Copyright Stella Woods (October 2011)

I don’t often write about individuals and I don’t own a Mac, iPad, iPhone or even an iPod, but the passing of Apple’s visionary co-founder, Steve Jobs has touched millions of people all over the world. I thought it fitting to pay tribute to this amazing human being.

“I was worth over $1,000,000 when I was 23, and over $10,000,000 when I was 24, and over $100,000,000 when I was 25, and it wasn’t that important because I never did it for the money.”  Steve Jobs

His net worth might be $8.3 billion but Steve Jobs was a Pisces and it’s rare to find a Piscean who’s just in it for the money (or indeed just in it for themselves). Noted for their lack of boundaries, psychic and spiritual gifts, dreaminess, escapist nature and love of fantasy, Pisceans dream of heaven on earth and some of them, like Steve Jobs, manage to turn their dreams into reality.

Jobs was a typical Piscean. His early life included dropping out of college; a trip to an Indian ashram in search of enlightenment; becoming a Buddhist and experimentation with psychedelic drugs – he believed LSD opened the creative channels in the brain. His commitment to quality, style and beauty coupled with his unique visionary approach, birthed products that inspire universal love and devotion and his untimely death has turned him into a quasi-messiah. He’s even been referred to as iGod!

Bill Gates‘d be a broader guy if he had dropped acid once or gone off to an ashram when he was younger.” Steve Jobs - New York Times 1997

Steve’s Pisces Sun is in the sixth house of his horoscope and he has a Virgo Ascendant, both placements symbolising selfless devotion, service and sacrifice. Virgo and Pisces are incredibly sensitive signs with a strong focus on physical, emotional and spiritual health and wellbeing. Steve ate a pescetarian diet and embraced alternative forms of healing. Like many Pisceans, his health was delicate. Virgo is one of the hardest working signs of the zodiac with a perfectionist streak and love of detail. Steve had a strong work ethic and was closely involved in every step of product development and design at Apple.

But apart from all this sensitive stuff, Steve Jobs was clearly an alpha male with a sharp tongue and a sharp mind. He has often been labelled a control freak and was known as a tough and sometimes fanatical boss. Retrograde Mercury in Aquarius ruling his Gemini Midheaven enabled him to revolutionise computer engineering by thinking outside the box. Moon and Mars in fire sign Aries gave him his incredible drive, competitive spirit, pioneering attitude and innovative streak. They also gave him an explosive temper and what some have described as an arrogant, overbearing personality.

Whatever you think of the man, he’s a larger than life figure and leaves behind a considerable legacy. Apple’s products are admired and appreciated by millions around the world who are not only mourning his passing, but mourning the products he never lived long enough to create. And with profits surging, Apple has shrugged off the recession and has $76 billion in ready cash - more than the US government.

But money was never Jobs’s primary motivation…

 “Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me … Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful… that’s what matters to me.”  Steve Jobs - Wall Street Journal 1993