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Above the Earth

When a planet is located above the horizon, namely anywhere between the ascendant and descendant via the mid-heaven. If a planet is found in the 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th houses, it is above the earth.

Abscission of Light

Prevention of the culmination of an aspect by the intervention of another, thus "cutting off" the light. Used in Horary Astrology. See Frustration.

Abscissor

Killing planet; cutter-off of light.

Absides (Absis)

The points where the major axis of an elliptical orbit meets the orbital path. See Apsides.

Accidental Dignity

Planet dignified by favourable position, motion or aspect, but not in Essential Dignity. See Dignities, Accidental and Essential.

Acronychal

Rising or setting of a star at nightfall.

Adept

One who has conscious control and understanding of techniques. An Adept is one who is proficient in astrological, alchemical, mystical or esoteric techniques, usually an initiate into one or other of the Mystery Schools.

Adverse Aspect

Unfortunate aspect between planets, or other chart factors. See Malefic Aspects.

Aether (Ether, Æther)

1. Alchemical quintessence: the fifth and highest element after Air, Earth, Fire and Water; once believed to be the substance composing all heavenly bodies. See Akasha, also Quintessence.
2. A medium that was once supposed (originally by Leibniz) to fill all space and to support the propagation of electromagnetic waves. See Dark Energy.
3. In theosophical terms, it is a subtle energetic field, or level of consciousness immediately surrounding and interpenetrating the physical level of our five senses. See Etheric Body.

Read more on the Aether.

Affinity

When planets or other factors are similar, in harmony, or have a mutual compatibility.

Affliction

An adverse aspect, or position, creating problems in the expression of the relevant energies. Aspects from malefics are almost always adverse, so the aspected planet is said to suffer affliction, or be afflicted, but benefics can also afflict if poorly placed in the chart. A planet can also be said to be afflicted if it is debilitated by chart position (for example if in fall or detriment, or by rulership of the unfortunate houses: 4th, 6th, 8th and 12th.).

Age, Astrological

The location of the vernal point in the sidereal zodiac defines the current Astrological Age. An Astrological Age has a duration of some 2,160 years, as the vernal point (0° Aries in the Tropical Zodiac) precesses through the sidereal zodiac at a rate of something over one degree every 72 years. The two zodiacs coincided in approximately 200 AD (depending on your ayanamsa) marking the end of the Age of Aries and the beginning of the Age of Pisces. It has now precessed to around 5° Pisces, so we are gradually approaching the end of the Age of Pisces and have entered the transitional phase towards actualisation of the Age of Aquarius.

Age of Aquarius

The Astrological Age that begins when the vernal point precesses beyond the first degree of sidereal Pisces and into the last degree of sidereal Aquarius. The exact year of this cosmic event is in dispute, but is most likely to be sometime around the mid 2300's AD. One argument in favour of the Age of Aquarius having already begun is the cusp argument promoted by Ptolemy and others that the actual cusp of a house is effective up to five degrees before the actual cuspal degree, but this is shaky insofar as it applies to houses rather than to signs. However, it is supported by the experience of the deaths of millions in the twentieth century under, Hitler, Stalin, Mao, the World Wars etc (marking the ending of the Age of Pisces) and the emergence of the individualistic, technological culture that arrived during the 1960's. This issue was of intense interest to early "New Age" astrologers in the twentieth century (and indeed still is), as it was supposed to introduce a new age of brotherhood and harmony and the coming "sixth race" of advanced humans. You can draw your own conclusions on that.

Air Element

One of the four astrological elements. A masculine element, it stands for intellect, media, matters to do with communications and so on. The other elements are, Fire, Water and Earth.

Air Signs

Libra (cardinal), Aquarius (fixed) and Gemini (mutable).

Airy Triplicity

The Air Signs: Libra; Aquarius; Gemini. These signs are hot and moist by nature and sanguine by temperament.

Akasha (Akasa)

The mystical fifth element, or quintessence. The cosmic spiritual essence that pervades and underpins the material elements, Fire, Air, Earth and Water. A sanscrit word meaning "shining", it is also known as the Astral Light, or collective unconscious.

