Chart Interpretation E-book

8/20/2019 Chart Interpretation E-book

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Chart Interpretation ReferenceBook

by

Richard A. Fidler

copyright reserved by Richard Fidler

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Foreword

Astrology is a vast subject! Not only is there an almost infinite amount of information on the topic

out there, but there are subtleties to this art that only years, decades, or even lifetimes of practical

experience will unveil and prepare you for. he more you learn, the more painfully obvious it becomes that you are an absolute beginner, and always will be!

o what if you have learnt what all the different combinations mean"!# as if that$s possible! %ow are

you using this information" A relatively minor elevation of consciousness or values may cause

yesterdays &ta'e( to seem not only superficial, but maybe even dangerously misleading. )ood

astrology re*uires more than mere boo' reading and technical expertise+ good astrology is

something more than astrology alone# it is intelligent, artful and creative service which has simply

been amplified by astrological 'nowledge. any people do a very good job of this artful and

creative service, intuitively, without astrology, and then there are people who do more harm than

good with their astrology, even when they$re very learned and capable of impressively accurate

deductions. -irth#charts are not the alpha and omega of all wisdom and insight, and every

astrologer has to supplement his or her astrological studies from other sources of illumination, in

order to breathe wholesome life into their astrology. strive to use astrology with ever greater

discernment, discretion and compassion, and this aspiration has been fostered by the recognition,

through my own mista'es, of how easy it is to misuse this /potentially0 sacred science, even if only

through naive carelessness!

%aving said all this solemn stuff, must confess that the guidelines on interpretation that constitutethe bul' of this boo' do not go much further than presenting the generally accepted ideas on what

the various individual symbols and their many combinations might mean, to the extent that this has

been confirmed by my own experience as a student and practicing astrologer. here is little in this

boo' that is truly new or revolutionary+ it$s purpose and intention is not very grand or particularly

ambitious, as astrology boo's go, and there won$t be much more philosophiing and moraliing in

it$s pages. am simply relaying a little of what $ve learnt and observed# only the basics really# and

leave it to you, dear reader, to use it if you can, according to your ability and conscience. his is a

boo' for the guidance and encouragement of students in the early formative stages of their

astrological journey. A humble and incomplete offering from a fellow beginner.

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ntroductionhere are many different schools of thought in the world of modern astrology, and much of the

complexity in the modern situation has arisen from a renaissance of interest in ancient methods and

the astrological systems of diverse cultures, not to spea' of completely new discoveries and

innovations. here can be no doubt that the populariation of 3edic astrology in the west, and the

widespread interest in the ancient western forms of astrology /specifically %ellenistic and edieval

astrology0, have greatly invigorated the entire field, and in many instances /though certainly not

invariably0 improved the *uality of the astrology being practiced. %owever, as one 3edic astrologer

noted, there is something of a 4ower of -abel4 crisis unfolding, perhaps a perfectly appropriate

and inevitable crisis under the circumstances, as we try to assimilate all this new exposure to

ancient and culturally alien ways. t is probably unavoidable that we will eventually find all 'inds of

hybrid systems being developed by groups and individuals. 5hile some of these hybrid astrologiesmay offer effective new methods and insights, it will ta'e much discernment to successfully wade

through all the streams without wasting lots of time and ending up too confused to continue with

confidence and clarity. 6ltimately the value and validity of a particular approach to astrology, or a

set of specific techni*ues, is established by it$s reliability and accuracy 4in the field4, and this can

only be properly tested or demonstrated through extensive application by discerning practitioners.

have found it practically impossible not to develop a rather eclectic hybrid system of my own,

which is a blend of western and 3edic astrology, and this will inevitably influence the presentation

that follows. have purposefully tried to minimie 4culture shoc'4 by presenting the basicinformation in a relatively conventional western style. ost of what follows is regular western

astrology unless specifically state otherwise. %owever, my study and application of 3edic

astrology has led me to consider certain concepts and principles, that are perhaps more explicitly

part of the 3edic system, as definitely enough implicit in western astrology to be presented as part

of the western system. n fact, consider it *uite reasonable to view western and 3edic astrology as

variants of the same system, and there is no disputing the fact that they have periodically cross

pollinated along the trade and con*uest routes of the ancient world. any of the basic concepts of

western and 3edic astrology are so nearly identical that in the presentation of the basics that follows

there is hardly a single thought that wouldn$t be more or less e*ually valid in both systems. his is

one reason why a 4hybridiation4 of western and 3edic astrology is so natural and viable. ome of

the most learned and insightful modern astrologers of both western and 3edic persuasions have

mentioned it as at least a possibility, and a few have actually made definite contributions in that

direction. 7ne significant example that comes to mind is from Light on Relationships, by %art de

Fouw and 8obert voboda, in which the authors ac'nowledge that some of the principles for

assessing relationship compatibility presented in their boo' have been developed from both western

and 3edic astrological concepts. thin' it is important to add here that these same authors do warn

elsewhere against a careless and hap#haard mixing of systems, and agree that you need to study

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each system on it$s own terms before you can prudently and fruitfully hybridie.

t is furthermore worth mentioning in this introduction that modern astrologers have lately been

challenged to clarify their understanding of astrology$s essential nature and it$s underlying

philosophy and rationale as astrology and astrologers see' a restoration to respectability in the

modern institutions of learning and culture. 7ne of the current debates in the world of astrologycenters around the *uestion of whether or not astrology should even attempt to prove itself as

scientifically acceptable. ome insightful proponents assert that astrology is essentially a form of

magic and divination, or a mystical art that cannot ever be properly assessed by the materialistic

measuring rods of modern science. And yet there have been significant validations of astrological

theories through rigorous statistical research /such as the )au*uelin findings, which initially sought

to discredit astrology0, and there is a vast amount of scientific data relating to the periodicity of

almost every conceivable natural process+ and periodicity is one of astrology$s basic preoccupations

since it$s an essential feature of the solar system, and, suppose, the universe.

7ne important realiation that should emerge from all of this is that astrology is a complex subject

that can be legitimately viewed in a number of different ways, and developed in various possible

directions. f it has features that are amenable to scientific scrutiny and validation, that would not

invalidate it$s inscrutable and more mystical dimensions and functions, and vice versa . Any

simplistic classification of what it is, what it$s for, and how and why it wor's, is usually based on a

flawed and incomplete 'nowledge of the subject.

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The Astrological Alphabet

Astrological interpretation is all about reading and interpreting combinations of symbols. he

;lanets, Aspects, igns and %ouses constitute the basic alphabet with which one ultimately

constructs the words and sentences that unveil the message of the stars. here are certainly other

factors, such as the effects of specific Fixed tars, signs, which are typically encountered in traditional Arabic and 3edic astrology0, and

various peculiar mathematical formulas, such as the so called Arabic ;arts, that could enter into

your astrological e*uations# but ;lanets, Aspects, igns and %ouses are the most essential

components of the system, and the appropriate place to begin.

5hat follows is a basic description of these elementary symbols and their astrological significance.

Although most of what will be presented here is conventional western astrology, have here and

there infused the content with bits of 3edic astrology where it seemed appropriate. here are many

principles in 3edic astrology that complement and are essentially totally consistent with otherwise

western ideas and principles.

The Planetshe planets are the vital organs of chart interpretation. ?ach planet represents certain faculties and

functions of body, mind and soul. he position or condition of a planet in the birth chart will reveal

how fully, in which way, and in which arenas of life, we express and ma'e use of the corresponding

faculties or functions. n an ideal world we are all perfectly in touch with every planet, and

therefore able to use and express the corresponding faculties and functions in a balanced and

healthy way. t is interesting in this regard to note that certain ancient horoscopes, said to belong to

avatars and perfected beings, place every planet in the sign of it$s exaltation /which is a planet$s

strongest sign position, and these special positions are listed later on0. t is very li'ely that these

charts are more symbolically than historically accurate, and seem rather to represent this idea that

the perfect person has each planet honed to it$s ideal 4pitch4, and therefore can express all possible

attributes and faculties in their ideal fullness, and for the proper purposes. ;erhaps in this astrology

provides us with a symbolic pathway or map to the perfection we should strive /or are all wor'ing0

towards.

