Читать книгу How To Judge A Nativity - Alan Leo - Страница 23

THE houses, or divisions, of a horoscope we compared to vessels, and the signs of the zodiac to their contents, giving colour and substance to each house. Metaphorically speaking, the planets in a similar manner give the aroma and quality to the whole.

Each house and each sign has a lord or ruler in the planet governing that house or sign, but the planets have more definite relationship to the signs than to the houses. So that the sign specially related to any planet is termed the ‘house’ of that planet, this not referring to the mundane circle but to the zodiac. Dividing the twelve signs into pairs one half becomes lunar and the other solar, each planet having one station in both divisions. Again each planet is weak in certain signs and powerful in others.

Besides the two luminaries, the Sun and Moon, there are seven planets:—Uranus, Mercury, ; Venus, Saturn, ; Mars, ; Jupiter, ; Neptune, . The following table of signs and rulers shows also planets specially powerful and weak in each sign.

No signs have been allotted to either or as houses, but for the present they may be taken as substitutes for the Sun and Moon.

A planet has power in its own house, and in certain houses has a stronger influence for good or ill, also a weaker influence in other signs. The ‘detriment’ of a planet is the sign opposite to its own ‘house’; its ‘fall’ is the opposite degree to its ‘exaltation.’

In the column which is headed exalted’ the number of degrees shown indicates the particular degree at which the planet receives exaltation. The true sense of the term ‘exaltation’ cannot at present be explained, but there can be no question that planets in their exaltation signs do exert a more refined and a more powerful influence than elsewhere. As for the exaltation degrees, they have been handed down by tradition, and since whenever such tradition has been traced back to its source, it is discovered to be founded upon a truth in nature, we shall do well to accept these degrees with respect, and endeavour if we can to penetrate the reason the ancients had in so fixing them. Thus, the exaltation degree of the Sun 19° is very close to, and perhaps identical with, the commencement of the Zodiac of the Constellations.

The planets are the vitalising centres in each nativity, therefore it is necessary to know the special influence of each planet and the nature of their vibrations in each sign and house. When we speak of a planet’s influence, it is the vibration coming from the spirit and life of the planet with which we are concerned, and not the physical medium through which it is acting, the physical planet being useful only as a means by which we may locate its position for astrological purposes. The special influence coming through each planet has been described by ancient astrologers who were evidently taught by those who knew, for as we have just hinted, modern students have found by study and practice that in the main, all that has been stated by their predecessors is true, with regard to the nature of each planet. A few students, looking more deeply into the esoteric side of the study, have discovered that there are higher vibrations than those generally attributed to the influence of the planets, but the failure of those coming under any particular planet to respond to these higher vibrations has caused this side of the study to be neglected. It seems incredible to those who study Astrology in the light of philosophy that any one should be found capable of believing that planetary influence emanates from the visible physical heavenly bodies only, or that a materialistic explanation could ever be fully explanatory of the multitudes of facts recorded in the experience of every astrologer. That there is a physical influence there is no need to deny, although we must also remember that no scientific explanation of it is yet forthcoming.¹ But in Astrology we have to step beyond the threshold of the physical universe and recognise the reality of that indwelling spiritual life and consciousness of which visible phenomena are merely outward manifestations, whether in the planet or the atom. We must study the subject from the philosophical and religious standpoint, and to do this with any degree of satisfaction the whole subject must be approached with a feeling of reverence and a true sense of humility.

THE SUN, we are taught by those who are seeking the Path of Wisdom, is the body of God, the Logos of this solar system, through which He gives His Love, Light and Life.

In astrologic study THE SUN gives to every living organism its Prâna, or life and heat, each individual specialising his own store from the cosmic Prâna. Every living thing is plunged into a great ocean of life—God’s life; and every organism, whether great or small, appropriates to itself some of this universal life which is ever flowing from the Sun, the vehicle through which the Solar Logos is manifesting.

