Min's Planetary Awareness Technique Chapter 1
Dr. Min
IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, be sure you download the freeware
program Astrolog ver. 5.41G or greater from the following
website http://www.bdcol.ee/astrolog/changed/a541gwin.zip,
and Swiss Ephemeris ftp://ftp.astro.ch/pub/swisseph/ephe/.
Setup a default file, with your timezone and geographical
coordinates http://terraserver.microsoft.com/default.aspx,
or http://www.topozone.com, http://www.maporama.com/share,
http://www.streetmap.co.uk, http://www.mapsonus.com/, etc.
E.g., Edgar Cayce was born in a two-room cottage, located
behind the Beverly Store near the intersection of Palmyra
Pike & LaFayette Road about 7.5 miles SSW of Hopkinsville
Kentucky (now Beverly Memorial Ln. & Old Palmyra Rd); the
geographical coordinates (dd:mm:ss) are 87W31:36 36N45:23.
You can check this on the USGS-Microsoft Terraserver site,
or check out Maporama's URL for international coordinates;
search an address in the UK on http://www.streetmap.co.uk.
Once you locate your coordinates and timezone, enter this
data into the Astrolog "Set Chart Info..." window <Alt+z>,
and save that file for future reference. Settings are not
really important for this exercise, with the exception of
"Aspect Settings..." <Alt+Shift+A> & "Object Settings..."
<Alt+j>. Also, set your houses at Meridian <Ctrl+Shift+M>.
You can toggle between Null houses by using <Ctrl+Shift+N>.
Set your aspect and object settings so that the following
defaults appear in the "astrolog.dat" file <Cntl+Shift+)>:
--------------------------------------------------------
-A 7 ; Number of aspects [Change "5" to desired number "7"]
-c 4 ; House system [Change "0" to desired system "4" or "14"]
; DEFAULT RESTRICTIONS:
-YR 1 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ; Planets
-YR 11 20 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 ; Minor planets
-YR 21 32 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ; House cusps
-YR 33 41 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ; Uranians
; DEFAULT ASPECT ORBS:
-YAo 1 5 15.0 15.0 15.0 15.0 15.0 ; Major aspects
-YAo 6 11 15.0 15.0 3.0 3.0 2.0 2.0 ; Minor aspects
-YAo 12 18 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 ; Obscure aspects
-------------------------------------------------------
The above settings enable all 7 aspects adding 30-degree
increments: conjunct (0), semisextile (30), sextile (60),
square (90), trine (120), inconjunct (150), & opposition
(180). Each aspect is allotted +/- 15 degrees orb, which
allows you to readily identify which planets are closing
or acquiring via aspect-orb, else widening or separating,
thus indicating the trend of each aspect--either growing
or shrinking by horoscopic significance. The three outer
planets Uranus, Neptune & Pluto can be disabled by using
the object "Restrictions..." <Alt+r> menu when you chart
the "Aspect List" <Alt+l>. But before you do this you'll
need to adjust the "Zodiac Degree Offset/Ayanamsa". This
is the fun part. Pick a date for calculation using 12:00
noon your local timezone accounting for daylight savings.
Each planet is either superior or inferior to the Sun as
viewed from Earth. Any planet at or past the far side of
the Sun is superior while any planet at or past the near
side of the Sun is inferior. These determine the ensigns
each planet makes to the Earth. E.g. Mars superior makes
the planetary sign "Scorpio", or purified aspect of Mars.
Venus inferior makes "Taurus", or guilty aspect of Venus.
Jupiter superior is "Sagittarius" & inferior is "Pisces".
Saturn superior is "Capricorn" as inferior is "Aquarius".
Mercury inferior is "Gemini" whereas superior is "Virgo".
Venus superior is "Libra" while Mars inferior is "Aries".
Remember, these are synodic aspects or phases of planets
to the Earth. As in the summary given above, "Taurus" is
the energy exerted by the planet Venus to the Earth, not
an arbitrary "sign" up in the sky or in the angle of sun-
light in Earth's tropical seasons. The planetary ensigns
are the radial motions and velocities of planets towards
or away from the Earth, either accelerating/decelerating.
So we see, the planetary ensigns have both direction and
magnitude relative to the center of the Earth, as called
vectors. These planetary vectors are dynamic, not static.
A planet's maximum velocity toward or away from Earth is
achieved near maximum elongation east or west of the Sun.
Keeping this in mind, open the "Calculation Settings..."
