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Judging or stereotyping someone ahead of time based on their Sun sign or any other part of their chart is one the most common mistakes
people make in astrology. While astrology can be very accurate in assessing someome's current or potential character traits, it is certainly not the
only criteria for doing so. Education, upbringing, maturity, karma, and free will also play their parts. Remember, the planets compel but they
do not dictate. The people most strongly swayed by their astrological charts are those who are weak-willed are or who have not acquired much life
experience or a definite set of values. Religious or spiritual values, for example, can override astrological influences. It's easy to fall into
the habit of stereotyping -both racially and astrologically.
The Arian aggressiveness, the Taurean possessiveness, the Geminian infidelity, the Cancerian insecurity, the Leonian centricity, the Virgoan pickiness, the Libran indecisiveness, the Scorpion vengefulness, the Sagittarian recklessness, the Capricorn manipulativeness, the Aquarian coldness, and the Piscean vagueness -all can be greatly tempered by strong personal or moral values. It is also true, however, that certain zodiacal tendencies or traits are clearly entrenched and will not go away, so a balanced approach must be adopted. One of the worst but understandable things astrological newbies do is to immediately ask someone they don't know about their Sun sign and typecast them accordingly. First of all, the Sun sign is only part of the chart, and not always the most salient or relevant feature. More often, the ascendant or rising sign, as well as the Moon sign, describe the apparent individual more accurately. Also, most people don't really grow into their charts until they are adults, and this is especially true of the Sun sign. Furthermore, different parts of the chart stand out at different times or places in the individual's life. Then there are the progressions and transits which overlay or modify the natal placements to a substantial degree. None of these factors, however, will overpower the natal placements which are the hallmark of the astrological discipline. A better approach would be to get to know the person or individual first before knowing their birth chart. This way there are no pre-conceived judgements or stereotyping which can get in the way of assessing that individual's nature and his or her influence on you. When you know the person well enough, you can then confirm(or dispell) your feelings or judgements by going into their birth chart. This is the best way to learn astrology. Of course, if you're match-making, and don't have time to get to know the individuals first, knowing their birth charts is indespensible. There is perhaps another reason why we should not be 100% confident in assessing people through astrology, and that is that our current astrology is not yet complete, nor is it fully understood. There may be other planets out there still undiscovered that will shed new light on each of us. This happened when Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto were discovered in the last three hundred years, and then Chiron and the centaurs and Eris and the transneptunians. Both astronomers and astrologers suspect a final planet X or Transpluto. At least two more planets or bodies need discovery or confirmation so that each sign is ruled by a different planet. The old 7 planet - 12 sign scheme while still workable is vague and outdated. We are growing, both individually and collectively, and need to reaffirm this growth through more astrological bodies. Even the forgotten stars may come to play a role. Besides, we have all the planets and signs already within us, it's just that only some of them are switched on at birth according to the configuration in the sky and for that particular incarnation. We were different Sun signs or Moon signs or other in the past and will be different in the future. This is all stored up in our vast genetic memory and becomes our own unique living library which we can acess when we master ourselves. It may even be possible to change our charts at that point! The goal is to master all twelve planets and signs in this system before we can go on to another, and that's not including sex, race, and status. So the next time you meet a certain imdividual, you need to have the whole story before you can really judge them -which you will probably never have. The astrological birth chart only gives you the barest knowledge. It is never specific, providing only a framework for the individual's character and life situation. Free will can always override any astrological influence, and the specifics are left to us. On the other hand, having no astrology would lead to total chaos or undifferentiation. Everyone would be driven by outer circumstance rather than inner longing or inclination. The planetary or zodiacal tendencies were created and enshrined by the acts of the first peoples or gods, and guide us forever more, for better or worse. We draw from or add to these archetypes continuously. They form the basis or structure of our continual personal and collective development. The planets represent basic functions or groups of functions and the signs are the energies or life forces that shape and animate them. There are 144 possible placements or archetypes(12 planets x 12 signs), 12 of which are immediately expressable per lifetime. 72 are good and 72 are bad and they capitulate the entire spectrum of existence. Astrology is God's Book of Life and master plan of Creation charting the alpha to the omega. While the Sun is your ultimate spiritual center or source from which you came and will return, it branches itself out to the other planets so it can gain another perspective of itself. The Earth we are currently on is one such perspective working via the ascendant or rising sign. This Ascendant or rising sign often typecasts us more than the Sun or any other placement and we are often identified by this sign from others. Unless it is in the sign of your Sun, the ascendant does not represent your true inner nature and you are likely to be misunderstood by others. More often than not the Ascendant becomes the Great Deceiver or Lucifer aspect because it is the part of us we have not yet fully or successfully incorporated into our beings, and so it stands out like a sore thumb. Incorporation of the "ascend"ant is effected through ascension. The Midheaven or MC is another little known aspect of our nature that can make a difference in astrology. There is no clear consensus on the true meaning or importance of this part of our chart other than it is the highest point in the sky or chart of the individual signifying ultimate conciousness or aspiration. The MC, which this author correlates with the Earth's inner central sun is literally your God point or Heavenly self or that which is most important in your life. The mother, which this point often signifies, is indeed the most important person in anyone's life and should be revered as divinity. Instead, our contrary patriarchal system glorifies the father or male(signified by the IC). The Midheaven, or Zenith needs to be better understood or clarified as it can add a whole new dimension to understanding both the native and his or her chart. We must get away from the idea that your Sun sign determines your zodiacal type. Your overall zodiacal or sign type can be determined by combining your strongest mode with your strongest element. Someone with most of his planets in the fixed mode and in the earth element, for example, will be a Taurean type(fixed earth=Taurus). The planetary type is determined by the sign, element. or gender a planet is in. Mars in the masculine gender basically makes you a "martian" type, but especially if it is in a fire sign and most of all if it is in Aries. You can(at the same tine) also be a "jupiterian" if Jupiter is well-placed, or a Venusian, etc. In fact, you can be all 12 planetary types(to varying degrees) all at the same time or none of them depending on which signs your planets are in. There may be other important unknowns in astrology which can help in judging an individual, but I believe I have covered the main ones. As I've said before, astrology in its current state is not perfect, yet it is better than nothing and you can still get a pretty good idea about yourself and others through this fascinating and beautiful art and science. back to home |