As one of the subjects of the article ‘The Artisan, the Builder, and the Harvester: Taurus, Capricorn, and Virgo-the Earth Element in the Natal Chart,’ ECLIPSE readers know of the importance for Mr. Nelson of staying grounded–the exact opposite of the pursuit of the drug-induced high for which he was arrested on the 26th of this month. His tour bus was crossing from Mexico into Texas about 9 AM when approximately 6 ounces of marijuana was found. Considering previous busts, Nelson and his crew were obvious targets for a search–and from our examination of his natal aspects previously, we know that staying focused and paying attention are two things Nelson can’t afford not to do. So what do the transits at the time tell us?

One of the first things that jumped out at me was that the actual event probably occurred slightly before the 9 AM time given, as that would put the Vertex exact to the 12th House Zeus–fate meets desire and Willfulness, in the forms of Feds and dope. Slowpoke t. Sedna is sextile 12th House Pluto, ruler of the 4th of deepest Self, suggesting Nelson has long-term, perhaps life-long, problems knowing who he really is at the core. T Uranus is conj natal Ceres in the 8th, implying a rebellious attitude toward those in authority, and a maverick way of relating to Mother Nature’s products–pot included. He may see both authority and cannabis as ‘belonging,’ in some way, to others, making drug-use and a laid-back attitude his little way of stealing Promethean fire for mere mortals–a bit disingenuous when you’re as big a star as he.

Probably most illuminating is that natal Chiron in Taurus in the 10th (in itself a sketch of ‘the Wounded Cowboy’ as a professional persona) is receiving a sextile from t. Uranus and squares from t. Neptune/ Chiron, and a quincunx from the ASC–all pointing toward stimulation of the primal wound, which may be seated in ‘having’ in a material sense (Taurus), and the things that may arise from this when influenced by rebellion and spontaneity, delusion or fantasy, and an occasion of feeling persecuted. T Mercury was also trine Uranus, suggesting an off-the-cuff nature to thoughts and ideas, and, again, leaning toward rebellion.

Pallas/ Mars were transiting together and quincunx n. Pluto, perhaps saying that wise action was known by something deep within, some core need to move toward destruction, may have been at work, giving the ‘take a chance’ nature of transits through the 5th (Pallas, Mars, Mercury, NN, Pluto, and Ceres, as well as the ASC of the event chart) extra power, with contact to the natal Pluto the reason for such a risky move. The Leo Moon was at the time of the event semi-sextile the n. SN–ego (Leo) had led him down this path before.