Antoni Gaudí - A Lonely Genius

Park Güell, Barcelona                                                                                                                   photo by Ewa Krajewska

We can admire the extremely original and magical buildings of this outstanding Catalan architect in Barcelona. His work has become a symbol of the city and attracts millions of tourists from all over the world.

Antoni Gaudí was born in 1852 in the small village of Reus in Catalonia. When he was a child, he got ill very often, which limited his contacts with his peers and friends and condemned him to loneliness. He suffered from rheumatism so his doctor advised him to become a vegetarian. He continued this diet for the rest of his life and he even became obsessed with healthy food and very strict diets. In the early years of his life, he experienced very difficult transits which must have weaken his health condition. Saturn passed through his MC (1853 – 1854), squared his Moon (1856 – 1857) and passed through his Ascendant (1860 – 1861). Saturn is the planet related to bones and its transits may cause limitation of movement. In the childhood Antoni spent a lot of time at home with his mother. He was keen on walking and watching the nature, which became a source of important inspiration in the adult life. After completing the architecture studies, the young Gaudí quickly received his first order - the design of the street lanterns at Reial Square in the Gothic Quarter in the heart of Barcelona. The lanterns didn’t look very original, nevertheless, the talent of the young architect was recognised and soon Gaudí received further orders and revealed his unusual style. He designed not only buildings, but also furniture and interior fittings. At the beginning of his career (in November 1879) his progressed Sun entered Leo, which helped him gain recognition and opened new possibilities to grow. The architectural style that was trendy at time was Modernism, considered a new expression of Catalan identity. Having the Sun in Cancer, Antoni Gaudí was very proud of his homeland and wanted to contribute to expand its national pride. Gaudí was lucky to be born in the times that enabled him to develop his artistic talent. His original projects quickly gained recognition and became an integral part of Catalan heritage. Gaudí pushed Modernism even further, but in his work we can also find other architectural styles such as neo-Mudejar, neo-Gothic and Baroque. His innovative approach to architecture caught the attention of Eusebi Güell, a wealthy businessman from Barcelona, who commissioned a number of important projects. He truly admired Gaudí’s talent and never saved money on financing his extremely expensive projects as he didn’t want to limit the imagination of a young genius. Gaudí designed for him the Güell Palace (his house), a church for his employees and a park among others. The original idea of Güell was to build an exclusive neighborhood for wealthy townspeople of Barcelona placed in a beautiful hill with a fantastic view, but they preferred to stay in the center of the town, so the whole project turned out to be a failure. The heirs of Eusebi Güell have transformed this place into a city park called Park Güell, where we can admire Gaudí's projects, among others the main terrace with a very original bench in the shape of a serpentine which is finished with colourful mosaics made of broken pottery. We can get to this unique terrace using wide and richly decorated stairs where we find the multicoloured monument of a salamander. Another interesting object in this park is the house of a guard which is a very unique as it looks like magical mushroom from a fairy-tale. 

Casa Batlló                                 photo by Ewa Krajewska

Casa Milá                                   photo by Ewa Krajewska

Antoni Gaudí also designed houses for other rich families. The most beautiful and original buildings that fully represent the outstanding talent of the Catalan architect are Casa Batlló (built in 1904) and Casa Milá (1906), both converted into the museums. It’s worth mentioning that he designed these amazing houses when he had very important transits of Uranus and Neptune. Uranus squared his natal Venus (1903 – 1904) and opposed the Sun (1905). Neptune conjuncted his Sun (1903 – 1904) and squared his Moon (1906 – 1907). Another interesting thing is that Jupiter passed through Gaudí’s Medium Coeli in 1905 and 1906, so no wonder that the projects he implemented at that time gave him such fame. Unfortunately, in 1906 Saturn went through Gaudí’s Descendant which caused a lot of problems with the owner of Casa Milá who didn’t want to pay Gaudí for his work. The architect got also into trouble with the local council that didn’t approve his project as the building was too high. Casa Milá was criticized very much by the inhabitants of Barcelona. People laughed at that building and compared it with the hornets’ nest.  

Sagrada Familia                                                                                                                            photo by Ewa Krajewska

Nevertheless, Gaudí's most important project was the church of Sagrada Familia. Gaudí started working on it when we was only 31 years old and dedicated the rest of his life to this magnificent building. The church hasn’t been completed and is still under construction. Gaudí took the construction of Sagrada Familia over in November 1883 when Pluto was transiting his Medium Coeli and Jupiter conjuncted Venus. The transits of Pluto can destroy someone’s life or bring a huge transformation by gaining great recognition. Pluto is related to death so no wonder that Sagrada Familia gave the international fame to Gaudí many years after he died.

