A bright, shining moment

The Presidency of John Fitzgerald Kennedy (1960-1963) has been vigorously debated by historians. No matter their conclusions on different aspects of US policy during his Presidency or the conduct of his private affairs, Kennedy left a huge impression on his contemporaries. In fact, his sudden and violent death brought grief to millions around the world, comparable to that witnessed following the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln on April 15, 1865. His birth chart shows the key characteristics of his life and significant events in vivid detail as per a reading of the main influences with the vedic Systems' Approach.

Virgo ascendant
John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born at 83 Beals Street in Brookline, Massachusetts on Tuesday, May 29, 1917, at 3:00 p.m. This birth time gives Virgo rising.[1]

According to Astrologer & Author V. K. Choudhry "the sign Virgo is the mooltrikona sign of the planet, Mercury. Mercury governs nervous system, abdominal umbilical region, bowel and intestines. It is a negative, human, earthy and barren sign and rules the power of analysis and discrimination. If the sign Virgo rises and Mercury is strong, a person gets attractive personality and is charming. The weak Mercury gives body with prominent veins, lack of witticism and lack of charm. The weak and afflicted Mercury causes sufferings through nervous breakdown, appendicitis, constipation, etc. Their analytical nature makes Virgos thorough and critical, leading to perfection. They are realistic in their approach, weigh pros and cons carefully and are appreciative of the events liked by them. They are practical, fully composed and sometimes perceived to be fussy. All these depend upon the strength and placement of Mercury in the natal chart. They are generally not content, because environment is quite away from idealism. The usual weakness of Mercury makes Virgo-born people feel insecure in life. They are generally worrisome. Virgos are mostly truthful, sincere and dependable. The reason is that the house ruling character and inclination has the mooltrikona sign of the planet, Jupiter. The oft-existent weakness of Mercury makes Virgos nervous. The role played by functional malefics in making Virgos nervous is very significant."[2]

In the 27° Virgo rising chart, there are both strengths and weaknesses seen. Importantly, the 2nd lord Venus is strong and powerfully placed with also potent influences seen on the 2nd house itself, compensating for drawbacks in the placement of Mercury as the 1st lord of self in the 8th house where it is conjunct Mars as 8th lord. The combination explains the affluence and political power enjoyed by John F. Kennedy.

It is of considerable interest that the 1st lord Mercury is in a very fated placement, being located at 27° 53' Aries and the 8th house, where it is conjunct the strong 8th lord Mars at 25° 43' Aries. This placement imbues the native with several different traits. The placement of the 1st lord of self in the 8th house is not considered good as it surrounds the life with obstacles and at some stage possibly death-like situations. As Mercury is conjunct 8th lord Mars, this placement suggests a classic martian physique, but the influence of Mars as 8th lord on Mercury is also to add a lustfulness to the nature while giving knowledge of the transcendent in the life. Importantly, 1st lord Mercury closely aspects the 2nd and 8th houses. This placement adds to the status of the native, imbuing the native with some wit and charm, as well as wherewithal to overcome obstacles. The influence of a strong 8th lord Mars on the 2nd house is dualistic. On the one hand it adds legitimacy and easy gains the status, wealth and family, while on the other it produces obstacles and endings (including death) for these very same areas of life. It is one of the contradictions of the 8th lord to on the one hand be able to give something great while on the other hand it can exact a high price. In fact, tragedies have befallen this priviliged and famous family which have given rise to books with titles like "The Kennedy Curse", etc. The 8th lord also shows the income of the father, Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr., which was great, but there were also persistent rumours that his father became rich through illegal or manipulative means.

