DECODING THE MOST ELEVATED PLANET IN THE HOROSCOPE

[This article first appeared in The Mountain Astrologer magazine Feb/March 2018, and later in my book StarGates.]

Around the time I first became involved with astrology, there was a debate among some in the astrological community about the horoscope of singer Bob Dylan, who was still riding a wave of popularity that began in the 1960s. One very well-known astrologer at the time suggested (apparently via rectification) that the singer was born shortly after dawn. This would have placed both his Sun and the majority of his planets in or around the 12th house.

I had a strong hunch this was wrong, though. My own feeling was that Neptune was likely high in the sky when Dylan was born — a difference that would have meant being born sometime in the evening, rather than in the morning. Why did I think that? Simply, because Neptune — the planet of music, inspiration, and spirituality — seemed to be not only a powerful influence in his life and music, but also a particularly prominent and public one. Throw in the fact that Dylan came to assume a nearly messianic identity for many of his fans, and it all added up in my mind to his having Neptune somewhere near the top of his chart.

Problem was, no one seemed to have access to Dylan’s exact birth time. But I was determined to find out whatever I could. Asking interview-shy Bob himself was definitely out of the question, so I set out to locate the next best resource: his mom. Surely she would know what time of day he was born, or at least have some general idea. After all, she was there when it happened. So, after a couple of weeks of phone calls to any and all Zimmermans (Bob’s family name) in the Hibbing, Minnesota area, where Bob was born, I finally tracked her down. Following the death of Bob’s dad, it turned out that she had remarried and moved to the Duluth area.

When I rang the number, she picked up the phone herself and was surprisingly open to talking. When I got around to asking if she remembered what time Bob was born, she paused for a bit, then finally said, “Yes … I think it was sometime in the evening.” Years later, when Bob’s birth certificate finally surfaced, lo and behold, the time was listed as mid evening — 9:05 p.m., to be precise. The conclusion? Neptune was indeed the highest planet in Dylan’s chart, positioned in his 9th house.

I bring up this story to introduce an important factor in understanding any chart and, in some cases, possibly the most important indicator — namely, the highest (or most elevated) planet in the horoscope. Because of its exalted position, any planetary body located here “lords over” all the other planets in the chart and can exert a powerful influence over someone’s entire life. And while that’s true, to some extent, of any planet occupying the highest point above the horizon, it becomes even more important if that body is near or conjunct the Midheaven, or MC (Medium Coeli) — the zenith point of the horoscope. Any planet aligned with this angle, some have claimed, is “accidentally dignified” in that its innate qualities are amplified in potentially constructive ways.

Fame vs. “Calling”

Still, there’s an important distinction to be made here. On one level, any planet positioned above the horizon in the horoscope represents energies in your life that are more visible to those around you and comparatively more exposed to public view. In terms of houses, that’s something commonly associated with the 10th house in particular, the place traditionally said to govern matters of fame, career, and reputation.

In subtle contrast with the 10th house, however, the MC is more than just a matter of fame or reputation, although it incorporates these things. As the symbolic zenith of the chart, the MC can be considered as also representing the pinnacle of your life’s direction, as something you are aspiring toward. You might think of it this way: Whereas the 1st house shows who you are, in terms of your everyday personality, the MC shows what you want to be — i.e., those qualities you feel ambitiously called upon to realize. Is Mercury close to your MC? Then communication or mental qualities are what you’ll be striving toward. Or is it Venus? Then your highest aim in life will center in some way around beauty or love. Whatever the planet, though, it’s always more than “just another job” you feel inclined to take, or some career you happen to fall into that helps to pay the bills. In short, there’s a sense of achievement or sometimes even destiny involved with any planet located at this point.[1]

Sometimes this can take very circuitous turns over the course of one’s life. Consider my client born with Neptune near the MC, positioned at the focal point of a stressful t-square. As a teenager growing up in a high-crime area, his main goal in life at the time was inspired by a neighborhood drug dealer who wore expensive clothes and drove a flashy car. My client dreamt of someday becoming a big-time dealer like that himself. But as the years unfolded and he matured, he wound up escaping that unhealthy environment, and eventually became a respected addictions counselor who helped hundreds of young men and women to grapple with their own drug problems. In retrospect, it’s safe to say that, as a young man, he glimpsed something in that drug dealer’s life that pointed to his own future destiny and life potential — what psychologist James Hillman would have called his “soul’s code” — yet it was still in a very unformed and undeveloped state at that point. The influence of Neptune on the MC was always there, but it took time for my client to awaken to its true significance.

