Sydney School

ASTROLOGY LEVEL 1 - WEEK 1

1) THE BUILDING BLOCKS

There are 3 major components that make up the foundation of ASTROLOGY

They are the PLANETS, SIGNS and HOUSES a) The PLANETS

The SUN is a star and the MOON is the earth’s satellite but as far as Astrology is concerned they are called ‘planets’ and band together with another 8 that orbit the Sun.

These 10 Planets are:

Sun N Moon M Mercury O Venus P Mars Q Jupiter R Saturn S Uranus T Neptune U Pluto V

b) THE SIGNS

The signs are twelve 30 degree areas of space that form an immovable circular band around the earth. (12 x 30 degrees = 360 degrees)

They occur in an astrological order that always remains the same. The astrological order begins with Aries and ends with Pisces as follows:

Aries A Taurus B Gemini C D

Leo E Virgo F Libra G Scorpio H

Sagittarius I Capricorn J Aquarius K Pisces L

c) THE HOUSES

The HOUSES are sections of the sky as seen from the earth’s perspective.

There are 12 HOUSES simply named the 1st to the 12th HOUSE

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The houses are subject to a specific location on earth and are aligned with the HORIZON and the MERIDAN (the highest and lowest points). Due to this fact the houses can vary in their size, but there will always be 12.

It is important to note that the signs always occupy exactly 30 degrees of space, while the houses will occupy a different number of degrees depending on the birth location. It is like a pie cut through the centre from edge to edge 6 times creating 12 unequal pieces. The opposite piece of pie however will always be of equal size.

2) THE ECLIPTIC

Astrology is GEOCENTRIC. This means the solar system is viewed from the earth’s perspective. This being the case, from the earth it seems as if all the planets including the SUN are revolving around us.

A great split with astronomy occurred in the 16th Century when it was discovered that all the planets revolved around the Sun and not the Earth as previously assumed. It was at this time that Astrology was discredited by the scientific community as being based on a false assumption.

This notion that Astrology is unscientific is of course still alive today in the Scientific/Western community. Astrologers explain this by the fact that we are dealing with vibration, and our understanding of how energy affects us and our planet is from our own earth bound perspective.

The ECLIPTIC is the path that the SUN makes during its ‘apparent’ trip around the earth. It rotates around the earth like a diagonal headband.

As the SUN rotates around the EARTH on this ecliptic path it will cut the EARTH’S EQUATOR at two points on opposite sides of the EARTH. These two points mark the EQUINOXES, either the beginnings of Spring or Autumn for each hemisphere. The diagram on the next page shows the 2 equinox points that are indicated by the signs Aries and Libra.

The point where The SUN reaches its highest and lowest points of latitude, which is 23.4 degrees away from the equator, marks the SOLSTICES. This is the beginning of Summer or Winter for each hemisphere.

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On the diagram below the 2 solstices are indicated by signs Cancer and Capricorn.

Western Astrology is called ‘Tropical Astrology.’ This means that the signs of the zodiac are aligned with the earth’s four seasons.

The Tropic of Cancer is the northernmost latitude at which the Sun can appear directly overhead at noon. This event occurs at the June solstice, when the northern hemisphere is tilted towards the SUN to its maximum extent. The Tropic of Cancer lies 23 degrees north of the equator. North of this latitude are the Subtropics and Northern Temperate Zone.

The equivalent line of latitude south of the equator is called the Tropic of Capricorn, which runs through Rockhampton in Queensland.

The region between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, centred on the equator, is known as the Tropics.

The word "tropic" itself comes from the Greek tropos, meaning turn, referring to the fact that the Sun appears to "turn back" at the solstices.

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The SUN enters the sign of ARIES as it crosses the EQUATOR into the Northern Hemisphere on approximately March 21st each year. As the Sun progresses northbound it enters TAURUS on approx APRIL 21st and then GEMINI on approx May 21st until it reaches its highest point of latitude when it enters CANCER on approx June 22nd.

The Suns path now begins to descend entering both LEO and VIRGO until it reaches the equator again and enters LIBRA on approx Sept 23rd. The SUN now begins its descent into the southern hemisphere.

The Sun heads south bound through SCORPIO and SAGITTARIUS until it reaches its lowest point of latitude and begins its ascension entering Capricorn on approx Dec 21st.

The Sun then completes its cycle heading north through AQUARIUS and PISCES then reaches the equator again to re enter ARIES to begin the cycle anew.

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THE ZODIAC BELT

The Zodiac itself is a belt in space, extending out 8 degrees either side of the Ecliptic. Around this 360 degree circular belt lie the 12 signs each sign occupying 30 degrees of space. 12 x 30 = 360. This is the ZODIAC BELT.

So, the Ecliptic is the apparent yearly path of the Sun around the Earth against the backdrop of the stars which are relatively fixed in space. The Zodiac belt extending out 8 degrees either side of the Ecliptic is like a super highway where the Moon and all the other planets in our solar system appear to move around the Earth.

All the planets move in the same direction, and all the planets are roughly on the same plane, so the whole solar system is like a flat dish or belt.

The word Zodiac is from the Greek word Zodion, which roughly translates to ‘Circle of Life’, which enforces the idea that we are surrounded by living energies. The diagram above takes a wider perspective of our solar system, and you can see how the 12 signs surround us.

The Earth moves approximately one degree around our Sun centred circular path per day. From our perspective on Earth, it appears as if the Sun is moving through a particular zodiac sign by one degree every day or through one 30 degree sign of the zodiac every month.

3) THE ANGLES OF A BIRTH CHART

The astrological chart consists of four major points called the ANGLES cutting the circle into quarters horizontally and vertically. These lines are the HORIZON and MERIDIAN.

