While humanity is in these decades of correcting paradigms, I find myself straddling regarding astrology. The Master DK is very clear that the astrological placement of planets in the constellations is usually incorrect. In A Treatise on White Magic, pg. 437 he states, “The Sun is not really in Leo, for instance, during the month of August.” So, before engaging a Gemini series leading up to the Full Moon, let’s look at the planets astronomically.
Orienting to the Stellarium shot* (double click to enlarge), begin at the bottom right. There we find the Sun, Mercury, and Mars in The Bull (Taurus). Sweeping left, we next see Venus in The Twins (Gemini), Jupiter in The Crab (Cancer), and today the Moon in the paw of The Lion (Leo). Continuing to the far upper left, we find Saturn in The Scales (Libra). These are the inner planets.
I barely know the Stellarium software (free by the way), and do not know how to have it show the outer planets. However, one can search for their locations and it points out Uranus in The Fishes (Pisces), Neptune in The Water Bearer (Aquarius), and Pluto in The Archer (Sagittarius). The astronomical location of the planets is what it is, and has to be unquestioned. The play of astrological positions being other than the astronomical is a primary reason why science has not given astrology any credence for centuries. How can it when the location of the planets is a fabrication? And, clearly, that was not always the case. Great thinkers, who also were great scientists, mathematicians, alchemists, or philosophers, included astrology among their lenses for understanding the laws of Life and how to live according to higher laws. At some point (and I don’t know the history), that changed. But that was after Newton and Goethe, because they were two geniuses who included astronomically based astrology in their contemplations of life.
* Stellarium is a free shareware available to anyone. Check the web.
Donna, as a Vedic Astrologer my mind settles when I see how the planetary transits in my computer program (Shri Jyoti Star) match the astronomical locations of Astronomy. This is how Vedic Astrology differs from Western. However, I have always known both systems, and both work. Western, as I’m sure you know, has been based on a ‘fixed’, tropical system- it might not match the “picture of the heavens’ at any given moment but it does have a system and meaning to its order. That said, I appreciate what you shared about DK stating that the placements have been/are incorrect. Trying to learn esoteric astrology has been difficult for me, because I have struggled with trying to understand why DK would promote the continued use of the tropical system. Perhaps his claim of astrology ‘being off’ is eluding to using the system by the sages in the East (including Maitreya, an early disciple of the ‘father of astrology’ Parashara, as was disclosed in Brihat Parasara Hora Shastra). Difficult to know with certainty! I have found this frustrating! But either way, it has been my experience that learned astrologers using both systems are doing so with good and beneficial results. Thank you for pointing out the software. I just downloaded it. Please keep us posted with any more findings and thoughts of the astrology/astronomy link. – Renate
Thank you for your comment, Renate. I just keep smiling at the amazing times we are living in. Corrections and sorting out in just about every subject! Each is significant and necessary for a fuller and truer understanding of reality, oneself, one’s role, and relative place in the interconnectedness of everything. Tell me, if a baby were born today – as an astrologer – where would you cast his/her Sun? And how would you determine that?
Regarding DK and esoteric astrology: The Master does not give dates for the signs in the book Esoteric Astrology. His focus is to explain the energies and qualities of a respective sign through its relation to other signs. All this to describe the Path of conscious evolution. As a result, for example, a ruling planet will be explored not only in reference to the sign of the chapter but as the planet’s gifts mature through other signs that it rules and the level of rulership (exoteric, esoteric, hierarchical). Similar discussion ensues regarding the modes (crosses). As a result, each sign-section or chapter is never only about that sign but is a teaching on the network of energies and potential made possible through that sign because of all the inter-relations associated it with through rulers and crosses.
As a result, the information stands on its own in that regard. I think this shows a certain wisdom by DK, in that both camps are edified through understanding more about the signs and their dynamic inter-relations when one places Taurus in May or Taurus in June. Then a further contemplation is raised: that of the mind making its reality. That’s more or less where I’m at.
Thank you Renate for pointing out the Vedic system which is sidereal; the western tropical system is based on the seasons as experienced on Earth. Then of course there is heliocentric astrology, looking from the Sun’s perspective, which the wonderful Michael Erlewine now favors [he designed the first astrological software for computers and in the WinStar program gives the option of using many systems]. I know that in the Vedic system there are also many versions of houses. I’ve had readings in the Vedic system and western systems and with different house systems as well and learned much from all. Doesn’t it figure that the Divine would provide many points of access? Then there is the Draconic system based on the nodes which gives a picture of the soul or the inner intent; cosmobiology , widely used in Europe and based on symbols and planetary midpoints. I’ll add that for the past several days we’ve had a discussion in The Wisdom Journal led by James Davis on the nature of the 7 Rays, trying to simplify for ease of understanding the complexity of the Rays.[He created a download in the file] As many rays have characteristics of other rays it can become even more complex. One cannot with clear definition draw a line of demarcation around a field of Being, an energetic vibration. As in our own fields there is a blending,waxing and waning. I think that astrology is similar in some ways and if you are saying Donna that the mind makes reality, I agree. What matters most is the consciousness of the astrologer. The degrees of the signs are crucial, so today’s Gemini would be in the early degrees, there would be a blending of signs as there always is in the Pleicidas system. Cosmobiology is quite intellectual, extremely revealing and complex. I don’t know however if there is much emphasis on the soul but it is spiritual. I like A.T. Mann’s “The Divine Life: Astrology and Reincarnation” which I dig into from time to time to attempt to understand. It is innovative and unites science, physics, myth and the esoteric spiritual. An astrologer has the delight and stimulation of endless learning.