The Sun

admin@8thandak.com

March 17th, 2021

Look at that face, a small knowing smile, each fiery ray containing one distinct symbol. The Sun is the One. However, its passage through a zodiac sign doesn’t exhaustively determine all that you are. We’ve all, at first, either met or been the person who says things like this: “I’m an Aquarius, therefore I am [insert staggering array of qualities that could be attributed to other signs as well here]”. This is too simplistic. The word for zodiac sign in Sanskrit is Rasi, which means “heap” or “quantity”. The Sun—and the other planets—are the consciousness that animates and invigorates these signs.

While the Sun has something to say about who you are as an individual, it also has other indications. The masculine example of your father. Your consistency in the specific area of life of a Varga chart. In the Jaimini tradition, its rank by degrees, seconds and minutes of arc in a particular sign might mark it as the particular consciousness and individuality of another person in your life. In medical astrology, the sign of your Sun and its Avashta, or state of being, in the Trimsamsa, or 30th divisional chart, have something to say about the condition of your skeletal system. What makes you think the Sun in single sign serves as a clean and neat coalescence of your personality? Think less about the Sun’s passage through a singular sign as encapsulating your essence. Think more about the distribution of consciousness across bodies, space and signs.

Planetary Aspects

admin@8thandak.com

March 18th, 2021

Lines drawn to the same elemental modality, overlapping triangles of aspects in a geometrically satisfying scene. Planetary aspects are more involved and cover more space than this. In Western astrology, aspects like these are called “trines”: each planet aspects the 5th and 9th from it: the other two signs with the same element. Hence, a planet in Cancer would aspect Scorpio and Pisces. But, rather than focusing on distinct and named “hard” and “soft” aspects, we turn to the Vedic tradition. Using Ernst Wilhelm’s translation, Parashara writes that “on the third and tenth, on the trines, on the fourth and eighth and on the seventh a quarter increase on the aspect, so also increase the effects.” All planets aspect the 3rd and 10th to 25%, the 5th and 9th to 50%, and the 4th and 8th to 75%. Further: “all full with the seventh. Saturn, Jupiter and Mars, however, are special with the third and tenth, the trines and the fourth and eighth respectively.”

All planets aspect with 100% strength at 180 degrees of their planetary longitude in a sign: the 7th has to do with everything that is not us, including partners: relationships are key in every aspect of life. Mars is always concerned about fighting for home and land (4th) and life and longevity (8th). Jupiter, planet of knowledge and wisdom, is more inclined towards the 5th (students) and 9th (teachers). Saturn, the planet of effort, has to do with the difficult house of effort (3rd) and the 10th (obligations). Crucially, all planets cause some kind of aspect, except at 150 degrees and 0-30 degrees in front and 300-360 degrees. Think less about planetary aspects in the sense of “on/off”. Think more about planetary aspects as the varying intensity with which planets mark things with their inherent nature.