Akashic Records

The "Book of Life"; interactive cosmic storehouse of karmic impressions made by every thought, word and deed in the Akasha, or cosmic mind, the collective unconscious.

Albedo

1. Alchemy: second stage of the Great Work; whitening and purification; the Moon; female
2. Astronomy: fraction of sunlight reflected by a planet or satellite (no astrological connotations).

Alchemist (Alchymist)

One who practices Alchemy.

Alchemy

Ancient art of transforming substances from an impure to a pure form using occult techniques, primarily the transformation of base metals into gold. Alchemy also had a profoundly spiritual symbolism, enabling the transformation of the gross condition of man into a refined and essentially pure realisation of divine spirit. Substances (herbs, gems, metals, etc.) according to the Law of Correspondences were applied using astrological rulerships and techniques, energising the work by planetary hours, aspects, phases etc. The key lay in the manufacture of the Philosopher's Stone (a catalyst in the Great Work); the development of the Universal Solvent (capable of dissolving all substances); and the Universal Panacea, an elixir believed to be the cure for all ills. Alchemy, the forerunner of modern scientific chemistry, is still practiced in its own right (as distinct from herbalism, chinese medicine and ayurveda, all of which employ alchemical techniques). Some modern practitioners claim to have achieved the Magnum Opus (Great Work).

Alcocoden (Alchochoden, Alcoccoden)

Alchochoden, "the giver of the years", meaning the planet which, in the natal chart, reveals the number of years that the person is going to live. It is determined by finding the planet that has most essential dignity, whilst being in good aspect to the hyleg.

Aldebaran

A malefic Fixed Star in the 10th degree of Gemini, known traditionally as the archangel Michael, the Watcher of the East. A behenian star, it is one of the four Royal Stars.

Alfonsine Tables

Ephemerides tabulating Sun, Moon and planets under the patronage of King Alfonso X of Léon and Castile. His team of some 50 astronomers at Toledo revised and improved Ptolemy's geocentric tables in the Almagest, freshly translating from Arabic editions into Castilian (completed c.1252). Once translated into Latin in 1320, they remained the standard in Europe until superseded by Johannes Kepler's superior Rudolphine Tables, published in 1627. See Rudolphine Tables.

Alfridaria

Derived from the mixed Arabic and Persian "al firdar", the alfridaria, or alfridaries, are a system of planetary periods of Persian origin first described as far as we know by Abu Mashar. Originally intended for the long term forecasting of historical events, they can also be used in predicting for individual charts. More about Alfridaria.

Algol

Caput Algol, a malefic fixed star currently located in the 27th degree of Taurus. More on Fixed Stars.

Alien Signs

Signs in Aversion. See also Disjunct.

Almuten

A planet which, because of its placing, dignities, fortitudes and aspects, comes to have more importance than the ruler, be it of the whole chart or of any particular House of the chart.

Alpheta

Giver of Life. The alphetical places correspond with the places of Hyleg, for which this is an alternative name.

Alphonsine Tables

Alfonsine Tables, q.v.

Anabibazon

Dragon's Head (north lunar node).

Anareta

A planet severely afflicting the Hyleg at birth and by direction. Usually a malefic, but any planet can be the Anareta, particularly the lord of the 8th, the almuten of the lord of the 8th, or any planet placed in the 8th house. Known as the "killing planet", it is believed to portend the cause of death.

Anaretic Degree (Anaretic Place)

1. The 29th degree of any Sign. It is also known as the degree of fate. Planets and other factors that occupy the anaretic degree reveal deep issues that generate significant trials in life.
2. The terms of the infortunes are also known as Anaretic Degrees.

Angles

In order of power:

• First House (Ascendant – East Angle)
• Tenth House (M.C. – South Angle)
• Seventh House (Descendant – West Angle)
• Fourth House (I.C. – North Angle)

The Angles are the most important houses. Planets in angles are the strongest and most significant.

