Intro
to Astrology
“In
this body, in this town of spirit, there is a little house shaped like a lotus,
and within this house there is a little space. There is as much within this
tiny space within the heart as exists in the whole universe outside.”
--From
the Chandogya Upanishad
Everything in this cosmos is
related. As Emerson put it, “the whole is contained in each of its
parts.” This is the metaphysical truth principle behind the ancient art
and science of astrology.
When a person is born,
the whole universe heralds his or her birth. A baby comes into this world
during the astrological time frame which best reflects his or her basic
personality and life-goals.
The stars do not
determine a baby’s personality. They simply cast a map for heightened
self-understanding. The baby naturally chooses to incarnate at the place and
time which best reflects their inner soul and the lessons they want to learn in
this life.
Each person
carries within them all of the archetypal forces of the cosmos. In this view,
each planet in the chart represents an important, archetypal psychological
paradigm. The planets relate with one another and reveal how different modes of
the personality relate to form an integrated whole.
Sometimes the planetary/psychological
characters of the chart relate harmoniously and easily to form relationships
called “trines” and “sextiles.” These aspects of the
personality indicate talents which are already developed when the person comes
into this life; these areas of the chart tend to work smoothly. Trines indicate
areas which are highly developed and basically “taken care of,”
while the sextiles indicate areas where there has been some development and
there is much potential for further growth.
Other times, the planets
relate less smoothly and form the difficult aspects—the
“squares” and “oppositions.” Squares and oppositions
are teaching tools; they indicate areas that we are going to work on in this
lifetime. There’s an element of conflict in these relationships; I think
that oppositions tend to be internalized conflicts, whereas the squares tend to
manifest on an external level (i.e., the squares reflect themselves in human
relationships). Oppositions also tend to represent an area of which the person
is highly conscious; it can represent a sort of uncomfortable awareness.
There are also
sometimes relationships called “inconjunctions” or
“quincunxes.” The energies of planetary influences involved in an
inconjunction tend to ignore each other. Quincunxes can indicate tendencies and
talents which an individual may not even be aware of. If the person taps into these areas
consciously, he or she will “activate” the dormant relationship
between the planets and there will be great potential for further development
of these talents. I like to think of quincunxes as debts to your own soul; the
universe won’t force you to develop these areas (since quincunxes seldom
manifest as external conflicts), but if you do develop them, you will find
special fulfillment in life.
I do not view the
astrological chart as something to overcome. I view it as a path to be
fulfilled. Every positive talent can be made use of, and every
“difficult” aspect reveals the seed for a talent waiting to be
utilized and developed. Truly there is no impossible chart. We are all given
exactly what we need to fulfill our own unique mission and special purpose in
life. And the wonderful thing is that it is up to us, as individuals, to determine what we are going to do with these
traits and qualities we are born with; we have free will, and we are allowed to
determine our own level of success.
Not all of the
characteristics mentioned in this astrological chart will necessarily apply to
the subject of the chart exactly as I
have sketched them here; there is no 100% “correct” way of
interpreting a horoscope. Different astrological traits manifest markedly
differently in different people, and at different times in their lifetime
development, depending upon the flavor for the whole of the horoscope. An aspect of a person is an aspect of that person, after
all—not the person. This is why I take a holistic approach as an
astrologer—which is to say that I strive to provide, as much as possible,
a whole and integrated view of the chart’s subject. No person is strictly
a “Leo” or a “Taurus” or a “Gemini”; and no
person is strictly
a Moon-in-Aries, sun-in-Gemini, Sagittarius Rising,
Venus-in-Taurus, either. We are individuals, and we are more than the sum of
our parts.
As an astrologer, the
most satisfying moment for me is when I feel that sensation of knowing—for just a moment, the authenticity of
the subject is unveiled, and a glimpse of the person’s whole self, with all its promise, shines through. At a certain
point, in casting a horoscope, the sense of the person takes over and I write
the chart based on this guiding intuitive flow.
One of my favorite
quotes about individuality and the human psyche is this:
“If one ever
has the good fortune to meet a living saint, one will have then met
someone absolutely unique.
Though their visions may be remarkably similar, the
personhood of saints is remarkably different. This is because they
have become utterly
themselves. God
creates each soul differently, so that when all the mud is finally
cleared away, His light will shine through it in a beautiful,
totally new pattern.”
--M. Scott Peck, People of the Lie
At the core of
our souls, we are all truly good and great, and our greatness resides in our
own authenticity. Astrologers believe that understanding of this authenticity
may be facilitated by reading and interpreting the astrological chart.
Above all else,
I view an astrological chart as a map for self-fulfillment. By reading our charts,
we can point out the keys which will lead us to our personal and spiritual
growth.
I wish you good luck
on your life’s journey!
Disclaimer:
Astrology is for entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to replace the
advice of a licensed physician or psychologist.
(c) 2004 Vesper Holly. All Rights Reserved.