‘Still-Life with Skull’ Philippe de Champaigne 17th century {{PD}}

This is from Thursday’s new ECLIPSE; to order, go here, and get in on the next free lesson, on Rising Signs, coming out later this month! The new issue will be available evening of the 9th Pacific time.

When we think of the natal horoscope as a kind of map of the Soul’s intentions during this lifetime, we see how, in a very real but also totally symbolic way, everything revolves around the Sun, the symbol of the Soul’s intent within the chart. I know we come back to this question over and over, but it’s so vital to understanding the natal chart, and to finding nuances of meaning that help illuminate why there are clear differences among individuals who are all born under the same Sun sign. We can break down a sign even more than its usual 30-degree span using ancient measurements called decans. The decans originated as a kind of calendar that allowed people to keep track of the apparent motion of the heavens, one day to the next; the markers used were various stars or star groups as they rose and set. With decans, each sign is divided into thirds, with each section influenced by correlation to the other zodiacal signs in the same element, so that, for example, Aries is divided into 10 degree sections, with the first 10 ruled by Aries itself, so that the influence is of the nature of Aries’ ruler, Mars. The second 10 corresponds to the next Fire sign in the zodiac, Leo, so that the decan influence is the Sun, and the 3^rd is of course corresponding to Sagittarius, and so influenced by Jupiter. The initial decan of each sign is ruled by itself, so that the ruler of the 1^st decan is always also the ruler of the sign. Another example: Leo, also a Fire sign like Aries, has a 1^st decan ruled by the Sun (corresponding to Leo itself), then a 2^nd decan ruled by Jupiter (as the next Fire sign after Leo is Sagittarius), and a 3^rd decan influenced by Mars (for Aries, the Fire sign that comes after Sag, as we move around the zodiacal ‘circle’).