As promised, an introductory post of my thoughts on astrology.
Introduction or Astrology and You
The study and practice of astrology can be viewed as a branch on the tree that is natural philosophy, the root structure of which is the hermetic axiom "As above, so below". This axiom has been expressed in many forms throughout the millennia, one of which is the biblical passage: "Man is made in the image of G-d".
This principle can be seen in the similarity of the structure of galaxies, solar systems, and the atom. The universe is self-similar when scales of magnitude - 'zero to infinity' - are taken into account.
The possibilities of manifestation of the human psyche are threefold. Personality. Essence. Will. Essence is that with which any given human is born - likes/dislikes, character, temperament, body type, etc. Personality is that which is acquired from the outer world - education, language, morality, social norms, etc. Will is something that can be acquired, but to do so requires the greatest of efforts.
Astrology ONLY applies to essence. The energies of the heavens as they converge at the location on earth during the moment that the first breath is taken are the 'blueprint' of essence.
All heavenly bodies radiate and emanate many different types of energies - gravity waves, energies radiated across the electromagnetic spectrum, as well as energies undetectable by current technological gadgetry...observation has a long way to go...
Imagine a still body of water into which are dropped two pebbles at an arbitrary distance apart. The outwardly expanding circular waves, as they cross each other, make an interference pattern. In the case of our solar system, this idea is, of necessity, much more complex. This 'interference pattern', having converged on the Earth, is the 'Image of G-d,' for any individual human being.
The Planets
To understand the basic ideas expressed in the symbolism of the planets, and how this applies to the psyche, a look towards their 'function' within the solar system as a whole is needed. Visualize the solar system as a series of concentric circles, with the sun being the center.
The sun/sol is the giver of life, the engine, the father. It is the masculine principle. The 'sun in us' is the core of our essence. It is the general rough-sketch/outline/structure --- for instance the beginnings of a working of art. The other 'planets in us' give color and shade of meaning to this sketch/structure.
Since we are living on earth, its orbit is the boundary of inner/outer world experience. Planets inside of this orbit function as inner world 'colors.' Planets outside of this orbit function as outer world 'colors.'
By 'inner world' is meant aspects of the psyche which are internal...core-thoughts-feelings...Sun-Mercury-Venus. A more poetic, and perhaps more accurate, descriptive word for Venus is "beautitudes", or, values.
By 'outer world' is meant anything external to any given individual...manifestation/SocietalValues-SocietalThoughts/HigherEducation/Religion-SocietalCore/Law/Rigidity/Limitation...Mars-Jupiter-Saturn.
The Moon is a special planet. It is alone in that its orbit lies both inside and outside of Earth's orbit. Its function is to connect 'values'/Venus with 'manifestation' (expenditure of energy)/Mars. The moon is the emotional life. It is the manner in which adapting to the outer world occurs. It is 'needs'. It is intimately connected with 'karma' (the nodes ---- symbolizing a 19~ year cycle of relationship between Sun-Earth-Moon).
Beyond Saturn are the "generational" planets. Uranus completes a cycle around the sun in (approximately) 84~ years. An average individual life span. Neptune is roughly double that at 165~ years. Pluto triple that at 248~ years. These planets are the 'transition from the solar system to the galactic (universal in the sense of scale of magnitudes ---- zero to infinity)'...individuality/spirituality/soul.
The Signs/Houses
The essential principles upon which the symbols of the 'houses' and the signs are based, and the 'meanings' derived from same, have as a foundation the progression of the seasons and how life has adapted to the 'universal constant' - change.
(1)Aries(fire). (2)tAurus(earth). (3)geminI(air). (4)Cancer(water). (5)lEo. (6)virgO. (7)Libra. (8)sCorpio. (9)sagittariuS. (10)Capricorn. (11)aQuarius. (12)pisceS.
{first letter capitalized - Cardinal sign. second letter capitalized - fIxed sign. last letter capitalized - mutablE sign} (#'s indicate associated houses) (The triplicities {active-cardinal, passive-fixed, reconciling/neutralizing-mutable} and quadruplicities {elements})
The cardinal signs are the beginning of the seasons. The fixed signs are the middle of the seasons. The mutable signs are the ends of the seasons. The meanings are associated-with/derived-from the way in which life adapts to these changing external circumstances during the process of the flow of time.
The Aspects
The aspects are geometrical relationships in space between the planets as experienced on Earth. For an understanding of this part of astrological symbolism, a thorough familiarity with numerology --- in the sense of the quality of numbers --- is suggested.
The aspects are symbols for 'two-ness', 'three-ness', 'five-ness', etc..
The Interpretation
To interpret is to take each piece in separately, while simultaneously taking in the whole. It is the result of the combination of a set of 'modification-of-"optics"-tools.' It is the mixing of blue and red to make purple, but, rather, it is four---or five---dimensional.
As well, it is very personal.
Personal Thoughts
In my opinion, the natal chart is a very valuable tool in aiding the individual to course a chart in the most efficient manner towards the aim of becoming what he/she OUGHT to be.
---Homalinadir
P.S. Understand that the descriptor words chosen for the planets are by thier nature not complete. A symbol has many meanings, and definitions applied to any given symbol, if taken dogmatically, transforms the symbol from a living thing into a corpse devoid of meaning. This is one problem with "definitive" books on the subject. Best to drill down to the essential principles upon which the symbols are based.