(Sorta) Comprehensive Guide to Intermediate Astrology
If you are serious about Astrology I complied a short guide of dignities, aspects, houses and planet definitions
Each of the Planets hold a specific meaning in your birth chart. Moreover, each planet represents a specific “act.” Modern astrology includes Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto but because of their modern inventions we don’t have a concise and full understandings as that of the traditional planets (Sun through Saturn). Uranus, Neptune, Pluto are also a little sketch because they were tailored to signs of Aquarius, Pisces, and Scorpio who already had lords (fancy way of saying “ruler”) and as traditional astrology works each planet has a diurnal and nocturnal dignity (except the Sun and Moon). This doesn’t mean you can’t use Uranus-Pluto if you choose but also keep in mind that pinning rulerships of these planets can be quite confusing!
rulership/domicile: planet LOVES being here
fall: planet is uncomfortable but it can manage
detriment: planet is NOT comfortable being there and must use corresponding ruling planet to achieve its energies (i.e. capricorn moons must use “Saturn” qualities to do lunar things)
exalted: comfortable! planet is happy
Represents: Ego, Identity, Soul
Act: The Sun represents “action” that correspond to our identity. In a simpler way, the Sun is how we express our identity but for better purpose let’s say our sun sign is how we “show” people who we are. Sun is extroverted, and within our chart it can tell us how we want to be seen. Think about the modern mechanics of the Sun. It produces light and what does light do? It reflects. How we produce or “emit” ourselves whether its through an audience or close people is reflected back to us through responses. These responses send messages to us, which then affects our ego or way simpler, how we feel about ourselves. If you are not embodying your Sun sign then it means you’re preventing the upmost authentic version of yourself from being seen; therefore, you may be receiving “bad” or “alienating” messages that make you feel shitty about yourself. Of course, this process is more complex and it’s hard to assess whether we are embodying our Sun sign (which is why everyone should consult an Astrologer at least once in their life!). Another act Sun represents is “life” or “living.” The Sun keeps us sustained and when we lose light we lose our ability to live. Why the Sun is so important is because it reminds us of why we are here and what we are meant to do with ourselves.
Represents: Embodiment, Emotions, Past
Act: The Moon represents “receptivity” as the Sun reflects, the Moon receives. Since the Moon is nocturnal we don’t always forward our vulnerable side. This is where we want to feel protected, where our needs lie without compromise. Due to living in a society that is very individualistic and void of emotions, we tend to distrust or “shame” our moon signs. Unfortunately, western culture does a bad job in valuing intimacy and sensitivity so we navigate as if our emotions are “bad” or “too much baggage.” Embodying our moons allows us to embody ourselves. We become more honest about what we need to feel comfort or to survive. We become more whole with the world rather than separating from it. The Moon also honors our lineages, where we come from, and how to sustain our legacy. Escaping our moon means we are escaping from ourselves. It means we tend to be in environments that pose harm/danger to us and where we don’t feel secured. Overall, its essential to embody our moons because we become more present with our bodies and have a better idea how to sustain it. Most importantly, maintaining our emotional health allows us to have more positive interpersonal relationships. We will be able to care for other people more since we will be tuned to their needs or on the flip side, we will know when to depart from others because of negative reception. Honoring your moon = protecting yourself.
Detriment: Sagittarius and Pisces
Adaptable (no inherent sect)
Represents: Communication, Cognitive Processing, Data
Act: Mercury represents “flexibility” as it is not chained to either a diurnal or nocturnal sect. Where Mercury lies in our chart informs us how we can “finesse” or adapt in an area of our lives. Mercury has allegiance to logic but it also shares this same honor with creativity. Some of the most creative people have a strong Mercurial influence and a fine eye towards precision and perfection. Mercury is often associated with being the “messenger” or “student” because it can take magnified information and make it more legible. For example, writers or journalists act as messengers by taking important information, simplifying it and then transporting it to the greater masses. That’s pretty much Mercury’s process. However, it can also be consumed by mindless or un-important information. The “”details””. Think of Mercury like trivia–cool but not so significant information. The biggest piece of info about Mercury is that it never departs from the Sun. Mercury can only be roughly 28 degrees from the Sun. Therefore, Mercury has a stake in how we express our identity and ego. Think about it: communication is one of the primary ways we do this. We talk about ourselves. We rant about our lives. We write about our hardships or romances. Practically everything we do involving communication tells us something about who we are as people or the worlds we lived and the lives we met. In a way, Mercury can be egotistical. Yes, we want to be heard but we must also listen.