Angles of a Malevolent (Infortune)

Tenth, Seventh and Fourth signs counted in relation to the sign holding a malefic planet (Mars or Saturn) as if it were the Ascendant. Also when in corporeal conjunction (i.e. as if in the First House of the Malevolent). Planets placed here are considered unfortunate, but the negativity of the position is cancelled by reception if applicable.

Angular

Pertaining to the Angles. Angular houses are the strongest and angular planets must be especially noted.

Anima Mundi

The "Soul of the World". The essential ground of consciousness that permeates and vitalizes everything in nature, diffused through the smallest subatomic particle right up to the most advanced forms of planetary consciousness. In this way, everything on the Earth is connected and related at a profound, subliminal level.

Animodar (of Tetrabiblos)

Ancient method of birth time rectification, dating at least from Ptolemy and apparently used by Galileo in the rectification of his own chart.

Annular

In an annular eclipse, the Moon does not completely block the light of the Sun, leaving a thin ring of fire (Annulus) visible. A New Moon near apogee is not sufficient to cover the face of the Sun completely, so its dark umbra cannot reach the Earth's surface to generate a total solar eclipse; hence, the antumbra predominates.

Antares

A benefic Fixed Star in the 10th degree of Sagittarius. One of the four Royal Stars.

Antipathy

Inharmonious relations between planets, particularly those which rule or are exalted in opposite signs.

Antiscion

A point equal in distance on the opposite side of the solsticial axis to a planet's position. It is effectively the "shadow" of a planet. The midpoint of a planet's position and its antiscion is always the point of the solstice (0° Cancer - 0° Capricorn). For example, when the Sun is in the tenth degree of Taurus, this is as far distant from the first degree of Cancer as it would be if placed in the twentieth degree of Leo, its Antiscion, so energising any planet in that degree or which casts an aspect to that degree. Once held to be a powerful fortitude equivalent to sextile or trine, this is rarely considered by modern astrologers, perhaps because it is a geometrical abstraction, rather than a real rock. More on Antiscion. See also Contra-Antiscion.

Antumbra

The antumbra in an annular eclipse is the section of the shadow that reaches the Earth, the body of the Moon being too distant for the umbra (darkest part of the Moon's shadow) to reach the surface of the Earth. An annular eclipse can be darker than a penumbral or partial eclipse.

Aphelion

The place in a planet's orbit which is farthest from the Sun. See Perihelion.

Apheta

Giver of life. See Alpheta.

Aphrodite

Greek goddess of love, beauty and prosperity, cognate with Roman Venus.

Apoapsis (Apoapse; Apapsis)

The outermost point of an ellipse (as in a planetary orbit). The innermost point is called the Periapsis.

Apogee

The place in a planet's orbit which is farthest from the Earth. See Perigee.

Apparent Motion

The celestial bodies appear to rise in the east and set in the west, but this is nowadays considered an illusion created by the rotation of the Earth on its axis.

Application

The approach of one planet to another, or to a sensitive point in the chart, such as a cusp. See Separation.

Applying

See Application.

Apsides

Plural of Apsis. According to The Aphorisms of Cardan, "changes of the Absides of the Planets cause mutations in governments and laws, which is a point very much to be regarded".

Apsis

The point of greatest (apoapsis; apapsis) or least (periapsis) distance of the elliptical orbit of a celestial body from its centre of attraction (the centre of mass of the system). The points where the major axis of an elliptical orbit meets the orbital path. The Line of Apsides is the major axis of the ellipse, the line passing through the longest part of the ellipse.

Aquarius

The eleventh sign of the zodiac. Aquarius, the Water-bearer, is a fixed, air sign. More about Aquarius.

Aquarian Age

Age of Aquarius, q.v.

Aquary

Obsolete name for Aquarius.

Arabic Parts

Significant points on the ecliptic, derived from the relationship between other significant points or planets. Parts are also known as Lots. See Pars Fortunæ (Part of Fortune). More about Arabic Parts.

