Symbols and Glyphs

An astrologer is a symbologist who spends hours decoding and interpreting messages from the sky. Like Robert Langdon from the Da Vinci's Code, astrologers are the detectives whose job is to investigate the trail of clues left behind by divine forces. We fit the jigsaw pieces of your life, bit by bit, until we solve the puzzle presented by your current situation.

The following are the basic symbols for each zodiac. There are 12 zodiac signs in the sky. At the moment of our birth, the stars and planets align in the sky to imprint their energies into our soul. This "snapshot" of the sky the moment we are born is called a natal chart. Our natal chart is the "blueprint" of our soul. It maps out our character and potential. 

A natal chart is divided into 12 sections known as "Houses", with each zodiac sign occupying one House. Every person is born with all 12 zodiac signs in their natal charts. Therefore, our character is complex. Don't trust the newspaper column which simplifies us into either an Aries, a Taurus, or a Gemini. That is a pile of bullshit. Everybody has the 12 zodiacs somewhere in their natal chart.

Planets fill up your natal chart. We have 10 planets in astrology. Each planet controls one function in your life. For example, the Moon controls your feelings, Mars controls your libido, Mercury controls your intelligence, etc. Besides the planets, we have 2 nodes of the Moon to decide fate. The North & South nodes of the Moon reveal your true purpose in this life. 

Planets will form angles between each other in a natal chart. When planets form angles, they interact. We have "soft" aspects  - trine (120 degrees),  sextile (60 degrees), and semi-sextile (30 degrees). Soft aspects bring blessings, benefits and harmony to the individual. When 2 planets form soft aspects, they are working together smoothly. We also have "hard" aspects - opposition (180 degrees), square (90 degrees) and semi-square (150 degrees). Hard aspects bring conflicts, problems and adjustments to the individual. When 2 planets form hard aspects, they are having a clash. Lastly, the strongest aspect is called the conjunction (0 degrees), which means the planets are sitting side-by-side. The effect varies according to the nature of the planets involved. 

Put together zodiac signs, planets and aspects, and you'll get the big picture. Your natal chart is composed of these symbols and can be read like a map. They are key to unlock your true potential and destiny. I shall teach you how to "decode" your own natal chart in my next articles.  

Synastry: Relationship Astrology

What is synastry? It is the backbone of relationship astrology. One learns to read synastry charts in order to understand what makes a couple ticks. It tells us a wealth of information on why a man and woman is attracted to each other, and how they interact in their relationship. Reading synastry is like spying on a couple's private life, peering into the drama that they enact in their love affair. Among others, it reveals the compatibility of a couple.

A synastry consists of 3 elements: i) the individual natal charts ii) the overlaying of 2 natal charts together iii) the planetary interaspects between both charts. The astrologer will then analyze the overlapping charts for the following details: 

i) The romantic compatibility of the couple

ii) The attraction and sexual factor - what pulls them together

iii) The areas in life where they affect each other

iv) The pros / strengths of their interaction

v) The cons / weaknesses of their interaction 

iii) Whether it is a strong or weak relationship  

Below is an example of the synastry chart for Prince William and Kate Middleton. Notice the grand air trine (shaped in a blue triangle) formed between them? This indicates smoothness in communication. They will enjoy conversations together and can talk openly / share ideas with each other easily. Their Mercury-Mars combo only repeats the theme of having the same intellectual wavelength. Her Moon and Sun falling in his Ascendant and Descendant emphasized great marriage ties, while his Moon makes her feel safe and protected. His Jupiter in her 7th also brings her blessings through matrimony. However, there are some problems lurking in terms of friction caused by power struggles and restrictions on freedom. Mars-Moon conflict definitely hints at frequent arguments, and Pluto says it can get nasty. He may get frustrated, while she may feel restricted.     

Suitable advice and recommendations will be given by the astrologer based on the needs of the couple - each relationship is unique and every couple has different problems. The goal is to get to the root of the problem (if there is any) and find a solution. Another goal is to encourage and develop the positive aspects of the relationship so as to increase the harmony of the couple and minimize friction. Noble goals, indeed, and you might say it is quite difficult to achieve. True, for astrologers, like doctors, are not miracle workers and a sick person cannot be cured overnight just by swallowing a pill. A consultation requires follow-ups for successful long-term effects.

However, some astrologers will only give you good, glowing reviews and avoid telling you the bad stuffs so as not to upset you. Avoid those "prosperity astrologers" who will only sugarcoat and tell you what you want to listen to, and get an honest, professional one who is not afraid to reveal everything - including the bad stuffs. After all, you want to solve problems, right? And the last thing you need to hear is a cover up which does nothing but boosts your ego and gives you a false sense of security. 

Why Study Astrology?