;erhaps the most basic traditional classification of the planets is their designation as either

4benefics4 or 4malefics4. he idea here is pretty simple and clear+ benefics are pleasant or

beneficial, whereas malefics are 4bad4, troublesome and difficult. 3enus and @upiter are the most

clearly definable as benefics, and ars and aturn are the classic malefics. 3enus is sometimes

described as the 4lesser benefic4, and @upiter as the 4greater benefic4+ whereas ars is 'nown as the

4lesser malefic4, and aturn is the 4greater malefic4. ercury is normally considered mildly

benefic, though it is repeatedly stated in the astrological literature that ercury ta'es on the


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energies of the planets it is most intimately associated with, and so can become malefic through

association with malefics. Although the un and oon are more or less neutral as far as this

classification goes, 3edic astrology will normally consider the un a mild malefic, being very hot

and dry, and thus potentially scorching /even though in certain contexts the un can represent pure

and positive *ualities0, and the oon benefic /though, according to 3edic astrology, the oon

should ideally be waxing and otherwise well placed for this benefic status to be assured0. 3edic

astrology considers both the oon$s Nodes as malefic /under most circumstances0, though in

western astrology the North Node is perhaps, if anything, benefic, and the outh Node malefic.

6ranus, Neptune and ;luto don$t fall into any traditional classification as either benefic or malefic,

but all three of these planets are capable of producing crisis and problematic circumstances in

peoples lives. Bertainly none of them are nearly as clearly and consistently beneficial as @upiter.

%owever, it is well 'nown that trials in life can bear sweet fruit, and under ideal conditions the

benefits and blessings people gain through 6ranus, Neptune and ;luto seem greater, or at least more

profound and spiritually meaningful, than the benefits people typically manage to derive from themore traditional malefics /ars and aturn0.

odern western astrologers tend to be critical of this traditional classification of planets as either

benefics or malefics, and not without reason, since there are ways in which we can benefit from and

grow through the so called malefics /as alluded to above0, and be harmed by benefics. ?ven 3edic

astrology, which may on the surface seem more comfortable with this crude classification, contains

rules and principles whereby malefics can bring beneficial results, and vice versa. Few traditional

astrological rules lac' some amount of truth and value, and this classification of planets as benefics

and malefics is no exception. he malefic planets represent attitudes and energies that are under

normal circumstances li'ely to result in discomfort, and in the context of human nature they are

associated with various vices, such as excessive selfishness, anger and malice, which cannot

produce true and lasting happiness or pleasure.


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wor' in the world may have little to do with, and little evidence in, physical reality+ and yet

Neptune can also represent the desperate and vulnerable elements of society, the drug addicts and

other victims that often drain the resources and erode the collective health of society. ;luto can

manifest through the social underworld as the shadowy and brutal criminal groups, as well as the

sometimes e*ually shadowy, criminal and secretive B..A. type agents of social justice+ however,

;luto can also represent forces of social regeneration in the form of healers and truly altruistic

politicians or committed &messiahs( who access primal power for the purpose of rebuilding and

necessary transformation.

Although the un and oon are in themselves a pair /arguably the primary archetypal pair of

complementary opposites0, as a unit /4he


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combined seem to have a special bearing on sexuality, and in this context represent opposite but

complementary facets of sexual expression. 3enus relates to the 4togetherness4 and would be

concerned about emotional bonding and accommodating the needs and wants of the other. ars

represents a more assertive and selfish drive to gratify personal desire, and yet also provides a

necessary element of vigor and motivation to complement the essentially passive 3enusian

approach to sexuality. Any 3enusDars combination tends to have a bearing on sexual drive and

desire, and perhaps more primarily our ability to effectively assert ourselves and achieve personal

gratification in all our relationships with others. 5hen the combination is 4balanced4 it manifests as

the ability to achieve personal gratification while contributing positively to the gratification of the

other persons needs, and thus the health of the relationship. he danger lies in a poor balance

between 4love and lust4, or between self#will or personal desire on the one hand, and the needs of

the other person and the relationship on the other. Note that 3enus and ars always rules signs

located opposite each other on the odiac wheel+ ars ruled Aries is opposite 3enus ruled


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and aturn can and do represent more personal components of your psychesE for instance, @upiter

relates to a basic capacity for faith and optimism in an individual, whereas aturn is associated with

personal fears or insecurities, and these states can manifest in circumstances that have little to do

with our social roles and status. he /2 year0 @upiter#aturn cycle is of 'ey significance in the

astrological assessments of longer term socialDpolitical trends.

@upiter and aturn are not easily definable as belonging to this or that gender, though @upiter is

probably more li'ely to be masculine, in that it tends to be a more expansive energy, as opposed to

a distinctly withdrawn and introverted tendency of aturn. %owever, @upiter is definitely more

nurturing than aturn, and aturn is traditionally a 4father figure4 planet. he gender roles or

correspondences are blurred and mixed here, but then these planets belong to a phase of life and an

orientation towards the world that is *uite a lot less personal and emotional than the un, oon,

3enus or ars.

he so called 4outer planets4, 6ranus, Neptune and ;luto, represent the most impersonal energies or

principles represented by planets, and yet even here they can have purely personal significance.

6ranus, for example, is typically experienced at a personal level as a desire for freedom and new

experiences, but this is not necessarily the only, or the essential, attribute of 6ranus. t has been

observed /and touched on earlier0 that all three outer planets have the potential to bring relatively

drastic upheaval into our lives, though one can certainly not say that they are essentially 4malefic4.

t is perhaps worth noting, though, that when the positive potentials of these planets are manifested

it ta'es the form of, for want of a better word here, 4spiritual4 experiences, and profound or

extraordinary personal growth and transformation. 5hen these planets bring about crisis it is

possible due to a resistance to their essentially 4spiritual4, transpersonal *ualities or purposes. t is

possible that people will only be able to handle and usefully express the energies of the outer

planets when they have achieved a fairly advanced stage of evolution.

According to one scheme 6ranus is considered the higher octave of ercury, Neptune the higher

octave of 3enus, and ;luto the higher octave of ars. his is all very neat and tidy, though not

without some apparent validity. 6ranus can be somewhat 4nervous4 and 4clever4 li'e ercury.

Neptune can be 4loving4 and devoted in a possibly more extreme or ultimate way than 3enus+ and

both Neptune and 3enus seem to have artistic inclinations, but Neptune is more imaginative and

emotionally indiscriminate than 3enus. ;luto can be 4aggressive4 li'e ars, and even more brutal,

but is certainly somewhat more impersonal and is often focused through collective group intentions

and agendas rather than the individual ego drives, as is the case with ars.

here is a concept or principle implied here and there in what has been stated above on the various

classifications or groupings within the planetary family, which is made more explicit in 3edic

astrology+ and that is the idea that there is sympathy and antipathy between the individual planets

which will affect they way they function when combined. 3edic astrology has an elaborate scheme

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of friendship, neutrality and enmity between the planets which will not be explored here in further

detail, and is only mentioned because it is an example of this idea, one which is non#the#less

relevant to and implied in a more purely western approach. According to a western ta'e on this

principle planets that are inherently similar /such as the oon and 3enus, or the un and ars0 will

tend to combine easily and will powerfully strengthen a particular type of energy or inclination,

whereas, on the contrary, a tension can result from a combination of fundamentally different

energies /such as the oon and aturn, for example0 that will to a greater or lesser extent obstruct

the expression of both or either of the planets. %owever, in principle at least, every conceivable

planetary combination has some other legitimate and useful way of expressing and manifesting

itself, just as somewhat unpleasant or harsh processes in nature /such as death and decay0 have an

ultimately benign, and certainly legitimate, function.

A SunThe Sun is *uite obviously the vital core of the olar ystem# the very fact that it is called a &olarystem( underlines this point. Hour astrological inner un may similarly be seen as the vital core of

your being, maybe we could even call it your oul. n 3edic astrology it is literally referred to as

the significator of the self or soul /&Atma Iara'a(0. n a very general sense the un might represent

your identity, and it is often seen as a barometer of one$s vitality, confidence and capacity for

positions of authority and leadership. he un may be associated with the government and

government officials, as well as all regal and dignified persons.

he un, as a symbol of dignity and regal power, rules the majestic sign


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figures, and yet the person with a debilitated un may assert themselves fitfully and abruptly in a

defensive, cowardly and insecure fashion. here is typically a need to develop a more steady, open

and consistent approach to self assertion. A wea' un may manifest as a remote or fragile father

figure, andDor there may be some problematic episodes with the father, the government, or other

authority figures.

he un completes one round through all twelve signs of the odiac in one year+ spending roughly a

month in each sign. t is very li'ely that the 9C degree circle is a convenient approximation of the

number of days in a year. For this reason it so happens that the un moves almost exactly one

degree along the odiac /or ecliptic0 per day.

