The Solar System in Astrology

Introduction

While astronomy deals primarily with the physical positions, dimensions, composition and motion of celestial bodies, astrology searches for the meaning in them by looking at them through the lens of symbolism. The existence of the Sun, Moon and the first five planets of the Solar System (i.e. Mercury, Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn) is known to ancient man before the invention of the telescope. To the astrologer each planet represents more than just a celestial body. Rather it has a core symbolism which carries multiple layers of meanings derived from the core principle.

The Luminaries - Sun, Moon

Since ancient times, the Sun has been viewed with awe. Its shining light provides the life force and vitality necessary for growth and activity of all living things. When it sets, the mystical Moon takes over and shows the reflected light from the Sun. Together, these two bodies are known as the Luminaries.

The Sun and the Moon are polar opposites in astrology. They represent the psychological male-female principle in us. They are also associated with the harmonious balance of emotions in our psychological environment. This is classically known as the Yin-Yang principle in Chinese metaphysics. Their relationship to each other varies constantly with the Lunar Cycle and is important in shaping our core personalities.

The Personal Planets - Mercury, Venus, Mars

The first three planets of the Solar System (i.e. Mercury, Venus, Mars) are known as the personal planets in astrology. This is partly because their symbolism pertain to fundamental human urges. The first planet, Mercury, represents our urge to make connections. It carries the name of a Roman god who is the equivalent of the Greek Hermes. In fact the Greeks regard both the planets and their respective gods as psychological entities. Hermes is a multi-talented deity who is witty, clever with language and his hands and with travel. He moves freely between the living and the underworld and is known for his role as a messenger. Hence Mercury has come to symbolize mental activity, intelligence, communication and craftsmanship.

The second planet, Venus symbolizes the urge to make relationships. It is associated with two Greek goddesses, Aphrodite and Athena. Aphrodite is a symbol of beauty, love, sensuality and luxury. Athena on the other hand, is associated with peace, harmony, balance, wisdom and appreciation of artistic values. In the birth chart, the position of the planet Venus tells us about the individual's romantic inclinations and artistic talents.

Mars is a warrior god. The Romans honoured his spirit of courage, strength, sportsmanship and military discipline. In the natal chart it represents the nature of one's driving force, fighting spirit, assertion and anger. It tells us how easy or how difficult one shows up his anger and his manner of managing conflict.

The Social Planets - Jupiter, Saturn

Jupiter and Saturn ar known as the social or interpersonal planets because they are perceived to link us with our larger society and concepts beyond our individual confines. Being the largest planet of the Solar System, Jupiter's symbolism has been passed down as abundance, excess, optimism and good luck. In the birth chat, it tells us the urge of the individual to broaden his horizons and how he develops his philosophical and religious beliefs. If well placed in the chart, it can represent a positive outlook in life and an ability to take advantage of opportunities.

Saturn, by virtue of the fact that it is the outermost planet visible to the naked eye, has come to be associated with boundaries, limitations, restriction and death. The Saturn archetype is traditionally considered as negative, undesirable or evil. Its position in the natal chart often denotes the principle of fear and a perception o9f where one may fail in his life.

The Outer Planets - Uranus, Neptune, Pluto

Discovered only after the invention of the telescope in the 16th century, the outer planets (i.e. Uranus, Neptune and Pluto) have come to be associated with Modern Astrology. They are also known as the transpersonal or generational planets. Because of their wide orbits they take many years to move through each of the zodiac signs. Uranus stays for about 7 years in a sign, Neptune 14 years and Pluto about 20 years. Hence, in a natal chart, the sign the outer planets occupy is more descriptive of generational rather than personal issues. On the other hand, the houses they occupy would ground them on more personal issues.

At a personal level, Uranus indicates the impulsiveness, detachment and the area of life in which the individual may be eccentric. Neptune is involved with the individual's urge for sacrifice and redemption. Pluto, on the other hand is indicative of hidden power, change and transformation. These three planets have a strong role in the symbolism surroudning one's midlife crisis.

Psychological Perspectives in Astrology

Many modern astrologers relate astrology to depth psychology via the work of Carl Jung. As a result of the cross-fertilisation between the two disciplines, Psychological Astrology emerged. This is a modern departure from Traditional Astrology and it is not possible to say exactly when the movement began. The discipline uses astrological archetypes to inform the understanding of an individual's psyche. When Carl Jung was studying the interpretation of dreams, he commonly came across mythical figures whose images correlated with the Greek/Roman gods that were attached to the star patterns mapped out in the skies. He concluded that the heavenly figures in astrology come from the images we make in our minds. Charles Carter encyclopaedia mentioned character traits in 1924. The Swiss astrologer Ernst Kraft urged that astrological symbolism be reportrayed in terms of psychology in 1929 in the hope that the practice of astrology might benefit from the advances being made in depth psychology. By 1950, the Jungians themselves began to lay claim to the planets, probably as a reflection of Jung's own interest in the subject.

