Chapter IV. In the first volume of this series, Astrology for All, Chapter VII,

In the first volume of this series, Astrology for All, Chapter VII, a list was given of the aspects formed between the heavenly bodies as they pass along the zodiac, and for convenience sake this list may here be repeated in the following form :-—

L Semi-square 45” Somewhat evil % Sextile 60° Good

ql Sesquiquadrate 135° Somewhat evil A Quincunx 150° Feebly evil

The formation of these aspects will be made clear to the mind by the following illustration. At the time of the New Moon, the Moon and Sun are in conjunction, z¢., they occupy the same degree of the zodiac, but as the Moon moves faster than the Sun, they very soon separate, and in fact two-and-a-half days later the Moon is 30° further on in the zodiac than the Sun is, and five days later 60° further on; hence they are said to be respectively in ‘semi-sextile’ and in ‘sextile’ to each other at these dates. Seven days after the New Moon they are go° apart or in ‘square’ to each other, this being the date of the First Quarter. Ten days after, they are in ‘trine,’ and when half a month has elapsed we have the Full Moon, which means that the Moon is opposite to the Sun, 180° away, or in ‘opposition’ to the Sun. ~ After that, the aspects given in the above list are re-formed in the reverse order, namely, A G AD * ZV, until 30 days from our starting point we have

the Sun and Moon again in conjunction, or, a New Moon. In just the

same way, we find a similar cycle of aspects occurring between any two planets, the faster of the two gradually passing from the conjunction to the square of the other, thence to the opposition, and again to the conjunction once more; in fact the two series of events are precisely analogous, though we must not forget that the Moon or a planet may be in square to the Sun, or to some other planet, at the same time that it is in trine to a third and in sesquiquadrate to a fourth.

To the aspects just enumerated may be added the Parallel of Declination, when the two bodies are the same distance, whether north or south, from the equator; its nature is variable, like the conjunction. The following minor aspects are taken into account by some astrologers, but in reality their influence, if they have any, is so slight as to be negligeable.

Semi-decile, 18° Decile, 36° Quintile, 72° Biquintile, 144°

Those who pay attention to them believe them to be slightly good; the ancient astrologers ignored them, and the moderns may safely do the same. Omitting these, it will be seen that the table of aspects may be divided into three sections, the good, the evil, and the variable. Let us consider the latter first.

Conjunction is when two heavenly bodies are together at the same point of the zodiac. It therefore stands, symbolically if not practically, for union, synthesis, the blending of two in one. What effect the union will have depends upon the nature of the combined planets. When two forces meet, the resultant varies according to the angle between them and the strength of each force. When two notes are sounded together upon a musical instrument, the resulting sound depends upon whether the two sets of vibrations harmonise or not. And so with planetary conjunctions. If we suppose the planets to transmit their influence by means of vibrations sent through the subtle ethers of the solar system, the effects detected by the astrologer in a horoscope will vary according to whether the waves of the one supplement or contradict those of the other.

Planets, as we know, may be divided for convenience into three classes; first those which are in the main benefic—Jupiter and Venus; second, those which are very often malefic, more or less—Mars, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune; third, those which may be descrived as more or

less neutral and variable -Sun, Moon, and Mercury. A benefic planet is one the influence of which harmonises and blends sympatheticaily with our own, the Earth. Jupiter and Venus both stand, at least in relation to our humanity, for growth, increase, harmony, balance, the avoidance of extremes; while the so-called malefics bring about exactly those extremes which it is desirable to avoid; at least that is their effect when considered as malefics, although as we have seen in a previous chapter there are various ways of interpreting planetary influence. Broadly speaking, the conjunction of a neutral planet with a benefic is good and tends to harmony both in terms of fate and of character. The conjunction of a neutral planet with a malefic is exactly the reverse: Mars tending to extremes of heat, disintegration, and impulse, Saturn to coldness, selfishness, devitalisation, and isolation; Uranus being moderately Saturnian in its degree of cold, with an added tendency to suddenness and reversal, while Neptune along with some sensitiveness and intuition gives sensuousness and instability. The conjunction of one benefic and one malefic is neither wholly good nor wholly evil, but strikes a mean between the two; and that of two benefics or two malefics is neither so good nor so bad as might be expected.

To take an illustration, when Mars is in conjunction with Saturn the result should, theoretically, be a harmonious unity, but really is not so, for the combination is in effect not unlike the influence of the planet Uranus in some respects. If we look upon Mars as heat and Saturn as cold, the effect upon the weather is less cold than Saturn and less hot than Mars, and to this extent the two may be regarded as modifying one another. But in spite of this they do not blend or unify; they act irregularly as if now one and now the other had obtained control, reminding one of a gusty and chilly day with spells of heat at intervals.

In terms of character the result'is similar. If we look upon Saturn as caution and Mars as boldness the resulc is not that prudent balance of judgment which is to be desired: to some extent the caution is _modified and the boldness restrained, but now and again one or the other will operate with an irregular vigour ail the greater for having been held back. If the conjunction takes place in one of the houses of Mars or Saturn the effect is very much more harmonious.

Again, if we take Mars as the senses and Venus as the soul, when they are in conjunction and Venus is the stronger by sign, as in the earthly or airy triplicity, the soul will contro] and refine the senses and

will gain in feeling and emotion; but if they are in a fiery or watery sign there will be more danger of the senses and passions enslaving the soul. Jupiter may be taken as the higher mind, sympathy, benevolence, and growth; Saturn as the lower mind, separateness, caution, and limitation; and if these are in conjunction in the watery or fiery triplicity, which strengthens Jupiter’s influence, the former characteristics will overpower the latter and will gain by the process in definiteness, practical application, method, perseverance, and will power; while if Saturn is the stronger through being placed in the airy or earthy _triplicity, the combination will show less of the elasticity and expansiveness of Jupiter and more of the rigidity and contraction of Saturn.

If the reader acquires a thorough familiarity with the nature of the planets, it will not be a difficult matter to see how the one must modify the other when any two are in combination; and the result may be expressed either in terms of fate or in terms of character, for these are really convertible as has been explained before.

The Parallel of Declination is generally regarded as the same in nature as the conjunction. When, however, two planets are in parallel and in some definite aspect at the same time, it is best in practice to interpret the combination in terms of the aspect, whatever it may be

good or bad. If there is no aspect, the parallel may be treated as a conjunction, but it will not be so strong, and will act rather as an inclining than a determining influence.

The remaining aspects in the table, it will be seen, are all definitely good or bad, and not variable like the conjunction and parallel.