Of all the established systems of symbolic thought, astrology is perhaps the most comprehensive. This makes it a fabulous entry into the study of symbolism as a whole. Its insights apply to all fields of life, from personality to plants, medicine to dreams, science to alchemy. The signs of the zodiac themselves are filled with symbolism.
Astrology in the Esoteric Tradition
In the world’s history of esoteric knowledge, astrology has played an essential part. This fact alone would make astrology a crucial part of any esoteric training of good caliber. Throughout history there have been philosophers, scientists, writers and mystics who have made reference to it in their teachings. This means that without a grounding in astrological knowledge, many classic writings cannot be fully appreciated.
Take Dante’s Paradiso for example: the part of the Divine Comedy in which Dante describes the angelic hierarchies in order, as the ladder of spiritual worlds. This is essentially a journey through the planetary spheres, seen as spheres of influence around the Earth. Dante’s telling of this is replete with astrological symbolism. As he travels through the sphere of the fixed stars Dante sees the constellation of Gemini, the sign under which he himself was born. Dante attributes all of his genius to this:
‘O glorious constellation, O light pregnant with great virtue, from which I recognize all of my genius, whatever it may be.’
(Paradiso, 22.112-114)
Planetary Force
The alchemists worked closely with astrology and its language of symbolism in their quest to bring about the spiritualization of matter. They saw each substance as being ruled by a particular planetary force, and timed their lab operations to make the best use the astrological cycles of the Sun, Moon and planets. Their ultimate goal, lapis philosophorum, or philosopher’s stone, is represented by the Sun, standing for the source of life and center of all things.
Daily life is sprinkled with references to astrology. A good-natured, warm-humored person may be called jovial, meaning Jupiterian. Jupiter was the largest of the planets visible to the naked eye and stands for generosity and expansion. From Saturn, the coldest, most distant planet known to the ancients comes the word saturnine, meaning a dour, taciturn person. Something quick and changeable can be described as mercurial, fitting well with Mercury’s apparent movements back and forth in the sky as it turns around the Sun. Martial arts are the domain of Mars, god of war.
For spiritual insight into yourself and others, delving into astrological charts takes you beyond appearances to the forces that shape the personality. Your astrological birth chart shows hidden talents and unrealized potential and suggests directions to take to realize them. Some systems of astrology emphasize this approach and rather than taking a fortune-telling approach, provide tools for self-empowerment.
Learn more about symbolism in Astrology in our website. For more information about astrology please visit Clairvision Astrology website.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Al_Falaq_Arsendatama
Related posts:
- Chinese Astrology vs Western Astrology The Chinese astrologers study the resources present in the earthly environment and establish the interconnectivity between nature and man. They...