Introducing Astrology
THE FACULTY OFASTROLOGICAL STUDIESIntroducing AstrologyIntroducing Astrology'I am a child of Earth and starry Heaven, but of Heaven is my birth’1‘The significance of astrology is that it can transform the profane into the sacred, thefacts of astronomy into the revelation of a cosmic order manifest in the cell and thehuman person as well as in the solar system and the galaxy’2This article is designed to introduce you to astrology, in particular to three of its most basicbuilding blocks, the planets, the zodiac signs and the ‘houses’ of the birth chart, as well astouching on the idea of planetary inter-relationships. Planets, signs and houses are covered inModule 1 of the Faculty’s Foundation Course – planetary inter-relationships are covered inModule 2. All of these subjects are dealt with in much more detail in our course material thanthey are here – this article will just give you a glimpse into the world of astrology and into theFaculty’s way of working.* * * * * * * * *Astrology takes us into the very heart of life – it is at once intuitive and intellectual, down-toearth and deeply magical, a system of thought and a very pragmatic tool: a philosophy of aninterconnected earth and sky which over the centuries has inspired both scientists and artists,and is capable of describing and illuminating every stratum of life on earth, from theworkings of the individual human psyche to the rhythms and cycles of the naturalenvironment.Its roots are to be found in the ancient world – the star lore and astronomy of Mesopotamiaand the philosophy and mathematics of the ancient Greeks, brought together and planted inthe fertile intellectual soil of Hellenistic Alexandria in the centuries just before and afterChrist. Carried by the Arabs following the collapse of ancient Greece and Rome, it wastransmitted into Europe in the early Middle Ages via Islamic scholars and became recognisedas one of the pillars of Western magical thinking, along with alchemy and Kabbalah. Fallingout of favour in the Age of Enlightenment, which emphasised rationality and scientificobservation as the routes to knowledge, astrology re-emerged in the later part of the 19thcentury, encouraged by the founding of the Theosophical Society and a growing interest inalternative spirituality and ancient wisdom. In the 20th and 21st centuries, astrology has comeof age, enriched by the depth psychology of Carl Jung, the humanistic spirituality andpsychology of Dane Rudhyar and the inimitable work of Alan Leo, Charles Carter, Liz Greene,Howard Sasportas and others who have been in the vanguard of its rebirth as a subjectworthy of serious attention and study.Astrology has many branches: natal chart work – unlocking the potential of a single chart;synastry – the study of relationships; horary – the answering of a particular question;electional – the choosing of an ideal time to begin a new venture; relocation – analysing theeffects of a move or a visit to another part of the world; to name just a few. It also has manyprofessional and non-professional applications: as a consultative tool, for use alongsidepsychotherapy or complementary therapies, in business and financial fields, as inspiration for12From an Orphic prayer written on gold leaf, found at Thessaly (4th century BCE)Dane Rudhyar, An Astrological Mandala, Vintage books, p.3831Written by Carole Taylor, Director of Studies Faculty of Astrological Studies, January 2018
THE FACULTY OFASTROLOGICAL STUDIESIntroducing Astrologyart, design, music and other forms of self-expression, and of course self-development and abetter understanding of the world and the people around us. In practice, Faculty graduates goon to engage in a variety of astrological activities, from natal chart work to financialconsultancy – it is even possible now to study the history and philosophy of astrology atuniversity level, either as a dedicated course or as part of a course in Western esotericthought.It is an immensely rewarding subject – a potent language of archetypal symbols whichbecomes particularly powerful when used in a modern psychological context. It is thismarriage of the archetypal, the magical and the psychological which the Faculty’s coursesseek to convey, as well as offering a solid foundation in the core practices and techniques.The basic components of any birth chart are the planets, the signs of the zodiac, the housesand the aspects – together these components interweave to form a picture which describeswith great accuracy the character and experiences of the chart’s owner, from the seeminglymost mundane aspects of life to the rich and complex inner world of the psyche. This tastermodule outlines these basic components, giving a glimpse of how they fit and work together.We hope you will have fun applying the information to your own chart using the self-studyexercises included here, as you consider whether to cross the threshold into formal study onthe Faculty’s courses.The PlanetsYour birth chart is a picture of the heavens at one specific moment in time, as seen from theperspective of the place at which you were born – it is your unique map, showing both innerand outer levels of experience. With you symbolically in the centre of the chart, you see thevista of the heavens, and in particular a narrow ring of sky which encircles the earth – thezodiac – against which the planets are seen to move in their orbits.We will look in a moment at the zodiac, but first we will focus on the planets – these are thecore archetypal or psychological drives which exist within each of us (and within all things).In astrology they are named after deities in the Roman pantheon, but they also have directresonance with the Greek equivalents and with gods from other cultures. Each planet has itsown symbol and its own particular meaning, which can manifest on many different levels,from inner psychological drives to abstract concepts, mundane objects to the plants andanimals of the natural world.The Personal PlanetsThese are the fastest moving of the planets and form the core of the personalitysdfghThe SunThe MoonMercuryVenusMarsThe Sun sThe symbol for the Sun is a circle with a dot in the centre, with the circle representing divinityand immortality, and the dot suggesting the creative spark of an individual life whichpartakes of the divine essence. Its role in the chart reflects the role played by the Sun in the2Written by Carole Taylor, Director of Studies Faculty of Astrological Studies, January 2018
THE FACULTY OFASTROLOGICAL STUDIESIntroducing Astrologysolar system – our core sense of self around which everything else revolves, our individualpurpose and the place where we can shine by developing a range of unique gifts and talents.The Sun has an ancient association with the idea of ‘spirit’ – the fiery drive of the consciouswill – and in the chart it has a masculine slant, contributing to what Jung termed the ‘animus’or inner image of the masculine, so it can denote the image of the father and other malefigures, as well as our vitality and willpower. We can associate the Sun with the notion ofcentrality, management and authority – in both the external world (kings, rulers andauthority figures) and in the body (the Sun rules the heart and spine). Its metal is gold and itscolour is bright yellow.The Moon dAs the Sun rules day, so the Moon represents the more mysterious, nocturnal or hiddenworlds – both literally, as ruler of nocturnal animals, and of automatic functions such asdigestion and sleep, and figuratively, as a symbol in the chart for the inner world of feelingsand instincts. The Moon is our emotional memory bank, describing our instinctive responsesto the people and events we encounter, and lying at the heart of our interconnections withothers via family, romantic and social relationships.The Moon has an association with feminine dimensions and Jung’s ‘anima’ or inner image ofthe feminine – so it can equate to mother and other female figures, particularly those whotake a nurturing, feeding, catering or caretaking role. It has a strong influence over thedomestic realm, suggesting what makes us feel comfortable and safe, and therefore has astrong impact on the kind of home life we might create for ourselves, as well as our dailyemotional, mental and physical routines and rituals. Its metal is silver and its colours are lightgrey and white.Mercury fMercury is the trickster and messenger of the gods – the communicator, agent, tradesmanand go-between. Mercury functions as a mouthpiece, showing how we speak andcommunicate, and what we might like to communicate about. Here is our mental functioningtoo – what we notice, how we perceive, our critical abilities, capacity for logic, and how weabsorb and process information. Schools, learning, libraries, books, magazines, newspapersand social networking all come under the auspices of this planet.In contrast to far-ranging Jupiter, Mercury has a more ‘localised’ quality, representing short –range movement and people who are local to us – siblings and neighbours. It is a swiftmoving planet with a somewhat eccentric and elliptical orbit around the Sun which has ledastrologers to associate this planet with movement, mobility and change. Mercury’s metal ismercury (originally known as ‘quicksilver’) and its colours are blue, grey or multi-colours.Venus gVenus is well-known as the planet of love – in the birth chart, it describes the kind of personwe are attracted to romantically and how we seek to make ourselves attractive to others. Morewidely, it shows generally how we relate to others, how we liaise, interact and find commonground, as well as the things we find attractive and valuable – our taste in art perhaps, ourstyle of dressing, our concept of beauty and desirability.3Written by Carole Taylor, Director of Studies Faculty of Astrological Studies, January 2018
THE FACULTY OFASTROLOGICAL STUDIESIntroducing AstrologyLike the Moon, Venus also has an association with feminine and with the ‘anima’ – the imageof femaleness within both men and women. A powerful Venus in the chart can suggest astrong desire for harmony, balance and fairness, all expressed (as with every planet)according to the nature of the sign it occupies. The metal of Venus is copper (a major exportof the island of Cyprus, said to be the island of Venus’ Greek equivalent, Aphrodite) and itscolour is green.Mars hBalancing the more receptive and ‘yin’ energy of Venus, Mars in the chart denotes our urge toattack, fight and defend. We may do this in a number ways, perhaps physically on occasionsbut also verbally or through strategy, cunning or simply refusing to back down. As anotherimage of the ‘animus’, we take action according to our Mars – perhaps directly andassertively, or perhaps with polite deference to our opponent. It might show which sport weenjoy and how competitive we are, how physically energetic and how much stamina we have,as well as our willpower and drive, and how prepared we are to