Ben Shephard is trying to overcome his feelings of insecurity. To do so, he needs a home: a dwelling, a territory, or perhaps a safe space or setting where he can rest, and let down his systems of defense against the outer world, which he finds aggressive and hostile. He is ready to make some sacrifices in order to maintain and consolidate the structure he has chosen. True inner security, based on real knowledge of himself, his abilities, and his shortcomings, his strengths and his weaknesses would no doubt be most effective and would allow him to remain open to the varieties of experience offered by the world.

Ben Shephard:

You have a paternal complex, which can lead to some trouble finding your identity. Perhaps your father or a father figure was absent physically or emotionally during your childhood, which deprived you of the patterns or models which are usually helpful in structuring a personality. Because you might have lacked a particular sense of security which could be provided by a paternal presence, as well as the examples of behavior to follow in confronting the difficulties inherent in every life, you were forced to protect yourself against negative influences and find your own system in order to grow and feel secure. Although this system was quite useful to you as a child, it has now settled in to such a degree that it interferes with your evolution. Psychological defense mechanisms and crutches which were once useful now encumber your mind or inhibit your developmental efforts. As a result, in certain situations, it is difficult for you to assert yourself, and you tend to remain an awkward or passive observer. Because your authoritarian urges are mainly directed at yourself rather than others, you sometimes feel guilty about your behavior. You judge yourself severely, and sometimes punishes yourself by setting difficult tasks for yourself. Gradually, you should build up a strong inner discipline and acquire the strength to face the problems of existence in a detached and mature way.

You are sober and rather reserved and may even strike people as harsh and austere at times. Perhaps you were raised in an atmosphere of rigor and sobriety, and, as a result, grew up very fast. You have acquired a spirit of self-sufficiency, tend to be rather uncompromising, and have a touchy sense of your personal dignity and worth. It is almost as though you were fighting an inner battle with your father or a father figure. The psychological models you received from your father or a father figure as a result of your interaction and your own interaction with authority may not have played a major role in shaping your relationships with the outer world and society. You may thus have been forced to compensate for this with individual determination. As a result, although you are skillful, meticulous, conscientious, and efficient, a lack of self-confidence and personal assurance sometimes makes you timid and hesitant. You sometimes feel as though you are only masquerading as a respectable, sober adult. You tend to be far too critical of yourself and rarely feel satisfied that you are living up to your ideal. These unnecessary guilt feelings may lead you to turn down the prominent career positions for which you are fully qualified. You are aware that early success is often short-lived and fragile and that time rewards those who know how to be patient and persistent, like you.

Ben Shephard resents having to impose limitations on himself, and he may sometimes try to dodge obligations and commitments. The obstacles and hindrances reality places on his path to personal and social development tend to depress him. He sometimes broods bitterly about the frustrations to his self-fulfillment and might have a fairly pessimistic vision of society and its possibilities.

Ben Shephard is winning and attractive. He has an appetite for intense emotional experiences, especially in terms of his relationships. Enjoying the power of his personal appeal, he easily controls his emotions and only rarely reveals the true depth of his feelings. Because his instincts take precedence over his sensitivity, he is capable of becoming jealous, possessive, and even rather harsh, without meaning to. More of a flirt than a voluptuary, he is attentive to desire. As a result, his love life will sometimes be casual and complicated.

Ben Shephard has a sensitive personality. He may jump to conclusions, which could disrupt relationships, as well as career plans. He is subject to cyclical energy flows and goes from periods of feverish activity to periods of withdrawal and introspection. The aggressive element in his behavior may be explained by emotional problems he may have experienced in infancy: his mother, or a mother figure, may have had an energetic and volatile personality.

Ben Shephard is a fairly conservative person who is modest and respectful of tradition and convention. Ben likes to follow the rules and has faith in contracts to seal relationships. Because he needs stability to alleviate his feelings of frustration and sometimes emotional dependency, Ben has great faith in his past. His ties to his past are strong and provide reassurance and safety.

Ben Shephard reads about new ways to experience love in an article. He is determined to experiment with a new style, but he is also idealistic and hopeful. His aspirations may be a form of escape, but he is also open to new experiences.

Ben Shephard’s birth chart indicates an emotional function which is usually expressed carefully and reasonably. Distrustful of his emotional urges and somewhat wary of his feelings, Ben tries to rid himself of all partiality and try to get some perspective and distance before making an emotional commitment.

Ben Shephard has a complex nature. In love, he is capable of great sacrifice to his interests or his weaknesses. His sensuality may display a certain cruelty, although he has a potential for fierce attachment. He may become very religious or choose a mystical or esoteric path.

Ben Shephard prefers his freedom. He is subject to fall in love at first sight but will sometimes move on without any warning. He has a special art of communicating his energy and would rather have a good time and take pleasure in life with a companion who shares his aspirations for liberty. For him, the ideal match would be a partner who shares his interests in freedom.

Ben Shephard looks at the map of Europe, contemplating where he would like to travel to next. He is attracted to the wide open spaces and distant horizons, but also finds an affinity for higher studies such as philosophy or law. He is interested in foreign languages and contacts abroad, but isn’t sure if he is ready to take on such a challenge yet.

Ben Shephard expresses his thoughts and ideas in direct, spontaneous outbursts. He is fairly extroverted and eager to discover and understand the outer world. An idealist, he looks forward to a bright future but is sometimes subjective and reckless.

Ben Shephard:

You sometimes make mistakes in judgment, and your understanding of things is not always in tune with social realities or prevailing opinion. Your judgments tend to be hasty; your decisions are reckless. Moreover, you tend to overestimate your abilities and usually aim higher than might be realistic. Once an enterprise or project is underway, you may try to avoid obstacles by dodging certain duties. Because your vision of the world differs somewhat from social realities, you should be extremely careful and scrupulous in regard to legal matters, in order to avoid any complications of that type. You are sometimes slightly dishonest in your relations; you may break promises or attempt to duck responsibility. However, you should realize that such conduct toward other people is also a form of unconscious self-loathing. If you continue to behave in such a way, you are exposing yourself to the same lack of sincerity from your partners.