In his works Antoni Gaudí combined simplicity and functionality with an extremely original design. He avoided sharp angles and tried to give his buildings, furniture pieces and interior fittings rounded shapes. His greatest source of inspiration was the nature. Gaudí observed what kind of structures the nature was building, e.g. trees, leaves, flowers, and he applied the same solutions to his projects. We can see it in the neo-Gothic Sagrada Familia, where the columns resemble tree trunks, so the interior of that temple looks like a magical forest. The Catalan architect often used broken ceramics and created colourful, original mosaics (trencadi) to give his projects an original look. Another characteristic elements of his style are decorative chimneys on the roofs of the houses he designed. Gaudí made them real artworks, stained with colourful ceramics and giving unusual shapes reminding mushrooms. The façades of some of his buildings also have unusual, streamlined shapes and the balconies sometimes resemble interlocking branches of trees (e.g. Casa Milá) or carnival masks (Casa Batlló). The church of Sagrada Familia is a completely different project, as it is an example of neo-Gothic style, nevertheless the strong influence of Gaudí's unique style is obvious. The artist often used light as an element of architecture, especially in Sagrada Familia, where the colourful light pouring in through the great stained glass windows illuminates the grey columns and leaves delicate pastel shades on them. This creates an amazing, magical effect, and you get the impression that are walking through a fairy-tale land. You can get the same impression visiting the houses designed by Gaudí or the Park Güell. Gaudí's projects bring the visitors into a wonderland, where all the elements blend together and form a harmonious space.

                                               

Sagrada Familia                                                                                                                            photo by Ewa Krajewska

Antoni Gaudí in 1878           Wikipedia

The personal life of that brilliant architect is shrouded in mystery. It is known that Gaudí lived with his father and niece in a small house in Park Güell. No woman ever appeared in his life, so the artist did not marry and it is speculated that he had never had any sexual contact. However, there are some indications that he had a secret romance with his niece, but there is no evidence of it. Gaudí was a man of deep faith and was very attached to the tradition of his homeland, Catalonia. Although he was very intelligent and spoke a couple of languages, he refused using them. He only spoke Catalan in order to emphasize his origin. In 1924, after the military coup of Primo de Rivera, he was even arrested and put into prison for speaking Catalan which was strictly forbidden at that time. Faith played a very important part in his life. Great devotion helped him to make friends with his future patron, Eusebi Güell, who was also a deeply religious man. Antoni Gaudí was regarded as a cold and arrogant man who intimidated his interlocutors with a deep, sharp, penetrating and cynical glance of his blue eyes. In his youth he dressed fashionably and elegantly, liked going out to the theater and socializing. When grew older, he became a loner, absorbed by his work and obsessively obeying religious orders. He went to church every day, and on the way he gave alms to beggars, even though he was never a wealthy man himself. He lived very modestly, of which he was extremely proud. At the end of his life he looked like a homeless vagabond, which brought tragic consequences. On June 7, 1926, he was hit by a tram and taken to a hospital for poor people. Nobody recognised the great master and no one was willing to help him. It was not until the second day when one of his co-workers recognised him, but unfortunately it was too late for help. The great architect died a few days later. He was buried in the crypt of the Sagrada Familia. Huge crowds of Barcelona inhabitants attended his funeral. At that time transiting Uranus squared his natal Mercury which describes this situation perfectly. Such transits may bring sudden accidents especially related to communication, travelling and means of transport.

Antoni Gaudí 25.06.1852, 09:30 am, Reus, Spain    raiting AA

The great master's natal chart is as intriguing as his work. Antoni Gaudí had the Sun in Cancer, which explains his great attachment to tradition, family and his homeland. Additionally, the Sun creates the grand trine in water signs along with Jupiter in Scorpio and Neptune in Pisces. It shows great artistic talent, the source of inspiration, but also huge interest in religion, as both Jupiter and Neptune are linked to spirituality and beliefs. The natal chart of Gaudí is very interesting as we find two kites there. One kite is based on the grand water trine, the sextile stellium of Pluto, Uranus and Saturn in Taurus to the Sun in Cancer and Neptune in Pisces, and the opposition of the stellium in Taurus to Jupiter in Scorpio. The second kite is also based on the grand water trine, but in this case "the head" of the kite is Mars in Virgo, which sextiles the Sun in Cancer and Jupiter in Scorpio, and is opposing Neptune in Pisces. This gave Gaudí a lot of common sense and realism, so that the artist could easily turn his extraordinary ideas into specific projects. Kite is a planetary figure that brings a lot of luck and extremely easily gained success in life. Nevertheless, the potential of the native with kite is triggered by the support of other people (opposition). Gaudí had a wealthy patron, so that he could realise his visions without any restrictions.

Eusebi Güell 15.12.1846, Barcelona, Spain      rating X (time unknown)

Let’s take a look at the natal chart of Gaudí’s patron, Eusebi Güell. He has a very tight Venus/Sun conjunction (could be a cazimi, but as his birth time is unknown, we don’t know it for sure) in Sagittarius so he was an artist himself (painter). He was very wealthy and he came from a very rich family, but he was also a very successful businessman. He was the owner of textile factories near Barcelona. Mercury also conjuncts the Sun and Venus, so he has a stellium in Sagittarius. The strong influence of that sign made him a very generous man. He was supporting talented artists and help them develop their ideas. When he saw the works of young Gaudí, he was amazed by his talent. The individuals with strong Sagittarius always want to expand their horizons and create something epic, extraordinary and out of this world. The projects of Gaudí were perfect for Güell’s ambitions and desires of creating original buildings. Güell and Gaudí were perfect for each other. The young architect had a huge talent and amazing visions and Güell had the proper financial resources to make them come true. Güell was also very religious (strong Sagittarius) and was a Catalan patriot so he and Gaudí became good friends. If we compare their birth charts we can see that Gaudí’s Mercury is opposing Güell’s Sun and Venus, Gaudí’s Moon forms a trine to Güell’s Jupiter and Gaudí’s Jupiter in Scorpio conjuncts Güell’s Mars and probably Moon as well. It clearly shows that they liked each other and shared similar interests. It’s worth mentioning that Gaudí had Jupiter in Scorpio which helped him gain rich sponsors. He was never wealthy but he had rich clients and thanks to their money he could make his artistic visions come true.