B MoonThe Moon is the archetypal other, and represents women in general. he oon is ruler of the

mothering water sign Bancer, and is associated with feelings, instincts, emotional sensitivity,

nurturing, nourishing, the home, and family life. he oon represents familiar environments, our

past /often as memories and emotional attachments0, and the most basic and instinctive levels of our

awareness. he habits and automatic responses that largely shape our personalities are essentially

lunar.

he changing appearance of the oon has led to the theme of &fluctuation( being associated with

the oon, so an area of life directly influenced by the oon may be inclined to undergo regularchanges+ it becomes &fluid(. 5e are also li'ely to deal with any area of life influenced by the oon

in our charts in a very instinctual, subjective, and emotional manner. At best this could give us an

ability to deal with that area in a comfortably familiar way, though at worst our strong emotional

identification or associations with that area can cloud our perception of it, ma'ing compulsive

reactions more li'ely, and objectivity more difficult.

he oon is watery and &juicy( and might represent water in the body, or in the world. he oon

would also rule over the breasts and stomach as organs relating to nurturing and nourishing

functions.

A strong and prominent oon indicates that we are able to nurture others as well as ourselves, both

physically and emotionally. 5e will have an ability to respond to others and they will easily feel at

home with and accepted by us. 5e are li'ely to have positive relationships with women, our

mothers, and our family life should be rich and rewarding. From a 3edic astrology perspective a

strong oon will improve the clarity and lucidity of the mind# 4the mind4 here meaning the basic

faculty of awareness and perception.

A dysfunctional oon /more li'ely with oon in corpio, or in the Cth, >th or 12th %ouse, andDor

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when aspected my malefic planets0 may cause us to be edgy, irritable, aloof and generally moody

and emotionally unhappy or unsettled, and these *ualities could result in alienation from family and

loved ones and difficulty establishing intimate bonds and a stable sense of belonging. ?ven when

there is sharp intelligence as a result of these tense placements /which is often the case with oon

in the Cth, >

th or the sign corpio0, the mind may be stormy and restless, and thin'ing may be erratic

and scattered, or just plain negative. oods and feelings are prone to be inharmonious, and there is

some liability to physiological problems affecting the stomach, digestive system. ome people will

struggle with infertility, and women may have menstrual problems.

he oon moves through the odiac faster than any of the other heavenly bodies /another reason

for it$s association with rapid fluctuation0, ta'ing about 2> days to travel through all twelve signs of

the odiac+ that$s about two#and#a#half days per sign. he oon passes through one degree of the

odiac in about two hours.

C MercuryMercury is a clever little youth, 'nown mythologically as the winged messenger of the gods. %e

bears the Baduceus, a winged serpent#entwined staff. mmediately after his birth, according to the

mythology, he was expressing wit and dexterity+ stealing cattle /ercury is the patron god of

thieves0, and inventing musical instruments.

he planet ercury is associated with intelligence, learning, communication, the mind and mobility/short journeys0. ercury is elo*uent and articulate and associated with all little, detailed things.


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attributes and is ruler of the sign )emini, which is often associated with the lungs.

A strong, prominent and well handled ercury will tend to manifest as ease and charm in

communicating with others. Bomedians will invariably have interesting ercury placements+ a

ercurial person is never at a loss for words and will typically be a very entertaining spea'er. A

strong ercury will stimulate intellectual curiosity and enable one to study practically any subject.

?lo*uence is an almost indispensable attribute for a leader...

A wea' and debilitated ercury will tend to show as a lac' of clarity in thin'ing and

communication, and in extreme cases even a lac' of honesty or integrity in the use of intelligence

and communication faculties. here may be problems and obstacles in education, andDor the person

may be thoughtless and tactless in their speech+ they may gossip or slander others and generally

occupy their minds and tongues with inharmonious, illegitimate or useless thoughts and words.

ince ercury is so close to the un, it$s odiacal position is never more than about 2> degrees from

the un. o, ercury can at any given time only occupy either the same sign as that occupied by the

un, or one of the signs on either side of the un sign. ercury$s proximity to the un means that it

also completes a round through all twelve signs of the odiac in about a year. %owever, ercury

often turns retrograde, speeding up and slowing down in the process, and will at times, at it$s most

rapid rate of movement through the odiac, move nearly two degrees per day.

D VenusVenus is well 'nown mythologically as the goddess of love and beauty, and this is also largely the

astrological connotation. 3enus is by nature sweet, gentle, comfortable, harmonious and peaceful.

he is associated with romance, as well as more platonic affection and friendship between people.

3enus is attractive, friendly, sociable and charming and li'es fashion, art and decoration.

;hysiologically 3enus is associated primarily with the sexual organs /the word &venereal( is

literally derived from &3enus(0, as well as the bladder and 'idneys.

3enus rules the sensuous and materialistic ?arth sign aurus, as well as the relationship orientated

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popular with the opposite sex. he person has many opportunities to enjoy sensuous pleasures and

material comforts. n fact, a strong and prominent, but otherwise undisciplined and imbalanced

3enus, may ma'e one somewhat too preoccupied with pleasure, romance, sexuality and superficial

physical beauty.

5hen 3enus is very wea' and poorly integrated in a chart the person might lac' beauty and

physical attractiveness and may find it difficult to give and receive affection. arriage may be

denied, delayed, or frustrating, and the person may see' pleasure in unwholesome and extreme

ways. here may be a negative attitude towards love, romance and relationships, and this may show

as a tendency to get involved in relationships and friendships in which there is discord and a lac' of

mutual respect.

he usual focus on 3enus as a planet associated with love, romance and beauty tends to obscure the

fact that this planet has a deeper and more profound potential significance. A &3enusian state ofconsciousness( can enable one to perceive harmony and connectedness between things in a way that

is not at all frivolous, and can, in fact, lead to profound philosophical or even scientific realiations.

n this regard it is interesting to note that in 3edic astro#mythology 3enus /or u'racharya, as

depicted in the ahabarata epic0 was, li'e @upiter, a guru possessed of deep wisdom and insight.

herefor in 3edic astrology$s caste classification 3enus and @upiter are both brahminical /priestly0

planets.

3enus is closer to the un than the ?arth, and is never found more than about :> degrees from the

un$s position along the odiac, therefore 3enus is never more than two signs removed from the

un. 5hen 3enus is located behind the un in the odiac she will be seen as the &morning star( in

the east before sunrise. 5hen 3enus is ahead of the un in the usual se*uence of the odiac signs,

she will be the &evening star(, visible in the west around the time of sunset. Hou will never see

3enus or ercury at midnight due to the fact that they are so close to the un.


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;hysiologically @upiter is consistently associated with the liver, as well as body fat. A typical

@upiter type has a large and strong body! )enerally @upiter would promote good health and even

healing and restoration, though doing things to excess is one wea'ness to which @upiter is prone, so

that @upiter induced health problems /from hangovers to weight gain0 may be directly related to

jovial overindulgence.

@upiter traditionally rules the signs agittarius and ;isces. 5e could say that the open, extroverted,

masculine Fire sign agittarius represents exoteric religion, whereas ;isces represents a more

feminine, mystical and esoteric manifestation of the search for ruth.

Although ercury also relates to learning and education, ercury$s approach has a very narrow

range and focuses on fine detail. @upiter represents the big picture and one$s overall comprehension

of a subject or issue.

A strong and prominent @upiter will manifest as dignity, morality and integrity. he person may be

wealthy and well traveled, and therefore easily ta'es a broad, optimistic and tolerant view of things.

he person has a buoyant and idealistic personality, and yet this idealism and optimism is normally

*uite balanced, practical and realistic. ?xpecting the best tends to promote success, and yet the ideal

@upiter type is unli'ely to be exceedingly enamored by material things, and will on the contrary

have a strong intuitive sense of spiritual truth and will consciously cultivate spiritual, or at least

socially acceptable, moral values. he person is generous and may well have the capacity and

inclination to bring about improvements /material, moral or educational0 in the lives of others, and

society at large.

A wea' or poorly integrated @upiter will typically manifest as pessimism and a lac' of faith and joy.

he person may be cynical about religion and may experience conflict with religious people,

teachers or institutions. n some cases a poorly placed @upiter could manifest as poverty, a poor

sense of social belonging or community, andDor a thin and undernourished body. At worst the

person will lac' wisdom and moral integrity, and might have a wea' or distorted sense of justice

and honor.

