First Challenge and Prize: Aspect Interpretation

[John_Townley]

I think I am going to have to reassert, and to agree with most, that it's all about context. Fundamentally, any two planets are part of a general resonance of the whole, so how much either influences the other and in what way is entirely contextual. To establish a separate rule, except a grammatical one that the faster applies to the slower and should be phrased that way, is artificial. So, it always goes both ways, but one may be more (or rather, differently) favored if it is more strongly placed than another. That's not only in a fixed chart, but in the context that any chart is a slice of an evolving resonance and therefore some planets are growing in strength (by progression, if nothing else), and vice-versa.

Whether you consider Mercury and Venus special for their lack of broader aspects depends on whether you stick to geocentric. If you don't, then retrogrades are meaningless (don't happen in helio), but for most they are quite meaningful. Therefore the interior position of Mercury and Venus do indeed make them special.

But in any case, asking what one planet does what to another out of context is akin to asking whether E is a major third to C or is C a minor sixth to E. By themselves, they are either and both, but functionally are neither until you establish what key you are in or what chord you are playing -- and what the last and next harmonic changes involved are. It's at least that subtle, and in fact the parallel is very close, as planetary frequencies and resonances tend to fall out in the same proportions as the musical scale, the divisions of light, and other scaled subsets of resonance, see http://www.astrococktail.com/rainbows.html and http://www.astrococktail.com/windowpanes.html

[David_Monroe]

Now that I've had some sleep after a long day and night, permit me to summarize my just-prior long posting.

** The faster moving planet, relative to the anchor/slower moving planet, tends to express ITSELF more fully as it separates (phase-wise or aspect-wise) from the conjunction point with the slower planet.
** The faster moving planet, once it reaches opposition, starts to modify its expression (increasingly) to work towards an accommodation with the anchor or slower moving planet.

** In terms of a natal chart where one planet aspects another, I use the basic meaning of the planets involved plus the nature of the aspect involved to define an initial meaning. The nature of the signs holding the planets (fire, earth, air, water) can be used to further refine the determined meaning. For me, this is often a second step if/as needed. As an aspect (without regard to phase) the planets are the planets, modified by the aspect and their place in the chart be it angular or by house or by sign-quality.

** Transits to a natal chart, other than the conjunction, can be more complex as I see it. Does the transiting planet form (in the natal chart) a relationship with the other planet --- if so, that aspect is meaningful and likely expressive to some degree. If not, that transit is much weaker if not in an angular part of the chart. Depending upon the nature of the charts being looked at (such as Solar Returns, daily charts) other factors can come into play as noted in my prior posting but which I won't go into here.

[Phil_Worthing]

Psychologically we are more likely to experience the slower moving planet as the agent acting on us. For all other considerations the interaction may be more clear. For example, Jupiter in bad dignity in the sixth house could, when aspecting mercury, could indicate the loss of small muscle group control as the result of diabetes. Or Mars in bad dignity and placement aspecting Jupiter could indicate epilepsy. Supporting testimony from any of a variety of techniques would hopefully flesh out the diagnosis and subsequent prognosis.

[Phil_Worthing]

Michael suggested some examples and details would help illustrate our points. Miles Davis, 05/26/1926, 5:00 AM, Alton IL, has an interesting chart with some notable illnesses. To set the stage for reading illness it’s a good idea to look at the basis for health. Miles has his ascendant ruler in good dignity (using the Jyotish dignity scheme) but in the twelfth house. The dignity supports the planets ability to fulfill its agenda or maintain the first house which governs our body but it does so from a weakened position, the twelfth.

The next place to look is the sixth house of physical weaknesses or illness. Here Miles has the Moon in debilitation conjunct Saturn in a great enemies sign. The Moon is in a poor place in bad dignity and so is the weaker of the two planets in terms of maintaining its agenda. The Moon rules the blood and Miles had cycle cell anemia. The Jyotishi’s give racial or complected rulership to the planets with Saturn governing the black races. Cycle cell is a racial disease.

One of the complications which was diagnosed as developing from his cycle cell anemia was diabetes. Jupiter rules sugar and biologically the metabolization of sugars. Miles has Jupiter square both the Moon and Saturn but cycle cell is a Moon illness which afflicts Jupiter. As the chain of influence is drawn out, the faster moving planet is now acting on the slower moving planet.

Miles was a mixed bag in terms of how he related to his environment. The ascendant ruler in the twelfth house points toward self some self destructive behavior, but given its dignity it would need exacerbating circumstances to be overtly destructive. We do all live in an environment which does limit our options or certainly colors the way we look at the world. In a divergence from my earlier point about our feeling the outers affecting the inners psychologically Miles has the Moon conjunct Saturn.

Again both planets are in bad dignity and again the Jyotishi’s give rulership of Saturn to the dark races. The Jyotishi’s give rulership to the lightest complected races to the Moon and Miles natal chart the Moon is the planet in the worst dignity conjunct the planet of his race in a difficult house. Miles wasn’t in the least bit pleased by American apartheid, but was also able to look past this to work with white musicians and also hire Bill Evens. Though difficult, the sixth house is also a house of growth.

To go back to my original point about how we feel influences, the Moon is our starting point and in Mile’s case his debilitated Moon would have felt afflicted by the constraints of Saturn. There are far fewer planets then their roles and perspectives so a little jumping around may be called for from time to time.

I’m using whole sign houses and the tropical zodiac which I don’t think are the only way to look at a chart. Sensitive points can be found using other house systems and the sidereal zodiac offers another perspective. Though not inclusive of all the techniques I use, I’m just trying illustrate the way I approach a chart.