THE SUN, giving life, light and heat to the world, stands in each nativity as the symbol of vitality and activity, mind and intellect, love and feeling. In one word it represents the centre of each separate individual character as the sum total of himself, by absorbing into himself as much of the influence of the solar rays and the planetary vibrations as possible during his previous physical manifestations. THE MOON acts as the vehicle, or link of communication between the Sun and each living thing. In Astrology the Moon is the representation of the Personality, the portion of the individual that is manifested during the one life period, and as such the Moon’s position and aspects become the most important when judging a nativity. If the Moon has no aspect whatever with the Sun, or is in much affliction with this luminary, then the life forces do not flow evenly, the mentality is not so sharp and clear, and the feelings are apt to be distorted; but the principal effect of the affliction is to hinder the flow of the life-current and thus affect the general health. These two centres formed by the Sun and Moon become very important, the Sun lighting the mind by day, and the Moon, receiving the borrowed light of the Sun, illuminating by night. The permanent and vital conditions of each life are denoted by the Sun, and the fleeting and impermanent personal conditions are indicated by the Moon, this latter luminary thus representing the focussing point of a nativity. The five planets, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, act in the ordinary human being more or less through the five senses. Uranus and Neptune, representing the higher octaves, are at present not quite so much in evidence, being more concerned with evolution at a later stage.

The planetary vibrations are allied to the senses approximately as follows: MERCURY, sight; VENUS, touch; MARS, taste; JUPITER, smell; SATURN, hearing; URANUS governs the inner sight (clairvoyance), and NEPTUNE, inner touch (psychometry). It is probable that Vulcan, a planet to be rediscovered at a future date, governs the inner hearing (clairaudience).

As concrete representatives of the Sun and Moon in the lower world SATURN and MARS become what have been termed ‘malefic planets.’ They are the disseminators of what we consider evil thoughout the world, and Astrology can throw considerable light upon this so-called evil that abounds, for it is through the individual and personal manifestation of the two great forces in nature known as heat and cold, motion and inertia, that we see the abuse of these two useful states or conditions of matter. The wise astrologer does not recognise evil as a permanent factor in any nativity, but fully understands how the attitude of the mind and feeling may produce the abuse of any special planetary vibration, which will then become vice and misfortune, pain and disease.

If the natures of the two ‘malefic’ planets are carefully studied from a philosophic. point of view, their exact value in each nativity will be much more clearly understood.

MARS is the planet of focussed force, and out-going impulse. Physical heat and motion are more under the direct influence of Mars than any other planet. He governs the sense of taste in its widest application. All the animal propensities, sensations, passions, desires and appetites come under the vibration of Mars. Long and careful study and a considerable amount of first hand experience which has been tabulated for many years have convinced the author that Mars is the ruler over the animal nature in man; and the task set for humanity is not only that of subjecting, ruling and controlling the animal nature, but also its transmutation into a higher force than that which ministers to the animal soul.

There is an occult teaching that the whole of the animal kingdom is under the guidance of one Group Soul, and as each animal becomes specialised, and in time is sufficiently individualised to break away from the Group Soul, it takes with it into the human kingdom its special nature and peculiar characteristics as an animal; and its evolution at the stage of either a savage or a more highly evolved but still very young ego is also under the influence of the planet Mars, more or less, until the vibrations from the other planets form a greater attraction than the plane of Mars and the purely animal nature. It is when the war between the animal and the God begins that the human being suffers, and the evil of Mars through passion and the rebellious senses is recognised. Animals in their natural state are not evil, but when the struggle between will and desire begins, and the personal man follows the blind impulse of his senses, then Mars becomes truly malefic.

This requires very little demonstration, for when the animal has full sway man becomes brutal, savage and violent, and when the gratification of the sensational and selfish desires is the strongest incentive to action, the animal in man, to obtain its object, becomes cruel and uncontrolled. It is only when the God in man grows stronger that the animal is held in check, trained and finally transcended. Force and energy are at all times necessary on the physical plane, and without the martial influence humanity would be tame and inactive, therefore use will make the vibrations of Mars as beneficial as abuse will make them evil. Each planet portrays a particular virtue, and that of Mars, strength, acts more especially through the muscular system; and we can easily see that a good muscular system is necessary for any great display of physical strength and energy.

