Studies in Astrology

by

Elman Bacher

Volume VIII


Chapter II

Marriage

   For the pursuance of this material create mandalas as follows: (1 ) a Great Mandala: the Abstract Horoscope with Aries as the Ascendant-sign, including the Fire and Air trines--Aries, Leo, Sagittarius/Libra, Aquarius, Gemini); (2) a sign-mandala with Gemini as Ascendant; (3) a sign-mandala with Libra as Ascendant.

   While "complementation" is the word-symbol that refers to vibratory exchange in general, "marriage" is that specialized form of complementation that includes interchange with a person of the opposite physical sex. In its most complete expression--vibratorily and physically, the generative exchange is evolved; but many times a man/woman relationship does not--or cannot--involve this physical exchange; even so, we recognize our "other selves" in those persons who most completely complement us and our relationships with them are, perhaps, the most intensely "focused" of all our relationship-patterns and experiences.

   The quality of natural spontaneous joy that is found in significant relationships is resourced in the fraternity of the two people to each other. By the quality of our vibratory being at any particular point in the timing of our lives we magnetize to ourselves people who not only complement us-- "we need them and they need us"--but there is an inherent "simplicity" of each to the other. This simplicity is evidenced in a kind of "natural familiarity," an "easy recognition" that is quite different from the instinctive "uneasiness" that people feel toward each other when their fraternity is not recognized. (To have "no recognition" is "indifference" and no relationship results from the contact.) Mankind tends to fear and to hate that of which he is consciously ignorant; by this kind of recognition he sees others as "separate from himself" and the natural tendency to "defend himself from that which is not understood" takes the form of instinctive antagonisms and frictions. When we realize vibratory fraternity with even the most complete strangers we experience an easy attraction which may rapidly flower into friendship and happy beneficial exchange.

   The mandala with the Fire and Air trines pictures the essence of this quality.

   This mandala pictures a two-fold expression of the dynamic trine; the abstract of this trine is the Fire-trine; existence as power expressing with love and wisdom; its counterpart is the Air-trine initiated by Libra as the polarity of Aries; the two together form the six "points" of the sextile aspect--the mechanism of decrystallizing congestions. Give a little thought to this "trine-aspect symbol" as spiritualized expression. Now we will refer to our second mandala--the wheel with the sign Gemini as the Ascendant; connect the Ascendant with the fifth cusp (Libra), the fifth to the ninth (Aquarius), and the ninth to the Ascendant; thus creating the mandala of fraternity--since Gemini, as the Ascendant-sign, is the sign which refers to the third house of the Abstract Horoscope, and is the "root" of Humanity's fraternal Love-consciousness.

   In this mandala of fraternity we see the picture of basic brotherhood/sisterhood as the initiating point for the flowering of Love-Wisdom; brothers and sisters, playmates and fellow-students in child- hood; fellow students of any age, people who are similar in vocational or avocational interests, those who have a similarity of spiritual goals, those who enjoy the same things, those who are learning the same life-lessons. When we contact our "vibratory brothers and sisters" we recognize them; to the degree that we are free of congestions we easily--and sometimes quickly-- establish acquaintance with them; we have an "affinity" with them that makes possible this "good vibratory recognition."

   The experience of "falling in love" is an intensification of this vibratory affinity. In the Gemini mandala, Libra is on the cusp of the fifth house--the Love-aspect of the trine is now seen to be complementation of marriage and this vibratory recognition composites the most complete realization of "other-self-ness." The fraternity of brotherhood- sisterhood is here seen in an extended form of intensely focused complementation of one man and one woman whose fraternity with each other is the need for experience in the marital relationship. "Marriage" is here seen to be a twofold love-radiation and twofold stimulation by love-power. It is also the picture of the intense joy of lovers--the complementation is an ignition of the highest emotional octave of which each is capable at the particular timing of their lives. Truly, the love-joy of lovers is a radiation of beautiful and inspiring light--it charges the hearts of all with its ideal picturing. (Study your chart with the Gemini cusp as Ascendant.)

   Let us again look at the Great Mandala--Aries Ascendant--with special reference to the Gemini-Sagittarius diameter. Gemini-- the "root of Fraternity"--is the twelfth house sign of Cancer, the mother- sign; it is the ninth house sign of Libra, the wife-sign; Sagittarius is the twelfth house sign of Capricorn, the father-sign and third (fraternal) house sign of Libra and ninth house sign of Aries, the husband-sign. Let us interpret the house sign patterns in this way:

   Since Aries-Libra--the horizontal diameter--initiates the lower and upper halves of the circle, Gemini-Sagittarius is seen to be the modulation into the vertical division of the wheel, represented by the vertical diameter of Cancer-Capricorn. Virgo-Pisces is the modulation forward into the next expression of Libra-Aries. Mercury, through rulership of both mutable signs Gemini and Virgo, is the key-planet of modulation and adjustability into new octaves. Mercury, from a generic standpoint, is androgynous; it is "neutral" in the sense that it is not specifically masculine or feminine but is, in fact, inherently both. The quadrant initiated by male Mars is modulated by Mercury-Gemini (female sign, masculine gender) into the next quadrant, Cancer; which is ruled by the Moon and is, being Water, female-feminine; through Virgo (male sign, feminine gender) Mercury modulates the second quadrant and the lower half-circle into the third quadrant and the upper half-circle through cardinal Libra, ruled by Venus which is complement of Aries-Mars. The "masculinity" of the Air signs, initiated by Libra, simply pictures the "positive qualities of woman-nature," the masculine gender expressing in female sex or the initiation into upper octaves of consciousness by perception of the ideal reflection of one individual by another. Libra and its house--the seventh--is the portal to the temple of the soul; Aries--and the first house--is the portal into new experience by incarnation and by establishing a new octave of self-awareness. In Aries we say "I AM;" in Libra we extend our "I AM" into "WE ARE"--the transformation of separative self-consciousness by the power of Love- Fraternity; Love-Fraternity dissolves the "spaces" between ourselves and other human beings; we--and they--reach out vibratorily to each other and the "gaps are bridged" so that we and they are composited. The consciousness of individuality is thereby amplified into new and higher octaves of realization.

   It is the personal belief of the author--here presented as "food for thought"--that Pluto, as ruler of Scorpio, is exalted in Gemini, the root-sign of Love-Fraternity ("exaltation" is "generic maturity"). When we respond to an ignition of our inner wisdom and realize our fraternity with another person, our subconscious mind begins automatically -- as fire automatically burns upward--to decrystallize the congestions of envy, jealousy, and hatred, thus enabling us to "throw off negative ballast" and we, as a result, rise in vibratory quality. (These negative qualities are resourced in intense congestions of unreleased desire-power.) Further--let's look at the Scorpio Mandala--the twelfth house is covered by Libra, initiator of the Air-trine of which Gemini is the third ("Wisdom") octave; Venus, ruler of Libra, is herself "matured" in Pisces, the twelfth house sign of the Great Mandala, ruled by the identity principle of Neptune. The intensely compressed desire-quality of Scorpio--as the "thing incarnated" in this mandala--was impelled into "incarnation" by the marriage-complementation of Libra--harmony- through-perfect-vibrational-exchange is the redemption of the intensely compressed potentials of the Scorpio vibration. The "wisdom octave" of any of the four elemental (generic) trines is "that which is learned about Life from experience"--in contrast to the third-house-sign pattern (which refers to Gemini in the Great Mandala), which is "that learned through intellectual exercise;" third house pattern is integration of intellect; ninth house pattern is integration of consciousness through experience, and "EXPERIENCE" means RELATIONSHIP since it is only through relationship that experience has any particular meaning for us; nothing else identifies an experience except the way we feel about, and react toward, other people.

   So--Fraternity is the distilled essence of what is learned through Love-Relationship; when the intense potentials of Scorpio are constructively released we are, sooner or later (even if it takes years of incarnations), alerted to the brotherhood/sisterhood of all complementary relationships. The painful and terrible reaction we call "jealousy" is nothing but Fraternity that "has not yet seen its own face;" it is fraternal Love- attraction which, as yet, sees only differences, not similarities. The pain of this emotional reaction--a releasement of Pluto-Scorpio--is a deep-reaching one. No reaction of jealousy is to be taken as TRIVIAL or INSIGNIFICANT-- because it represents a timing for the greater unfoldment of fraternal Love; until the adjustment in consciousness is made--either as a "taker" or a "giver"--the subconscious will retain the "pain-pattern." The Scorpio Mandala- -with Libra as its twelfth house sign and Taurus (also ruled by Venus) as its seventh house sign--tells us how to deal with these intense pain-reactions: learn to perceive and to appreciate the best in the other fellow; appreciate him for his light and learn to emulate something of his regenerate qualities-- for, somewhere along the line, he is "high" where you are yet "low;" he has evolved something that you have yet to evolve--your pain-reaction is a moan of unfulfilled hunger from your sub-conscious which wants you to release something of your potentials and express more extensively. Don't waste time in envy--admire, appreciate, and learn from the person toward whom you tend to have this reaction; he is--whether he knows it or not--your "elder brother" from whom you can learn something of great importance toward realizing your ideal self.

   We must, for clarity's sake, focus on the seventh house in this discussion, even though there are several ways of analyzing a chart with regard to "complementation." The seventh house is your marriage experience and, in a natal horoscope, it must, by its very nature, represent your relationship with a person--or with persons--of the opposite physical sex. Planets in your seventh house represent a focalization of principles represented by the signs they rule which find their most complete expression in the field of complementary relationship. Not everyone actually marries, in the sense of becoming someone's husband or wife; but everyone has a seventh house with a particular focalization of Life-principles and vibratory qualities represented.