Sagrada Familia 19.03.1882, Barcelona, Spain     rating X (time unknown)

As he was very lucky in the professional field, it’s not surprising, that he was chosen to direct the works on Sagrada Familia at the young age. According to the legend, he was chosen because of his blue eyes which were very unique in Catalonia. The idea of building Sagrada Familia came from an eccentric bookseller José María Bocabella who founded the Spiritual Association of Devotees of St. Joseph and bought the parcel for building a church. The works on the apse crypt of Sagrada Familia began on  March 19, 1882 on the festival of Saint Joseph. The church was designed by Francisco de Paula del Villar, a famous and respected architect. One year later he resigned, so José María Bocabella had to find another architect who would continue building Sagrada Familia. He had a dream that a blue-eyed architect was building this church, so when he saw Gaudí, he immediately knew that he was the right person. We don’t know if this story is true, but it seems that a strong influence of Neptune in Gaudí’s chart had a key role in it. Working on Sagrada Familia Gaudí could develop his extraordinary ideas, creating an architectural masterpiece. When we look at the chart of Sagrada Familia, we can see that the construction started on new Moon in Pisces which is quite interesting as it’s a church, a place of prayers. Unfortunately, the exact time of starting the construction is unknown, so we don’t know if the Moon was still in Pisces or in Aries. Nevertheless, the projects that are started at new Moon need more time to be fully developed as the Moon is combusted by the Sun. Another interesting thing about this chart is that Venus and Mercury are in detriment and Mars is in fall. The fact the personal planets are in a difficult position also shows that the construction of the church may take a long time. Sagrada Familia was built thanks to the donations of the inhabitants of Barcelona. Gaudí often struggled with the lack of resources and was so frustrated that he was asking for the donations himself. In this chart we can see two important conjunctions: Saturn with Neptune and Jupiter with Pluto. The Saturn/Neptune conjunction shows limitation in realising dreams and artistic projects, but on the other hand, indicates a huge determination to do this. Although the construction of Sagrada Familia is a very slow process, the effect is amazing. The hard and very detailed work of Antoni Gaudí and other architects that continue his work is majestic and breathtaking. The Jupiter/Pluto conjunction made this church so high and huge. Both planets are responsible for expansion and pushing the limits further. The Sun (and probably the Moon) forms a sextile to Jupiter and Pluto so the link between these planet is quite strong and harmonious.

Gaudí has Mars on Ascendant in Virgo which is why he wasn’t a nice person. The artist was also a perfectionist, which is very typical for the individuals with Virgo rising. Although Gaudí worked with many craftsmen, sculptors, and other architects (especially on Sagrada Familia), he supervised their work and checked if everything was done according to his will. Mars placed at Ascendant made him an overbearing man, who didn’t respect anyone. Such a strong Mars certainly didn’t give Gaudí personal charm. In the eyes of other people he was unfriendly, however, his relatives and friends, including Eusebi Güell, had a very positive opinion of Gaudí, describing him as a nice, warm and kind man, an interesting interlocutor and a great companion.

What is the reason of such a big discrepancy in the opinion about the same person? Gaudí has the Moon in Libra. The Moon describes the way we behave in personal life and how we treat the members of our family. The Moon in Libra shows that Gaudí must have been nice, charming and kind to his relatives. However, people who didn’t know him closely must have been faced with his Mars on Ascendant which wasn’t a pleasant experience. Ascendant is the point in the natal chart that describes what is the first impression that others have about us. Mars placed here clearly shows that such individual will be considered aggressive, selfish and arrogant. If it comes to the image, Virgo rising made Gaudí look very modest.

On the other hand Mars in Virgo on Ascendant gave Gaudí talent for space planning, which is essential in the work of an architect. He created models of his buildings and then he was developing his projects according to his plans. Without these skills Gaudí wouldn’t be able to create such wonderful works. He was also very consequent and patient which was particularly important during the many years of working on Sagrada Familia. Gaudí dedicated more than 40 years of his life to build this magnificent church and unfortunately he didn’t see the end result. Interestingly, Antoni Gaudí didn’t make any preliminary drawing of the buildings, but made three-dimensional models. In addition to that, Mars in Virgo enabled the Catalan architect to design functional homes. Gaudí paid great attention to the needs of his clients and their lifestyles. He was using maximum of the natural light to make the rooms look spacious and bright.

