As everyone knows by now, singer Whitney Houston was found dead in a bathtub at a Beverly Hills hotel on Saturday, 11 February 2011. She was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m. (6:55 p.m. ET) at the Beverly Hilton. As I write this, the autopsy has not been done and the official cause of death is unknown.
In astrology, death is shown by the 8th house. Planets occupying the 8th and the rulers of the 8th are especially significant. In Whitney’s chart, Neptune in Scorpio (a water sign) occupies the 8th. With Libra on the 8th cusp, Venus rules the 8th by domicile, and Saturn rules the 8th by exaltation. Saturn also rules her unfortunate 12th house, and Venus occupies her unfortunate 6th house, which is ruled by the Sun. The 6th house Sun opposes 12th house Saturn, and both planets of this opposition square Neptune in the 8th: a T-square suggesting an unfortunate death involving water or drowning (Neptune). Here is the birth chart:
Whitney Houston's Natal Chart
Morin felt that the planet occupying a house was most significant. Here Neptune in the 8th suggests a Neptunian death. Neptune, of course, is god of the seas, so in hindsight it is easy to see death in a bathtub. Neptune lies in Scorpio, a sign associated with cleaning and the removal of waste – a fitting symbol for a bathtub. Libra, ruled by Venus, is concerned with beauty and luxury. The connection with a luxury Beverly Hills hotel is apparent, especially since Venus also rules the 3rd of local travel and travelers stay in hotels. Venus, ruler of the 8th, occupies the 6th house of personal hygiene: she died in a bathtub. Saturn, ruling the 8th by exaltation, lies in the 12th house of seclusion and isolation, suggesting that she would die alone. The Sun conjoins 8th ruler Venus in Leo, suggesting that her demise would be widely publicized. [The Sun rules the 6th of illness, which raises the possibility of heart problems. With the Leo Sun (the heart) opposed to Saturn (difficulties) in Aquarius (electrical current) in the 12th (undoing), a cardiac arrhythmia could be implicated in her death.]
If we look at her primary directions involving her 8th house at the time of her death, we find that the opposition of 8th house occupant Neptune came to natal Saturn on 29 Dec 2011 and was clearly in effect during this period (Regiomontanus primary, with latitude, Naibod rate).
The various ways of looking at her Solar Return (SR) also give prominence to Neptune and Saturn. I don’t know where she spent her last birthday, so I opted to look at the Solar Return for her birthplace. The most striking return chart is the converse SR for her place of birth, which has her natal Sun on the SR ASC, her natal Saturn opposite the SR ASC, her natal Neptune on the SR 4th house cusp (conditions at the end of life), her natal ASC on the SR 8th cusp, her natal Mercury (ruler of the end of life natal 4th) exactly opposite the SR 8th cusp (Placidus), and her natal 8th ruler Venus opposite the SR Uranus (sudden or unexpected death). The prominence of Neptune, Saturn in the 12th, and Venus in the 6th raise the possibility of some type of drug or medication being implicated in her death; the autopsy report should clarify this matter. Here is the chart with the converse SR in the center and her natal chart in the outer wheel:
Center = Whitney Houston Converse Solar Return for Birthplace; Outer Wheel = Natal Chart
For a Hellenistic take on the astrology of the singer’s demise, I recommend the discussion at Seven Stars Astrology.
Addendum: News stories are suggesting that the cause of death was related to a combination of medications and alcohol, which is entirely consistent with an afflicted Neptune (intoxicants, drugs) in Scorpio (intense desire or experiences) in the 8th house (death) and the stress on 6th (illness) and 12th house (undoing) issues. On Feb 13, 2012, tmz.com reported:
“Houston’s family was told by L.A. County Coroner officials … the singer did not die from drowning, but rather from what appears to be a combination of Xanax and other prescription drugs mixed with alcohol … this according to family sources. We’re told Coroner’s officials informed the family there was not enough water in Whitney’s lungs to lead to the conclusion that she drowned. Our sources say the family was told Whitney may well have died before her head became submerged.”
Determination of the official cause of death may take weeks.
Addendum: March 22, 2012.
The cause of death was released today by the coroner. As the natal chart suggested, she died of drowning complicated by her cocaine addition. When celebrities die suddenly, cocaine is often involved. Here is the CNN report: “Whitney Houston died from an accidental drowning in a hotel bathtub, but the ‘effects of atherosclerotic heart disease and cocaine use’ were contributing factors in her death, the Los Angeles County coroner said in an initial autopsy report released Thursday.”
Anthony Louis - Astrology & Tarot Blog 
Great stuff, Anthony!
Thought you might be interested if you haven’t noted it already that tropical SR for LA sec prg (MSQ Q2) to date/time of death reveals 29Aq13 Asc — exactly thereby conj/= 00/180 SR exact Mercury- Neptune opp, so Asc exact conj SR prg Mercury in 29+ Aq with Desc exact conj SR prg Neptune in 29Aq52, both Rx. In the Q1 MSQ (SR sec prg) Asc, the Asc is in 28Aq36, thereby still within 1dg of exact to Mer-Nep opp, both SR prg and SR, but with Sat in 13+ Libra making an exact sesquiquadrate to SR prg Asc in 28:36 (therefore = Asc-Desc exact), and with both prg SR Sat in 13+ Libra and prg nightime Pars Fortuna in SR sec prg VIII (with PF also within only 1dg of exact =/135 to Asc-Desc axis). As you mentioned, SR sec prg Saturn in Libra is exalted ruler SR sec prg VIII cusp PF in 12+ Libra exactly on cusp of SR sec prg VIII as well as ruler of SR prg XII. Interestingly, the MC of this (Q1) SR sec prg LA chart is in 11+ Sag, closely conj Sibley USA figure. Also noted that Asc of LA-relocated tropical SR was exactly superimpositionally conj natal Desc within 52min, signififying that, in addition to possible important new relationship in SR New Year (writing on Valentine’s Day), which I heard thru sources she had, as well her upcomingly scheduled return to public life (VII cusp), is also the point of “sunset” – which as you have pointed out in previous books of yours – is the place of the dead/”Other Side.” Further note that on both Q1 AND Q2 SR sec prgs for SR calculated for natal location (Newark) MC in 21+ Capricorn is less than 1dg separating from exact square to natal True Node (haven’t calculated for Mean Node – but certainly this is an opportunity to see what shakes therein between these two alternative Nodes). All for now. Haven’t looked yet at precession-corrected figures.
