Astrology Basics Part 1: The planets

Dear NightFall Astrology readers,

I thought it would be useful for all of you to have this series of concise and comprehensive articles covering astrology’s basics from both a traditional and modern point of view. Moreover, knowing the basics will be crucial for future members as they won’t be able to get a grip on the more advanced material covered in the exclusive articles.

This first article will cover the planets. Planets are the core players in astrology, so without really understanding the planets first, you can’t adequately dive into the signs and the houses or even begin to read a chart.

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Before we get into it, I’d like to make the following disclaimer: I’m a traditional Western astrologer who’s open to the influx of modern astrological research. However, I don’t use modern rulerships for the signs, i.e. the trans-Saturnian (outer) planets: Uranus ruling Aquarius, Neptune ruling Pisces, and Pluto ruling Scorpio. The oldest of these three was discovered in 1781 in the 18th century (242 years ago), and ONLY 33 years after its discovery, astrological significations started being associated with it by J. Corfield in his 1814 book “The Urania”. 33 years (and even 242) is far too short of a time period for this archetypal symbolism to be tested (versus millennia for the traditional planets), even less so for Neptune (discovered in 1846) and Pluto (discovered in 1930 and re-categorised as a “dwarf planet” by astronomers in 2006).

In Babylonian Astrosophy (we all know the Babylonians “invented” astrology), the concept of light and being seen by the naked eye is fundamental. Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto don’t fall under this category. The luminaries (Sun and Moon) and the 5 traditional planets’ astrological symbolism and archetypes DO come from ancient cosmology (a combination of mythology, spirituality, philosophy, and astronomy) that naturally associates mythology and celestial bodies (the wandering stars). This is true for Babylonian, Egyptian, and Hellenistic astrology (I’m not including medieval and renaissance astrology as they’ve inherited these concepts from the previous three and added their own techniques to the discipline).

Finally, the 7 traditional planets (the luminaries and Mercury through Saturn) rule the zodiac signs and are exalted in some of them (the domicile and exaltation scheme is foundational in astrology).

Having said that, I will include a brief overview of the modern significations of the three trans-Saturnian planets as I respect the ongoing research regarding them and consider them as “energetic qualifiers”.

So, let’s get into this short overview of the planets in astrology.

I. Planets in ancient times:

Planets in ancient times were known as the “wandering stars”, communicating their intentions towards earthly events. This was a metaphor; they were thought of as being the intermediary between the pure divinity of the fixed stars, which did not move as much (stars in the constellations move one degree backwards every 76 years), and the lower divinity of the human soul. They were the messenger or the medium between the two, and these multifaceted alignments of the planets were messages to be communicated as omens for humans to predict what will to them (fate as in future). There were seven traditional planets (the luminaries – the Sun and Moon – were included for practical purposes).

The Sun was known as “Helios”, the Moon as “Selene”, Mercury as “Hermes” also known as “the twinkling one”, Venus as Aphrodite or “the sparkling one”, Mars as “Ares” or “the fiery one”, Jupiter as Zeus or “the radiant one”, and Saturn as Cronos “the shiny one”.

The early origins of these planets were named after Babylonian Gods, and around the 6th century BCE, they turned into Greek names and then Roman names. For example, the goddess of love in Babylon – Ishtar – turned into Aphrodite, who then, with the Romans, became Venus.

Thus, to this day, when we’re talking about the planets, we’re invoking these divine archetypes. We don’t have to think of them as literal gods (I don’t), but it’s the kind of homage to the practice that we’re going through: to still uphold those names and call upon the archetype of a specific divinity. And a lot of the planets’ meanings came from millennia of correlation and data compilation that is embedded in the collective consciousness (what we currently call folklore or mythology; “collective consciousness” is a fairly “New-Age” concept coming from Carl Jung’s notion of the “collective unconscious”).

