The Spiritual Astrology of Black Liberation: Leo Haile Selassie & Rastafarianism

The Spiritual Astrology of Black Liberation: Leo Haile Selassie & Rastafarianism

The Astrology of Black Liberation isn’t just the social /political activists, artists, business leaders, educators, or leaders. It’s also about spirituality and religion too and how it’s unique to Black Liberation. Malcolm X was a Muslim. MLK Jr. was a Christian. James Baldwin atheist/agnostic. So, let’s talk about Rastafarianism and “their” messiah Emperor Haile Selassie I.

Rastafarianism is a religion/life style that started in the 1930s’ in Jamaica. The premise is the Rastas’ believe that Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie I is the second coming of Jesus/Jah/the messiah and that he was supposed to usher in a new age of enlightenment, peace, prosperity for black people and show them the way to Zion.

Rastafarian Beliefs & Ideas

- Haile Selassie I is the human incarnate on Earth for Jah (God). A Jesus messiah figure/Second coming of Christ. Note a lot of people disagree with his and even Haile Selassie claimed not to be the second coming of Christ.

- Zion is the Promised Land, Babylon is western society that oppressed blacks globally

- Abrahamic monotheistic religion that follows the bible. It’s like an Afrocentric Protestant Christianity but not as monolithic or homogeneous with no real leader.

- Jah is short for Jehovah. This is what Rastafarians call God. The name Rastafari comes from the Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie  I pre royal name: Ras Tafari Makonnen. (Ras means prince or duke) and is an Ethiopian title. While Haile Selassie’s name is Tafari Makonnen, hence Ras(prince)-Tafari.

- Rastafarians aka Rastas twist their hair to dreadlocks (locs), smoke cannabis as a sacrament.

- Rasta’s keep an ital diet (vegetarian, fish no longer than 12 inches, no seafood like scrimp or shellfish, NO PORK, etc.)

- Rastafarianism grew in popularity partly because of a prophecy Leo sun Marcus Garvey had that said "Look to Africa where a black king shall be crowned, he shall be the Redeemer". After Marcus stated this Haile Selassie became Emperor of Ethiopia

The prominence and development of Rastafarianism was a reaction to the repression and oppression of British colonial rule for black Jamaicans. It was/is a way to take their power back. It’s very interesting that Jamaicans look up to Leo sun Marcus Garvey and Rastas’ look to a distant Leo sun African emperor Haile Selassie before Jamaica had gained independence and became a Leo country in 1962. The symbolism is interesting.

To get into Haile Selassie history and biography. Haile Selassie was born on Saturday, July 23, 1892. Haile Selassie who’s bloodline and royal lineage linked to King David, Emperor Menelik I, King Solomon, and the Queen of Sheba. He was the Crown Prince and Regent of the East African Ethiopian Empire from 1916-1928. He then became the Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 until 1974.

He became a member of the League of Nations in 1923. Progressive, Haile Selassie broke up Ethiopian feudal nobility’s power and influence in favor centralizing his government in the late 1920s, early 1930s. This lead to establishing a strong police force, building roads, hospitals, & schools, and other modern economic reforms like establishing a lucrative Ethiopian coffee international trade.

He was exiled from 1936-1941 for leading a resistance against Italy who invaded Ethiopia in 1935. This was due war between Italy and Ethiopia known as the Second Italo-Ethiopian War from 1935-1937. Haile reached out to the League of Nations (whom he was a member of since 1923), he got help from the British (who saw him was an ally in World War 2) and retook Ethiopia in 1941.

He returned to power in the 1940s where he abolish slavery in Ethiopia in 1942. In the early 1950s’ he continued to modernize Ethiopia. In 1955 he established a new constitution that among many things, established financial and tax system, separation of powers between the different levels of government. He also addressed human rights issues, and advocate for land reform.  All the while maintaining his power and authority which pissed off the noble classes.

In 1963 Haile Selassie helped established the Organization of African Unity (known as the African Union). Haile was probably too progressive for this government and couldn’t back up a lot of his ideas. He was ousted from the throne in 1973 after a coup d’état following internal power conflicts, the rise of socialism in Ethiopian, high unemployment rates, and political unrest/social instability related to the 1973 Ethiopian Famine. In 1975 he was strangled to death/assassinated (debated) on August 27^th 1975 at the age of 83.

Things that stand out to me in Haile Selassie’s astrology

Stellium in the 12^th House (Sun, Venus, and Moon)

- Leo Sun in the 12^th House

- Venus (retrograde) and Moon in Cancer in the 12^th House

- Pluto conjunct Neptune in Gemini

- Pluto in Gemini in the 10^th House

- Neptune in Gemini in the 11^th House

- Jupiter in Aries in the 9^th House

Lastly

- Mars (retrograde) in Aquarius in the 7^th House

Link to astrotheme natal chart: https://www.astrotheme.com/astrology/Haile_Selassie_I   

 

Haile Selassie I was a Leo Sun in the 12^th House, this is very interesting. Haile Selassie had a very powerful and very regal presence. Just look at the YouTube video of him walking to the 1937 League of Nations conference. He looked like a king, looked like an emperor, flexing his Leo Ascendant to the max. 

