Reconciliation of the Tropical and Sidereal Zodiacs. Part I.

The universe is, quite obviously, our mother – “mother nature.” The stars and planets of the heavens are her body. The movements of those planets and stars is the “body language” or “sign language” that our mother uses to help us navigate an understand the destinies we have created for ourselves over countless lifetimes on a great journey towards self-realization.

Like any language, it is quite important to grasp the fundamental grammar. Astrological grammar has three primary divisions:

1)      the planets

2)      the space through which they roam – the “zodiac”

3)      the way this space relates to a given time and place on earth – the “houses”

In this paper (being presented first as a series of posts on my blog) I will address our understanding of the second part of astrological grammar: the zodiac. This topic is in dire need of address because the international community of serious astrologers has not yet agreed upon how to even define it!

Stated basically, there are two opposing ways to define the zodiac: in reference to the stars, or in reference to the Sun’s relationship to the earth. The former is termed a “sidereal zodiac” and the later a “tropical zodiac.” One camp of astrologers believes that the tropical zodiac alone is correct. Another camp believes that the sidereal alone is correct. A few believe that there must be room for both. In this paper I will propose and explore a marriage of the two zodiacs.

My background and roots are in Indian astrology – often given the fairly misleading moniker of “Vedic astrology.” Naturally, then, my exploration of this topic will stem from that vantage point, but am confident that what I discover will be of significant value to the entire international astrological community.

The Sidereal Zodiac is the Stars Themselves?

Initially, the tropical zodiac seemed to me imaginary, a mistake, or perhaps at best theoretical. After all, I could look up in the sky with my own eyes every night and see that Jupiter, for example was literally in Taurus. Thus the sidereal zodiac initially struck me as the obvious, real and accurate one.

But there are a few undeniably weird things about it.

First of all, the actual zodiac constellations are of all different sizes; some very large and others very short. The sidereal zodiac does not reflect this at all. Like the tropical zodiac, it defines all the signs as being of identical size.

Actually, what I see with my eyes is not twelve but thirteen constellations within zodiac space – the thirteenth being the recently made famous Ophiuchus.

So I have to admit, after all, that the sidereal zodiac really is not the actual stars in space. And this leads to the question, “What exactly is it?” The answer caused me to realize that the sidereal zodiac is not as different from the tropical as it initially seemed.

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End of Part I – Continued in PART II

Vic DiCara

www.vicdicara.com

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The Twelve Signs of the Zodiac

A sign is a place in the heavens which can be occupied by the planets. The planets are like people, who utilize the resources of a place to achieve whatever ends they desire. So the zodiac signs influence astrology not directly, but indirectly by providing specific resources which limit, facilitate and otherwise modify what the planets can do in a horoscope.

To do astrology, you must clearly and deeply understand what resources are available in which signs. That’s what this article will help you with.

Each zodiac sign is a result of four things: gender, element, mode and ruler. We can take gender out of the equation because element implies gender (fire and air are always masculine, water and earth are always feminine). A zodiac sign, therefore is a combination of three things:

1. An element (fire, earth, air or water), combined with
2. A mode (cardinal, fixed or dual), and cultivated by
3. A ruler (one of the seven primary planets)

Here is a list of the ingredients in the recipe for each of the twelve zodiac signs (if you are patient and have a good eye for abstractions, you will find many beautiful symmetries and patterns in this list. I apologize that the simple formatting here doesn’t reveal these perfections more clearly):

Sun +             fixed          fire =       Leo.

Moon +        cardinal   water = Cancer.

Mercury +   dual           earth =   Virgo.

Mercury +   dual           air =         Gemini.

Venus +        cardinal   air =         Libra.

Venus +        fixed          earth =   Taurus.

Mars +          fixed          water =  Scorpio.

Mars +          cardinal   fire =       Aries.

Jupiter +      dual           fire =       Sagittarius.

Jupiter +      dual           water =  Pisces.

Saturn +      cardinal   earth =   Capricorn.

Saturn +      fixed          air =         Aquarius.

Saturn’s Signs

Capricorn

Saturn+ Cardinal Earth.

Recall what you learned about Saturn, reality, tenacity, etc. Now consider those interests expressing themselves through cardinal earth. The nature of Saturn becomes more forceful, decisive and ambitious due to the cardinal mode, and even more enduring, immovable and rigid due to the earth element.

Capricorn encourages absolutely unrelenting tenacity with decisive dedication to realizing practical results from extremely ambitious goals.