So, ancient astrologers would notice that, for example, when Mars was in a certain conversation with Saturn that the crops didn’t grow. In contrast, when Jupiter and venus were in a certain conversation, the rain would be plentiful, and these things over millennia were compiled. Evidently, the ancients weren’t some “ignorant barbarians who didn’t have the technology” (as some modern astrologers would put it; go tell that to Pythagoras!); they were, in their own way, compiling a lot of empirical data very diligently. From the 4th century onward, this divine idea became less relevant as Christianity was institutionalised under the Roman Emperor “Constantine the Great” (the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was built on his orders).

The politicisation of Christianity started posing a big issue to astrology because of its polytheistic ideas, and its decline reached its peak with the age of enlightenment that started in the late 17th century, and the idea that reason is the only most upholding form of using the mind, or even the mind itself as being this holier-than-thou concept. From the 18th century onwards, astrologers wanted astrology to be as reason-oriented as possible, so they disconnected a lot of the magical traditions from it, which weren’t and aren’t inherent to astrology anymore, but naturally continued to develop from it thanks to the underground hermetic mystery schools and orders (such as the Rosicrucians and Martinists) that did survive.

Today’s modern archetypal school of astrology, popularised by Liz Greene, Karen Hamaker-Zondag, and Richard Tarnas, and based on Carl Jung’s theory of psychological archetypes, plays into the same idea of the divine archetypes but in a more collective psyche-oriented way of thinking. This revival of astrology that has been taking place since about the 80s hasn’t just been about the ancient forms of astrology; it also has to deal with what was lost during the Dark Ages and the Enlightenment (when reason overpowered the magical tradition).

Furthermore, myths about the outer planets can add clarification, but they don’t justify the meanings because of this dichotomy that has been upheld since the 17th century between hard science and pseudoscience, where we have a clear separation between the physical and the metaphysical. This separation didn’t exist in ancient times, so the myths about the 7 traditional planets come from these ancient civilisations’ cosmology and have stood the test of time.

However, the trans-Saturnian (outer) planets are really poorly correlated to their mythical counterpoint. Mythological Neptune (Poseidon) is much more terroristic and sexually perverse than the astrological Neptune, which is formless and blobby. Uranus’ myth has to do with getting his genitals cut off, and that’s not an indicator that we ascribe to Uranus (chaos and disruption). Conversely, the inner planet myths do tend to actually coincide pretty well because the formation of the myths often happened alongside the naming of the planet.

The rule you can always follow with certainty is that each planet is a transcendental archetype. An archetype is the purest form or nature of something (for example, the Goddess Athena is the epitome of war strategy and wisdom); it’s perfection.

II. Significations of the 7 traditional planets:

With the planetary meanings, there’s a system of basic contrasting natures. It was first mentioned by the last major classical astrologer of antiquity: Rhetorius. These contrasting natures between the planets describe the spectrum of the human experience. The Sun emits while Saturn rejects. The Moon receives while Saturn excludes. Mercury argues, Jupiter affirms, Venus unifies and harmonises, and Mars severs or separates.

A) The luminaries: the Sun & the Moon:

With the luminaries, the concept of light visibility and transmission of light was really indicative of the foundations of astrology (the Babylonian astrosophy we mentioned in our intro). Therefore, the 2 planets that provide light are essential to the chart.

• The Sun is the archetype of the celestial god, and it’s necessary to see anything. It’s the centre of the solar system, it lights up the world, and this idea of sight as understanding informs a lot about astrology.

The Sun’s home sign is Leo; it’s exalted in Aries, it’s fallen in Libra, and it is exiled (or in detriment) in Aquarius. It leads the daytime team of planets (day sect): Sun, Jupiter, and Saturn. This team of planets is led by the Sun, and its orbit is always steady. It’s this consistent upholding force; it has a young nature to build, and it has a hot and dry temperament. It’s not excessive like Mars, but it’s this luminosity of lighting up and informing. It represents our egoic creativity. It deals with the story that is motivating us to self-actualise!

The Ascendant is much more our character, body, and identity (the way we dawn/rise on people). But the Sun can be who we aspire to be (what God has intended for us to be if we consider the esoteric astrology point of view). The Sun is what we are famous for, what our honours and accolades are, and our career-based fame. More often than not, it will represent the father, authority figures, or masculine people of prominence in your life.

