On page 407 of the Message of the Stars a table of planetary keywords is given for the various planets, both in favorable and adverse aspect.These keywords represent the boiled-down essence of the planets. On page 405 the following passage occurs in regard to the use of keywords in connection with the delineation of a horoscope: "When the student has mastered the meaning of the positions and aspects of the various planets, he may with the greatest of ease give a good delineation of the effect of each aspect by combining the keywords in the table and elaborating upon them."

   This lesson will be devoted to carrying out this idea. It will include a complete set of keywords for all the planets, signs, and houses. It will also work out two aspects by the use of keywords, namely, Uranus sextile Jupiter and Saturn opposition Jupiter, showing how one may arrive independently at the net results which were obtained in Lesson 21.

   Before we proceed, however, let us get a few fundamental conceptions in regard to what a horoscope shows. Astrology is the Clock of Destiny, but the horoscope does not create anything for us. The planets merely galvanize into action the tendencies which we have within us. They impel in a certain direction, but they do not compel. The human will is superior to astrological influence. The will cannot be gauged in advance; therefore we can never be certain that the astrological influences will work out entirely according to rules, because we cannot tell to what extend the will of the individual may interfere with them.

   The rank and file of humanity, however, may be relied upon to respond quite closely to astrological influence. In the main only those who have begun to consciously direct their evolution are able to set it aside and thus rule their stars. The student of astrology by his very study of the subject and the endeavor to apply his knowledge is beginning to direct his evolution, and therefore is becoming able to rule his stars. If astrology is made the subject of fatalism, that is, a belief in a fixed fate, it becomes a curse rather than a blessing. There is always a way out of the conditions brought about by any aspect; therefore we need not regard our fate as fixed at all. Moreover, astrology is a science of probabilities; any square is susceptible of several interpretations. Therefore it behooves us not to make any hard and fast, ironclad delineations of the horoscope, for if we do we are very likely some time to be mortified by their failure to materialize. Astrology is exceedingly valuable as an index to character, and since character is destiny, the horoscope gives us a general index of our destiny; but in general it has many possibilities of interpretation.

   Every planet, every sign, and every house has certain characteristics and a certain field of action which may be expressed by keywords. Farther on is given a table of keywords. You will notice that there are three sets for the planets and three for the signs. The first set gives the basic nature and field of action. The second gives the positive variations or qualities which result from right use of the planetary vibrations. The third gives the negative variations or qualities which result from misuse or excess. The basic keywords apply in all cases no matter whether the square is benefic or adverse. The positive qualities are brought into action by the benefic aspects, that is, the sextile and trine and the benefic conjunctions noted in the table in Lesson 20. The negative qualities are brought out by the adverse aspects, namely, the square and opposition and the adverse conjunctions in the table.

   The Table of Keywords gives only the more important characteristics of the planets, signs, and houses. As you progress in your study of the subject, you will continually add new keywords and qualities to this list. There are also keywords for the aspect itself, that is, for the sextile,square, etc. The keyword of an aspect is usually a verb indicating action. You will learn the keywords of the aspects when we come to delineate a portion of this horoscope.

Basic Keywords: Self-esteem, initiative, pioneering.
Positive Qualities: Courage, enterprise.
Negative Qualities: Self-will, temper.

Basic: Determination, harmony, earthiness.
Positive: Endurance, thoroughness.
Negative: Argumentativeness, obstinacy.

Basic: Intellectuality, literary ability.
Positive: Versatility.
Negative: Changeability, superficiality.

Basic: Vitality, affection
Positive: Nobility, loyalty, leadership.
Negative: Arrogance, cruelty, vanity.

Basic: Service, mental qualities.
Positive: Purity, discrimination, hygienics.
Negative: Criticism, introspection.

Basic: Capacity for partnership, art.
Positive: Balance, justice.
Negative: Indecision, lack of poise.

Basic: Sex, healing, secret forces of nature, military affairs.
Positive: Regeneration, courage.
Negative: Discord, passion.

Basic: Aspiration, philosophy, religion.
Positive: Idealism, philanthropy.
Negative: Dogmatism, bigotry.

Basic: Position, honors, ambition.
Positive: Authority, organization, justice.
Negative: Pride, suspicion, pessimism.

Basic: Humanitarianism, universal friendship, scientific methods.
Positive: Cooperation, diplomacy, progressiveness.
Negative: Impracticableness.

Basic: Unity, ripe destiny, sensitiveness to the superphysical.
Positive: Compassion, inspiration, mysticism.
Negative: Dreaminess, psychism, sorrow.