Arc

Distance as measured in degrees, minutes and seconds along the circumference of a circle. There are 360 degrees of arc in the circumference of a circle; a minute is one sixtieth of a degree and a second is one sixtieth of a minute. One sign describes 30 degrees of arc along the circumference of the zodiac. Some scientific authors are now using decimal fractions, instead of minutes and seconds, though curiously they are still using degrees from the ancient Babylonian sexagesimal (base-60) mathematical system.

Archetype

Original pattern, model, prototype, or blueprint. According to modern, psychological astrology, archetypes are the primordial images that form the structural basis for our subconscious motivations, expressed symbolically by planets, signs and other astrological motifs. Though the self-actualisation ideals of modern astrology were conceived in the theosophical schools of the 19th century, using archetypes as motivators derives from the 20th century psychoanalytic theories of Jung.

Ares

Greek god of war and fertility, cognate with Mars. Not to be confused with Aries, the sign of the Ram.

Aries

The first sign of the zodiac. Aries, the Ram, is a cardinal fire sign, commencing in the Tropical system at the vernal equinox. More about Aries.

Aries Point

The first degree of Aries (but also by aspect the other three cardinal points, the beginnings of Cancer, Libra and Capricorn). Where these points fall in the chart is held to be highly significant in terms of the way an individual is pushed into the spotlight. It is used mainly by practitioners of Uranian astrology (a.k.a. Cosmobiology), but also has ancient references. It is more widely known as the Vernal Point.

Aristarchos of Samos

Aristarchos (310 BC - circa 230 BC), a Greek astronomer and mathematician born in Samos, Greece, was the first to propose a heliocentric model of the solar system, countervailing the predominant geocentric theories of Aristotle and the majority of ancient thinkers. His heliocentric ideas inspired Copernicus some 1800 years later.

Aristotle

A pivotal Greek philosopher (384 BC – 322 BC), student of Plato and tutor of Alexander the Great. He wrote widely and his ideas on physics, metaphysics, poetry, theatre, music, logic, rhetoric, politics, government, ethics, biology and zoology were dominant until modern times. His geocentric cosmological theories formed the universal backdrop for the ancient and mediæval worldviews, notably with regard to astrology as formulated by Ptolemy.

Ascendant

1. The sign and degree on the cusp of the First House, the eastern horizon of the chart, in most house systems. In some such as the Whole Sign system, or the Equal House system based on the MC, it is a sensitive point, not necessarily in the first house. Technically it is the point on the Ecliptic where the Ecliptic intersects the Horizon to the East of the Meridian. See Rising Sign.
2. In Horary, the cusp of the house that represents the party: e.g. the cusp of the 5th is the ascendant for a child of the querent.

More about the Ascendant.

Ascending

A planet is said to be ascending (rising), when moving via the ascendant between the fourth and tenth cusps, i.e. in the eastern hemisphere of the chart.

Ascending Node

North Node. See Nodes.

Ascension

See Long Ascension and Short Ascension.

Aspect

Particular angular distances between planets, or planets and other sensitive points, measured in degrees (°), minutes (') and sometimes seconds (") of arc. In ancient times, planets were held to "see" other planets at particular geometric positions, hence they took on an aspect of vision. Modern astrologers generally do not take this view, but simply consider geometric relationships as aspects. Conjunction is also nowadays considered as an aspect, even though the ancients did not call it such.

Minor Aspects Major Aspects Malefic Aspects Benefic Aspects

Ptolemaic Aspects Keplerian Aspects Conjunction Aversion

Aspects can be Zodiacal (read along the Ecliptic) or Mundane (read along the Equator). See Mundane Aspects.

Asterism

Smaller constellation. See Lunar Mansions.

Asteroids

Small planetoids orbiting between Mars and Jupiter. There are many of them, but recently a small number have managed to get themselves considered useful in astrology, notably Ceres, Juno, Pallas Athene and Vesta. These are all considered to be feminine influences, or "goddess planets". More about Asteroids.

Astral

Starry. Often used as a shorthand for the Astral Plane, or Astral Body.

