Traditional Astrology: The Meaning of the Planets (Per Vettius Valens)
In traditional astrology, there is a distinction made between the fixed stars and the wandering stars. The fixed stars are constellations that remain in the same position across the night sky, but the wandering stars seem to move against the backdrop of the fixed constellations. These wandering stars were assigned to deities, and their activity was observed in order to understand the relations amongst the gods. These wandering stars are the visible celestial bodies visible to the naked eye –Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn, and Jupiter. Along with the luminaries (the Sun and Moon), their movements and configurations created a visual language through which the celestial activities could be known to earth-bound observers. These seven celestial bodies form the basis of traditional astrology.
Traditional astrology does not use the outer planets of Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto as these are not visible to the human eye and could not have been observed by the ancient astrologers studying the night sky. The roles and symbolism of the traditional seven planets include the meaning assigned to the three outer planets of modern astrology.
Before we delve into the symbolism of the planets according to Vettius Valens, I will briefly define two important divisions that are central to the understanding of how these planets operate in traditional astrology: sect and the categorization of a planet into either a malefic or benefic role.
Sect
The seven celestial bodies are divided into sects divided by day and night – nocturnal or diurnal planets. The diurnal sect aligns with the Sun, which shines during daytime, and includes Saturn and Jupiter. Birth charts reflecting a time of birth during daytime (before sunset or the rising sign placed above the Ascendant-Descendant axis) enjoy more empowerment from the diurnal sect.
The nocturnal set aligns with the Moon, which illuminates during nighttime, and includes Venus and Mars. Night time charts enjoy more empowerment from the nocturnal sect.
Mercury belongs to neither diurnal or nocturnal sect; its expression depends on its relationship to the Sun. If Mercury appears in the sky before the Sun rises, it’s considered diurnal. Oppositely, if Mercury appears in the sky after the Sun rises, it falls under the nocturnal sect.
Benefic or Malefic Qualities of Traditional Planets
The celestial bodies are also assigned either a benefic or malefic character. Benefic planets enhance the flow of life directly through expansion, affirmation, or empowerment. Benefic planets include the Sun, Moon, Jupiter, and Venus. Malefic planets disrupt or deny the flow of life through rejection, destruction, and negation. Malefic planets include Mars and Saturn.
Mercury is not inherently malefic or benefic; Mercury acts like the planets it is aligned with. If Mercury is aligned with benefic planets, it will manifest with more benefic qualities. Oppositely, Mercury will behave in a more malefic way if aligned with the malefic bodies.
The benefic or malefic qualities of the planets also correspond to the degree of their elemental qualities. Planets are assigned humors, which include a temperature (hot to cold) and moisture (dry to wet), and the combination of these qualities correspond with how well a planet can support life. According to Ptolemy, the two humors that affirm life are moistness and heat, as they allow life to multiply and grow. These humors are possessed by benefic planets. The two humors that deny life are dryness and coldness as they constrict or reduce growth; these are attributed to the malefic planets.
I will now explore the meanings ascribed to the planets according to Vettius Valens. In a future series, I will also explore the works of Firmicus and Abu Mashar.
The Sun
“In a nativity the all-seeing sun, nature’s fire and intellectual light, the organ of mental perception, indicates kingship, rule, intellect, intelligence, beauty, motion, loftiness of fortune, the ordinance of the gods, judgement, public reputation, action, authority over the masses, the father, the master, friendship, noble personages, honors consisting of pictures, statues, and garlands, high priesthoods, (rule over) one’s country and other places. Of the parts of the body, the sun rules the head; of the sense organs, it rules the right eye; of the trunk, it rules the heart; of the spiritual (i.e. the perceptive) faculties, the nerves. Of materials, it rules gold; of fruits, it rules wheat and barley. It is of the day sect, yellowish, bitter in taste.”
-Vettius Valens
The “all-seeing” Sun represents the power of consciousness. Likened to nature’s flame, the Sun’s light allows for clear perception. Before man-made lighting, most of human activity began at sunrise and finished at sundown. Civilization centered around the clarity offered by this luminary.
The Sun rules the head and nerves – organs which perceive and process information to form the basis for judgment and decisive action. The Sun also rules the heart, the central organ that continuously pumps vitality through the body and allows us to localize a sense of Self (most point to their chest when emphasizing their individual identity). It represents the capacity to know and pursue Truth in accordance with Self.