Public Identity vs. Everyday Personality

While any energies situated near the top of the horoscope play a role in shaping one’s reputation and life direction, these aren’t always congruent with who you are on a day-to-day basis, as far as your ordinary personality is concerned.

Take, for example, the highly talented artist I once knew, whose chart showed an expansive Jupiter in Leo near the MC. In public, he displayed an almost Dalí-esque personality — flamboyant and dramatic, even brandishing a large upturned mustache similar to that of the Spanish artist. However, that prominent Jupiter in Leo was squared by a far more intense Saturn in Scorpio, down in his 1st house. Hard to imagine a more striking contrast! The general public saw only that sunny public persona and didn’t realize that he privately nursed deep emotional wounds from childhood, which repeatedly surfaced in his adult relationships. Of course, taking a more constructive and holistic approach, one could say his lesson in life was about learning to reconcile those contrasting energies, by bringing more Saturn to his Jupiter and more Jupiter to his Saturn. But on an everyday level, it was the conflict between those dueling forces that was most apparent to those who knew him well.

This seemingly “split personality” syndrome is especially common in the charts of actors, who are so often called upon to play roles very different from their ordinary personalities. A classic example is actress Marilyn Monroe, who had an assertive Venus in Aries near her MC (see below) but harbored a far more vulnerable side in private, as shown by her 1st-house Neptune and a challenging Saturn in Scorpio in the 4th house. She may have convincingly played the “sex kitten” role in films, but her personal life concealed enormous sensitivity and pain stemming from a difficult childhood.[2]

With these basics as our starting point, let’s take a look now at the influence of the different bodies in our solar system when positioned near the zenith of the horoscope. Keep in mind that, while we’re placing special emphasis on planets that are close to the MC, much of what I’ll be describing here applies to any planet highest above the horizon, even if it’s farther away from the actual MC. Also, if more than one planet is tightly aligned in that elevated position, then it’s important to look to the blended influence of both of them rather than either body solely by itself. That said, let us begin.

The Sun

When the Sun is positioned near the zenith of the chart, there is a drive to express one’s creative essence and core ego values before the world, and to “shine” in a relatively public way. Further clues are revealed by what zodiacal sign it’s in. Is this Gemini? Then it will likely be intellectual talents, communication skills, or versatility that one aspires to. Taurus? Then it may be a sense of beauty or financial stability. How about Aries? A warrior spirit, competitiveness, and drive — and so on.

The Sun positioned here is one of the primary factors indicating qualities of leadership, fame, or prominence within one’s circle of peers, whether that be as head of the local PTA or as leader of an entire country. It’s a common placement in the horoscopes of teachers and public speakers as well. But precisely because this part of the chart is so public a placement for the Sun, any mistakes or flaws in one’s character will be amplified in more public ways, too. One client of mine with his Sun at the MC trine Pluto became a well-known psychologist, while another client with his Sun squaring Pluto gained a reputation in consecutive workplaces for being an efficient manager but overly manipulative and heavy-handed in dealings with employees.

Again, the zodiacal sign can offer important clues, sometimes in very subtle ways. The Sun in Pisces was the most elevated body in the natal chart of Albert Einstein, and the Theory of Relativity he became famous for represented a more “fluid” conception of reality than what scientists had been subscribing to at the time. In Einstein’s view, the boundaries of time and space were seen as relatively elastic, compared to Isaac Newton’s more rigid and mechanical conception of the cosmos. Likewise, my friend and colleague Richard Tarnas was born with the Sun in Pisces as his chart’s highest body, and has gained attention for his work in more theoretical areas like philosophy, psychology, and of course astrology.

Martin Luther King, Jr. had his Sun in Capricorn as the most elevated body in his horoscope, and besides being an important leader in the Civil Rights movement, he wound up becoming heavily identified with a famous speech in which he spoke of getting “to the mountaintop” — quite the fitting metaphor for a Capricorn! The 19th-century science fiction writer Jules Verne was born with the Sun and Mercury in Aquarius as the highest planets; he was famous for his futuristic visions of the world, which included imaginative stories of space travel and extraordinary group (Aquarius) adventures. Incidentally, it’s worth noting that, since the Sun is never far removed from either Mercury or Venus, it’s common to find these bodies closely grouped together, whether near the MC or otherwise.

The Moon

Whereas those born with the Sun highest in the chart can feel an urge toward leadership or expressing their egoic and creative impulses in a public way, those with the Moon highest are more often drawn to project their personality or their emotions and imagination into the spotlight. Singer Joni Mitchell was born with Moon in Pisces near the MC, and her lyrics are distinctive for exposing her deepest and most vulnerable emotions to her worldwide audience.