• The Moon, as an archetype, was known as the celestial goddess. The Moon reflects the Sun’s light; it doesn’t provide it. It is the queen; it is also this counterfeit, non-rigid, always responding type of energy because it’s of the utmost impermanence. It’s only in a sign for two and a half days. It is this constant and fastest background noise of the chart, which can either be a beautiful background symphony or a bombardment noise!

The Moon reflects bodily cycles and our emotional world, that which is changing and evolving in a particular rhythm. In the body, it can deal with, for example, female menstruation cycles. It can deal with how we take care of ourselves.

The sign and placement of the Moon and the house placement deal with what brings us back to equilibrium. It is the coming into being and the passing away of things. It is at home in Cancer and rules this sign. It is exalted in Taurus, it is fallen in Scorpio, and it is exiled in Capricorn. So, with it being in fallen/depressed Scorpio (a sign that oscillates between the extremes of everything) and the Moon needs (emotional) stability and wants the steadiness of Taurus, no planet can then be exalted in Scorpio.

Because Scorpio is the depression of the Moon (the disturbing background noise), nothing can be exalted there. The Moon leads the nighttime sect (Moon, Venus, Mars). It is of yin (feminine) nature; it nourishes, and it has a moist and cool temperament (the perfect conditions for germination or growing a baby in a womb). Finally, it represents matriarchs and maternal figures.

B) The 5 traditional planets:

• Mercury, as an archetype, is the bestower of intelligence. It is intelligence more so than wisdom (wisdom is Jupiter’s realm). But it’s also the “glittering one”, and with that idea of glistening, the brilliance of the mind is perfectly captured.

Mercury makes statements and declares (like the Pages in Tarot). Overall, it fills this role of being a vacillating messenger, so it switches sides a lot. Depending on your chart, it can either be on the daytime or the night team. When it’s a morning star, it’s in the diurnal sect; when it’s an evening star, it’s in the nocturnal sect. So, it isn’t inherently benefic or malefic; it’s neutral. I see it as an “adviser” or even a “judge” who must be impartial and independent.

It’s the only planetary mythological figure that can go both in the world and in the underworld; it’s the messenger. It rules Gemini and Virgo (it’s also exalted in Virgo). It is fallen in Pisces and is exiled in Sagittarius. It’s the second fastest-moving planet (after the Moon) around the Sun, so it can’t ever be more than about one sign ahead or behind the Sun. It is variable in temperament; our perception and thinking patterns vary greatly. It represents our intellectual faculties: studying and debating, writing, speech, communication… It also deals with commerce and trade (one of the reasons why the Evening Mercury is called “the trickster”).

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• Venus, as an archetype, is the fertile life force. She passively attracts. It has to do with that which is appealing and attractive – the gentle unification. It’s the lesser benefic. It gently unifies and harmonises.

It rules Taurus and Libra; it is exalted in Pisces; it is fallen in Virgo, and it is exiled in Aries and Scorpio.  It has this yin nature that brings things together magnetically; it doesn’t cancerously grow and expand like Jupiter. It is moist and hot. it represents value systems (material and relationship values), and it can actually represent war in terms of how you get what you want and picking sides.

It is attraction, reception, and appeal. It can deal with women or feminine figures, and any type of femininity in life (it’s more physical than the Moon). Finally, it rules aesthetics, beauty, art, physical pleasure, relationships, harmony and diplomacy.

• Mars, as an archetype, is the destroyer of life force; it is the combative warrior; it’s an eliminatory agent. So, it severs things, and it cuts away.

It rules and is at home in Aries in Scorpio; it is exalted in Capricorn, fallen in Cancer, and exiled in Taurus and Libra. It is the lesser malefic (it’s smaller than Saturn). It energises everything it touches. As a lesser malefic, you can also step upon it, as in you can “overcome it”. It is dry and excessively hot; it is overwhelmingly intemperate warmth; it is violent! And extreme heat is necessary for some things such as transmutation, working with metal or gear elements (welding), and working with chemicals…

Mars cuts like a knife; a knife can come in handy, like a scalpel, to save someone’s life or kill them. Thus, Mars can be both like the courageous warrior that does his duty and the aggressor/perpetrator/criminal. It represents male/active energy and competition (think of the Greek God of War “ARES” or the mythological hero “Achilles”!).

