Considerations

You and I are dictated by what the Sun sets in motion and because the time our planet spins in its own axis and thus around the Sun, our lifestyle, our own survival depends on such luminary; you won’t wear a potent jacket in the summer or places that are too hot for that kind of garment, or, you probably won’t go for a swim in the cold waters of the ocean in the winter. It is already pre-determined that in some period of a Solar Year you won’t be doing this and that due to the Sun etc. 

Now, add the power of influence from the others planets that have a share in this great trip inside this solar system, we are ought to understand and predict things by basic observations. However, simple they are not when you dismistify it. Through the visibility of the planets, Ptolemy and the ancients documented their phases, appearances and motions in relation to the Sun – the most obvious and observable reason day is day and night is night.

Of the Power of the Aspects to the Sun & the Moon phases

Ptolemy wants us now to know that planets (Moon & the superiors Mars, Jupiter and Saturn) in relation to the Sun also add or substract qualities to them, and that the Moon’s phases divided by waxing and waning phases “causes” wetness, hotness, dryness or coldness. 

The distance the Moon gets from the Sun in its own revolution is not only important for humans and animal kingdom, but we can also see the correlations of the phenomenon in astrology and how our own environment changes with such kind of configurations. 

Read how the scientist put it by his own words:

“Now, mark you, likewise, according to their aspects to the Sun, the Moon and three of the planets [Mars, Jupiter and Saturn] experience increase and decrease in their own powers. For in its waxing from new Moon to first quarter the Moon is more productive of moisture; in its passage from first quarter to full, of heat; from full to last quarter; of dryness, and from last quarter to occultation, of cold.”

The 4 Weeks of a Month + the 4 Aspects and the 4 Appereances & the Moon-Sun 4 Quarters: Now, where/what Ptolemy omitts in information in Tetrabiblos, Porphyry cleared the message. The Moon therefore takes up to about 29 days and a half in order to perform a full spin around the Sun, from New to New Moon, revealing herself part of a great system, where among with the Sun, she is the body in nearest relation to the 4 quarters (seasons) of the year. And just like that, each of these major 4 kind of “Appereances” has a singular temperament resembling one of the 4 seasons as Ptolemy put it out.

The Moon’s 7 Phases & The 7 Days of the Week: From the moment she moves away from the Sun and soon makes the first aspect to the Sun, she aspects it as a sextile (60° degrees), then a square (90° degrees), then as a trine (120° degrees), then as opposition (180° degrees) and then back to trine, square & sextile, forming exact 7 phases when dancing with the Sun full circle. A Note: My guess is that the traditional planets had simple fit it in because they were 7 known to our ancestors, and some cultures adhered the ilusion to the names of the planets or gods/godsesses to the 7 days of the week, but not all calendars express the same concerning naming days, although utilizying the same solar calendar.

Ptolemy continues the chapter on the amalgamation of the temperaments of the Superior planets Mars-Jupiter-Saturn (the planets that orbit the Sun while outside Earths’) in relation to the Sun (and their Motion’ Status) and the results from the configurations:

“The planets [Mars, Jupiter and Saturn], in oriental aspects only [morning stars and they are quite away from the Sun (about 120 degrees) where they appear to begin going retrograde], are more productive of moisture from rising to their first station  of heat from first station to [East] evening rising, of dryness from evening rising to the second station [station Direct – trine following the Sun], of cold from second station to setting; and it is clear that when they are associated with One another they produce very many variations of quality in our ambient, the proper force of each One for the most part persisting, but being changed in quantity by the force of the stars that share the configuration.”

Observation on Mercury & Venus: If you read the first paragraph, you notice the author only cites the Moon and the superior planets, which does not include neither Mercury or Venus because they are still positioned along Earth’s orbit. Afterall, isn’t true that all things/people close to our hearts & love in all of its forms are those most important things  we seek/look after in life? 

The astrologer should then, watch out for Venus and Mercury’s daily speed and motion in order to determine their operation if rapidly or slowly. 

Conclusion

The ancient astrologers and followers of the tradition saw (and still “see”) the planets always in regard to the Sun, a priority in matters of foreseeing their further operation below. First, it is their physical appearance, their transiting in the skies, and because of the light of the Sun or its absence, they are either hidden under the beams or at the heart of the Sun (semi-diameter), morning or evening appearances, rising at the genesis of the night etc. Only by these observations alone, one could use it to predict basic qualities and the relationship between planets, once they begin moving away or retrograde they will look at (planet A) in some way.

The Moon when New (conjunct the Sun) is when “things” are “moisture”, you can “plant” your “seed”, your intentions etc. In the following days from 1st square to Full phase, such seed is added a heat in order to give birth, so it can grow & expand, and you continue with the methaphor until it is Cold and things die out, and soon after, a New phase repeats and a new seed/intention can be cast out. This can also be alluded to new projects etc. therefore, quite useful for introducing Electional astrology. Do you rememeber at the Chapter 2 of Book I ? – he then discussed many times on the subject.

The Moon is also special [the closest body to Earth], once she possess some kind of elevated power sharing a reflection that of the Sun, literally – observed by us through the lunations & eclipses and the Moon’s phases in result of Earth’s relationship with the Sun & Moon’s dance. The Moon is the only body that when exactly without latitude appears to entirely eclipse/block out [power of] the blazing Sun [when transiting their intercessions], as if she is capable to intervene and direct/distribute energy in “person”.

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References

Go back to Ptolemy’s Way and read the references