming way. The Sun is one part of a kite formation. Saturn in Pisces conjoins his midheaven opposite Moon/Neptune . Trine to Saturn and sextile to Moon Neptune completing the kite is the Sun/Ascendant and faith orientated Jupiter.
This kite has all the hallmarks of a spiritual leader. The Saturn in Pisces conjunct Midheaven shows faith leadership and an authority in the politics of spiritual affairs, the Sun shows the devotion to his people and nation, self confidence and it is in a leadership position in the first house. The Jupiter in Scorpio describes a man who’s faith goes deep into his soul, he feels it with passion and emotion – there is nothing superficial about his faith. The Moon and Neptune in Virgo is a very spiritual combination. It shows a need for faith in his life; here is a gentle spirituality, someone who is reserved, a pacifist, rather timid and needing of retreating into his own thoughts and beliefs. This gentle side of him is at complete odds with the requirement shown by his 1st house Sun and Saturn conjunct the Midheaven to lead. I believe that he does it out of duty to his people and nation in the knowledge that he was “anointed” their chosen one, however if given the choice he would have pulled away far earlier.
To complete the picture, let’s look at the other planets. Pluto is powerful in the first house. It shows a great determination and a need to be in control of his own destiny, however at some point in his life there would be a major change in his circumstances, literally having to discard his past and make a fresh start; true enough in 1959 he had to flee into exile in India after the Tibetan uprising in the March of that year, as transiting Saturn was exactly opposite his Ascendant and trine natal Uranus and his natal Moon/Neptune.
The Dalai Lama’s Uranus is in the 11th house. Here is the need to promote social change by humanitarian or more rebellious action, something he was in the middle of during 1959, and ever since from the his base in Dharamsala. Despite his gentle air, behind the scenes in his home he will be energetic, forthright and very focused with Mars in Libra in the 4th house square the Sun and Pluto. He is certainly someone who has a finely tuned sense of balance and justice, and will always need to cooperate with others in his actions, this is someone who is certainly not a loner. The Dalai Lama despite his gentle side does like the limelight, Venus in showy Leo in the 3rd house confirms this. A lover of beauty, colour and elegance, he will want to feel special. Here is a very loyal, warm-hearted man with a very active, curious, if restless mind. He will have an aptitude for understanding unusual concepts and a flair for languages. With Mercury in the 12th house, he will not enjoy public speaking so much, and any study that he would do would need to be of an imaginative nature rather than having just factual content which is something that would rather bore him.
The transits of today exactly show why the Dalai Lama is giving up his political role. As he would know (as he studied Astrology as part of his training) Pluto is today exactly opposite his ascendant, trine his Moon/Neptune and Uranus, the same position Saturn was in when he was forced into exile, he knows that his life path would undergo another transformation. The transiting Saturn/Jupiter opposition is square his natal Sun almost signifying a changing of the guard, out with the old and in with the new – watch this cycle every 20 years or so. Around 1990 it was Eastern Europe which saw the same influx of new leaders as the communists were forced out, this time as the oppositions get into swing it is North Africa’s turn.
Tibet’s spiritual leader has realised that the fight for independence for his beloved nation in this day and age needs to be spearheaded by those elected by the people. He will still show the spiritual guidance, and I am sure with his Mercury in the 12th provide communicate encouragement and advice aplenty, this time from behind the scenes.