There are literally pictures of him petting a Lion, and he had a zoo of 20 lions. Plus Haile Selassie earned the nickname of Lion of Judah. If Leo was a person it will probably be Haile Selassie. Anywho…

His presence, his status was able to strangely tap into the collective unconscious. He has a stellium in the 12^th House with Leo Sun, Venus and Moon both in Cancer in the 12^th House. 12^th House stellium people have an otherworldly energy that very psychic and is very connected to both the spiritual and physical world. I can definitely see him as channeler. Him existing, him being (ego/Leo Sun) probably unconsciously brought something out of people.

Many rastas’ probably sense and felt a connection to his spiritual paternal energy (Venus and Moon in Cancer) and saw him as a Father figure who witnessed, stirred, and nurtured emotions of security and pride in their blackness).

This was probably one of the first modern times blacks saw black resistance on a global world-wide stage. Oppression wasn’t just local but international, especially in Haile Selassie’s stance and resistance to the Italians in the Second Italo-Ethiopian War.

People project onto 12^th House people, and in turn 12^th House people have a hidden, and mysterious nature. I wonder if Haile saw himself clearly. Was he even allowed to see himself clearly? I say this because of his Cancerian 12^th House energy. I could see him as being more introverted and passive in nature but because of the love of his country and pride in his glorious bloodlines (Cancer can be very patriotic and traditional) he suppressed or hid that part of his nature for his people.

Mars (retrograde) in Aquarius in the 7^th House

Along with intense 12^th House energy, Haile Selassie also had Mars (retrograde) in Aquarius in the 7^th House energy. He was a progressive and idealistic royal (for his time) who people projected a lot of their hopes/dreams/fantasies on. The 7^th House in astrology is about relationships, business partnerships, open friends and open enemies. It is also about projection; especially being that the 7^th House is the descendant. It’s the mirror to the world that we hold up or others hold up for/on us.

Using his Mars retrograde in Aquarius he had big social progressive justice energy. To Rastas’ and admirers at the time he was an enlightened and inspiring reflection of black pride and power. Where oppressed blacks of the diaspora can imagine a world where blacks can be kings, can fight against oppression, and take their place in history, and better a world that wrongs them. Pushing back against the Italians and fellow Leo sun Mussolini was seen as admirable and people gained a lot of respect for Haile Selassie.

Random but ironically I have Mars in Aquarius in the 7^th House too and I do sometimes experience projection. People thinking you are being aggressive (or even passive aggressive), people thinking you are trying to control them, or even stronger or weaker than you are. I feels for the man.

Anyways it is fitting he had an Leo/Aquarius opposition so I am sure he felt pressure to give up his autonomy and individuality for royal rule and struggles between the personal/ego self (Leo) and the detached/impersonal ego (Aquarius).

Being a messiah figure on top of a King sounds like a lot of pressure and responsibility for one man. He actually denied being the messiah and distanced himself from that title/definition of him. Especially with the 7^th House projection energy it’s very possible that he wasn’t seen as clearly as he would have hoped, combined with all that 12^th House energy he has.

Jupiter in Aries in the 9^th House.

Haile Selassie had Jupiter in Aries in the 9^th House. The 9^th House is about higher learning, travel, politics, and a higher belief system. Jupiter is the planet of luck, abundance. He was an Ethiopian Orthodox Christian all his life.  He was an individual (Aries) but he was also his country. He traveled, got involved in international politics (joined the League of Nations hello) and modernize Ethiopia. He had a vision for Ethiopia and with his Mars sextiling Jupiter he definitely felt energize and passionate to make it happen for himself, his legacy, and his people.

Pluto conjunct Neptune in Gemini

- Pluto in Gemini in the 10^th House

- Neptune in Gemini in the 11^th House

- Jupiter in Aries in the 9^th House

Haile also had Pluto conjunct Neptune in Gemini with Pluto being in the 10^th house and Neptune in 11^th House. These placements are very interesting and telling. The 10^th House is career, and reputation and is the most public house in astrology.

Having Pluto in 10^th House shows that Haile Selassie is viewed as very powerful and can be seen as very polarizing, maybe even threatening figure. Again there seems to be this intense energy and pressure to be powerful and show that power. Not just power but an idealized version of power being that Pluto conjunct Neptune in his chart.

Neptune in Gemini in the 11^th House is why I feel Rastas’ really resonated with Haile Selassie and why he is still revered today. The 11^th House is about public associations, social groups/clubs you belong to and collective power. Haile’s reign galvanize and inspired and broke down barriers/boundaries (Neptune) of what black liberation can look like.

Black liberation being having your own homeland. Black liberation ruling one’s self, having autonomy and power. Haile’s personal power became the group’s collective power (11^th House energy). Haile Selassie became an endearing spiritual symbol of black liberation in spirituality.

This power converted into religion (which is Neptunian in nature).  Religion can be many things. It can be structured spirituality that provides moral doctrines, discipline, and control (the Saturn side of religion). It can be ever changing, a means for abundance, growth, wisdom, and joy (the Jupiter side of religion).

Neptune is the higher octave of Jupiter, so religion can mean in Neptunian form achieving a higher level of abundance/growth/wisdom through breaking down boundaries (Neptune) in order to be self-actualized and achieve spiritual peace and enlightenment.

I think this all is what Rastafarianism means especially in the context of black liberation in spirituality. A sort of Afrocentric, black-centric spirituality that wasn’t forced on enslaved oppressed people and rebels against the mystical white Jesus. A spirituality that caters, upholds, gives pride, and honors black people.