Psychologically, the influence of the planet Mars is greater and more potent through the psychic nature, acting more directly upon the sensational and emotional nature. When acting physically the Solar influence also is necessary to give vitality and full life to the whole system, but psychically the force of Mars acts directly without the aid of the solar rays. It will be seen by the foregoing how Mars will become an evil influence in any nativity where the animal side is uncontrolled. Misfortune and disaster, accident and fever, will be the result of over-excitement, impulse, rashness and over-indulgence in sensation. In fact, to control the animal passions and appetites is to control and guide the vibrations coming from the planet Mars. Force will have its outlet in some form or other, and a man may use his forces and energy either to slay his fellows, or to save them, to become a swashbuckler, or a hero; or he may use it as an energy socially and mentally.

The strength absorbed from the planet Mars will do much to improve an otherwise weak nativity, and in no position in a horoscope can Mars be said to be an evil influence unless the nature is wholly depraved. Men who have strong and personal natures will, by transmuting the force and turning the direction of the currents, become ambitious and energetic and thus raise themselves to a higher state of refinement and progress. Knowledge of the nature and influence of Mars, the position by house and sign and the aspects, will inform the student of the direction in which the force is working; this will be illustrated later.

The next so-called evil planet is SATURN. The nature and influence of this planet is cold and binding, exactly opposite to that of the fiery Mars. Let us imagine that in the process of separation from the block essence of the Group Soul, the individualised animal, which consists of a vaporous mass of matter, is crystallised or condensed and enclosed in a film which comes directly under the vibrations of Saturn. The contents of this film impregnated by the solar ray will have all the latent qualities of the martial force, but now under certain limitations and restrictions and made the vehicle upon which the higher forces are to play. Being impregnated with the divine spark, which is now in germ, it will unfold all the latent potentialities of the imprisoned God within, through time and space, until it is strong enough to burst through the shell or body in which it was individualised.

The vibrations from Mars will ever force onward impulsively and blindly, but the vibrations from Saturn will be continuously binding and limiting. It can be seen that these two extremes of heat and cold, life and form, will be inimical to each other until the life is controlled by the form and the form expanded by the life and balance obtained as a result of the struggle between the two. In the early stages of the contest the life will be merely conscious, but gradually self-consciousness will result from the limitations imposed upon the life by the form.

Saturn governs the sense of hearing, a negative or receptive sense. The listener suggests patience, forbearance, silence and caution. The planetary vibration of Saturn restricts, limits, crystallises and binds everything; holding, restraining, fashioning and solidifying all that comes under its sphere of influence. Sat-urn is, figuratively speaking, the urn that holds the Sat. This Sanskrit word Sat signifies ‘that one ever-present reality in the infinite world; the divine essence which is, but cannot be said to exist.’ In this sense Saturn governs the encircling limit of the consciousness, the ‘ring pass not’ for each individual in manifestation.

In life, impulse and outrush—ever attracted by the sensations and feelings towards external objects—are checked and restrained by the nature of the form which limits them. It is therefore the vibrations of Saturn that cause each human personality to know itself as a separate, distinct and self-conscious entity. Saturn, as ruler of the personal ego, is the planet of fate, for it represents the personal Will, the lower brain-mind, and is practically the ego in manifestation in the physical world, and also the next world to it, which is concerned with the state of the consciousness immediately after death. In these two worlds Saturn and Mars have the greatest power, for Mars is concerned with all the animal tendencies and Saturn directly with the animal-human soul.

The highest states signified by the vibrations of Saturn in the physical world are physical purity and justice, which produce the virtues of chastity, economy, thrift, industry, perseverance, prudence, veneration, and love of truth. When the vibrations of Saturn are perverted through the personality, miserliness, meanness, envy, covetousness and extrenre selfishness result.

