Antiscia and the Thema Mundi

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An earlier version was published in December 2014.

 
 
“an energetic alliance that can be easily observed and/or experienced”

Why are connections by antiscia so obscure in astrology? — and why do most astrologers still consider these contacts second-rate aspects at best? … having some merit, but certainly not as meaningful as the Ptolemaic aspects: sextile, square, trine, and opposition.

Antiscia are reflections around the solstice and equinox points. They are symmetries based on the sharing of time and light. They are natural and simple. And they are anchored to the undeniably potent reset moment that is the Cardinal Axis. I think excluding them from having conjunction/aspect status is in error.

 

Antiscia in the Thema Mundi

I made a discovery many years ago while working with antiscia, and simultaneously studying Hellenistic and Persian astrology. I found antiscia shows up in the all-important Thema Mundi, a hypothetical chart of the world and teaching tool. This was something I’d never heard anyone mention before. Nor had I encountered it in the ancient texts that reference antiscia. I was astonished, and pleased to see the very obvious statement it makes.

You will see in the diagram below I’ve arranged the planets in their places of exaltation. I have noted the aspects that connect each planet back to their respective domiciles (signs). You can see both the nocturnal planets, Venus and Mars, connect to one of their domiciles by sextile. And the the diurnal planets, Jupiter and Saturn, connect to one theirs by trine. If you look to the lights, Sun and Moon, you’ll note they each connect by trine and sextile back to their respective domiciles. Which sets up a schema:

diurnal = trine | nocturnal = sextile

Then you’ll see how the malefics (and Mercury) connect to the other of its domiciles by square — and that each benefic, Venus and Jupiter, connects to the other of their respective signs by antiscia or contra-antiscia (known as the seeing and hearing signs to the ancients).

malefic = square | benefic = antiscia

All planets connect in two ways through two aspects.

Because malefics connect through a square aspect, and benefics through antiscia, I believe it is solid evidence for antiscia as a legitimate aspect, as well as describing the quality of the connection. And I find its presence in the Thema Mundi both profound and beautiful.

I believe aspects by antiscia are just as powerful as other aspects. Especially those in a close degree-based connection. (I suggest using a 4 degree orb—2 degrees on either side: applying and separating.)

As it is with the square, connections by antiscia and contra-antiscia cross boundaries and combine polarity—hot|cold, dry|moist, active|passive, day|night, male|female. This makes the pairs dynamic and alive in the world, much like we see with a square. They are active. They are combinations that demand our attention: we must do something with them.

This co-mingling of sect or gender, and temperament, along with the symmetry around the four seasonal turning points, a.k.a. Cardinal Axis (see other articles), is indicative of a very potent pairing: an energetic alliance that can be easily observed and/or experienced. 

"the cardinal points relate people to the world at large" 
 -Charles Jayne, crediting Alfred Witte

The particular antiscia and contra-antiscia connections shown above could also be viewed as an averse pairing. However, it is undoubtedly relevant that the associations shown in the scheme are indeed antiscia (seeing) and contra-antiscia (hearing) links. The ancients regarded them as relaying sympathy and reception. And they are after all conveyed through the two creative convivial planets, moist, fertile, connective, Venus and Jupiter.

These are also signs of sharing. Signs which share power (equal amount of light = antiscia), and ascensional or rising time (contra-antiscia).    

Jimi+360.jpg

Seeing + Hearing

Signs that share light or “power” = antiscia
They fall equidistant around the Solstice points

Signs rising at the same speed = contra-antiscia
They are equidistant from the Equinox points

Example: for Hendrix the Moon in Cancer ‘sees’ Uranus in Gemini, they share power and light. The Sun in Sagittarius rises at the same speed as Jupiter in Cancer, they are said to ‘hear’ one another, and so there is sympathy and friendship.