With the Moon in far more assertive Aries close to the MC, painter Salvador Dalí offers a uniquely different case. In some ways, his aggressive personality and distinctive appearance wound up becoming even more well known to the public than his art. In terms of “lunar” symbolism, it’s also interesting that Dalí made his Spanish home a visible part of his career, frequently inviting photographers and filmmakers to showcase its unique features. We see another bit of elevated Moon symbolism in the fact that Dalí featured his wife, Gala, in many of his paintings and drawings, and frequently cited her as the source of his inspiration and success. In fact, he was just one of a number of celebrities born with the Moon as their chart’s highest body, whose wives played a prominent role in their careers: singer–songwriter John Lennon, filmmaker George Lucas, and computer titan Bill Gates.

Lennon’s life offers an especially interesting case study of an elevated Moon. Though he became famous as part of an innovative collective, the Beatles (Moon in Aquarius), it’s obvious that the lunar principle played an important role throughout his entire life. Having grown up with a largely absent father, he was raised principally by women: his mother Julia (who was struck and killed by a car when he was 17) and his Aunt Mimi. After decades of admittedly misogynistic behavior, he eventually met and married Yoko Ono (an Aquarian); in her, it seemed as though he’d finally met his feminine ideal, or what Jungians would call his anima. Yoko became the catalyst that helped him to open up more fully to his feminine side, talking about the joys of settling down and cooking in the kitchen, and publicly lying in bed with Yoko for media events (more Moon in Aquarius?!). In lyrics like the song “Woman,” Lennon publicly championed the role and importance of the feminine (and, more controversially, in the song “Woman Is the N****r of the World”). Just as we saw with my earlier example of the addictions counselor, it can take a long time to awaken to the potentials of one’s highest planet!

Since the Moon also rules “nurturing,” the emotions that one chooses to put on display before the public can involve some form of caretaking. Consider the example of my client, with her Moon in Cancer conjunct the MC, who gained attention for opening a food pantry for the poor and the homeless; or the chef I worked with who had a similar Moon placement and owned a critically acclaimed restaurant in a major city; or my recent client, with the Moon close to her MC, who has been a nurse her entire life. In a very different way, those same lunar impulses can steer someone into a life involved with acting or the theater. Actors Robert DeNiro, Meryl Streep, and Peter Sellers were born with the Moon as the most elevated body, befitting lives involved with expressing emotions and imagination in a public setting.

Mercury

With Mercury highest in the chart, there is an urge to project one’s ideas or verbal skills before the world. As such, this is a natural placement for teachers, writers, those in public relations or in any occupation involving communication and mental talents. One finds it in the charts of writers like Henry Miller, Goethe, Balzac, and Renaissance scholar Marsilio Ficino. Writer Sylvia Plath had Mercury in dramatic Scorpio as the highest planet in her chart; her famous book The Bell Jar describes a young woman’s descent into mental illness.

One aspires toward whatever qualities are symbolized by planets near the zenith, and this provides clues as to the role models or mentors one emulates in life. In the case of Mercury, for instance, those heroes will tend to be more intellectual in nature. One young client of mine, born with Mercury in Aquarius conjunct his MC, grew up with posters of Carl Sagan and Thomas Edison on his bedroom wall, rather than images of rock stars, sports heroes, or attractive actresses!

But take note: If this elevated Mercury happens to be in a challenging aspect — especially with Neptune, Mars, Jupiter, or Saturn — one has to be especially careful with any public statements, since they can get one into hot water. I recall a friend with Mercury at the MC squared by Jupiter and Mars. He was a compelling writer and speaker, yet found himself the subject of a libel suit over comments he made in public about a colleague, which cost him dearly in legal fees, not to mention many sleepless nights.

Venus

This placement indicates a desire to project beauty and/or harmony in some way before the public. As noted earlier, Marilyn Monroe was born with Venus as her highest planet, and she became virtually synonymous with mainstream ideals of beauty. Naturally, this placement often leads to occupations directly or indirectly involved with fashion and design. Besides being a successful musician and artist, David Bowie, who also had an elevated Venus, became known for his sense of style, to the point of being admired as a fashion trendsetter.

When well aspected, this placement can confer a certain charm on natives. Actor Tom Hanks is widely regarded as one of Hollywood’s genuine “nice guys,” and was born with Venus as his highest planet. In some cases, the Venusian energy can assume more spiritual forms, with an emphasis on projecting love or kindness to the world. One client with Venus in Pisces conjunct the MC spent years teaching classes and workshops on loving-kindness meditation. I had the pleasure of sitting in on one of her talks and was struck by both her spirit of kindness and her ability to inspire a sense of compassion among those in attendance.