@upiter ta'es about 12 years to pass through all 12 signs of the odiac, therefore about one year per

sign.

G SaturnSaturn is the old grandfather, the stern geriatric of the planetary family, out there alone in the

distant reaches of the solar system, hobbling along in the cold dar'ness. n traditional astrology

/before the discovery of 6ranus, Neptune and ;luto0, aturn was the most distant visible planet, and

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also the slowest moving. aturn$s slow movement is one reason why it$s influence is associated with

inertia.

he influence of aturn is considered inimical to prosperity, and aturn tends to point to areas of

insecurity and debility that demand wor' and careful attention. 5e experience delays and

deprivations, limitations and grave responsibilities through this planet. he symbol for aturn is

sometimes described as a sic'le that cuts bac' and prunes our lives.

n all fairness and honesty it should be said that despite his bad reputation, aturn has a more than

legitimate purpose and function, and when you fulfill the aturnine demand for discipline and

structure, you will experience the tangible value of his carefulness and seriousness.

aturn is often associated with the role of father, or more generally, the idea of an elder or authority

figure. aturn furthermore has a bearing on our own social status and standing, our wor' and our

professional goals, our worldly duties, and generally the structure of our lives. 5e especially tend to

loo' to the parent of the same sex as ourselves to help us define our social roles and responsibilities.

aturn is literally associated with hard things li'e roc's, as well as high places, li'e mountains,

roof#tops or, more figuratively, elevated social positions. 5hen people fall, literally or figuratively,

it tends to be under the auspices of old aturn.

ythologically aturn /Ironos, the god of time0 ate his own children to evade a prophecy that he

would be overthrown by one of them. his reflects the hard, cold and unsympathetic temperament

of aturn who is anything but nurturing.

;hysiologically aturn is associated with the s'in, bones and teeth+ organs that define and structure

us, our hardened parts. t$s dry cold and windy on mountain pea's+ conditions that can wither and

dry a body out. aturn is also sometimes associated with the legs, as the organs that 'eep us upright

and standing, and without which we fall.

Lar' old aturn traditionally rules the signs Bapricorn and A*uarius, and we might note that these

two signs are opposite the two signs ruled by the


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A wea' or poorly integrated aturn may ta'e the form of fearfulness, anxiety and insecurity, and

these tendencies may lead the person to become devious or cunning. At worst there is a complete

lac' of practicality and discipline which ultimately leads to materialDfinancial problems. he

person$s sense of reality is wea' and they will be easily overwhelmed and disheartened by obstacles

and delays in the practical things of life.

aturn ta'es about 2G years to complete his journey through all twelve signs of the odiac+ that$s

about two#and#a#half years per sign.

he 7uter ;lanets

he planets 6ranus, Neptune and ;luto are often referred to as the &outer planets(. heir orbits lie

beyond that of the traditional boundary defined by aturn, and they are generally seen as having

rather metaphysical and transpersonal attributes. All of the outer planets spend several years in each

sign of the odiac, so someone born within the same year as yourself would have the outer planets

in their birth#chart located not very far from yours /probably within the same sign0. he outer

planets need to be connected with more personal factors in a chart to have a personally meaningful

influence. 5here outer planets are powerfully aligned with the un, oon or Ascendant /ideally by

Bonjunction or 7pposition aspect0 an individual may be a personal embodiment of these

archetypes.

H UranusUranus has been called an &awa'ener4, and sometimes also a &rebel(, and the effect of 6ranus

tends to be sudden, startling and daling. 6ranus is brilliant and innovative, and it is a peculiar

astronomical fact that the axial tilt of 6ranus is extremely irregular, compared to the other planets.

6ranus &electrifies(, inducing an accelerated tempo of events and experiences, and tends to create a

restless craving for excitement and change in people. A &6ranian( type person may be a scientist,

astrologer, technological wiard, or someone who lives a free, radical or very experimental life. At best 6ranus is progressive and triggers liberating realiations At worst the influence of 6ranus

causes chaotic, wayward unpredictability and volatility.

any modern astrologers ta'e 6ranus to be the ruler of the sign A*uarius, though all are not in

agreement that outer planets should necessarily rule over signs. do not ta'e this as a particularly

important connection.

t is not clear what the physiological correspondence of 6ranus would be, though there is a

tendency to associate 6ranus with the nervous system and electricity in the body. 6ranus does

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certainly seem to manifest as excitement and can be somewhat li'e ars in it$s potential for

explosiveness+ perhaps the effects of 6ranus /and ars0 somehow relate to adrenaline in the body,

but this is mere speculation on my part. 8obert %and has suggested that 6ranus has Fiery *ualities,

which consider a viable description of 6ranus$ energy.

5hen 6ranus is prominent in a chart, and positively expressed in a person$s life, there is a

progressive and free thin'ing inclination. he person will be open to trying out new ideas,

experiences and lifestyles, regardless of whether or not these are sanctioned by popular opinion. n

this sense a 6ranian type person can be a daling pioneer or 4free spirit4.

5hen 6ranus is prominent but not well integrated there will be instability and shoc'ing events.

here may be a tendency to be very extreme and radical, but not very practical or constructive in

the implementation of ideas that are considered progressive by the person. A strong but negative

manifestation of 6ranus is perversely defiant and disruptive. n some cases the person may bottle uptheir frustrations and true desires until there is an eruption of this energy in the form of a sudden

drastic action or some or other cataclysmic external event.

A decidedly wea' and unintegrated 6ranus could perhaps ta'e the form of dullness and inertia

inasmuch as there will be little inclination or ability to explore new possibilities or ma'e liberating

changes in life. %owever, it is possible that someone who fails to express or get ade*uately in touch

with the energy of 6ranus in their charts will be periodically overwhelmed with sudden changes

being forced upon them. t is doubtful whether we can ever indefinitely avoid dealing with the

&lessons( that a planet has to teach.

t has been suggested that when a planet$s energy is resisted or bloc'ed, it simply becomes more

insistent and apparently fated in it$s manifestation in our lives, when the appropriate cycles activate

it. his principle is often *uite dramatically demonstrated with 6ranus, perhaps because the

potentially &wild4 impulses of 6ranus are so unorthodox or antisocial that we will tend to suppress

them more often and more determinedly than other energies.

6ranus ta'es about >: years to complete a round through the odiac+ that$s roughly = years per sign.

I NeptuneNeptune is associated with the illusive world of imagination, fantasy, dreams, drugs, hallucination,

psychic experiences, and mystical or otherworldly phenomena. pirituality, compassion and

empathy are also regularly associated with this planet. ;eople with a strong urge to help the

suffering and downtrodden tend to be under the influence of Neptune+ yet it is also apparently

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Neptune that leads to degrading situations, moral wea'ness, addiction, disillusionment, deception

and confusion to begin with. Neptune is as apt to be the victim as the savior.

he mythological Neptune was the god of the ocean, and the watery association with emotional

impressionability seems appropriate and consistent with it$s effects. ometimes Neptune seems to

literally draw people to the ocean, or other bodies of water, apparently to somehow get in touch

with their inner feelings or 4soul4. Artists and inspired, devotional#type mystics are fre*uently

strongly influenced by Neptune+ but the world of Neptune can be beguiling and disappointing.

)lamorous illusions can be convincingly real under NeptuneJs spell, but reality can$t be evaded

indefinitely, and Neptunian delusions and denial will eventually be forced into a confrontation with

hard reality. Neptunian euphoria is fragile.

Neptune produces sensitivity and vulnerability on various levels, and physiologically this can

manifest as allergies, or hypersensitive reactions to foods and medicines. Neptune in vague,

unfocused and indiscriminate, and this can cause energy to lea' or be dissipated in a carelessmanner, eventually leading to a sense of loss, fatigue, exhaustion, disorientation and victimiation.

odern western astrologers consider Neptune to be the ruler of the sign ;isces /with @upiter, the

traditional ruler0, and there are certainly some similarities between Neptune, the sign ;isces and the

12th %ouse.

A strong and positively expressed Neptune will contribute to sensitivity and compassion for others,

ma'ing some Neptunian types caregivers, li'e nurses. he person will have a rich and vivid

imagination and may be an artist or photographer. here may be psychic experiences, or prophetic

dreams, and the person will have easy access to mystical perceptions and spiritual dimensions of

reality. %aving such a full and direct experience of spiritual worlds tends to ma'e a person less

worldly and materialistic, less self#assertive, and more willing to ma'e sacrifices for others.

