Please Read the previous article for more information on the inherent meaning of the Sun, Moon and the angles. These meanings are meant to be for a spiritual interpretation of the chart. This doesn't mean that your chart can't also be looked at in the more conventional way. There are many levels to a human being.

Here is the quick and easy summarization of the correspondences for the Sun, Moon, and Angles.

The Sun

The Sun is your spirit, and your spirit guides, angels, deities, etc. The spirit is the spark of the divine within you. It is always in accord with the will or your guides because it is the part of you that was created in their image. You are the expression of their archetypes. The Sun is the energy that opens up the gate between this world and the other world.

The sign of the sun indicates the type of spirit guides you have and their desires for you.

The Moon

The moon is your soul. It's that part of you which is separate and unique, that part of you that has free will. According to classical astrology the moon is the verb in an astrological chart. On a spiritual level the verb in your soul is your will and your desire. From your desires spring your emotions which are traditionally associated with the moon. So the Moon represents what you really want to do with your soul. What lessons you want to learn, and what things you want to do.

The sign of the moon shows what your soul desires.

Aspects between the Sun and Moon

The aspect between the Sun and Moon describes your relationship with the spirit universe within you.

Everyone has a relationship with spirit, even if they are not conscious of it. Lack of knowledge of this connection can result in unconscious or inexplicable behavior.

Since everyone has a connection, wide orbs should be used when calculating the aspect between sun and moon. this was done traditionally. Because the Sun and Moon are the brightest points in the sky they were given the widest orbs of influence. Using an orb of 15 degrees will result in an aspect every time. The closeness of the orb indicates the intensity of the spiritual connection.

Conjunction 0'

The desires of your soul (your self) are completely in line with the spirit world's desires for you. They are one and the same. This complete alignment can be very powerful. Take care that you don't become intoxicated by the power and lapse into a state of righteousness.

A conjunction can work like a fast track to spiritual growth. Your path may be covered with railroad tracks and you might be on a bullet train. That doesn't necessarily mean that it is easy. The speed may make you dizzy. The lessons may still be difficult, but the progress is definite, and you can achieve quite a bit.

If your Sun and Moon are conjunct, but they are not in the same sign, then this conjunction effect will be lessened considerably.

Conjunction or not, you may still have difficulty expressing your desire in the real world. This is true with every aspect below. But with most conjunction people there will be no problem. The real world manifestation is governed by the angles, which are described below.

Opposition 180'

The desires of your soul are often at direct odds with the desires of the spirit world for you. This causes much internal conflict. Perhaps you are being tested, and perhaps you are learning control and restraint. The path for growth in this case is endurance. Learn to accede to those requirements placed on you by the spirit even though they might feel foreign to you. Fake it until you make it.

If you choose to work with your opposition rather than fighting it, then it can make you a very strong character, someone to be relied upon.

Square 90'
Semisquare 45'
Sesquiquadrate 135'

The desires of your soul and the desires of the spirit world are at cross purposes. They are not completely incompatible, just different. Sometimes this can be a great burden, unless you learn how to balance the two. Don't neglect either. Don't deny either.

The square aspect also has a dynamic quality to it. If you can balance these two needs, you can combine them in a unique synthesis. This may provide for the manifestation into reality of something completely new and valuable.

In this life you have chosen a real challenge. The potential for growth and greatness is there, but so is the potential for a catastrophic fall. You have chosen to take your chances and go for the gold.

Trine 120'

The trine is a symbol of the easy spiritual life. The trine is considered to be a 'lucky' aspect. The desires of your soul and the desires of the spirit are not exactly the same, but they are quite compatible. You will have no trouble in getting aid from the spirit world to fulfill your desires, and you have no problem fulfilling the desires of the spirit. In fact you are likely to get aid without even asking for it. That is the luck factor.

The drawback to the trine is that it gives you fewer opportunities for real growth. When things come to you so easily it is harder to appreciate them and learn from them.

In contrast to the square you have chosen the sure and easy road. On the path to spiritual growth you have chosen the road with fewer rewards and fewer pitfalls. However the progress is sure and steady.

Perhaps spiritual growth is not a big part of the agenda for you in this lifetime. You may already be close the spiritual place you need to be in order to do the things you need to do now.

Sextile 60'

A sextile talks about opportunities. Like the trine it is more passive in nature than the square, opposition, and conjunction which demand action. Sextile opportunities are completely optional. The desires of your soul and the desires of your spirit influences are similar enough that they will offer you excellent chances to combine them with impressive effects.