Mars

When Mars is highest in the chart, there is a drive to project energy and strength before the world. Former President Franklin D. Roosevelt was born with Mars close to the MC. He spearheaded America’s involvement in World War II, while rallying citizens and soldiers with his call to courage, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

I’ve done charts for a number of clients over the years with Mars most elevated who were involved with sports or martial arts. Muhammed Ali was born with this planet as the highest in his horoscope (with Saturn and Uranus close by); he fought battles both in and out of the boxing ring, many of which involved his conversion to Islam and his refusal to fight in the Vietnam War.

The forcefulness of Mars can be channeled in more artistic ways as well, so it’s no surprise that Mick Jagger has Mars as the highest planet above the horizon (even though it is in his 12th house). Singer Iggy Pop, sometimes considered the “Godfather of Punk,” is known for his wildly energetic (sometimes even self-mutilating) stage act; he was born with Mars and Mercury in Aries as the highest planets in his horoscope.

Famed tightrope walker Karl Wallenda was born with a t-square to Mars high in his chart, reflecting his drive to display a capacity for daring and courage in a very public way. Interestingly, Philippe Petit, the young tightrope walker famed for his walk between the World Trade Center towers in 1974 (chronicled in the brilliant documentary Man on Wire) was also born with a t-square to Mars near the MC, but with Uranus aligned there as well. As befits that feisty combination, Petit was not only notable for extraordinary risk-taking but for an almost gangster-like attitude toward “breaking the rules,” even at the risk of jail time.

Jupiter

With Jupiter highest in the chart, there is often a sense of possibility and confidence about matters of career or dealings with the public. As a result, this is one of the leading horoscopic indicators of popularity and success, as well as general “good luck,” in dealing with authorities and those helpful to one’s ambitions. Musician Sting has Jupiter as his highest planet, as does basketball legend Michael Jordan.

At its best, this placement can indicate a desire to express a spirit of abundance and positivity into the world, whether through philanthropy, teaching, or humanitarian projects. The husband of a client of mine was a much-beloved pastor who spearheaded charitable projects over the course of many years; his Jupiter was near the MC. Actress Angelina Jolie was born with Jupiter as her highest planet, and besides her success in the movie industry, she has gained attention for her humanitarian work in Third World countries.

As with Jolie, those born with this planet nearest their MC often have lives involving a great deal of travel. Herman Melville’s Jupiter was highest in his birth chart, and he became famous for writing books about long journeys to distant places, most notable of which is Moby Dick. David Bowie had both Jupiter and Venus near the MC, and much of his life was spent traveling in connection with his art.

As always, the zodiacal sign involved is important to consider. For instance, one client of mine, with Jupiter in Aries at the MC, worked as a risk-taking skydiving instructor. But in Libra, that same Jupiterian sense of possibility and abundance may involve matters of law or beauty. The great Renaissance artist Raphael, famous for his idealistic treatment of Biblical themes, was born with Jupiter in Libra in the 10th house. However, we also find this zodiacal placement elevated in the charts of Sophia Loren and Kim Kardashian, both of whom became famous in large part for their attractiveness. My friend and colleague Richard Smoley has Jupiter in Virgo near the top of his chart, and has gained acclaim for his writings on religion, philosophy, and esoteric matters.

And because any planets near the top of the horoscope can reveal the nature and quality of any dealings with those above you in rank, Jupiter near the zenith suggests encounters not just with prominent or wealthy individuals, but also with those involved in religion, spirituality, or philosophy. I once met a man who worked for years with the Pope’s office in Rome and had Jupiter exactly conjunct his MC in Pisces. If afflicted, though, Jupiter placed here can show problems with such figures, as well as a general tendency toward carelessness and unwise risk-taking.

Saturn

Like Jupiter, Saturn near the top of one’s chart can show considerable success and prominence in one’s life. But unlike Jupiter, this usually involves far more work and difficulty along the way. There’s often a “late bloomer” quality to the lives of these natives. On the one hand, they generally experience great struggle in building their career and reputation — what one client described to me as feeling like rolling a boulder up a hill, only to see it repeatedly roll back down again. Yet these people often live to see great rewards and recognition as a result of all that hard work.

The Spanish artist Picasso was born with Saturn in Taurus as his highest planet; he experienced enormous criticism over his art early on, but eventually found wealth and fame as a result of his considerable discipline and productivity. (It’s also worth noting that he’s most closely identified with a visual movement known as cubism, a style that depicts scenes in a very Saturnine, “blocky” manner!) Jazz musician Louis Armstrong had Saturn as his highest planet (conjunct Jupiter), and he rose from an intensely difficult childhood in New Orleans to become a pioneering artist loved by audiences the world over.

