In ancient astrology only 7 planets were used, because that was how many they could see in the sky without the aid of a telescope. These seven planets are a complete system -- meaning that everything you can think of falls under the rulership of one of them.
In India the astrologers still only use 7 planets, but in Western astrology the planets Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto have been added to the original 7. Uranus is a freeing influence that can break us out of limitations, especially the limitations of our perceptions and biased notions. Neptune is a refining influence that can dissolve old states of being and make us more and more aware of spiritual realities. And Pluto actually has no energy of its own, really, but intensifies anything it comes into contact with for the purpose of strengthening and empowering it, or destroying it so that a new form can emerge that is closer to spiritual reality.
Recently one of the followers of my blog wrote a comment in which she said she felt these "outer planets" (Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto) were often thought of as too universal to have a personal effect, but that she felt they most certainly do have a personal effect in one's chart. She is absolutely right, and I would also say that the more we become aware of these subtle and spiritualizing energies the more we are able to allow them to enhance our evolution -- for that is exactly what they are there to do for us.
When I do a chart I also use the four major asteroids. Each one of these signifies a different type of illusion that retards our growth and hence signifies challenges which, as we work to overcome them enhance our spiritual growth.
There is a German astrologer named Alfred Witte who psychically discovered 8 other planets which he called the Transneptunians. Each one of these rules a different subtle energy. I don't use these in my astrological interpretations. I feel they are highly valid, but I only have so much time, and I'm already looking at a lot.
Many astrologers interpret more asteroids than just the 4 major ones, in fact the astrology program I use can actually calculate the positions of 10,000 asteroids!
This all just goes to show you, once again, that astrology is a wonderfully open-ended art that many people are exploring in a tremendously wide variety of ways.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Exploring the Signs
One of the biggest hurdles an astrologer has to overcome is getting a few ideas about each sign and then sticking to those without ever exploring them further. The truth is that every sign is a world in itself and contains endless possibilities for exploration. So the more an astrologer knows about each sign the more his or her readings can access those realms of richness and possibility.
Let's take the sign Pisces, for instance. As the last sign of the zodiac, Pisces is the culmination of all that has gone before. And just as Pisces completes the cycle of the signs, Pisces itself yearns to live this completeness, to experience the totality of existence. And this is exactly why Pisces can be a sign which lacks focus, for it is a sign about EVERYTHING, in a sense, rather than ANYTHING in particular. And Pisces is very accepting. How could it not be? For if you don't accept something you leave it out. And Pisces leaves nothing out. Of course this openness to everything can cause it to be scattered, maybe fragmented, and seemingly without center.
What benefits Pisces most is finding a meaningful center for itself, finding something it can dedicate itself to. A Pisces who consecrates themselves to a life purpose is a fulfilled Pisces.
The planet that rules goals and having a purpose is the Sun. So when the Sun is in Pisces it helps the sign immensely by giving it a focus and sense of purpose.
Pisces rules the ocean, and when I think of the Sun in Pisces I think of the Sun's rays filling the ocean depths with light, and nourishing all the thousands of life forms found therein.
Let's take the sign Pisces, for instance. As the last sign of the zodiac, Pisces is the culmination of all that has gone before. And just as Pisces completes the cycle of the signs, Pisces itself yearns to live this completeness, to experience the totality of existence. And this is exactly why Pisces can be a sign which lacks focus, for it is a sign about EVERYTHING, in a sense, rather than ANYTHING in particular. And Pisces is very accepting. How could it not be? For if you don't accept something you leave it out. And Pisces leaves nothing out. Of course this openness to everything can cause it to be scattered, maybe fragmented, and seemingly without center.
What benefits Pisces most is finding a meaningful center for itself, finding something it can dedicate itself to. A Pisces who consecrates themselves to a life purpose is a fulfilled Pisces.
The planet that rules goals and having a purpose is the Sun. So when the Sun is in Pisces it helps the sign immensely by giving it a focus and sense of purpose.
Pisces rules the ocean, and when I think of the Sun in Pisces I think of the Sun's rays filling the ocean depths with light, and nourishing all the thousands of life forms found therein.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Uranus in Aries
Uranus is the liberator of stuck and repressed energy, and Aries is the most directly action-oriented of the signs. So Uranus moving into Aries means that whatever we have been collectively holding back on is now likely to burst forth.
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