We symbolize this meaning in the image of a mythical sea creature called a “Capricorn” or “Mākara.” The original version of this formidable beast is a crocodile’s jaws with a shark’s tail and a deer’s legs. The crocodile jaws are symbolic of tenacity, never letting go. The ability to be swift on water or land like a shark or a deer shows the decisive cardinality of this sign, and highlights Saturn’s ability to tolerate and dominate in any condition, land or sea.

Aquarius

Saturn + Fixed Air

Now consider the same interests of Saturn expressing themselves instead through fixed air. The fixed mode resonates well with Saturn’s patient tenacity. But the air mode causes Saturn to be less stubborn, and more curious.

Aquarius encourages enduring curiosity and humble patience in discovering the many different facets of life and its ultimate meaning.

A pot symbolizes this quite well. Some say the symbol is of a man pouring a pot – water flowing out of the pitcher, but the older symbol is of a man filling the pot – water flowing into the pitcher. I find the older symbol more useful. The pot is a place to collect various things collected in ones travels throughout life. The bearer of the pot is a servile person, like Saturn, which reflects that Saturn’s humility is available in Aquarius.

Jupiter’s Signs

Sagittarius

Jupiter + Dual Fire

Remember the root of all Jupiter’s intentions is positive expansion, accomplished through good moral guidance. The fire element, an element which shines light on the path and clearly points the right way forward, resonates quite well with these intentions. The duality here prevents the fire from being hasty and overly judgmental – as it is prone to be by nature. Instead it encourages a broad and open minded inquisitiveness.

Sagittarius encourages an open-minded hunger for the positive future that is sure to develop from broad ethical, moral, and philosophical understanding.

The symbol is a drawn bow and arrow, carried by a centaur. The arrow symbolizes the high moral ambitions of Sagittarius – to understand morality, ethics and philosophy in an ever broader manner. The arrow and the centaur are very fast. The centaur can run in one direction while the arrow shoots in the other – symbolizing the dual nature of Sagittarius. The centaur and arrow want to cover as much ground as possible. Notice that the centaur is a centaur, not just a horse. It has the head, the brain of a human. This conveys that Sagittarius is intelligent. The wide-roaming centaur and arrow want to cover as much philosophical ground as possible.

Pisces

Jupiter + Dual Water

Now consider the same energy as Sagittarius but with the moral and ethical interests of the fire element replaced by the contemplative, deep and reflective interests of the water element.

Pisces encourages deep introspection and careful reflection upon the heart of any matter, from all sides.

A fish is the symbol of Pisces. Naturally this is a reference to the water element in Pisces. Also, a fish is silent, and Pisces is quite introspective and reflective in how it goes about gaining a broader base of understanding. A fish can go very deep into the water, and this conveys the combination of Jupiter and water encouraging very deep contemplations. Often the symbol for Pisces contains two fish swimming in opposite directions, though tied together. This very clearly denotes the dual mode in Pisces.

The Signs of Mars

Scorpio

Mars + Fixed Water

Recall what you learned about Mars. He is our individual energy and ambition. Expressing itself through the fixed mode this results in the ambition to become deeper, more profound and more attractive. Because this fixed mode is blended with the element of water, the context of the ambition for profundity becomes emotionally, inwardly oriented. Fixed water, as a combination, creates great depths. Utilized by Mars it because an ambition to attain profound depths.

Scorpio encourages an inward search for more profound depths. Individuality is realized by strengthening and deepening one’s own inner self.

A scorpion is the symbol of Scorpio. This insect is dangerous, like Mars, and lives alone as an individual, like Mars. It lives in holes in the ground or secret cracks and shadows, symbolizing the inward, depth oriented nature of Scorpio as well as its proclivity for secrecy and secret things hidden in the depths.

Aries

Mars + Cardinal Fire

Now consider the same individualizing energy and ambition of Mars, not focused on inner depths as in Scorpio, but on outer heights. Cardinality resonates with the ambitious bravery of Mars. Fire shows the path and allows for swift progress without hesitation. Cardinal fire allows Mars to give great extroverted expressions to brave ambitions.

Aries encourages setting off alone and brave, blazing one’s own path as a bold declaration of individuality and self-assuredness.

The symbol of Aries is a mountain-goat, a ram. Like the scorpion this creature is dangerous with its formidable horns, and highly individualistic – living far from society and other animals, alone in the rocky heights of mountains. An animal who climbs great heights very appropriately conveys the ambitious cardinal nature, and by always knowing where to step without falling it symbolizes the fire element which illuminates the clear path.