PS: Also synched in to your October Steve Jobs blog and loved it, but haven’t tested with this methodology yet. Look forward to playing with converse solar returns as well as converse directions and progressions for all kinds of charts. Much thanks.
Jeffrey,
Great comment. You really should present your ideas and methods in book form. You have a lot to say that other astrologers would enjoy learning about. I didn’t spend a lot of time with the Los Angeles Solar Return because I did not know where she spent her birthday. She may well have been with her family in New Jersey. I generally look at the converse return only after looking at the non-precessed and precessed solar returns. Sometimes it gives striking information, but time is limited and it’s hard to look at every variation of a return. On the other hand, I always look at converse progressions and directions. The image I have is of time spreading out from the birth moment like ripples of concentric circles in a pond.
Primary directions are a wonderful “lost art,” although they are now gaining in popularity. There is an excellent free program called Morinus that calculates primaries: https://sites.google.com/site/pymorinus/Home . For some reason Solar Fire, which is the program I use most often, is fairly useless for working with primaries. I used to use the CCRS92 DOS program, but its routines are now available in Janus software, which has a nice interface. In the current economy, budget-conscious astrologers should check out the Morinus program. It just does calculations, no interpretations, but is highly sophisticated. The best book available on primaries is the one by Martin Gansten.
Great to hear from you,
Tony
Thanks, Tony. I look at the SR for place of birth (which I refer to as the “Mission Chart” in the book I’ve already written but am currerntly re-writing) in a case like this before anything else; always find something pretty dramatic going on. Figured that – even if she wasn’t in LA for birthday – it would show up presentationally in its capacity as a relocational SR. However, the MC of the Newark trop return (as am sure you’ve noticed) in 17dg Cancer exactly sq her natal Moon in 17 Aries is surely consistent with promise of a hard route to renewed public attention (among other things); also note Sag SR Moon in dg of Galactic Center), and when we SR sec progress this figure to event of death, an 8-dg Taurus Asc, less than 1dg (Q2) from SR Jupiter is revealed (<2dg Q1) is revealed, with 9-dg SR Jupiter emanating from Mission SR in Newark conj House VIII cusp (<3dg). 'Thought it amazing the progressed angular emphasis on Regulus in the Mercury opp Neptune context as per LA SR prg Asc to that point on her death. Surely, she was a truly ragic Queen – though I have to think, fortunately (with SR Newark sec prg Asc conj SR Jupiter and VIII-ruler Venus applying imminently to sextile with close Mission Asc-Saturn conjunction), that her death was painless, if not pleasant. With the prg SR Mercury-Neptune opp featured via prg SR Asc in LA and SR trop Moon on Galactic Center, I can't help thinking it a no-brainer – if/when looking for purpose herein – that this death is supposed to be instructive/perspective-enhancing to Whitney's fans of all ages (especially young adolescents = 29-dg Mercury in Leo opp Neptune) regarding the perils of intoxicants and that somehow there had to be serious intention from "Central Casting" and on the part of her invisible helpers/guides in influencing her life play toward that end (speculation, of course).
Astrology continues to be awesome. Without astrology, we already know that Whitney's life was pointedly NOT a waste. What astrology shows (to me at least) is that her death wasn't either, though I strongly suspect I "walk the line" in saying this.
Thanks for recommendations re primary directions, Tony. When I get a chance, I'll do some TSAs (transiting solar arcs on the returns – discussed with you previously) and can post them if you want to see them – after I get finished looking at more of your stuff. Thanks again./Jeff
ADDENDUM:
Sorry, just wanted to point out that in the Newark, NJ post-mortem 2012 solar return for Whitney Houston, that Mars is exactly conjunct her MC in 20 dg Libra, ruling end-of-the-matter House IV. This would be a clear indication of renewed hyperactivation of her career, almost as in life – emanating “from the grave.” To me, given this is a post-mortem SR, the Newark location now becomes the primary source/origin of whatever further emanations might be expected to present from Spirit-World-Whitney as pertains to further activity on earth – the original place of birth being the one constant fact remaining of her existence here (on Earth) and, therefore, that we can expect to use reliably in continuing to track her. Additionally, it should not be lost on us that her 2011 trop SR Moon in 26Sag54 is “exactly” conj her 2012 Newark (Mission chart) Asc in 27Sag02 – again, both conjunct the position of the Galactic Center, out of which we cannot fail to see purposeful intention in this play. Fittingly, the Leo Sun is in 2012 House VIII. Thanks for indulging me, Tony./Jeff
Jeffrey,
No need to apologize. Your comments are thoughtful and enlightening. I always learn something new by seeing how other astrologers approach a chart. I’m sure readers of this post and your comments will feel the same.
Thanks again for contributing here.
Tony