The Sun is a radiant, life affirming force, which gives it an inherent expansiveness. The Sun’s nature is to spread its light and perception, which allows for the good judgment, kingship, authority, and honor ascribed to this luminary. This capacity for honor and authority aligns it with the roles of both kingship and high priesthood, along with positions of high status or influence and their inherent public reputation. On a smaller scale, this includes the familial authority figure which has traditionally been the Father or Master of an estate.
The Sun also rules legacy as inheritances of wealth and status came through the King/Father figure. The development of that wealth also revolved around the Father’s decisions and behavior, with an incredibly literal example being the planning and harvesting of crops according to the Sun. The Sun can therefore be seen as a central organizing force in life.
Overall, the Sun represents a sense of self and clear perception which creates the ability to take action and exercise influence. This influence behaves like a central organizing force, whether it be within a single family unit or a hierarchical religious body. This force allows for the projection of reputation and the continuation of legacy.
The Sun has the most power or noticeable effect at its peak, which positions it at the center of the sky. Elevated, luminous, and clear, the Sun reigns supreme over the celestial court. This is why the Sun ultimately represents one’s “True Self”, which is the pure force of vitality and life. Some refer to this force as Spirit.
In terms of qualities, the Sun is considered hot and dry. These conditions are generally supportive of life, which gives the Sun a benefic quality. Still, too much heat and dryness can be overpowering, which can be seen when another planet is too close to the Sun (a condition called “combustion”). Under combustion, the Sun overpowers the other planet and weakens its expression.
In terms of element, the Sun is attributed to fire. In terms of gender, the Sun is attributed to the masculine polarity as its nature is dynamic and active. The Sun is diurnal is sect.
The Moon
“The moon, lit by the reflection of the sun’s light and possessing a borrowed light, in a nativity indicates man’s life, body, the mother, conception, , appearance, sight, living together (i.e. legitimate marriage), nurture, the older brother, housekeeping, the queen, the mistress of the house, possessions, fortune, the city, the assembly of the people, gains, expenses, the household, voyages, travel and wanderings (it does not provide straight pathways because of Cancer). The moon rules the parts of the body as follows: the left eye, the stomach, the breasts, the breath, the spleen, the dura mater, the marrow (as a result it causes dropsy/moist syndromes). Of materials it rules silver and glass. It is of the night sect, green in color and salty in taste.”
-Vettius Valens
The Moon is our closest celestial object and exhibits a great deal of influence on earth-bound affairs. Our first contact to Earth happens through our Mother, who is represented by the Moon. As we spend the first 9 months of our existence within the womb, the Mother and therefore the Moon forms the foundation of our lives and endows us with our most deep-seated impressions. For this reason, the Moon represents “man’s life, body, the mother, conception”, as the Moon is the force and medium through which life can solidify on Earth.
The fastest moving planet within the Chaldean order, the Moon is a luminary constantly in flux due to its ever changing position relative to the Sun, the source of its light. This gives the Moon a rhythmic and receptive nature, which aligns with the dependence of our physical bodies on a cascade of rhythmic processes and whose health reflects the quality of the “light” we receive. On a more literal note, the Moon influences the Earth’s waters as it pulls the tides and even the liquid within plants, resulting in a form of agriculture centered around the lunar phases (Lunar Gardening). Nourishment and regular growth depend on the Moon’s constant flux.
As the Moon’s role governs the foundations of life and its nourishment, its meaning extends to the more concrete expressions of these aspects like the household, housekeeping, expenses, the mistress of the house, and fortune, which can be thought of as one’s lot in life.
Beyond the physical body, the Moon also governs the more subterranean aspects of consciousness. As the Moon shines during the night time darkness which propels most of us into an alternate realm of dreams, the moon’s light can be thought to bring clarity and awareness to the subconscious mind and emotions. These emotions and subconscious feelings are the product of our conscious experiences, the impressions gathered throughout the day. Just as the Moon gathers and reflects the Sun’s light, it also gathers and reflects that which has been illuminated in our waking states. The Moon also redistributes that golden solar light in a more silvery, cooling way.
As the Moon is the counterpart to the Sun, some of its roles reflect this dichotomy. Where the Sun is individualistic and emphasizes distinction, the Moon is collective and emphasizes commonality. For this reason, the Moon represents cities, the assembly of the people, and living together in a legitimate marriage.
