On April 28, 1967, Muhammad Ali was scheduled for induction into the US Army. Three times the officer called his name, and three times he refused to step forward. He was then arrested. That same day, his boxing license was suspended and he was stripped of his title.
A few months later, on June 20, 1967, Ali went to trial and was found guilty. He wouldn’t box again until after the US Supreme Court overturned his sentence in 1971.
About his conscientious objection to serving in the Vietnam War, Ali famously stated:
Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go ten thousand miles from home and drop bombs and bullets on brown people in Vietnam while so-called Negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs and denied simple human rights?*
One can’t overstate Ali’s courage was in standing by his principles and refusing the draft. His choice had a tremendous impact on the anti-war movement in America.
Progressions to Jan 1, 1967
Prog Asc 9.14 Virgo
Prog MC 6.14 Gemini
Prog Sun 22.37 Aquarius
Prog Moon 7.19 Capricorn
Prog Fortuna 23.56 Cancer
Prog Spirit 24.32 Libra
Mercury and Necessity ('super Mercury') testimonies are plentiful in this year. This is perfectly congruent, as Necessity is about having to make a choice between two things that are mutually exclusive. Such was the situation in 1967 for Ali: would he follow the law despite his beliefs, or would he stand firm and suffer the consequences?
- Progressed Necessity (8 Gemini) is close to the prog MC (6 Gemini) in a spotlight position;
- Prog Fortuna (23 Cancer) is conjunct Pollux, a royal star; likewise, prog Spirit (24 Libra) is conjunct the royal star Spica. Note that prog Spirit will cross the natal South Node by antiscion this year (14.15 Pisces/15.45 Libra), showing ‘Me’ running into restrictions;
- Prog Mercury (18 Aquarius/11 Scorpio) conjuncts prog Captivity (11 Scorpio) by antiscion, linking choice with confinement;
- Prog Mars (16.31 Taurus) opposes the natal Mercury/Moon conjunction (12/13 Aquarius, 16/17 Scorpio) by antiscion, which seems to show Ali facing off against the authorities;
- Prog Moon (7.19 Capricorn) will conjunct natal Courage (8.52 Capricorn) by antiscion this year, showing Ali marshalling his inner forces to make this decision.
Solar Return for 1967 (Jan 17, 1967; 10 Virgo Asc)
- SR Moon (19.26 Aries/10.34 Virgo) falls by antiscion on the SR Asc (10.09 Virgo). ‘Me’ is in a major spotlight as Ali takes a stand before the whole world.
- The Sun and SR Mercury are conjunct at 27.17 Capricorn, exact to the minute of arc!
- NA Fortuna (25.18 Virgo) is conjunct SR Uranus (24.15 Virgo). Uranus is the sky god of ‘all potential’ who suffers a painful loss at the hands of Saturn (limits/reality/restriction), a theme that is fitting here.
- NA Love (9.52 Leo) is conjunct natal Saturn by antiscion (21.39 Taurus/8.21 Leo), which seems to show career matters hitting a wall (with Love standing in for Venus as natal Lord 10 here).
Next are the lunar returns for the two events this year (draft refusal and conviction). I'll mention just a few highlights from each of these here.
Lunar Return for Draft Refusal (April 4, 1967; 23 Capricorn Asc)
- NA Necessity (23.54 Aquarius/6.06 Scorpio) is conjunct the LR South node (7.10 Scorpio) by antiscion, combining choice with restriction;
- NA Victory (1.11 Sagittarius) falls on natal Captivity (0.32 Sagittarius): Ali has his boxing license revoked and his title stripped as a result of his choice;
- NA Courage (25.14 Taurus) is conjunct the natal Spirit-Pluto conjunction by antiscion (4 Leo/25 Taurus), showing Ali's personal courage during this time.
Lunar Return for Conviction (May 28, 1967; 10 Scorpio Asc)
- The LR MC (18.06 Leo) picks up the natal Asc/Dsc axis (19.31 Leo/Aquarius), signalling this month as a key month in Ali's life;
- NA Captivity (21.05 Aquarius) picks up natal Lord 10, Venus (20.40 Aquarius), in its border control position on the 7th cusp in the radix;
- NA Necessity (11.01 Sagittarius) opposes Ali's natal Jupiter/Love conjunction (11.57 Gemini-10.46 Gemini), showing the limits on Ali’s potential as a boxer after his conviction.
Up Next
In part 4, we'll review Ali's charts for the Rumble in the Jungle (1974) and the Thrilla in Manilla (1975).
THE SEVEN KEY ARABIC PARTS
Note: these formula remain the same whether the birth is by day or by night.
Part of Spirit (Solis/Abundance), ‘super Sun’: Asc + Sun - Moon
Part of Fortune (Fortuna/Hunger), ‘super Moon’: Asc + Moon – Sun
Part of Love, ‘super Venus’: Asc + PS – PF
Part of Necessity, ‘super Mercury’: Asc + PF – PS
Part of Courage, ‘super Mars’: Asc + PF – Mars
Part of Victory, ‘super Jupiter’: Asc + Jup – PS
Part of Captivity, ‘super Saturn’: Asc + PF – Saturn
Their positions in Muhammad Ali's natal chart:
Spirit: 4.23 Leo (15.08 degrees above Asc)
Fortune: 4.40 Virgo (15.08 degrees below Asc)
Love: 19.14 Cancer (30.17 degrees above Asc)
Necessity: 19.48 Virgo (30.17 degrees below Asc)
Courage: 2108 Sagittarius (58.23 degrees below Dsc)
Victory: 27.05 Gemini (52.26 degrees above Asc)
Captivity: 0.32 Sagittarius (79.39 degrees below Dsc)
ABBREVIATIONS KEY
Asc = Ascendant (1st house cusp)
Dsc = Descendant (7th house cusp)
LR = Lunar return
MC = Midheaven (10th house cusp)
NA = Natal arc (method of placing the Arabic Parts in the same place relative to the Ascendant as they held in the radix)
PF = Part of Fortune
Prog = Progressed
PS = Part of Spirit
SR = Solar return
CHARTS (in order of appearance below):
Ali, Muhammad, Radix: Jan 17, 1960, 6:35 pm in Louisville, KY; 19 Leo Asc
Ali, Muhammad, Solar Return: Jan 17, 1967 in Louisville; 10 Virgo Asc
Ali, Muhammad, Lunar Return: April 4, 1967 in Louisville; 23 Capricorn Asc
Ali, Muhammad, Lunar Return: May 28, 1967 in Louisville; 10 Scorpio Asc
PHOTO CREDIT:
Joshi Bhavya, “Muhammad Ali Quotes: A Tribute to Legendry Boxer - Muhammad Ali,” Flickr (CC): https://www.flickr.com/photos/143157631@N07/27373864842. "He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life."
*From Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Ali#Vietnam_War_and_resistance_to_the_draft