Detriment: Scorpio and Aries
Represents: Values, Social Connection, Compromise
Act: Venus works to “bind” others either through romance, familiarity, passions, or causes. Venus is a benefic which means she works to soothe and provide fertility and moisture when she can. Venus believes in egalitarian ideals. In other words, Venus says a big “fuck you” to power dynamics. She is also the planet of beauty and art. Where Venus lies in our chart not only tells us where we seek balance but also creative expression. In ways, Venus tells us about our aesthetic, our hobbies, our fashion sense. Its how we “value” tangible and intangible properties. Due to Venus’ association with womanhood, a strong or weak Venus reveals our attitudes towards femininity or women in general. For example, Chris Brown has a Venus in domicile (Taurus) in the 10th house opposite to Pluto, the planet of power and violence. The way Chris has manifested this energy is through abuses and disrespect of women. Because his Venus is in the 10th house this is a manifestation that is very public and noticed by others thus, explaining his reputation as a total piece of shit. Values, sometimes ingrained in us at an early age, always has the ability to change. If you have shitty values chances are you aren’t kind–and kindness is one of the biggest parts of Venus. While she can be kind, Venus may prefer to be “nice” instead. Venus works towards appropriateness or within the social fabric. She does things because she is expected and it’s because what she is told to do. If you have a debilitated Venus (rx, detriment, or fall) you are more likely to give the middle finger to social norms. Because of this, Venus may be nice to keep the peace instead of kind which reflects authenticity rather than social expectations. Thus it comes down whether society’s idealization of yourself and others really matter a whole lot. The importance of mastering our Venus is being confident and kind to ourselves outside of what society tells us is beautiful or desirable.
Detriment: Libra and Taurus
Represents: Aggression, Entitlement, Drive
Act: Mars works to “separate” others and is largely an infertile and hot planet. Mars is often described as “malefic” because of this act. But despite its negative connotation in traditional astrology, Mars’ desire to separate may be healthy additives in our lives. I always like to think of Mars in our charts as a “knife” or more dramatically, a “sword.” Certain situations may manifest depending where Mars is in our chart (for example: Mars in the 8th house may show situations surrounding inheritances / the “money” you were born into). These situations ultimately create inflammation and excess that require us to break away from. Relating back to the example, Mars in the 8th may indicate an inheritance to be too large that will eventually spur problems such as debt or potential “money crimes” like tax invasion (esp if Mars is aspected by Jupiter). Moreover, this placement may better function without ties to such inheritances thus requiring separation. Another example: Mars in the 11th indicates problems relating to friends and communities. Despite the fact that leaving friends behind is not ideal, it may appear as a more attractive option if you think that friend or community situations may be toxic and unhealthy for the person. Sometimes, Mars offers the knife/sword to cut ourselves from situations that are no good for us. Mars is often associated to survival–its the war planet after all. Mars in our chart thus can tell us where and what we fight for, for what we feel entitled to possess. Unlike Mercury and Venus, Mars doesn’t follow the path of the Sun so by its own volition it can be just as egotistical and individualistic. Mars is often defined by the symbol related to “manhood” although, I would expand this symbolism further and say it represents the entitlement that men often possess in our society–the entitlement to bodies, the entitlement to sex, the entitlement to space, the entitlement to opportunities. While that can drive us to be more tenacious, it can drive us to willful ignorance and violence.
Rules: Sagittarius and Pisces
Detriment: Gemini and Virgo
Represents: Enlightenment, Travel, Higher Education, Wealth, Governance/Laws
Act: Jupiter represents the act of “expansion.” Wherever Jupiter touches it over magnifies. In this respect, Jupiter is often seen as the “Great Benefic.” However, don’t be fooled by Jupiter. As it can bring wealth, prosperity, and joy, it can equally create overconsumption and gluttony. The axis of Jupiter is as follows: charity / selfishness. Jupiter often possess the wealth to give to everyone (think of Jupiter like Oprah who yells out to the crowd: “you get a car! “and you get a car!”); however, the darkside of a Jupiter manifestation may hoard this wealth and keep it to themselves (yes, Jeff Bezos, I’m looking at you). Outside of this dichotomy, Jupiter is often described as “optimism” because its able to look at the whole picture and accept new ideas. Rather than accepting its fate or the facts given, Jupiter wishes to change its outcome. It values diversity and higher knowledge, which requires the sharing and diffusion of ideas. For example, during 1690, John Locke published An Essay to Human Understanding which was one of the setting blocks of the Enlightenment period and essentially refuted the notion of rationalist notion of “innate ideas.” it’s no shocker that during the year of 1690 Jupiter was domicile in the sign of Pisces. Mid-18th century Europe become bombarded by dogma and challenged traditional understandings of knowledge and being. While Jupiter was not domicile, it is interesting to note that Pluto (planet of transformation) was in the sign of Sagittarius (thus Pluto responding to Jupiter) during the mid 1700s. Jupiter can hold truth, advocacy and skepticism in its wing and while we can get oversaturated by complexity and knowledge, Jupiter in our charts can tell us where to reach higher and where we want to see generosity.