As mentioned earlier, the Moon is the quickest planet in the Chaldean order, which emphasizes its flux and wandering throughout the night sky. This aligns it with travel, voyages, boats, and wandering, which are actions based on changeability.
In terms of qualities, the Moon is cool and moist, making it generally conducive to life. Like the Sun, its benefic and malefic status is contextual. If the Moon is close to the Sun, which creates a waning Moon, then the Moon is considered weak and can exaggerate its nature to fluctuate excessively and never reach a sense of fullness or contentedness. If the Moon is further from the Sun, which creates a waxing Moon, then the Moon is considered stronger and can emphasize its nurturing qualities and its capacity to reach wholeness or satisfaction.
In terms of elements, the Moon is associated with Water. In terms of gender, the Moon is considered feminine as it is receptive and passive. The Moon is nocturnal in sect.
Mercury
“Mercury indicates education, letters, disputation, reasoning, brotherhood, interpretation, embassies, number, accounts, geometry, markets, youth, games, theft, association, communication, service, gain, discoveries, obedience, sport, wrestling, declamation, certification, supervision, weighing and measuring, the testing of coinage, hearing, versatility. It is the bestower of forethought and intelligence, the lord of brothers and of younger children, and the creator of all marketing and banking. In its own character, it makes temple builders, modelers, sculptors, doctors, secretaries, legal advisors, orators, philosophers, architects, musicians, prophets, diviners, augurs, dream interpreters, braiders, weavers, systematic physicians, those in charge of war and strategy, and those undertaking any unusual, systematic work in accounting or with reasoning. Mercury makes weight lifters and mimes, those making their livelihood with displays of skill, deception, gambling, or sleight of hand. It also rules those skilled interpreters of the heavens, those who by using pleasure or winning charm, earn fame for their amazing feats—all for the sake of gain. This star’s effects go in many directions, depending on the changes of the zodiac and the interactions of the stars, and yields quite varied results: knowledge for some, selling for others, service for others, trade or teaching for others, farming or temple service or public for still others. To some it grants authority, rentals, labor contracting, rhythmical performance, the display of public service, the acquisition of personal attendants or the right of wearing temple-linen, robed in the luxury appropriate to gods or rulers. As for the end result—Mercury will make everything capricious in outcome and quite disturbed. Even more, it causes those having this star in malefic signs or degrees to become even worse. Of the parts of the body, it rules the hands, the shoulders, the fingers, the joints, the belly, the sense of hearing, the arteries, the intestines, the tongue. Of materials, it rules copper and all coins used in buying and selling—for the god makes exchanges.”
-Vettius Valens
Mercury is assigned the lengthiest list of attributes because it is the most changeable, adaptable, and unstable of the celestial bodies. The fastest planet after the Moon, Mercury travels across the sky quickly and often erratically, as it spends 3 weeks in retrograde 3-4 times per year. Mercury is also the closest planet to the Sun, a position which tasks it as the intermediary between the Sun and the rest of the planets. Mercury is the celestial messenger.
The task of a messenger is to communicate ideas from a source and convey it successfully to an audience. Mercury translates the Sun’s more esoteric and spiritual truths into accessible concepts. The mark of a good translator is the ability to assess the subject matter and audience in order to best deliver a message, which explains Mercury’s strengths of “interpretation”, “weighing and observing”, and “reasoning.” These strengths naturally elaborate to include education, letters, and communication and occupations requiring precise acuity such as architects, lawyers, systematic, physicians, sculptors, and modelers. Mercury effectively functions as a medium, giving it rulership over prophets, diviners, dream interpreters, and musicians.
As communication is essentially the exchange of ideas, this endows Mercury with the capacity for commerce, which is the exchange of goods. Strategies linked to commerce include marketing, banking, and service are also given to Mercury.
Mercury is the fastest planet (excluding the lunar luminary), and is gifted with a sharp, analytical capacity. These traits are elevated in sports, which requires speed, agility, and cunning. On a more mental manifestation, this includes gambling and miming (I imagine this includes magicians) which revolve around fast thinking, deception, and sleight of hand.
