Article by Joni Patry

Rupert Murdoch the multi-media mongrel has the most massive media empire in the world, including TV, on line film, print and internet publications and movies. He is said to be the 13^th most powerful and influential persons in the world and the 117^th wealthiest with a net worth of 7.6 billion recently. But he is now accused of serious scandals for his illegal means to acquire his breaking news stories which involves phone hackings and pay offs. He will stop at nothing to get the most recent news scoops for he has hacked into the phones of royalty, movie stars, and even victims of terrorist activities such as 9/11 victims.

The most appalling and obvious crime is the control, manipulation and one sided opinions that control his media networks. They only report their opinions and the actual truth is hidden from the public. This censored information could be called mass media propaganda. But now the public wants the truth and Murdoch and his organizations are under investigation. He is liable to have one of his greatest losses. Aside from great financial loss and ruin he is faced with disgrace and humiliation.

Natal Chart Analysis

Power, money and control are one of the main features of Rupert Murdoch’s chart. A common thread in a chart of a billionaire is when the ruler of the 11^th house of great gains is in the 2^nd house of money earned. He has Venus ruler of the 11^th house (great gains) in the 2^nd house (money).

His natal Mars in the 8^th house aspects Venus in the 2^nd house by opposition, sending a dose of the power and control elements of the 8^th house to his 2^nd house of money, for the effect of the 8^th house is all about manipulation, control, power and big money, but with this 8^th house energy sometimes comes a life of scandals and disgrace. Mars is debilitated in the sign of Cancer adding to the cut throat tactics he used to get his way and information.

The planet that rules news, media and publications is Mercury and it resides in the 3^rd house which is also the house of all forms of communications such as writing, publications and therefore news and media. His Mercury is powerfully placed in the 3^rd house with the Sun in Aquarius. Saturn rules the 3^rd house of publications (Aquarius) and the 2^nd house (Capricorn) of money. With Saturn in his first house this brings the promise of the communications business (3^rd house) and money (2^nd house) to him, for the 1^st house represents the individual. The ruler of the 2^nd house in the 1^st house is another indicator of wealth and money in a chart.

But with closer inspection of the Sun and Mercury in the 3^rd house these two planets become the power house that made his world. This combination constitutes a powerful Raja yoga. Raja yoga denotes opportunities for great power in this world. Raja actually means royalty or a king, and yoga means union. The house where the raja yoga resides indicates the area of life where these opportunities for great power come through. A raja yoga is when two planets mutually aspect each other (conjunction or opposition,) and they connect a trinal house (1, 5 and 9) with an angular house (1, 4, 7, and 10). The trinal house offers opportunities and the angular house gives power, so the combinations of these two houses give opportunities for power thus producing what we call Raja yoga. Here Mercury rules houses 7 and 10 (both angles) and the Sun rules the 9^th house (trinal house). This powerful raja yoga lands in the 3^rd house of communications, so no wonder his gift is in the field of communications where he made all his billions.

There is more to note about this Mercury/Sun conjunction in his chart, for the Sun as ruler of the 9^th house (Leo) concerns publications, and the Sun fully aspects the 9^th house of father and publications by opposition. When a planet fully aspects a house that it rules (Sun aspects the 9^th house which is ruled by Leo, and the Sun rules Leo) it will positively empower that house and the indications the house rules. The 9^th house rules publications and the father. He got his start from his father, from whom he inherited the local Australian newspaper. Furthermore, the Sun is the karaka for the father as well.

So you can see how this dynamic combination of the Sun and Mercury in his 3^rd house of media activates his powerful dynasty in the communications field, but also these two planets receive the full aspects of three powerful planets in his chart. Notice Saturn, Jupiter and Mars all aspect both the Sun and Mercury in this powerful 3^rd house.

As Saturn aspects the 3^rd house it empowers this house for Saturn rules (Aquarius) this house, thus adding even more strength for the communications and media powers.

Jupiter’s positive aspect provides growth, opportunities and expansion. Jupiter is actually in the sign of communications Gemini intensifying the communication gifts and skills.

Mars can add power and intensity but will add to his problems for his Mars is not placed well in the 8^th house in the weak sign of Cancer. His Mars is the reason he is confronted with contentious allegations concerning his manipulation with power and control worldwide using his gifts of communications. His chart indicates great gifts to empower, inform and educate the people of the world, but because of the abuse of this power he is faced with a great fall from grace. The 8^th house rules power, control and big money, but one of the main features and spiritual gifts of this house comes through the surrender of these powers. The most powerful lesson of the 8^th house, known as the house of death, is the death of the ego which usually delivers its message through humiliation and disgrace. Both the 8^th and 12^th houses pertain to endings and death but the 8^th house requires surrender. One must surrender for the transformation and liberation of the soul.

Dashas and Transits

The most important transiting planets are the transits of the Maha dasha and the bhukti ruler. Also the natal placements of these two planets become the focal points to be assessed in prediction. Murdoch’s current dasha is Jupiter’s maha dasha and Mars bhukti. The bhukti ruling planet generally takes center stage as to the events experienced during its time frame in life.