5hen Neptune is prominent but poorly handled there may be wea'ness in the body andDor

character. he person may be vague about their objectives and true feelings and intentions, and may

either unintentionally confuse others, or in extreme cases will be deliberately and intentionally

deceptive and cunning. his deceptive strea' is often due to a sense of impotence that ma'es the person feel incapable of asserting themselves in a direct and open manner. Addictions, distorted

perceptions, and overwhelming emotional sensitivity are common negative manifestations of a

strong but misdirected Neptune influence. here may also be an indiscriminate, if well intentioned,

tendency to try to save others in a way that leads to a mere s*uandering of energy and resources,

andDor a tendency to rely on others too dependently. 8ational discernment is not /by any stretch of

the imagination0 a Neptunian attribute.

Neptune ta'es about 1 years to pass through all twelve signs of the odiac.

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K or J PlutoPluto /%ades0 was the mythological god of the underworld, who abducted ;ersephone, the goddess

of pring. his story of abduction aptly reflects the brutal power and coercion that can be expressed

through this planet.

he astrological ;luto is associated with 4transformation4, or what could be described as a &death#

rebirth( processes. ;luto energy is deep, powerful, volcanic, and it often seems to produce a purging

effect. n society ;luto can represent people who wield power, whether constructively and

legitimately or not. he criminal underworld is ;lutonian in character, as well as those

organiations that bring healing, upliftment and regeneration to society. ;luto can powerfully build,

strengthen and restore things, or ruthlessly destroy and eliminate them. &;luto types( are purposeful

and focused, and in extreme cases this can be expressed as a fanatical, obsessive eal.

;luto is considered the ruler of the sign corpio by many modern astrologers, and there are certainly

some similarities between the two symbols /but note that ars is the traditional ruler of corpio0.

5hen ;luto is strong and prominently placed in a chart, and where this prominent and emphasied

;luto influence is well managed and constructively directed, it will tend to give a person a strong

commitment to some or other personal mission of significance to the larger social order. he person

may align themselves with ideological groups that see' to bring about progressive change and

regeneration in the world. 7n a more personal level the ;lutonian individual will have a definitesense of undergoing periodic catharsis and self#renewal, and this process will probably be relatively

traumatic at times, leading, however, to a profound sense of resurrection, personal power and

personal purpose.

5hen ;luto is prominent and strong but not well handled there may be a ruthless type of power#

mania in the person$s personality, which may express itself as possessiveness or manipulative

patterns in the person$s personal or professional relationships. he person may be a dictator or

&control#frea'( who always has to be in charge, though this control might in some cases be

exercised in a rather subtle or covert fashion. 5hen ;luto is very wea' and poorly integrated in a

chart the person may well be somewhat apathetic about larger social issues /though of course the

rest of the chart has to be considered0, and may lac' the strength and focus that comes from having

a definite sense of purpose. %owever, it is doubtful whether nature will allow one to long remain

disconnected from any archetypal energy. ooner or later /the timing can be ascertained through

ransits and ;rogressions0 it will be the right time to encounter a strong dose of ;luto, and this may

be more difficult for a timid and superficial character that hasn$t integrated ;luto$s attributes or

energies before. 5hen we are failing to integrate ;luto$s energies effectively we may find ourselves

the victim of other people$s ;lutonian power trips, which could ta'e the form of an unpleasant

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encounter with the criminal underworld. n such a case it may well be significant that we are

encountering and personally becoming a victim of an essentially impersonal social problem. ;luto

seems to be largely concerned with &the masses(, and impersonal social issues and processes.

;luto$s position in the natal chart, as well as ;luto$s cyclic effect in our lives, can reveal how we are

personally relating to these larger transpersonal social processes.

A strong ;luto will always add depth and forcefulness to a person$s character, as well as a measure

of the type of charisma that hard#core characters /li'e mafia bosses, tough cops or superheroes0

possess.

;luto ta'es about 2 years to complete one round through all twelve signs of the odiac.

L North Node M South Node here are two points where the orbital path of the oon intersects or crosses the ecliptic, and theseare 'nown as the Nodes of the oon. hat point where the oon crosses the ecliptic heading in a

northerly direction is 'nown as the North Node of the oon, and that point where the oon$s path

crosses the ecliptic heading south is 'nown as the outh Node of the oon. hese two points are

invariably directly opposite each other in the odiac.

?clipses occur when New oons or Full oons occur close to these intersection points, and for this

reason ancient astrology referred to the North Node as the Lragon$s %ead, and the outh Node as

the Lragon$s ail+ this dragon being said to devour the un or oon at the time of an eclipse.

here are various schools of thought regarding the degree of importance and the actual significance

of the Nodes, ma'ing this a rather shadowy one of astrological lore.

n 3edic astrology the Nodes are considered more important than they usually are in western forms

of astrology. n fact, in 3edic astrology they have status more or less e*uivalent to the planets

proper, even though they are insubstantial sensitive points. 3edic astrology considers their influenceto be malefic and rather stormy. n that system the North Node /'nown as 8ahu0 is seen as

insatiably driven and materialistic, whereas the outh Node /'nown as Ietu in 3edic astrology0 is

volatile, but *uite spiritual and mystical. 3edic astrology states that 8ahu is li'e aturn and Ietu

li'e ars, though, it may be more useful to li'en Ietu to a mixture of ars and Neptune *ualities.

any modern western astrology boo's describe the North Node as somewhat more positive than

the outh Node, and it is typically suggested that one should endeavor to move towards and

integrate the *ualities of the North Node, while moving away from the outh Node, which in this

context is described as a type of anti#evolutionary comfort one in which one has lingered too long.

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f there is truth in this it never managed to impress me greatly in practice, and have been more

convinced by other formulations of the meanings of the oon$s Nodes.

Another stream of western thought on the subject views the Nodes as representing connections with

other people, in a way that is *uite similar to the lunar sense of belonging and community. From

this perspective the oon$s Nodes are &sociable( points, and have seem some convincing

manifestations of this idea.

The Zodiache signs of the odiac are among traditional astrology$s most essential components. At the most

basic and practical level the odiac serves as a means of defining the positions /along the ecliptic0

of the un, oon and planets, as well as the Ascendant, idheaven and %ouse Busps.

?ven though there are challenging technical *uestions regarding the criteria for locating or

positioning the odiac signs along the ecliptic, and therefore exactly how to apply the odiac in

practice, as a mandala through which one might gain insight into psychological types and

evolutionary processes, the rich symbolism of the odiac is indispensable to a full appreciation of

astrology$s deep fount of wisdom.

The Tropical and Sidereal Zodiacs

he signs of the odiac people are referring to in the western world when they identify themselves

as Bapricorn, ;isces, or what have you, are not the same thing as the Bonstellations of the Kodiac

visible in the night s'y+ those groups of stars which, with some imagination, trace out the forms of

lions, centaurs and scorpions. his occasionally causes confusion and misunderstandings. ome

people with an incomplete understanding of both astronomy and astrology have even claimed that

this &discrepancy( invalidates astrology and proves that astrologers are mista'en about the location

of the odiac. he fact is that there are two distinct and widely used ways of defining the location of

the twelve signs of the odiac, and actually neither of these are absolutely identical to the Zodiacal

Constellations.

)aining a clear picture of the differences between these odiacs, and their relationship to each

other, will re*uire that we imbibe a stiff little dose of astronomical technicalities. am going to

'eep it relatively simple /actually, wouldn$t be able to provide a much more erudite sounding

version if tried0+ but brace yourself non#the#less!

Firstly, we need to understand what the Ecliptic is, since all the different odiacs are so many

different methods of dividing the ecliptic for certain purposes. he ecliptic is often described simply

as &the path of the un(. 5hile this is perfectly true, if you understand what is meant, the ecliptic

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could perhaps be more completely described as the apparent path of the un that results from the

revolution of the ?arth around the un. Lue to the fact that the planets in the olar ystem revolve

around the un on a single plane, more or less, all the planets tend to &stay on the path( of the

ecliptic. he ecliptic is therefor one of the 'ey ways in which the location of planets are described.

hat arc along which the un travels as it journeys from the eastern to the western horion is the

ecliptic, and all the other planets rise, culminate and set along that same trac'.