<Alt+Shift+S>, and note the user-definable field for the
ayanamsa value. You can enter any decimal value from 360
to -360 ecliptic arcdegrees. For now, leave it at 0, and
click "Cancel" <Esc>. Toggle your house system to "Null",
and be sure "Show Graphics" <v> is enabled. I recommend
temporarily disabling Uranus, Neptune & Pluto to rectify
the horoscope by adjusting the ayanamsa accordingly. You
can see the position of each planet to the Sun and if it
is superior or inferior. For the Moon waxing is superior
and waning is inferior; lunar eclipses are near inferior
conjunction while solar eclipses are near superior. See?
Planets near maximum elongation are at maximum magnitude
in proportion to their maximum velocity. E.g. if Jupiter
is square to the Sun in close orb, then Jupiter is close
to maximum strength either superior or inferior, meaning
it is very strong in Sagittarius or Pisces, respectively.
But, Mercury's maximum elongation never exceeds about 28
degrees, which is barely approaching semisextile the Sun.
So Mercury's phases of Virgo and Gemini are near maximum
radial velocity much closer than square or 90 degrees to
the Sun but are always well-under 30 degrees/semisextile.
The maximum elongation for Venus never exceeds more than
about 47 degrees which is barely in excess of semisquare.
For obvious reasons, only the planets far-beyond Earth's
orbit can achieve square plus greater aspects to the Sun.
I remind you that each planet's orbital eccentricity and
inclination etc. affect subtle asynchronicity to aspects;
but overall, the long-term averages justify using aspect
without regard to the relatively slight, inconsequential
incommensurabilities as such complex orbital elements do
introduce into our otherwise simplistic aspect equations.
This is readily apparent with Mercury for example, whose
orbit is second most eccentric in the whole solar system,
about 0.2056 (cf. Pluto at 0.2528), so it's not uncommon
to predict synodic multiples for Mercury and be in error
by as much as five or six days, but over the longer term
these errata average out, and your long-term predictions
for Mercury are remarkably accurate ergo reliable. Venus
and Earth, by contrast, have relatively low eccentricity
or near-circular sidereal orbits, about 0.0068, & 0.0167,
respectively. That means Venus is very predictable, even
over the short term. Remember that the long-term synodic,
tropical & sidereal multiples are proven by millennia of
observation, which calibrated even the ancient ephemeris
beyond extrapolated theory, e.g. Babylonians, Mayans etc.
Now, we can be content to use simple 15-degree multiples
for evaluating planetary aspects acquiring or separating.
By always using the Sun as homeplate in our calculations,
we become conscious of the solar day and position of the
Sun relative to our perpetually-rotating Earth, orbiting
the Sun year after year, and century after century. This
is fundamental to expanding our awareness of the planets
who orbit the Sun sidereally and orbit Earth synodically.
There are two distinct, but directly related attunements
of awareness: one strictly geocentric, without regard to
the daily rotation of Earth's slightly-oblate sphere and
two, being the twelve equally-divided meridians of Earth
along her terrestrial equator...and where they intersect
her caelestial equator--which is the ecliptic, the short-
term mean Earth-Sun plane. The first reference, which is
the strictly geocentric, focuses on a point in space for
every planet, each point at their centers, as calculated
by reflected light reaching the Earth's geocenter. These
calculated points in space are therefore coincident with
Earth's own geocenter but unlike Earth's geocenter, they
are referred to the calculated center of each respective
planet at considerable distances from the Earth. This is
dependent in turn on the theoretical value of 'c' within
the near-vacuum of local solar system space. Thus we say
"rays of light" as a crown of seven stars diatonically &
twelve stars chromatically. To state this another way we
are looking out from the computed center of Earth in all
directions, viewing reflected light bouncing off planets,
compensating for the time it takes for light to reach us;
to reach our eyes in fact although during daylight hours
we can't differentiate between such relatively dim light
and the majestic brilliance of our Sun at magnitude 26.8,
while in theory reaching us at our Earth's own geocenter.
Can you imagine being nearly four thousand miles down to
the center of Earth? You can imagine being at the center
already, i.e. you are already at the center. Understand?
Place the crown of seven rays and twelve stars upon your
own head; you're at the conceptual center of calculation.
While you can't imagine being at the center of the Earth,
you can imagine your own mind being at the center of you,
and therefore the concept of Earth is at the same center.
In essence you equate your mind in attunement with Earth.
WAR!
Because it marks the beginning of very troublesome times
for Mars' souljourners and generally for the whole world,
Mars begins to recede from his closest approach to Earth
in sixty thousand years come August 27th this year(2003).
