The Planets as Inner Teachers
A mythical perspective of the meaning of the planets in astrology
If we take into account the mythological component of astrology, the planets in the birth chart show us how the different divinities manifest themselves through us. We can see the celestial bodies as gifts that we have received from the gods to enrich our experience on Earth, as when each of Aurora's fairy godmothers (Sleeping Beauty - 1697 by Charles Perrault) gives her a gift during her christening "so that the princess would be endowed with all imaginable perfections."
The point is that, in astrology, the planets, the asteroids and other abstract points such as the Nodes of the Moon, speak to us of inner teachers (the planets) with certain qualities (the signs) that reign in specific areas of life (the houses ).
In other words:
the planets are the “what”
The signs: the “how”
The astrological houses: the “where”
Let's forget for a while everything we've read about astrology and think of the planets as archetypal1 gods manifested on Earth telling a story worthy of Homer. Thus, the natal chart becomes a snapshot of an epic adventure on the terrestrial plane in which each of us has come to interpret it from a unique and personal perspective.
Each one of us has these gods inside:
Apollo: the Sun
Selene: the moon
Hermes: Mercury
Aphrodite: Venus
Ares: Mars
Zeus: Jupiter
Chronos: Saturn
Uranus: Uranus
Poseidon: Neptune
Hades: Pluto
And there is more! For example, in this epic story Lilith and Chiron, the fixed stars, etc. also appear. But for now, we will focus on the best known.
Knowing that the gods are generally stubborn and capricious, the aspects that the planets form among themselves tell us about alliances and battles that occur both in the internal and external worlds.
The gods themselves do not exchange qualities, objectives or responsibilities. Each one has its well-defined role. It is the awareness of these energies that allows us to see that even within what we perceive as chaos there is harmony. Our job as hosts of these gods is to know that they actually represent potentials that belong to us.
Are we capable of assuming such internal greatness? Or, by simply thinking about it, countless beliefs are activated, aiming to the elimination of what shine in us?
The difference between arrogance and true self-esteem is that self-esteem is based on self-knowledge and recognition of our own capabilities and limitations, while arrogance stems from a lack of self-esteem.
To understand human nature and develop our true potentials, one must think like a Greek god. Or roman. O Egyptian! Each culture has recognized different archetypes that shape the Self, and we see this in all races, all cultures and all social strata.
Therefore, in the next post, I will go through each of the planets. We will see them as the archetypal forces that inhabit the totality of Being.
Being ourselves implies 100% honoring our internal capacities and contradictions, continuing the individuation process, without believing that for this reason we will end up socially isolated. This is the challenge that Uranus brings, and that corresponds to the age of Aquarius.
And… by the way, this seems to be the premise of the next 2000 years. So… not to stress either.
Aquetype: Original model that serves as a guideline to imitate, reproduce or copy it, or ideal prototype that serves as an example of perfection of something.