The placement of Venus as 2nd lord of status, wealth and family, at 24° 02' Taurus and the 9th house is remarkable. Venus is well placed in its own sign, Taurus. It is also a sun-like planet, being lord of the 2nd house for Virgo natives. Being placed in the 9th house of fortune and father, it gives fortune to the family, wealth of status. Importantly, as Venus is in the most effective point of the 9th house, it aspects the 9th house and 3rd house of communication, self effort and younger brothers. Kennedy made a name for himself through his exploits, both physical and intellectual. He not only wrote best sellers, but he was an orator of legendary accomplishment. His speeches and sayings are now part of the American folklore, such as "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country" and "Ich bin ein Berliner". His younger brothers, Robert and Edward also became notable politicians in their own right. His 12th lord Sun is well placed and unafflicting in the 9th house, which is consistent with his father becoming the US Ambassador to Great Britain shortly before the outbreak of World War II. John F. Kennedy's 11th lord Moon is, however, badly placed in the 12th house of losses, which, along with the affliction to his 2nd house of famly, is consistent with him losing his elder brother, Joseph Jr., during the war.

With such stunning placements, we should not be surprised that Kennedy was born into a family of wealth and influence. He was the second son of Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. and Rose Fitzgerald; while Rose, was in turn the eldest child of John "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald, a prominent Boston political figure who was the city's mayor and a three-term member of Congress. John F. Kennedy then rose to greater heights, before being cut down in the prime of his life.

An early life of privilige and ailments
Physically, Kennedy had numerous ailments. In late April 1931, he had appendicitis requiring an appendectomy, after which he withdrew from Canterbury and recuperated at home. In January 1934 during his junior year in high school, Jack Kennedy became ill, lost a lot of weight, was hospitalized at Yale-New Haven Hospital until Easter, and spent most of June 1934 hospitalized at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota for evaluation of colitis. In October 1935, Kennedy enrolled at Princeton University but was hospitalized for two months' observation for possible leukemia at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston in January and February 1936. He recuperated at the Kennedy winter home in Palm Beach in March and April. In September 1936 he enrolled as a freshman at Harvard College, where he produced he earned a spot on the varsity swim team. In late June 1938, Kennedy sailed with his father and his brother Joe on the SS Normandie to spend July working with his father, recently appointed U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom by President Roosevelt, at the American embassy in London, and August with his family at a villa near Cannes. From February through September 1939, Kennedy toured Europe, the Soviet Union, the Balkans, and the Middle East to gather background information for his Harvard senior honors thesis. He spent the last ten days of August in Czechoslovakia and Germany before returning to London on September 1, 1939, the day Germany invaded Poland. On September 3, 1939, Kennedy and his family were in attendance at the Strangers Gallery of the House of Commons to hear speeches in support of the United Kingdom's declaration of war on Germany. Kennedy was sent as his father's representative to help with arrangements for American survivors of the SS Athenia, before flying back to the U.S. on Pan Am's Dixie Clipper from Foynes, Ireland to Port Washington, New York on his first transatlantic flight at the end of September. There were also some death like situations. Kennedy underwent several spinal operations in the mid 1950s. He nearly died and in all he received the Roman Catholic Church's last rites four times during his life. In addition to the affliction to Mercury as 1st lord of the physical body, his Saturn, which rules the 6th house of health, while well placed at 4° 27' Cancer and 11th house, is weakened by having its dispositor, the Moon, badly placed in the 12th house of losses.

An intellect focused on foreign policy
In 1940, Kennedy completed his thesis, "Appeasement in Munich," about British participation in the Munich Agreement. He initially intended his thesis to be private, but his father encouraged him to publish it as a book. He graduated cum laude from Harvard with a degree in international affairs in June 1940, and his thesis was published in July 1940 as a book entitled Why England Slept, and became a bestseller. With his Jupiter as 4th lord of education and interests in life placed in the 9th house, which also explains his interest in foreign affairs. That said, Jupiter is weak by being in infancy in the sign Taurus, thus Kennedy had to contend with various challenges and even setbacks in foreign policy during his Presidency. There was the missile confrontation with the Soviets, which threatened a nuclear world war in October 1962, a crisis regarding Laos and problems with the US military-intelligence community.

