August 10, 2016

Western astrology is founded upon two cycles: 1) the annual cycle, with its four seasons and 12 signs, and 2) the daily cycle, with its four phases and 12 houses.

These cycles mirror each other:
Spring and morning,
Summer and afternoon,
Autumn and evening,
Winter and sleep.

The Sun and planets travel through the four cardinal points of the zodiac just as they travel through the four axis points of our sky:

The Spring Equinox (Aries) corresponds with the Eastern horizon (sunrise).
The Summer Solstice (Cancer) corresponds with the Midheaven (high noon).
The Autumn Equinox (Libra) corresponds with the Western horizon (sunset).
The Winter Solstice (Capricorn) corresponds with the Imum Coeli (midnight).

This was understood by the ancient Greek, Egyptian, and Roman astrologers.

Unfortunately, many of today's astrologers have lost sight of this fact. The zodiac signs follow the order of the seasons and the path of the planets. However, the houses are ordered backwards, in the opposite path from which the daily phases and planets move. They are counted from the Eastern horizon downwards to the Imum Coili, then back up to the Western horizon and up to the Midheaven. This illogically causes the Midheaven (high noon) to correspond with Capricorn (Winter Solstice) and the Imum Coeli (midnight) to correspond with Cancer (Summer Equinox).*

As a result, current house systems view planets as being most powerful when they are hidden below the Eastern horizon, not after they become visible. How is it possible that the first house of visibility is below the horizon, where planets are not visible? This is contradictory to our experience. Is the Sun's light brighter before it rises?**

*This was done to make the 12 houses overlap the 12 signs in the same order in a chart, which is pleasing to the eye but incorrect.

**French statistician, Michel Gauquelin, also verified that planets are far stronger above the Eastern horizon than below it.