And just as my Sisyphean, boulder-pushing client above pointed out, it’s rarely a quick and predictable climb to the top when Saturn is involved. The substantial achievements suggested by Saturn are often coupled with painful reversals or falls from grace — a “three steps forward, one (or possibly two) steps back” scenario. One client of mine, with Saturn conjunct Venus at the top of her chart, became renowned for her artistic talents yet experienced considerable humiliation due to a very public and messy divorce (most of which revolved around money). Singer Johnny Cash was born with Saturn as his highest planet, and besides developing an appropriately Saturnine reputation as the “Man in Black,” he endured many ups and downs throughout his career as a result of run-ins with the law and a struggle with drugs.

While Saturn isn’t the highest planet in former President Bill Clinton’s chart (that would be Uranus), it’s next in line in the 10th house, and he, too, experienced prodigious ups and downs in his political life, rising to become the world’s most powerful leader, as well as one of its most humiliated. Saturn highest can show deep insecurity over one’s reputation, possibly stemming from hardships during childhood, which may trigger a powerful urge toward status and respect as a way to compensate for those inner self-doubts. But this can have a silver lining, too, since it may serve as the fuel that motivates later achievements and success.

Depending on its zodiacal sign, Saturn near the top of the chart can show where one may be perceived as an authority. One student of mine, with Saturn in Cancer conjunct the MC, struggled early on with painful family issues, but eventually went on to become a respected authority in the field of family therapy. Someone with Saturn in Taurus as their highest planet might be known more for their expertise in banking or real estate, while someone with Saturn elevated in Aries might be respected in sports, martial arts, or military work. One woman I knew had been a celebrated psychic in the Chicagoland area, and was born with Saturn closely conjunct her Sun in Pisces at the top of the horoscope; she also taught classes in business skills for fellow psychics.

Saturn highest in the chart often indicates karmic lessons that natives need to learn around the use, or misuse, of power —whether as wielded by them or toward them. For most individuals, this manifests simply through interactions with parents, teachers, bosses, landlords, or the government. But in exceptional cases, this dynamic can play itself out on a far broader stage. Both Adolf Hitler and FBI director J. Edgar Hoover had Saturn as their highest planet, and not only had problematic dealings with authorities, but became problematic authorities themselves.

Queen Elizabeth II was born with Saturn near the MC. Besides having experienced notable ups and downs throughout her reign (particularly in association with marital scandals involving son Prince Charles, or in the aftermath of Princess Diana’s death), she has lived an extraordinarily structured life, with virtually every action determined by the formalities of royal tradition.

Uranus

In stark contrast to Saturn, those born with Uranus elevated in the horoscope possess a fiercely independent streak and a desire to pursue uniquely personal or unconventional life paths. Needless to say, this generally makes it difficult for these people to adapt to rigid routines and structured environments, and in terms of career, they like to have as long a leash as possible. Actor Steve McQueen was, for some years, the world’s highest-paid actor. He had Uranus in Aries as his highest planet, and virtually became Hollywood’s poster boy for the “rebel” archetype in movies like The Great Escape and Bullitt. But he was also known for his independent and rebellious attitude in private, too, having spent time in a reform school as a teen, running afoul of authorities while in the Marines, and battling with movie producers on film sets.3

The maverick spirit of innovation signaled by this placement frequently expresses itself in connection with technology or the media. A prime example is Apple computer co-founder Steve Wozniak, born with Uranus as his highest planet, while founding partner Steve Jobs enjoyed a paradigm-busting Uranus–Jupiter conjunction as his highest configuration. Computer pioneer Alan Turing was born with Uranus conjunct the MC, but he experienced the more negative effects of that placement when his (for the time) unorthodox sexuality led to his professional downfall.

Astronaut Edgar Mitchell had an elevated Uranus, and besides his own involvement with space travel, he gained attention (some of it controversial) for promoting research into causes commonly considered “fringe,” such as UFOs, ESP, and psychic phenomena.

Orson Welles had Uranus conjunct the Moon in Aquarius, near the MC, and became a pioneer in film and radio. Uranus is elevated in the horoscope of director Steven Spielberg, who made his mark as an innovative director and producer of numerous movies and TV shows. But note, too, that one of his most iconic films, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, centered around the image of alien spaceships appearing out of the sky — a fairly straightforward symbol of Uranus positioned highest above the horizon. With Uranus’s connection to the sky and outer space, this planet also features prominently in the charts of many astrologers, such as Rob Hand and Chris Brennan, both born with Uranus as their most elevated planet.