Rules: Capricorn and Aquarius
Detriment: Cancer and Leo
Represents: Structure, Reality, Discipline
Act: Saturn represents the act of “restriction.” Whereas Jupiter is the Great Benefic and loves to expand, Saturn is more like the Great Malefic and prefers to contain what already exists. Saturn loves borders and confinement (think of prisons and fortresses) Its a cold and rigorous planet. Because it is always visible in our sky, Saturn is said to be the container of time or in other words, our reality. Saturn is also compared to architecture; it gives form and structure in our world. In medical astrology, Saturn rules our “body architecture” aka our bones and skeletal system. Thus, Saturn has symbolism related to systems and hierarchies. Saturn is not as “nice” as Jupiter and Venus so these hierarchies are often negative and power inducing; one wins, the other suffers. I usually compare Saturn to capitalism because of this very fact. The nature of the Capitalist system only benefits a specific and very small class while the rest weep and suffer. This system is unfair and in order to survive in it you have to work through its conditions. And in Saturn’s words: that’s just the cold reality of our world. So, unlike Jupiter who gives us the ability to see the world as something that can be changed, Saturn gives us the realistic picture and the facts can be overwhelming and depressing. Thus, Saturn has stakes in pessimistic attitudes. Its only way to success is working alongside the rules. Saturn is often compared to an authority figure and when we don’t do what we are suppose to do (which in Saturn’s terms is working ourselves to death) then during every 7 years when our first Saturn square hits we go through a “maturity cycle” and every 28-29 years our Saturn return welcomes us (or drags us) into another big stage in our age development. Saturn’s association with old age informs us that Saturn gets a bit gentler with age but the crises that erupts when you get an inch closer to death never ceases to exist. Despite all of this, Saturn can be mobile. One of the good things about Saturn is that you CAN move up the ladder when you put the work in. Good doings will reward you with rewards. Bad doings will reward you with consequences aka what you reap is what you sow. The Saturn in our charts can indicate areas where we suck at, and need work. It can also indicate the areas where we seek perfection and success. For example, Saturn in the fifth house indicates someone who strives for perfection in their hobbies. If an artist had a 5H Saturn they would be overcritical of their work, constantly drawing the same thing again and again until it comes out how they like it. When we do this, the leisure of art becomes grueling and hard work. Saturn takes the pleasure out of something inspiring and beautiful. However, working with Saturn in this house can create a prodigy, someone who can be the best at what they do.
Uranus = innovation, rebellion, breakthrough, sudden changes
Neptune = over saturation, higher spirituality, borderless, projections
Pluto = power dynamics, shame, transformation
1st house: The Rising; indicating the East Horizon.
Veil between you and the world
4th House: imum coeli; indicating the Planets below the Earth
traditional astrology views this as a place of old age and death (4th house is the 27th profection year i.e 27 club)
whatever is “unseen” and protected
obligations / work environment
7th House: The Descendent; where the Sun was setting
shame/whatever is concealed or lies underneath
higher education (i.e college)
10th House: Midheaven; highest point of the sky
Aspects are angles in the birth chart. These angles won’t always be exact so the disparity is what we indicate as an orb
Source: http://theastrologydictionary.com/a/aspect/
The Opposition (180 degrees) and Square (90 degrees)
indicates tension or friction
the square has more immediate friction whereas the opposition will have to be worked with overtime
Mars square Saturn indicates immediate blockages with anger and individual expression but can be mediated through activities whereas the Mars Opposition Saturn indicates a long term battle of how to correctly assert oneself and overcome the limitations set forth by society.
Saturn corresponds to the nature the Opposition. Mars corresponds to the Square
Opposition occurs within opposite signs. Square occur within signs of the same modality
square = taurus-aquarius taurus-leo
opposition = taurus-scorpio
The Conjunction (0 degrees; very close to each other)
fusion of energy in planets which will yield strong manifestations
usually occurring w/planets about 0-10 degrees away from each other
The Trine (120) and Sextile (60)
can lead to innate action due to how “well” the planets work together
trine more comfortable and positive than sextile and less immediate than sextile.
Jupiter corresponds to the nature of the Trine. Venus corresponds to the nature of the sextile.
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