ASTROLOGY ETY*MOLLY*OGY
I have always been fascinated by the origins and history of words, and I find it extremely useful when learning a new topic. Understanding the roots of a word, has given me a better grasp on new concepts or philosophies.
It is estimated that over 60 percent of all English words have Greek or Latin roots, with an ultimate pathway through French.
There is a term, “Loan word” and this is how Ancient Greek language has influenced a modern English word. The Greek word travels trough Latin or French and arrives at its current form, modern English. This is what I will look at moving forward.
Astrology has its roots dating as far back as ancient Mesopotamia. Hellenisitic astrology, the style I am trained in has its roots back to the Hellenistic period as far back as 300 BC when the Greek language was the common language and Greek culture was dominant, the Mediterranean was in turn undergoing “Hellenism”.
The direct association with the evolution of language from Greece and astrology’s direct correspondence to Hellenistic roots, seems like the perfect opportunity to break down the astrological terms we have come utilize in our modern era.
I am in no manner an expert or have any training in ancient languages, just an enthusiast wishing to learn more and share this knowledge with those that care. Hope you enjoy the lingual journey as much as me!
Circle of Animals
Zodiac, “wheel of animals”. Ancient Greek gave us the diminutive “zoion” which means animal. This is where we get the word “zoo”. Zodiakos (Kyklos) is translated to “circle of little animals”.
The zodiac was based on dividing the ecliptic circle, thepath that planets travel in the heaven by twelve equal segments, each thirty degrees. Each twelve places, marked by the twelve signs, mostly symbolized by little animals or creatures. This was put in place by the Mesopotamians, 5th century BCE.
Watcher of the Hour
Astrology progressed from its Babylonian roots, to Greece and Egypt. It was there in flourishing Alexandria that the horoscope was born. The horoscope, a diagram of the heavens, represents a point in time, displaying the positions of the planets, Sun and Moon. The horoscope is an image of a circle, casted for a specific time (hour) and place, divided into 12 sections, each represented by one of the 12 zodiacal signs with a noted Ascendant (Rising). The Ascendant degree is the sign that was rising in the eastern horizon at your time of birth and location, located in the first of twelve houses. Many astrologers who cast a birth chart will refer to this as your “Rising” sign, you also have a Sun and Moon sign. The Rising sign is a very important sign to pay attention to, often referred to as the “helm” or wheel of your life, the one place you can actually influence steering in terms of vitality, health, identity, psychology.
It denotes the birth of an individual and where one is rising up to in life, new beginnings and personal health. The way one perceives life and the character of a person can be glimpsed in this first house. When major transits activate the Rising sign, a person can feel this internally and externally, either through health or mental processes, and may take more pivotal action when activated. Unique, personal new beginnings are often denoted with transits through this house. For instance, one may take up a new health regiment when planetary transits are hitting the first house of an individuals chart.
The horoscope casted allows one to “scope” or observe where each planet is in position to their own natal birth chart or a specific event in time and place. These complex charts are used with the intentions of forecasting or making observations in regards to the planets specific placements.
Today, modern westerners connect the word horoscope with a daily, weekly or monthly Sun sign column, which has generalized predictions for each twelve Sun signs. This was a trend that began to repopularize astrology, yet it is too simplistic, generalized, and essentially misleading because they are based on the “Sun” sign for individuals, except the actual horoscope chart they are using is casted with the “Sun sign” as the “Ascendant” or “Rising sign”. This may or may not be an individuals Sun sign, odds are it is not, but many people off the top of their head can tell you their Sun sign and not know anything else about astrology. This was great marketing, but not accurate by any means. If this sounds confusing, let me give an example. My Rising sign is Virgo, Virgo was rising at the time of my birth, my Sun sign is Cancer and that can be found in the eleventh house. If I were to read generalized columns, I would look to the Virgo entry not Cancer, because the astrologer casted the Cancer horoscope with Cancer in the first house not the eleventh.
The key to really interperting Sun sign horoscopes is to find out your Rising sign, and look to that particular sign when reading generalized Sun sign astrology. A better and more personal way is to have a professional astrologer cast your chart and break it down for you, or use one of the many amazing free software programs to learn your Rising sign and corresponding planet placements.
