Chapter XXI. CoNncLUDING REMARKS ON JUDGMENT

In all cases the ‘decanates’* should be studied. If the ascending decanate and its rulers are taken fully into consideration, a great deal of light will be thrown upon the character of the native, and the attitude of mind he will be likely to take under given circumstances.

It is not a good thing to have the Ascendant, Sun, and Moon all in the same triplicity, although at first sight it may appear to be best; for the native would be more likely to become lop-sided—either far too idealistic or, on the other hand, too materialistic and * practical.’

The Decanates of the signs occupied respectively by both Sun and Moon will modify or expand the influence of the sign, and will help considerably in the judgment as to the value of each polarity. Ifthe Sun were placed in the second decanate of Aries (which gives a Leo influence) and the Moon were in the sign Leo in the first decanate (also a Leo influence) the cultivation of the devotional and higher emotional part of the nature would constitute the ideal of the native’s life. Again, if the Sun held the third decanate of Aries (which is of the nature of Sagittarius) and the Moon were placed in the first (f) decanate of Sagittarius, the trend of the native’s desires would be towards prophecy and philosophy, and this would greatly improve the general tone of th? horoscope, according to the triplicity in question.

The best polarities are those in which the ascendant and the signs containing the luminaries differ: there is then more adaptability, and less danger of becoming too self-centred and exclusive, too much ‘shut up’ within.

When the Moon is increasing in light—that is, going from the conjunction to the opposition—the perceptive and objective side of the con-

* These, as explained before, are divisions of a sign into three equal parts of 10° each. The three decanates of each sign are ruled thus; Aries, Y f; Taurus, § my V8; Gemini, Il <<; etc., the first decanate being ever of the nature of the sign itself, the second of the next sign of the same triplicity, and so on.

sciousness will be more developed than the subjective or reflective ; while the contrary is the case when the Moon is decreasing or passing from the full to the new. Allowance should be made for this fact when judging the horoscope.

If the Sun meets an important aspect before the Moon, that is, if the Sun is nearer to an aspect of importance than the Moon, then the Individual Character will be as it were ‘coloured’ by this aspect, and the polarity will be affected by it considerably : in the same way the Personal Disposition will be coloured if the Moon makes the first important aspect. The luminaries applying to aspects affect the polarity more than aspects from which they are separating.

Another important point to consider is the respective elevation of the luminaries. If the Sun is above the Moon, rising or setting, the Individual Character will be stronger than the personal. If both luminaries are be/ow the earth the blending of the luminaries is more potent, and the polarity more complicated. The solar influence is strongest when the © is above the earth and the lunar when the ) is below.

If both are above the tendency will be for the Sun to gain the greater power ; if both are de/ow the Moon.

_ The polarity is always stronger when the luminaries are rising (ze., have not yet reached the point of culmination), and weaker when setting (z.e., the culminating point has been passed). The Individual side of the character is strongest when the Sun applies to the benefics, and the same holds good with regard to the Personality in the case of the Moon.

Much aid will be given to the judgment if the planets ruling the signs holding the luminaries are also studied. If they are in the same signs as the luminaries the polarity is very powerful, and the quality of that sign is much accentuated. For instance, if Mars is also in Aries the influence of the Sun in Aries will partake chiefly of the martial character, no matter what the decanate may be; but it will denote strength, for either good or evil according to the horoscope.

When the separate parts of each horoscope are dissected and the mind has been made familiar with their various portions, an attempt must be made to synthesise the whole, by bringing into unity the orm which every horoscope indicates.

There are six ‘pairs of opposites’ to be considered before making the final synthesis, and they represent the positive and negative elements in every nativity as follows: The Sun and the Moon; Mars and Venus; Jupiter and Saturn; the positive and negative signs; each house and its opposite.

The first of these pairs of opposites and the most important is that constituted by the Sun and Moon, which chiefly tends to determine the polarity of each horoscope; for it may be considered as synthesising in itself the pairs of opposites indicated by 3-?, Y%-h.

The Individual and Personal Characters are represented by the Sun and Moon respectively, and the signs holding these luminaries become potent and full of meaning when it is understood that the principal part of the judgment is obtained by a correct knowledge of the polarisation of the two. For they represent the higher and lower mind, that part of the native which is humanising and strictly mental. The Sun represents the immortal and real part of the mind, which is as much universal as it is individual, and the Moon represents a reflected part of the real mind, being the personal and limited portion, which is expressed through the brain and which is intimately concerned with all expression on the physical plane. ;

Manag, or universal mind, is represented astrologically by the Sun, and it has six different expressions through the six positive signs of the Zodiac. ‘The soul or mind of the world is represented by the Moon and its six varied expressions through the six negative signs of the Zodiac. This blending and interblending of the Sun and Moon through the masculine and feminine signs of the Zodiac form as it were the Shuttle of Destiny by which the fabric of human fate is woven, and whereby (to vary the metaphor) matter may be moulded for the wider expression of the Ego, either individually or personally.

The vitalising power of the Sun upon all that lives upon the earth is well known to all, therefore but very little expansion of the imagination is required to understand the potent effect the Sun has upon each sign of the Zodiac. In fact, as this is the path of the Sun—or, to be exact, the earth around the Sun—each sign is more complete, more distinctive and more elastic, so to speak, when the Sun passes (or appears to pass) through it. This causes the sign in which the Sun is placed at birth to be the most actively expressed of the twelve in any horoscope, aJl its influence being stamped upon the character of the

native in a very marked and notable degree. For the individual characteristics in every native are shown by the sign which the Solar orb occupied at his birth, and it is therefore necessary, as has been said before, to consider the Sun’s position as the most important factor when judging a nativity.

Silence is Golden - ~ ~ - © Speech is Silver - - - - ») Thoughts are Things - - - ~ fe)

The ‘root of merit’ in each individual is astrologically judged by the power, position, and aspects of THE Sun, which represents the Silent Monitor in all. The Sun is silent but potent, it shines on all, good and evil alike, and is the essential ‘music of the spheres’ out of which all harmony and order are produced.

Tue Moon represents the keynote or medium through which the chord of harmony vibrates, and echoes that which has been born in the silence; while MERcURY is, as it were, the string or thread up and down which the silence and the sound are constantly moving as are the pulsations in an organ pipe.

THE Sun is the Source from which the rays of Mercury arise, but the Moon is the lens or reflector which catches and condenses them.

Tue SoLtar AND Lunar Positions AND ASPECTS*