Signs of Venus

Libra

Venus + Cardinal Air

Venus, remember, is mainly interested in making the world a better, more enjoyable place. When she cultivates this quality through cardinal air, in creates a very liberal nature. Cardinal is ambitious in seeking change towards new improvements. Air is curious and mobile and likes to change in search of new things.

Libra encourages a more pleasant world through liberal enthusiasm for new and better ways of life.

A lady holding a scale symbolizes Libra. This communicates the liberal ideal of fairness. The lady is fair and beautiful, symbolizing a more pleasant and enjoyable world. Scales symbolize justice and fairness, but also fair trade and exchange. This portrays how Libra does not hold on to old things and seeks to trade the old for something new and better.

Taurus

Venus + Fixed Earth

Now consider how the same intentions of Venus can manifest using fixed earth. Earth is practical, so the outcome is towards improving the world in a tangible, real, practical manner. The fixed mode is deep, steady, and conservative, so we have an emphasis on preserving good things.

Taurus encourages preservation of beneficial traditions and creation of things which are good and enjoyable in a tangible, practical way.

The bull is a symbol of Taurus. The bull is a domestic animal, so is pitting to portray a sign owned by Venus, who is all about relationships, cooperation and marriage. The bull tills the earth – fitting for symbolizing a sign created from the earth element, and thus creates food – the most practical and tangible object of wealth, goodness and enjoyment. The bull plowing a field also symbolizes simple adherence to old ways and traditions, fitting for the nature of a fixed sign intent on preserving what is good and worthwhile in the world.

Mercury’s Signs

Virgo

Mercury + Dual Earth

Remember that Mercury is the planet of interchange and intellect, whose main intention is to learn and understand. The dual mode, of course, resonates very sonorously with this – facilitating a multifaceted and objective approach. Earth directs this interest towards practical, tangible matters.

Virgo encourages intelligence in practical matters, caution and thoroughness in all affairs.

 A virgin is the symbol of Virgo. Over the centuries a lot of symbolic baggage has accumulated around the image of “virgin.” One thing that is still easy to hear in the imagery is a reflection of the prudence and caution of the earth element. Young girls are extremely intelligent and excellent students, especially in comparison to young boys. This makes them a fitting symbol for a sign of Mercury, the planet of intellect and learning. Before marriage, a girl is still studying many different subjects in school – reflecting on the dual mode and the character of Mercury present in Virgo.

Gemini

Mercury + Dual Air

The only thing different here from Virgo is the element. But what a significant difference it makes! Air is not at all cautious, it is free and mobile and fun-loving. Dual air allows Mercury to fully cultivate its wit, inventiveness, and fun-loving nature.

Gemini encourages ingenuity, invention, and a youthful love for freedom and fun.

Sometimes we see twins as a symbol for Gemini, but the more ancient image is a couple enjoying one another’s company. In both cases the two persons in the image point to the dual nature of the sign. That they are both human symbolizes the intellectual, witty, and refined nature of the sign. The more ancient image is more complete, however, because it portrays Gemini’s love for the fun and games associated with new youth.

Signs of the Luminaries

Leo

Sun + Fixed Fire

The Sun is the authority, and the strong sense of identity. The fixed mode is attractive and draws valuable things towards it rather than chasing after them. This causes Leo to support the kind of self-confidence that is charismatic and creates a powerful leader. This resonates loudly with the nature of the fire element, as well. Fire lights the path for others to follow.

Leo encourages strong self-confidence, generating the charisma and authority that commands and guides many followers.

The lion symbolizes Leo. The appropriateness of this image is quite obvious. The lion is the king of the jungle – and the Sun is the king of the planets. The lion is a calm, powerful, stately animal – much like the fixed mode. But like fire, the lion can be punishing when it decides to act.

Cancer

Moon + Cardinal Water

The Moon is the mind, the seat of all desires. Cardinality is decisive and ambition. Water is emotional and reflective. Clearly water and the moon harmonize loudly and clearly with one another, for emotions, desires and the mind itself are one and the same. Cardinality puts an interesting twist on the mixture, causing the emotional mind to be ambitious and decisive! Though cardinality brings decisiveness and direction to Cancer, we can’t forget that the Moon is shy by nature, greatly desiring the approval and acceptance of others.

Cancer encourages strong emotions and decisive opinions yet expresses them shyly and somewhat fearfully.

A crab symbolizes Cancer. The crab is a water-creature, so it is appropriate to symbolize a water sign. It runs sideways, quickly – an image alluding to the directional and committed / decisive nature of the cardinal element. The hard shell can also inform us of the cardinal disposition, which is not flexible and which shields itself from distraction. It, and the crab’s overall behavior, also speaks of the Moon’s timidity and fearfulness of being hurt by others.