Now, there are many constellations in the heavens apart from the twelve odiacal constellations,

and many of these are not located on, or even near, the ecliptic. he twelve Kodiacal Bonstellations

do straddle the ecliptic, but they are not of uniform sie+ whereas both the ropical and idereal

odiacs, used by astrologers, divide the ecliptic circle into twelve even#sied sections of 9 degrees

each. he essential difference between the ropical and idereal odiacs is their starting points, or

rather, the beacons they use to determine the location of their twelve even divisions of the ecliptic

circle. hese /ropical and idereal0 Kodiacs simply use the same symbolism /8am, -ull, winsetc.0 as the twelve Kodiacal Bonstellations.

he ropical Kodiac /which is the odiac used by nearly all western astrologers0 ta'es the un$s

position at the precise moment of the Northern %emisphere$s pring ?*uinox as the mar'er or

beacon that defines the first degree of Aries, which is considered the beginning point of the entire

odiac. his ?*uinox occurs around the 21st of arch every year /hence the un is said to enter

Aries on that date every year0, and at this time the un is crossing over, or is directly above the

?arth$s e*uator, and heading northwards.

-y about the 21st of @une /the Northern %emisphere$s idsummer olstice0, every year, the un has

arrived at it$s most northerly declination, and it$s position at that time mar's the position of that line

of latitude 'nown as the ropic of Bancer /29 degrees 2C minutes North0. his date mar's the un$s

entry into the sign Bancer, in terms of the ropical Kodiac.

After the 21st of @une the un$s declination starts to move southwards again, until around the 29

rd of

eptember it is again directly above the e*uator, which defines the time of the Northern

%emisphere$s Autumn ?*uinox, and this is the date when the un is said to enter the sign


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o, apart from our own un, the position of the ropical Kodiac has nothing to do with stars or

constellations, it$s position being defined solely by the un$s position at the ?*uinox$s and olstices.

n this sense the ropical Kodiac is invisible, or &imaginary(, and very much olar. 7ne writer

/Lavid Frawley0, while discussing the potential for the integration of western and 3edic astrology,

has referred to the ropical Kodiac as &olar %ouses(, which is *uite an apt term.

he idereal Kodiac, which is employed by practically all ndian or 3edic astrologers, as well as a

significant minority of western astrologers who use it with otherwise western techni*ues, is based

on the position of actual stars visible in the night s'y. he idereal Kodiac is more closely aligned

and related to the twelve Kodiacal Bonstellations. he only difference between the idereal Kodiac

and the Kodiacal Bonstellations is fact that the latter are not of e*ual sie, and, in fact, the various

individual Kodiacal Bonstellations don$t have easily definable borders /which, incidentally, is one

reason why it$s so difficult to state exactly when the Age of A*uarius will begin0.

Bertain specific Fixed tars are used as beacons or mar'ers to define the location of the idereal

Kodiac, and the star pica seems to be especially important in this regard+ it is said to mar' the last

degree of 3irgo in the idereal Kodiac.

Lue to the phenomenon 'nown as the Precession of the Equinoxes the idereal and ropical

Kodiacs do not maintain the same relative positions, but complete one revolution in relation to each

other approximately every 2 > years. he ;recession of the ?*uinoxes is a result of a

&wobbling( of the ?arth$s axis, often li'ened to the wobbling of a spinning top. his causes the

?arth$s poles and e*uator to very gradually change their orientation in relation to the stars and

constellations in a cycle of nearly 2C years.

Around 21 arch every year, when the un enters ropical Aries, the un is actually located in the

idereal sign of ;isces. ?very =2 years the e*uinox falls one degree further bac'wards along the

Kodiacal Bonstellations, or idereal Kodiac, and at the moment the ?*uinox is edging closer and

closer to the cusp of idereal ;isces and A*uarius. his position of the un, at the the time of the

Northern %emisphere$s pring ?*uinox, in relation to the Bonstellations, is the basis of the

astrological &ages(. t is said that we are entering the &Age of A*uarius( because the Northern

pring ?*uinox /or ropical degrees Aries0 is lately located close to the cusp of the Bonstellations

of ;isces and A*uarius, moving towards, or into, A*uarius.

he difference or distance between the first degree of Aries of the ropical Kodiac and the first

degree of Aries of the idereal Kodiac is 'nown as the Ayanamsha /a ans'rit word which can be

translated roughly as &solstice portion(0. 7ne difficulty with the idereal Kodiac is the fact that

different authorities have slightly /and occasionally not so slightly0 different Ayanamsha figures, as

a result of differing astronomical measurements. he most popular Ayanamshas would give a

difference of 29 or 2: degrees between the first degree of two odiacs for most of the 2th

century.

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n practice this means that to convert the positions in a birth chart, for someone born in the 2th

century, from the ropical Kodiac /which is always employed for a typical western astrological

chart0 to the idereal Kodiac, one would subtract about 29 or 2: degrees from the ropical

positions. ince each sign occupies 9 degrees, this results more often than not in planets moving

bac' one sign. he precise amount that one subtracts would depend the Ayanamsha one is using, as

well as the specific date of birth+ since the Ayanamsha /no matter which one0 is gradually

increasing all the time, at the rate of about 1 degree every =2 years.

7nly astrological beginners are unaware of the existence of the two different odiacs. he matter is

ta'en *uite seriously by the more advanced and experienced astrologers, and the proponents of

idereal astrology in the west have been anything but naMve, as astrologers go. he *uestion of

which odiac is the more accurate, appropriate and effective is hotly debated in certain astrological

circles, with strong and emphatic views being voiced by respectable and learned authorities in bothcamps. any experienced astrologers who have investigated the matter seem to feel that both

odiacs are valid, and that they may relate to and describe different levels of energy or existence+

but here there are more theories and statements than clear demonstrations.


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he 8elationship between ;lanets and igns

?ach sign is said to be ruled by a planet. -efore the discovery of 6ranus, Neptune and ;luto there

were seven planets+ the un, oon, ercury, 3enus, ars, @upiter and aturn, and rulership of the

twelve odiac signs was distributes among the seven planets in the following manner. he un and

oon each &rule( one sign /


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true+ planets will be stifled and &debilitated( in certain signs with which they are inherently

incompatible. ;lanets function very well, or at least powerfully, in the signs they naturally rule, and

are wea'ened when in the signs opposite their own. o, for example, 3enus would prosper in

aurus or


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he Fire Signs /Aries,


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he Air Signs /)emini,


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wo %exagons

he Masculine!"ay Signs are the Fire and Air igns+ these are generally extroverted and outgoing,

and more open, energetic and active than the feminine signs.

he Fe#inine!Night Signs are the ?arth and 5ater igns+ they are introverted, passive and

receptive.

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Three $rosses

he three Brosses or Ouadruplicities are 'nown as the Bardinal, Fixed and utable divisions of the

odiac. Note that there is an intricate relationship between the ?lements and Brosses in that each of

the three signs belonging to a given ?lement belongs to one of the three Brosses /for example, Aries

is Bardinal#Fire,


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he $ardinal Signs /Aries#


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impulse and represent relative stability.

he Mutable Signs /)emini#agittarius, 3irgo#;isces0 are changeable, fluctuating, adaptable, dual

or multiple. hey represent the unraveling, dispersal or final execution of the intention or impulse

initiated by the Bardinal signs, and sustained by the Fixed igns.

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Attributes of &ndi'idual Signs

^ Aries( the )a#Aries is the first sign of the odiac, representing the pure impulse to be, to begin, to be born, and to

do. Aries is the 4big bang4, the vigorous first impulse that gets all things started. his sign is

associated with *ualities of impatience and assertiveness. Aries represents identity and oneJs sense

of elf, and how one expresses that to, and impresses that upon, the environment.

Aries is dynamic and pioneering, impulsive and impetuous. n a sense Aries is the infant of the

odiac, bursting in upon the world in direct, open and unambiguous self#affirmation+ but having

eleven further stages of relationship and &self#unfolding( yet to be assimilated and integrated.

;hysiologically Aries rules the head, and by extension may be associated with the brain. 8ams are

'nown for butting heads with other 8ams, and this aptly depicts the competitive spirit of the sign

Aries /and it$s ruler, ars0. 8ams /and typical Arians0 rush headlong into things, without much

planning and forethought.