Valens explicitly describes Mercury’s adaptability: “This star’s effects go in many directions, depending on the changes of the zodiac and the interactions of the stars, and yields quite varied result.” Mercury’s changeability is also reflected in its potential to act as either a benefic or malefic depending on its relative position to the other planets. Its erratic nature was considered to be too unstable to affirm life, which makes it slightly malefic to some astrologers. Valens does describe its overall effect as quite negative: “Mercury will make everything capricious in outcome and quite disturbed.”
In terms of gender, Mercury is considered a neutral planet. In terms of qualities, Mercury is sometimes hot and dry if closer to the Sun, or cold and moist if bordering the Moon. Mercury is neither inherently nocturnal or diurnal in sect.
Venus
“Venus is desire and love. It indicates the mother and nurture. It makes priesthoods, school superintendencies, high offices with the right to wear a gold ring or a crown, cheerfulness, friendship, companionship, the acquisition of property, the purchase of ornaments, agreements on favorable terms, marriages, pure trades, fine voices, a taste for music, sweet singing, beauty, painting, mixing of colors both in embroidery, dyeing, and unguent making. the inventors and masters of these crafts, as well as craftsmanship or trade, and work in emeralds, precious stones, and ivory. Within its terms and degrees in the zodiac, Venus causes men to be gold-spinners, gold workers, barbers, and people fond of cleanliness and toys. It bestows the office of supervisor of weights and measures, the standards of weights and measures, markets, factories, the giving and receiving , laughter, good cheer, ornamentation, and hunting in moist places. Venus gives benefits from royal women or from one’s own, and it brings very high rank when it operates in such affairs, Of the parts of the body, it rules the neck, the face, the lips, the sense of smell, the front parts from the feet to the head, the parts of intercourse; of the inner parts it rules the lungs. It is a recipient of support from others and of pleasure. Of materials it rules precious stones and fancy jewelry. Of fruits it rules the olive. It is of the night sect, white in color, very greasy in taste.” –Vettius Valens
Venus is first and foremost a benefic planet, meaning that her nature is to affirm and multiply life. Unsurprisingly, she is given rule over desire and love, as well as the parts of the body involving intercourse. The role of mother and the act of nurturing are obvious ramifications of her specialties, which creates an overlap with the roles of the Moon. As the Moon and Venus are both feminine planets, their subject matter revolves around traditionally feminine roles. Still, Venus is quite constant unlike the fluctuating Moon, and her strengths manifest in more luxurious ways unlike the Moon’s focus on commonality.
Venus rules beauty, which is ultimately a product of harmony. Harmony requires balance which relies on a sense of just proportion– this is why Venus rules over “the office of supervisor of weights and measures, the standards of weights and measures” as well as “giving and receiving.” Harmony manifests artistically as “music, sweet singing, beauty, painting, mixing of colors both in embroidery, dyeing…fancy jewelry” This art exists as craftsmanship, trades (“barbers, pure trades, precious stones, gold-spinners, and gold workers”), and the more practical aspects of delivering those goods (“markets, factories”). On a more interpersonal scale, this harmony manifests as “friendship, companionship, agreements on favorable terms, marriages” as well as the pleasure they perpetuate (“laughter, good cheer”). These diplomatic qualities elevate to refined and high status roles of “priesthoods, school superintendencies, high offices with the right to wear a gold ring or a crown.” Finally, the most mundane level of harmony can be seen as order or “cleanliness.”
Venus also represents the elevated act of receiving as “It is a recipient of support from others and of pleasure.” Its rule over the lungs and the sense of smell, which stresses the act of “intaking” and gaining pleasure from the breath, which can be considered the root of our sustenance.
It seems that Venus receives to refine, whereas the Moon receives to reflect. Both celestial bodies are associated with the women in one’s life, with Venus having a more romantic and pleasure-based connotation.
In terms of qualities, Venus is cool and moist, which aligns with its purely benefic label. In terms of elements, Venus is associated with water. Venus is nocturnal in sect.