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The left hand side of the horizontal line is the ASCENDENT. This represents the area of sky rising in the east. The right hand side is the DESCENDENT the area of sky setting over the west. The point at the top the chart is the or MC (Medium Coeli) representing an area of sky directly above the specific location. The point at the base of the chart is the NADIR or IC (Imum Coeli). This point represents the area of sky directly below the specific location. The ANGLES correspond with the cusps of the 1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th houses.

ASCENDANT = 1st House 10 IC = 4th House Cusp DESCENDANT = 7TH House 1 7 Cusp MC = 10th House Cusp 4

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The earth spins on its own axis taking 24 hours (1 day) to spin a complete revolution.

As we spin on the EARTH, all the planets seem to circle us. This is noticeable on a daily basis with the SUN rising in the east in the morning and setting in the west in the evening. Just like the SUN, even though we can’t always see the other planets, they also appear to move around the EARTH.

The SIGNS do the same. The sign of GEMINI may be coming over the horizon at 6am but by midday GEMINI is directly above us. It is this rotation of the earth on its axis which determines which backdrop will be located on the Ascendant when we are born.

The sign coming over the eastern horizon (or rising) at the moment you were born is your ASCENDANT or RISING SIGN.

The ASCENDANT sign changes roughly every 2 hours (depending on location). This is because the backdrop of the EARTH’S sky changes once every day as it rotates on its axis. (2 hours x 12 signs = 24 hours). This is why the birth time is so important. The Ascendant therefore, essentially dictates into which area of the chart (or house) the planets will fall.

6 Sydney Astrology School eg. At 6am a child born may have Gemini rising but 2 hours later the earth has spun and another child born at 8am would more than likely have the next sign rising which would be Cancer.

Some Astrologers use this information for good birth times. It also explains how two babies born on the same day, in the same place, but at different times may have their planets located in very different areas of the chart and therefore focus their energies in very different ways to each other.

THE ANGLES

The ANGLES are the 4 points on the chart at either side of the horizon and meridian that cut the chart from east to west and top to bottom. They represent 4 pivotal terrains of the human experience. The ANGLES are:

1) THE ASCENDANT

The Ascendant totally encapsulates the identity and its function is very evident in everyday life.

The Ascendant is the encasing of you. It is your shell or your mask. It is the body in which you are born into and how you ‘action’ it. The Ascendant is projected externally, that is why it is easy to see. It acts as a vehicle getting you from A to B and the style in which you “do it’.

The Ascendant often represents you physical appearance and the way you approach life in general. It also represents the lens we see the world through.

The Ascendant is superficial meaning it is often what’s presented on first meeting and is very apparent on a surface level, yet it is still a very important part of how we assert ourselves through life. The Ascendant is the funnel that leads the birth chart into life.

2) THE MC (medium coeli)

The MC is your position in the world at large. This includes both your contribution to the material world and your title or position as seen from a public level. It is the path you walk.

What you do as a career, your approach to it as well as any recognition it may bring are all found on the MC. The doctor, the volunteer or Mr. and Mrs. Jones are all MC titles. Parents are also an MC manifestation, particularly the mother as well as public institutions such as marriage, citizenships, divorce and knighthoods.

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3) THE DESCENDANT

This is the opposition axis to the Ascendant. The Ascendants focus is on ‘the self,’ the Descendants focus is on ‘the other’. The Descendant terrain is primarily based around relationship. The Descendant is reactive. Here is where you find the optimal learning you will need when joining with another. The Descendant is what you look for in a partner, as well as your approach, behavior and predisposition in relationships. The Descendant is not only marriage or romantic partners but any one on one interaction you may encounter including your enemies.

4) THE IC (imum coeli)

This is the opposition axis to the MC. The MC focuses on the outer world, the IC focus turns inward to your foundational self and your roots. The IC is a very subjective arena. It is tucked away at the deepest personal level, way down at our emotional core. The IC is the family, the home, parents (particularly father) heritage, tradition, our past and our early childhood experiences. It is how we are seen and behave in this environment as well as how it has influenced us. Many of our deepest emotional habits and fears stem from the IC, the lesson being to learn and grow from them.

HEMISPHERES

EASTERN Proactive Deals with working through personal initiative Houses 10-3

WESTERN Reactive Deals with working from and through others House 4-9

UPPER Objective Deals with working externally into the outer world Houses 7-12

LOWER Subjective Deals with working internally on the foundation of Houses ‘self’ 1-6

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The HEMISPHERES

THE QUADRANTS

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1st The Self Deals with developing a healthy operational Houses 1-3 functioning of the self.

2nd Self extension Deals with developing self expression and learns to House give from the self. 4-6 3rd Interaction Deals with stepping outside the identity and learns by Houses working through others. 7-9 4TH Integration Deals with stepping outside the identity and learns by Houses working into the world as part of ‘the whole’. 10-12

The PLANETS, SIGNS and HOUSES

In Level 1 we will be learning the art of how to combine the 3 major Astrological components effectively.

The three components have very distinct roles to play

The PLANETS represent a function or drive - they ask the question……what?

The SIGNS have a clear objective and flavour - they ask the questions…how?

The HOUSES represent a particular terrain - they ask the question…. …where?

Here is a basic example of linking components which of course we will cover in detail throughout Level 1

A person has the Sun in Libra in 10th house.

The Sun’s FUNCTION is the healthy expression of our life force/the self. It seeks purpose, joy and self-expression.

Libras OBJECTIVE is to understand balance and harmony particularly in relationship. Either through people or the eye/subject relationship to beauty and art.

The 10th house TERRAIN is the world at large (your career or status). It is your public role, your path.

A basic interpretation of linking these components would be that this person’s sense of self will be fulfilled by creating relationship and balance within their career or with their position in the world at large.

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