Episode 2: Richard Sackler: The Opioid Overlord

Episode 2: Richard Sackler: The Opioid Overlord Our second episode dives into Richard Sackler’s natal chart and the broader context of his family’s role in the opioid epidemic. At the centre of his chart is a Mercury‑Sun conjunction in Pisces. Pisces is ruled by Neptune, a planet that dissolves boundaries; when Mercury (communication) and the Sun (identity) meet here, it can manifest as an instinctive, imaginative mind and a talent for bending reality. In the episode, we discuss how this placement supports Sackler’s ability to spin narratives and be “creative with his words.” We also explore his Venus in Aries, which is unaspected. An unaspected Venus suggests a difficulty connecting with others; in Aries it amplifies self‑interest and impulsivity. This combination could explain the cold, aloof persona he projects and his apparent disconnect from relational empathy. Beyond the chart, we talk about how the Sackler family revolutionised pharma advertising, using aggressive and creative campaigns to market OxyContin. Sackler himself was questioned for over eight hours in a 2015 deposition; when asked about his role and Purdue’s responsibility, he said “I don’t know” more than 100 times. We examine how his Piscean blend of imagination and evasion shows up in both his astrological makeup and his public testimony. These highlights set the stage for a deeper discussion of how planetary patterns can illuminate the behaviour of someone at the centre of one of the deadliest drug crises in American history. Tune in to Episode 2 of Astrology of the Underworld, releasing , on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and more.