Along similar lines, Uranus generally indicates someone who prefers to “think outside the box,” including psychologist James Hillman, who relished playing the gadfly to mainstream psychology with his unorthodox views on therapy and human behavior. Sometimes, this placement propels natives to become involved with social activism and changing society, fueled by their own “futuristic” sensibility. Karl Marx, author of Das Kapital and The Communist Manifesto, had this placement, as do philosopher Ken Wilber and motivational speaker Tony Robbins. As mentioned, Orson Welles had both Uranus and the Moon as the highest bodies in his horoscope, and was drawn from an early age to progressive politics. While still in his early 20s, he wrote speeches for New Deal President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

But even though Uranus is most often associated with liberal or progressive causes, in some cases it simply indicates a more independent or “lone wolf” streak that can express itself anywhere on the political spectrum. Former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney was born with Uranus highest in his chart, as were former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, President Donald Trump, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, former President George W. Bush, and conservative commentator William F. Buckley. While all of these are generally considered Right-leaning characters, they have all been characterized as very individualistic, choosing to do things their own way — whether others like it not. Their prominent Uranus also showed itself in their heavy involvement with the media.

Alas, Uranus’s more rebellious and eccentric tendencies can create problems for natives when their unconventionality flies a bit too forcefully in the face of society’s norms. Actor Gary Busey found fame early on as an actor, but eventually became even more well known for his erratic and unpredictable personality. A similar situation faced singer and TV show host Tommy Smothers who, along with his brother Dick, became a controversial voice on TV during the 1960s; in the following years, his unpredictable behavior on TV talk shows made him a risky bet for some booking agents.

Like comedian and actor Jim Carrey, improvisational genius Jonathan Winters was born with Uranus highest above the horizon, and channeled his “weird” impulses in more creative ways in his public performances. However, the flip side of that energy in Winters’s case was a struggle with mental illness, which he revealed only later in life.

Orson Welles famously set out to shock the world with his creative projects, such as his 1936 all-black cast adaptation of Macbeth on Broadway, his War of the Worlds radio broadcast in 1938, and of course his thinly veiled send-up of William Randolph Hearst in the great film Citizen Kane. Yet the same maverick streak that propelled his genius turned out to be the very thing that led to problems later in his life, when TV and film producers and financiers turned their attention to more predictable figures to shepherd their projects.

Uranus is the most elevated planet in film director Martin Scorsese’s horoscope, and he has clearly earned his place in the cinematic pantheon for his individualistic style. Still, his willingness to push the cinematic envelope ignited major controversy when he chose to depict a very unconventional Jesus in his film The Last Temptation of Christ. Actor, comedian, and director Woody Allen has been lauded for his quirky humor and independent spirit in writing and directing films, but the unconventional choices in his personal life led to a severe backlash from audiences when it became known that he married his stepdaughter Soon-Yi.

Neptune

At its best, Neptune highest in the horoscope can indicate a spirit of “reaching for the stars,” which sets its sights on lofty goals and dreams of one sort or another. For some, this gives rise to powerful spiritual or creative impulses. Poet Walt Whitman was born with this placement and, as mentioned earlier, so was singer–songwriter Bob Dylan. Neptune is also most elevated in the chart of singer Patti Smith, who gained literary acclaim for her memoir about a relationship with famed photographer Robert Mapplethorpe — photography being another Neptunian symbol. Former President Barack Obama was born with Neptune as his highest planet, and ran his campaign on an idealistic message about the promise of “hope and change” — though it continues to be debated how successfully he delivered on that promise.

On a more problematic front, natives with this placement can experience confusion about their career or life’s calling, or they may be compelled to weave an aura of glamour or illusion around their public persona, such as when someone adopts a pseudonym or a “mask” to hide behind. While raised as a Jewish child in a middle-class community, Bob Dylan changed his last name from Zimmerman and crafted a personal history that, for years, led audiences to believe he’d lived a hard life as a young vagabond riding the rails and even traveling with carnivals.

For similar reasons, this placement is another common indicator in the charts of actors, who are ostensibly paid to pretend they’re people other than themselves. Neptune is the highest planet in Clint Eastwood’s horoscope, as it was for actor and martial arts pioneer Bruce Lee. Interestingly, Lee not only brought martial arts to the attention of millions, but also expounded on its spiritual philosophy in writings and interviews. Walt Disney had Neptune as his highest planet, and made a career out of marketing fantasy, usually combined with music, to literally billions of people around the world.

