In Astrology, the planets are our “inner Lights,” symbolizing various part of our personality.

Each of the 7 visible planets represents part of us, and because none of us was born perfect, each of the 7 planetary parts of our personality has an unhealthy expression as well as a healthy expression. As we move through life experiences, we have to learn to replace our unhealthy or frustrating responses with more satisfying ways of expressing our intention.

Today we’re going to take a new look at our “departments of personality” so we can understand the function of each, and see what it will take to express ourselves more perfectly. I elaborate on many of these concepts in my book Saturn: Spiritual Master, Spiritual Friend, as one of the main tasks we have in life is to exercise our power to master our lower self so we can become the perfect expression of our Higher Self. That means we have to find ways to turn each of our planetary responses into a natural expression of our loving wisdom and understanding.

The book explores many of the factors which condition our responses, with hints as to how to take command of our responses so we can feel fulfilled and are no longer frustrated by our feelings in difficult situations. I wholeheartedly recommend getting a copy, since it’s a manual for moving through life, seeing what is required at every turn of the wheel as we dance at the intersection of Fate Street and Free Will Street where they converge on Eternity Boulevard.

As we encounter various experiences, we go through all kinds of sensations; pleasure, pain, hope, despair, optimism, pessimism, fear, joy, and too many more to mention. Years ago I read the words of a Chinese Sage which state “Times change, and with them their changing demands.” While our Lunar, Mercurial, or Jupiterian expressions in childhood may or may not have been adequate then, they sure aren’t adequate in our adult life! Each changing experience shows us how some actions, feelings, and ideas which once worked for us no longer do, or simply can’t be applied as we have known.

Mars shows us our skill at “doing something.” It is how we “attack the problems of life.” How we express our Mars in childhood usually is not sufficient or useful for the things we have to deal with in the adult world. That which aggravates us points to the way we can get beyond “being aggravated,” and instead direct our Mars energies to the productive ends we want.

Mercury is our mindset and how we coordinate things on the basis of our perception. Our youthful Mercury attitudes are usually inadequate to dealing with more complicated adult problems. As we realize we need to change how we react as a result of dynamic challenges, we can find other response options than the familiar ones. It’s really a matter of recognizing when we have to choose to step back from our attachments, ours or another’s delusions and illusions, and redirect our attitude to see what must be seen and positively try new ways of expressing our best Self.

Everybody confronts these things. And yet, we are never without resources, never without the means to counteract our negativity and turn it to positive responses. It just a question of identifying what planet a behavior is associated with, and turn it to more productive and positive consciously chosen behavior. We can always do better than we did before. Sometimes we have to deconstruct or turn away from some old pattern and intentionally create space for something better to come forth. Each time we see a dysfunctional planetary expression, we can turn it to a better behavior.

The Planetary Dualities

Any time we confront a dysfunctional part of us, another, or a situation, it shows us which of the “planetary lights” is being manifest and points the way to how we can antidote that behavior. Each of our planetary Lights has two expressions, constructive and destructive.

When our planets are healthy, they show us personality strengths giving us power to bring forth health, wealth, love, and perfect self-expression for ourselves and others. When a planet is dysfunctional, it usually manifests as something which is painful for us and/or others. So let’s take a look at the planetary dualities, some ways to recognize when a malfunction is happening, and how we can turn negative to positive.

As I remarked earlier, I’ve included the dualities and ways to turn negatives to positive in my book Saturn: Spiritual Master, Spiritual Friend. I originally found the core concepts of the planetary dualities in the remarkable Qabbalistic masterwork The Tarot – A Key to the Wisdom of the Ages, by the venerable western Arhat Paul Foster Case. Certain Major Arcana are associated with specific planets, and dimensions of understanding can open by seeing how each planet manifests these dual qualities.

I elaborate on each of these dualities in greater detail in my Saturn book. From Chapter 2, “How Astrology Works” pp. 34-37:

Moon - Peace/Strife. This is the aspect of consciousness describing how subconsciousness responds to the immediacy of our experience.

By our Lunar function we fall into fear, dependency, or backward-looking insecurity, and thus come to know how to provide for the need of the moment in a mature and sensitive way, protecting what is valuable and nurturing that which needs care.

Mercury - Life/Death. This is the aspect of consciousness that can as easily create as destroy.

By our Mercury function we create chaos and disorganized scattered conditions through ambivalence, and thus come to see how to use discernment to coordinate various functions to bring forth perfect knowing how to do whatever needs to be done.

Venus - Wisdom/Folly. This is the aspect of consciousness describing our subconscious response to self-consciousness, affecting our "mental offspring."

By our Venus function we live our vanities, selfishness, or narcissistic ways of relating, and thus come to know how to capture at just the right times more beautiful forms of our inner picture of a higher, refined, elegant life and relationships.

Sun - Fruitfulness/Sterility. This is the aspect of consciousness describing our making of growth or deserts in our life and the lives of others.