Basic Keywords: Individuality, life, ambitions, those in authority, men.
Positive Qualities: Generosity, dignity.
Negative Qualities: Laziness, despotism.

Basic: Personality, imagination, fecundation, change, the public, women.
Positive: Magnetism.
Negative: Dreaminess, visionariness, vacillation.

Basic: Reason, speaking, writing.
Positive: Quick-wittedness, dexterity.
Negative: Restlessness, demagogy, dishonesty.

Basic: Attraction, love, social activities, beauty.
Positive: Artistic ability, harmony.
Negative: Laziness, sensuality.

Basic: Dynamic energy.
Positive: Constructiveness, enterprise.
Negative: Destructiveness, temper, friction.

Basic: Expansion, ideation, optimism, law.
Positive: Benevolence, vision, success, popularity.
Negative: Extravagance, indolence, over-confidence.

Basic: Contraction, persistence, caution, system.
Positive: Faithfulness, analysis, discipline, tact.
Negative: Crystallization, obstruction, avarice, fearfulness, limitation.

Basic: Altruism, intuition, originality, sudden action.
Positive: Inventiveness, independence.
Negative: Eccentricity, irresponsibility.

Basic: Superphysical entities, divinity, occultism.
Positive: Inspiration, spirituality.
Negative: Delusions, fraud, mediumship.

1st: Early environment, personality, physical body.
2nd: Finance.
3rd: Lower mind, short journeys, brothers and sisters, speaking and writing.
4th: The home, the mother, old age, lands and mines.
5th: Pleasure, education, children, publications.
6th: Service, health and sickness.
7th: Partnership, marriage, the public, the fine arts.
8th: Inheritance, cause of death, regeneration.
9th: Higher mind, religion, law, long journeys.
10th: Profession, social standing, the father.
11th: Friends.
12th: Ripe destiny, mysticism, institutions for unfortunates.

   Planets represent the driving forces of the horoscope.

   Signs represent the static forces, which color and modify the influence of the planets.

   Planets in signs indicate the character and inner capacities.

   Planets in houses give the circumstantial details of the life.

   In Lesson 20 we worked out the aspects and other elements for a horoscope erected for New York City, Sept. 15, 1912, 2:00 a.m. In Lesson 21 this horoscope was delineated by reference to the Message of the Stars. We will now take two aspects in the chart of Lesson 12 (Aug. 10, 1912, 4:00 p.m.) and analyze them in detail by the use of keywords.

   The sextile is a harmonious aspect and indicates that good judgment is used in all the matters ruled by these two planets so far as it may not bets of an adverse character. Therefore we use in addition to the basic keywords the positive set of qualities for both Uranus and Jupiter and also for the two signs in which they are located, namely, Sagittarius and Aquarius. We will not consult the Table of Keywords above. From it we note the following keywords and qualities:

Jupiter:
Basic Keywords: Expansion, ideation, optimism, law.
Positive Qualities: Benevolence, vision, success, popularity

Sagittarius:
Basic Keywords: Aspiration, philosophy, religion.
Positive Qualities: Idealism, philanthropy.

   We now have to combine the keywords and qualities of Jupiter with those of Sagittarius to find some of the characteristics and activities given thereby. In doing this it is necessary to exercise some ingenuity to select and blend into a key sentence the keywords that will produce a reasonable and probable result. Upon examination we conclude as follows: The positive Jupiter in Sagittarius gives vision (Jupiter) that may be exercised along the lines of religion (Sagittarius), or philosophy (Sagittarius), with success (Jupiter) therein. Also there may be aspiration (Sagittarius) for the law (Jupiter) and a high idealism (Sagittarius) in its practice.

   We will next apply the above method to Uranus in Aquarius. From the Table of Keywords we obtain the following:

Uranus:
Basic Keywords: Altruism, intuition, originality, sudden action.
Positive Qualities: Cooperation, diplomacy, progressiveness.

Aquarius:
Basic Keywords: Humanitarianism, universal friendship, scientific methods.
Positive Qualities: Cooperation, diplomacy, progressiveness.

   Selecting and blending keywords from this list that seem to fit together we conclude that the positive Uranus in Aquarius gives original (Uranus) methods of developing and carrying out humanitarian (Aquarius) projects and obtaining the cooperation (Aquarius) of others in these projects. The altruism (Uranus) and progressiveness (Aquarius) of the native lead him to develop along the lines of universal friendship (Aquarius), that is, to make all humanity his friends.

