THE TWELVE SIGNS OF THE ZODIAC

According to the traditions of astrology, the first key to a character analysis of any individual lies in the position of the Sun in his birth sign. This shows his basic character, with emphasis placed on the spiritual qualities of his nature. If the Sun is well aspected, it represents man's highest aspirations, if badly aspected, it represents his less worthy aims.

People born between March 21 and April 20 (to take the first month of the zodiac calendar) have the Sun in Aries, and their tendencies are different from those of people born between April 21 and May 21, when the Sun is in Taurus, or between May 22 and June 21, when the Sun is in Gemini, and so on.

The first part of each analysis is based on the Sun in the sign. Typical characteristics of evolved and primitive types are given, and these can also be taken as representing the higher and lower sides of each sign. Naturally, the more educated and spiritually evolved a man is, the less his weaker nature shows.
While the Sun sign represents the first basic distinction, the rising sign is also a very important factor in astrological interpretation. The rising sign (the zodiacal sign rising at the east horizon at the time of birth) traditionally influences the physical body of a human being and either strengthens or weakens the tendencies of his Sun sign. Thus if an individual is born with the Sun and his rising sign in Sagittarius, obviously he will be a more typical Sagittarian than if his rising sign was, for example, in Virgo. The reader is referred to a chart at the end of the book with the help of which his rising sign can be found. Should his rising sign be Aries, Taurus, Gemini, or any of the other zodiac signs, by reading the characteristics of that particular sign as well as of the Sun sign, he can arrive at a better understanding of his or any of his friends' individual character. A third key is to be found in the position of the Moon at the time of birth. The moon, according to astrological tradition, primarily affects the subconscious mind, which in turn influences the conscious thoughts, actions, and general character. Brief analyses based on the combination of the Sun and Moon signs are given at the end of each of the following signs. Readers will probably quickly detect which one applies to them, and to check whether they are right they can refer to the ephemerides on the last pages of the book.

The person who hesitates between two signs, in other words, one who is born at the very beginning or very end of a sign (generally referred to as being born on the cusp) must decide which sign has the stronger impact on his individual character. No other astrology rule may be applied in such cases.
After taking all this into account, it will be seen that only one out of many people is entirely typical of his Sun sign.

To arrive at a really definite analysis of any individual, the charting of an individual horoscope becomes necessary. How this is done is explained in Chapter 7. The casting of a horoscope from the ephemerides and tables of houses is an operation that can be mastered in an hour. However, the interpretation of the horoscope is a matter of art. Prepared analyses of the planets in each sign of the zodiac or each house may be used to arrive at a rough outline of what the horoscope represents. But this approximation is not the same as a synthesis, which an astrologer would arrive at in his professional report. It is in the synthesis that the astrologer's skill shows more clearly. The clichés applying to the place of Venus in the romantic life, Mars' role in activity or Mercury's influence in the intellectual sphere are never considered separately. They are only factors that have to be integrated and woven into an intricate structure of good and bad aspects, modifying one another until a well-rounded picture of the individual emerges.
In the half-title page introducing each zodiac sign, the sign is denoted as being Fixed, Cardinal, or Mutable. Fixed signs denote bulk, weight, mass, and stability; they give reserve, resistance, power and rigidity. The fixed quality corresponds to intellectuality, moral stamina, and will. Cardinal signs denote activity - motion, expression, changeableness; they give alertness, restlessness, flexibility, and suppleness. The cardinal quality corresponds to the soul in its various conditions, animal, human, or spiritual, as a modifying influence operating in the world of form. Mutable signs denote harmony - vibration, rhythm, and symmetry; they give plasticity and adaptability, and some instability. The mutable quality corresponds to the body, the vehicle of the spirit and soul, or the plastic medium upon which the spirit exerts its power of transmutation.


 

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05.09.03

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