Physically and health-wise, we relate inflammations to it. When it’s retrograde, it’s a particularly troublesome indicator in everything that it rules.

• Jupiter, as an archetype, is the expansive life force! This is this huge gas giant, the magnificent king, Zeus, the Pope! It is abundant inflation which can be cancerous (if out of control), or it can be life-providing.

Its domiciles are Sagittarius and Pisces; it is exalted in Cancer; it is fallen in Capricorn; and it is exiled in Gemini and Virgo. It is the greater benefic: it is extremely generous and says a BIG YES to everything (kind of like Santa Claus)! It is hot and moist.

It represents growth, prosperity, and expansiveness.  It can also really definitively represent teachers, gurus, or leaders (it rules wisdom and higher knowledge). In your chart, if you have a prominent Jupiter, you’ll likely come across teachers and superiors in your life that help you out in that way. And while mercury represents more data collection and facts, and just intelligence, Jupiter has lived wisdom. And there’s a word that shows up a lot for this which is “Gnosis”, which means “knowledge of spiritual mysteries”. It’s the experience of information that leads you directly to the Divine through a journey, not just the straight facts. It’s a similar concept to what’s often mentioned in ancient Greek philosophy, i.e. true wisdom is an understanding of principles and a system, not memorising facts. That system is Jupiter. It can also represent alliances, trusting groups, freedom, and setting prisoners free…

• Saturn, as an archetype, represents the boundaries of the life force. This is the giant ringed planet of the literal boundary of where we can see in the universe. Past Saturn, we cannot really see the rest of the planets through the naked eye.

It’s the idea of the elder hermit: he’s grumpy, skinny, stoic, and whiny. But he is always there, following through. It can be very restrictive, which is not inherently bad when we understand its purpose. However, it is the bigger malefic, and it is SOBER.

Saturn’s domiciles are Capricorn and Aquarius; it is exalted in Libra, fallen in Aries, and it is exiled in Leo and Cancer. It has a yin/receptive and yang/active nature because it’s of the daytime sect and rules both a feminine (Capricorn) and a masculine sign. It has to be noted, though, that there’s a general dispute about its nature among ancient authors. But it has the “Yin” nature to endure.

It represents constriction and boundaries as in “it rains diamonds”, which is beautiful because it takes a lot of dedication and construction, but that’s scary at the same time (diamonds are sharp!).  It’s dry, and it’s excessively cold (the conditions for death). it represents lessons, punishments, challenges, and sobriety.

It represents sorrow, misery, loss, slander, depression, isolation, psychological turmoil and deterioration in general. It stands for elders, ancients, orphans, widows… those people that have gone through something and are therefore hardened and wise. Saturn’s wisdom is different from Jupiter’s; Saturn is the wisdom that you get from meditating alone for 20 years or from being in prison. Saturn’s the harsh/tough love teacher who has big authority (and can tend towards authoritarianism).

On the more positive side, Saturn represents heritage and legacy, things that stand the test of time, such as historical monuments and libraries. It’s also related to structure and governments, so bureaucracies and administrations are his forte. Saturn, as the God Kronos, rules over karma and time, and with him, you reap what you sow; your rewards are entirely based on merit and integrity.

These are the 7 traditional planets used and tested by ancient astrologers through millennia. For the final part of this article, dealing with the recently discovered trans-Saturnian planets (Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto), I’ll include a brief overview as found in one of the main books of reference on the topic “Cosmos and Psyche” by Richard Tarnas.

