David Crosby Birth Chart Interpretation

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Well known for his song writing and singing skills, David Crosby's talent, adventurous nature, trouble with the law and addictions are all revealed through his birth chart.

His lagna is Pisces, ruled by Jupiter, and containing the fiery planets Mars and Ketu. Jupiter as lagna lord shows an expansive, adventurous nature. Pisces is a common sign to support the creativity that is required for artists and musicians, but often doesn't provide the stability needed to lead a measured and orderly life. The positive nature of Jupiter expressed through the watery sign of Pisces has lead Crosby to have success in collaborative musical efforts.

However, the presence of Mars and Ketu in the lagna introduces elements of self- determination and compulsiveness that have often interfered with the peace and ease of collaboration with other musicians. Many of his projects with others are described to be filled with disagreement and strife, and we can assume from the Mars-Ketu combination in the lagna that Crosby may be self-centered, aggressive and argumentative in his approach to life and work.

The lagna and Mars both fall in the nakshatra Revati, the final nakshatra (27) in the zodiac. Revati is ruled by Mercury and expresses the mobility and changeability required of this last portion of the zodiac where we see the transition, finality and the preparation for new beginnings. Revati bestows creative intelligence and talent with music, art and drama, as well as material prosperity and success, gifts which we see manifested in the life of David Crosby. Revati can also yield natives that are stubborn with quick tempers, which could explain the string of contention that Crosby has created through his career with his musical collaborations and relationships.

Mars for Meena Lagna (Pisces Ascendant) is a yogakaraka, a powerful planet, ruling the 2nd house of means and personal resources as well as the 9th house of fortune. Located in the lagna with Ketu, the south node of the Moon, whose intense, focused energy amplifies the already powerful Mars, we see Mars as being a source of drive, ambition and self-expression for David Crosby. As the ruler of the 2nd and 9th houses, it has bestowed upon Crosby the ability to support himself well through his self-expression. Mars is also the only planet in Crosby's chart that is vargottama, placed in Pisces in both the rashi (birth chart) and navamsa (9th harmonic chart. ) In the navamsa, Mars is conjunct Sun in Pisces in the 3rd house. This further confirms his status as a willful, self-directed individual who is navigating the visionary expanse of creative expression.

The third house is the next notable location in Crosby's birth chart. The house of will, vitality and interaction with peers is quite strong. We see three planets in Venus' earth sign, Taurus, occupying the 3rd house: Moon, Jupiter and Saturn. This creates quite an interesting configuration.

The Moon itself offers several different elements. It is a strong planet for Pisces lagna as ruler of the 5th house of creative expression, entertainment and fortune. It is also just three degrees away from its degree of exaltation. It is in an angle with Jupiter, creating gajakesari yoga. On the other hand, the Moon is waning in its final quarter, it is at 0o degrees, a condition called sandhi, it is conjunct with Saturn which can cause obstruction to the Moon and the Moon's lord, Venus, is located in the 6th house of health/disease and friendship/enmity. The Moon therefore has both strengths and weakness and will yield mixed results.

Gajakesari yoga, in this case a Moon-Jupiter combination, slightly spoiled by the Moon's sandhi and decreased by Saturn's presence, occurring in Taurus in the 3rd house could cause a tendency for overindulgence and difficulty in exercising restraint. There could be a weakness for food, drink and drugs which would cause stress on the digestive system and liver.

This Moon-Saturn-Jupiter combination is also aspected by Rahu from Virgo in the 7th house. Rahu opens a channel for addiction and attraction to intoxicating substances, often urging us to do or take what we know isn't supportive of our health and well-being. It offers a illusory experience of divine union that fizzles quickly when the food, substance or energy that we are using to find our "high" dissipates. We then are drawn by desire to re-create these illusory feelings, which creates patterns of addiction in which it is hard to exercise personal power.

Crosby has battled both obesity and drug addiction through his life and this has affected his health. He received a liver transplant in 1995 (paid for by fellow musician Phil Collins), during his Jupiter/Rahu dasha/bhukti period. Rahu bhukti is the final sector of the Jupiter mahadasha.

Throughout the Jupiter period, Crosby expanded his career, working with various other artists in multiple projects, doing some acting projects and continuing to write, perform and tour.

The mixed results that the Moon and Jupiter provide to Crosby manifested clearly during the Jupiter mahadasha. While commercially successful as a musician, Crosby also had legal and law-enforcement issues that caused him to spend nine months in prison during Jupiter/Jupiter in 1982 for possession of various drugs and weapons. Similar events occurred in 1985 during Jupiter/Mercury when Crosby was arrested for hit-and-run drunk driving, possession of a concealed weapon and possession of cocaine.