If you are interested in finding out your Rising sign and what it says about YOU, reach out to me. I will help you navigate your own birth chart and help you decode the language of the stars!
ANTISCIA
Mirror image, reflection or shadow of a planet based upon a line of reference, either the solstice or equinox axis. This could be the axis of 0 degree Cancer and 0 degrees of Capricorn, or as I will explain later, the equinox axis of Aries and Libra. If you were to draw a straight line down the middle, and look at which signs reflect one another, like a mirror, this would be the antiscia point. More on that below.
In addition to the classical aspects of astrology, the antiscia was another aspect considered by ancient astrologers, pertaining to a secret conjunction. This may point to an unseen, mostly favorable, relationship between the planets, and can be intepreted as such. Now this may not be the case for malefics, but that is another conversation for another time. Event chart coming soon.
Researching the etymology, I found a great article by Tania Daniels published in The Astrological Journal. Here Daniels explains the etymology and history of antiscia. Firmicus Maternus, 4th Century Roman astrologer, reports its Greek in origin, and was taught to Hipparchus in 2nd century BC. Other ancient astrologers were commenting on such theories, Marcus Manilius and Dorotheus of Sidon in 1 CE and Vettius Valens even used the term antiskioi moira (degrees watching each other) in Anthology, but Maternus seems to give name to it that we now use. The word “Antiscia” is actually Italian, and does not exist in Greek, but has been adapted over time. The singular word is antiscium (Latin), and antiscia is the plural form. Based on Pythagorean philosophy, everything has a balancing counter-force. Scia, means shadows, each degree of the zodiac has a reflective shadow, or counter-force.
Antiscia is considered a secret conjunction, formed around the solstice, and figured around the measurement of light and dark. The summer solstice and the winter solstice, are both based on light and dark, you have equal amount of light and dark when you are closest to the solstice axis. This is measured from two mirror points on the ecliptic at the solstice, where one planet is in the northern direction and the other is in the southern direction, one is ascending at a certain degree, and the other is descending at the same degree, creating a “counter-degree”. Both points exist at equal amount of light and dark. They are mirror points.
The summer solstice happens at the cusp of 0 Cancer, following Gemini, on either side of the solstice, there is equal amounts of light. If you were to look at the amount of light around the summer solstice, for example-5 days before the solstice in Gemini the amount of light is the same as 5 days in Cancer after the solstice, mirror reflecting light. Equal amount of light, and equal amount of dark. The degree points would look like this, 5 degree of Cancer and 25 degree of Gemini=30 degrees.
Antisica is configured by the sum of 30 degrees, each house in the zodiac is 30 degrees. Now if you were to move out on the zodiacal wheel, this theory holds true.
Leo and Taurus hug the signs of Cancer and Gemini as you move out on the wheel, if you have planets at a mirror degree points in Leo and in Taurus and they add up to 30 degrees, you have an antisica. Example given in Antiscia Chart, Jupiter is at 12 degrees of Leo, and the counter degree point would be 18 degrees of Taurus, and if Mars was there, there would be an antiscia between Jupiter and Mars.
Contra-Antiscia
Now we can look at the relationship of planets in regards to the Spring an Fall equinox. This is measuring the amount of darkness on one side of the equinox axis in proportion to the amount of light on the other. The equinox relates to either a growing light (spring) or growing darkness (fall). This falls at either 0 degrees of of Aries or Libra. This is the opposite of “antiscia”, of a likeness of the planets, and “contra-antiscia” is considered a “secret opposition”, an underlying hidden tension between two planets occupying . “Contra” meaning against, this speaks to two planets aligning against one another, and one could derive negation from this aspect.
The Contra-Antisica Chart explains this opposition by exploring a planet at 12 degrees in Taurus and another planet at 18 degrees of Aquarius, which totals 30 deg. These two planets could have a relationship of hidden tension.
