I am so sad to hear of Canadian singer and poet Leonard Cohen’s passing Nov. 10th at 82 years old. I’ve been crying already since the election announcement just like millions of others and now this. Leonard has always been one of my favorite singers and songwriters. Beloved by millions for his ruthless, honest, exploration of the heart and soul and our common human condition, Cohen’s deep baritone soulful voice made him an unlikely pop star. His career spans 50 years as a musician and many of his songs, which were never charted hits, including Hallelujah, have been covered hundreds of times.
Leonard Cohen in London in 2009
Cohen was born in Westmount Montreal to a well-off middle-class Jewish family. His name Cohen means that he is a High Priest, the most holy in the Jewish tradition. Much has been written about his life. You can Wikipedia that. He just released his last album October 13th “You Want It Darker” which is totally prophetic, as he always was, what with Trump’s election.
I have been a fan of Cohen since I first saw him singing at a Love-In at Queen’s Park Toronto in the summer of 1967 his first album Songs of Leonard Cohen was just being completed.
I swear I wrote about Leonard’s chart years ago but it seems to have disappeared. So let’s look at the modern bard’s life and death.
Leonard Cohen born September 21, 1934
Leonard was an earthy, humble, perfectionist VIRGO with his SUN rising right on the Ascendant. This is a powerful symbol as his identity is about the dawn. The Sun is conjunct the asteroid EROS, and he was known for his erotic poetry and music. Virgo is also an austere sign and he was known for living in Zen-like sparsness. He was never a materialistic person. He has a beautiful, spiritual, creative, romantic, idealistic VENUS NEPTUNE conjunction in VIRGO in his 12th house opposite his poetic spiritual PISCES MOON. He is the ultimate poet and artist of spirit.
I have put in two special asteroids. Cohen was a big fan of the Spanish poet Garcia Lorca. The asteroid Lorcia sits right on his M.C. his career inspiration at 27 Gemini, the Pole star. Cohen’s career was to be the pivotal guiding star using his words to help others navigate their lives by.
The Virgo SUN Ascendant and his Venus-Neptune conjunction display the very meticulous, self-deprecating, hard-working tenacity, and songwriter that Cohen was, sometimes taking years to complete a song. Venus-Neptune in the 12th, by its placement is the most spiritual, solitary- he lived in a Monastery for 5 years, hermitlike, dreamy, a weaver of inspirational and psalms through music.
One of my favorite Cohen’s songs is DANCE ME TO THE END OF LOVE
A Venus/Neptune conjunction in the 12th house is literally the end of love.
“Dance me to your beauty with a burning violin -{Venus}
Dance me through the panic ’til I’m gathered safely in -{12th house}
Lift me like an olive branch and be my homeward dove -{symbol of Heaven}
Dance me to the end of love ”
The PISCES Moon is conjunct to the Fixed Star Fomalhaut which marks the Archangel Gabriel the trumpet blower on Judgement Day. Pisces, ruled by Neptune and Jupiter in ancient rulership, is placed in his 6th house, which is naturally Virgo, gives a sympathetic exchange between the planets of emotions,compassionate and poetic dreams. The Pisces Moon governs the collective psyche the deep emotional yearning to return to source. Leonard channeled the angels messages through his music. Hallelujah.
Leonard’s PISCES MOON opposes his VENUS/NEPTUNE, squares CHIRON in GEMINI @ 9 degrees. One of the main T- squares in his natal chart. Chiron is conjunct to the Fixed STAR ALDEBARAN which is the marker of Archangel MICHAEL, the fiery protecting angel in the East. How literal is that? Leonard’s primal wound Chiron, and his vulnerability is his poetic message, which is also where the greatest healing is. He communicated as a wounded healer, directly from the Angels.
“There’s a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in. “
Mercury the ruler of Cohen’s Ascendant, all of his Virgo and Gemini planets is in his first house at 17 LIBRA which is the position of two Fixed Stars, 1. Kraz, which means the claws of the Crow star and the word Tomorrow. The word procrastinate originated with this star. Did Cohen put things off, or take a long time to communicate? yes. 2. Seginus in Constellation Bootes which means a reaper or harvester a guard or protector. The Libran influence also shows the dapper dresser and dashing figure that Cohen made. Libra rules relationships,justice, the arts, the peacemaker, go-between, seeing both sides of all issues, the light and the dark, the holy and the profane are very much Cohen themes.
Cohen was known as a Ladies Man and he had MARS in LEO, conjunct the SOUTH NODE conjunct to LILITH the Goddess of sexuality and independence in his 11th house of detachment. South Node in Leo conjunct Mars indicates a past life as a great King, {Solomon?} a natural leader, a warrior, a very powerful, fiery passionate man, heart felt, self-referential man. Mars in Leo is very sexual. Leonard was a proud but humble Lion, who worshiped women, who were strong, independent Lilith types. His women were unique, beautiful sexual free spirits, uncompromising and passionate. Mars conjunct Lilith is fatally drawn to these types and he may have had difficulty with intimacy. Leonard never married but had two children, son Adam and daughter Lorca who he named after his favorite poet, Spaniard, Frederico Garcia Lorca. His was a courageous warrior of the heart.
