Unlocking The Archetype - Part 3
I guess now that I’m into part 3, I should clarify that since this is such a rich and engaging subject, there’s no way I’m going to cover every nuance contained within The Archetype. My hope is that sharing what I’ve learned from my teachers and through independent study will help you gain new insight.
In this post, we’re taking what we learned in parts 1 & 2 and now taking a closer look at the connection between the domicile rulers of each sign and their placements. In this instance, we’re sticking to the traditional rulers of each sign and omitting the modern planets.
When you look at the arrangement of the rulers in The Archetype - and I mean really look at it - what do you notice? What connections can you make? One thing that pops up immediately: Every planet rules two signs except for the Sun and Moon, which rule one each.
The Archetype showing the traditional planetary rulers of each sign.
As we look deeper, maybe you’ve noticed one or more of the following points. I’ve added some context shared with me through my studies and some analogies that I did my best to express clearly. If you’re less familiar with the glyphs for the planets, you can find them in my Planets post.
Except for Mercury, the signs ruled by the same planet are inconjunct each other and in the opposite polarity: Mars in Aries/Scorpio, Venus in Taurus/Libra, Saturn in Capricorn/Aquarius, Jupiter in Sagittarius/Pisces. This is partially to do with diurnal and nocturnal sects, a topic which Astrologer Demetra George covers beautifully in her book, Ancient Astrology in Theory and Practice: A Manual of Traditional Techniques, Volume I: Assessing Planetary Condition. Volume 2 is excellent as well. Both are thorough, academic works with self-guided exercises.
The signs ruled by Mercury are square and opposite to the signs ruled by Jupiter. Ask yourself why. Mercury is the planet governing intellect, reason, and analysis, while Jupiter is synthesis, growth, and faith. We get the idea that these traits can naturally be at odds with each other, with a prime example being the age-old conflict between science and religion.
Mars-ruled signs are opposite Venus-ruled signs within the same polarity (Aries-Libra; Taurus-Scorpio). Here we see the interplay of push and pull. Aries is independent action, while Libra builds consensus; Taurus delights in the sensations of the material world, while Scorpio penetrates beyond it to find what’s hidden.
Saturn-ruled signs are opposite the lights, demonstrating the polarity of separation and unity. The Moon in Cancer represents the instincts needed for species survival and the Sun in Leo represents the power of the will to bring order to one’s environment. Both have to do with knowing how to survive as part of a system. Conversely, in Saturn we have the instinct for self-preservation. The feminine Saturn of Capricorn is solitary, leaving everything behind as it strives for the pinnacle in the material world, while the masculine Saturn of Aquarius is the rebel or “mad scientist” just a little bit out of step with society.
A concept shared with me is that the Sun and Moon represent the King and Queen, and when put in that context, we can find deeper meaning in the Mercury-ruled signs flanking the Sun and Moon. Mercury has to do with the intellect and they can be considered working as “advisors,” although the sign sextiling the luminary tends to be more utilized than the one inconjunct. In other words, Gemini Mercury (information, reason) assists the Sun vs. Virgo Mercury (inspection, analysis) assists the Moon.
We can do the same thing with the trines from Jupiter-ruled signs, Sagittarius and Pisces. Jupiter’s association with expansion and philosophy is akin to mentorship, and I like to think of it as Jupiter in Pisces trine the Moon strengthens faith, while Jupiter in Sagittarius trine the Sun strengthens ethics.
Continuing along this line of thought, we can look at the trines from Mars and the sextiles from Venus. Mars is the planet of muscle and action, but the Aries Mars provides assertiveness to the will (Sun), while Mars in Scorpio strengthens intuition (Moon). Venus is the planet of harmony and beauty, with the sextile from Venus in Libra acting on our thoughts and expression, while in Taurus it acts on our physical resources and senses.
More food for thought about the placement of the luminaries in The Archetype: In the West, the emphasis is typically on the ego fulfilment of the individual. Questions like, Will I be successful? Will I receive recognition? Will I achieve fame and riches? are very much associated with the strength of the lights and the angular houses, especially the 10th. In The Archetype, however, both luminaries are placed below the horizon, and the Sun specifically is in a succedent house instead of an angular one. Why do you think that is?
Another side subject that’s captured my attention recently is pre-natal lunations and the importance of the New Moon (conjunction of Sun and Moon) in the beginnings of cycles. And of course we have the Moon and Sun next to each other in The Archetype. As I turn that over in my mind, I’ve been asking myself how can I add layers my understanding? What’s starting and ending in these houses since they appear to be in the middle when you start at Aries/the Ascendent? Is there a cycle of growth if we don’t start at Aries?
Have you ever come across information on The Archetype in your studies? Is there anything I missed that you’d like to add on this portion of the topic?