   Next we combine the keywords of Uranus and Jupiter to ascertain the kind of character and activities given by this aspect. We conclude as a result that this person is of the altruistic (Uranus), inventive (Uranus) type, and that the corresponding qualities will be exerted along benevolent (Jupiter) lines and the maintenance of law (Jupiter), with general success (Jupiter) resulting.

   We will now look at the keywords for the houses containing these two planets. The keywords for the 1st house as found in the table are: early environment, personality, and the physical body. The keyword for the 11th house is "friends." Combining the keywords of the positive Jupiter with those of the 11th house, we find that this position gives vision (Jupiter) in selecting friends (11th) and success (Jupiter) in friendships (11th). Combining the keywords of the positive Uranus with those of the 1st house, we conclude that the native has a very original (Uranus), altruistic (Uranus) personality (1st), and is likely at times to be quite un-conventional (Uranus). Sudden action (Uranus) is also shown due to the restlessness of Uranus.

   When two planets are tied together in an aspect, it results in a mutual action and reaction between the affairs of the two houses containing them. In this case there will be such an action and reaction between the 1st and 11th houses. Briefly, the action of the 1st house affairs upon those of the 11th will be as follows: The original (Uranus) progressive (Aquarius) personality (1st) of the native will make (sextile) for him friends (11th) of an optimistic (Jupiter) idealistic (Sagittarius) type. Note that seven keywords are used, namely, one for each of the two planets, the two signs, and the two houses, also one for the sextile, which is a verb denoting action. This is called the "sevenfold combination of keywords." There action of the 11th house affairs upon those of the first is as follows: The benevolent (Jupiter) philosophical (Sagittarius) friends (11th) of the native will help (sextile) him in his original (Uranus) humanitarian (Aquarius) projects, and the direct effect upon him will be an improvement in his personality (1st) due to the help he has given to others.

   (It should be noted here that since Jupiter is in 5:38 of Sagittarius, it is only 4:22 from the cusp of the 12th house. Since the orb of a house is 5 degrees, extending backwards, it will be seen that a small percentage of Jupiter's influence, roughly 10%, will be exerted in the 12th house. We will not investigate this, however.)

   This finishes the itemized delineation of the aspect. It is not a complete delineation, however. Many other deductions could be made, but it goes far enough to illustrate the method and give the student an idea of the principles involved. It yet remains to summarize all the above items into a concise paragraph, using nontechnical language, leaving out all astrological terms, and avoiding repetition of the same thought. We will leave this to the student to do as an exercise in synthesis. Please send this to us at the same time that you send the delineation asked for at the end of this lesson.

   The opposition is usually a somewhat inharmonious aspect; therefore in delineating it we will use the basic keywords but combine them with the negative qualities instead of the positive. This applies both to Saturn and Jupiter and the signs which they occupy. The basic keywords of Jupiter are: expansion, ideation, optimism and law. The negative qualities are: over-confidence, extravagance, and indolence. The basic keywords of Sagittarius are: aspiration, philosophy, religion; the negative qualities are: dogmatism, bigotry. Selecting the keywords which will naturally blend, we arrive at the conclusion that the negative Jupiter in Sagittarius gives the native a tendency to over-confidence (Jupiter) and thus to expand (Jupiter) too rapidly in matters connected with philosophy or religion (Sagittarius). He is also extravagant (Jupiter) and dogmatic (Sagittarius), and pursues his studies in the above subjects in an indolent (Jupiter) manner.

   Following this same method to determine the negative nature of Saturn in Gemini, we blend the basic keywords which we find in the table with the negative qualities. As a result we conclude that this person will be persistent (Saturn) in literary (Gemini) pursuits; but his contracted (Saturn) mental (Gemini) condition will make his literary (Gemini) product superficial (Gemini), and limit (Saturn) his success in this field.

   Proceeding similarly with the negative aspect of Saturn opposition Jupiter, using the basic keywords and the negative qualities in the table, we deduce the fact that this aspect limits (Saturn) the benevolent(Jupiter) tendencies of the native, obstructs (Saturn) his vision (Jupiter), and in general handicaps (Saturn) him in his work; also the indolence (Jupiter) of the native subtracts from his persistence.

   Next we examine the negative effect of these two planets in their respective houses. Combining the basic keywords and negative qualities of Jupiter with the keywords of the 11th house, we conclude that some of the friends (11th) who will be attracted under this aspect will be of the extravagant (Jupiter), indolent (Jupiter) type. Combining the basic keywords and negative qualities of Saturn with the keywords of the 5th house, we see that the native will be limited (Saturn) in matters connected with pleasure and children (5th), and he will meet obstructions (Saturn) in activities connected with education and publications (5th).