Opposition will be the following day August 28th, so set
Astrolog to calculate Wednesday August 27, 2003 12:00 PM
your local time, which in my case is MDT. Disable Lilith
and North Node under the Restrictions menu. Set Ayanamsa
to 30 degrees under Calculation Settings then click Okay.
This will force Mars into the first decan of Aries. Next,
pull up the "Aspect List" <Alt+l> chart, and "Copy Chart
Text Output" <Cntl+Shift+%> then paste it into your word
processor, making sure to use Courier, Andale Mono, Pica,
or other monospaced font of your choosing--to align text.
Delete the superfluous and redundant data "power", "orb",
and your aspect chart for Mars near inferior conjunction
can be cleaned up & redacted to look something like this:
Astrolog 5.41G Wed Aug 27, 2003 12pm MDT
Moon (Lib) Con (Lib) Venus - a2:10'
Sun (Lib) Con (Lib) Venus - s2:28'
Venus (Lib) Opp [Ari] Mars - s1:14'
Sun (Lib) Con (Lib) Moon - s0:18'
Moon (Lib) Opp [Ari] Mars - a0:55'
Sun (Lib) Opp [Ari] Mars - a1:13'
Venus (Lib) Con (Lib) Jupiter - s6:26'
Moon (Lib) Con (Lib) Jupiter - s4:16'
Sun (Lib) Con (Lib) Jupiter - s3:58'
Mars [Ari] Opp (Lib) Jupiter - a5:12'
Mars [Ari] Tri (Leo) Saturn - s4:56'
Venus (Lib) Sex (Leo) Saturn - a3:42'
Moon (Lib) Sex (Leo) Saturn - a5:52'
Sun (Lib) Sex (Leo) Saturn - a6:10'
Mercury (Lib) SSx (Lib) Jupiter - s3:47'
Moon (Lib) SSx (Lib) Mercury - s8:03'
Sun (Lib) SSx (Lib) Mercury - s7:45'
Mercury (Lib) Inc [Ari] Mars - a8:59'
Mercury (Lib) SSx (Lib) Venus - s10:14'
Jupiter (Lib) Sex (Leo) Saturn - a10:08'
Mercury (Lib) Squ (Leo) Saturn - s13:56'
The above aspect list provides a very brief and accurate
summary of that day's planetary horoscope using only the
six planets of creation and seventh planet, that of rest.
Mars is ruling in the first house, while Venus is ruling
in the seventh house, leaving Saturn to fall fifth house.
Re-enable Lilith and North Node, Uranus, Neptune & Pluto.
to include these astrologically less-significant aspects
in your aspect list. Rather than going to the trouble of
copying and editing this longer list of aspects, pull up
the "Standard List" <Shift+V>. Copy and paste this below
your aspect list and delete all extraneous and redundant
columns, "house", "[-]", "Cusps", and "Ret", and add the
planetary ensigns where pertinent, and voilla, the chart:
Body Ens Hou Latit. RUL. Veloc.
Sun : --- Lib +0:00' (d) +0.966
Moon : --- Lib +4:56' (-) +13.88
Mercury: Vir Lib -3:58' (-) +0.078
Venus : Lib Lib +1:24' (R) +1.240
Mars : Ari Ari -6:38' (R) -0.267
Jupiter: Sag Lib +0:50' (-) +0.218
Saturn : Cap Leo -0:45' (F) +0.094
Uranus : --- Ari -0:48' (-) -0.040
Neptune: --- Pis -0:00' (R) -0.025
Pluto : --- Cap +9:10' (-) -0.001
Node : --- Gem +0:00' (-) -0.198
Lilith : --- Gem -0:13' (-) +0.111
Once you remove insignificant data, see how the chart is
greatly simplified and as a result is far easier to read.
If you're unsure about a planet's radial motion, you can
easily ascertain this by pulling up "Solar System Orbit"
<Shift+S> and "Pause Animation" <p>. Set animation "Jump
Rate" <Shift+#> to hours and press the "+" key once, and
watch the Length column to see if its radial distance is
increasing or decreasing. Press the "-" key to return to
the original time of 12 noon. There's another chart that
you can add that summarizes chart elements and qualities.