The philosophical premise upon which Psychological Astrology is based is that the individual's reality springs outward from his inner landscape of thoughts, feelings, expectations and beliefs. For instance, in astrological symbolism Saturns represents limitation, restriction and boundaries, whereas the 11th house represents the person's friends, peers and community in his everyday life.

Saturn (restriction) + 11th House (friends) = Difficulty Making Friends

If we take the example of a university student whose natal Saturn is in the 11th house of his birth chart, he is likely to show up as a problem of having trouble with his friends and study mates in his campus life. Yet, in terms of Psychological Astrology, that interpretation may represent just the tip of the iceberg.

Conflict with friends is only an outer manifestation of something which the student himself is responsible for creating. His relationship difficulties with his study companions is the surface manifestation of something much deeper. The deeper psychological issue is probably a fear of expanding his boundaries to include something other than himself. There is likely to be an internal conflict. He may want to become greater individual than what he already is, and yet he is afraid of endangering the identity that he already possesses. Any planet placed in the 11th house in his birth chart will urge him to encompass a greater reality, but his Saturn, being restrictive in archetype, will hold him back mentally and caution him to preserve what he is already familiar or comfortable with.

The student now understands that it is not lousy friendship that is restricting his development. Rather it is his own restrictions which limit his friendship. He then obtains a better insight into his own inner psyche. Rather than telling him "Sorry, your friends are no good", the astrological chart now opens up his growth potential. He now understands that what he sees in life is coloured by what he expects to see. He may then appreciate that difficulties with friends is but a necessary and productive phase of his campus experience, and it would benefit him to grow side by side with his constant challenge of making friends.

In carrying the astrological interpretation further, a knowledge of the sign placement of Saturn often provides useful insight as to why the student might experience difficulty. For instance, the student with the Saturn in Aries in 11th house may experience difficulty in making friends because he is unable to assert himself in a group situation. A Saturn in Taurus may shy away from socialising with friends simply because he is financially thrifty. A Saturn in Gemini suggests that the difficulty may lie with the way he communicates with others. A Saturn in Cancer may find socialising with friends burdens his responsiblities to his family. On the other hand a Saturn in Leo may annoy his peers too much because he does not want to play "second fiddle" to anyone else. For a Virgoan Saturn, his group mates may find him too serious and worrisome with regards to small matters.

Sometimes, a Saturn in Libra may provide us with the clue that the student harbours an inferiority complex that limits his interaction with people. The student with Saturn in Scorpio may be too demanding of others in terms of responsiblity and overwhelms his groups mates who do not want to carry their share of the load. The student with Saturn in Sagittarius may clash with his friends in terms of religious or philosophical differences. The student with Saturn in Capricorn mistrusts others' ability to live up to his standards and therefore unable to delegate responsibilities during group work. The student with Saturn in Uranus may strike his group mates as being too offbeat and unconventional in his ideas whereas the student with Saturn in Pisces may be too sensitive, too paranoid and too gloomy to attract his friends' company.

The Saturn Archetype

In Saturn we anticipate difficulty, disappointment and restriction. We often face restrictions and boundaries and a nagging sense of duty, responsibiltiy and the "oughts" and "shoulds" of life. We feel limited and constrained.

There are four archetypes that we can use in astrological interpretations of the meaning of Saturn in birth charts: (a) the Old Tyrant (b) the Sickle (c) the Wise Old man (d) the Mountain Goat

Old Tyrant describes one of the faces of Saturn. The Greek equivalen tof Saturn is Cronus. Afraid that his own children might overthrow him, Cronus ate them. In this respect Saturn is where we do not allow our own creative impulses to have free reign. The reason for this is fear and conservatism. With Saturn we dread the unknown and the untried. We try to maintain the status quo in that area of life if something new crops us, even if what already exists is short of ideal This is because we worry about making a wrong move, and for safety's sake we limit our actions. Like Cronus, by inhibiting, judging and censoring ourselves we devour the offspring of our own creative expression.

Cronus wielded a sickle. This reminds us of the saying: "you sow what you reap". In fact his own life is an illustration. He castrated and dethroned his father Uranus, and he himself was toppled later in a coup led by his own son Zeus. Likewise in the astrological chart, Saturn represents exact and undeviating justice. We may suffer if we neglect or avoid what Saturn wants of us, but he duly rewards us for any effort, hard work, persistence and patience we do put in.

More than a tyrant, Saturn is also associated with the archetype of the Wise Old Man. This is some kind of Celestial Schoolteacher, who employs pain as a messenger to inform us of those aspects of ourself that need attention and development. Running away from that sphere increases the discomfort. Instead, listening to what this dutiful planet is trying to teach us may gradually transform our sense of inadequacy into feelings of increasing completeness and worth.

