By Len Wallick
So much of the astrology lately has had to do with the aspects (angles) between planets. This big one, of course, is the long 90-degree aspect (square) between Saturn and Pluto in their respective cardinal signs. This, of course, is leading up to the t-square (two 90-degree aspects and a 180-degree opposition combined) when Jupiter and Uranus reach the first degree of Aries in a year or so. Eric, of course, has fingered this as an important significator of the astrological take on the wider cultural phenomena that the year 2012 represents.
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Today, however, your intrepid correspondent is suggesting that the aspects can pretty much be put aside in favor of other things. Every sign has an alchemical element (earth, air, fire and water) as well as a quality (cardinal, fixed, mutable) associated with it.
The combination of element and quality tells you something about the personality of the sign. Taurus, being of the fixed earth combination, for example implies about as earthy as one can get. We place the foundations of nearly all our buildings in the earth precisely because we want them to stay fixed in place. Virgo, on the other hand, being the combination of mutable and earth implies a more paradoxical makeup. Each sign’s particular combination represents both a field of strength and potential for weakness.
In addition, each sign is corresponded with a ruling planet or luminary. In the multiple millennium before the telescope there were more signs (12) than visible planets and luminaries (7), so some planets had to do double duty. Finally, there is a house associated with each sign, the succession of which traces a progression that begins from self and proceeds to expand and evolve. There is a longer story in the houses and rulers but we may leave it at that for the purpose of this missive.
Today begins with the Sun at mid-Capricorn, a sign ruled by Saturn. The Moon is winding up its second day in Virgo. Mercury is the ruling planet of Virgo and it’s retrograding entirely in Capricorn. Saturn is in Libra. Venus is the ruling planet of Libra and it’s currently catching up with the Sun in Capricorn. Mars is retrograde in Leo, ruled by the Sun, which is in Capricorn. Jupiter is essentially void (with some interesting minor planet exceptions) in the twenty-eighth degree of Aquarius, originally ruled by Saturn which takes us back to where all the roads of pre-science planets lead today – you guessed it – Capricorn.