Psychologist Carl Jung once wrote “The psychological rule says that when an inner situation is not made conscious, it happens outside, as fate. When the individual…does not become conscious of his inner contradictions, the world must perforce act out the conflict and be torn into opposite halves” (Aion, p. 71). When we are not self-aware, we will only fall victims to circumstances that seem beyond our control, which we will then blame as “fate” or “bad luck.” However, astrology tells us that nothing happens by accident and everything has a purpose to it. By studying astrology, the unknown will be made known and we shall not be slaves to fate. In other words, astrology is a form of self-empowerment because when we truly understand the divine forces at work, we will be better equipped to handle our lives. Below are reasons why we need astrology:

a. To gain self-knowledge and self-awareness of our true potentials

b. To know our strengths and develop them to the fullest in our relationships

c. To know our weaknesses and discard them in favour of growth 

d. To avoid repeating old habits or patterns of behavior which are counter-productive

e. To address our source of pain, trauma and conflict in life that leads to healing 

f.  To understand our cosmic purpose in life. Why am I here? What lessons must I learn?

g. To make the right decisions based on informed judgment 

h. To take responsibility for our own actions and not blame “fate”

i.  To accept the truth of who we are and what we are not.     

j.  To gain the wisdom to know the difference between what we can change and what we cannot change 

k. To use this knowledge to build lasting and harmonious relationships

l.  To bring about positive transformation of the self and other

What is Astrology?

Astrology is a mystical art that is inherited from the ancients. Despite being misperceived by modern society as a "superstition", astrology is actually more complex and rigorous than an irrational belief in the stars. Combining Freudian psychoanalysis and Jungian archetypes, astrology is more accurately described as "knowledge of the self" that includes "the other." Personally, I consider it a branch of psychology that studies self-identity and group-identity which often reveals the intrinsic motivation behind people. I used it as a tool to gain insights into my own character (and others) for the purpose of self-improvement.

Astrology then, can be said to unveil deeper truths. Its ultimate aim is to strip people naked. It is brutally honest in its analysis of human nature. It is relentless and unapologetic in its unmasking of society. Perhaps this is the most fearful aspect of all. Humans may adapt to the environment and learn to change according to situations, but astrology examined people as new-born babies, using their natal chart to study their character. We are not a piece of blank paper ("tabula rasa"). Astrology says we are born with certain potentials and a set of tendencies, be it positive or negative. We are put under the microscope. Under the lens, every detail is shown; your strengths, your flaws, your secrets, your aspirations, etc. There is a naked vulnerability to it all.

                                                 The self confronting the other

Identity can be seen as a projection of mirror images. A person projects their self to the world, and reacts by receiving reflected images from the rest of society. This is how identity is negotiated each time we encounters another human being. Our concept of "self" is actually constructed from bits and pieces of floating images. Who is the other? The other is the enemy, your opposite, your reflected mirror image on another person. He or she represents everything you are not, and you believe you two cannot co-exist. Astrology reveals that we have a Shadow self, an evil twin that lives within us. This is the ugly part of us that has been totally rejected and disowned by our current self. We fooled ourselves into thinking that our evil twin does not exist, but in times of crisis, this ugly side tends to emerge to wreck havoc on surprised friends and relatives. We are often unconscious of the other, letting it hibernate inside us because we want to be good people. In order to be "good" according to society's standards, we deny the existence of the evil twin. The other continues to haunt us, fascinate us.

                                                      The layout of a natal wheel

Astrology argues there are two sides co-existing in a person - the projected self (1st House) and reflected self (7th House). Aries rules the 1st House of personality and appearance, and Libra rules the 7th House of marriage and partnership. These two Houses are said to control face-to-face human interactions in our daily life. Self-identity and social identity then are forged from the push-and-pull dynamics between the 1st and 7th House, with Aries projecting and Libra receiving images. Lots of people assume both of these zodiacs to be opposite of each other, but that is in fact, untrue. If you've been following the mirror analogy, you'll understand that Aries and Libra are actually the same sign, only the flip side of the same coin. They are Shadows of each other. Although Aries symbolizes the masculine, active, physical, and assertive, he is only the rejected aspect of Libra, which denotes the feminine, passive, intellectual, and diplomatic. Arguably, there are only six zodiac signs in the whole universe, with their Shadow counterparts. The six signs are:

Astrological Opposites and Shadows

What does this mean? A Leo is, in fact, more similar to an Aquarius than different. Based on my observation, an Aquarius is capable of behaving just as narcissistically as a Leo when expecting an audience. Both are suckers for the limelight and can be quite the diva. Sometimes, I find it hard to tell a Gemini from a Sagittarius because they are both so chatty and energetic. I have met countless Scorpio ladies who behaved exactly like a Taurus when angered. Nevertheless, do not judge a person by his Sun sign alone, as other factors must be considered when studying a natal chart. One final note: sexual chemistry is sizzling hot between the opposite signs.