take a risk.In both the natural and man-made worlds, Mars represents all those things which are hot andsharp – chillies, mustard and nettles, as well as tempers, knives and scissors. Its metal is iron(the resilient metal of weaponry and tools) and its colour is red.The Social PlanetsThese move more slowly than the Personal Planets, spending longer in a zodiac sign. Theyrepresent processes of adjustment to wider social themes, opportunities and pressures.jSJupiterSaturnJupiter jKnown traditionally as the ‘Greater Benefic’, Jupiter represents the idea of enlargement andgrowth. We usually seek some kind of expansion in the territory which Jupiter occupies in thechart, as if tapping into the spirit of protection, generosity, benefaction, wealth andabundance which this planet can bring. It is sometimes said about Jupiter that he promisesmore than he delivers, as his governance of frivolity, travel, adventure, gambling, horseracing and general extravagance would attest, but he also offers the capacity for joy, trust andself-belief as a necessary counterbalance to Saturn’s path of self-doubt leading to hard workand mastery of skills.On a wider social level, Jupiter represents the spirit of the law, its ethical and moral codes –so it may form the basis of the particular guiding philosophy or religious belief with which wemost resonate. Jupiter engages us with a process of education and betterment that takes usbeyond the primary stage of learning and discovery, into a search for meaning. Its metal istin, the lightest of the metals, and its colour is purple, the colour traditionally worn by thejudiciary and the clergy.Saturn SWhereas Jupiter tends to create a sense of increase and possibility, Saturn’s process is one ofcontraction and consolidation – an appropriate guiding deity for anyone taking exams or4Written by Carole Taylor, Director of Studies Faculty of Astrological Studies, January 2018
THE FACULTY OFASTROLOGICAL STUDIESIntroducing Astrologyseeking professional accreditation! Here is the part of us which is rooted in the notion ofwork and exertion for the purpose of achievement and respect, a process which may takemany years to accomplish and which underscores Saturn’s association with seriousness,gravitas and age (as well as the wisdom which comes with it).As such, it can represent figures of authority, both in the family and in the wider world –parents, guardians, teachers, the police and all those who devise or reinforce the numeroussets of codes and rules which set the boundaries and govern life in any social or cultural unit.Appropriately, Saturn’s metal is lead, the heaviest of the metals known in antiquity, and itscolours are sombre black, dark grey or brown.The Outer Planets (also known as the Collective or Generational Planets)These take years to travel through one sign of the zodiac. Hence, as well as playing apersonal role in the birth chart, they also represent processes and themes which arecollective to society as a whole, embedded in movements in politics, society and the arts.FGJHUranusNeptunePlutoUranus FWhen Uranus was discovered in 1781 its presence shattered the safe boundary symbolicallyheld for centuries by Saturn and doubled the size of the known universe; it also coincidedwith the revolutions which brought massive social and political change across Europe andAmerica – and in astrology it quickly took on a similar energy, as the planet representing anyprocess or experience, either physical or psychological, of revolution and upheaval. Uranusoffers us, individually and collectively, the potential for liberation and the electricalexcitement which can be generated when we dare to make significant changes, as well as thechaos and disturbance which can accompany this.In myth, Ouranos was the sky god of the Greeks, who fertilized mother Earth, Gaia, with hissudden bursts of creative energy but who would not allow his offspring to be born into theworld – and so it can be with his astrological counterpart. Uranus is primarily a mental andintellectual energy which deals awkwardly with either the practicalities of the real world orthe messiness of human emotions – under its rulership come invention, innovation, scienceand enlightenment, not to mention earthquakes, outlaws, eccentricities, jolts, breaks, schismsand arrhythmia. Uranium was named after the planet Uranus and is the radioactive elementmost capable of fission or splitting and used to generate electrical power. Uranus’ colour isusually given as electric or sky blue.Neptune GWith Neptune we move to a very different perspective – where Uranus seeks independence,Neptune seeks to merge and blur any kind of boundary so that distinctions, and sometimes asense of reality, disappear. As a god, Neptune’s realm is under the sea, a place of mystery andimagination where nothing is seen as it really is – and astrologically here is where, bothindividually and as a society, we follow a vision or dream, which may act as a powerful andimportant muse but which can also tip us into illusion and fantastical projection.5Written by Carole Taylor, Director of Studies Faculty of Astrological Studies, January 2018