Mars
“Mars indicates force, wars, plunderings, screams, violence, whoring, the loss of property, banishment, exile, alienation from parents, capture, the deaths of wives, abortions, love affairs, marriages, the loss of goods, lies, vain hopes, strong-armed robbery, banditry, looting, quarrels among friends, anger, fighting, verbal abuse, hatreds, lawsuits. Mars brings violent murders, slashings and bloodshed, attacks of fever, ulceration, boils, burns, chains, torture, masculinity, false oaths, wandering, embassies under difficult circumstances, actions involving fire or iron, craftwork, masonry. In addition Mars causes commands, campaigns and leadership, infantrymen, governorships, hunting, wild game, falls from heights or from animals, weak vision, strokes. Of the body parts, Mars rules the head, the seat, the genitals; of the internal parts, it rules the blood, the sperm ducts, the bile, the elimination of excrement, the parts in the rear, the back, and the underside. It controls the hard and the abrupt. Of materials, it rules iron, decoration of clothing (because of Aries), as well as wine and beans. It is of the night sect, red in color and acid in taste.”- Vettius Valens
Mars’ red hue can be seen by the naked eye, and this fiery quality shapes the planet’s extreme subject matter. “Fighting, force, wars, violence, capture, quarrels, anger, hatreds, bloodshed, burns, torture, quarrels among friends” are amongst it specialties, which strike a polar opposite to Venus’s uniting nature. Mars’ power is division, which can be so literal as the division of flesh “slashings and bloodshed” and the implications of such violence. On a more social scale, Mars’ division can cause “strife and quarrel, from lawsuits to exile and banishment”. It can also cause division within an estate, including “robbery, loss or property, and looting” as well as division within one’s own intentions (“false oaths, wandering”). On a very primal scale, Mars also represents the separation of bodily products from the body such as “the elimination of excrement, the genitals, and the sperm ducts.”
Mars’ penchant for warfare also manifests in more intentional and organized ways, such as “commands, campaigns and leadership, infantrymen, governorships” as well as “hunting, wild game.”
Mars’ fiery forte is established through “actions involving fire or iron” which includes “craftword and masonry” as well as more bodily inflammation such as “boils, burns, attacks of fever, and ulceration”.
In more general terms, Mars rules “the hard and the abrupt” which quite perfectly encapsulated by the oddly specific situation “falls from heights or from animals.” This harshness allows Mars to symbolize the more severe connotations of “masculinity.”
In terms of qualities, Mars is hot and dry, which labels it as a malefic. In terms of elements, Mars is associated with fire. Just as fire can be destructive or helpful, Mars’ power to transform can manifest in harmful or productive ways. Mars is nocturnal in sect.
Saturn
“Saturn makes those born under him petty, malignant, care-worn, self-depreciating, solitary, deceitful, secretive in their trickery, strict, downcast, with a hypocritical air, squalid, black-clad, importunate, sad-looking, miserable, with a nautical bent, plying waterside trades. Saturn also causes humblings, sluggishness, unemployment, obstacles in business, interminable lawsuits, subversion of business, secrets, imprisonment, chains, griefs, accusations, tears, bereavement, capture, exposures of children. Saturn makes serfs and farmers because of its rule over the land, and it causes men to be renters of property, tax farmers, and violent in action. It puts into one’s hands great ranks and distinguished positions, supervisions, management of others’ property, and the fathership of others’ children. Of materials, it rules lead, wood, and stone. Of the limbs of the body, it rules the legs, the knees, the tendons, the lymph, the phlegm, the bladder, the kidneys, and the internal, hidden organs. Saturn is indicative of injuries arising from cold and moisture, such as dropsy, neuralgia, gout, cough, dysentery, hernia, spasms. It is indicative of these syndromes: possession, homosexuality, and depravity. Saturn makes bachelors and widows, bereavements, and childlessness. It causes violent deaths by water, strangulation, imprisonment, or dysentery. It also causes falling on the face. It is the star of Nemesis; it is of the day sect. It is like castor in color and astringent in taste.” –Vettius Valens
Saturn, the Great Malefic, is the last planet visible to the outer eye, giving it a natural affinity with boundaries or limits. It is also the slowest of the wandering stars, and compared with the redness of Mars or the brightness of Venus, Saturn is the least bright. This slowness, somberness, and emphasis on limitation endows Saturn with chronic themes such as the passage of time and the inevitability of death. Death represents the greatest sense of loss, but its less extreme manifestations are also included under Saturn’s rule. Loss is naturally linked to grief and misery, which also causes one to feel alienated or imprisoned. This sense of imprisonment is reinforced as it is the opposite of freedom, which is the forte of Jupiter, the Great Benefic. Needless to say, Saturn’s extremes are quite unpleasant but unavoidable.