SATURN opposite MARS in LEO
Leonard’s songs have always been heavy, and melancholy, doom and gloom realistic. He claimed he had depression for most of his life. Cohen also lost his father when he was only nine years old. These two planets Saturn in Aquarius and Mars in Leo symbolize the alchemy of turning Lead into gold. The “great work.” This was Cohen’s work, he did this personally and in his art.
These two planets also exemplify his quote. “I have always been attracted to the voluptuousness- Mars in LEO- of austerity- SATURN.
The 2nd T-square in Leonard’s chart is JUPITER in LIBRA in his 2nd house or resources and money in square to PLUTO in CANCER in his 10th house of worldly fame and notoriety in square to URANUS @ ZERO degrees TAURUS.
JUPITER Square PLUTO in his career house indicates Cohen’s drive and desire for success and brings luck and wealth. The square involving Uranus in Taurus Retrograde is very interesting revealing Cohen’s original style of singing, the gravelly, nasal,monotone, baritone. URANUS in TAURUS is a nontraditional sensualist, a way-shower, and radical freedom lover who is grounded in the world. Uranus in Taurus Retrograde in this T-square also indicated his financial ups and downs and losses late in his career forcing him to go on word tours in his 70’s to make money.
Note the asteroid Mariana conjunct to Cohen’s JUPITER in LIBRA. Oneof his most famous songs was “So long Marianne.”
PLUTO in CANCER is very sentimental and close to his childhood. Cohen had two children and althoug he said he didnt want them originally. He said he was very glad to have them as they were his closest companions now. Cohen always kept his apartment in Montreal even though he lived in the U.S. for many years. He also loved being near water and in the 60’s he lived on the Greek Island of Hydra.
SATURN Retrograde in AQUARIUS in his 5th house of creativity, love affairs and the arts. Cohen is a total revolutionary, non-conformist in the bone. He was born that way. Saturn rules both Capricorn and Aquarius in traditionalAstrology. He honored tradition, his Jewish past, the bible, Jesus, but is not bound to the tradition. Saturn, the father, his karma, limitations, obstacles, maturity and legacy is in TRINE to Jupiter in Libra. These two planets balance each other out very well.
SATURN sextile JUNO on the GALACTIC CENTRE @ 27 degrees SAGITTARIUS
These two form a YOD or finger of GOD to PLUTO in CANCER in his 10th house. JUNO is the feminine form of Genius, and all good poets have a MUSE. In a mans’ chart Juno would be one indicator of his MUSE. The GALACTIC CENTER is a vast black hole at the center of our Galaxy. It is mysterious and dark and to those who are tuned into it receive mystical insights into the nature of our souls and ou life’s missions. Cohen channeled his art in a unique yet traditional way, through Saturn structure, folk music and traditional Greek instruments, poetry, and as a modern bard. This was his soul’Pluto’s mission.
AT HIS DEATH NOVEMBER 7, 2016
Cohen died November 7th in Los Angeles with his children there. No cause of death has been given yet, The news wasn’t reported until the 10th. I find his exiting the planet pre-Trump election to be very significant.
SATURN Lord of death @ 15th degrees Sagittarius is conjunct to the GREAT ATTRACTOR calling him home. Saturn is squaring Cohen’s Neptune Venus in Virgo. Saturn is also opposed to Cohen’s Chiron in Gemini, he had been ailing for the last while. He knew he was going to die soon.
VENUS at 23 Sagittarius is squaring Cohen’s Sun. A message of love from the Galactic Center.
Transiting Mars in Capricorn was opposite his PLUTO in Cancer which signifies death. Heart failure is a likely cause.
Transiting Pluto in square to his natal JUPITER in LIBRA with transiting URANUS opposite to JUPITER. Death may have come very swiftly which is a blessing.
Cohen was having his 7th JUPITER return now. This is a peaceful death. Cohen had lived a very full, very creative life. Jupiter is the King, symbolizing God, he was ready to go home.
Leonard Cohen left the world with NEPTUNE and the South Node on his Natal PISCES Moon. Neptune is opposite to his Natal Neptune. The North Node in Virgo conjunct to his natal Neptune/Venus. That’s one amazingly beautiful spiritual escort back to source for sure. In his last album just released in October Cohen sang ” I am ready my Lord. “
We will all surely miss the great poet. I know he is finding out if that Chord pleases the Lord. His music will always inspire us and help us to express what we can’t put into words. The music for many generations already and many yet to come. Thank you Leonard. As a Canadian we have lost a legend. I send blessings to his family, son and daugher. I will say kiddish prayers for him for the required 7 days as is Jewish custom. The flag in Montreal will fly at half- mast today in Quebec on the 11th on Remembrance day to honour its departed son. RIP Leonard. I know you have been danced to the end of love.
What are your favorite Leonard Cohen songs?
Please share widely, all writing is copyright of Tara Greene
