Celebrity Natal Chart: Carlos Santana

Famed rock guitarist Carlos Santana has come roaring back onto the music scene with an album of collaborations with young, modern stars. What is it about this man that makes his music, and his success, timeless? He was born on July 21 1947, at Autlan de Navarro, Mexico at 9.15pm. This puts his Sun at 27 degrees of Cancer with Mercury and Venus n attendance close by. This is the planetary line up at Santana’s time, date and place of birth: Sun: Cancer at 27°34'27" Moon: Virgo at 9°43'59" Mercury: Cancer at 17°55' R Venus: Cancer at 15°26' Mars: Gemini at 14°01' Jupiter: Scorpio at 17°44' Saturn: Leo at 10°30' Uranus: Gemini at 24°04' Neptune: Libra at 8°18' Pluto: Leo at 2°34' North Node: Gemini at 0°47' R South Node: Sagittarius at 0°47' R As you can see, there is a beautiful trine between Mercury and Venus in Cancer, and Jupiter in Scorpio at 15-17 degrees. Hardly surprising then, that he can reach millions through his beautiful music, and move them emotionally. But what is also interesting is that Venus and Mercury are in the Fifth House of his chart, and this is the house that connects him with youth – With his Sun and Saturn here also, Santana was born to be an icon to young people, a wise older teacher who is as young at heart as they are. The dramatic presence of Pluto here gives intense power to Santana’s ability to connect with the public, and the South Node indicates a path already taken –he is going to galvanize the music scene and draw youth to him like the Pied Piper. Santana’s ascendant, or rising sign, is in Pisces, and Neptune (the ruler of Pisces) is in the 7th house – what you see is what you get when he walks on stage and starts to play. He IS his work, as lost in it as he appears. The Moon in Virgo is also in the Sixth house, so he is a craftsman as well as a poet with the guitar, he is a craftsman. He may have learned to play by memorizing the chords (the Moon is connected to memory) but he would never have been satisfied with merely playing for a living. He had to put his soul into it. You will notice the presence of Saturn here – Saturn can point to a mature male influence, most likely the father, and in Leo it is the father’s traditions that are significant. Indeed, Santana’s father Jose was a significant factor in his son’s musical career. Jose played mariachi violin, and as it says in Santana’s website biography, ``he was inspired by the early training he received from his father in traditional musical form and theory”. Other experienced musicians also inspired him, such as BB King and John Lee Hooker. Transits can also prove interesting – in 1969, Neptune, the ruler of Santana’s Ascendant, trined his natal Sun and he appeared at Woodstock, to a tumultuous reception. Transiting Neptune trined his natal North Node (the point of connection in a chart, which brings us into contact with the people that affect our destiny). At this time Santana started the Milagro Foundation, to help underprivileged children. In 2002, Jupiter transited Santana’s natal Sun – a very auspicious aspect. Jupiter is already well placed in his natal chart, and two months before the Jupiter/Sun conjunction, Jupiter contacted Mercury and Venus in the Natal chart, trining itself in Scorpio. rnAt the same time, transiting Pluto and the South Node met at Santana’s MidHeaven, traditionally the major point in the chart for career and public life. He was one of the stars at the Nobel Peace Prize concert in Oslo, Norway on December 11, 2002. rnGail Kavanagh 2008rn