Astral Body

Subtle, interpenetrating body, or level of the human energetic field (aura), primarily concerned with processing information and prana (chi) at the emotional level.

Astral Light

Material expression of the Akasha, or self-luminous collective unconscious.

Astral Plane

Intermediate level between the spiritual and the physical worlds; the emotional level of the body-mind. The soul of the world-being. Lower level of the Akasha.

Astral Travel

Separation of the Astral Body from the physical and visiting other locations. This mainly happens unconsciously in sleep, but some adepts can consciously control and direct the movement of the astral, whether in the sleeping or the waking state.

Astrolabe

A mechanical device, predecessor to the sextant, whereby mariners determined the time of day by the Sun, of the night by the stars, and the height and depth of mountains and valleys. – Source: The Encyclopedia of Astrology

Astrologer

One who practices Astrology.

Astrologian

Astrologer [obsolete].

Astrological Age

See Age, Astrological.

Astrologist

1. Astrologer (rare)
2. Believer in, or follower of, astrology – though not necessarily an actual astrologer

Astrology

The science of the stars, astrology seeks the meaning and application of the planets, stars and other celestial phenomena in our lives. A very ancient, yet still vital discipline.

Astrometeorology

Meteorological Astrology. Weather prediction, including prediction of storms, floods etc. using ancient astrological methods.

Astronomer

One who practices Astronomy.

Astronomy

The science of the observation and material origins of stars and other celestial phenomena. Of relatively recent origin, this discipline has become separated from and generally hostile to astrology, with which it was once intimately in partnership.

Atma (Atman)

Spiritual essence, or soul.

Atmakaraka

Soul indicator in a Vedic astrology chart. Reveals strongly ingrained tendencies and affinities, providing the greatest opportunities for soul progress. There are two, the Sun, the natural atmakaraka and the temporal (charaatmakaraka), which is determined by placement of the planets in the signs, also defined as that planet with the highest degree of longitude.

Aura

A luminous spiritual atmosphere or halo made up of subtle energy fields: patterns of energy, vibrating at interwoven frequencies and intensities. These comprise, surround and interpenetrate the body-mind through several levels of consciousness. The energetic planetary signatures affect us via the aura. See Astral Body.

Avatar

1. Powerful spiritual incarnation.
2. According to Vedic Astrology, there are nine planetary Avatars, one for each of the visible planets, plus Rahu and Ketu, the Moon's Nodes.

Avatar Point

The potent 15th degree of each of the Fixed Signs. Held by some to mark the entry point of divine energy via the planetary Avatar into the cosmos.

Average Daily Motion

The average motion of a planet over a 24 hour period. Travelling slower than average is held to be a debility. See Mean Daily Motion.

Aversion

A lack of acknowledgement between zodiac signs based on aspects of 30 and 150 degrees. Some hellenistic astrologers thought aversion to be cancelled by like-engirding, equal power, or commanding and obeying relationships. This aspect was considered very unfortunate by the ancients, but is not held to be unduly evil by modern Western astrologers.

Ayanamsa

The difference between the starting points of the Tropical and Sidereal Zodiacs, due to the precession of the equinoxes. There are several in use in India today, but the official government-sanctioned Lahiri ayanamsa (22°27'37.7") is the most widely used. The other popular ayanamsas are Krishnamurti (22°21'50") and Raman (21°00'52") though it should be mentioned that there are at least 3 different versions of Lahiri, plus other lesser-used models.

Ayurveda

Traditional Indian holistic healing system, based in the humoral relationships of plants, oils, gems etc to the human body. Ayurveda (ayur: "life" & ved: "knowledge") is a spiritual discipline as well as a medical one, seeking balance of the body, emotions, mind and spirit. Strongly rooted in astrology, the method employs herbs, diet, exercise, yoga, massage, aromas, gems, tantras, mantras, and meditation to overcome excesses or deficiencies in elemental life energies. More on Ayurveda.

Azimene

Deficient or "Weak" degrees that are traditionally held to cause tendency to lameness, deformity, or other disability such as blindness. See Table.