The two benefic planets are VENUS and JUPITER. Venus and Jupiter are the respective counterparts of Mars and Saturn, and they should always be considered in nativities as such. All the martial influence, giving force, energy and strength, is eventually to be transmuted into sympathy, gentleness and charity. The only real difference between these two planets, Mars and Venus, arises from the special vibrations. Mars is attracted from without through desire and impulse. Venus causes all action to come from within, and instead of feeling rushing outwards to objects and becoming captive to externals, it moves from within through the ego’s direct intuitive power. The vibrations of Venus directly affect the higher part of the nature through the human soul and higher mind. In the physical world Venus presides over the sense of touch, which sense is not related to one special part of the body, but the whole. All the distinctly human and refining qualities come under the influence of Venus, the whole of the tendencies of this planet’s vibration being to centralise and draw in from the objective world the experience necessary to awaken the inner and more subjective centres of consciousness. Venus is on the side of Will and the Immortal Trinity, and all vibrations that are assimilated are made permanent soul possessions. Mars on the contrary is on the side of the Mortal and Impermanent—that is, until the force is turned inward, when it passes into the ray of Venus. Venus preserves, nourishes, rebuilds, and all who come fully under the influence of this planet are capable of living purely and appreciating beauty and goodness to the full. It will be necessary to avoid mistaking the vibrations of Mars for those of Venus, also to know which of these two planets has the stronger influence in each nativity. Mars is the planet of physical generation and its influence is always acting through the senses. Venus is the planet of creation, ever tending to act through the Soul and not the senses. The love shown by Venus always sanctifies and makes for harmony through conjugality, friendship and soul union. Mars denotes feeling that is personal and selfish, and Venus that which is impersonal and unselfish. The influence of Mars when perverted makes men seek to injure, and never allows them to forget the value of personal importance. Venus injures none, and those coming directly under its vibration sink the personal element in love for others, through pure love and true sympathy. The adverse influence of Mars causes men to insult and patronise, while that of Venus always makes for protection and true charity.

In some mysterious manner a ray from Venus touched the life of the animal on its first separation from the group soul. The ‘Sons of Mind’ who came from the planet Venus gave to infant humanity its first germ of that true mind which is in its essence immortal, and through this the period of man’s evolution was considerably shortened, for by receiving this divine spark the seed of the human soul was implanted in the animal man, who would otherwise have spent countless ages in acquiring that which these beneficent beings through their love and compassion gave to humanity.

JUPITER is termed the Greater Fortune. Its vibrations are concerned with the form side of manifestation and like Saturn it symbolises the vehicle which holds the life. St Paul has stated that we have a terrestrial body and a celestial body. Jupiter’s influence in the subjective world is just as important as that of Saturn’s influence objectively, but there is a wide difference between the effects of their vibrations. Saturn contracts and acts microscopically. Jupiter expands and has no limit to its expansion. Mind and feeling are condensed and focussed in the limiting form of Saturn, and expanded, broadened, and extended through the ever-increasing form of Jupiter. In these two extremes we have all the elements of pleasure and pain, joy and sorrow, increase and decrease, bondage and freedom, expansion and contraction. The life is evolving as well as the forms, and the contraction and expansion are necessary to harden and soften and finally temper the consciousness of the evolving ego. The good fortune under the influence of Jupiter acts from the subjective world by way of the accumulated experiences, the essence or cream of which is under the guiding influence of this planet.

In the physical world Jupiter governs the sense of smell. Scent pervades the atmosphere and is dispersed through it, being expansive, as is the influence of the planet presiding over it.

The whole of our present moral and social age is more directly under Jupiter’s influence. The success promised by Jupiter may be traced to the best side of the character, wherein hope and the power to expand and enlarge are prominent. Saturn gives financial gain and prosperity through economy, thrift, perseverance, and industry, but Jupiter when concerned with financial success brings gain through the social life, and those under the most favourable influence of Jupiter can accomplish more in one day than the ordinary Saturnine man could achieve in a year.

Sooner or later it must be realised that character is destiny. That is why so much stress is always laid upon the fact that the nativity must be fully understood before directions’ can be interpreted. We each bring our character with us as a result of past efforts, aspirations and opportunity. The sum total of our past is probably indicated by the planet Jupiter. Each individual is encircled by an aura, the boundary of which comes directly under the vibration of Jupiter. We expand and increase the size and quality of that aura during each earth life, and, whether in objective manifestation on the physical world or in heaven, in the subjective worlds, this aura is our own and contains our whole history, the result of the past and the possibilities of the future; in this sense Jupiter is the ruler over the celestial and immortal body.