THE FACULTY OFASTROLOGICAL STUDIESIntroducing AstrologyNeptune rules those things through which we can gain inspiration and connection to a worldof non-ordinary reality, outside space and time – art, music, film, spirituality, imaginativeexploration, romantic and universal love, dreams and fairy tales, not to mention alcohol anddrugs (both recreational and medicinal). It tends to distort, erode or dissolve whatever ittouches – or bring glamour and enchantment. Chemists have named Neptunium after theplanet Neptune – appropriately it is hard to find, hiding itself in Uranium ores. In astrologyNeptune’s colour is sea green.Pluto J or HConsistent with the mythic image of Pluto as the god of the underworld, this planet signifies aprocess of transformation – an experience of symbolic death and rebirth during whichsomething is stripped down to its basic essence. In the process we often discover the truenature and potency of the thing in question, whether this is our creative output, our workinglife or our communicative abilities – astrologers often associate Pluto with power, particularlythe power which comes from having been through some kind of symbolic ‘near death’experience.We are often passionate, heavy and intense, some might say obsessive, where Pluto is in thechart – there is the potential for compulsive behaviour around this planet, both in theindividual and if we explore Pluto’s effects in society in general. But there is also a therapeuticand cathartic quality too – in the body, Pluto rules the vital process of elimination of wastewhich would otherwise become poisonous; and we can see a parallel to this in psychologicalterms – Pluto may be a ruthless and non-negotiable force, but it governs the essentialprocesses of renewal and regeneration. Its element is Plutonium, the heaviest of all theprimordial elements and used in nuclear weapons. Pluto’s colour is dark red.There is one final body which many astrologers use – Chiron. Discovered in 1977, he is arelatively recent addition to the group of astrological planets but is included in the Faculty’scourses because he has been found to represent a powerful archetype in his own right.Chiron DIn Greek myth, the centaur Chiron experienced rejection by both his parents, but eventuallybecame a wise healer and teacher; and his dramatic story includes a critical episode ofwounding by a poisoned arrow, a wound of which he was unable to cure himself. Ourastrological Chiron draws on these mythological images – it can represent early painfulexperiences of emotional or physical wounding, abandonment or misplacement, a place inourselves which may be deeply sensitive and where, through force of circumstance, we mayfind it difficult to follow the conventional line. Where Chiron is, we may have to take acircuitous route to reach our goals, or we may naturally follow a maverick path. Often we seekto play the ‘healer’ here too – here we are sensitive to the experiences of others which aresimilar to our own and we are moved to help or to offer empathy and understanding.As we might expect of a maverick, a tiny planetoid or asteroid no more than 100 miles acrossand with a highly elliptical orbit, Chiron has no metal or colour with which it is universallyassociated.6Written by Carole Taylor, Director of Studies Faculty of Astrological Studies, January 2018
THE FACULTY OFASTROLOGICAL STUDIESIntroducing AstrologyThe Signs of the ZodiacIf you look at your birth chart, you may recognise the ring of 12 zodiac signs on the outer edgeof the circle – Aries the Ram, Taurus the Bull, Gemini the Twins, and so on. The zodiac is aBabylonian invention, developed by the Greeks and drawing on ancient images fromBabylonian, Greek and Egyptian myth. With the zodiac we begin to build our planetaryvocabulary – the planets represent archetypal driv
Astrology takes us into the very heart of life – it is at once intuitive and intellectual, down-to-earth and deeply magical, a system of thought and a very pragmatic tool: a philosophy of an interconnected earth and sky which over the centuries has inspired both scientists and artists, and is capable of describing and illuminating every stratum of life on earth, from the workings of the .
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of astrology, also known as Hindu astrology, Nepalese Shastra, Indian astrology, and more recently Vedic astrology. The term Hindu astrology has been in use as the English equivalent of Jyotiṣa since the early 19th century, whereas Vedic astrology is a relatively recent term, entering
Keywords:Vedic astrology, gender determination in Vedic astrology, medical Vedic astrology, houses for child birth, male child in Vedic astrology, female child in Vedic astrology. 1. Introduction. Astrology is the language of symbol
However, in Vedic astrology the Sun will be in Pisces on this date. Western astrology and Vedic astrology have different systems for the calculations of the placement of Planets in Signs. Vedic Astrology is one of the most ancient and complex systems of astrology in existence, which is fir
Astrology has many faces. There is popular astrology, commonly found in newspapers. There is also serious astrology, which is the casting and interpretation of horoscopes of individuals. Serious astrology is itself sub-categorized. Natal astrology deals with the horoscope calculated at the mo
path, that includes the apparent paths of the Moon and the planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Divisions of the zodiac represent, in astronomy: constellations, and in astrology: signs. There is a zodiac in western astrology, a different zodiac in Vedic astrology, and a very different zodiac in Chinese astrology.
Tibetan Astrology . Tibetan Astrology . Tibetan Astrology . 27 . The Spiritual Roof of the World astrology. 28 What is Astrological Te
