Many of you will have already seen the powerful and moving documentary The Wisdom of Trauma, on the work of Hungarian-Canadian author-therapist-healer Gabor Maté. Both because I found his work so refreshingly radical and his presence and personal disclosure so compelling I went straight to the main database of astrological charts to explore the horoscope behind it all. Sadly his birth time is not public knowledge, as is so often the case. Given the turmoil of his early life it may not even be known at all. So, as I often do, I started playing with ideas in an attempt to build a meaningful chart for him, starting with the two bits of necessary data we do have for him - his date and place of birth: 6th January 1944 in Budapest, Hungary. However, his time of birth, essential for a useful chart, would have to be ‘rectified’ - that is, deduced from biographical information.
I carry out a lot of chart rectifications for clients. This mostly involves a combination of meeting them (on-line or face-to-face) to get a bit of a feel for them and the painstaking sifting through timed life events to try and bring their birth chart into symbolic alignment with these events. With a public figure this process is not really possible in it’s entirety, so in most cases I have to resort to some basic biographical details and, if video footage of them is available, my impressions through their body, voice, facial features and overall style of personality. The work I did on the chart of NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is an example of this, which I’ve written up on my website here.
In the case of Gabor Maté I found this speculative process flow remarkably easily, so I thought I would share the resulting chart. Do note, however: I am not saying this is actual birth chart. It may well be, or near enough, but I suspect we will never know. The point is that it appears to work, and some might find it adds to their understanding of this interesting and significant individual. I hope it also shows how sometimes scant information and a keen eye can allow the construction of a meaningful birth map, useful if one is wanting to research a favourite favourite figure or a friend.
So, I am proposing an astrological chart for Gabor Maté for drawn for around 1:18pm on 6th January 1944 in Budapest, Hungary. (see below).
I haven’t delved too deeply for dated major life events, but I soon unearthed three, which proved sufficient for this rough-and-ready rectification procedure. These are listed at the bottom.
The first thing I do when rectifying a chart of unknown time is often to note whether the Moon changes sign during the day; in this case, on the day of Gabor’s birth, Moon changed from Taurus to Gemini around 12:45pm. Observation of his personality and his writing output immediately suggested Gemini to me, narrowing possibly Ascendants to Taurus through Libra. From here, using a combination of factors, including the following, along with transits and progressions in accordance with three dated events listed at the bottom, I was quickly able to settle on the proposed birth time of 1:18pm. And I feel surprisingly confident with the resulting chart.
Biographical features from Gabor’s life with chart placements that support this time:
Holocaust trauma family history, including his maternal grandparents killed in Auschwitz when 5 months old (Pluto in the 4th)
His journey into this trauma, and its important place in his life path and public offering (North Node-Pluto conjunction in Leo in the 4th)
A long history of medical, political and religious radicalism (Uranus on the Ascendant)
Distinctive (Uranus on a) and youthful appearance (Gemini Ascendant)
Direct, punchy speech (Mars in Gemini on the Ascendant)
Reformist public ministry, including researching the controversial use of sacred plant medicine (Aquarius MC, Neptune trine the MC)
Professional trauma interests arising from his childhood background (Sun, ruler of the 4th, in the 8th; Moon in the 12th)
His spiritual/religious interests and identity (Mercury, ruler of the 1st, in the 9th and Sun on the 9th cusp)
Personal addictions and on-the-street/caring and professional interests in drug addicts (Moon on Ascendant trine Neptune trine Midheaven)
First career an English literature teacher (Saturn, ruler of the 10th, in Gemini)
His son Aaron is a political journalist (Mercury, ruler of the 5th, in Capricorn in the 9th house) [fascinating interviews with his father can be seen here or here]
Watch his use of his hands as he talks - often points to prominent Gemini signatures.
There are other chart placements relevant to these elements of his biography - such as the Sun in a near-exact trine to Chiron - which I haven’t included. As interesting and relevant as they are to an understanding of him and this chart, they don’t help to confirm a specific time of birth.
Having completed the work, I was intrigued to see that his proposed Ascendant/Descendant and Uranus-Mars is closely picked up in the recent Lunar Eclipse on the 26th May, at 5º26’ Gemini-Sagittarius.
This is not intended to be an analysis of this chart, but I hope the above explains why I have settled on this time with the brief astrological argument behind this choice. I hope those of you who are interested in delving further will find further evidence of the chart’s aptness, and/or find it a useful chart with which to understand something of our rapid global awakening to the ubiquitousness, the tragedy and the profound ramifications of personal and collective trauma.
Timed Events
His family left Hungry 1 month after the Hungarian Revolution of October 1956, then departing for Canada on the MS “Arosa Sun” in January 1957, arriving in Halifax on 4/2/1957 (see record here). This works for transiting Uranus crossing his IC, and progressed Mars, now direct, in partial conjunction with Uranus.
Born a Jew in Nazi-occupied Europe towards the end of World War II, when he was 5 months old his mother gave him to a stranger for safe-keeping as she went into hiding (this was disclosed in the film ‘The Wisdom of Trauma’). Here we see progressed Moon conjunct Uranus.
Married to artist Rae in November 1969 (Mentioned in her website here). Venus on the Descendant describes the artist spouse. Lunar Return for 24/11 shows strong and precise marriage signatures.