Casa Batlló                      photo by Ewa Krajewska

Casa Batlló                       photo by Ewa Krajewska

What was the source of Gaudí’s inspiration, imagination and such unusual ideas? Venus, the planet of artistic expression and inspiration is placed in Leo, a sign which is associated with huge creativity, original ideas and the need of getting the public recognition for the outstanding works. In addition, Venus creates very important aspects: square with Jupiter and square with Saturn, Pluto and Uranus, which together form a T-square. This planetary figure brought a strong emotional tension, but on the other hand awakened enormous creativity. The square of Venus and Jupiter highlights Gaudí’s great talent and makes him design huge and extraordinary works, e.g. the monumental Sagrada Familia with its richly decorated façade and tall towers. The Venus/Saturn square brings other features like modesty, saving and simplicity, which can also be observed in the works of the Catalan architect, especially in the interiors of the houses he created. The aspect was also manifested by the difficulty of maintaining financial security. Unfortunately Gaudí didn’t make a fortune on his great talent. The modest clothing can also be partially attributed to this aspect. This could also explain the frequent use of broken ceramics. The individuals with aspects of Venus and Saturn in their birth charts don’t waste anything and often find new uses for things that should be thrown away. Gaudí used ceramic waste and converted it into art work. On the other hand, this aspect could bring Gaudí loneliness, misogyny, and strong self-criticism. When we look at the photo of Antoni Gaudí, we see quite a handsome man, but in his times, his type of beauty wasn’t considered attractive at all. He was blond and had blue eyes, meanwhile most of the Catalans were dark haired and black eyed, so Gaudí looked like a stranger and felt rejected by the society, especially by women. He was probably in love once but the woman he was attracted to rejected him as she was already engaged to someone else. The fact that he was rejected could cause a hatred towards women in general. The square of Venus with Uranus and Pluto gave him a very original and innovative approach to art. These aspects gave Gaudí such amazing and extraordinary but controversial ideas. On one hand, his works are fascinating, and on the other, they cause confusion. While visiting the houses he built, the church of Sagrada Familia or the Güell Park we are amazed by the original ideas of that Catalan architect, but we are also wondering whether he crossed certain limits of good taste and simply exaggerated the norms. Such controversies are very common in case of the aspects of Venus with Uranus and Venus with Pluto. They allow creating something unusual, which breaks old patterns and is shocking thanks to its originality. Additionally, Mars in Gaudí's natal chart is opposing Neptune, which gave the architect huge imagination and the ability to create spaces that looked like a fairy-tale land. Gaudí achieved this effect by avoiding sharp angles and making everything look like fluid which is typical for Neptune.

I strongly recommend visiting his epic works while visiting Barcelona.

CARDINAL MODE

Cardinal signs are Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. When the Sun enters these signs of the zodiac, the new season of the year begins. Aries marks the beginning of spring, Cancer of summer, Libra of autumn, and Capricorn of winter.

Cardinal mode is associated with the beginning of new things, the desire for expansion and the conquest of new territories. The individuals with the predominant cardinal mode in their birth charts, who have the Ascendant, the Sun, the Moon or many planets in Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn are courageous, creative and constantly want to do something new. They are very well-organised. While dealing with a new situation, they immediately know what should be done first and how to bring order, so they are excellent managers. They intuitively know how to use the talents of other people so they know how to distribute the duties for the employees. They can also motivate others to make great ideas come true. 

For the individuals with strong cardinal mode working on the same things all over again is extremely boring. They have no patience even to develop their own ideas properly, which is why they prefer to start a new project instead of working on something from the beginning to the end. They need other people to develop their ideas but they control the whole process as everything must be done according to their plan. They won't let anyone to interfere in their concepts. Quite often they change professions or set up new businesses during their lifetime as they need constant excitement. They have a great ability to make big money and gain a good market position starting from the very beginning, even without resources or experience. They just don't fear a failure and this seems to be the key to their success. When their small business grows to the size of a large corporation, they feel fulfilled, but precisely at this point, they get bored and they need to start something new. They need to set a new goal to reach. Rushing towards the unknown is always a fascinating experience for them. As soon as a new idea appears in their mind, they immediately have a plan how to bring into reality. They are very focused on their goals so they don't waste their energy on anything else.

If the natal chart lacks the cardinal mode, then its owner has difficulties in finding motivation to act. Such individuals are passive and take on new tasks very slowly. Quite often they don't know what should do in their lives, e. g. what kind of job to choose, so they do nothing at all. They constantly hesitate and wonder what would make them happy, so they seem to be totally helpless. These individuals need a strong motivation from other people. When someone shows them the right direction and pushes them, then they start to act and may be quite successful. The deficiency of cardinal mode in the natal chart indicates the lack of talent for organization, so these people shouldn't work at executive posts. Giving orders to other employees is a true nightmare for them, as they don't know how to manage a team. They are not able to require anything from anybody as they don't have a strong will. They should rather work in a post where they are executing someone's orders. Sometimes these individuals are stuck in a difficult life situation, e.g. a toxic relationship or poorly paid job, because they are afraid of taking specific actions to change their life. They don't see new perspectives and they think that the new situation won't be any better, so it's not worth changing anything.

How to calculate the amount of each element in your natal chart?

The amount of modes and elements is determined by the positions of the planets in the signs of the Zodiac but some planets have more influence on the amount of modes and elements than others. It's easy to count how much of each mode or element we have in our chart. The most important components of our chart which give the biggest amount of the certain element or mode are the Sun, the Moon and the Ascendant. You can give 5 points for each of them. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are also important, so you can give 3 points for each of that planet. Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are less important, so you give only one point for each of them. Then you count all the points for each mode and element. If your score is from 0 to 5 points, that means that this element or mode is missing in your chart. If your score is from 6 to 10 points then you have a good balance of that particular element or mode. If your score is above 11, you have an excess of some element or mode.