This is a much more complex topic than what I laid out here, but I wanted to provide a general overview and history behind the word “antiscia”. It really is a powerful aspect that not many modern astrologers learn. What I love about this concept, it reiterates the importance of the Sun’s diurnal motion, the Sun’s relation to the symbolism behind each zodiacal sign, and the importance of how light and darkness have influenced the meaning and symbolism behind the signs of the zodiac.
ECLIPSE
Perception of eclipses in numerous ancient cosmologies have viewed this darkening of light as negative omens. Light being obscured by a celestial influence.
Ancient Egyptian cosmology involves their world serpent, Apep. Apep is the predator of the sun god, Ra. Ra who pulls the glowing disc daily in his chariot is pursued daily by Apep, each night is a sound defeat for Ra, except when eclipses occur. Apep was said to catch the sun during eclipse periods, hoping too fully consume it. Ra does manage to free the sun from total consumption, signaling the end of the eclipse and balance is restored.
A similar cosmology in Norse mythology speak to Sol and Mani, Sun goddess and Moon God, who draw their chariots across the sky each day. It is believed each day they are being chased by wolves, Skoll and Hati. When the eclipses were to occur, it was believed the wolves had finally run down the two luminary lords and attempted to fully devour them. If they were fully consumed, this was an omen to Ragnarok that the end of the world would soon occur.
Another Hindu mythology, which often gets cited in astrology, view the eclipses as an encounter with the demon dragon, Svarbhanu. The story goes that the demon Svarbhanu sought the elixir of life, Amrita, that would grant one immortality and was only intended for gods. Vishnu heard of this plan and beheaded the hungry demon. Yet the demon had already sipped the immortal potion, and life eternal had been granted. This demon dragon sits in the sky between the Sun and the Moon without hands to grab, but still immortal and able to possess and entice. His severed head, named Rahu is the north node, and his tail, Ketu, is the south node. Rahu, the north node, is said to entice humans, pull them further into their karmic story. Ketu, the south node, is said to pull us away, decrease our desire, and can either leads us into deattachment for good or bad. Ketu can signify either where we loose ourself in our own downfall, or where we relinquish our worldly desires, for better or worse. Hindu myth believes Rahu now chases the Sun and Moon, and when he catches them during eclipse season, he gets a brief victory. Eclipses, dicated by the nodes, fluctuate our own fortune during these times.
We know now that eclipses occur due to when the Moon’s orbit crosses the ecliptic, the Earth’s orbit around the Sun. The north and south node, two invisible points on the moon’s orbit path will dictate which zodiacal sign the eclipses will occur each year, and when a new or full Moon occur near these nodes by degree, an eclipse occurs. These two nodes will always be in exact opposition with one another.
The interpretation, astrologically of the north and south node can be hotly debated by traditional and modern astrologers, with modern thought that these are karmic areas of our life that need our focus and in turn will improve. Traditional astrology, mirroring more of the ancient cultures views of eclipses, do view these as areas that may continuously challenge us to show up and battle, but growth isn’t always guaranteed. What eclipses can do is help us recognize repetitive patterns, what we hold on too and what we allow to slip away, what is casting shadows on a particular area of chart. They can help us usher in new seasons of our life with a more perceptive eye, and if we are observant to them in our natal chart, we can see a storyline playing out, sometimes over and over, same theme, different costume. Yet it is still a time of the two great luminaries being blotted out, and our own fortune can greatly fluctuate around eclipse season. It is discouraged to make big changes around eclipses, perform magic, or force issues.
The nodes take a full 18 years to move through the zodiac, and they flip signs every 9 years. A fun exercise it to look at where the eclipses occurred in your own chart by tracing them back in 9 and 18 year increments, looking at the house placement in your own chart, and see if you can see repeating themes, lessons, stories.
Solar eclipses and lunar eclipses are respectively like super charged new and full Moon’s, where either doors are opening and energy is flowing in, or doors are closing and energy is flowing out, the key word is flowing, do not try to grasp too hard at what is coming in or leaving, letting it flow. What really makes these personally potent, is how they align in your own natal chart and whether they are occurring in angular houses or making critical aspects to natal planets. If you are curious where they are occurring in your own chart, reach out for a natal chart consultation, together we will navigate the stars to orient your life.