Oprah Winfrey isn't just one of the most important women in show business -- she's one of the most influential individuals in America. Her Aquarian humanity shines through with an intelligence and accessibility that uplifts millions of people every day.
Oprah Winfrey has come a long way from Kosciusko, Mississippi, where she was born on January 29, 1954 at 4:30 PM. The long-reigning and undisputed queen of daytime television has become a one-woman conglomerate whose book club can put an unknown author on the best-seller list in a matter of days. The ex-news anchor was voted "most popular" in her high school class, a sign of the nationwide adoration to come. Oprah is an Aquarius, the sign of the people, the humanitarian who crosses lines of race and class with whom everyone can identity -- a bit like fellow Aquarius and Chicago transplant Michael Jackson in his early days. No matter how rich and famous Oprah is, she feels like one of us -- not separating herself from the masses, but expressing our collective concerns and desires.
Oprah's Aquarius Sun is closely conjoined to Venus, the planet of grace and beauty, bringing magnetism and warmth to this sometimes aloof sign. Venus adds likeability, charm and social skills that act like a magnet. But serious Saturn -- the planet of restraint and responsibility -- formed a tense 90-degree square to Oprah's Sun and Venus when she was born. Her natural gifts have been honed under the tutelage of this taskmaster planet, a demanding force of ambition that leaves little room for self-contentment. Oprah's strong Saturn adds a sense of weight to her personality that comes across as integrity. We know she means business and we trust her because of that. Saturn's hard aspect to Venus sometimes puts love on the back burner while work plays the leading role. Perhaps this is what has kept Oprah and Stedman from walking down the aisle all these years.
Saturn's seriousness is lightened by Oprah's outgoing and enthusiastic Sagittarius Moon and Ascendant. These two important parts of the chart represent one's moods and feelings, as well as one's approach to the world. Sagittarius is playful and occasionally silly, but its core desires are to explore, learn and then share their experience with others. Oprah is a natural teacher, an advocate of ideas and values more than a simple entertainer. She has a Sagittarian thirst for adventure that keeps pushing her into new territory. While steady Saturn keeps her at the helm of her daily television show, we can expect continuing excursions into other areas in the future, as Oprah has done in the past as a magazine publisher, actress and producer.
Aquarians are known to be bright, but Oprah's mind is off the charts. Her Mercury, which represents intellect, is in Aquarius and hooked up with two world-shifting outer planets. An opposition with powerful Pluto makes her a penetrating communicator who knows exactly where the key point is and how to present it in a compelling way. But the depth of her perception is balanced with a harmonious trine -- a 120-degree angle -- from compassionate Neptune to Mercury, providing her with a supersensitivity to her audience. It's no wonder Oprah's become a self-help guru on par with her psychological surrogate Dr. Phil. She may not have his credentials, but she's been a therapist to the nation for many years. Teacher, healer, entertainer and philanthropist, Oprah's dream of a better life can serve as an inspiration and model for everyone.
About the Author
Jeff Jawer is the co-author of Barnes & Noble's "Your Astrology Guide 2006." A professional astrologer since 1973, his articles have appeared in astrology journals and magazines and websites around the world. He holds a B.A. in The History and Science of Astrology from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and teaches and lectures both in the U.S. and abroad.