“And so, if any stars do not aspect each other in the orderly arrangement of the nativity, it must be inquired whether they are connected to each other by the associated aspect of antiscions. For when they have sent their antiscions thus, they are connected with each other through their antiscions just as [much as] by a trine or square or opposition or sextile aspect...”
-Julius Firmicus Maternus, 4th century astrologer 
in Book 2 Chapter 30 of the Mathesis (Holden translation, 2011) 

“Signs that are disjunct but having sympathy for each other are all the equal-rising signs, and those having equal power, and those of like zone. For example, equal-rising are Aries and Pisces, Gemini and Capricorn, Cancer and Sagittarius, Virgo and Libra; of equal power are Gemini and Cancer, Virgo and Aries, Libra and Pisces, Sagittarius and Capricorn; of like zone are Taurus with Libra, Aries with Scorpio. 

...with the joint risings of the signs and the joint ascensions of the stars...
friendships and sympathies of men and women, and parents and brothers, and friends and slaves.”
-Rhetorius of Egypt, 6th or 7th century, Ch.16 (Holden translation, 2009)

“[disjunct signs] ... are the ones which belong neither to the class of commanding or obeying, beholding or of equal power... ”
— Claudius Ptolemy: Tetrabiblos Book 1.14-1.16

The presence of these aspects in the vitally important rulership and dignity schema, Thema Mundi, is a reality which should no longer be denied or dismissed. These points of connection have been overlooked for too long. It is time to fully embrace them and practice utilizing them in all forms of astrology!

There is much to uncover with antiscia! —See for yourself. ;-D

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If you want to immerse yourself in this more, contact me for a mentoring session.
Or tune in to my recent talk for Kepler College (find the recording here).

A multimedia presentation available (approx. three hours in length):

EL EP Antiscia 2.0 copy.jpg
Audio/Visual Seminar on Antiscia
$15.00
 
“. . .undeniably potent reset moment”

 

Curious Maleficence : Dahmer

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Essential dignity is important. Yet I think it is easily misunderstood, overemphasized, or used willy-nilly without considering a lot of other factors. Assessing dignity [like most things in astrology] is complex. Some people will make a really big deal about a dignified planet, but dignity does not simply make a planet good. Dignity is also strongly altered by planetary aspects and receptions. 

In a very dark example, likely the darkest expression of the day, we see a so-called 'dignified' (in its own sign) yet 'contrary to sect' malefic, Mars, configured with the Moon in the place of the setting sun (7th house). Mercury, Venus, and Saturn as well are all in their own domicile (sign), and therefore have essential dignity.

 

 

Some technical gymnastics:

The Ascendant in Dahmer's chart rises in Libra at the degree of the Sun's deepest debility. The Sun is most exalted at 19 degrees Aries and is at its maximum fall at 19 Libra. I think this is an immediately important factor since it is a daytime chart (the Sun is above the horizon and so is the luminary of the sect in favor). The ruler of the Ascendant is Venus (the benefic of the sect not in favor - it prefers the night). It has 'power' in its own sign, Taurus, so it is good at getting what it wants, even if this is not particularly good for the native. It is in the 8th whole sign house, so it does not see the Ascendant. The 8th house is the traditional house of death. Venus is also rising before the Sun, and so is a morning star Venus, showing her more assertive and warrior-like face. Venus connects to Rahu, the head of the dragon (north node of the Moon), by a close trine aspect, but it is the sign of Venus' fall (Virgo) in the 12th house. The exaltation ruler (and almuten) of the Ascendant is Saturn in Capricorn (its own sign) in the whole sign 4th, giving a strong connection to and esteem for the parents and tradition. Also think of the 4th as pertaining to things buried, or deep under the earth. Saturn is, however, in a tight square aspect to the Ascendant, so we see potential for stress and blockage here. Houses 4, 7, 8 all pertain to death; in the 4th we return to the place from which we came, 7th is the setting place, and 8th is the experience of death, often not our own but the experience of death and upheaval around us (sometimes called a place of transformation). Also of note here, as all these places are highlighted, houses 4, 8, 12 according to the 13th century astrologer, Guido Bonatti, were thought to be houses of varying kinds of imprisonment.  