AIR ELEMENT

The Air signs are Gemini, Libra and Aquarius.

The element of Air is associated with communication, studying, trade and being objective.

 

The individuals with predominant element of Air in their birth charts are very talkative and sociable. When they meet someone, they start a conversation immediately. They love small talk and sharing information with other people so they may be gossipy. They are not able to keep any secrets even their own ones. They have a lot of friends who they are in touch with all time so that they keep updated.

The individuals with strong Air element love to study new subjects, read and travel because broadening their horizons is the true sense of their existence. They are multitasking so they can do a lot of different things at once, e.g. watch TV, read a newspaper, write a message and talk to someone. These people can work on many fields at the same time and can deal with stressful job conditions with permanent high pressure very well. They are very busy but doing a lot things at the same time makes them happy. They need diversity, so they work in different fields pretty often. Doing just one thing and having just one job is too boring for them. They need new intellectual challenges all the time so they study a lot of different subjects but they are not patient enough to deepen them properly. Their knowledge is very bright but not deep. 

These people are not emotional so they don't feel attached to their friends. They change their groups of friends quite often because they are bored with talking always about the same matters. They prefer to find new friends who have something new and interesting to say. The most important thing is to be always surrounded by fascinating people. 

The individuals with predominant element of Air change their opinion quite often, too. They are not afraid to admit that they were wrong and they can explain the fact they had changed their mind using very logical reasons. They don't keep their promises as they are too busy to do it. These people are very gifted speakers and they know how to make a boring subject fascinating so they can work as teachers, journalists, tourist guides or marketing specialists. They are excellent traders and advisers. They know where they can buy some items cheap and whom sell them expensive. A lot of them are popular bloggers. They are the queens and the kings of social media, having a huge number of friends and followers. They can't imagine their life without phone, Internet or computer. 

The individuals with deficiency of Air element are not sociable and they don't like meeting new people. They hate loud parties, crowded places, noise nor turmoil. Small talk is their worst nightmare. These people need more time to learn new subjects as they don't get new information so quickly, however it doesn't make them less intelligent. They deepen one subject and then they start to learn something new. They hate superficiality. Quite often they become experts in the subjects that they are interested in. The individuals with deficiency of Air element are not good at multitasking, they are not able to focus on different matters at once and they can't work under stress. When there are too many things going on in the same time around them, they feel lost and helpless. These people have only a few trusted friends, who they share their passions with. They choose professions that don't require a direct contact with other people. Quite often they work in the same fields for years. They don't like to change their environment so they can live at one place for their whole life. They are introverts who don't like talking about themselves. They are excellent listeners and they always keep secrets. They are very persistent and reliable. A good idea of compensating for a shortage of the element of Air is going for long walks.

How to calculate the amount of each element in your natal chart?

The amount of modes and elements is determined by the positions of the planets in the signs of the Zodiac but some planets have more influence on the amount of modes and elements than others. It's easy to count how much of each mode or element we have in our chart. The most important components of our chart which give the biggest amount of the certain element or mode are the Sun, the Moon and the Ascendant. You can give 5 points for each of them. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are also important, so you can give 3 points for each of that planet. Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are less important, so you give only one point for each of them. Then you count all the points for each mode and element. If your score is from 0 to 5 points, that means that this element or mode is missing in your chart. If your score is from 6 to 10 points then you have a good balance of that particular element or mode. If your score is above 11, you have an excess of some element or mode.

WATER ELEMENT

The Water Signs are Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces.

The element of Water is associated with emotions, intuition, premonitions, empathy, artistic talents, spirituality and human relations.

The individuals with predominant element of Water in their birth charts are very sensitive and vulnerable introverts. They have a great memory, especially for emotions, so they never forget the hurt they suffered many years ago. Constant reminiscences of old wounds make life difficult for them, however the relationships with others are crucial form them because they can't live alone. Quite often, they talk about old traumas or insults they have suffered many years ago. People with strong element of Water in their natal charts feel comfortable in small groups of close and reliable friends. Before they trust anyone, first they carefully watch that person and only when they recognize that he/she is not threatening their safety, they are able to make a closer acquaintance. The individuals with heavy Water element don't like big parties where there is a lot of people and the topics discussed are very superficial. They only look for deep, sincere and long-lasting friendships. They are very loyal to their friends and are ready to help them anytime, no matter the circumstances. These people are often interested in psychology, spiritual growth and thanks to their great intuition, they can easily read the emotions of other people. They are excellent advisers who are eager to help solve difficult issues, especially the emotional ones. Giving good advice sometimes goes into excessive interference in others' lives. 

Love is very important for them. They want to experience great and unique emotions. Their relationships must be magical in some way, otherwise they don't feel loved. People with strong element of Water will only start relationship with a partner with whom they have a strong spiritual bond, e.g. they feel that they were once lovers in previous incarnations and in this life they meet again to solve unfinished matters from the past lives. Because of their great sensitivity, they prefer to express their deep emotions through art, not verbally, so many of them become recognized artists. They often absorb emotions from the environment, which is not always good for them. They should use different techniques of cleansing from negative energies. The space in which they spend their time, such as an apartment or work place, should be harmonious. They sense the atmosphere and energy of places and feel bad when the elements of the decor don't match. They do well in such professions as psychologist, card reader or psychic.