As Saturn symbolizes darkness due to its relative lack of light, it naturally rules over concepts that lack illumination or enlightenment such as ignorance, deceit, and secrets. These themes permutate into “accusations, subversion of business, capture, and tears”, which are all products of obstacles and the obscuration of truth.
Yet Saturn also exercises strength as it rules over necessary boundaries and unseen processes such as those of the physical body (“limbs of the body, it rules the legs, the knees, the tendons, the lymph, the phlegm, the bladder, the kidneys, and the internal, hidden organs”). It also exercises its strength over its “rule over the land”, which extends into agriculture and farming. Agriculture revolves around the limitations of the seasons and resources, makes most of its unseen progress in the dark underground, and requires endless toiling and patience. The symbol of Saturn also resembles a scythe, a tool used to cut down crops. These Saturnine skill sets can eventually lead to promotion and status (“It puts into one’s hands great ranks and distinguished positions, supervisions, management of others’ property, and the fathership of others’ children”).
In terms of qualities, Saturn is cold and dry but it rules over “injuries arising from cold and moisture, such as dropsy, neuralgia, gout, cough, dysentery, hernia, spasms.” I suspect this is due to Saturn’s slowness and darkness, which dampens circulation and increases stagnation. Although more context from traditional medicine is required, cold and damp bodily conditions often lead to the obstruction of the body’s channels or meridians, which results in inflammation, pain, heaviness, and decay.
Overall, Saturn rules over the heavy, oppressive, and restrictive forces in life. Although seemingly negative and destructive, these forces can also be applied in productive ways such as through the regenerative pause of winter, the fertile soil of solitude, and the resilience and discipline that life inevitably demands.
In terms of sect, Saturn is diurnal.
Jupiter
“Jupiter indicates childbearing, engendering, desire, loves, political ties, acquaintance, friendships with great men, prosperity, salaries, great gifts, an abundance of crops, justice, offices, officeholding, ranks, authority over temples, arbitrations, trusts, inheritance, brotherhood, fellowship, beneficence, the secure possession of goods, relief from troubles, release from bonds, freedom, deposits in trust, money, stewardships, Of the external body parts it rules the thighs and the feet. (Consequently in the games Jupiter governs the race.) Of the internal parts it rules the sperm, the uterus, the liver, the parts of the right side. Of materials, it rules tin. It is of the day sect. In color it is grey verging on white and is sweet in taste.”- Vettius Valens
Jupiter, the Greater Benefic, stands as a strong contrast to Saturn’s constricting barriers. Jupiter rules “prosperity, beneficence, and freedom”. It represents “relief from troubles and release from bonds”, making it the literal antithesis to Saturn’s imprisonment and misery.
Jupiter not only expands, but it connects (“political ties, acquaintance, friendships with great men, brotherhood, fellowship”). It also has a generative nature which manifests as “engendering” and “childbearing.” This multiplication also manifests as physical abundance (“salaries, great gifts, an abundance of crops, the secure possession of goods, deposits in trust, money, stewardships”). This good-will and prosperity extends into the interpersonal realm, such as “justice, offices, officeholding, ranks, authority over temples”, which reflect broad social influence.
Jupiter rules over the procreative aspects of the body (“the sperm, the uterus”), as well as the body’s main propellers (the “thighs and feet” which gives it rule over the race). This differs from Saturn’s rule over the legs, knees, and tendons, which act more as supportive anatomy.
In terms of qualities, Jupiter is warm and moist, which makes it extremely conducive to life. This supportive nature which amplifies and connects substantiates Jupiter’s status as the Greater Benefic. In terms of sect, Jupiter is diurnal.
Are The Planets in Traditional Astrology Too Negative?
The planets in traditional astrology are often ascribed their most extreme qualities, which can seem shocking to the modern audience. As modern astrology centers around a psychological understanding and consequently errs on the optimistic side of interpretations, the harshness of the traditional definitions can be off-putting. It is important to note that life during the development of astrology was much more severe. Death, illness, poverty, violence, betrayal, inequality, and general negativity were more prominent in daily life for a much larger percentage of the population. In modern times, more of us enjoy regular insulation from these themes (or at the very least, many of us do not experience these themes as severely). Although the foundational themes of each planet remain the same, the manifestations of these forces must be applied to reflect their context. An astrological death sentence in the 2nd century might manifest as a chronic but treatable illness today.
In the next post, I will explore the meaning of the houses.
Thanks for reading!
xx
Nona