As the right-hand column is irrelevant, simply delete it:
Ele Car Fix Mut TOT
Fir 2 1 0 3
Ear 1 0 0 1
Air 5 0 2 7
Wat 0 0 1 1
TOT 8 1 3 12
At a glance, the above element chart provides a fast and
easy way to highlight dominant elements and qualities in
the horoscope. Recall the "two attunements" of awareness,
one is strictly geocentric, and two, the meridian houses
of the horoscope, which considers Earth as a sphere, not
just a point in space. The ensigns, or radial motions of
the planets, pertain to the first or strictly geocentric
awareness. The aspect list pertains to both, the aspects
being strictly geocentric, and their signs/houses of the
horoscope, our mundane sphere numbered by planetary Gods.
There is a third attunement, that of the location & time-
specific chart in which the precise positions of planets
and meridian house-cusps determines horoscopic rulership
scenarios, with added significance of decans and pentads,
and the local Ascendant, Arabic parts, and the quadrants.
So, to promote and achieve the first awareness, consider
the planets strictly as points in space, geocentric only.
No houses, no horoscope, only relative positions of each
planet to Earth plus their relative positions to the Sun
as viewed from Earth. These are the planetary aspects in
3D space as relative to Earth's geocenter of calculation.
The synodic position of the planets to the Sun determine
whether a planet is moving toward the Earth or away from
Earth. That is the radial motion of the planets to Earth,
and is the most fundamentally affective influence on the
psyche. Edgar Cayce made it very clear that souls coming
to Earth and souls leaving the Earth are at constant war,
literally fighting the battle of Armageddon which is the
war of ten sidereal years--in reference to the orbits of
each planet in sidereal orbital order numbering from the
Moon to Pluto, i.e. from I to X, hence the war of Titans
vs. Olympians and their victory by the reign of the Gods
in the houses of the horoscope: the theme of freewill in
the temple of the body. This understanding was universal
in ancient times, but was abandoned by religious schisms
over the centuries before and since. Consider, the three
wise men who visited 10 1/2 month-old Jesus in Bethlehem
were Magoi, kings and astrologers who had journeyed over
six hundred miles from the east, from Babylon & Parthian
kingdoms. The Magoi were religious astrologers, judicial
astrologers of excellent astronomical & psychic aptitude.
They had correctly predicted, deduced and acted upon the
observations of the Venus-Jupiter conjunctions of Aug 12,
3 BC and June 17, 2 BC. The gospel "According to Matthew"
makes this perfectly clear--only heathens don't get this.
The judicial astrologer knows that astrology is religion,
just as any well-disciplined science is done religiously.
Fundamentalist religious fanatics who denounce astrology
simply lack comprehension of the subject matter. This is
no different for secular academia, atheists, skeptics or
whatever epithet they bluster, all are not one iota less
orthodox than the Pope! Of course they can't acknowledge
such obvious similarities in their behaviour, but we can
all agree that both atheist and fundamentalist alike are
vehemently against astrology--for lack of study no doubt.
The geocentric-only awareness of the position of planets
to the Earth is far easier to realize today, than it was
in the days of the Magi who did obeisance to the Messiah.
Back in those days the "70 Weeks" prophecy of Daniel was
common knowledge, and so the Messiah was expected by all.
Even Caesar Augustus wondered if he himself might be the
prophesied Messiah, as did many others. All expected the
Messiah to come about that time, including the Magoi, so
the "Emperor & Empress" conjunction of Jupiter and Venus
was not so obscure to deduce as "his star at its rising".
But we can be sure the Magoi had advanced psychic senses,
owing in no small part to their real nocturnal vigilance.
What took them arduous hours of calculation takes us one
or two clicks of a mouse. Technology has come a long way.
That's the focus of this lesson, to promote awareness of
the planets by their positions to the Earth, from simple
geocentric aspect and radial motion, to daily horoscopes,
then lastly to natal and event charts with the real-time
transits and progressions of the solar system as a whole,
all relating to souls both individually and collectively,
both incarnate on Earth and discarnate among the heavens.
With today's technology there's no excuse not to do this,
especially since it helps to sharpen our psychic ability.
Key to maintaining a constant awareness of the positions
of the planets to Earth, is to gain familiarity with the
predictable synodic periods of each planet, particularly
the seven planets of the week, which are Sun, Moon, Mars,
Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn by order of diatonic
fifths. Naturally the Sun & Moon orbit relative to Earth
by apparent sidereal motion, while all other planets are
synodic orbits and appear to orbit the Sun epicyclically.
The apparent phases of the Moon are of course synodic as
are all the other planets' phases. That's the difference
between apparent lunar sidereal motion and synodic phase.