The Moon dasha occurred for Crosby during his formative years between ages 4 -14. The Moon's sign, Cancer, is occupied by the Sun and Mercury in Crosby's 5th house. His father was a cinematographer and his mother a descendant of a prominent Dutch family. His education wasn't stable, attending several schools and completing his high school degree by correspondence. Crosby's parents remained together through his Moon dasha, divorcing later during his Mars dasha in 1960.

The Moon-Saturn conjunction occurs within four degrees in the lunar mansion Krittika. Moon in Krittika shows a special attachment to the mother as well as gifts in the fine arts. Krittika is a demon (rakshasa) nakshatra that can also yield a native with a combative nature. The translation of Krittika as "The Cutter" is manifested literally in Crosby's need to carry weapons like knives and guns. Krittika creates a strong tendency toward pursuit of desire, so the Moon/Saturn conjunction here in the 3rd house of desire, aspected by Rahu, also a force of craving and desire yields a very intense urge to pursue and fulfill desire and craving.

Saturn, as ruler of 11th and 12th houses for Pisces ascendant, is a weak planet for Crosby, thereforeyielding little in the way of self-restraint and discipline. Saturn ruling the house of gain and the house of loss will further support the mixed results that the Moon yields. While Crosby enjoys success in career, fame and good earnings, this is balanced by irresponsible use of personal power and health issues caused by overindulgence.

Mercury is the ruler of the angular houses 4 and 7, showing a variability in personal happiness, contentment, early education and home life (4th house matters) as well as a need for variety and change in his partnerships, both personal and professional (7th house matters.) Mercury is located in the 5th house in Cancer, the Moon's sign. As previously stated, the Moon gives Crosby mixed results, and so will the Moon's house, especially occupied by Mercury, a fickle and changeable planet. Mercury in the 5th house gives Crosby appeal as a writer and entertainer, with the sensitivity of the Moon allowing him to tap into a visionary style of creativity through music that has wide appeal.

Mercury is joined by the Sun in the 5th house, showing a person comfortable as a leader and performing on stage as a central figure. The Sun-Mercury conjunction occurs in Aslesha nakshatra, another rakshasa (demon) nakshatra. Sun in Ashlesa can give an erratic career, intuitive abilities and a stubborn nature.

The Sun is in a strong position in the 5th house but for Pisces lagna is weakened by rulership of the 6th house. With the 6th house influence, we see themes of friendship and enmity woven through Crosby's entertainment career. Many strong friendships yielded successful and entertaining collaborations but strife often entered into the scene causing fall-outs with colleagues, many of which wove in and out of Crosby's career and life. Additionally, the variable lunar influence on the Sun ultimately led to the health issues that the 6th house can bring.

Crosby has fathered at least four children, two who were given up for adoption but who he has reunited with and two via artificial insemination to Melissa Etheridge's partner, Julie Cypher. This unorthodox approach to fatherhood is likely due to the Mercury/Sun combination in the 5th house in Cancer.

Venus, lord of the 3rd house is located in Leo in the 6th house, showing the potential for health issues spawned from the overindulgence indicated in the 3rd house. Venus is a difficult planet for Pisces rising, ruling the 3rd and 8th houses. Because of the Moon's mixed results given from Venus' Taurus, Venus also gives some mixed results. Venus in Leo bestows amazing vocal, creative and performance abilities. Venus as ruler of the 3rd house of writing and communication has given Crosby immense talent in singing and songwriting. Venus as ruler of relationship is also located in the house of friendship and enmity, causing ups and downs in relationships and partnerships for Crosby.

Rahu is located in the 7th house of relationship and partnerships, showing the fame that has come through Crosby's collaborations and also his relationships with other famous people. The 7th house is compromised by this Rahu occupation, as well as receiving an aspect from Mars in the 1st house. This could make it difficult to have peaceful, long-lasting relationships. Crosby has had a number of long-term partnerships and romantic relationships with various people.

It can be noted here that all of Crosby's planetary placements occur between Ketu and Rahu, creating a condition called Kala Sarpa Yoga that is known to yield a state of divine discontent for a native, making it difficult to find satisfaction in life. This could cause an aggravated striving for happiness and pleasure that is never fulfilled. Also, all planets fall between houses 1-7, indicating an abundance of activity below the horizon which can show introversion and a connection with the subconscious. This is a man who is able to connect to the subconscious, put it into words and sing to us about it onstage. He makes a work of art out of a tortured soul, transforming his demons into angels that inspire others through his words and harmonies.