Economist and Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan is an enigmatic, gentle and artistically-talented Pisces.

Appearing deceptively drab and dreary, Greenspan once attended The Julliard School of Music in New York City and played with a swing band in the early 40s. Of course, this was before deciding that a career in business held more promise. Now, for over a decade, Greenspan has created the melody, orchestrated the music and conducted the symphony to which the world’s economy dances.

Appointed chairman of the Federal Reserve Board in 1987, Alan Greenspan has orchestrated the longest economic expansion in U.S. history. A substantial part of his ability to do this is attributed to his flexibility, sensitivity to the public’s mood, canniness and luck. Considered the second most powerful man in the United States, Greenspan is a moderate Republican who has built a good working relationship with the Democratic administration. Already embarked on a fourth term, which should keep him in the job until mid-2004, his greatest challenge appears to be just on the horizon.

The Pisces Dreamer

True to his Pisces Sun, it is said that Greenspan is off in his own world—that society seems to flow past him and wash over him. He is there at the party, but he is not. He’s engaged at the hearing, but he’s aloof. He’s everywhere and nowhere at the same time.

Greenspan’s life is centered around the sponge-like quality of Pisces. Sensitive and impressionable, he soaks up the world. Sanctuary is important because Pisces sensitivity must protect itself, and reportedly Greenspan does most of his work in the seclusion of a long morning bath. Though this may seem a strange sanctuary, the ritual, which began in the early 70s to soothe an aching back, has provided Greenspan with a convenient way to protect and indulge his Pisces sensitivities while sorting out and orchestrating its endless impressions.

Polarity and the Law of Opposites: Pisces and Virgo

As a master of the incremental move, it is Greenspan’s ability to balance his impressionable Pisces center by embracing the Virgo polarity (Virgo is the sign opposite Pisces) that enables this dreamer to create the music to which the world’s economy will dance.

Everything has an opposite—light and dark, male and female, me and you—and each defines the other. Each astrological sign has an opposite. Signs in opposition are complimentary and need each other to function at the optimum level.

The Pisces polarity is Virgo, the sign associated with sequencing and producing order. Pisces without Virgo becomes lost in its oceanic world of impressions and accomplishes nothing, while Virgo without Pisces occupies itself with busywork and accomplishes nothing meaningful. But, when the Pisces dreamer embraces the Virgo doer, it gives rise the music maker—a person who can take random sounds and impressions, create a melody, orchestrate the music and conduct the symphony—even if that symphony is the economic health of the United States.

Deciphering Alan Greenspan

Once, when asked how he was feeling, Geenspan replied, “I’m not allowed to say.” This is humorous, but relevant, when you consider that two of his words, “irrational exuberance,” inserted into an otherwise routine speech given in December 1996, wielded enough power to trigger a global stock sell-off. What Greenspan says profoundly affects the world.

Though gentle, thoughtful and quick to smile, Greenspan is a peculiar wizard who seems to rattle on, but you can’t always be sure about what he is saying. Most consider his language pattern puzzling, and believe he employs a wordiness that leads to seemingly meaningless utterances. However, astrologically it appears that Greenspan is really just a man who marches to the beat of his own drum.

Greenspan has Mercury, the planet of communication, thoughts and ideas, in the initiatory sign of Aries, indicating a fast, original and independent style of thinking and communicating. Uranus, the planet of quirky nonconformity, is conjunct Mercury. These two planets working together tell of Greenspan’s penchant for formulating new, inventive and sometimes very unexpected ideas. They also reveal a peculiar way of understanding perceptions as well as a way of thinking and a style of speaking that would seem difficult to decipher.

The Angel on His Shoulder

You can’t find a better indicator of luck in a horoscope than the combination of Jupiter and Venus. Greenspan has a Jupiter-Venus conjunction in the social sign of Aquarius. In fact, it appears that Greenspan has led a charmed life. An inveterate partygoer (Jupiter) who is at ease (Venus) in social situations (Aquarius), he is well liked and his personal friendships and love interests (Venus) have always proved to be beneficial (Jupiter).

This combination—Venus (money) conjunct Jupiter (luck)—also bodes well for financial success. However, the benefic duo’s placement in Aquarius shifted Greenspan’s focus from personal financial success (Greenspan’s government salary is considerably less than he could have earned in the private sector) to the financial success of society as a whole. (The sign Aquarius is concerned with humanity at large.) And many times during the last decade it certainly seemed society was the benefactor of Greenspan's luck.

The Challenge of 2001

Although presently it may seem that whoever is elected to the presidency in November would be unlikely to question Greenspan’s decisions, this may not be the case. Transiting Pluto (power) squares (challenges) his Sun (integrity) for the first time just after the new president takes office, indicating that changes in the nation’s leadership, the economy and/or public opinion are likely to present significant challenges to Greenspan’s strength, character and integrity. Unflinching cooperation will be required if he is to resolve situations that arise during the next two years. But whatever transpires during the approaching challenge, it is likely to mark the beginning of the end and Greenspan’s retirement from public service. Greenspan will be 75 in 2001.