He entered the Jupiter maha dasha June of 1998. Jupiter is a very powerful dasha for him for his Jupiter rules his lagna (ascendant) therefore, is the ruler of his chart. His Jupiter is in the 7^th house of marriage and he divorced his 2^nd wife and within 17 days married his 3^rd wife on June 25^th 1999. He was in the Jupiter maha dasha and the Jupiter bhukti from June 1998 through July of 2000, thus focusing the Jupiter energy in the 7^th house of marriage.

Most of the Jupiter dasha has been very productive and successful for most of the bhukti planets are in great relationship to maha dasha ruler Jupiter. But it is the Mars bhukti that began in February of this year 2011 that surfaced the dark secrets and manipulations. This cycle (Jupiter/Mars) will last till January 2012. Loss of power, humiliation and disgrace are the result of this time frame. The triggers that activate the natal dasha and bhukti rulers are the faster moving transiting planets. As the Sun conjoins his Mars (bhukti ruler) in the 8^th house he was on trial for the cell phone hackings on July 19^th. While in court the hearing was disrupted when someone threw shaving cream in his face calling him a “greedy billionaire”. Murdock said “This is the most humble day of my life.” The transits of the Sun can time an event to the exact day.

As Saturn transits the 10^th house of the career, social standing and reputation, Murdoch’s public image is destroyed as well as his career controlling the communications world empire. Transiting Saturn is in exact aspect to natal Jupiter the maha dasha ruler and ruler of his chart. This represents endings with business and trouble with partners, for Jupiter is in the 7^th house of partners. His business partners are sentenced for their part in these scandalous affairs. Murdoch’s British tabloid was shut down last week because of the phone hackings. Furthermore, Jupiter as the karaka for children involves his son James Murdoch who was in charge of the British publications. In this case Mars (bhukti ruler) rules the 5^th house of children. This surfaced the allegations of his son in charge of the British scandal.

Transiting Saturn will conjunct his natal Ketu in the 10^th house in September which will bring further demise and shut downs of his empire. His natal Ketu in Virgo is ruled by Mercury (communications) this further points to his rise and success within this field, but for now since transiting Saturn is conjunct his Ketu this indicates his fall in the communications business. Transiting Saturn creates obstacles, endings and gives one their just rewards. His natal Rahu is exactly conjunct Uranus in the 4^th house, so when transiting Saturn conjoins Ketu it will trigger both Rahu and Uranus. This will cause a sudden unexpected shocking change in events for Uranus always causes upsets and the unexpected. This occurs September 6th 2011.

By the end of August and into September transiting Mars will conjunct his maha dasha ruler Jupiter, and oppose his natal Saturn. At this time his partner’s both business and marriage will cause problems and reveal more evidence. But when Mars transits his 8^th house and makes a conjunction to his natal Mars September 16^th things will get worse, for this will cause separation in his family and son. Mars in the sign Cancer destroys the family and rules the 5^th house of children.

But the final blow will be when Saturn aspects his Mars in January while he is still in the Mars bhukti. As transiting Saturn aspects his natal Moon and Mars throughout 2012 he will have a disgraceful end of life and his family, partners and children separate from him as he suffers the end of the empire he relentlessly built. The indications around his children are devastating for Mars is debilitated (causing powerful problems) in the 8^th house of death and endings, plus as transiting Saturn aspects this Mars adding to the ruin and endings it will be casting an aspect to the 5^th house of children. His son can implicate his father’s guilt or take his own life. Hopefully there can be a healing of family matters instead of the dire consequences these planetary energies suggest. The choice is in their hands and surrender is the key.

The transits of Rahu and Ketu in May into Scorpio and Taurus shifted the attention to his 12^th and 6^th houses. The 12^th house is the house of loss and the 6^th house pertains to enemies and legal disputes. Transiting Rahu in the 12^th house of loss and endings also surfaces secrets from the past, for the 12^th house pertains to secrets, hidden enemies and the past. Rupert Murdoch is faced with the biggest decision of his life for his surrender to his past may be his last opportunity for spiritual liberation.

About Author : Joni has been a practicing astrologer and teacher for over 30 years, and founder of the “Galactic Center” in Dallas. She has been an online Vedic Instructor for the Online College, for the American College of Vedic Astrology’s Online program, is a faculty member for ACVA (American Council of Vedic Astrology), and served as the executive secretary for CVA (Council of Vedic Astrology), where she published and distributed the International CVA Journal. As a writer, she has published three books and many articles and research in Vedic astrology. Her book Eastern Astrology for Western Minds is a complete manual of Vedic astrology. Joni has organized international symposiums and is often a keynote speaker for national and international conferences. She has been on national television and radio programs as an authority on both Western and Vedic astrology. Her clientele includes the Who’s Who of America, including Hollywood celebrities. Her web site, www.galacticcenter.org, has a good deal of information for all students of astrology. She can be contacted at joni@galacticcenter.org