 

- Vic DiCara

www.vicdicara.com

The Twelve Signs and Four Goals of Life

Image by williamcromar via Flickr

The ancient seers of India described human life as having four stages, each of which has a specific goals. Within and beyond them all is a fifth goal. Each of the five elements propels interest on of those goals. Ether, which everything is in and which is in everything, interests one in the fifth goal. The other four goals belong to the four elements used by the planets to cultivate their signs. The element within a sign determines what goal it proposes to the planet that inhabits it.

The first thing I need is pleasure. I am not alone, all life has this basic underlying motive. Air creates sensations and is responsible for making us desire pleasurable ones. The air signs, Gemini, Libra and Aquarius mark the way points along the evolution of this goal of life. Gemini gives new ideas of fun, Libra attempts to realize those ideas, and Aquarius tries to transform them into something better.

Next, I need stability and security. Lollipops are great, but when I get one I start to worry about where the next one will come. So I want to save money or make a lolli-stash so I can get one whenever the desire hits me. The earth element in Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn promote this goal of life in various ways. Taurus gives the fundamental impetus for economic security, Virgo helps work out how to accomplish it, and Capricorn tries to transform it into something more significant and lasting.

People with stability become targets. As soon as I get a stash of lollipops the neighborhood bullies try to take it by force. So I become interested in the third goal of life: morality. Fire, which brings order to chaos, facilitates this. Aries gives the inspiration to fight against cheaters who would take away what I worked hard for. Leo grants the actual authority to enforce and enjoy a moral existence. Sagittarius tries to transform morality into something even higher and broader.

Now that I have my block in order, behaving like good moral kids, my lollipop stash is safe. OK, what next? The pause gives me time to reflect, “What is all this fuss over lollipops in the first place?!” Water, as you probably guessed, enables us to ask if there is there something deeper than all this elaborate civilization we have built around, basically, candy? Water inspires the fourth goal of life: enlightenment. Cancer gives the impetus to look within. Scorpio enables the process of self-realization.  Pisces tries to transform it into something greater.

What could be greater than enlightenment? The fifth goal, ether’s goal, which is in no sign, but in all of them; which is beyond all the other goals yet includes them all. The fifth goal is the supreme pleasure of air, the supreme treasure of earth, the supreme moral of fire, and the supreme realization of water. It is prema, absolute selfless divine love for the Supremely Intimate Being.

- Vic DiCara

www.vicdicara.com

© 2010 Vic DiCara, All Rights Reserved

Symbols and Glyphs of Astrology

I am a huge fan of the glyphs developed in the West to represent the signs and planets. The essential meaning of every planet and sign is encoded into these fascinating symbols.

Glyphs for the Planets

Each planet’s glyph is made of the same primary symbols: a circle and a cross.

The circle is symbolic of life. The top of the circle is your original self, the bottom of the circle is your material identity. Life is a cyclic process of the original self transforming into a material being and then returning to a truer understanding of itself.

The cross is the symbol of effort. “We all have our crosses to bear.” The specific location of the cross on the circle reveals a lot about the meaning of a planets glyph.

There are two secondary symbols used in the glyphs: the half-circle and the arrow.

The half-circle is symbolic of evolution and development. The exact type of half-circle used in a specific glyph reveals a lot about it’s exact symbolism for that planet.

The arrow is simply a blurred cross, distorted due to the energy of the arrow’s movement. Only Mars has the energy to transform the cross of effort  into the arrow of ambition.

☉The Sun’s glyph is a circle with a dot in the middle. The circle is life. The dot in the middle of the circle is symbolic of the fact that the Sun is the center of all things in life. The center of life is your identity – the core of your conscious awareness.

☽The Moon’s glyph looks a lot like the moon, which is handy. It is the only glyph without a complete circle in it. Instead the left side of the circle has folded over or reflected to the right so that there are two half circles linked together on the right, making the characteristic crescent moon shape. Why? The Moon is your emotional self, a tricky reflection that creates and satisfies feelings of incompleteness which arise from our interest in a world of dualities.

The half-circle represents evolution. The Moon (emotions) allows evolution in both directions – towards the true self and away from it.

☿Mercury’s glyph is a circle with a cross at the bottom and a half circle at the top. The cross at the bottom shows that Mercury facilitates the effort for the true self to become a real manifestation in the material world. The half circle at the top is unique to Mercury. It shows that he alone can truly facilitate the evolution towards the higher self. This glyph encapsulates in a single symbol the fact that Mercury is your intelligence, which creates the ability to communicate as well as understand.

