Introduction to Astrological Planets

This is a very brief introduction to astrological planets. This article discusses what are planets, what energies do they represent in our life and what anatomy they influence in our body.

Originally defined by ancient astrologers, planet refers to a celestial object which "wanders" in the sky. Modern astrologers apply the term to the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. Astronomers have separated the definition to exclude the Sun and Moon from this list: The Sun is a star, the Moon a satellite (of the Earth).

The heavenly bodies of God's Ambassadors which circle about the Sun.As man is made in the image of God, who is threefold in manifestation, so astrologically, the higher self in man is represented by a circle with the central point denoting the highest spiritual aspect, the Divine Spirit whose faculty is Will. Therefore, the Sun stands in the horoscope as the highest expression of the individual self. It denotes the positive outgoing influence in man, his character in the highest sense of the word.

In astrology, the larger life of our solar system as a whole tells us something about our own personal Earth life. The interplay and relationship of the planets with one another as they circle the Sun is carefully studied. Of particular interest to astrologers are the Sun, the Moon, and the planets: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. These are the celestial bodies used most often by modern astrologers for natal interpretation. Each of these planets represents or refers to a part of our life and self.

The symbol of the planet Venus is a circle above the cross. It denotes wisdom which is not mere intellectuality, but Intuition and Imagination. Hence, the nature of Venus is essentially love, and it is the cementing influence in the life whereby we are attracted to others for mutual benefit; although Venus in and of herself is not concerned with mutual benefit, it being her nature to attract others, and that good comes by her is only an incident.

The planet Jupiter is symbolized by the half-circle above the cross. It denotes the human spirit, whose faculty is abstract thought. Therefore the planet Jupiter stands for the higher mind, the mind that is unconcerned with material things, and expresses itself in abstract thought, as religion, philosophy and the higher sciences.

Mars is the opposite of Venus. It is symbolized by the cross above the circle, so that while it is Venus's nature to unselfishly love, and to give to others, it is the nature of Mars to desire for selfish ends. It therefore denotes all the outgoing energy of the lower nature, the desire body, the passional an emotional aspect of man, which causes him to work outwards in the world, to overcome obstacles and to gather experience.

Saturn is the opposite of Jupiter, the cross of matter above the half-circle denoting the brain mind. It is that which gives persistence to the impulses of Mars, and symbolizes the relatively permanent part of the lower nature, that which has been weighed and found to be of use. It is, therefore, symbolical of the seed-atoms of Man's lower vehicles, wherein are stored the experience of all past lives. Hence, Saturn denotes the mechanical ability, the chastity and justice; the perseverance and material attainments which have been made into virtues through his purging influence. He stands as the reaper of the things that have been sown in the body, and as such he appears often in the life to chastise us for the wrong we have done; not vandalistically, but in order that we may learn the lessons of how to act rightly.

The Moon is the reflection of the Sun. That together with the Ascendant, denotes the formation of the physical body, and the Ascendant the significator of the dense body. Hence, these two stand for that which is man's tool in action; the most perfect part of his nature, but at the same time, the most evanescent. The Moon is, therefore, the very antithesis of the Sun. The latter is a fixed star while the Moon is the most migratory of the heavenly bodies.

The three last named planets are the significators of the lower nature in man, the personality, as opposed to the individuality symbolized by the three first named planets; and these two triangles are connected by the planet signifying the lower concrete mind, namely Mercury. The symbol of that planet has in it all three constituents of planetary symbolism, the circle, the half-circle and the cross, showing it to have no nature of its own, but to be a vehicle for the expression of the other planets. When Mercury is well posited with reference to Venus, we have the artistic, poetical, musical and literary type of mind. For it is from Venus that the vibrations come which express themselves in all art.

When Mercury is well placed in relation to Jupiter, we have the philosophical and scientific mind, the ruler and the law-giver, both in church and state who works for the good of all. When Mercury is well posited with regard to Mars, we have the man of action; the man who aims at the material development of the world's resources in a small or large way, as a shopkeeper, storekeeper and all other ways wherein others are exploited for personal benefit, for Mars is, as already said, the antithesis of Venus,  and the embodiment of selfish desire.

