Movie Review by Shamanic Astrologer Erik Roth
This is a tale of a young woman, Nina Sayers (played by Natalie Portman) possessed to be the perfect ballerina dancer. Missing passion and darkness, Nina encounters that her perfection can only get her the part of the White Swan. Seeking to understand ‘passion’, she journeys inward through dreams, visions and experiences with her rival/friend Lily (played by Mila Kunis) and finds there is a shadow side yearning for expressive & creative freedom. Only through the shadow can she truly become perfect in her own being.
In a Shamanic Astrology perspective, she has completely blocked her passionate, shadow side, interpreted as her Scorpio Venus yet to truly show itself (Saturn Opposition), in favor of being the perfect ballerina, I believe this to be obviously strong Virgo energy (most likely Sun & Moon). But perfection can be defined in a variety of ways. Nina was holding onto her Virgo Moon addiction with such tightness, it could only crumble away, lest deny her the part she wants more than anything.
This shadow side would come out throughout the movie, but usually in unexpected ways and situations. Her anima was making itself known, clawing back into the fold of a new kind of perfection. When Nina slowly started tapping into her Scorpio Venus energy, she landed the lead role as the White Swan turned Black Swan. In my analysis, this was her Venus Return at age 24, only in the consolidated form of a movie. While it could also be seen as a Saturn cycle (holding onto what doesn’t work anymore), I believe the Venus Return fits better. Even more, it could be a combination of Saturn transit and Venus Return cycles.
Nina’s mother, Erica (played by Barbara Hershey) was reflective of Nina’s addiction to be perfect. Erica, also with Scorpio and Virgo energies fed by a Cancer Sun was likely involved in her own Saturn cycle. Erica could not let go of controlling Nina and wanting always to be there to support her, even if it meant damaging the relationship. The highly Scorpionic scenes with Nina’s competition with Lily triggered her Scorpio energy to new levels and brought an acceleration of the transformation that began during the tryouts for the lead role of Black Swan.
The other major influences on Nina were Artistic Director Thomas Leroy (played by Vincent Cassel) and former lead dancer, Beth Macintyre (played by Winona Ryder). Thomas was a man who knew what he wanted and how to get it. Originally, when Thomas was giving the role to another young woman, Nina confronted him to demand the part. It was then she tapped into the shadow and landed the Black Swan, to her amazement. Thomas would also become a guide for Nina navigating her way I would be guessing as to Nina’s Ascendant, but Aries comes to mind with a possible Saturn conjunction on her Natal Chart.
The former Black Swan, Beth, went into despair, having been cast away by Thomas as too old. Nina’s fear & curiosity of Beth (and a possible future Nina) magnified her desire to rise above herself, yet also fear what she becoming. The Black Swan was within Nina waiting to see the light and full integration with her Virgo energies. The Black Swan was the release she needed on the road to becoming whole.
To any person having trouble tapping into their hidden selves, I would recommend seeing Black Swan. To any students of astrology, it is a showcase of the conflict between Virgo and Scorpio and also how Saturn’s role is highly instrumental (whether in transit or on the natal chart) in growth through limits and boundaries.