THE DUDE – “THE BIG LEBOWSKI”

“All the Dude ever wanted was his rug back.”

Jeff Lebowski, aka ‘The Dude,’ is an ordinary man, who finds himself involved in a strange situation of a missing person, one million dollars, and many colorful characters, as a result of a mistaken identity.

His Sun and Ascendant are in Pisces and the Moon is in Libra.

The Sun and ASC in Pisces are reflected in the Dude’s weak-willed character, easily swayed personality, and role as the victim of circumstances. His daydreams and illusions, which are presented in the film more than once, as well as the emphasis on his daily indulgence in drugs and alcohol are additional expressions of this strong Piscean energy in his personality. (More of this sign’s characteristics will be discussed later.)

The Moon in Libra stresses the Dude’s desire for fairness (“All the Dude ever wanted was his rug back.”) and is expressed in his partnering with another, Walter. Also, the general Libran energy (three planetary placements in this chart) points to his role as the middle-man between the Big Lebowski and the bad guys.

This luminary combination of Pisces and Libra makes for a gentle, empathetic, courteous, and pleasant individual. The personality is not the most assertive, but more receptive and indecisive in nature. Ideal and harmonious life conditions are essentially what one desires. However, as much as this Pisces-Libra individual is interested in peaceful, easy feelings, his Moon’s aspects, especially with Mars and the Sun, as well as Uranus in the 4th, make it difficult for him to reach the ideal state of emotional and domestic serenity.

In addition, there are three standouts in this chart that must be addressed:

1. Over-abundance of Piscean/Neptunian energies
2. Elemental Imbalance – Lack of the Fire and Earth Planetary Placements
3. Sesquiquadrates

Besides the two most important factors in one’s horoscope (Sun and ASC) that are placed in Pisces in this nativity, this sign is highly magnified in the man’s personality and life circumstances through other Piscean features: The two inner (personal) planets, Mercury and Venus, in Pisces, a Stellium in the 12th house (the natural domain of this sign), as well as the planetary ruler of this sign, Neptune, in (separating) aspects with the Moon, Mercury, Mars, and Uranus.

Pisces, in its basic core, reflects lack of personal boundaries and a chaotic inner life. In its least developed manifestation, a person with his Sun in this sign (or any other Sun sign with a hard aspect to Neptune) has a vague sense of identity to a certain degree. Yet the more mature natives of this sign normally find their way in life through an artistic and/or musical and/or a spiritual involvement. Regardless, the tendency to be constantly receptive to vibes around tests one to stay on his path and not be carried away by environmental distractions; whether badly influential people or destructive substances. Pisces is a mutable sign, and as such, it is more inclined to go with the flow, no matter how detrimental it can be to one’s growth if focus toward a goal is not strong. Pisces and Neptune influence this chart on many levels, and therefore, one should anticipate their energy to be highly ingrained in the native’s personality, as well as to find recurring Piscean themes to dominate his life. Our story is just but one manifestation of the prominence of this theme; a confusing and unclear ordeal that relates to the man’s identity.

The aforementioned luminary combination in the Dude’s chart is highlighted by the elemental distribution of the planets in just Water and Air signs: Five of the planets are placed in the water signs of Cancer and Pisces, while the other five planets are positioned in the air signs of Libra and Aquarius. The fact that there are no planetary placements in any of the Fire (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius) and Earth (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn) signs or houses (with the exclusion of Jupiter in the 5th, the house of fun and games), only accentuates the impractical tendencies that the Water and Air mix naturally carries within it in its purest form.

Water offers dreamy, imaginative, intuitive, and moody personality traits, as well as emotional and personal orientations to life’s affairs. Air contributes to objectivity (“I can’t hand him a bill!”), ideas, and a need to relate to others (especially with the Moon in Libra). The mix of Water and Air (Mist) is not the most active, direct and confident combination one can have, and doesn’t, on its own, really point to a native with the desire to be productive and practical in life. Rather, it mostly reflects an individual with a rich inner world, who is an observer in life, gifted with the ability to bring the unconsciousness of Water with the consciousness of Air together (as in psychology, for example). Emotions and ideas are the main approach with which life is processed, while inspiration, action, and a need to be effective, not so much. A stronger Mars (for example, in a Fire sign, and/or in Aries/Capricorn where it is dignified or exalted, and/or in the 1st or 10th house where it is accidentally dignified or accidentally exalted, and/or in aspect to the Sun and/or angles) would somewhat make up for the missing Fire element in this chart and add some assertive and fiery spirit to the personality.

