Leader and Teacher

Nelson Mandela has passed away today. He left us a legacy of wisdom, beyond any words.

The voice of Sagittarius manifests as optimism. Nelson Mandela had both Sagittarius Ascendant and North Node.

http://www.astro.com/astro-databank/Mandela,_Nelson

 “I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one’s head pointed toward the sun, one’s feet moving forward. There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair. That way lays defeat and death.”  ― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom: Autobiography of Nelson Mandela

I want to spend a little time and attention on Jupiter just now. In astrology, Jupiter is the ruler of Sagittarius. He’s the guru and teacher – a benefactor. He helps us to make use of knowledge (his complement on the zodiacal dial is Gemini, knowledge).  Jupiter is wisdom, and is pretty relevant right now. We’ve got the Sun and Mercury transiting in the sign of Sagittarius (per the tropical zodiac).

The word “guru” means to remove ignorance, or darkness. Guru is a benefactor by helping to support that which leads to the enlightenment of the student. A teacher arrives when the student is ready, they say. I say *also* that the teacher lives in you, and assumes external manifestations as the student realizes itself as the teacher. This is important, for the student to see the teacher outside of himself first – this part of the process is not to be skipped, for this is how we realize our ideal.

Sagittarius has a special understanding for nature…

Nelson Mandela on the nature of leadership:

 “When you want to get the cattle to move in a certain direction, you stand at the back with a stick and then you get a few of the cleverer cattle to go to the front and move in the direction that you want them to go. The rest of the cattle follow the few more energetic cattle in the front, but you are really guiding them from the back. Nelson Mandela then added: That is how a leader should do his work.”

“We have laid the foundation for a better life. Things that were unimaginable a few years ago have become everyday reality. I belong to the generation of leaders for whom the achievement of democracy was the defining challenge.” — Speech to Parliament in Cape Town, March 26, 1999

With his sun in the sign of Cancer, he acted as guru to the whole consciousness of the human family, centering his energy strongly at home working for freedom from apartheid in South Africa. Nelson Mandela helped guide people through truth and reconciliation (healing) out of the ignorance and darkness of apartheid.

“During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.” — Statement at the opening of his defense in the Rivonia treason trial, April 20, 1964.

His chart’s ruling planet Jupiter (Guru) is currently transiting his solar home sign in Cancer – just as a hero/leader/guru returns home beyond the veil of the material plane. May he be eternally in peace.

Photo credits are from http://www.voicesfromhaiti.com/2013/07/nelson-mandelas-gift-written-by-irmina-ulysse/. Please see the link in honor of his birthday. A day when humanity was given a tremendous gift through his life and his deep and enduring wisdom.