What gives a planet , sun, or star it's astrological power or influence?

Is it it's size, brightness, speed, period, or orbital position? Or is it simply because it has been divinely chosen or knighted to be of special influence or import in the lives of everything under it. Perhaps all of these things and more.

I have come to the conclusion that in astrology it does not matter how big, bright, or distant a body is, only that it is divinely chosen or selected to represent an archetype or set of characteristics, of which there are twelve primary.

Why twelve? Because this is the ideal number for this universe. It is neither few nor many and more divisible than most other numbers. Its divisors are 1,2,3,4,6,and 12, Meaning there is one zodiac, two genders, three modes, four elements, six axes, and twelve signs.

The Sun and Moon, or the two lights, are assigned the numbers 1 and 2, because they are the most notable objects in the sky for us, they are the largest and brightest heavenly objects, but there are two other even greater objects or realities, far larger and more immediate than the the Lights -these are the Spheres or Planes, of which there are also two.

The plane below us we call the Earth and the sky above us we call Heaven, at least that's what they appear to be. Despite what astronomy says, the Ancients have always seen the Earth as being a flat plane and the sky as a dome or half-sphere. The dome rotates and contains all of the heavenly bodies, and because it is tilted, its equator cuts our own equator and produces the equinoxes which starts the zodiac as well as the seasons.

In astrology, the Earth is represented by the Ascendant or Rising Sign and the Sky or Heaven is represented by the MidHeaven(middle of heaven). These two "angles" are the most important features in any birth chart, followed by the Sun and Moon, and then the wandering(moving) stars or planets. Planets are distinguished from the stars because of their motions, and this gives them their power or influence. They are much smaller than the Earth or Sky or Sun and Moon but of equal importance. In astrology, all twelve planets or significators are of equal importance.

The two most prominent planets are Venus and Jupiter, otherwise known as the benefics, followed by Mars and Saturn or the malefics. Then there are Uranus and Neptune or the invisible transcendentals. Both Mercury and Pluto are singular or unpaired and can be referred to as the two errants(both deviate or incline much from the ecliptic). Mercury is difficult to see because of its closeness to the Sun and Pluto because of its distance.

This makes a total of twelve bodies or factors which is the complete number in astrology, from totally vast and visible to totally tiny and invisible. Their place along the twelvefold ecliptic gives them their life, power, and quality.

The planets are the archons or archangels who have sinned and abandonded their appointed stations(home signs) beginning the cycle of reincarnation. They sin by going into signs that distort their real natures and then transmit this evil on the Earth through the birth process. When they are judged or chastised they will either resume their permanent station(become fixed stars again) or be destroyed and replaced.

The Earth and the Sky are entities as well and we are their children. Some of us come from the sky(good or pure souls) while others come from deep inside the planet(evil or sinful souls). Both live on the surface(Purgatory) as wheat and tares, plants and weeds. We are here to overcome and master or succumb and falter, goaded by the archons(planets) and studied by the stars(unfallen angels). Falling stars are falling angels(incarnating angels).

The asteroids are said to be(by astronomers) the shattered remnants of planetary collisions, and that may be so, or they may be the innumerable fallen minions or the homes of those minions. The truth is astronomers don't really know what the heavenly bodies are, or if they do they're not telling us. They're under strict orders to tow the party line(of their masters) or face retribution. Most astronomers won't even acknowledge astrology or that the planets have personal influence and will in fact ridicule it. It's part of the mindset of modern scientism which started some 200 years ago. Before then, astrology and astronomy were practically inseparable.

Most people know the truth but fear to say it. They can recognize patterns of looks and behaviours based on someone's time and place of birth, not only racially or culturally, but astrologically as well. The heavenly bodies DO affect human appearance and behaviour, and twelve in particular have been given great power or importance, regardless of their size, luminosity, or distance. Which twelve these are is known by the Creator of this realm the knowledge of which is passed on to humanity, just like the patriarch Enoch was shown the secrets of the the cosmos by God and the angels.

For over two thousand years, astrologers were given only seven astrological bodies to work with, but then came Uranus, and Neptune, and Pluto raising the total to ten, and soon two more will be acknowledged. It is the lifelong goal of this author to discover what those final two bodies are. Until then I will feel somewhat lost or incomplete, and I'm sure most everyone else who is into astrology feels this as well.