Planets Pt. 1

Planet (Greek)

Aster, meaning 'wandering star'.

Planet (Indian)

Graha, meaning 'grabber/to grasp'.

Karma

Outcome and results of our actions.

The relationship of planets to karma

The planets are the administrators of karma and mirror the state of human ignorance.

Do planets cause things to happen?

No, planets are considered signs and omens, not causes.

Modern astrology view of planets

Planets are seen as psychological dimensions and potentiality.

Psyche

Means 'soul'; ancient astrology focused on liberating the soul from material illusion.

Great circle of the zodiac

Created by the Sun's yearly cycle.

12 parts of the zodiac

Divided by the Moon's monthly cycle.

Keywords associated with the Sun

Soul, spirit, intelligence, beauty, motion, action, reputation, kings, ordinance of the Gods.

Keywords associated with the Moon

Marriage, body, fortune, life, city, possessions, expenses, mother, changeability.

Why are keyword lists not exhaustive?

They are brief sketches to initiate philosophical meditation.

Why is the Moon associated with changeability?

Due to its waxing and waning phases.

Why is the Sun associated with constancy?

It is the most constant of the wandering stars.

Ego representation in a chart

The whole chart represents the ego.

Planet indicating individual storyline

The Sun.

Planet indicating life circumstances

The Moon.

Native representation in astrology

The ruler of the first house and planets in the first house.

Primary Motion

Which motion carries all the stars and planets from their rising in the east to culminating in the visible sky to setting in the west to anti-culmination below the earth, to rising again?

Secondary motion

Which motion carries the planets through the backdrop of the zodiac?

Clockwise

What is the direction of the primary motion?

Counterclockwise

What is the direction of the secondary motion

What is the astronomical foundation for the primary motion

The rotation of the earth on its axis within a 24-hour period

What is the astronomical foundation for the secondary motion?

The revolution of the planets around the sun

Which of the two motions is fastest?

Primary motion

What is the synodic cycle of a planet?

The relation between two planets that starts with a conjunction

What is the speed of the secondary motion.

There is no unified speed. It depends on a planet’s position relative to the sun.

Secondary motion

Which of the two motions is related to the material world, the realm of coming to be and passing away, of impermanence?

Which of the two motions is a ceaseless motion?

Primary motion, which is the apparent daily rotation of the heavens around the Earth.

Ecliptic

The name for the path of the Sun

Why is it important to know about primary and secondary motion?

They help to define and articulate the basic meaning of the planets, houses, and signs.

Which planet or luminary represents the secondary motion?

The Moon

Which planet or luminary represents the primary motion?

The Sun

Why is the zodiac divided into 12 parts?

The Moon travels through the entire zodiac in 1/12th the time of the Sun, dividing the circle into 12 parts.

What defines the zodiac?

The ecliptic

What does the secondary motion represent?

The secondary motion is related to the material world, the realm of coming to be and passing away, of impermanence and nescience.

Which of the two motions symbolizes oneness, eternity, the ideal, the perfect and unchanging?

The primary motion

What, in ancient yoga philosophy, does '“prakriti” mean?

Fluctuations in material energy, forms, and dualities

What does '“Yoga citta vritti nirodah” mean?

Yoga is the cessation of the revolutions of the mind

How do yogies and platonists see fate and free will?

FATE is the results of previous choices, whereas Free Will is the ongoing ability to make choices.

In ancient yoga philosophy, which word is used in relation to the unchanging, divine spirit-soul, which is said to be the source of essence of all things?

Purusa

Where do you see the east in the birth chart?

The east is on the left, around the ascendant.

Where do you see the north in the birth chart?

The north is as the bottom of the birth chart.

Where does the Sun rise?

The Sun rises as the ascendant.

How do we see a sunrise in the birth chart?

The Sun hits the degree of the ascendant,

How do we see a sunset in the birth chart?

The Sun hits the degree of the descendant.

Where does the Sun culminate?

At the degree of the Midheaven

How do we see the horizon line?

We draw a straight line from the degree of the ascendant to the degree of the descendant.

Where do you see the west in the birth chart

The west is on the right, around the descendant

Where does the Sun set?

The Sun sets at the descendant.

What does the degree of the ascendant represent?

The degree of the ascendant is the exact point where the path of the Sun crosses the horizon