But Mars in Libra is in its detrimental placement (by both sign and house in this case), which reflects one who follows the lead of another (Walter) rather than following his own. This sign takes away from the confrontational tendencies of Mars (in its strongest position in Aries which Walter seems to have) and makes the native more gentle and agreeable than direct and aggressive. (“The Dude Abides.”) In the few times he is assaulted in the film – toilet incident, marmot scene, by the Sheriff of Malibu, and during the physical confrontation with the Germans – The Dude does nothing to defend himself. When he finally shows some resistance to his attackers, he is saved by Walter. Mars conjunct Neptune certainly doesn’t help the situation and only adds a touch of impracticality, softness, and a screen of fog to one’s actions, while Mars retrograde interiorizes the man’s initiative spirit and expression of anger and assertiveness.

Similarly, a more prominent Saturn (for example, in an earth sign- its triplicity, and/or in the 1st or 10th house, and/or in aspect to the Sun or ASC) would somewhat make up for the missing Earth element in this chart and correspond with ambition, a disciplined and structured character, and an inner urge to improve oneself in life. However, Saturn in Aquarius and in the 11th house (although traditionally dignified and accidentally dignified) focuses more on the Dude’s social life and connection to his friends and associations with groups (bowling league, ‘Seattle Seven’) rather than on practical matters and responsibilities as an adult in this world.

Since these two planets’ energies are quite faint in this horoscope (Saturn’s only major aspects are with the Libra planets, but those are quite wide), the unfocused and easily swayed Piscean tendencies and agreeable and non-confrontational Libran characteristics are easily pulled into stressful situations of which the man seems to have no control.

The sesquiquadrate aspect points to irritating experiences and nervous feelings that are caused by sudden and unnecessary annoyances in life with which one must learn to live. This 135˚–aspect (comprised of a square – 90˚ – and a semi-square – 45˚) is considered to be a weak version of the square, and as such, slightly less dynamic and forceful in its nature. The sesquiquadrate does not urge one to act and produce results as the square does, but rather, it is more agitating, aggravating, and disruptive in its effects in the life of the native and doesn’t result in a constructive change really: One simply finds himself evoked by unexpected circumstances with which he has to deal. Since it is considered to be a minor aspect, an orb no wider than two degrees should be considered.

The aggressive acts on The Dude, the following bizarre events that he experiences, the unusual characters that he meets along the way, and his being lured into the big Lebowski’s problems are exact manifestations of the effect of this frustrating aspect in all its forms; in combination with the Dude’s character and his reactive tendencies, of course. Moon sesquiquadrate Sun is felt in a general dissatisfaction and disharmony within one’s psyche, as what one needs and what he is are in friction. The houses that are involved with this aspect here point to confusion and out-of-nowhere elements (12th house), another person’s possessions (8th house) and irritating conditions (sesquiquadrate). Moon sesquiquadrate Venus points to aggravating issues that involve women (Bunny) with elements of the mysterious (Venus in Pisces and in the 12th) and even toes (a Pisces-ruled body part)!

The Dude’s horoscope is quite challenging, but not in the most productive way, as would be the case in a horoscope with many squares and oppositions that would push the individual to make something of himself. His is not really a career-oriented chart, or one that represents a native who wants to develop himself personally either.

The events in the movie present a tiny fraction of his life and reflect the general energies that are described here through the activation of a transiting planet: A very strong possibility would be Mercury Retrograde over one of the planets in the 12th and/or its activation of one or more of the natal aspects mentioned above, mainly through Venus, the ruler of the 4th (the home and emotional security). 

An additional Point: 

The Dude’s muddled mental processes and verbal expressions hint of Mercury’s connection to Piscean/Neptunian elements. Of course, not every person with Mercury in Pisces will be slow to verbalize his thoughts and ideas. But here, since Mercury is also quincunx the Moon and Neptune, the natural fluidity and coherence of the mind are manifested in the not-so-quick thought processes and articulation. The dreams, visions, and hallucinations that are presented in the film are additional reflections of this mental planet’s Piscean/Neptunian colors within the man’s personality.

Bibliography:

“Complete Horoscope Interpretation” – Maritha Pottenger