“In the Jewish mystical tradition, yod represents a mere dot, a divine point of energy. Since yod is used to form all other letters, and since God uses letters as the building blocks of creation, yod indicates God’s omnipresence.”
The Astrological Yod
An astrological yod is often called “the Finger of God” or “the Finger of Fate.” It has gained the reputation of being a neurotic configuration.
Those with a Yod in their birth chart often seem driven by some mystical force beyond their control. They may also sense that the universe has gifted them with a “special calling” and a vast reservoir of talent just out of their reach. As a result, they’re often restless, frustrated, anxious, obsessive, and/or depressed.
What is a Yod?
A yod is an isosceles triangle that is formed when two planets are in a harmonious sextile (60° aspect) and both simultaneously create a close inconjunct or quincunx (150° aspect) to a third planet (2° to 2.5° maximum orb). The third planet, the apex planet, has nothing in common with the other two, either by element or modality.
The Finger of the Yod
The pointing finger of the yod is created by the two quincunxes pointing to the apex planet. Imagine the apex planet as a stranger trapped in a foreign land. The foreigners could be friendly to or could gang up on the stranger, but in either case, the “stranger” will always struggle to understand what the foreigners are saying.
Ted Turner’s Yod
Ted Turner, at one time known as “the mouth of the South,” is an eccentric and unpredictable man who, in the 1970s, had goals others thought were a bit over the top.
Turner was the first to put a local TV station (Atlanta’s WTBS) on Satellite, where it was broadcast nationwide through a network of local cable television operators. He also started the Cable News Network (CNN), which broadcasts live news events. Turner revolutionized the television industry, as well as the way the news was broadcast. He did all this and much more despite (or perhaps due to) living with bipolar disorder. His unbreakable will and manic spirit to achieve his goals are inspiring.
Ted Turner was born on November 19, 1938, at 8:50 am in Cincinnati, Ohio. Rodden rating AA, Porphry system.
Ted Turner has Mars, the planet of energy and action, in Libra and his 10th house (career.) Mars sextiles Mercury, the planet of communications in far-sighted Sagittarius conjunct his Ascendant.
Mercury and Mars point the “Finger of God” at the planet of genius, originality, and independence, Uranus, conjunct the North Node in the stable earth sign of Taurus in the 5th house. With Uranus conjunct the North node in Taurus, the Finger of God compelled Turner to pull himself up by his bootstraps and become financially independent and self-sufficient by doing something creative and revolutionary with his life.
Multiple Yods
You won’t often find multiple yods in a natal chart. When you do, one or two of the same planets will likely be involved. These shared planets tie the yods together.
Multiple yods can be imagined as a tag team wrestling match inside the individual, in which the various players take turns and relentlessly goad the person on. Although rare, the musical genius Prince has multiple yods in his birth chart.
Prince was born on June 7, 1958, at 6:17 pm (CDT) in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Rodden rated AA, Phophery system.
Prince’s Yods
Prince has two yods in his birth chart. One has Mars at 0° Aries as the apex planet. Mars is quincunx Neptune at 2° Scorpio and Pluto at 29°57′ Leo. The second has Neptune at 2° Scorpio as the apex planet. Neptune is quincunx Mercury at 4° Gemini and Mars at 0° Aries.
The Finger of God Points to Mars and Neptune
The shared apex planets in Prince’s natal chart are Neptune, which is in the 12th house, and Mars, which is conjunct the 5th house cusp. Mars in Aries in the 5th bestowed Prince with vitality, courage, and a natural creative flair. Neptune in Scorpio in the 12th compelled him to retreat from the external world and connect with the divine, which gifted him the ability to mystify, bewitch, enchant, and inspire with his musical talents.
Prince savored his privacy and avoided the spotlight, preferring his Paisley Park sanctuary in Chanhassen, Minnesota, to the flashier celebrity environments in New York or Los Angeles.
“He was reclusive. That was Prince. For him, doing anything beyond making music in the public arena was like being stuck with needles. He hated it. His focus was purely on music, always.” ~ People Magazine
A Golden Yod
A golden yod is related to the yod but is considered more harmonious. A golden yod occurs when one planet forms biquintiles (144° aspects) with two others that are separated by a quintile (72° aspect).
A Golden Yod is Considered Beneficial
Quintiles and bi-quintiles bestow incredible strengths and powers that push the individual to succeed in whatever they are here on this earth to accomplish.
Some astrologers regard a Golden Yod as an incredibly creative configuration due to its affiliation with the Venus pentagram, and they believe it’s a lucky charm and indicates artistic talent. Most astrologers see the quintile and bi-quintile as beneficial and, therefore, see a Golden Yod as beneficial.
But take note, an inverted pentagram is a representation of evil.
Adolf Hitler’s Golden Yod
Hitler was born on April 20, 1889, in Braunau, Austria, at 6:30 pm. Rodden rating AA, Phophery system.
The apex planet for Hitler’s golden yod is his Capricorn Moon/Jupiter conjunction in his 3rd house. The Moon is biquintile, his 10th house Saturn in Leo and Neptune conjunct Pluto in Gemini. Saturn and Pluto/Neptune are in a quintile aspect.
Hitler, who was a failed artist, wrote in Mein Kampf, which became the blueprint for Nazism. “…every great movement on this earth owes its growth to great orators…” and Hitler focused and expressed his zeal for leadership (Saturn in Leo in the 10th house) and his imaginative (Neptune) transformative (Pluto) intellect (Gemini) through his 3rd house.
Moon/Jupiter (upside down pentagram?) The 3rd house is the house of logical, linear thinking. With Moon/Jupiter in Capricorn and in the 3rd house, Hitler was gifted with the ability to be a confident and persuasive orator or writer, but one whose reason was clouded by his disciplined and controlled emotions (Capricorn Moon) and his over-the-top ambitions (Jupiter in Capricorn).
Patricia’s Ponderings: Who knows, as evil as Hitler was, perhaps he did as the “Finger of God” directed. World War II certainly changed the world, which may have been what “fate” intended.
The Fickle Finger of Fate
Yods, of every type, represent extraordinary powers available for good or ill and a life in which people and circumstances continually push the person toward completing their “fated” task. However, it’s how an individual uses the energy and whether the planets forming the crucial aspects are in any way harmonious that matters.