Astrology Articles and News: Hemisphere

Saturday, 14 July 2012

Southern Hemisphere Astrology - Rulers and Houses of the Signs

The attributes of the signs (Western) or rashis (Vedic) is the most complex issue for Southern Hemisphere astrology. To determine the attributes of the signs, we must analyze how the Western and Vedic traditions assigned their attributes in the Northern Hemisphere. If we apply the same logic to the Southern Hemisphere, we can determine the qualities of the signs/rashis.

We see that each sign/rashi obtains its attributes from five roots:

ConstellationHouse/BhavaModePlanetary RulerElement

When we view the zodiac from the Southern Hemisphere, we immediately see that the constellations and natural houses are reversed. The sign containing the vernal equinox is associated with the 1st house. The next sign is associated with the 2nd house, and so on. Libra (Thula) is the vernal equinox in the Southern Hemisphere, so Libra is the 1st house, while Aries (Mesha) is the 7th. Capricorn (Makara) is the 4th house, Cancer (Karkata) the 10th. So our first conclusion is that the constellation and houses are reversed or opposite. The three other fundamental roots (mode, ruler, element) must align with either the constellation or the house.

We note the fortunate symmetry of mode. Cardinal signs remain cardinal. If a sign is on an equinox or solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, it is on a cardinal point in the Southern Hemisphere. The same symmetry applies to the fixed and mutable signs. The hemisphere makes no difference in mode. Our second conclusion is that there is no change in mode. The assignment of cardinal, fixed, and mutable modes remains the same as in the Northern Hemisphere.

We must give more thought, however, to the planetary rulers of the signs. The ancients assigned planetary rulers according to seasons. The luminaries (Sol/Surya and Luna/Chandra) were assigned the signs/rashis of greatest heat. The other planets were assigned rulerships moving outward in Ptolemaic order (Mercury/Buddha, Venus/Sukra, Mars/Mangala, Jupiter/Guru, Saturn/Sani) until Saturn/Sani (and Uranus) were assigned to the coldest months. If we do this in the Southern Hemisphere, we start by assigning Luna rulership over Capricorn and Sol rulership over Aquarius. Mercury has rulership over Sagittarius and Pisces. We continue until Saturn (Western) has rulership over Cancer, Uranus over Leo, and Sani (Vedic) over Karkata and Simha. Our next conclusion is that planetary rulership is associated with the house, not the constellation.

If we temporarily ignore element, we see that the only difference between Southern and Northern Hemisphere signs is a reversal of the constellation. Thus, the first house, Mars-ruled, cardinal sign (rashi) is Libra, not Aries. We need to integrate the symbolism of the Scales to that of Mars, the 1st house, and cardinal mode to define Libra. The final, and most intriguing root, however, is the element. Would Libra (Thula) be air or fire in the Southern Hemisphere? This is the most controversial aspects of Southern Hemisphere signs/rashis.

Franz Josef Stern has studied astrological traditions for over 30 years. He offers current Western and Vedic astrology, and reconstructed Arabic and Norse astrology through Alt Horoscopes, LLC for individuals seeking psychological and spiritual knowledge from alternative perspectives. Through Alt Horoscopes, LLC, Franz Josef Stern offers informative, intuitive, and accessible forecasts for both the novice and astrologically sophisticated.

Alt Horoscopes offers astrology in the Western, Vedic, Arabic, and Norse traditions.

Get your own personalized forecast horoscope.

Alt Horoscopes, the home of alternative astrology.

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Southern Hemisphere Astrology - The Elements of Each Sign

To define the attributes or qualities of sings (Western) or rashis (Vedic) in the Southern Hemisphere, we need to analyze the five fundamental roots of each sign: constellation, house, mode, planetary ruler, and element. The first four roots are relatively easy to assign. The fifth root, element, requires the most thought.

Is the element (fire, earth, air, water) associated with the constellation, or the house (bhava)? For this, we must consider the intrinsic difference between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres and the role they play in human history. We must consider the four elements as they assist us in our evolution.

The Northern Hemisphere is primarily land. The Southern Hemisphere is primarily water. Humankind originated near the Equator (African Rift Valley), but established great civilizations in the north, not the south. Land (Earth) is our present and immediate past, but Water is our distant past and future. Life arose from Water. The oceans will be the final frontier for humankind on this planet. Our first tool was Fire, and it represents the internal energy of humankind's spirit. Our future will be in our interconnection, and in space, both of which are represented by Air.

The 10th and 9th houses define the zenith, the heights, aspirations, and ideals of humankind. In the Northern Hemisphere, the 10th house is associated with Earth, the 9th with Fire. These elements represent the progress of humankind when it arose from equatorial Africa to establish the civilizations that we know today. But the Southern Hemisphere belongs primarily to Earth's other life, which lives in the ocean. The epitome of development in the south is Water, not Earth, so the 10th house and constellation, Cancer (Karkata), is Water, not Earth. Our future will be in networking, the element of Air, so the 9th house and constellation, Gemini (Mithunya), is Air, not Fire. The evolution of humankind tends toward Earth and Fire in the Northern Hemisphere. It tends toward Water and Air in the Southern Hemisphere. We conclude that in the Southern Hemisphere, the elements linked to the constellations, not the houses.

When we consider all five roots, we behold a pleasing symmetry. We see that the constellation and element remain together, that the planetary ruler and house/bhava remain together, and that these two pairs are reversed for opposing signs. In addition, we see that there is no change in mode. Each sign/rashi retains half of its meaning in the Southern Hemisphere, and acquires half the meaning of its opposing sign/rashi.

Intuitively, this makes sense. We would expect each sign/rashi to switch half of its attributes with its opposing sign/rashi in the Southern Hemisphere. The fundamental roots become:

Libra/Thula - Air, Cardinal, 1st house, Mars/Mangala
Scorpio/Vrishchika -Water, Fixed, 2nd house, Venus/Sukra
Sagittarius/Dhanushya - Fire, Mutable, 3rd house, Mercury/Buddha
Capricorn/Makara - Earth, Cardinal, 4th house, Luna/Chandra
Aquarius/Kumbha - Air, Fixed, 5th house, Sol/Surya
Pisces/Meena - Water, Mutable, 6th house, Mercury/Buddha
Aries/Mesha - Fire, Cardinal, 7th house, Venus/Sukra
Taurus/Vrishabha - Earth, Fixed, 8th house, Mangala/Mars, Pluto
Gemini/Mithunya - Air, Mutable, 9th house, Jupiter/Guru
Cancer/Karkata - Water, Cardinal, 10th house, Saturn/Sani
Leo/Simha - Fire, Fixed, 11th house, Uranus, Saturn/Sani
Virgo/Kanya - Earth, Mutable, 12th house, Neptune, Jupiter/Guru

By examining and synthesizing these roots, astrologers will be able to define the effect of the signs in the Southern Hemisphere.

Alt Horoscopes offers astrology in the Western, Vedic, Arabic, and Norse traditions.

Get your own personalized forecast horoscope.

Alt Horoscopes, the home of alternative astrology.

View the original article here