The Moon, luminary of the night sect (not the sect in favor), is waning and is right on the horizon, setting at the time of his birth. The Moon is configured in the whole sign 7th (traditional house of death = setting Sun) with the contrary to sect malefic, Mars, which is in its own sign Aries (making it strong, though potentially reckless). Moon (pertaining to body, nourishment, feelings, and the irrational) receives a dominating square from both Jupiter - which is debilitated in the sign of its fall, Capricorn, and is also the sign of the Moon's detriment - and Saturn, strong in Capricorn, but seeing the Moon in the sign of its own fall, Aries (which it does not care for). Mars receives these squares as well, and since Capricorn is the sign of Mars' exaltation, it is strengthened further (and apparently not for the better). Remember, strong does not equal good. Saturn sees Mars in this square and being the sign of its fall is not especially pleased. Mars is also the lord of the 7th house of partners and open enemies.

Mars severs, it is related to cutting and knives, it separates . . . 

Mars is also antiscia the moon's Node - a point symbolizing connections. Mars|Node can be work connections, physical, sexual, or athletic connections, connecting with men, or collaborative or quarreling connections. Mars can also sever or cut connections (Yikes!- when considered literally). Antiscia, being symmetry around the cardinal axis or Aries Point, is indicative of how we connect to the world. Dahmer connected via Mars|Node. Of course, a general Mars|Node connection means a lot of different things as noted, dependent on varied context and circumstance.

The Sun, the luminary for the day, is configured with Mercury, the lord of 9 and 12 and in the curious, dual sign Gemini. Mercury is a youthful and somewhat androgynous character, one that moves between worlds (the underworld and the earthly world). The primary trigon lord for Air signs in a day chart is Saturn, so both Sun and Mercury are tied strongly to Saturn at the bottom of the chart.
 

Chart set up from the Lot of Fortune. 
(Vettius Valens, a 2nd century astrologer, instructs us to use the Lot of Fortune as an alternate Ascendant.)


I read the chart from Fortune with whole sign houses, meaning: 0-30 Virgo is the 1st house, 0-30 Libra is the 2nd house, and so on. 


Pluto, lord of the underworld, rises with the north node, Rahu - the insatiable, hypnotic and deceptive head of the dragon. Neptune in 3rd - confusion and deceit in communication. Jupiter in its fall with Saturn in 5th - morally problematic pleasures and recreation; Venus' joy distorted. Chiron and Ketu, the tail of the dragon, indicative of loss, illusion, and wounding in the place of the other -the 7th. Moon and Mars - body and cutting and upheaval in 8th. Venus 'strong' in Taurus (strong for what? pursuing one's bodily desires? pursuing 'matter') and in the 9th, the traditional house of god and spiritual concerns; Dahmer's life was devoted to matters of the flesh. Of note here, Venus receives superior trines from both Jupiter (in its fall) and Saturn, in Capricorn; Capricorn is a notoriously lusty placement for Venus, and so due to the unimpeded flow (trine) it is highly affected by this influence. Sun Mercury in whole sign 10th - public image - Mercury in its own sign is receiving its only strong aspect from Mars, a superior sextile from the malefic contrary to sect. Mercury Mars is adept at handling tools, dissecting for instance [in his case, curiosity gone horridly awry]. Two faces, two places. Uranus in 12th - strange secrets. 

A brief interview with Dahmer. 

His father's perspective. 

This is of course a horrific example of a person with a serious mental illness. Astrology does not show that he is mentally ill, and it does not show that he would harm or kill people. It does show issues with emotions, parents, and others, but astrology does not say what a person will do or how conscious, conscientious, or aware they are. 

To recap, it seems clear that essential dignity does not make a planet good, it may make a planet good at getting what it wants, but this might not be good for others or for the person himself. Dignity does seem to strengthen a planet, but again that can be for better or worse. (Frida Kahlo for instance had an exalted Mars in the 6th (health, disease, accidents) and it was in partile opposition to her Sun in Cancer (the sign of Mars' fall) - it seems probable this powerful planet did more harm to her than it did good.)

One must look at the whole chart. Aspects relaying dignity or debility (called receiving and reception) seem to alter and affect things immensely, as does the way in which one chooses to direct and work with the energy.