By our Solar function we shine forth our pride, inflexibility, sense of entitlement or inability to bless others, and thus come to know how to be the living light at the center of our purpose and integrity, bringing forth life and abundance for self and others.

Mars - Grace/Sin. This is the aspect of consciousness that shows whether our responses are manifesting error or truth, maladjustment or beauty.

By our Martian function we force things before their time or confront abrasive, aggressive, or hostile energies in ourselves and others, and thus we learn how to sever what must be severed, and further what must be furthered, quickly and directly.

Jupiter - Wealth/Poverty. This is the aspect of consciousness showing how we are grasping circumstances with abundance or neediness.

By our Jupiterian function we waste time, energy, or money, or are merciful in ways others can mistake for weakness, teaching us to understand the eternal abundance of the Universe in giving us what we need when we need it, and accept it.

Saturn - Dominion/Slavery. This is the aspect of consciousness demonstrating whether we are limited or limiting others in helpful or hurtful ways.

By our Saturnian function we are slavers or enslaved, controllers or oppressed, and through these come to a patient and mature conscious participation in the Great Work, actively accepting our higher responsibilities and higher work to help our world.

However! The outer triad of invisible planets, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, do not have a dual quality, since they symbolize transpersonal energies that work together and synergistically, with each an aspect of the three-fold Divine Energy Force. They are the awakening, preserving, and transforming energies in the Spiritual Field, and work as a unified three-fold “god force” on transpersonal levels.

Using the Knowledge Consciously

By remembering the various dual qualities of the 7 visible “Sacred” planets, we can easily see when we or another is functioning in a healthy way, and if not, which planet is malfunctioning. That way, any time some traits associated with one of these dysfunctions shows up as a problem, we can identify what’s not right and express a positive function, transmuting the situation through applying the appropriate planetary solution to the dysfunctional behavior.

For example, if we are with someone enslaved by a delusion or fear (Saturn), then we may achieve dominion (Saturn) over the situation by demonstrating the Saturn virtues of knowing right limits, correct boundaries, and a sense of what duty or responsibility must be accepted or rejected to achieve completion and wholeness. If someone is clinging to an obsolete rule, then we can take command using Saturn’s understanding to apply a needed restructuring to how things can move forward.

In another example, if we find ourselves impoverished, it is a Solar issue, since the problem is a need for fruitfulness which isn’t happening. That means finding a “non-sterile” approach which will yield results rather than allow things to remain barren. That may involve finding “life giving” approaches to whatever in “the realm” is not prospering to restore fruitfulness to your realm.

If we’re stuck thinking ideas which are leading us to dead-end streets, or trying to make sense of another’s view which goes everywhere and nowhere, seeming to lead to potential but leaving us in blind alleys, it’s a Mercury problem. By changing our mental state, or Mercury function, we leave behind perceptions and opinions creating patterns which lead to decay or dead-ends, and can recognize life-affirming approaches that open possibilities rather than frustrate the potential.

It’s easy to see the value of learning how to apply these solutions to problems of interpersonal living and communication. If you're trying to discuss something with another and what you’re hearing is a frustrating downer to your hopes, dreams, truth or experience, then affirm the life and light in your experience, truth, hopes and dreams, and see how it made you feel stronger, clearer, and more life-affirming. This way you don’t allow the decaying toxic Mercury behavior of the other to take root in your mind.

I speak about these dynamics in my book The Magic of Venus: Friendships, Soul Mates, and Twin Flames. Once we learn the dysfunctional symptoms of a malfunctioning planet, we can step back from seductions, coercions, and confusion about what part we’re supposed to be playing with that person at that time. One thing is clear: it is useful NOT to agree with another's toxic point of view simply to be polite. To agree with a toxic idea affirms what we really don’t want to affirm.

We don’t want to attack their view, since using Mars interpersonally is seldom the best approach, often resulting in as much “sin and error” as truth. However, if we find an appropriate higher way of expressing Venus, it usually will lead us to wisdom rather than folly. That way we find desired beneficial outcomes helping us overcome many difficulties in human relations, both by avoiding certain traps and capturing what we value or believe is beautiful.

On a related note, in Medical Astrology there are two ways to deal with planetary dysfunction. One applies opposite planet or sign antidotes to counter the problem. The other applies more of the same planetary energy, substituting the higher positive function for the lower. "Fighting fire with fire" is only one way of describing the second approach. Which of these is needed is usually determined by whether something is in excess or deficiency, and whether diminishment or “jumpstarting” is appropriate. Through these we learn divine discernment and can see how to apply “spiritual solutions” to whatever the worldly problem is.

Please reread this material a few times and contemplate what I’ve offered. As your consciousness explores how the various planetary qualities are related to each other and various situations you’ve encountered, you’ll understand the various planetary “departments of labor” and will have a deeper and broader understanding of what the planetary qualities are, and how to use the right energy at the right time to be the most positive expression of your planetary energies.

Reprinted on crystalwind.ca with written permission from Robert Wilkinson. Copying this article to other blogs is strictly prohibited. It is copyright protected. 

© Copyright 2024 Robert Wilkinson

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