By facing the challenge Saturn imposes on us, we strengthen ourselves and are rewarded with geater knowledge and fulfillment. As a result, we can achieve being teachers in the very area of life we have had the most difficulty mastering.

The mountain goat is another symbol of Saturn. In its laborious efforts to climb to the top of the mountain, the goat encounters many obstacles but eventually it reaches its destination. Before taking each new step, the goat makes sure it has a solid footing in the one before. Postive qualities such as careful and cautious thinking, tact, perseverance and a healthy acceptance of reality, duty and responsibility are all to be found in Saturn's terrain.

The Mars Archetype

Mars is the god of war and a bundle of raw, fiery energy. It is the energy that get us out of bed and go to work in the morning. In ancient times Mars gives man the energy to go forward in life to fulfill basic intinctual needs such as food, water, shelter and sex. In modern terms, this translates into seeking a job, search for the right house, taking courses to upgrade our skills and mixing socially to meet a potential marriage partner.

The Roman Mars and the Greek Ares were the gods of war but perceived very differently in their respective cultures. Originally Mars was a vegatation or fertility god because the Italian economy was based on agriculture. Some believe that this foreceful god was so important to the Romans because the people may have had to fight to maintain their fields and plantations. As the Roman Empire grew, Mars evolved into the magnificient brave conqueror. Ares on the other hand, was not appreciated by the intellectual Greeks. Rather he was often portrayed as the coward and the laughing stock of the gods.

The archetype of Mars has much to do with our assertion and aggression. It is the force within that helps us to get our way, stand up for our rights and become self-directing. Mars is necessary to keep us from being pushed around. It is the power that helps us stand up on our two feet and get what we want, say what we feel, and actualize our will.

Too much Mars energy however, makes us arrogant, overbearing and contemptuous. We push others around, demand they bend to our will and ignore their rights. We become the tyrannical boss and the oppressive spouse. Too much Mars may also mean that we dominate and are ready to crack down on everything and anything.

In a healthy body, Mars represents the vigor and vitality of movement, and especially the muscles. But it can also manifest as irritations, inflammations, infections and fevers. Mars can be one of the principal significators of operations nd accidents.

Mars in the Natal Horoscope

In the natal chart where Mars is placed by sign and house it indicates how best we can express our will in life and how to go about getting what we want. Strong placements of Mars can indicate an aptitude for competitive sports, physical and athletic challenges, positions of command, including the military and other occupations that require bravery and assertive power. Mars is not a natural team player unless it leads the pack. A strong Mars placement in the chart denote a competitive, athletic, risk-taking personality. Any vacation that that results in scarring and wounding, such as soldiers, martial artists, race-car drivers, people who deal in guns and knives generally will have strong influences in their natal charts. Mars in the birth chart challenges you to become a master strategiest in whatever house you find it in and whichever house it rules. It is the area of the chart that you cultivate the environment for greatest success.

The Mars personality type is an individualist. Mars people do not want to compromise their own integrity by following a path set by another. They are the type who often is the first to go where none have gone before. The true Mars type wants to be left alone, free to pursue whatever path is desired. For this reason, the Mars type may have difficulty in relationships, especially work relationships. In love relationships, the Mars type needs a partner who is an independent equal, capable of going his or her own way when necessary.

Mars in the Corporate Horoscope

In corporate and business charts one should look at the meaning of Mars differently and use the symbolism of Mars in its purest forms. Since Mars represents assertion and aggression, we look at Mars in business delineation as the key planet signaling whatever that motivates a company to thrive and prosper. For the individual, Mars shows us why we get out of bed every day and go to work. Likewise for an organisation, it shows why a company keeps doing or not doing what it needs to do to be a success. In business astrology, the planet Mars is seen as the "buying barometer". If you are interested you take a risk and you have to take action.

The location of Mars in your company's chart is where you are asked to be courageous, to get up when you fall, and to not react when things are not responding to your appeals. The paradox of Mars in this area of the chart is where your company have to struggle and is challenged to be tactical and strategic. It is where at any turn, the organisation can be wounded and suffer losses, but still must continue inorder to achieve and trail blaze new areas in the house that Mars is placed or rules. The location you find Mars in your company horoscope is where you struggle, have to stop and re-group, but on the cutting edge, and exhibit bravery in the face of market competition.

Mars in the National Horoscope

Mars is the planet of war, of soldiers, agitators, rebels, violent criminals and all those who dispute and contend. It is the planet of desire and aversion. In a national chart, Mars represents the forces that hold a State together or drive it apart in terms of aggression. The threat of war is often the means by which a country becomes united. At an archetypal level, Mars represents the collective need of a nation to have an army to fight against enemeies, or to express itself aggressively. It can also show what helps a country to grow, to assert itself and act decisively to prevent internal violence, riots or rebellions.