Chapter III. The LuMINARIES AND THE PLANETS

Tue houses, or divisions, of a horoscope we compared to vessels, and the signs of the zodiac to their contents, giving colour and substance toeach 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, HI; Mercury, %; Venus, 2; Saturn, h; Mars, ¢ ; Jupiter, ?/; Neptune, *t’. The following table of signs and rulers shows also planets specially powerful and weak in each sign.

LUNAR SOLAR Weak Strong Exalted Sign Ruler Sign Exalted Strong Weak h % wry? CN POL 3 h yf h § 3° Ee. Foal PRR h Y 3 Y ey a See h21° u d ) Y ©19° ee ARR | © ? 9 “y ey" cents sata ox = fe) © Hi sey 5 HBP rsi9e19 )

No signs have been allotted to either HI 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 Y 19° is very close to, and perhaps identical with, the commencement of the Zodiac of the Consteilations.

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.’ 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 Prdna, or life and heat, each individual specialising his own store from the cosmic Prdna. 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.

Tue 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 Fersonality, 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

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.

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: Mrrcury, sight; VENus, touch; Mars, taste; JupiTErR, smell; Saturn, hearing; Uranus governs the inner sight (clairvoyance), and NeEptuneE, 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.