Comedian and actor Robin Williams died today (Monday, 11 August 2014) of an apparent suicide. He was found unconscious at his home in Tiburon, California at about Noon. A glance at his chart and today’s transits as well as his solar return for this year is revealing.
Robin Williams natal chart with transits for Noon 11 August 2014 when he was found unconscious.
Note in his transits that Saturn occupies his 1st house where it applies to square natal Pluto in Leo in the 9th. Pluto is the modern ruler of his Ascendant which rules his body and life force. Saturn is the traditional planet of death. Transiting Mercury, ruler of his natal 8th house of death, is almost exactly conjunct the Midheaven. Transiting Pluto in Capricorn opposes his natal Mars in Cancer. Natal Mars rules the Ascendant and occupies the 8th house of death.
His solar return for this year emphasizes Saturn. Here is his solar return for his birth place:
Williams current solar return for his birthplace
Note that Saturn rules the ASC and conjoins the MC in this solar return, making this a very Saturnian year. Saturn generally suggests setbacks, frustration and depression. At its extreme it is a traditional symbol of death. Note also the retrograde Pluto in the 12th of suicide and undoing opposing Mercury, ruler of his natal 8th house of death.
Relocating the solar return to his current residence in California, we have the following chart:
Williams current solar return for his home in California.
The solar return for his California residence has the Sun conjunct the cusp of the 8th house of death. The SR Sun is conjunct Jupiter which rules the return Ascendant at this location. Retrograde Pluto in the 1st house (his body and vitality) opposes Mercury, ruler of the 6th of illness of the return chart and of the 8th of death of the natal chart.
This series of charts suggests a difficult year in which the native is struggling with frustration and depression, ill health, and thoughts of death and suicide. It is striking how closely the events fit the astrological symbolism.
ADDENDUM (13 Aug 2014) – Some additional comments posted at my Facebook entry regarding this page:
Claudia Dikinis also posted comments about this chart at https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10204062925311084&set=a.1071340301401.2011333.1162931809&type=1&theater
Saturn is Lord of the year(4th house profection in Aquarius)and ruler of the Asc of the SR and was in the SR conjunct the natal Asc and square natal Pluto and also natal Mercury ruler of the 8th in both natal and SR chart (Placidus). – U.P.
His Ascendant is currently besieged by Mars & Saturn. May he find peace. – A.M.
On a 90 degree dial his current progressed Moon and Saturn, and his progressed Pluto and Vertex, are right on the cardinal points – very tight. – B.S.
This Full Moon square Saturn square Mars must have been so tough as Alanna says.
RIP Robin Williams – M.V.G.
Using primary directions, Mars (ruler of the Ascendant) as promissor is also currently square natal Pluto. – P.E.
PRIMARY DIRECTIONS: Regarding this last point, I checked his primary directions using the method of Placidus semi-arc (my preferred method) and the Morinus freeware program.
With Ptolemy’s time key (one degree = one year), primary directed Mars square natal Pluto becomes exact on 11 July 2014.
With the dynamic key of true solar equatorial arc of his birthday, primary directed Mars square natal Pluto becomes exact on 19 August 2014.
Both these dates of perfect of the primary Mars square Pluto can be considered almost exact hits for the date of his demise, 11 August 2014. This aspect is significant because his Ascendant (life force, physical body) is in Scorpio ruled by Mars and Pluto. Mars is the god of war, and Pluto is the god of the underworld and the afterlife. The square of these two planets is often a symbol of a violent incident.
I will be speaking at TarotCon (US) 2014 in Dallas about some topics in my new book Tarot Beyond the Basics.
Anthony Louis - Astrology & Tarot Blog 
Interesting…
A very clear analysis, thank you for sharing.
Hello A. Louis,
i really don’t see the point of jumping to the data immidiatly at the edge of such an event…
its kind of a to sterile perspective (also last time – the death of sky-jumper…)
I would much more appreachiate thoughts on settled matter/topics… that keep some distance of the days headlines….
T.K, all the way from europe
I appreciate your point of view but I like to look at charts of events when they occur to see the astrological symbolism in play. This is an exercise in learning more about astrology and how the symbols function in the real world. As more information emerges, I can then check whether my initial impressions were correct or mistaken. It’s like getting feedback from a teacher.
i agree with you tony.. fwiw, have you had a chance to find any info michael brown and the timeline around his death? http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2014/08/11/shot-a11.html
I loved him one of my favorite actors. I was watching hook this morning with my daughter. Then hours later i heard the horrible news. I cried like he was my father. My father commited suicide when i was 4. He had some pretty bad transits going on and his natal had lots of pretty bad aspects as well. Poor guy. He must have been in despair.
Brilliant insight. I too find Saturn a major player in death and loss as it has been prevalent in my own chart transits when the loss of my mother, father, and beloved dog occurred. It is a very telling planet. On a side note your book “The Art of Forecasting Solar Returns” an excellent book. Your writing style is clear and easy to follow, and your insights and chart interpretation are amazing. I am learning so much form you. Thank you so much!
Thanks for the kind words.
Dear Anthony, I completely agree with Otis, above. Thank you so much for keeping this blog up and for all of your books. (If possible, could you comment on the recent rape and murder of Jenise Paulette Wright, Bremerton, WA?)
Regarding the “Pronounced Dead” chart, Saturn, 17:02 Scorpio, is partile square the Black Moon 17:55 Leo. I often find the Black Moon involved in death charts. Also, this Saturn is the dispositor of the Arabic Part of Death (18:14 Capricorn), another death testimony.
Thank you again for your work.
Hi Anthony, I’m wondering why the only charts I can find on Robin Williams have his birth time as standard instead of daylight savings. Do you have any idea? In 1951, daylight savings was observed and it seems to me his Asc should shift to 00 deg 55′ Scorpio…
AstroDataBank give standard time and their records are usually well researched. I copied the following from the AstroDataBank site:
“B.C. in hand from the Wilsons. Legal use of CST for the registry is assumed.
It must be noted that Illinois law required up to 1957 that all births had to be registered using CST (6h west of GMT) even during times when, like in July 1951, daylight saving time was in force.
For birth time information coming out of official registers, this is important. For birth time information coming out of private recordings it should be assumed that ‘wall clock time’ was used. Robin Williams is a case where the time is from the official registry.”
It was announced earlier that he died by hanging. Im curious to know what house would show death by hanging or aspects? My father also hung himself.
death from a fall is suggested by saturn emphasis.. suicide has a connection with saturn/pluto connections.. you can note the saturn/midheaven in the solar return squares onto pluto in the natal chart. the sun/saturn square in the transit data is also bundled around the natal pluto position… additionally natal mars is under the ongoing the longer transit of pluto, which marks some of the intensity/violence that is also suggested by the sun/mars square in the solar return chart..
I agree with James. In addition, Saturn rules gravity and is commonly found to be active in gravity-related incidents such as falls, hangings, etc.
Hi Anthony, i look for “Summertimes in America” Chicago/Illionois since 1916:
29.April 1951 – 30.9.1951 CDT ? 5 Hours?
AstroData have also 5 Hours……….
————————-Robin Williams: Born 21 July 1951
So– 12 Degrees- Ascendent-Skorpion, its wrong or not……
What you think about the Ascendent of Robin Williams now? 0 Degrees Scorpio or 12 Degrees??
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