HOW TO READ CHARACTER AND DISPOSITION
Ptolemy says: “Mercury is the ruler of the rational soul, the Moon of
the animal soul.” By this he would mean, no doubt, that Mercury has
relation to the faculty of the mind, while the Moon is related to brain
function. There are certain attributes of the mind which are distinctive
of the human being, and certain other qualities which are common to man
and the lower animals. These latter are under the dominion of the Moon,
while Mercury has chief signification of the rational faculties.
The position and aspects of the Moon and Mercury are therefore to be
considered in making judgment of the mental endowments and disposition
of the subject.
Planets that are in conjunction or aspect to either the Moon or Mercury
will impress their nature strongly on the character and disposition.
The natures of the planets have already been recited (Sect. I., chap.
i.), and it is therefore only necessary to consider further, in this
connection, the nature of the aspect that is thrown to the Mental
Significators by the other bodies. Thus the Sun being in trine to the
Moon will give a proper degree of independence and dignity, while the
square aspect or opposition of the Sun would indicate an excess of
pride, harmful to the subject in his ordinary relationships. In the same
manner, the good aspect of Jupiter would show benevolence and regulated
philanthropy, while the opposition or other evil aspect of the same body
would indicate extravagance and ostentatious display of charity.
The good and bad aspects of the planets may be summed up in a few lines
as follows:--
IN GOOD ASPECT. IN EVIL ASPECT.
Neptune--Genius, inspiration. Insanity, obsession.
Uranus--Originality, invention. Obstinacy, eccentricity.
Saturn--Steadfastness, fidelity. Deceitfulness, suspicion.
Jupiter--Benevolence, joviality. Ostentation, profligacy.
Mars--Energy, executiveness. Impulse, destructiveness.
Sun--Dignity, independence. Vanity, egotism.
Venus--Affability, art. Self-indulgence, disorderliness.
Mercury--Alertness, ingenuity. Inquisitiveness, meddling.
Moon--Grace, idealism. Inconstancy, awkwardness.
The general trend of the disposition and habit of mind is judged by the
position of the majority of the planets, according to the “Constitution”
of the Signs they occupy. Thus, the majority of the planets being in--
Cardinal or Movable Signs indicates executive ability, business
aptitude, pioneer spirit, ambition, capability to cut out a line in life
for oneself, and to make headway against difficulties. Such persons are
usually the foremost in their particular sphere of life, and are always
found in the most progressive movements, reforms, &c.
Fixed Signs--Stability, patience, endurance, method, caution, and
diplomacy. Such persons are apt to become the originators of schools
of thought, policies, and schemes. They have fixity of purpose,
determination, independence, and pivotal stability. They sit still and
the world revolves around them.
Flexed or Common Signs--Versatility, flexibility, suavity, adaptability,
and lack of originality. Such people usually have too many irons in
the fire, and take in hand more than they can bring to satisfactory
conclusion. This is due to their versatility. They have a superficial
knowledge of many things, but lack the persistence to bring that
knowledge to practical effect. At the same time their adaptability
is the occasion of many successes in life, and their agreeableness,
sympathy, and suavity create many friends for them.
In the Wheel of Life the cardinal signs denote the rim or tyre which is
ever on the move, having the greatest acceleration. The Common Signs
represent the spokes of the wheel, uniting the tyre to the nave, and
in that sense representing the power of adaptability. The Fixed Signs
represent the nave, which remains quiescent and still, being useful by
that pivotal stability and apparent non-entity.
Thus, while the Sign-groupings of the planets are useful in giving the
keynote of the nature and disposition, the particular faculties and
characteristics are to be judged only from the aspects of the planets to
the Moon and Mercury. Further, it will be noted that those planets which
occupy the 3rd and 9th Houses, and those also which are just rising at
the moment of birth, will strongly impress themselves on the nature,
apart from any aspects they may hold to the Mental Rulers. This is on
account of the natural relationship of those Houses to the mind and its
means of expression.
Due attention must be paid to the position and aspects of those planets
which are in aspect to the Mental Rulers, for if they be badly placed,
in uncongenial signs, and themselves badly aspected by other planets,
they will not act with the same directness and force as they otherwise
would do.
It is of course admitted, in all astrological inquiries, that the
effects of heredity, training and association count for something. A
man who is generated from a vitiated parentage, badly nourished and
imperfectly trained, cannot be expected, even with the best aspects,
to manifest the highest faculties in their fullest or most perfect
expressions. I have not the slightest doubt that many a clodpole was
born under similar aspects to those which obtained at the birth of
Shakespeare, Raphael, Newton, or Cæsar. I am not dismayed. _Non gli
astri muovono solamente per Roma!_ Who shall tell the tale of the
world’s starved, neglected, and submerged genius? We are doing the right
thing, at all events, in keeping the school-door wide open.
But to continue. The inspirational and ardent temperament is indicated
by the majority of planets being in Fiery signs. The mental or
intellectual temperament is shown by the majority in Aerial signs. The
psychic or emotional temperament by the majority in Watery signs, and
the practical or sordid temperament by the majority being in Earthy
signs.
The rising sign at birth often impresses itself strongly on the mind
of the Subject, and its characteristics are those which belong to the
planet which governs it, and the “elemental” nature of the sign itself.
Thus you have the chief keys to the estimate of character in the
individual, and when once the student is convinced by experience of the
paramount reliability of this method of character-delineation, its uses
will need no special pointing.
Mental and Brain Disorders.
When either the Moon or Mercury is afflicted by the malefic planets,
that is to say, when Neptune, Uranus, Saturn, or Mars are in conjunction
or evil aspect with the mental Significators, and there be no relieving
aspect from the benefic planets, Jupiter, Venus, or the Sun, then there
is every predisposition to affections of the brain and nervous system.
This is the more to be feared when the Moon or Mercury is afflicted in
the flexed or common signs. This observation has been scientifically
established by Mr. A. G. Trent, in his little work entitled “The
Soul and the Stars,” to which the student is referred for a mass of
statistical evidence.