When the natal chart lacks the element of Water, its owner is not sentimental, doesn't pay much attention to his/her own feelings nor the emotions of their friends or family members. These individuals often hurt their loved ones as they are not always aware that some of their behaviour is unpleasant to others. They only trust their common sense and firmly reject any flash of intuition. People with the deficiency of Water element are not emotionally attached to others, so they don't need to create relationships. They may well be alone and don't feel bad about it. They easily change the circle of friends and find new ones but their friendships are superficial. Love is not important for them, so they start a serious relationship or family quite late, if they decide to take this step at all. Raising children seems very boring for them and they are not patient so often they look for various excuses to avoid spending time with their children. In the young age, they are anxious to become independent. When they grow up, their contacts with parents or siblings are rare. They don't remember the old traumas or failures from the past, so painful events leave no trace in their psyche. Even after experiencing a severe failure, they quickly recover. A good idea of compensating for a shortage of the element of Water is swimming, doing water sports and drinking plenty of water. 

How to calculate the amount of each element in your natal chart?

The amount of modes and elements is determined by the positions of the planets in the signs of the Zodiac but some planets have more influence on the amount of modes and elements than others. It's easy to count how much of each mode or element we have in our chart. The most important components of our chart which give the biggest amount of the certain element or mode are the Sun, the Moon and the Ascendant. You can give 5 points for each of them. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are also important, so you can give 3 points for each of that planet. Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are less important, so you give only one point for each of them. Then you count all the points for each mode and element. If your score is from 0 to 5 points, that means that this element or mode is missing in your chart. If your score is from 6 to 10 points then you have a good balance of that particular element or mode. If your score is above 11, you have an excess of some element or mode.

WINTERSUN IS COMING - part II

In the second part of this article (you can find the first part here) I would like to present the mutual aspects of planets in the natal charts of each Wintersun member. It's very interesting to observe how many important aspects we can find when we compare their natal charts. It explains why the band didn't split up despite the fact they had to struggle with obstacles for many years. As I didn't want to bore anyone with too many details, I chose only the most important aspects but I encourage you to analyse the birth charts of Wintersun members and surely you will find more curiosities.

In Jari Mäenpää's natal chart Venus, the planet of artistic expression is placed in Sagittarius and conjuncts Neptune. This is the reason why Jari's music is so epic and magical at the same time. The average song of Wintersun is approximately 12 minute long. The arrangements are very complex and they include a strong influence of oriental traditional music. This is another manifestation of Venus in Sagittarius as this sign is related to foreign cultures and majestic projects. As Jari is an excellent guitarist and a very talented and ambitious composer, he writes songs which are very difficult to play for other musicians. Recording and producing the whole albums is very easy for him and he can do everything on his own, but he cannot play his music alone at the concerts. He found very gifted musicians to help him create a band. It must have been difficult to find the right people who would understand his way of making music, share his true vision and be able to play his complex songs during the concerts. The first person who joined Jari was the drummer, Kai Hahto and later Jari found a bassist, Jukka Koskinen and a young guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari. Early this year, Asim Searah, another guitarist joined the band as Jari decided to concentrate entirely on singing during the concerts. Let's take a look at the natal charts of the Wintersun's members and see who are the people ready to play Jari's songs. 

Kai Hahto, 31.12.1973, Vaasa, Finland   data rating X (time unknown)

photo by Jari Mäenpää    www.facebook.com/jariwintersun

Kai Hahto has got the Sun and Mercury in Capricorn opposing Saturn in Cancer and squaring Pluto in Libra, revealing that Kai is a hard working person who treats his job very seriously. He probably is a perfectionist who is extremely determined to achieve his goals. He is also very professional and ambitious. Usually Capricorns are very patient and they can wait for success. Struggling with obstacles and endless waiting for something big is normal for them. They know that the right time will come and will reward them for all the effort they put in their job. In the meantime they work hard for their future success. Kai played drums on the debut album of Wintersun and on Time I and he could understand Jari's vision of making music very well. It was not easy as Jari's songs are very complex and yet he succeeded. He must be extremely talented as he has a Venus/Jupiter conjunction. This aspect in the natal charts indicates a huge artistic talent and also gives the opportunity to earn money on your skills. It's worth mentioning that Kai toured with other bands, e.g. Nightwish during the time when Jari Mäenpää was struggling with producing the next album (which took years). The conjunction between Jari's Sun and Kai's Sun and Mercury is very good for both of them, as they understand each other perfectly and have the same approach towards work. Kai's Jupiter and Venus in Aquarius oppose Jari's Mars in Leo which is also a very good combination. Thanks to Kai's great talent and skills, Jari can develop his ambitious ideas. Unfortunately, Kai is not touring with the band right now as he is recovering from an injury. Wintersun found another drummers who replace Kai during this tour.
 

