By Llean Joie Bautista
Our understanding of the world first began as an attempt to make sense of it. In a time where science was not yet concrete and mathematics was only starting to lay foundations, humans viewed the world through the lens of mysticism and magic. Ancient civilizations have been known to worship deities, gods and goddesses, creating folklore and other stories on the origin of the world that is centered on their beliefs and on those they worship. All of this was done in an attempt to understand how the world functions.
Let’s face it, the world is complex and deeply intricate, and we have barely scratched the surface in understanding how anything truly works. Our understanding of the world and the universe, vast as it may seem, is not nearly enough to create the full picture of its complete functionality. The world is a vast pool of mysteries. And while we may have immersed ourselves in the shallows, its depth is still a mystery awaiting to be solved. Nowadays, mysticism and magic are viewed in an almost mocking light. With the influx of scientific discoveries and principles, mysticism seemed to only be a thing of the past and should not be dwelled upon. Science, for all its greatness, paved the way in which society can disengage from ideas of magic, of deities, and even of religion. Mysticism is not the way to find truths. But I propose the opposite.
Mysticism can be one of the clearest ways so we can understand the truth. Mysticism is how the universe communicates to us, and one of the best ways to see it is by looking at the stars. Babylonians have been the first to realize that the stars are the key to understanding the universe and how they have influenced and affected the world and human life. Babylonians have been one of the first to create telescopes to observe the stars, looking towards celestial body formations and patterns.
This study spread across the nations, from Ancient Egypt to the Mediterranean, to Ancient Greece. Multiple varieties and different patterns of astrology emerged; two of the most well-known being the Hellenistic-Babylonian tradition and the Vedic Astrology, created and popularized in India using Hindu principles and beliefs.
Astrology works by computing the angles and degrees of celestial bodies and constellations in the sky. These star patterns have great influence on how the world works during the time they appeared, influencing how the future unfolds.
Astrology was originally applied as the way to assist in state affairs, but it has developed into an approach to have a comprehensive understanding of individuals during the time of their birth. Hellenistic-Babylonian Astrology is widely considered to be the most popular and more commonly used of the two for determining a natal chart for an individual. This form of astrology is where modern day horoscopes have originated from.
Horoscopes are cookie cutter, general definitions of signs that are based on the cycle of the sun throughout the different signs. A person’s sun sign is used in regard to horoscopes, which can be found in the monthly divisions (Taurus season occurs from April 19th to May 20th, Gemini season occurs on May 21st to June 20th, and so on and so forth), and is considered as the most mainstream and shallow understanding of Astrology. Astrology is more than just horoscopes. Astrology is a complex, diverse topic that can reveal so much the inner depths of people; from how they handle and deal with their emotions, to their expression of love and anger, what and how their luck will manifest as and into, to career, family relations, and potential health issues and problems in the future. I admit, when I first encountered astrology of this caliber, I was more than overwhelmed. I had no clear view on how to start and on what exactly I should start with. Thankfully, Filipino Astrologer and their team have webinars that educate and provide a thorough understanding on astrology and on its many uses. One webinar in particular was on Astro Heroes, a comprehensive training and webinar on personal chart interpretations through reading the charts of the Filipino heroes of the past, but are still relevant today. One of the main things that were discussed in the webinar was how to understand a person’s life purpose. And while it is an advanced topic when it comes to the realm of astrology, Sir Resti Santiago explained it so eloquently that it was not hard to digest and understand the bulk of information.
On Learning Astrology
During the five hour webinar, we first discussed planetary rulership, exaltation, detriments, and fall. Astrological signs have planets that rule them. Taurus and Libra are ruled by Venus, the planet responsible for feminine energy, love, the arts, and this includes the expression of love and how one deals with relationships. Aries and Scorpio are ruled by Mars, the planet of Masculine energy, taking action, leadership, as well as anger and the expression of anger. A planet that is in its rulership is said to be at its strongest. So, when your Mars is in either Aries or Scorpio, that means that your ability to take charge as well as your leadership skills are utmost. A planet that is in exaltation means that while it is not in rulership, its role in your chart is considerably good and it is expressed well, which leads to good expressions of what the planet brings. Mars is in exaltation in Capricorn; meaning that while not at its strongest, the planet is still overall prosperous to the person. When a planet is in Detriment, it means that it is in the complete opposite end of the planet’s rulership. This makes the planet and its manifestations considerably weak. Mars is in Detriment in Taurus, and this makes sense because Taurus is ruled by Venus, the planet of femininity while Mars is the planet that embodies masculinity. A planet that is in Fall is the opposite of exaltation, which means the planet is in a position that can cause problems with manifestation and expression. Mars is in Fall in the sign Cancer, the sign ruled by the Moon, which is the embodiment of maternal instinct, vulnerability, and emotions.
Another important thing to consider when reading a chart (either your own or another person’s) is “sects.” The concept of sects was created in ancient times, which divides the seven planets (Sun, Moon, and the five starry planets – Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn) into two categories; Diurnal and Nocturnal. The seven planets are categorized into two other factions, which are Luminaries and Planets. The Luminaries are the Sun and the Moon, as aptly named based on the fact that they illuminate the world during their own times on top of the horizon. The Sun is the Day Luminary, and attached to this is the Diurnal Sect. The Moon is the Night Luminary and attached to this is the Nocturnal Sect. This is where we identify people who have day and night charts.
If the Sun is above the horizon during their birth, then they are Day Charts. If the Sun is below the horizon during their birth, they are Night Charts. In a Diurnal, or Day Chart, three planets hold the most influence in a person’s life: Sun, Saturn, and Jupiter. In a Nocturnal or Night chart, three planets hold the most influence: Moon, Mars, and Venus. Mercury is seen as neutral in this division, not leaning towards either nocturnal or diurnal.
On Discovering One’s Life Purpose
But for me, the most important part of chart reading that I have learned through the webinar is how one can discover their life’s purpose by looking at the chart. In astrology, during your birth, the sky is divided into 12, which we each call a House. Each house has planets and signs, which govern and influence the different aspects in your life. The first house, which is the basis of our idea of self and selfimage, is what we call the helm of the chart. The first house is the driver and it leads how the whole of your chart goes. The astrological sign inside your chart is called Ascendant Sign or Rising Sign.
This is where , and your life’s purpose can be seen, by checking at what planet rules your sign and seeing which house that planet is in. For example, your Ascendant Sign is Scorpio and it is ruled by Mars. Let’s say that your Mars is in the 2nd house which deals with possessions, money, and other material things. In this scenario, your life’s purpose or fulfillment is centered heavily on the acquisition of possessions and money.
Astrology is complex, diverse, and it gives a concrete understanding about a person and their life. Natal charts are computed precisely, with exact degrees to identify the specific location of the planet or celestial bodies in the sky during your birth. The sky gives a clear and thorough forecast on the person’s life from the moment that they are born. Our understanding of the world first began as an attempt to make sense of it. In a time where science was not yet concrete and mathematics was only starting to lay foundations, humans viewed the world through the lens of mysticism and magic. Mankind has always tried their best to create an understanding of the world. Perhaps, the answer to our questions has been in front of us all along. All we need to do is learn how to look.
This article was first published in Astro Energy, book of Filipino Astrologer Auspicious Timing guides. Llean Joie Bautista is Philosophy student from University of the Philippines Los Banos