Tuesday, November 20, 2007

A Different Astrological Perspective

Some time ago I bought a used copy of Carl Payne Tobey's book "Astrology of Inner Space" (Second printing, 1973). Part of the book is devoted to Mr. Tobey's theory that the astrological sign/house count popularly used, starting with Aries as the first sign, ruling 1st house, moving on via Taurus, finishing at Pisces/12th house, is open to question. He proposes Leo as the first sign, Cancer 2nd, Gemini 3rd etc. on to Virgo/12th. In his experience he says that this count has proved to be more accurate. He writes that he worked with the traditional sign/house meanings for seven years: "It wasn't all wrong, and it wasn't all right, but there seemed something the matter with it. The cults were teaching that you must accept astrology "on faith". I wasn't about to accept anything on faith. I was testing". A man after my own heart!

Mr Tobey was driven by a feeling that cults and esotericists had stood in the way of others determining the truth of astrology. Many observers considered that as an astrologer he was "before his time". He reveals that he read the 2000 pages of Madame Blavatsky's book "Secret Doctrine" and, along with his own practical astrological experience of some 50 years, an almost throw away remark in an unrelated paragraph of that book convinced him that this revised "count" was the correct one, and the one used by the ancients. Madame Blavatsky had written:

"Everybody knows that Capricorn is the 10th sign but it used to be the eighth".

Mr. Tobey's revised count isn't easy to absorb initially. I found it useful to read the chapter on Aquarius (my own Sun sign) first. Aquarius, as we know it, is the 11th sign and relates to 11th house. In Carl Payne Tobey's revised reckoning it becomes the 7th sign/house (angular, replacing Libra). Both signs are of the Air triplicity, so there are similarities anyway. The author argues that the concept of brotherhood traditionally allocated to Aquarius, has a questionable relationship to in that sign, and that the compassion and brotherly love attributed to Aquarius, in some natives, may come via Pisces, the adjacent sign where often Mercury, Venus or other personal planets may lie. He gives examples to support the theory.

CPT considers that because Aquarius thrives on change, it can become destructive when change doesn't occur. He felt that Libra's attributes, and its ruler Venus, better connect to the friendly 11th sign and house.

As for the 7th house representing marriage, he puts the idea forward that the 7th house represents the unknown, that which is still to be revealed. I suppose, because 7th lies opposite the ascendant where a personality is first "revealed", the unknown would, indeed, lie opposite. This might tie in with unexpected change, inventions, etc. represented by Aquarius's modern ruler, Uranus.

I have yet to read the chapter on each sign in detail, but a quick glance has convinced me that it's worth giving thought to this theory. For instance, moving on to Capricorn, ruled by Saturn: this would become the 8th sign rather than 10th: Saturn rules death, 8th house does too. And doesn't 8th house have connection with insurance? That's big business, which Earthy Capricorn would understand well.

Scorpio as 10th sign/house? The house of public status and recognition, career etc. - CPT considers that Scorpio has high level executive ability, and does well in politics, in the public limelight. That's pretty obvious in the USA's current Democratic presidential hopefuls - 3 Sun Scorpios and one with a Scorpio stellium (mentioned in yesterday's blog about Joe Biden).

Virgo would, by this revised count, become 12th house in place of Pisces - which I reckon doesn't work quite as well, it's the most difficult swap for me to accept. Pisces replacing Virgo as 6th - health issues? Well the addictive personality which is sometimes connected with Pisces is certainly unhealthy. Pisces' traditional ruler was Jupiter (modern ruler Neptune). It is often noted that Jupiter can be found connected with death in a chart...health/death?? Well, yes, OK. You can sense a kind of "echo" in all these exchanges.

Below is the "Leo clockwise count" in full - Sagittarius and Gemini retain their places as 3rd and 9th sign/house.

1 Leo
2.Cancer
3.Gemini
4 Taurus
5 Aries
6 Pisces
7 Aquarius
8 Capricorn
9 Sagittarius
10 Scorpio
11 Libra
12 Virgo

This system puts the 4 Fixed signs on the angles instead of the 4 Cardinal signs. That seems somehow appropriate.

If nothing else, Carl Payne Tobey's theory shakes the bag - makes one open the mind to examine a new perspective, which is never a bad thing.

No comments:

Post a Comment