The Problems With Passion by Hank Friedman

Article by Hank Friedman, USA

Introductory Note: I wish to acknowledge my Jyotish guru Hart de Fouw as the source of my Vedic astrological education and awakening. Without him, neither this nor any other of my Jyotish articles could have been written.

It was in Hart de Fouw’s Advanced Course that we, his students, were introduced to a proforma (series of criteria) to evaluate whether a specific chart indicated problems with sexual passion (either excessive, or distorted, or inhibited).

In Vedic astrology, the examination of all of life’s themes and issues are allowed. There are yogas for mental illness, the length of one’s life, the size and nature of sex organs, and many more topics left untouched by the “politically correct” Tropical astrology as practiced in the West.

Sexual passion, therefore, can indeed be analyzed with Jyotishical principles, as Vedic astrology can elucidate why specific patterns of behavior occur in a person’s life. However, the Jyotishi must

be very careful how such issues are addressed during readings with clients, because much harm can be done in focusing on such topics, especially in cultures that are conservative or patriarchal.

Because of religious conditioning, a truly healthy attitude towards sex is seldom found, and those with higher-than-normal libidos are called names and ridiculed by many, including the media.

I therefore ask, in presenting these principles to you, that you please use them wisely, judiciously assessing when to apply them, and only doing so gently, and only if you can be completely without bias or judgment.

Here are the key points presented to us during Hart’s course:

Principle One: Exaggerated Strength or Weakness

In order for the sexuality to become problematic, at least one of the planets in the pertinent configuration must be in an exaggerated condition, I.e. excessively strong or weak. Exaggerated conditions include exalted, retrograde, debilitated, in a planetary war, combust, and the dark or bright Moon.

[Note: the Moon is considered dark when it is within 72 degrees of the Sun on either side, and is considered bright when it occupies the sign opposite to the Sun or the sign before or after the opposite sign.]

E.g. in the following charts: Bill Clinton’s Venus is debilitated, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Moon is bright and his Saturn is combust, and Hugh Hefner’s Jupiter is debilitated.

Principle Two: Venus or the Moon impacted by Mars or Saturn

If Saturn or Mars aspect or associate with the Moon or Venus, passion issues arise.

If one or more of the four planets (Moon, Venus, Mars, and Saturn) are in any of the other’s signs, this further augments the pattern.

(Note: if Saturn is the aspecting planet, repression or distortion of the sex drive may occur. Distortions include behaviors that have been called deviant by society.)

E.g. in Bill Clinton’s chart, Venus is with Mars and aspected by Saturn, and the Moon (in the sign of Mars) is aspected by Mars and by Saturn (who occupies the sign of the Moon).

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Moon is aspected by Mars (who is in the sign of Venus) and Venus is with Saturn (in the sign of the Moon).

Principle Three: Occupants in and Rulers of Houses One, Four, and Seven

A connection between planets occupying or ruling houses One, Four, and Seven, when at least one of them is influenced by a natural malefic, amplifies the libido.

[Note: In this context, natural malefics include Mars, Saturn, Rahu, and Ketu.]

Bill Clinton’s Venus in the 1^st House (with Mars, aspected by Saturn).

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Moon is in the 7^th house (aspected by Mars).

Hugh Hefner’s Jupiter is the ruler of both 4^th and 7^th houses, and is with Mars (in the sign of Saturn) and aspected by Saturn (in the sign of Mars).

Principle Four: Moon and Venus related, one or both in or lords of Trikasthanas.

When Venus and the Moon are related to each other (e.g. conjunct, opposite, in the other’s sign, etc.) and one or both occupy or rule houses 6, 8, or 12, sexual passion is magnified.

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Venus is in the Moon’s sign and Venus is the 12^th lord. Hugh Hefner’s Moon and Venus are conjunct in the 6^th house (in Saturn’s sign).

The following examples will illustrate these principles:

1. Bill Clinton

Ex-president Bill Clinton has one of the foremost configurations known in Vedic classical astrology to create excessive sexual passion: the placement of Mars and Venus in the same sign.

As you can see from the above chart, not only does Mr. Clinton have this association, but Venus has exaggerated condition (being in its sign of debilitation), and the configuration occurs in one of the three specified houses (the 1^st house). Venus is also aspected by Saturn (who occupies the sign of the Moon).

The aspects of both Saturn (in the Moon’s sign) and Mars upon the 8^th house Moon also reinforces this pattern.

The presence of this marked “passion combination” as it is usually called, indicates that Mr. Clinton was karmically fated to fall prey to an intensely over-active libido. Given the confluence of factors creating this pattern, dasa analysis might not be as relevant, but it is at least interesting to note that at the time of the Paula Jones affair, he was in his Saturn bhukti, and at the beginning of his relationship with Monica Lewinsky, his Venus bhukti was running, and both planets are major contributors to his passion combination.

However, instead of judging him, we should cultivate compassion for him. “There but for fortune go you or I” the song goes, and we should always remember to embody humility, and to know that we cannot and should not presume that we would do better given his, or any another person’s, chart.

2. Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger has been in the news a lot lately, due to his long-term affair with the housemaid, and his progeny therefrom.