Teemu Mäntysaari, 7.01.1987, Tampere, Finland    data rating X (time unknown)

 http://venia-mag.net/galerija/thumbnails.php?album=522

Teemu Mäntysaari has also the Sun and Mercury in Capricorn, just like Kai. He must be very patient, responsible, hard working and ambitious, too. Neptune conjunctions with Mercury and the Sun show that Teemu has a huge artistic talent and inspiration. The individuals with strong influence of Neptune in their birth charts are able to create extraordinary art works thanks to their ability to transform their visions to reality. They are also very intuitive and feel the energy of other people, even if they don't want to. Neptune, the planet of illusions, dreams, mysteries and artistic inspiration, dissolves all kinds of boundaries, including these between people. It's not surprising that Teemu is able to feel Jari's visions and ideas so easily and helps him make them real. We can find strong influence of Neptune in the natal charts of actors, models, photographers or films directors as these people can create a perfect illusion of something which is very ordinary. Most of them have a magical charm, even if they look quite normal. Their appearance is amazing on photos, in films or when they are on stage. Teemu looks like a normal guy, but when he is on stage, he seems to be a different person. During the concerts he looks very magical with his long, flowing hair. Teemu has also a Youtube channel where he shares his films from the current tour of Wintersun. Thanks to these short films the fans of Wintersun can see how the touring looks like. In this case Neptune dissolves the barriers between the members of the band and the fans. Actually Teemu is very active on social media which helps promoting the band. He is 10 years younger than Jari Mäenpää so he understands the world of social media much better. Jari openly dislikes some social media and doesn't understand some ideas, e.g. using hashtags. Teemu, instead, is a true master of hashtaging. It's worth mentioning that Teemu also composes his own songs and gives guitar lessons via Skype. According to his students, he is a great teacher who not only shows the technique of playing that instrument but also inspires and motivates them. Teemu's Mercury in Capricorn conjuncts Neptune so he must be a very patient teacher who is able to explain all the boring details in a fascinating way. On Teemu's films from the tour we can see that he cares a lot about his physical condition by doing a lot of exercises. It's very interesting as he has the Moon in Aries. Moon in the natal chart shows how we rest and what makes us feel comfortable, so no wonder that Teemu does exercises a few times a day even while touring with the band. Teemu has Mars in Pisces so he is a very nice and charming person. Usually the individuals with "weak" Mars (placed in Cancer, Libra, Taurus and Pisces) are very calm and kind. They hate fighting for anything so they not always get what they want immediately. They might have an impression that they are ignored by others, so they must invent another strategy of achieving their goals. In most cases, their perfect strategy is being nice. They are so adorable that everybody likes them and is ready to support them. The individuals with Mars in Pisces tend to drive their energy inwards, so they are not as expressive as others. Quite often they have a great imagination and they are daydreamers. When I saw Teemu performing live during the show in Warsaw, I noticed the strong manifestation of his Mars in Pisces. Pisces is the sign of artistic inspiration, spirituality, dreams and visions. While playing the guitar, Teemu seemed to be somewhere else. It looked as if he left his body on stage and sailed away to a fantasy world. He was very focused and hidden behind his long hair and probably was contemplating the music. 

Jukka Koskinen, 16.07.1981, Riihimaki, Finland    data rating X (time unknown)

https://www.facebook.com/krogography

Jukka, the bassist, has got the Sun and Mercury in Cancer, but Moon in Capricorn which is why he understands all the Capricorns in the band very well. Although he differs from them, he can still follow their idea of being hard working and obsessive perfectionists. The Sun squares Pluto so it seems that Jukka is also very ambitious and determined to achieve his goals. The individuals with Moon in Capricorn are very sensitive but they don't show their emotions because of fear of rejection. They seem to be very serious, cold, shy and introverted, but this is just a kind of mask that they are wearing in order to protect themselves from being hurt. Although Jukka seems to be serious and introverted, the Sun in the emotional sign of Cancer makes him a very nice and warm person. He has Mars in Gemini so he is quite communicative as for a Cancer with Moon in Capricorn. During the crowdfunding campaign, Jukka supported the band and gave online interviews and chat with fans, patiently answering all the questions. His singing talent was discovered during the recordings of The Forest Seasons, Wintersun's latest album. It turned out that Jukka can sing low growls perfectly, so Jari used this ability to record the backing vocals. Jukka must be a very patient man who understands Jari's true vision of making music as he repeated his parts of low growls several times, even if it was perfect. Jukka has Venus in Leo which trines Jari's Venus, Neptune and Mercury, so making Jari's true vision real comes naturally to him. Jukka also sings backing vocals during the concerts. He is very calm on stage and seems to be lost in another dimension. The individuals born under the sign of Cancer often are introverts, but it doesn't mean that they don't care.

Asim Searah, 26.10.1989, Lahore, Pakistan    data rating X (time unknown)