War hero
Kennedy's life was threatened repeatedly in his short life. Four times he was read the last rights of the Catholic church. This is consistent with the close conjunction of his Mercury and Mars, as 1st lord of self and 8th lord of death. Given the aspect of these planets on the house of status, the death-like situations also added to his status. On August 2, 1943, Kennedy's boat, the PT-109, was taking part in a nighttime patrol near New Georgia in the Solomon Islands when it was rammed by the Japanese destroyer Amagiri. Kennedy was thrown across the deck, injuring his already-troubled back. Nonetheless, Kennedy gathered his men together and swam, towing a badly-burned crewman by using a life jacket strap he clenched in his teeth. He towed the wounded man to an island and later to a second island from where his crew was subsequently rescued. For these actions, Kennedy received the Navy and Marine Corps Medal.

Older brother killed
Tragedy struck at 18:20 GMT on August 12,1944, when his elder brother Joseph was killed on a bombing mission in the war. A secret war telegram survives to witness the event:
"ATTEMPTED FIRST APHRODITE ATTACK TWELVE AUGUST WITH ROBOT TAKING OFF FROM FERSFIELD AT ONE EIGHT ZERO FIVE HOURS PD ROBOT EXPLODED IN THE AIR AT APPROXIMATELY TWO THOUSAND FEET EIGHT MILES SOUTHEAST OF HALESWORTH AT ONE EIGHT TWO ZERO HOURS PD WILFORD J. WILLY CMA SR GRADE LIEUTENANT AND JOSEPH P. KENNEDY SR GRADE LIEUTENANT CMA BOTH USNR CMA WERE KILLED PD COMMANDER SMITH CMA IN COMMAND OF THIS UNIT CMA IS MAKING FULL REPORT TO US NAVAL OPERATIONS PD A MORE DETAILED REPORT WILL BE FORWARDED TO YOU WHEN INTERROGATION IS COMPLETED."[3]
As mentioned above, the natal potential is seen for such an event, with Moon as 11th lord of older brother placed in the 12th house of losses and the aspect of the 8th lord of death on the 2nd house of family. At the time of death, the Rahu-Rahu period was operating and transit 8th lord Mars was conjunct natal Moon in the 12th house. Transit Moon was also conjunct natal Sun as 12th lord of losses. The astrological signature could not be any clearer in a chart for such a tragic occurrence.

Elected President, November 8, 1960
On Tuesday, November 8, 1960, Kennedy defeated Nixon in one of the closest presidential elections of the twentieth century. In the national popular vote Kennedy led Nixon by just two-tenths of one percent (49.7% to 49.5%), while in the Electoral College he won 303 votes to Nixon's 219 (269 were needed to win). The Rahu-Mars period was operating, highlighting the issue of legitimacy and status. His transit 2nd lord was in the most effective point of the 3rd house in aspect to its own natal placement, with 1st lord Mercury well placed in the 2nd house.

Cuban Missile crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis brought the world to the brink of a nuclear exchange between the hostile superpowers, the USA and Soviet Union. While the crisis emerged slowly following the placement of US missiles in Turkey in 1959, it came to a head in tow weeks in the autumn of 1962, in October 14-28. Kennedy addressed the nation on October 22 about the buildup of arms on Cuba, which may be considered the peak of this crisis.

During the crisis, the Jupiter-Jupiter period was operating, with many difficult transit aspects, including the conjunction of Saturn and Ketu that fall, with the conjunction of Rahu and Mars adding to the drama in the third week of October. The rare transit combination involved just about everybody. There were strong linkages into the SAMVA USA chart, reflecting the grave national import and strain. In the end, Kennedy agreed to remove the missiles in Turkey and the Soviets backed down from their threat.