In his chart, the Moon occupies the 7^th house and is bright (and therefore in exaggerated condition), and it receives the aspect of Mars. In addition, combust Saturn is with Venus. Note also that of the four planets, three are in the signs of Venus or the Moon.

Arnold has been known for his sexual exploits for decades, but this latest revelation, occurring during his marriage, has damaged his reputation greatly. Throughout his adulthood, however, there have been allegations of groping women and other over-the-top sexual activities, and he has even had legal actions taken against him.

Nevertheless, along with the passion combination are an incredibly large number of exquisite planetary yogas, including a Raja Yoga, a Chamara Yoga, a Bhadra Yoga, a Kalanidhi Yoga, and a Dhana Yoga; all of which reflect his profound political, financial, and professional successes.

It is said that Beethoven – who had Venus (in Capricorn) aspected by both retrograde Mars and retrograde Saturn (in Cancer) – would chase anything in a skirt, and that Mozart relished playing very cruel practical jokes on people. It is therefore naive to assume that a person who has great gifts is not also going to be human, and have notable failings, and Arnold is no exception to this. Perhaps only a few saints have embodied the Light without the Dark.

3. Hugh Hefner

Hugh Hefner is world-renowned as the creator of Playboy magazine, and he built an entire empire built upon “the Playboy philosophy”.

His Moon is dark (and therefore in exaggerated condition) and is with Venus, and both occupy a trikasthana (in the sign of Saturn). Furthermore, the 4^th and 7^th lord Jupiter is both in an exaggerated condition (its sign of debilitation) and is aspected by both an exalted Mars (the 8^th lord) and a retrograde Saturn (the 6^th lord). This confluence of conditions explains Mr. Hefner’s huge preoccupation with young women.

Lest readers feel that Mr. Hefner doesn’t belong in the august company of the first two men, in point of fact he was a champion of the rights of blacks, women, and black-listed writers, and helped to overturn draconian sex laws.

Sexual passion has played a huge rôle in all three of these men’s lives, to their detriment. Clinton’s impeachment trial, Schwartzenegger’s disgrace, and Hefner’s excesses have all reduced their credibility and seriously diminished the perceived value of the contributions each has made.

Our ability to ascertain the inevitability of this pattern may give us pause, and perhaps enable us to re-focus on what each actually did achieve positively in their lives.

Postscript: What about the Women?

Of course, passion combinations occur as frequently in women’s charts as they do in men’s charts. But women have been historically marginalized and considered chattel and prey within patriarchal societies, and so most women with this type of configuration has experienced a great deal of hardship and manipulation by men.

4. Marilyn Monroe

A prime example is Marilyn Monroe, who was raped by her step-father, seduced on the casting couch innumerable times, and was rumored to have been swapped back and forth by the Kennedy brothers. In any case, her attractiveness to men, and later sex goddess status, were certainly a mixed blessing at best.

Her chart clearly meets the aforementioned criteria. To wit: retrograde Saturn is in the 4^th house in Venus’ sign, as the 7^th lord, and aspects the 4^th lord Venus, in Mars’ sign. Because Saturn is the critical component of the combination (because it is the planet with exaggerated strength), it is no wonder that Ms. Monroe’s experience with sexuality was initially unwanted and traumatic.

5. Madonna

Early in her adulthood, Madonna earned money as a nude model. She was raped at knife point at the age of 20 (during her Moon dasa), and later became famous as a pop singer. On stage, she exploited her sexuality to such an extent that the police threatened to arrest her during her Canadian tour.

Her passion combination is again very clear: the 4^th house retrograde Saturn (in the sign of Mars) aspects the dark Moon in the First House. Further reinforcement comes from Mars (the 4^th lord) aspecting the 12^th house Venus in Cancer. Perhaps Saturn’s presence in the configuration inclined her to include S&M photos of her in her book of nude photos.

6. Pamela Anderson

This tv star of Baywatch freely states “I was a nymphomaniac” as a teenager, and she rose to fame based upon her sexuality. Her passion combination is quite evident: 7^th lord Mars aspects the 12^th house dark Moon in Mars’ sign. While neither Venus or Saturn enhance the combination, the presence of Rahu with the Moon (especially in the house of “pleasures of the bed”) certainly magnifies her sex drive.

The success of these three women in the arena of sexuality, given their astrological charts, is certainly not accidental. I did not examine their charts before selecting them for this article, but based my choice on the fact that each became a famous sex symbol.

Nevertheless, as feminists well understand, to become renowned primarily for ones attractiveness as a sex object is demeaning. Most men never realized how very intelligent Marilyn Monroe was, nor just how talented and shrewd Madonna is. Fame based solely upon youth and sexiness is doomed to fade with age, and their very beauty blinded people to the many talents of these women.

May we all become more conscious of the consequences of our sexual attitudes, and recognize passion combinations as a karmic road with many pitfalls. Yes, passion itself can, at least in part, be utilized to create a fine actor, singer, leader, or businessperson, but navigating the waters of sexual intensity is an art unto itself.

About Author: Hank Friedman gives readings and teaches classes in both Vedic and Western astrology, has published over 100 free astrology tutorials at https://www.learnastrologyfree.com, is a renowned Bay Area psychic, and is the foremost expert on astrology software (see his Ultimate Guide to Astrology Software at: