Muhammad Ali
BIOGRAPHY – Main points
1. His biography is a continuous success story. Although he had some difficult times (namely when – in 1967 - the NY State Athletic Commission suspended his boxing licence and stripped him of his title, then he did not box for three and a half years), he actually won virtually all his battles.
2. His success is a direct consequence of his physical strength and his physical ability to fight, including superb reflexes.
3. Furthermore, his continuous success is also a consequence of his persistent determination to win and his strong will. To be a successful boxer demands a lot of daily training and discipline. To be a winner demands a lot of positive outlook and self confidence.
4. Ali was involved in another battle: the political one. In the 60’s he was audacious enough to challenge the authorities, by refusing to serve in the US Army. He became very unpopular: “Many Americans vehemently condemned Ali’s stand. It came at a time when most people in the United States still supported the war in Southeast Asia” (in Britannica). However, at the same time, according to other biographies, he came to be respected, by some, as a hero who stood up for his principles.
5. “In addition, he was criminally indicted and, on June 20, 1967, convicted of refusing induction into the U.S. armed forces and sentenced to five years in prison. Although he remained free on bail, four years passed before his conviction was unanimously overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court on a narrow procedural ground.” (Britannica)
6. This refusal to serve in the Army is an important episode of his life. However, whether it was a good one or a bad one, that is an arguable question. On one hand, he was not allowed to box, meaning that he couldn’t to do something he certainly loved and needed to do to feel happy. On the other hand, however he eventually went back to the boxing (three and a half years later) and won his case in the New York Supreme Court – a personal and political victory of the highest importance. Everybody was paying attention to him, he was the centre of the world, and he ultimately won – from this viewpoint, it was a good experience.
PHASES OF ALI’S LIFE
PHASE 1 (THE BEGINNINGS) - 1954 (12 years old) to 1960 (Rome Olympic Games, golden medal). The beginnings and the golden medal.
PHASE 2 (GROWING) - from 1960 to February 25, 1964. More highly regarded for his charm and personality than for his ringing skills (Britannica).
PHASE 3 (PRIME TIME) – from Feb 1964 (challenged Sonny Liston, and won, becoming the new champion) to April 1967. Dominating boxing, “as thoroughly and magnificently as any fighter ever had” (Britannica). Definitely, his prime time.
PHASE 4 (CONTROVERSY TIME) – from April 1967 (the refusal to serve in the US Army) to October 1970. His most controversial time, being worshipped by some as a hero but hated by many Americans.
PHASE 5 (MUHAMMAD ALI – PART II) – October 1970 to 1979.
PHASE 6 (THE RETIREMENT) – from 1979 until now. Note: This second part of his life reveals a new personality and a new existence, but I’m not going to approach it in this preliminary analysis of his biography.
My comments
a) This analysis seeks more the research than the daily practice of astrology. It may be useful for someone who’s still puzzled by this very basic question: “does astrology work?”.
b) My goal is to compare the astrological analysis with reality. My strategy is to try to match the big picture of the horoscope with the big picture of reality. My supposition is that what is more obvious in the chart should match what is more obvious in the native’s life.
What do I expect to find in Muhammed Ali’s horoscope (and his Chinese Ba Zi’s chart)?
1. I expect his charts to tell me that the native is someone particularly strong, both physically and psychologically. Moreover, I expect them to state it in a very unequivocal way. (One must keep in mind that every astrological chart shows a predisposition for at least some degree of physical and psychological strength of the native. So, the mere presence of a weak semi-sextile between Uranus and Jupiter or Mars is not enough for our purposes.)
2. I expect his charts to tell me that the native is well skilled to (physically) fight. Good reflexes, and so on. Furthermore, I expect the charts to say it in an unequivocal way as well. Ali was not just a good fighter: “Ali’s place in boxing history as one of the greatest fighters ever is secure.” (Britannica)
3. I expect his charts to tell me that the native is not only someone particularly combative but also someone particularly successful in (all) his fights.
4. I expect his charts to unequivocally state that the native tend to be successful and lucky. My comment: most of the celebrities that we study in astrology and “life analysis” (I will define this expression in another place) are successful. If they were not successful, in a way or the other, they wouldn’t be worthy of being studied. But not all of these celebrities know the success during their whole life. A number of them faced hardships and defeats in different epochs of their lives. Ali’s case is different. Even during his hard times (Phase 4) he ended up winning.
5. His charts should show the native as someone daring, audacious, extreme. This radicalism is manifest in his whole career. (Although not in the current retiring phase of his life, PHASE 6)