On the other hand, if you are not prudent you may bypass these opportunities for growth and focus solely on the desires of your own soul. In the case of the sextile, this is an ok thing to do.

Semisextile 30'
Quincunx 150'

Your desires and the desires of spirit really have no relationship to each other. This is neither good nor bad. This is not a big deal. It may be nothing but a minor annoyance at times. You can still fulfill both, you will just have to work a little harder and longer than normal to do it.

The houses.

It is possible (and a good idea) to look at the houses of the chart and the signs of those houses as well as the house positions of the Sun and Moon to get more specific information about how spirit manifests in different areas of your life. However this is a more modern method that would not have been used by ancient pagans. So for the sake of brevity I will not cover all the houses here in this text. Also, the expression of the 12 house cusps is somewhat minor compared to the other influences mentioned here.

There are four house cusps however that are very important, and I will discuss them here. Those are the 1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th house cusps. These cusps are called the angles, because they make four angles in the chart. These angles are the only house cusps that correspond to real and definite points in the sky.

The Angles

The angles are the interface between your soul and the material world. They show the way that your desires are played out in this world. That is because the angles show the limits that are placed on you in this reality. Without limits everything is just pure potential and infinite possibilities. Limits allow your soul to manifest into reality in concrete and discrete ways. These limits are imposed upon you by your karma and by the laws of reality.

The Ascendant

The Ascendant (rising sign) is the point that is rising on the eastern horizon when you are born. This point is probably the most important one of the four angles for the purposes of this kind of spiritual analysis. This point shows the way that you actually are in this reality. This is the way that people usually see you. This is the way that your soul is readily able to express it'sself in the real world based on the limits placed on you. In other words, the sign of the ascendant shows the area where you have the least limitation.

Every sign has a different job associated with it. The job signified by the sign of the ascendant is one that you are naturally talented at. Probably, you have already mastered this job before in a previous life. The ascendant is your strength.

Look at the aspects between the Sun and the Ascendant and the Moon and the ascendant in a similar way to the method listed above for Sun / Moon aspects. Sun / Ascendant aspects show how you are able to express the desires of spirit in the real world. Moon / ascendant aspects show how you are able to express the desires of your own soul in the real world.

Correspondences to the angles

Before I discuss the other angles I have to share a channeled vision that I received while taking a shower. The vision shows how these angles relate to the pagan cycles of time. Particularly the Celtic and modern neopagan cycles of time. This is an entirely new association based on ancient inspiration.

Ascendant = Samhain

I was told to begin by placing Samhain on the ascendant. This makes perfect sense since Samhain is the beginning of the Celtic year, and the ascendant is the beginning point. It is the point of death and rebirth. It is also the point of aspirations. Samhain is also a time of death and rebirth, when the veils between the two states are thin and we are able to communicate easily between the real world and the spirit world.

The ascendant is also the point of personal identity. It is the point of self expression, as mentioned above. Sometimes, preferably as a last resort, self expression takes an extreme path. War and conflict is an example, when it comes down to a life or death matter of your expression vs. The expression of others. The ascendant is associated in traditional astrology with Aries the god of war. Also Samhain is associated with war. Many of the ancient battles of Celtic mythology were timed to begin exactly on Samhain.

Because of the association with beginnings, the ascendant is strongest in the beginning of life, before any growth has occurred.

I.C (Nadir) = Imbolc, Candlemas

The I.C. represents the mother and the home and nurturing. Candlemas is the time of the goddess archetype who nurtures us all. Candlemas happens at a time of the year when the weather outside is inhospitable, and so we come indoors into the home and we look inward for the enrichment and nurturing that can't be found outside. The I.C. is at it's strongest in childhood and prior to marriage.

Descendant = Bealtaine.

Bealtaine is the time of the sacred marriage, and this point in the chart represents marriage, and the union with other. It also talks about your desire to serve others and how to best express that. The Descendant is opposed to the ascendant, in that the ascendant speaks of self while the Descendant speaks of selfless concern for other.

Midheaven = Lughnasadh, Lammas

Midheaven is a time of fruition. A time of harvest, when your expression in the outer world reaches it's zenith at the zenith. This was the time when people gathered at fairs to share their bounty and show their skills. In traditional astrology the Midheaven represents your career. The midheaven can show what type of career you are best at. The midheaven is at it's strongest in middle age and later life. The midheaven is opposed to the I.C. In that the I.C. speaks of your nurturance, where the Midheaven speaks of your ability to nurture others in a concrete way.