   Planets in the seventh house which are in the seventh house sign or intercepted in the seventh are the most definite focalizations of vibratory qualities to be dealt with in the marital relationship. These planets will represent a condensation of your experience-needs and will, consequently, represent a relatively strong compulsion to marry. Planets in the seventh house but in the eighth house-sign are a little different; these planets represent qualities which you need to regenerate--and the "ignition" of this inner need is brought to you in some form of intensely focused relationship-- which may, or may not, be with a person of the opposite sex or the same sex. Many times people are alerted to their most necessary regenerative need through contact with a person of the same sex--and until this regeneration is made, the other person will "appear as an enemy" to the subject.

   The first step in vibratory analysis of the seventh house as indicator of marital experience is understanding of the two signs on the horizontal diameter of the horoscope. This diameter is the polarity of "you and your complement" and all astrological students should "ground themselves" in a philosophic approach to the diameters found in the twelve signs--one of our most important steps. Then, of the planets that rule the Ascendant (and sign intercepted in the first house, if there is one) and the seventh cusp (and its intercepted sign, if there is one such).

   Determine the generic quality of these rulers: MALE SIGNS: Fire and Earth; FEMALE SIGNS: Air and Water; MASCULINE SIGNS: Fire and Air; FEMININE SIGNS: Earth and Water. Compare the generic quality of these house-rulers with the physical sex of yourself and your partner to determine which of the two is, basically, the more masculine and the more feminine; compare the general generic quality of both charts by synthesizing the generic qualities of all planets in both charts; the relative value of both charts as far as congested (square/opposition) aspects are pictured and the relative value of regenerate aspects; determine which planet, in each chart, is the most intensely congested and see how the other chart alleviates that congested planet. Do this with all congested patterns to determine how each can help the other to rise in vibratory quality.

   A most important clue is given by the placement of your planetary ruler in your partner's chart, and his/hers in your chart. Your ruler is in a certain sign, having a certain generic quality. The placement of the chart-rulers in the other person's chart will give the clue as to the focus of influence that each has on the other. If your planetary ruler is conjunct a planet in your partner's chart, then your influence is enhanced greatly for good or ill--because that planet in your partner's chart is your personal identification in his/her life and you can, by the way you express your ruler, "make or break" your partner by the way you identify yourself as that particular planetary influence. Also, apply his/her ruler to your chart and see if it conjuncts a planet in your chart: if so, study that planet with might and main; the regeneracy of that planet is the purpose for which you are drawn to your partner--if the planet is congested. If not, then its expression, on your part, makes possible a "channeling" of constructive effect on him/her and the picture is therein shown that that particular planetary vibration will "condense his/her need of you." So, it is incumbent upon you to exercise your regeneracies so that your Light, not your "darkness," will be the "gift" that you make to your marital experience.

   Then, of course, synchronize the two charts so that you may determine all mutual planetary conjunctions. These are "power-houses" by which light is generated in your relationship of marriage. Study the generic qualities represented by the sign-placement of these conjunctions to determine which phase of polarity is being exercised by the two of you together and study the planet that disposits each conjunction--that is very important because the planet that disposits such a conjunction represents the focalized life-principle that the two of you are, jointly, "working on" through the mutual conjunction.

   Remember that your chart is your chart and therefore a picture of your consciousness. Your seventh house is your inner picture of marriage; as such, recognize the value of realizing the ideal represented by your seventh house ruler; it is the principle that your partner should alert you to, and is the ideal that you are, in your Inner Being, most earnestly seeking to realize.

   To conclude, with a brief survey of the Libra mandala--the abstraction of humanity as a reflector of that which is of the soul.

   The basic feminine portrait of Humanity--the faculty that every man and woman has of reflecting to others ideal realizations of them by perceptions of their inner light. Virgo is on the twelfth, so service is the redemptive key-word of marriage; the service that is performed by the fulfillment of partnership is the releasement of light through regenerating our reactions to each other and to our experiences together. The placement of Gemini on the ninth is a key-word that the wisdom-resource of marriage is in fraternity of each to the other; "Fraternity" is "parallelity;" when we, in consciousness keep side by side with our partners rather than "higher and lower" we truly "take hands in loving companionship"--and each can, with comparative ease, learn from the light of the other.

   Those who have fulfilled the marital experience are much more aware of true Friendship--Leo is on the eleventh cusp of this mandala. Personal love-power is--or can be--released with great effect from the source of a loving and fulfilled heart to the extensions of impersonal relationships. Aquarius on the fifth tells us that the creativity of love, in marriage, has its impersonal meaning; we must not invite Egos into incarnation by making "graven images" of them; if we want to fulfill marriage through parenthood, we must do so in love, not with egotism and possessiveness. As parents, humanity fulfills his/her obligation by assisting the begotten to find its own realization of individuality and--having found it with integrity and clearness of perception--it must be liberated to its own fulfillments and experiences. The children grow up and go their ways, but the parents who love each other remain together. Their fraternity as husband-wife-brother-sister is integrated by love-wisdom and they are inwardly free to let their children find their maturity in expression of individuality on all planes. The fulfilled husband and wife stand, hand in hand, as a living symbol of the fraternity of men and women--as loving and beloved children of our parent-- Father-Mother God.

  



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