   The action of the 11th house affairs upon those of the 5th will be as follows: The extravagant (Jupiter), bigoted (Sagittarius) friends (11th) which the native naturally attracts to himself, so far as this aspect is not neutralized by others, will interfere (opposition) with his success in publishing (5th) his literary (Gemini) works by causing him to lose his native caution (Saturn) and become careless. The reaction of the 5th house affairs upon those of the 11th is as follows: The avarice (Saturn) of the native in intellectual (Gemini) pursuits connected with educational (5th) projects will cause (opposition) the loss of prosperous (Jupiter), idealistic (Sagittarius) friends (11th). Note that sevenfold combination of keywords is used in both cases in this paragraph.

   This delineation of Saturn opposition Jupiter is very elementary in character; many other conclusions could be formed regarding this aspect. The delineation should be summarized in the same manner that was used in summarizing Jupiter sextile Uranus. Please send us this summary along with the preceding one.

   It will be noted that the two aspects delineated above are quite contrary in character. This is where the judgment of the astrologer must come in to determine which one will dominate and how much of the influence of each will be felt. In order to determine this we look to ascertain the relative strength of Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus. Jupiter is strong because he is dignified in Sagittarius and because he is the ruler of the horoscope. Also Jupiter is above the horizon, while Saturn is below it. Planets above the horizon have greater freedom of action than those below and are not so hampered by fate. Therefore we may conclude that Jupiter is stronger than Saturn, and therefore will quite largely be able to overcome the limiting, contracting influence of Saturn. Another factor in the situation is that both Saturn and Jupiter are supported by Uranus, the former by a bsextile and the latter by a trine, Uranus is strong by being dignified in Aquarius and located in the 1st house. Therefore the intuition of Uranus will be used by the native to overcome the restricting saturnine influence.

   Hence we may conclude that Jupiter, supported by Uranus, will dominate the situation quite largely and hold the obstructing, limiting qualities of Saturn in check, forcing Saturn to bring forth many of his positive qualities instead of the negative. The native will nevertheless at times yield to the saturnine inclinations and thereby obstruct his own best interests and get into a pessimistic frame of mind as a result. But this will be only temporary; the expansive optimism of Jupiter will always win out in the end, and good will prevail over evil.

   When we have two aspects of an opposite nature, as in the present case, it does not mean that one will neutralize the other. The two will appear alternatively from time to time in the disposition of the native. The effects in the outer world, however, signified by the houses, may be quite largely neutralized; that is, the benefic aspect may dominate the adverse one to such an extent that the latter will not produce marked detrimental effects. But the two phases of the character will persist and manifest until the lower is mastered.

   The above reading of a positive and a negative aspect has been done in such a manner as to afford the student a key to the whole matter of delineation. It is only necessary to apply the above method to all the other aspects, using the keywords which apply in each case and combining them to arrive at conclusions. If the student can do it once, he can do it any number of times. After he has mastered the principles involved in reading and balancing a pair of conflicting aspects, he is quite capable of reading an entire chart, because it is largely a repetition of the same process. At the end all the departments of the horoscope must be similarly balanced so as to determine how any department may modify the influence of the others and thus affect the net result.

Junior Astrology Lesson Information Sources:
Rosicrucian Fellowship Course Curricula	Online Astrology Library	Information for Astrology Course	Read the Cosmo!
Order Astrology Course Materials & Books	Preliminary Philosophy Course Lesson No. 1	Our Courses: Information & Enrollment	Index of Natal & Medical Astrology
Cosmo Index		Pictorial Study Guide

  [Note: If you prefer to work offline, you are welcome to e-mail your answers and/or comments to us. Please be sure to include your e-mail address, full name, course name and lesson number in your e-mail to us.]

  1]  To see that you have mastered to some degree the principles set forth above, will you please delineate by the use of keywords the following aspect, which occurs in our chart:

   Mars in Virgo in the 8th house, sextile to the Moon in Cancer in the 7th house.

   Send this delineation to us, and we will examine it and criticize it as to its correctness. Also please send the summaries requested above for Uranus sextile Jupiter, and Saturn opposition Jupiter.

Note: Please do not fail to read and reread the pages in which you find the answers to these questions. After carefully studying the subject matter, strive to condense your answer as much as possible, taking into consideration the principal points.