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nourishment from it$s mother, stabiliing and anchoring itself in the material world, and growing in

strength and stability.

aurus governs the nec', throat and ears /hearing0, and, if we ta'e a hint from 3edic astrology,

aurus would also be associated with the face, mouth and oral activities, such as eating and

spea'ing.

aurus and corpio are opposite each other on the odiac wheel, and represent polar opposite but

complementary themes and principles. he comfortable stability of aurus contrasts with the crisis

and catharsis associated with corpio. aurus represents the accumulation of substance or

resources, but corpio represents it$s creative release or &ejaculation(. f aurus /or the 2nd

%ouse0

represents &my resources(, then corpio /or the >th%ouse0 represents &our resources(.

aurus belongs to the Fixed Bross and ?arth riplicity, and is ruled by the beautiful, sensuous andamorous planet 3enus.

aurus, as the second sign of the odiac, corresponds to the 2nd

%ouse, and shares many of the

themes and attributes of the 2nd

%ouse, primarily the 2nd

%ouse association with money and

property.

` +e#ini( the T,ins

he image of the young wins represents the youthful curiosity and communicativeness of the sign

)emini. )emini represents the process of learning to interact with the people and things in one$s

immediate environment, thereby becoming a more s'illful participant in the physical and social

worlds in which one lives.

)emini is associated with the desire to learn, to mimic, and to pic' up the lingo used in the

environment, li'e a young child. )emini represents multiplicity and diversity, physical and mental

dexterity and mobility.

)emini and agittarius are located opposite each other on the odiac wheel and represent polar

opposite but complementary principles. )emini represents the basic literacy, for example, that is

indispensable to the &higher learning( associated with agittarius, whether this higher learning ta'es

the form of a university education, or grand philosophical theories and speculations about the

ultimate meaning of it all. )emini furthermore represents our ability to physically travel over

relatively short distances, or to grapple with the people and things we encounter in our immediate

environment, whereas, by contrast, agittarius represents long voyages covering relatively great

distances, as well as the philosophy, vision or ideal the guides and illumines our direction in life.

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)emini belongs to the utable Bross, and the Air riplicity, and is ruled by the clever and versatile

planet ercury.

)emini rules the arms, hands and fingers, which are used for communication, as well as effective

manipulation of physical things, enabling us to fulfill our immediate needs and desires. n western

astrology )emini is regularly associated with the lungs.

As the third sign of the odiac )emini corresponds to the 9rd

%ouse, and shares many themes with

the 9rd %ouse+ most specifically day#to#day communications, siblings, neighbors, as well as short

journeys, busy#ness and mobility.

a $ancer( the $rab

A Brab is a ravenous but careful creature, retreating into its shell at the slightest sign of danger. his

sign is extremely sensitive and has a great need for safety, and yet the prominent claws might

represent ac*uisitiveness and tenacity. he crab is wary of intrusions from the outside, but is

protective and caring towards those that are familiar and part of it$s private, intimate sphere.

Bancer is the Bardinal#5ater sign of the odiac, and is ruled by the archetypal mother of the

planetary family+ the oon.

his private and domestic inner life, associated with Bancer, needs to be healthy and secure for

public and professional potentials, associated with Bapricorn, the opposite sign, to thrive. A

wholesome meal, the family$s love, and a good night$s rest at home /BancerD:th %ouse0 enables us to

face the merciless and competitive public world of our daytime duties /associated with Bapricorn

and the 1th

%ouse0. Family units or households constitute the building bloc's, and are in a sense

the foundation of the larger social order+ a town, nation or civiliation.

f )emini represents a toddler or very young child in the formative stages of learning to engage

with the physical and social world, then Bancer would represent the following stage in which there

is a recognition of the family or household as a whole unit within a larger socioeconomic matrix,with the parents as the indispensable &pillars( holding it all together. n a sense Bancer represents a

stage in which the foundation of the personality is established and there is the first glimpse of the

future roles and responsibilities that come with full adult participation in the larger socioeconomic

order, and here the actions and &ceremonies( of parent figures provide the blueprint that enable a

future assumption of these adult roles and responsibilities.

As the Bardinal#5ater sign of the odiac, Bancer is perhaps more dynamic and assertive than the

other water signs, but certainly the most reclusive and sensitive of the Bardinal signs.

9=


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he chest area in general is under the dominion of this sign+ specifically the breasts /you can see

them in Bancer$s glyph0, consistent with the nourishing and mothering themes of this sign.

b


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processing and agriculture, and more generally, practical techni*ues and efficiency in all it$s forms.

;racticality, efficiency, service, precision and the proper functioning of the body+ these are among

the outstanding themes of the sign 3irgo.

3irgo is ruled by the intellectual planet ercury, giving this sign mental or intellectual attributes,

but as 3irgo is the utable#?arth sign of the odiac, the mind tends to focus on practical techni*ues

that accomplish concrete wor', rather than vague and remote abstractions, or communication for it$s

own sa'e /as one may encounter in )emini, the other sign ruled by ercury0.

3irgo is located opposite the sign ;isces on the odiac wheel, and therefore these two signs

represent and embody opposite but complimentary principles. he precision and practicality of

3irgo contrasts with the vagueness and essentially emotional orientation of ;isces. he efficiency

of 3irgo can compliment the desire to save and sacrifice for others that ;isces represents+

conversely the empathy and intuition of ;isces can 4balance4 the 3irgoan preoccupation with coldand clinical facts, purely physical conditions and results.

;hysiologically 3irgo rules the intestines /which can be seen in it$s glyph0, and 3irgoJs usual

preoccupation with health issues connects 3irgo to diet, medical treatments, etc. he discriminating

selection of that which is useful, and it$s separation from that which is useless, which the body

demonstrates in the digestion of food, reflects the meticulously discerning analytical attributes

3irgo.

As the Cth sign of the odiac 3irgo corresponds to the C

th %ouse and shares with the C

th %ouse an

association with health issues /possible illness0, wor', jobs, and possibly also servants and co#

wor'ers.

d -ibra( the *alance

hings are weighed and compared in the cales of the -alance, and this weighing of things with or

against each other reflects the


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th sign of the odiac.

corpio belongs to the Fixed Bross and the Feminine 5ater riplicity, and is traditionally ruled by

ars, though modern western astrologers tend to consider ;luto to be the ruler of corpio.

;hysiologically corpio is associated with the sexual organs and excretory system, and also

sometimes the nose.

his sign is sometimes associated with the symbol of an eagle, which is regarded as representing

the higher, nobler expression of corpio in which the person has risen above the more basic carnal

desires and instincts which can be so powerfully evo'ed in this sign, and has thereby achieved

power and dominion.

corpio represents emotional intensity, which might be expressed as great concentration and focus.

7bviously these attributes can be useful, and corpio can achieve great things through this capacity

for intense commitment and determination. his same *uality, however, can ma'e for a type of

obsessive or fanatical preoccupation with an idea or feeling, so that it warps and distorts reality/especially where fear or paranoia are driving this obsessive focus0.

his sign /li'e the >th

%ouse0 is associated with &shared resources(, as opposed to the idea of

&personal resources( embodied in the opposite sign aurus /and the 2nd

%ouse0. As the sign

following


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f Sagittarius( the $entaur

he agittarian Bentaur is usually depicted as aiming his arrow high at a distant goal. he sign

agittarius is indeed associated with idealism and aspiration+ a lifting of one$s gae towards higher

things and a wider horion.

agittarius is associated with mental and physical exploration, and this can manifest as the *uest for

philosophical truth, or, on a more physical level, journeys to foreign lands. ometimes sport is

associated with agittarius, and in this context sport would represent the aspiration to achieve ever

greater s'ill, grace and perfection in physical action.

corpio represents a phase of development in which there is fascination with mysteries and secrets,

and this awareness of the fact that there are many un'nowns gives birth to the agittarian see'er. A

more esoteric interpretation associates the sign corpio with a type of &developmental crisis( in

which the beastly and divine attributes in man are forced into a confrontation from which, ideally,

agittarius emerges as &the one#pointed disciple(.

agittarius is ruled by the expansive planet @upiter, the largest and luc'iest planet in the solar

system. his sign fre*uently demonstrates an intuitive and even visionary strea', often expressing

itself through art, science or other culturally vital 'nowledge.

agittarius belongs to the utable Bross, and the Fiery riplicity. imilarly to the other Fire signs,

agittarius is optimistic, enthusiastic and forthright, but is probably the most mobile, and certainly

the most moral, of them all.