Others

The other pagan holidays also seem to correspond to points on the wheel of houses. For instance, Yule may correspond to the middle of the 2nd house, which is about possessions and pleasures and the senses. And Christmas is the time of year when we all give presents, even though this was not the intent of the Christian church. Eostara may correspond to the middle of the 5th house which talks about children, fun, play, and recreational sex. However, these points are not considered to be powerful in traditional astrology and astrology programs won't even calculate these points, so I have not yet looked at them seriously. Also from a Celtic perspective these solstice / equinox holidays were considered minor if observed at all.

Look at the signs of these angle points and the archetypes they represent to see in what ways you can best express these principles in your life. Just as you did with the ascendant, also look at the aspects of these other points with your sun and moon to find out how the desires of your soul and the desires of spirit mesh with these principles.

The Signs and their archetypes.

In addition to the traditional meanings of the signs which you can use with this method, here are some possible associations with spirit guides, deities, and other archetypes that go with each sign. These are not complete or written in stone. They are just to give ideas. Some of the many skilled archetypes will be listed in more than one place.

With any luck you will find your patron deity or as I like to call them your default deity in here under your sun sign. However this can also be governed by other things, for instance if you have one of the planets on one of the angles. If you would like to suggest corrections or additions contact me

Aries

The warrior, Mars, Cuchullan, scatach, Athena, Amazons, infants, mercenaries, Sekhmet, Ishtar, Geburah, Thor, and Horus, the crone

Taurus

The Lover, or Coutesan, Aphrodite, Angus Mac Og, Parvati, and Eros, Oshun, Pan, the maiden,

In addition to the association of the angles with the pagan holidays above, there is still the traditional occult association with the signs. On Astrological Bealtaine the sun is at 15 degrees Taurus. Planets that are within a few degrees (2 or 3?) of 15 Taurus take on a larger than life quality and have a Bealtaine type flavor to them.

Gemini

The Divine Comic, Jester, Trickster, Hermes, The Daghda, Tailiasin, Native american Raven, Mercury, Loki, Bleodewydd, and Dakinis, the maiden,

Cancer

The Nurturer, Boanne, Dagdha, Demeter in the summer months, Hathor, and The loving father, the mother, the sea gods,

Leo

The one who rules, The Sun, Zeus, Danu, Lugh, The Daghda, Apollo, Ogma, Lions, Children and play, Brigit, the maiden, the crone,

In addition to the association of the angles with the pagan holidays above, there is still the traditional occult association with the signs. On Astrological Lammas the sun is at 15 degrees Leo. Planets that are within a few degrees (2 or 3?) of 15 leo take on a larger than life quality and have a Lammas type flavor to them.

Virgo

The Harvest, Geb, Gaia, Tailtu, Hephaestus, Danu, The Earth and those who serve her, the mother, the crone,

Libra

Gods and Godesses of justice, diplomacy, and balance, and matrimony, perhaps fate. Hera, Juno, Hermes, Pan, The Morrigan, Hekate, the maiden, the mother,

Scorpio

Pluto, the Morrigan, The Snake Goddess, Hades, Baccus, Daikinis, The Wild Man, Cernunnos, Mars, Pan, Hekate, the maiden, the crone

In addition to the association of the angles with the pagan holidays above, there is still the traditional occult association with the signs. On Astrological Samhain the sun is at 15 degrees Scorpio. Planets that are within a few degrees (2 or 3?) of 15 Scorpio take on a larger than life quality and have a Samhain type flavor to them.

Sagittarius

Lugh, Hercules, Lancelot, The Holy warrior, Ogma, Gods of education, Jupiter, the mother

Capricorn

Goddess of Justice, The business person, Saturn, Chronos, the crone,

Aquarius

Saturn, Chronos, Vulcan, The Smith Gods, Ogma, Gods of Science, the crone,

In addition to the association of the angles with the pagan holidays above, there is still the traditional occult association with the signs. On Astrological Imbolc the sun is at 15 degrees Aquaruis. Planets that are within a few degrees (2 or 3?) of 15 Aquarius take on a larger than life quality and have an Imbolc type flavor to them.

Pisces

The Boddhisattva, Universal archetypes, Dionysus, Healer deities, Danu, Isis, Astarte, the crone, the sea gods

Too be continued soon. (11/26/2001)