The death of Jim Morrison was one of the first really sad events of my young life. As a young and lonely wanna-be hippie, his music took me to places beyond my reality that really did open the doors of consciousness. I discovered Jim Morrison’s music at the same time I discovered Aldous Huxley and psychedelic pharmaceuticals, which began what was to become a lifelong exploration of the mystery of life. Huxley wrote, “When the doors of perception are cleansed /Things will appear as they are: Infinite. “

Jim Morrison said, “There are things known and things unknown, and in between are the doors.”

Jim Morrison had Sun in Sagittarius, the sign of the seeker of truth. Sagittarians typically do not like to delve into the dark recesses of the human unconscious, but Jim’s chart was more complex. Pluto, the god of the underworld that fearlessly enters the jaws of death to uncover the mystery, was exactly square his Moon and opposite his ascendant (rising sign), showing us that the archetype of death and rebirth (Pluto) was integral to his life (ascendant) and expression of his deepest emotions (Moon).

Mars in his chart was in Gemini, which is a very expressive place for the sexual drives of Mars. Mars was conjunct Uranus, the planet of innovation and revolution – the perfect placement for a leader of a cultural revolution such as Jim Morrison was. Mars/Uranus combinations also indicate someone whose sexual tastes can be eccentric or extreme, and who is never satisfied with the status quo.

His Venus was in Scorpio, showing that his relationships (Venus) were intense and rooted in issues of power and sexuality (Scorpio), and opposed his Moon in Taurus, expressing a need for physical pleasure and stability (Taurus) in order to feel secure (Moon). This opposition in a man’s chart can indicate that he categorizes women into two archetypes: the mother (Moon) and the sexualized woman (Venus). In addition, Pluto made a square to both Venus and the Moon, making this a powerful T-square that created a great deal of emotional conflict within him, affecting all his partnerships.

There were many other powerful influences in his chart as well: Saturn retrograde opposite the Sun, identifying him as painfully self-critical (Saturn retrograde) and with a low sense of self-esteem (opposite Sun) who with Mercury in Capricorn was constantly pressuring himself to achieve something and really be somebody. That Mercury was square Neptune, indicating that he was prone to fantasy and illusion.

We can see how the forces in Jim Morrison’s chart created a character that was larger than life, and since he made little attempt to achieve moderation in his life it is not surprising that he burned out at an early age. For those of us who idealized and idolized him, he remains a sentinel at the gate of awareness. In his own words:

“I see myself as a huge fiery comet, a shooting star. Everyone stops, points up and gasps “Oh look at that!” Then – whoosh, and I’m gone… and they’ll never see anything like it ever again, and they won’t be able to forget me – ever. ”