III. The outer planets:

“The above seven archetypal principles correspond to the seven celestial bodies known to the ancients and constituted the foundation of the astrological tradition from its prehistoric origins through the early modern era. These principles were well established in their basic character from the beginning of the classical Western astrological tradition in the early Hellenistic era, from around the second century BCE onward, and their meanings continued to develop and are elaborated through later antiquity, the medieval era, and the Renaissance not only in astrological practice and esoteric writings but in the art, literature, and evolving religious and scientific thought of the larger culture (…)

Compared with the planets known to the ancients, with their Greco-Roman mythological associations and corresponding astrological meanings, the names and meanings of the three planets discovered by telescope in the modern era present a very different situation. Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto were named by modern astronomers without any archetypal correspondences in mind. They, therefore, inherited no archetypal meanings sanctioned by ancient tradition, meanings that were, in turn, affirmed, refined, and elaborated by continuing observations over many centuries. This circumstance formed the starting point for an unexpectedly fruitful line of research whose results inform the following chapters. Based on the astrological research community’s expanding body of empirical correlations for all the planets, many insights and clarifications concerning the relationship between the planets’ given astronomical names and their observed archetypal meanings have now emerged. While correlations involving the ancient planets out through Saturn consistently suggest a definite coherence between the planets’ inherited mythological names and the observed synchronistic phenomena, correlations involving the outer three planets point to archetypal principles that, in crucial respects, differ from or radically transcend their astronomical names (…)

• Uranus: Discovered in 1781 by the astronomer and musician William Herschel (…)  Since at least the turn of the twentieth century, the unanimous consensus among astrologers is that the planet Uranus is empirically associated with the principle of change, rebellion, freedom, liberation, reform and revolution, and the unexpected breakup of structures, with sudden surprises, revelations and awakenings, lightning-like flashes of insight, the acceleration of thoughts and events; with births and new beginnings of all kinds; and with intellectual brilliance, cultural innovation, technological invention, experiment, creativity, and originality. In addition to the occurrence of sudden breakthroughs and liberating events, Uranus transits are linked to unpredictable and disruptive changes; hence the planet is often referred to as the “cosmic trickster.”

• Neptune: In 1846, on the basis of unexplained aberrations in the observed orbit of Uranus, the French mathematician Urbain LeVerrier posited the existence and position of a planet beyond Uranus whose gravitational influence was pulling Uranus out of its calculated orbit. The new planet was immediately discovered in the predicted position by the German astronomer Johann Galle in 1846 and named Neptune after the god of the sea. Neptune is associated with the transcendent, spiritual, ideal, symbolic, and imaginative dimensions of life; with the subtle, formless, intangible, and invisible; with the unitive, timeless, immaterial, and infinite; with all that which transcends the limited literal temporal and material world of concretely empirical reality: myth and religion, art and inspiration, ideals and aspirations, images and reflections, symbols and metaphors, dreams and visions, mysticism, religious devotion, universal compassion.

• Pluto: On the basis of discrepancies observed in the orbit of Neptune and aberrations yet unexplained in the orbit of Uranus, the existence of a further planet was posited by the American astronomer Percival Lowell, which led to its discovery in 1930 by Clyde Tombaugh. After much consideration among many alternatives, the new planet was named Pluto, god of the underworld. Observations of potential correlations with Pluto by astrologers in the subsequent decades suggested that the qualities associated with the new planet in fact bore a striking relevance to the mythic character of Pluto, the Greek Hades, and also to the figure of Dionysus, with whom Hades-Pluto was closely associated by the Greeks (…)Beyond these ancient Greco-Roman figures (Pluto, Hades, Dionysus) and cognate modern European concepts (Freudian id, Darwinian nature, Schopenhauerian will, Nietzschean will to power and Dionysian impulse), the archetype associated with the planet Pluto also encompasses a number of major deities outside the Western context, such as the Hindu deity Shiva, god of destruction and creation, and Kali and Shakti, goddesses of erotic power and elemental transformation, destruction and regeneration, death and rebirth (…)

To summarise the consensus of contemporary astrologers: Pluto represents the underworld and underground in all senses: elemental, geological, instinctual, political, social, sexual, urban, criminal, mythological, demonic. It is the dark, mysterious, taboo, and often terrifying reality that lurks beneath the surface of things, beneath the ego, societal conventions, and the veneer of civilization, beneath the surface of the Earth, that is periodically unleashed with destructive and transformative force”.

Thank you for reading.

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