Who are the Planets?
Previously, we laid a historical foundation and defined astrology as the study of the correlation between celestial and earthly events. We learned that horoscopic astrology as practiced in the West today has its roots in the Hellenistic era (323-33 BC) when the first natal charts were calculated. The founders of the Hellenistic tradition were drawing upon earlier advancements in mathematics, astronomy, and celestial observation carried out in Egypt and Mesopotamia over several millennia. Although Egypt and Babylon both held complex calendrical and divinatory systems involving the planets, their practice was primarily carried out for kings and the state. The Hellenistic era is notable for focusing upon the fate and fortune of individuals and introducing the natal chart, whose elements of the planets, signs, aspects, and houses are still in use today.
Of these four components, the planets are the most vital. Astrology without the planets would be like a story without characters. Their predictable movements along the ecliptic forms an endless dance which astrologers constantly interpret and analyze. To best grasp their character and meanings, one really ought to stargaze. Seeing the twinkling of Venus, the deep crimson of Mars, or Saturn’s ruddy brown color provides an embodied experience in which to ground the planets’ significations. In fact, much of the conceptual framework upholding Hellenistic doctrines come from the everyday experience of looking at the night sky, beholding these seemingly “wandering stars” with the naked eye.
With this sense of wonder in mind, the question still lingers: what are the planets? Or better put, who are the planets? The contemporary mind may seek to answer this question with recourse to science. Although modern astronomy provides useful descriptions of the planet’s material composition and their orbits, it cannot furnish us with myths or meanings. Science assumes the Cosmos is mute and inanimate, lacking purpose and awareness. Not so to the ancient mind or contemporary animist. The movements of the planets display an inherent purposiveness that suggests to many cultures that they are divine beings, cosmic forces, or omens expressing a divine language. When taking a broad view of diverse beliefs about the planets, one sees that they are best understood as archetypes and polyvalent symbols.
Writing in 1919, the renowned Swiss psychologist Carl Jung first coined the term “archetype” to refer to primordial images of the unconscious. In his studies, he came to the conclusion that the unconscious is something collectively shared and that deep within it are psychological forces which manifest in mythology as deities and demons. These deep forces also emerge as motifs and themes throughout human lives and history. Employing horoscopes in his psychiatric sessions, Jung was in fact fascinated by astrology, finding in it the "sum of all the psychological knowledge of antiquity." Both the Greeks and the Babylonians before them intentionally named the planets after gods of their pantheons whom they believed best represented the sum total of that planet’s nature. Therefore, we find in ancient astrology an understanding that the planets are visible manifestations of cosmic forces. The names and stories surrounding these forces may change from culture to culture, but the archetype remains. For example, whether called Inanna or Aphrodite, the planet Venus often signifies beauty, love, and sensuality.
The next aspect to understand about the archetypes is their polyvalence, meaning "having many forms, functions, or facets." In astrology, this polyvalence manifests in the ability for planets to symbolically represent many interconnected things, depending upon the context. Take the planet Mars for example. In a natal consultation, Mars may represent the native's military career or their boisterous, brusque personality. Mundane astrology studies world events and the history of nations. Therefore, in a mundane chart, Mars may stand for a conflict or battle or war. Horary astrology answers specific questions about personal situations. So in a horary consultation Mars may be something literal like a knife, a car, or an accident. Underneath this range of distinct manifestations is the underlying archetype of Mars.
What follows are descriptions and keywords which I feel cut to the core of each planet’s archetypal meaning. My primary influences for these significations are William Lilly’s Christian Astrology, Chris Brennan’s translation of Vettius Valens’ Anthology, the archetypal astrologer Richard Tarnas’ book Cosmos and Psyche, and the Hygromanteia of Solomon, a Byzantine-era grimoire. I only included the seven classical planets, however astrologers also incorporate the outer planets like Uranus and Neptune, exotic celestial bodies like Chiron, or calculated points like Nodes of the Moon. In the future, I may address these newer additions to the astrological lexicon, but I feel that the seven original planets provide us with a wealth of meaning.
Planetary Keywords
Sun: Vital energy, animating force, ascension, ambitions, achievements, ideals, individuality, creativity, luminosity, the Will, self-awareness and self-expression. That which stands out, shines, and initiates.
Moon: The body, the soul, the collective, the world. Inclusion, intuition, instinct, care, comfort, security, and safety. That which nurtures, gestates, and births.
Mercury: The mind, thought, reason, communication, language, perception, translation, transmission, and transportation. That which studies, grasps, and articulates.
Venus: Desire, love, friendship, romance, beauty, peace, harmony, value, attraction, romance, sensual pleasure, art, and aesthetics. That which is admirable and enjoyable to experience.
Mars: Raw force, division, conflict, vigor, violence, war, competition, courage, struggle, strife, assertion, and ignition. That which is adverse and painful.
Jupiter: Joy, nobility, fortune, wisdom, law, religion, philosophy, growth, progression, plenty, piety, advancement, and abundance. That which encompasses and includes.
Saturn: Gravity, limitation, constriction, containment, structure, sorrow, suffering, endurance, elders, tradition, discipline, depression, and death. That which opposes and oppresses.
