Saturn in the chart of Cass Elliot, and how planets in the first house get projected on us by other people

 c.n.: This article will discuss fatphobia

[Image: Photo of Mama Cass Photo by Michael Ochs Archives, 1970. Getty Images]

[Image description: Cass Elliot wears a very colorful flower power buttoned shirt, and stands before a wall covered with ivy. She has long auburn shining hair, and she smiles.]

Cass Elliot, stage name of Ellen Naomi Cohen, was a member of the singing group the Mamas & the Papas, but was also known for her solo work after the band broke up. 

I was curious about the Saturn conjunction on her Ascendant in a night chart, which makes it the most difficult planet in Elliot's chart. 

In horary, a planet that hovers right above the Ascendant, might show us what the Questioner is thinking, or a matter that is very important to them. The planet can also describe the Questioner. In my theory, a planet that is right on the cusp of the first house or very near the Ascendant in a nativity, does something similar. It shows themes that are often on the mind of the native, or (external) issues that have a tremendous effect on their life. 

The most obvious indication of the notable presence of Saturn, the planet of death - and on top of that Saturn is Lord of the Eight in the Twelfth house - is the early death of the singer (she was 32). It's also interesting that she chose the name Elliot as a tribute to a friend who passed away (I often find that the planets linked to the Ascendant describe one's name). 

Saturn is the planet of ostracization and rejection, and often shows people walking a lonely path. Cass experienced a lot of fatphobia during her life, and she was a single mother too in a time when this was frowned upon. She was very much going against the mainstream in the 60's, and one of Cass' most famous songs 'Make your own kind of music' tells about the loneliness this caused her:

Nobody can tell you

there's only one song worth singing

they may try and sell you

cause it hangs them up to see someone like you

Cass' public persona is all about optimism, freedom, progressiveness and general good vibes in flower power dresses. In the biography on her website, her daughter describes her as 'unapologetically flirtatious and hilarious'. This is the Jupiterian influence in her First House. We often learn that the First House is the most personal house in the chart, and that it says things about your character and appearance. I do not completely agree with this, for I often see that planets in the First House represent things that are projected unto us from the outside world. I think the planets in a chart can show us experiences, but we are not our experiences. So I do believe that the First House feels extremely personal, but doesn't describe who you really are. The First House can show a general impression you make, or it can show us the reason why we got bullied as a child. The First House can tell you, in a sense, more of a superficial impression that others get from you, or, in the worst case, how others might project their fears and prejudices on you.

In Cass' case, Jupiter is in detriment in Gemini, and a lot of Jupiterian stereotypes got projected onto the singer during her life. The public named her 'Big Mama Cass', for example, much against her will. Cass worked hard to get rid off this stereotype- as she asked with her album title Don't Call Me Mama Anymore. Jupiter is often associated with humor, but when it is in detriment, people might see you as if you couldn't be anything but a 'humorous' person whom you are allowed to make fun of. When a planet is in detriment, there is much friction between the planet and the outside world. The essential nature of the planet can't find a way to express itself in an authentic way - not because the person themself is unable to do this, but because of external circumstances and opinions that are outside of your control. Jupiterian people naturally want to express their joyful nature - and this optimism is definitely a part of Cass' personality - but Cass lived in a society where she was supposed to only make people smile. 

On the other hand, she experienced another Jupiter-in-detriment-kind of prejudice: she was often considered as 'too much' by society and the people around her. You'll notice, for example, that in a lot of pictures on the albums of The Mamas and The Papas, Cass is often shunned to the background, hidden in the shadow so the thin blonde Michelle of the group can take center stage. These pictures are quite representative for how she was treated by her band members, as told by Cass daughter: 'Behind the group’s sun-soaked & dreamy personae, internal contentions were brewing. Cass often faced scrutiny and ridicule for her weight, and there was no denying the comparison of Mama Cass to Michelle in the public eye, either.'

I believe if you want to know the real person from a chart, you shouldn't look at the first house, but at the ruler of the Ascendant. Cass is represented by Mercury in Libra, very near to the fixed star Spica. Mercury is the planet of the voice, in a sign that is ruled by Venus, so this shows the beauty of her voice: her literal singing voice, as well as her message - since Mercury is the messenger. Spica is a star full of otherworldly beauty. The fifth house is the house of art and pleasure. So the 'real' Cass Elliot is all about Mercury and Venus. Elliot wanted to be an actress before she became a singer: Mercury is the planet of actors too. Sometimes Mercury is also the planet of people who often have to play a part during their lives. Her real self was of a Mercurial quality: flexible, curious, witty, virtuous. 

Saturn near the Ascendant can show problems that literally interfer with your own body and self. It is known that Cass Elliot went on dangerous crash diets, including one where she lost 100 pounds and ended up in hospital. The constant extreme dieting and fasting likely took a toll on her heart, which may be very well the reason why she died so young. Saturn is very near to the fixed star Algol, the star of oppression, trauma and rejection. Even after her death, people made jokes that she supposedly 'choked on a sandwich' and died, which was of course not true, but were -in the words of her daughter -  'one last slap against the fat lady.' 

As the most challenging planet in the chart, we see Saturnian themes coming up like discipline and deprivation taken to an absolute extreme, in the form of extreme dieting. Since Saturn is also the ruler of the MC, we can say that her career and the constant public scrutiny and shaming took a gigantic toll on her health. 

Cass Elliot made a huge impact on the music industry, and tells us to 'sing our own special song', even in a society where it seems that nobody else sings along. 

Sources:

https://www.casselliot.com/biography.htm

https://www.grunge.com/231805/the-tragic-death-of-the-mamas-and-the-papas-cass-elliot/

https://allthatsinteresting.com/cass-elliot-death

wikipedia

Here is the link to this article on Substack