;hysiologically agittarius rules the thighs, and its planetary ruler, @upiter, is fre*uently associated

with the liver.

he Gth

%ouse, which corresponds to agittarius, is associated with many agittarian themes, such

as beliefs, morals, philosophy, higher education and travel to distant places.

g $apricorn( the +oat

he )oat is an adept mountain climber, toughened and hardy, and able to withstand the cold winds

and roc'y terrain of worldly ambition. Balculated steps get you to the top, and relentless

determination combined with careful initiative ensures eventual success. Bapricorn is associated

with career goals, social status, financial security, and dynamic practicality in general. he

practicality of Bapricorn /following on from and guided by the ethics and ideals of agittarius0 is

far more visionary than the technical efficiency of the sign 3irgo.

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Bapricorn represents a relatively mature stage of development in which responsibility can be

shouldered for projects that will affect large numbers of people, such as in the realms of politics and

big business. his re*uires worldly experience and a combination of both discipline and dynamism.

Bapricorn is depicted as a goat having a fishJs tail, giving this sign an amphibious *uality+ a feature

it holds in common with it$s opposite sign, Bancer, the Brab.

Bapricorn is the Bardinal sign of the ?arthy riplicity, and as such capable of greater initiative and

confidence than the other ?arth signs.

tern old aturn is the planetary ruler of the sign Bapricorn. his sign is indeed associated with

father or authority figures whom we loo' up to and respect for their achievements and proven

ability.

;hysiologically, Bapricorn is said to rule the 'nees, and one might consider that aturn, the

planetary ruler of Bapricorn, is associated with the s'in, bones and teeth.

Bapricorn, as the 1th

sign of the odiac, corresponds to the 1th

%ouse, which is associated with

one$s career, public persona and social status.

h A.uarius( the ater *earer

he sign A*uarius is depicted as the 5ater -earer+ a man pouring forth water from a jar or urn.

his sign represents a socially idealistic phase that follows develops from the socially consciousambitious practicality of Bapricorn, the preceding sign. A*uarius represents a more ideological and

communication orientated phase of social awareness and social structure than we find in the

preceding sign Bapricorn. t is significant, though, that aturn, the planet of structure, rules both

Bapricorn and A*uarius. Bapricorn is the earthy /materialistic0 and A*uarius the airy

/communicative0 expression of aturn$s energy.

odern western astrologers associate the planet 6ranus with A*uarius, and it has been found in

practice that the planet 6ranus is very eccentric, and even *uite volatile. his has led to a tendency

to associate the sign A*uarius with these 6ranian attributes of unpredictability and unorthodoxy.?ven if there is some truth in this idea it seems to have become a little exaggerated. ;eople with

prominent A*uarian influences in their charts are often notably aturnine in their cool and aloof

emotional detachment, and many of them are fairly restrained and controlled in the self#expression,

and not nearly as wildly eccentric as some of the modern depictions of A*uarius would have us

believe. n fact, A*uarius in many respects represents conformism to a set of group ideas or

dogmas, though


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ideals and humanity$s collective pool of 'nowledge and culture, as well as those social

communication channels, such as radio stations, or the nternet, for example, that 'eep people

informed and connected.

;hysiologically A*uarius is associated with the shins and an'les, as well as the veins, arteries and

circulatory system in general. he association of A*uarius with the blood vessels is complimentary

to the association of


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he %ouses

As the ?arth spins on it$s axis it would appear to us, wherever we happen to be on the ?arth, that the

s'y and any heavenly bodies in our field of vision are rising in the east, culminating overhead, and

then setting in the west. From our vantage point it seems as if we are stationary and that the starsand planets are moving from east to west, but in fact it is our diurnal or daily motion, our 2: hourly

revolution on our own axis, that creates this illusory appearance. he %ouses divide this space

around the ?arth, along which the un, oon and planets repeat their daily journey, into twelve

sections, each associated with specific areas of life.

he eastern horion, or Ascendant, normally mar's the cusp of the 1st

%ouse /corresponding to

Aries0, and the se*uence is started from there. he 1st

%ouse normally occupies the first 9 degrees

or so below the eastern horion, followed by the 2nd

%ouse, and so on. he diagram below shouldconvey the idea clearly.

he western horion is the cusp of the =th

%ouse, corresponding to


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abbreviated as 4.B.40, which is directly overhead# the place in the s'y where the un would be at

noon, where planets reach their highest elevation above the horion.

he top half of the circle in the above diagram represents what is above the horion and therefore

visible, whereas the lower half of the circle is below the horion, and therefore anything located

there is not visible. 7pposite the idheaven you find the Nadir, or immium coeli /.B.0+ where the

un would be at midnight, directly &underfoot(, mar'ing the :th

%ouse Busp.

thin' it a worthy digression to discuss the *uestion of why outh is located at the top of the circle,

since North is usually granted that position in maps" n the northern hemisphere one needs to loo'

south, toward the ?*uator, to see the arc of the ecliptic along which the un and planets travel. f

you face north in the northern hemisphere the ecliptic will be behind you. o, the above format is

perfectly valid in the northern hemisphere, but it would be correct to draw the map differently for

the southern hemisphere, where you would have to loo' north to see the ecliptic /and therefore the

un, oon and planets0, as shown in the diagram below.

:


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have never encountered such a 4southern hemisphere chart4 in boo's or software, and the reason

the format is not adapted for southern hemisphere charts, as perhaps it should be, is because the

planets do end up in the same houses /and signs0 regardless of where you put north, south, east and

west. f, however, you hold a chart in your hands in the southern hemisphere with the Ascendant on

the left as it usually is, and if you align the Ascendant with the east and the Lescendant with the

west, you will be facing south, and the ecliptic /and therefore the un, oon and planets0 will be

behind you, and this will invariably be the case if you are further south than the ropic of

Bapricorn. f you are south of the ?*uator but north of the ropic of Bapricorn the un$s path /or

ecliptic0 will sometimes /mostly0 be to the north, and sometimes to the south.

here are various different House ystems endorsed by different astrologers, all employing

somewhat different technical criteria for determining the location of the house cusps. he simplest

method is the ?*ual %ouse system in which each house spans 9 degrees exactly, starting at the

Ascendant. %ere the 2nd

%ouse would begin exactly 9 degrees ahead of the Ascending degree of

the odiac, the 9rd

%ouse another 9 degrees further ahead, and so on. 5ith this method the .B. is

often inserted as a sensitive point but does not mar' the 1th

%ouse cusp as it does in most other

western methods of %ouse Livision.

he fact that there is no final agreement among astrologers as to the best or correct method to

determine the House Cusps ma'es this a potentially aw'ward and ambiguous facet of astrology+ but

non#the#less, the houses constitute an important and indispensable component of astrological

analysis, and each student has to grapple with this problem as best they can. personally /at least for

now0 use mainly the 3edic astrology chart to analye %ouses.

he twelve houses of an astrological birth chart are in a sense another way of using the symbolic

concepts you encounter in the odiac, except that the physical or astronomical factors under

consideration are very different. he %ouses are more 4mundane4 in that they divide the immediate

physical or earthly environment into different ones of influence. t is also probably correct to say

that the houses represent a more material manifestation of the archetypal energies represented by

the odiac signs, as if the houses are the same thing as the signs on a more concrete and mundane

octave of manifestation.

Aries and the 1st

%ouse, for example, are essentially the same idea, so much so, in fact, that some

astrology boo's give exactly the same interpretation for, say, oon in Aries and oon in the 1st

%ouse, or ars in )emini and ars in the 9rd

%ouse. Although there are certainly parallels between

a planet$s expression in a given sign and it$s expression in the corresponding house, don$t

personally ta'e the effects as *uite so identical.


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certain common themes or attributes. ome of the more important groupings are listed belowE

The Angular /ouses

he &Angles( of the horoscope, the Ascendant, Lescendant, .B. and .B. are often emphasied inastrological diagrams+ they are powerful points in the chart where the energies of planets are

potently and very concretely expressed. -y extension this increased prominence and potency of

expression is also somewhat true for planets occupying any part of %ouses corresponding to the

Bardinal igns. hese &Angular %ouses( /the 1st, :

th, =

th P 1

th0 are sometimes described as the

foreground of the chart /and your life0.

The Four Triplicities

3edic astrology$s approach to dividing the %ouses into special groups helps to ma'e explicit somevaluable ideas that are certainly valid in western astrology, even if they$re not explicitly expressed

in the average western astrology textboo'. n this regard it is especially fruitful to compare the

western and 3edic approaches to what could be termed the division of the %ouses into the four

elements or riplicities /fire, earth, air and water0.

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