The First House: Part II

Angelina Jolie
AJ has a strong and well placed first house and lord. Her ascendant lord Moon is in the sign of a natural benefic who is a friend and that benefic, Jupiter, is in its own sign with the Moon. The Moon is in the lucky ninth house. It is also conjoined with Mars who is a natural malefic but is the rajayoga karaka for Cancer ascendant and is also a friend of Jupiter and the Moon. This combination makes multiple raja and dhana yogas. Saturn does aspect this combination, forming a mutual Saturn-Mars aspect. This combination accounts for her renowned edginess and history of tattoos and self mutilation; however it does not dominate the scene. She also has the natural benefic Venus in her ascendant aspected by the swa Jupiter. She is renowned for beauty (Venus) and philanthropy (Jupiter). We can conclude she is also extremely strong since she has chosen to raise eight children, another indication of Jupiter.

Barack Obama
Our first African American president also has an extremely strong first house. The lagna lord is in the first house and it is retrograde. It is aspected by a mostly benefic Mercury and is conjunct a retrograde Jupiter. Jupiter is also debilitated but Jupiter and Saturn conjunct in Capricorn ascendant is a rajayoga in its own right. This does not mean Jupiter may not eventually hurt his public image in some way, but Jupiter is mostly good. Obama is clearly a man of the people, an indication of both Saturn and Capricorn. He embodies many of the good qualities of Saturn. He is patient, thoughtful and hardworking and cares about humanity. He is supposed to be frugal, owning only two pairs of shoes. He is also tall, another Saturn indication.

Napoleon Bonaparte
apoleon Bonaparte's first house is ruled by Venus who sits in the ninth house disposited by Mercury in the tenth. His first house contains the natural benefic Jupiter who aspects Venus. Jupiter is not really a great planet for Libra ascendant, but it is still a natural benefic and is probably the reason for the Napoleonic code. Napoleon is renowned to this day for his ability to strategize. Mercury and Saturn together is a premier strategy combination. Bonaparte''s is especially relevant because Mercury disposit''s his lagna lord and forms multiple raja yogas with Saturn and Moon. He has the lords of 4, 5, 9 and 10 conjoined on the 4/10 axis. The fourth house is the place of the throne and the tenth is the place of authority, and Napoleon was able to avail himself fully of the potency of these combinations. His one great weakness was not knowing when to quit. Librans often lack wisdom because Jupiter rules only dussthanas in such an ascendant.

Rob Lowe
Rob Lowe was once a very popular actor but, due to scandal, he has had quite a fall in life. His first lord, Mercury, is debilitated and combust in the tenth house. His ascendant contains the malefic Rahu. It is clear that Rob Lowe sometimes did not make the best choices in life, so despite having some worthy yogas, his lack of practical intelligence (Mercury) and penchant for scandal (Rahu) have diminished his status.

River Phoenix
River Phoenix's lagna lord is debilitated in the twelfth house. It is conjunct its dispositor, the benefic Mercury, which probably partially accounted for his fame. However his first house is aspected by a debilitated Mars AND a debilitated Saturn. It does contain Jupiter, but as mentioned before, Jupiter is not the best planet for Libra lagna. His lack of practical intelligence was fatal: he died of a drug overdose at age 23.