Elvis Presley was born with an elevated Neptune. Besides his work in music, he also worked as an actor in several films, struggled with drugs, and privately entertained an interest in mystical and metaphysical writings (including Yogananda’s Autobiography of a Yogi and H. P. Blavatsky’s The Voice of the Silence). Comedian, actor, and erstwhile musician John Belushi had Neptune as his highest planet — squaring Jupiter and Venus in his 1st house, no less — and also experienced an extremely public struggle with drugs.

If afflicted, this Neptune placement can create problems for one’s reputation and feelings of being misunderstood; it can even give rise to a “martyr” complex, where one feels at the mercy of forces beyond one’s control. A woman I’ve known for years was born with a t-square to Neptune at the top of her chart, and I’ve watched from the sidelines as she’s grappled with gossip and misunderstandings from those around her over seemingly innocent behaviors. But the elements of misinterpretation and deception often associated with Neptune can be directed in other ways, too, as it was for talk show host Johnny Carson: His youthful ambition in life was to become a stage magician — a.k.a., the art of deception and misdirection!

I’ve done charts for quite a few spiritual teachers and yoga instructors over the years, and a considerable number of them were born with Neptune near the top of the horoscope. But when this planet is most dysfunctional and unbalanced, those same idealistic and inspirational impulses can warp into something far more deceptive, even dangerous. Though not close to the MC, Neptune was the highest planet in the chart of infamous cult leader Jim Jones, who eventually became messianic about his own mission on Earth and led hundreds of his followers to take their lives alongside him by drinking poisoned “Kool-Aid.” This is a sobering example of Neptune’s delusional and self-destructive side at its worst.

Pluto

Pluto represents an intensely primal energy concerned with matters of life and death, sexuality, power, and transformation. As a result, when perched highest in the horoscope, it can indicate that an individual’s career or sense of “calling” will be involved with any or all of these areas. On a purely physical level, take a look at the horoscopes of celebrities whose public identities have become closely associated with sexuality, like actress Megan Fox or the late singer Prince. Born with Pluto as his highest planet, Prince was so public about sexuality that he displayed phallic imagery in his 2007 Super Bowl performance, watched by nearly a billion viewers around the planet!

Similarly, Pluto deals with exploring life’s “darker” side and with facing aspects of existence less comfortable to those more accustomed to living on the surface of things. We see that probing quality in the work of late singer Leonard Cohen, as well as writer Jack Kerouac, who celebrated the bohemian “underworld” in his classic work On the Road. Singer and guitarist Eric Clapton has pursued a lifelong interest in blues, a musical style that explicitly embraces life’s suffering and passions. This Plutonian influence is also visible in the personal struggles he endured in his battles with drug addiction and the very public grief he experienced when his young child died after falling from an open window.

Actor Sydney Poitier was born with Pluto close to the MC, and gained attention for his roles in films like Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner and In the Heat of the Night — movies that served to pull back the curtain on America’s simmering racism. But Poitier’s career was “Plutonian” in another respect: He radically transformed his public persona from that of a poor child with little education, raised in the Bahamas, to that of a sophisticated adult capable of moving among the world’s rich and powerful. On the other hand, former President Richard Nixon expressed his elevated Pluto in a very different manner, having become associated with “Machiavellian” power grabs, “dirty tricks,” and paranoid snooping on his political foes.

Multiple Olympic gold medal–winner Bruce Jenner was born with Pluto as his highest planet (with Mars not far behind), and he gained attention not only for his competitive spirit and success in various sports, but also for a late-in-life gender transition, thereafter being known as Caitlyn Jenner.

Writer Mary Shelley’s Pluto was her highest planet, and she gained worldwide fame for her book Frankenstein, which ostensibly centered around Plutonian themes of life, death, and resurrection. (Clearly, having her Sun conjunct Uranus also factored into her seminal role in the rise of science fiction, and rising concerns with technology.)

Actress Ellen Burstyn was also born with an elevated Pluto; she starred in the pioneering 1980 film about near-death experiences with the very Plutonian title Resurrection, while in the film One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest she expressed the “tougher” side of Pluto in her role as nurse Ratched. In a more tragic vein, U.S. astronaut Virgil “Gus” Grissom was born with Pluto highest (squaring his Sun and Mercury), and died in a highly publicized manner when his capsule caught fire on the NASA launchpad in 1967. And though it may not represent a statistically significant sampling, I found it interesting that the one client I’ve had over the years who managed a funeral home was born with Pluto near the MC!

Final Considerations

A few other points are worth mentioning. First of all, when any planet is close to the top of one’s horoscope, the concerns of whatever house that planet rules will also tend to come before the public. For example, if someone’s Mars is situated near the MC and they have Aries on their 2nd-house cusp, then their assertiveness or conflicts around money will be displayed in a relatively open manner. Or consider the case of someone born with Leo on the 4th-house cusp, with the Sun (its ruler) conjunct the MC. More likely than not, the part of their life they’ll become known for will somehow be connected with matters of family, home, or real estate.