♀Venus’ glyph is like Mercury’s, without the half circle at the top. She gives you a physical body replete with fascinating senses through which you can truly experience the wonderful manifest world in your life.

♂Mars’ glyph is a circle with an arrow (a distorted cross) at an odd angle towards the top of the circle. This symbolizes that Mars is your energy. He is the passion and ambition which prods you to going off in your own unique direction with your own angle on life.

♃Jupiter’s glyph is a cross supporting the right side of a half circle. The right side of the circle represents evolution towards a deeper understanding of life. Jupiter is supportive of this effort. He encourages it and rewards it and provides the systems of religion, philosophy, and law which do the same.

♄Saturn’s glyph is a cross to which the right side of the circle is affixed and bound. The evolution towards a deeper understanding of life is nailed to the inescapable realities which Saturn generates: death, old age, decay and misery. We evolve by coming to grips with these realities.

☊Rahu’s glyph has no cross. In fact only the five real planets have crosses and represent effort. The Sun, Moon and the two nodes Rahu and Ketu are not literally planets. Their glyphs contain no crosses. They manifest their nature without any effort or evolution required.

Rahu and Ketu are the only planets to contain two complete circles. Their glyphs consist of these two circles joined by the arc of a half circle. The two circles represent two different lives, two different worlds. Rahu’s arc connects the two – bridging the present to the future, creating the ability and need to move upward and outward, and causing the possibility of nearly instantaneous change and movement.

☋Ketu’s glyph is identical to Rahu’s except that Ketu connects the two circles with a downward arc, while Rahu does so with an upward arc. This glyph symbolizes Ketu’s essential nature as a like between the present and the past, the ability and need to move inward and downward with the possibility of nearly instantaneous change and movement in those directions.

Sign Glyphs

♈Aries is the beginning of the zodiac – where the one (at the bottom) splits and becomes many (at the top). This symbolizes the tremendous energy and ambition of life itself.

♉In Taurus the energy forms a stable unit (a circle) which is like a womb for the new energy of life. The circular womb will cause things to grow and develop upwards (the half circle at the top).

♊ Gemini is the sign in which the incubated energy of creation is born and becomes a distinctly separate being. The many created at the beginning by Aries have developed by the support of taurus, and now become a second being, a truly individual self capable of its own experiences and ideas.

♋ In Cancer there are two circles attempting to connect. The new being of Gemini finds that she wishes to integrate her new self with her former self. Therefore Cancer is a place where energy directs inwards and emotions are examined rather privately.

♌ Leo begins a new cycle of evolution – the evolution to understand our own powers. A newly integrated single circle moves sets out with a new identity.

♍Virgo‘s glyph like taurus, creates circles. The three lines of the “m” represent the three layers of the world. The last line of the “m” weaves around itself, creating circular environments. In Virgo the newfound personal power of Leo enters these circles and attempts to more deeply and practically understand and express itself.

♎ Libra‘s glyph evokes both a balance and an equal sign. It shows a balance of desire to work equally with the world as well as on it. In Libra we attempt to achieve the delicate balance between our own personal strength and the personal strengths possessed by the other people in the world, to whom we relate.

♏ In Scorpio we complete the mastery of our own powers. Thus an arrow develops at the end of the three lines – the three layers of the world. This shows that we and now ready to move to a new stage and apply our newly understood personal power on a higher level.

♐Sagittarius’ glyph shows the arrow which appeared in Scorpio moving beyond the line of the “new level” of operation. Thus, in this sign we begin to truly explore the various ways in which we can develop ourselves on higher levels.

♑Capricorn’s glyph, like Taurus and Virgo before it, possesses circles. The straight lines from Sagittarius resolve into curves which create circles. This glyph shows that the new levels we discovered in Sagittarius can now enter a safe “womb” and incubate here to become more deeply and stably realized.

♒ The glyph of Aquarius, like Gemini and Libra before it, is dominated by two lines. These lines are wavy, showing that Capricorn’s effort to evolve a deeper understanding of life are now vibrant with power and potential.

♓ Pisces‘ glyph is two half circles bound together by a line. In Pisces we reach the end of one cycle of evolution. The new levels we discovered in Sagittarius, developed in Capricorn and expressed in Aquarius are now ready in Pisces to bear their final, deepest fruit: the ability to transfer us to an entirely new cycle of evolution. One of the half circles is the end of the old cycle. The line is Pisces effort to transport us to the other half circle, the beginning of a new cycle of evolution.

- Vic DiCara

www.vicdicara.com

© 2010 Vic DiCara, All Rights Reserved