Ich bin ein Berliner speech
On June 26, 1963, Kennedy visited West Berlin and gave a public speech criticizing communism. Kennedy used the construction of the Berlin Wall as an example of the failures of communism: "Freedom has many difficulties and democracy is not perfect, but we have never had to put a wall up to keep our people in." The speech is known for its famous phrase "Ich bin ein Berliner". Nearly five-sixths of the population was on the street when Kennedy said the famous phrase. He remarked to aides afterwards: "We'll never have another day like this one." [4] In the chart, the Jupiter-Jupiter period was still operating, with transit Jupiter in the most effective point of the 7th house, showing rewarding experiences abroad, with transit 1st lord Mercury conjunct 2nd lord Venus in the most effective point of the 9th house, conjunct natal Venus, aspecting the 3rd house of speech.

President Kennedy assassinated
President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, at 12:30 p.m. Central Standard Time on November 22, 1963, while on a political trip to Texas to smooth over factions in the Democratic Party between liberals and conservatives, with the latter being led by Governor John Connally. Kennedy was shot once in the upper back and was killed with a final shot to the head. He was pronounced dead at 1:00 p.m. Only 46, President Kennedy died younger than any U.S. president to date. Lee Harvey Oswald, an employee of the schoolbook depository from which the shots were suspected to have been fired, was arrested on charges of the murder of a local police officer and was subsequently charged with the assassination of Kennedy. He denied shooting anyone, claiming he was a patsy, but was killed by Jack Ruby on November 24, before he could be indicted or tried. Ruby was then arrested and convicted for the murder of Oswald. Many motives has been suggested for the killing of Kennedy, including his attempt to obtain peaceful relations with the Soviets, to the point of backing down from challenges, including the Bay of Pigs invasion[5][6]. Some rather stunning similarities between the assassinations of Kennedy and Lincoln have been documented.[7]

The Jupiter-Saturn period was operating. Transit nodes were conjunct his natal nodes, one of the most difficult aspects known. Transit Mercury as 1st lord of self was exactly opposite transit Sun as 12th lord of losses. Transit Mars, lord of death was conjunct the most effective point of his 3rd house, from where it also aspects the 6th house, owned by the sub-period lord, the 9th and 1oth houses. Mars was also conjunct transit 2nd lord Venus and opposing natal Venus. Transit Saturn as 6th lord of enemies was conjunct the 5th house of enjoyment, from where it also aspected the 7th, 11th and 2nd houses. Importantly, the death is explained by the natal conjunction of lords of self and death in the 8th house of death. Even in his death, there was the greatest fame of all.

References
[1] John F. Kennedy - Wikipedia entry
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._Kennedy
[2] LEARN ASTROLOGY - LESSON 77 "Impact of Ascending Signs : Virgo"
http://www.yournetastrologer.com/learn_astrology77.htm
[3] Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. - Wikipedia entry
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_P._Kennedy,_Jr.
[4] Timeline of JFK's life
http://www.sptimes.com/News/111199/JFK/timeline.shtml
[5] Video of Kennedy's commencement speech (on nuclear disarmament) at American University, June 10, 1963.
http://www.jfklibrary.org/Asset+Tree/Asset+Viewers/Audio+Video+Asset+Viewer.htm?guid={AD102C43-3F44-42AD-A514-F2EE94878B89}&type=Audio
[6] "I am convinced that President Kennedy was killed by a large domestic conspiracy involving key players in the national security establishment, a conspiracy that crossed agency lines. It is clear to me that a veto was cast on JFK's life by this cabal because they despised (and feared) President Kennedy's foreign policy, and were convinced he was losing the Cold War." - Douglas Horne, author of "Inside the Assassination Records Review Board: The U.S. Government's Final Attempt to Reconcile the Conflicting Medical Evidence in the Assassination of JFK", November 8, 2009.
http://insidethearrb.livejournal.com/
[7] Stunning similarities between the Kennedy and Lincoln assassinations
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln-Kennedy_coincidences_urban_legend