Astrological profiles of RI’s prominent

“I channel the stuff. That’s how it feels,” says Mark Taber, one of Rhode Island’s Golden Nuggets. His musical talent is legendary and his quirky fabrications, created from discarded items, are in a class by themselves. He is creative, innovative, avant-garde and anything but run-of-the-mill. Mark is a Capricorn. Yes, that stodgy, persistent, down-to-earth, sober, bank manager, insurance agent sign of the zodiac, Capricorn.

Astrology, like every other discipline, suffers from stereotyping. Capricorn has this image of guys in suits, carrying briefcases and working their way up the ladder. In truth, Capricorn is a creative sign and along with its ruler, Saturn, is often strong in musicians, comedians and those in other creative arts. Saturn and Capricorn rule structure, form and above all, timing.

The Capricorn designation means that the Sun was in that sign when he was born. In astrology, while the Sun plays the lead role, the other planets back up that Sun, providing motivation, wants and needs. To use a musical analogy, the singer is as good as the band.

A horoscope is a 12-slice pizza with each slice representing a slice of life.  The time of birth gives the sign on the horizon, the rising sign.  This sign is an intrinsic part of the personality. In Mark’s case, the sign on the ascendant is Virgo. Virgo brings those little details that line up so precisely in his artistic creations as well as his spot-on timing at the keyboard. No matter what rabbit hole in his life he fell or dove into, Mark is always on time and in tune.

In astrology, when a person has three or more planets in a sign other than the Sun sign, they often exhibit characteristics of that sign. In the career and public image slice of life in Mark’s horoscope, he has three planets in Gemini: Mars, Uranus and Saturn. Saturn, his ruler, is at home in this career slice. So the Saturn function of structure and form operates freely and optimally. Mars symbolizes how we use our energy. In Mark’s chart, Mars and Uranus are joined at the hip.  Their energies are fused and they act in concert. Uranus is about innovation, inventiveness, the sudden and unexpected — adjectives that aptly describe Mark.

The two strongest energies in his horoscope are Saturn and Mercury. Mark’s talent for recycling and refurbishing used and worn-out stuff is a clear reflection of his Capricorn Sun and ruler Saturn. His co-ruler, Mercury, retrograde in Capricorn, is meditative, inward looking and contemplative. Mark nails this symbolism when he says while working on his creations that it “is another way to meditate” and channeling stuff is second nature to retrograde Mercury. Mercury is the link between spirit and matter, heaven and earth, conscious and unconscious. Mark’s strong Mercury in Capricorn manifests the discoveries made on the inner journey. He is indeed a channel between two worlds.

Capricorn Mark Taber with Virgo rising and Gemini (let’s do two things at once) in the house of career flawlessly reflects and acts out his horoscope. Most folks do to a certain extent, but life, fears and what we are “supposed” to do get in the way. Mark does not march to a different drummer, he marches to his own. He is true to his inner compass.

We see or hear precise Mercury ruled Virgo in his work. His creations are vehicular (Mercury). While music has the ability to transport the listener, which Mark is quite capable of doing, it is constructed with beat, measure and meter, and requires work and practice. That strong Saturn, Capricorn Sun and Virgo rising does the work for him. The listener marvels at the ease of it all.

These days, Mark Taber continues playing gigs around town and working on his creations. With Pluto moving slowly through the sky, rolling over his Capricorn Sun, he says his life today is “more about expansion.” Expanding his vision, understanding, compassion and talent, “I am becoming spiritually bigger.”

This year, the planetary transits to his natal horoscope promise an outpouring of creativity. What comes next is anyone’s guess. With Mark’s horoscope in mind, the operative phrase is: If you can think of it, that ain’t it. One thing for sure, what Mark Taber pulls out of the hat won’t be the same old rabbit.