Traditional Approaches to Astrology

Minderwiz.. just to say I have loved reading this topic, and I will come back to it often! What an amazing, approachable resource for us to have here on AT, thank you!!


I'm just dipping my toe into Traditional Astrology and, if you did write a book, i'd buy it and a couple of back up copies to boot!

Hi Minderwiz,

This is a very interesting thread and it's so exciting that somebody who is very knowledgeable about astrology has been posting so frequently.

Actually, I have two questions about specific transits, but I'll start with the first one to give you some time to answer it if you can. Venus and Mars were previously both in Libra, but they've since moved into the far more intense Scorpio. I've heard that this aspect will affect romantic situations a whole bunch in terms of making people more forward about what they want, as well as more jealous and possessive.

Could you maybe discuss what will come in the next couple of months for the different star signs? Since we will feel the effects of this Venus and Mars marriage for a prolonged period of time, I get the sense it must bring about some kind of important changes in relationships.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post!

Best wishes,
D.

Overall there is merit in the statements but not because of the signs - more because of the nature of the planets and their relationship.

Venus is the lesser Benefic, Mars is the lesser Malefic - Venus is usually (though by no means always) a force for good, Mars is the opposite. A Mars/Venus conjunction is never a good thing. The overall balance between the two will depend on their sign placment, and thus will vary throughout the zodiac.

Aa Mars/Venus conjunction in Scorpio would see Mars as the dominant of the two (the reverse would be the case of a conjunction in Libra) The reason being that Mars and Venus rule opposite signs, so if the are in conjunction in a sign that one rules, the other is in detriment (though other factors might balance this). In the current applying conjunction, Venus is slowing down and is actually slower than Mars, but this is balanced by both being occidental (visible in the Western sky after sunset), which is good for Venus but not for Mars.

Now it is planets, not signs that are important - modern sign meanings are the product of the late nineteenth/early twentieth century Astrologer, Alan Leo and are in effect an attempt to implant the characteristics of the planets onto the signs. So Scorpio isn't by any stretch of traditional Astrology an 'intense' sign (though it's not seen as a desirable placement by any stretch of the imagination - it's associated with cess pools and other nasties)

Venus does have a role in traditional relationships - it is a general significator for women and might well be used in relationship horaries, or in natal Astrology where we are specifically looking at marriage prospects. It might well be used in Primary Directions for predicting the time of marriage. If the ruler of the seventh House (Lord 7) is in sextile, trine or conjunction with Venus, this would also be favourable to relationships - just as squares or oppositions from Mars would be disruptive to relationships.

So to summarise:

Venus/Mars conjunctions are almost never good for relationships, except in the situation of them being the significators in a relationship horary.

A conjunction in Scorpio has Mars as the more dominant - and it is Mars that supplies any urgency, or need to be 'forward'.

Jealousy and Possessiveness are signs of weakness, and Mars is not weak in Scorpio, so that might be something more associated with Mars in Libra - Or a debilitated Venus, especially one conjunct Mars.

Update on introductory textbook

Finally an introductory textbook for Astrology has been written from a Traditional stance.

'On The Heavenly Spheres' by Helena Avelar and Luis Ribeiro

http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?p=2596625#post2596625

I'll be reviewing the book in the thread that I've started and will explain how this fits in with the ideas expressed in this thread.

Excellent Minderwiz!

Many thanks for posting about that... It had completely slid under my radar. Buying now!

Minderwiz said:

Finally an introductory textbook for Astrology has been written from a Traditional stance.

'On The Heavenly Spheres' by Helena Avelar and Luis Ribeiro

http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?p=2596625#post2596625

I'll be reviewing the book in the thread that I've started and will explain how this fits in with the ideas expressed in this thread.

Click to expand...

Just been going through this fantastic thread and making notes The progression/prediction stuff is way way beyond me, but I'm feeling fairly good about the basics and the differences between modern and traditional astrology.
For others coming to grips with traditional astrology, and who like a visual to consider, I would recommend you look at Sue Ward's powerpoint/audio 'God, the Universe, Everything' found on the articles section of her website http://www.sue-ward.co.uk/

I've read (and now re-reading) and above book, but I do think Minderwiz you should write something, even if you only publish it through lulu or something, it would be a dazzling piece of information for us all.

Thanks for your kind words

I'll have a think about it

Together, all of the posts Minderwiz has written on this forum would constitute a marvelous textbook and compendium on the techniques, application and nuances of traditional astrology, and where/how it differs philosophically and technically from some of the modern approaches. I think a book is already here, nestled within these threads: it just needs collation, a table of contents and an index!

You are too kind Astraea but perhaps one day we could do one together, as your knowledge by far exceeds mine

No, I beg to differ! I have benefited enormously from your posts and just had to pipe up, as for years I've thought there was a book (or two, or three) here. Now I will desist, having said my piece!