The Astrolog program makes it easy to follow the motions
of the planets on a daily basis. That's fine, but it's a
lot better just to memorize each planet's synodic period,
then mark dates on your calendar for when each planet is
at inferior conjunction for Mars, Jupiter & Saturn since
you can spot them weather permitting in the night sky as
they are at solar opposition, and watch for the heliacal
risings at your location. Mark next year's calendar when
each planet will reappear at its synodic intervals. Also
mark the dates for Mercury & Venus at maximum elongation.
Remember that any like-phase of a planet repeats synodic
motion at fairly predictable intervals. Mostly for Venus,
but least for Mercury, because of orbital eccentricities
as previously discussed. E.g., about every 584 days, you
can bet that Venus will be very near where you predicted
it would be, from like-phase to like-phase. But that's a
long time to wait. We can count the days that Venus gets
lost in the saturation of sunlight, about ninety days as
centered around superior conjunction, meaning we can see
Venus for the first time about forty-five days after her
superior conjunction getting brighter and more prominent
in the evening sky. As the bright morning star, Venus is
lost for only around eight days centered on inferior con-
junction four days after which Venus emerges at heliacal
rising, then becoming more prominent as the morning star.
For instance, the next superior conjunction for Venus is
August 18, 2003. Add 45 days and you get October 2, 2003.
I'll mark Friday, October 3 to remind me to go out after
sunset and see if I can't locate Venus just barely above
the horizon, probably a degree or two below Spica, since
the Sun is about mid-Virgo on that date each year in our
present epoch. Knowing familiar bright fiducial stars by
their positions on the caelestial zodiac makes it easier
to spot planets relative to the Sun, since we know where
the Sun is on every date of the year as if second-nature.
Knowing where the Sun is shows the phases planets are in.
For a comprehensive list of stars and their positions on
the caelestial zodiac J2000, you can download these URLs:
http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=7PUAQU6J3763...@Nyarlatheotep-frog.org
http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=4KKS9CSP3763...@Nyarlatheotep-frog.org
By memorizing brighter stars near the ecliptic, you will
find it much easier to locate planets and their phase to
the Sun without needing to go look it up on the computer.
You'll know about when a planet will go retrograde since
you know its synodic phase, and so you'll know about how
long it will stay retrograde if you memorize five values,
Mercury 22, Venus 42, Mars 73, Jupiter 121, & Saturn 138
days average retrograde centered on inferior conjunction.
Their synodic periods are just as easily remembered with
I-29.53, II-116, III-584, IV-n/a, V-780, VI-400, VII 378.
Phases of the Moon are already printed on most calendars,
so you always know that you can look for the crescent of
the new Moon one or two days after superior conjunctions,
or on rare occasions you'll see a partial or total solar
eclipse, thereby visibly confirming Moon-Sun conjunction.
It's really not hard to do--once you get used to it. You
can learn the motions of the planets in simple terms, by
their average synodic period, and by marking a few dates
on your calendar to remind you of when to look for their
lights in the night sky. And you'll know by their motion
relative to the Sun what time and where to look for them.
The key here is the Sun. Everyone knows what a solar day
is. At midnight LAT you know the Sun is antemidheaven or
IC on your local meridian of longitude. To wit when Mars
reaches opposition this August 28th, you'd better go out
and enjoy the view, weather permitting. Mars promises to
be very prominent in 10 degrees caelestial Aquarius with
the Sun in 10 degrees Leo, naturally. Look for Deneb and
Fomalhaut above and below bright Mars and you'll be able
to see and remember what ten degrees caelestial Aquarius
looks like in the night sky. Since Mars will be somewhat
below the ecliptic at the time (between 6 and 7 degrees),
then you'll see about where the ecliptic is in that part
of the sky. Knowing that you'll know right where the Sun
is in relation to the night sky, consciously. That's the
whole idea. Consciously know where the planets are, then
get out once and awhile and make sure they are out there!
The judicial astrologer must also be the astronomer. See?
In summary, our first awareness is geocentric: center of
the sphere of activity. Every planet in our solar system
functions as part of the whole. Our soul is alive in the
ten heavens, which is consciousness and participation in
each sphere thereof; for each of us individually, and as
an aggregation continually evolving by the very elements
of creation. Learning who the Gods are is to acknowledge
their presence, from their positions in our solar system
to Earth with respect to the Sun, archetypally universal,
and powerfully affective in their astrological influence
from their positions to the Earth in real-time eternally.
End Chapter 1. See Chapter 2 For Continuation...
Daniel Joseph Min
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