photo by Jari Mäenpää   www.facebook.com/jariwintersun

Asim, the new guitarist, has got the Sun in Scorpio, but Mars and Mercury in Libra. As his birth time is unknown, it is impossible to say whether he has Moon in Virgo or in Libra. Nevertheless, it is obvious that he is totally different from the rest of the Wintersun members and he brings fresh energy to the band. According to the fans who met him, he is a very nice and charming person which is typical for an individual with personal planets in Libra. Asim seems to be very interested in fashion and takes care of his look. The strong influence of the sign of Libra gives him artistic talents and the Sun in Scorpio provides him with the deep psychological insight and some kind of mysterious darkness which is probably the reason why he became a heavy metal musician. It's worth mentioning that Asim has also his own band. He has Saturn, Neptune and Uranus in Capricorn so this gives him some energy of this sign as well. The stellium of these planets is a generational aspect as all the individuals who were born between 1989 and 1990 have these 3 planets in Capricorn. Because of that it doesn't influence the character of each person that much. Nevertheless, it's important when we compare Asim's natal chart to the ones of the other Wintersun members. Asim's Uranus, Saturn and Neptune conjunct Jari's Sun, Teemu's Sun and Mercury, Kai's Sun and Mercury and probably Jukka's Moon (Jukka's birth time is unknown so we don't know the exact position of his Moon in Capricorn). On one hand, Asim is blocking the creativity of the other members of the band (Saturn), but on the other, he inspires them in some way (Neptune) and may show them new possibilities of performing live (Uranus). He is much younger than most of the band members which is why he has a different approach towards promoting music and to life in general (he hasn't experienced the first Saturn return yet which occurs at the age of 29 - 30). His Venus in Sagittarius conjuncts Jari's Venus, Mercury and Neptune so he can perfectly understand Jari's visions of making music and despite he is a bit different, he fits to Wintersun perfectly. It's worth mentioning that Asim was a fan of Wintersun and met the band members in a music shop in Helsinki. He became their friend and later joined Wintersun. Asim's Jupiter is at 10 degree of Cancer, so it opposes all the planets in Capricorn of the other members of the band. It explains the fact that he was chosen as a new guitarist. 

Jari Mäenpää, 23.12.1977, 06:00 a.m., Helsinki, Finland    data rating A (from memory)

photo by Sławek Skuta www.facebook.com/SkutaPhotography

Let's have a quick look at the natal chart of the founder of Wintersun, Jari Mäenpää , as there are still some important details worth mentioning. He has Mars in Leo which makes him a perfect entertainer. During the concerts Jari is very energetic and extremely expressive. He has also a fantastic contact with the fans and he encourages everyone to have fun and participate in the show. All the individuals with Mars in Leo need the admiration and recognition of others. They are born to perform for large audience and entertain other people. Obviously not everyone with Mars in Leo is an artist, but Jari is the lucky one so in his case the energy of Mars in Leo can be used in a perfect way. Watching Jari performing live on stage is a fantastic experience. He seems to have as much fun as the Wintersun fans. Right after the show in Warsaw he thanked all the fans for coming for the concert and he seemed to be very grateful. I love going to the concerts and I have seen many, but for the first time in my life I witnessed the situation when an artist was so happy during the show. I'm not sure who had more fun during the concert, the fans of Wintersun or the band itself (especially Jari). The love of the fans is the greatest reward for all the struggling that Jari had to go through during last years. Nevertheless, Jari's chart clearly shows that he is not always so open to people as he is on stage. He has a Moon/Saturn square which is why he is an introvert and can even be very shy. Moon in astrology describes our feelings, family, childhood and home. Saturn is the planet of limitations, strictness, time, obstacles and wisdom. The energy of Moon and Saturn is very different so when these planets create an aspect in the natal chart, it always brings emotional issues (although it depends on the nature of aspect, as trine and sextile are harmonious ones so they don't bring suffering). Jari loves his fans but he needs to be left alone from time to time. He is not always sociable and sometimes he is sick of people and wants to be left alone. The Moon/Saturn square is a bit similar to Moon in Capricorn, so Jari probably hides his emotions because of fear of being hurt. He also protects his privacy. Nothing is known about his private life and it should stay a secret. You should never talk about private things nor emotions with a person with the Moon/Saturn aspects. It will make her/him angry and frustrated. Most of the individuals with these aspects feel lonely and rejected. It's quite difficult for them to create a good relationship until they are 30 years old and it makes them feel miserable. They are desperately searching for answers as they want to know why they are so lonely and sad when other people around them are happy and can create good relationships. This research quite often awakes an interested in psychology and sometimes even in the esoteric knowledge. Most of the individuals with these aspects become very good psychologists. The Moon/Saturn square brought Jari a lot of suffering but it also became an artistic inspiration, adding Saturnian darkness, loneliness and frustration to his music and lyrics.

It's worth mentioning that Saturn will be transiting the sign of Capricorn from December 20, 2017 to March 22, 2020 and from July 2, 2020 to December 17, 2020. The individuals born under the sign of Capricorn but also Aries, Libra and Cancer may experience some obstacles and annoying delays in realising their goals. They will have to work harder than usually and will have to take extra responsibilities. They should also take an extra care about their health and mental condition. The transit of Saturn through Capricorn is also very important for all the individuals who have Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars or the angles in the cardinal signs (Capricorn, Cancer, Libra, Aries). They may face some problems and limitations, too. The positive side of Saturn transits is building solid structures for the future projects. Saturn rewards all the hard working and responsible people, so they may expect a recognition for what they have done in the past. Let's hope that Saturn will allow Wintersun to build a stable position at the music market.

photo by S. Skuta www.facebook.com/SkutaPhotography

I truly recommend seeing Wintersun live as this is an unforgettable experience. I've never seen a band who would be playing such a complex music on very high level, treat the concert very seriously and had so much fun during the show at the same time. Wintersun seem to be very devoted to their fans. Unfortunately, I have seen some artists who were quite arrogant during their concerts, that's why the positive attitude of Wintersun blew my mind completely. Their concert was full of energy, great music and fun. 

Special thanks to Anna Solun from Wintersun UK, Wintersun España, Wintersun Fans, Wintersun Madness i Wintersun South Africa for providing a very detailed information about Wintersun and co-writing this article with me.