Mercury in aspect to the Moon has no significance, as the Moon itself is a reflector; except where it is an evil aspect coming from a cardinal sign or elevation. There it may produce flighty thinking. In the foregoing, only the essential natures of the planets have been given. Where they are well aspected by another planet these natural characteristics are enhanced so far as the benefic planets are concerned, but when evilly aspected, the nature of Venus, which is wisdom, love and rhythm, will become folly, licentiousness, and sloth; the philosophy, law-abiding tendencies mercy and lofty aspirations of Jupiter will turn into lawlessness, disregard of others, and low pursuits; the lofty spirituality of the Sun will express itself as just animal spirits and physical health.

In regard to the planets of the lower nature, good aspects to Mars turn the desires towards constructive objects and well regulated activities while the evil aspects are responsible for the destructive expression of the desire nature. Saturn, when well aspected, gives the mechanical and executive ability that is capable of directing the desire nature. It shows the brainy, persevering man who is able to cope with and conquer material obstacles; the organizer and promoter; the scientific investigator, who follows along material lines. As it is the antithesis of Jupiter, it will be readily seen that as Jupiter, well aspected, denotes the high-minded philosopher, the worthy law-giver, the sincere and ardent priest, in fact, all who have high and lofty aspirations, so Saturn, when evilly aspected, denotes the narrow-minded, creed-bound sectarian, the materialist, the anarchist and the enemy of society, whether of the church or state.

As Jupiter gives the lofty, expansive and benevolent mind, so Saturn, evilly aspected, gives the sarcastic, concrete and narrow tendencies. Uranus: Besides the seven planets already mentioned, two others are in our system, Uranus and Neptune. Uranus may be said to be the octave of Venus, having her nature in a much more subtle degree; its attractions are so spiritual that they cannot be felt by the ordinary man in the proper manner, and he therefore, more readily responds to the evil side of Uranus. It is the planet which rules the ether, and when in aspect to Mercury, or in the Ascendant, or with the Moon, it produces a touch with the force we know as electricity.

Its operations are always very sudden, and as mankind responds to its evil side, as already stated, these effects show themselves particularly in the form of disaster. Neptune is the octave of Mercury. As mercury is the light-bearer for the physical Sun, so is Neptune the light-bearer of the spiritual Sun, called Vulcan among occultists, which is seen back of the visible Sun.

Naturally, therefore, still fewer among humanity are capable at all of being affected by it, save that it produces a chaotic state of mind when placed in evil aspect. When placed in angles, and particularly in elevations near the Midheaven, it produces Occultists and Mystics of the highest stamp; but when placed in cadent houses, it may bring mediumship, cunning, emotionalism. It is the highest string in the lyre of the soul of God, and is therefore the least used, and the one to get most easily out of tune. Astrologers are the most affected by it, and those musicians who use stringed instruments.

 
Sun: Operates chiefly through the anterior pituitary gland, to affect the circulation of the blood through the heart and the arteries; the tear ducts; the spinal cord.

Moon: The substance of the body, as distinguished from the vitality flowing through it; the alimentary canal; the child-bearing female organs and functions; the lymphs; the sympathetic nervous system; the cerebellum, the lower ganglia.

Mercury: The thyroid gland; the brain and the cerebro-spinal nervous system; the sense of sight; the tongue and the organs of speech; the hands as instruments of intelligence.

Venus: The thymus gland, the sense of touch; the throat, kidneys, and to some extent the generative system. Its influence has been said to operate through the solar plexus, upon the functions of digestion and nutrition. It has an indirect influence upon features, complexion, hair -- in so far as those express beauty.

Mars: The cortex, or cortical portion of the adrenal gland; the head, externally; the sense of taste; the breasts and the maternal functions, and in part the generative organs; the motor nerves; the excretory organs; the red corpuscles of the blood.

Jupiter: The posterior pituitary gland; feet, thighs, liver, intestines, blood plasma, muscles, growth; also control of shoulders and arms, in motions that for effectiveness depend upon good timing.

Saturn: The medullary portion of the adrenal gland; the skin and the secretive system; teeth; bones, joints and tendons-particularly the knee and the calf of the leg; the spleen; the organs and sense of hearing.

Uranus: The parathyroid gland; the brain and nervous system; the electric and magnetic emanations.

Neptune: The pineal gland, the organs of extra-sensory perception; intuitive and psychic receptivity.

Pluto. The Pancreas, and the digestive glands; the enzymes which effect catalytic and hydrolitic transformations essential to proper metabolism.