Astrology of Religion, Atheism, and Belief | 7. Arthur Schopenhauer

Introduction

The ingredients and recipes for this type of analysis can be found in the first article of the series. The basics were reviewed with additional comments in the article on Madalyn Murray O’Hair.

Arthur Schopenhauer

Schopenhauer’s beliefs were quite complex. Belief played a major role in his life.  While he was an atheist, he was also heavily influenced by Eastern religious thought. You can check out his biography on Wikipedia by clicking here.  His natal chart is below, and has been given a Rodden Rating of AA.

Schopenhauer’s Chart Analyzed in Brief

Jupiter:

Very weak

Jupiter is retreating and cadent, so it is very weak.

Mixed, somewhat benefic

Jupiter is naturally benefic. Here it is in sect and overcome by Venus by sextile, so Jupiter has positive significations. However, Jupiter is in a bad place (the 12th) and is dominated by Saturn (right-side square) so there are negative significations with Jupiter as well.

Notes on Jupiter

Jupiter is the weakest planet in the chart. There is not a pervasive influence of spiritual expansion and positivity in Schopenhauer’s life.  However, there is some identification with Jupiter as it is the exalted ruler of the Ascendant. Jupiter overall signifies fortunate matters in the life, but it is not a prominent influence and has many negative associations. Additionally, Jupiter is dominated by the planet of doubt. 

9th Place:

Very strong and Saturnine, Solar, Mercurial, and Jupiterian

The 9th, Pisces, is ruled by Jupiter.  However, planets in the place will have a more direct effect on the place’s dealings. The presence of a Light, the Sun, in the 9th (the Joy of the Sun) is enough to make the 9th very strong. One signification of the Sun in the 9th can be in terms of honors and achievement related to matters of belief (religion, philosophy, science).  Saturn and Mercury are also in the 9th, characterizing it as a place of much doubt, skepticism, and intellectualism.  Jupiter rules the 9th, so there is a sense of religion and spirituality influencing the 9th in more of an overall sense. Therefore, the 9th is very prominent and very complex.

Benefic

While Saturn is in the 9th, it’s in sect, in a good place.  Having the sect light (the Sun) in the 9th, Jupiter ruling the 9th, and both Jupiter and the Moon in stakes of the 9th, makes this place a place of very positive significations in this life.

Notes on the 9th Place

The 9th is a very complex and prominent place in this life. Overall it signifies very fortunate circumstances that arise in the life. Doubt (Saturn), Achievement/heroism (Sun), and Intellectualism (Mercury) very directly impact matters of belief in Schpenhauer’s life, but there is an overall influence of religion and spirituality (Jupiter) upon these matters.

Saturn:

Strong 

Saturn is very strong, despite being combust and in a cadent place. It is strong because it is not only Strongly Advancing but actually conjunct the MC within 2 degrees.

Somewhat benefic

Saturn is naturally a mafefic so will indeed have some negative significations, but Saturn is in sect and in a good place, the 9th. Therefore, Saturn signified some fortunate matters in Schopenhauer’s life.

Notes on Saturn

Saturn is a very prominent and pervasive influence in Schopenhauer’s life. It is particularly strong in relation to belief.  Saturn is made somewhat benefic, so is not necessarily inclined to connect a lot of destructiveness and fear with matters of belief. However, Saturn will add considerable skepticism and critical thinking (more common among scientific seekers of truth than religious seekers).  The strength of the 9th and its beneficence shows considerable comfort with matters of belief and attainment of wisdom.

Mercury:

Strong

Mercury is strongly advancing, so while combust and in a cadent place, it still is strong overall.

Mixed, somewhat malefic

Mercury is somewhat malefic due to being out of sect and assembled with Saturn, but Mercury is in a good place and is naturally neutral, so Mercury’s capacity to signify unfortunate matters is limited.

Notes on Mercury

Interestingly there is not a strong identification with Mercury, the planet of intellectualism, though Mercury does have a strong influence upon affairs in the life.  There may even be some degree of negative association with intellectualism due to Mercury’s capacity to signify unpleasant or unfortunate states of affairs.

Conclusion

Schopenhauer is considered to have been an atheist. He was critical of religion and objected to the notion that a god or gods created this world.  However, he was not an outspoken atheist in the sense of actively speaking out against religion and all things supernatural.  Rather, Schopenhauer was strongly influenced by the Upanishads and Buddhism, and strongly advocated compassion. The Full Moon in its Joy in the 3rd, also reflects a component of the belief connected with powerful vivid subjective experience.

As typical of those who are skeptically inclined and averse to uncritical and/or jubilant spirituality, he had a very strong Saturn and a Jupiter that was not prominent (actually, quite weak).  Additionally, his 9th place  and Jupiter were both under the strong influence of Saturn.  Mercury was also quite strong.  However, what made Schopenhauer so complicated on these grounds is that the prominence of the 9th place with all of its pessimism, intellectualism, and achievement, appeared to nevertheless evoke a spiritual purpose and sense of goodness. This is shown in part through Jupiter’s rulership of the 9th house. Additionally, Schopenhauer probably identified more with this Jupiter truth-seeking than with doubt or intellectualism.