There are 2 couple people speak of when talking of old-world Hollywood love affairs, the first being Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. They were married up until the day he died. Both married to other people when they met, they managed to spin an affair into a successful 58-year marriage, they are often noted on astrology websites when discussing synastry. They had what many consider a very influential aspect his Sun conjunct her Moon and her Sun conjunct his Moon. It symbolizes the blend of masculine (the Sun) and feminine (the Moon) energies. This is them pictured below so sugary sweet but not my cup of tea…
The 2nd couple was Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton
I have been reading Furious Love by Sam Kashner and Nancy Schoenberger and I can tell you this book reads like fiction. Not having been abundantly familiar with either Richard or Elizabeth prior to Elizabeth Taylor’s death I have the sudden urge to Netflix the eleven movies they made with one another. This is one of those rare love stories that also lasts a lifetime. Not in the sense that they remained together but in the way their story has been documented and Richard Burton’s journal entries and love letters to Elizabeth preserved. Really their love will live on.
They met of the set of Cleopatra and fell madly for one another, “their story” reads like some aristocratic high society novel, only it is all true. They would share a decade of marriage; both having been condemned by the Vatican for abandoning their spouses to wed one another. During that time “Furious Love” speaks the truth of 2 people that would live the lives of Kings and Queens. There love appeared to know no limits as the book cites Richard often called Elizabeth “ocean” as a term of endearment referring to the depth of her being. No surprise they were both water signs, she was a Pisces and he an ever-intense Scorpio. The book details their marriage, their divorce, remarriage and ultimate divorce. Still, they spoke frequently on the phone up until Burton died in the summer of 1984. During their time together they competed for Academy Awards like other couples battle it out over bowling, they lived a life of nothing short of utter opulence. One of the most famous diamonds in the WORLD is that of which Burton Gave Taylor (his Jupiter fell in her 2nd house a huge overlay for generosity) a whopping 69.42 carat that has become famously known as the Taylor-Burton diamond. I always keep in mind when reading these outrageous tales that the passion pendulum swings 2 ways. For every diamond he bought her and each film they skillfully crafted together, they remained oddly doomed. I say that with much sadness. Furious Love tells a story of 2 individuals that traveled the world together and rarely spent time apart, consumed by one another as much as they were consumed by alcohol… It quotes Elizabeth Taylor stating that perhaps they loved one another too much. It seems she could even sense if Burton was in imminent danger, once ordering him off a helicopter at the last minute afraid it would crash. Pisces prone to psychic tendencies she was indeed right; the helicopter crashed killing everyone on board.
They shared hot sex, passionate nights, fighting, screaming and the occasional punch by Elizabeth complete with diamond rings on hand. She once even assaulted a woman co-star of Richards for becoming too enthusiastic in a love scene with him. Who would have ever thought Elizabeth Taylor was the type of lady to haul off and hit someone? Certainly not I, but with great love comes great passion (just kidding I do not condone violence). In my opinion they had it all if only they could have mastered themselves and their addictions instead of trying to master one another.
Burton often penned her letters while she slept in another room, he wrote of her furiously in his diary and even after they had married and divorced and married and divorced and ultimately married other people, they remained so much a part of one another’s being, soul and life. Elizabeth even hosting a party for him when he married someone else. It’s a love that takes on its own dimension, in its depths, its beauty and sadness. Thank you to the authors of Furious Love for putting me in touch with a love affair most us only dream of.
“We operate on alien wave lengths. You are as distant as Venus-the planet and I’m tone deaf to the music of spheres”- Richard Burton
This is one of my favorite quotes of all time. It shows the deep misunderstanding between two people. While they had many challenging aspects, I believe I would contribute this quote to the challenging Mercury aspects they had. For starters they have Mercury square Mercury which suggest they were not on the same page mentally and with the expression of ideas.
Taylor’s Neptune (planet of illusions) also squared Burton’s Mercury. This aspect creates a telepathic link, but it is also one in which the people do not feel they need to articulate what they are truly thinking they may assume because so much of the connection goes unspoken the other will simply know. When you have Neptune square Mercury is it important to verbally express yourself to avoid miscommunications and misunderstandings. It is worth noting that Neptune is the “higher octave” of Venus.
“If you leave me, I shall have to kill myself. There is no life without you. I am afraid. And I am afraid” -Richard Burton
It was not only Burton that threatened to kill himself it was Taylor as well. If I remember correctly Elizabeth Taylor swallowed a bunch of pills when Richard wouldn’t leave his wife.
In synastry Burton’s Neptune squares Taylor’s Moon and her Neptune conjoins his Moon. Neptune blurs the lines of where you begin, and I end. For every relationship that has been labeled “co-dependent” I have no doubt a heavy Neptune/Pisces element was involved. Keep in mind Pisces/Neptune rules self-sacrifice and is associated with the 12th house in astrology which is home to self-undoing. Because the lines blur with Neptunian synastry and boundaries dissolve you may feel infused with that other person. I have experienced it and felt like I was dying when they were not around. Moon/Neptune is the hallmark of emotional enmeshment. This is not to say it can not be a beautiful and romantic aspect every aspect has its light and shadowy attributes.
“You can’t keep clapping a couple of dynamite sticks together without expecting them to blow up.”-Richard Burton
Elizabeth Taylor’s Pluto Square Burtons Mars. Forgive me but I call this the domestic abuse aspect. This is where aggression meets control; Mars is God of War and Pluto is Lord of the Underworld; both planets are governed by Scorpio.
“A couple of saints could handle it smoothly, but as for ordinary humans; well, it’s a rocky road” -Linda Goodman’s Relationship Signs
“This is one of the most difficult aspects in a relationship. The survival nature in each individual clash with the other as both attempts to stay in touch with personal sense of self”- Karmic Relationships by Martin Schulman
The overall: I cannot live without you vibe can also be attributed to the Pluto square Venus between them. It is one of my favorite aspects but one that also requires great care. When we speak of Pluto we speak of unconscious drives and these drives often involve something to do with power, control and transformation. It is very important for those that have Pluto aspects between them and another to be aware of the overactive unconscious ego function these relationships often bring about. This aspect without any doubt suggest a relationship where neither person will be the same again; after all Pluto rules death and the rebirth.
The erratic nature of the connection; the back and forth of it all is easily reflected in Burton’s Uranus conjoining Taylor’s North Node. The North Node is where we are said to be headed in this lifetime and Uranus well this is a planet that is hard to pin down the very nature of Uranus is inconsistent. His Uranus also squares her Descendant which also contributes to the inconsistent nature; you see this one VERY often in long distance relationships and those that are open and not really settled.
Elizabeth Taylor was buried with her secret love letter from Burton. The love of her life, Burton wrote the letter 3 days before his death and Elizabeth kept it by her bedside for 27 years. She never showed or told anyone what was in the letter and refused to have it in her biography. All Elizabeth Taylor would say was that it was an affirmation of his love to her.
Burton and Taylor were true soul mates despite them marrying and divorcing twice. Soulmate love transcends time, space and death.
I wish them better luck in the next incarnation.
Elizabeth Taylor, actress is pictured with her fifth and sixth husband, actor Richard Burton (died August 1984) 