But in particular, if the planet near the MC happens to be the ruler of one’s Sun sign or Ascendant, then this individual’s personal concerns with career or the public will be amplified exponentially. By way of contrast, if a Sun-sign Taurus has Jupiter near the MC, this Jupiter placement may be important, but not nearly as much as it would be if the person were a Sun-sign Sagittarius — the sign ruled by Jupiter. Likewise, someone with Cancer rising who has the Moon near the MC (as we saw in the case of both Joni Mitchell and Salvador Dalí) will tend to project themselves before the public more than if another planet were positioned there. Incidentally, considering that the Ascendant rules the head, it’s hardly accidental that Dalí’s face — specifically his mustache — wound up playing such a crucial role in the public’s perception of him!

Finally, whether or not someone has any planets near the top of the chart, the zodiacal sign on the zenith needs to be studied closely, since this will also reveal qualities that one is aspiring to express and attain, as well as how the public will see the person. Is the sign Gemini? Then it will involve communication and information. Aquarius? Group involvements, the media, or progressive/innovative ideals. Libra? Matters of beauty, the law, or public relations. And so on. In turn, pay close attention to the ruler of that sign for further insights into the meaning and direction that the calling will take.

Notes:
1. While I was lecturing once to a group about how the 10th house (and MC) indicates qualities that one is aspiring toward, someone in the audience said, “I always thought the 11th house was that part of the chart associated with aspirations, goals, and dreams?” In my work with clients over the years, not to mention with my own horoscope, I frankly haven’t found aspirations or dreams to be an important feature of the 11th house, as much as a concern with friends and community.
2. The contrast between the “public” and “private” concerns of the MC and the 1st house, respectively, is similar to what exists between the Sun and the Moon in a horoscope. Consider my earlier example of the artist I knew born with Jupiter in Leo conjunct the MC and Saturn in Scorpio in his 1st house. This is analogous, in some ways, to a person born with Jupiter conjunct the Sun in Leo and Saturn conjunct the Moon in Scorpio. As with the 10th house/1st house case, the individual would likely display a more outgoing, even flamboyant persona in public, but a more turbulent disposition in private that’s far less visible to the public.
3. These interesting entries from Wikipedia underscore both the constructive and destructive sides of McQueen’s unique horoscope: “McQueen had an unusual reputation for demanding free items in bulk from studios when agreeing to do a film, such as electric razors, jeans, and other items. It was later discovered McQueen donated these things to the Boys Republic reformatory school, where he spent time in his teen years.” Additionally, “In 1947, McQueen joined the United States Marine Corps and was promoted to private first class and assigned to an armored unit. Initially he reverted to his prior rebelliousness and was demoted to private seven times. He took an unauthorized absence by failing to return after a weekend pass expired, staying with a girlfriend for two weeks until the shore patrol caught him. He resisted arrest and spent 41 days in the brig. After this he resolved to focus his energies on self-improvement and embraced the Marines’ discipline. He saved the lives of five other Marines during an Arctic exercise, pulling them from a tank before it broke through ice into the sea. He was assigned to the honor guard, responsible for guarding then U.S. President Harry Truman’s yacht.” (One more curious detail from McQueen’s life, which also relates to his Uranus in Aries on the MC: His father was a stunt pilot for a barnstorming flying circus!)

POSTSCRIPT: The Midheaven in Different House Systems

Determining what is or isn’t the “highest” planet in a chart depends to an extent on the house system one is using. For example, in systems like Placidus, Koch, Campanus, Alcabitius, Porphyry, and Regiomontanus, the MC is identical to the 10th-house cusp; as a result, any planet closest to that angle is automatically the “highest.” But in Whole Sign, Morinus, Vedic, or Equal House charts, the MC (or vertical meridian) can be elsewhere — in some cases, a few houses away from the 10th. So, how does one determine what is “highest” in those cases? The simple answer is to focus attention on whatever planet is closest to the MC point, and not by looking to the “top” of the chart as it appears visually.

As I said, that’s the “simple” answer; a more complex response would be to take into account the role of declination, which can alter what is actually “highest” in the sky. As my colleague Jon Parks points out, one can have two planets close to the MC, but the one that’s farther from the MC may actually be the “higher” of the two, in terms of having a more northerly declination. For example, 10 South declination is higher than 15 South declination, 15 North is higher than 10 North, and so on.

Sound confusing? Well, that’s because it is!