MERCURY is known as the ‘convertible’ planet. It is neither positive nor negative, but both. It is the planet of the adept, being the planet of adaptation in the widest sense of the word. Mercury is termed the Winged Messenger of the Gods, and takes upon himself the vibrations of all the other planets. It is, in one word, the planet of Reason. In the physical world Mercury governs the sense of seeing. It has also a very close relationship with the mind. The four planets we have been dealing with are each more or less in affinity with either the life or the form, but Mercury has an influence over both. It has also a subjective as well as an objective influence, and all planets may be said to be powerful or weak, according to the strength of Mercury. Mercury, accompanying the soul into Hades, represents the silver thread of memory, upon which are strung the beads which represent the personalities of its earth lives. In every nativity Mercury will represent the ego in physical manifestation, the actor, playing the part allotted to him during each separate earthly existence; and at the close of each life Mercury represents the knowledge gained, as Memory, the cream of which is rendered a permanent possession of the ego as Wisdom.

The planet URANUS has less influence at the present day than any other planet except Neptune. It is the planet of the coming race, for its vibrations will then be more important than to-day. It is thought by the author to represent the fully individualised Ego, and as such is the houseless wanderer half-way between earth and heaven. Its vibrations are different from those of any other planet, governing all things that are not bound by convention or limited entirely to the form side of things to such an extent as to make the form more important than the life. It appears to govern all things that are original, eccentric, and free to act apart from any conventional groove or accepted custom. It has been found to exercise the greatest influence for good over advanced thinkers—those who act independently, and from within more than from without. It seems to have little or no effect upon those who are bound or limited by opinion or custom, and to come fully under its influence the limitations of Saturn must have been passed and the form side of life conquered more or less. No definite or precise rules can be laid down with regard to Uranus; the most elaborate plans and calculations may be upset in an instant of time by the vibrations of this planet. Sudden and unexpected events will occur, and act in an almost unknowable manner, which makes it impossible to judge accurately exactly what will happen under his vibrations. It is now certain that the ancients knew of the planet Uranus, but only those who were as far removed from the ordinary humanity as the poles came under its fluence, and that for an occult and esoteric reason that cannot be explained at present.

In the outer world of human activities Uranus appears now to be exercising more sway. Electrical and mechanical enterprises and inventions of all kinds, railways, educational short cuts,’ index systems, the comparative study of religions, etc., etc., are all more or less under his direct influence and illustrate his peculiar mission—to cause man to seek by the destruction of a lesser form the added life and intelligence dwelling in the higher form of which that lesser form was an integral though separated part; in short, regeneration as distinguished from generation.

NEPTUNE, the last discovered planet, has, on the whole, but a faint influence upon our earth and its inhabitants. The undeveloped psychic who is unable to control the mediumistic tendencies induced from without, and those who are easily obsessed or of very weak will, always subject to changing impressions, will in one sense come under Neptune as will also those who are very highly advanced psychically. Experience tends to prove that the influence of an afflicted Neptune as a rule is undesirable. There is a possibility of there being such a thing as a lost personality, metaphorically speaking, and such may be in some peculiar manner under this influence. Depravity and exceptional immorality seem to be under the influence of Neptune, but many years must elapse before sufficient tabulation is made to warrant a reliable opinion concerning Neptune’s vibrations.

Much fuller information on these and the other planets will be found in the next volume of this series, where a separate chapter is devoted to each. The beginner, however, will do well to leave these until he arrives at the book in the natural course of his studies; otherwise, he will find himself bewildered with a multitude of ideas for which he has not yet prepared due receptacles. What has been given above is quite sufficient at his present stage, and will furnish him with clear fundamental ideas regarding the natures of the planets, ideas which will form a substantial foundation upon which he can subsequently erect any superstructure which the processes of his thought, aided by further reading, and matured by his own experience and observation, may incline him to devise.

To those who have carefully studied the series of Introductory Manuals issued by the Author, this caution will not, of course, apply, as they will (or should) have already obtained a clear outline idea of the essential natures of the planets.

1 Since the first Edition of this work was published, in 1903, the scientific basis of Astrology has been definitely laid down. Those who wish to enquire further into the matter are referred to The Foundations of Physical Astrology by G. E. Sutcliffe, member of the Leeds Astronomical Society.